# US 9,752,607 B2 · Retention pin and method of forming

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- Number: US 9,752,607 B2
- Document ID: US9752607B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/204,447
- Filed: 2014-03-11
- Published: 2014-11-06
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-13
- Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
- Applicants: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: James C. Muskat
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752607B2

## CPC

- F16B 19/04: Rivets; Spigots or the like fastened by riveting (lead seals G09F3/00)
- B21J 15/08: Riveting by applying heat {, e.g.} to the end parts of the rivets to enable heads to be formed {(B21J15/027 takes precedence)}
- B23K 11/0066: {Riveting}
- B23K 31/02: relating to soldering or welding
- F01D 9/023: {Transition ducts between combustor cans and first stage of the turbine in gas-turbine engines; their cooling or sealings}
- F01D 11/005: {Sealing means between non relatively rotating elements}
- F02C 7/28: Arrangement of seals
- B23K 2101/001: {Turbines}
- F05D 2230/23: by permanently joining parts together
- F05D 2240/57: Leaf seals
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- B21J: FORGING; HAMMERING; PRESSING METAL; RIVETING; FORGE FURNACES (rolling of metal B21B; making particular products by forging or pressing B21K; cladding or plating B23K; finishing surfaces by hammering B23P9/04; compacting surfaces by blasting with particulate material B24C1/10; general features of presses, presses for consolidating scrap B30B; furnaces in general F27)
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A retention pin assembly may include a stud having a head, a shaft, and a deformable end. The shaft may include a stepped surface having a greater diameter than the deformable end. The assembly may include a support member having an opening for receiving the deformable end. The support member may include a pocket. The stepped surface of the shaft may position the stud in relation to the support member. The deformable end of the stud may be operable to be melted to form a mechanical retainer within the pocket without forming a metallurgical joint between the stud and the pocket.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A retention pin assembly comprising:
a stud including a head, a shaft, and a deformable end disposed at a distal end thereof, wherein the shaft includes a stepped surface having a greater diameter than the deformable end;
a housing wall defining a base;
a support member extending transversely from the base, the support member having an opening extending therethrough for receiving the deformable end, the opening of the support member further including a pocket on one side of the support member;
a nub disposed on the support member between the base and the opening, the nub extending transversely to the base along the support member towards the opening and projecting outwardly from the support member on a side opposite the pocket;
a leaf seal pivotally mounted on the shaft; and
a bias member coaxially arranged on the shaft and disposed between the head and the leaf seal, wherein the bias member exerts a force on the leaf seal;
wherein the deformable end is deformed to occupy the pocket, and wherein the deformable end and the stepped surface provide a mechanical retainer to secure the stud to the support member; and
wherein the nub is configured to position the leaf seal apart from a distal end of the support member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pin assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stepped surface of the shaft is hardened via heat treatment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pin assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stud includes a wear resistant coating.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The pin assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member includes an upper section and a lower section disposed proximal to the base in relation to the upper section, wherein the upper section comprises a single crystal material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The pin assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the nub projects substantially orthogonally from the lower section of the support member and is configured to position the leaf seal apart from the upper section of the support member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The pin assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing wall defining the base is part of a gas turbine engine disposed along a gas pathway between a combustor and a turbine, and wherein the leaf seal is operable to direct a gas flow onto rotor blades of the turbine.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The pin assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pocket is conic shaped, and wherein at least part of the deformable end is melted and defines a melted portion occupying the conic shaped pocket without forming a material connection.

### Claim 8

A leaf seal assembly of a structure, comprising:
a stud including a head, a shaft, and a deformable end disposed at a distal end thereof, wherein the shaft includes a stepped surface having a greater diameter than the deformable end;
a base defined by a housing wall of the structure, the base including a transversely extended support member, the support member having an opening extending therethrough for receiving the deformable end and a pocket arranged at a mouth of the opening on one side of the support member, the support member further including a nub disposed between the base and the opening, the nub extending transversely to the housing wall along the support member towards the opening on a side opposite the pocket;
a leaf seal pivotally mounted on the shaft; and
a bias member coaxially arranged on the shaft and disposed between the head and the leaf seal, wherein the bias member exerts a force on the leaf seal;
wherein the stepped surface of the shaft positions the stud in a predefined position with respect to the support member, and the deformable end is received in the pocket and is deformed to occupy the pocket to secure the stud to the support member; and
wherein the nub projects outwardly from the support member towards the head of the stud to position the leaf seal apart from a portion of the support member distal to the base.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of the stepped surface of the shaft is hardened via heat treatment and the stud includes a wear resistant coating.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bias member includes a wear resistant coating.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the support member includes an upper section and a lower section, wherein the upper section defines the portion of the support member distal to the housing wall and comprises a single crystal material, and wherein the nub extends from the base towards the opening and projects outwardly from the lower section to facilitate positioning the leaf seal apart from the upper section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the structure is a gas turbine engine having a longitudinal center axis and the housing wall defining the base is disposed radially outwards from the longitudinal center axis, and wherein the nub extends transversely from the base along the support member and projects outwardly in an axial direction of the longitudinal center axis.

### Claim 13

The assembly as claimed in claim12, wherein the housing wall is disposed in a region of a gas flow path between a combustor and a turbine such that the leaf seal is arranged to direct combustion gases onto rotor blades of the turbine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the leaf seal is operable to engage an opposing member to seal off a gas pathway.

### Claim 15

A method of forming a joint for a machine, comprising:
providing a stud, the stud including a head, a shaft, and a deformable end disposed at a distal end thereof, wherein the shaft includes a stepped surface having a greater diameter than the deformable end;
providing a base defined by a housing wall of the machine and including a support member extending transversely from the base for receiving the stud via an opening extending therethrough, the support member including an upper section and a lower section proximal to the base in relation to the upper section;
providing a leaf seal pivotally mounted on the shaft; and
providing a bias member coaxially arranged on the shaft and disposed between the head and the leaf seal, wherein the bias member exerts a force on the leaf seal;
forming a pocket at an end of the opening in the support member on one side of the support member;
inserting the deformable end through the opening, wherein the stepped surface of the shaft stops the stud in a predefined position with respect to the support member;
securing the stud to the support member via melting the deformable end in the pocket thereby forming a mechanical retainer within the pocket without forming a metallurgical joint between the stud and the pocket;
wherein providing the base and the support member includes forming a nub on the lower section extending transversely from the base along the support member towards the opening, wherein the nub projects substantially orthogonally from the lower section on a side of the support member opposite the pocket; and
wherein the nub is configured to position the leaf seal apart from a distal end of the support member.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising at least one of applying a wear resistant coating to the stud and hardening the stepped surface of the shaft via a heat treatment.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein securing the stud to the support member via melting the deformable end in the pocket includes welding the deformable end to provide a melted portion occupying the pocket by filling the pocket with molten material of the deformable end and cooling the molten material to facilitate forming the mechanical retainer without forming the metallurgical joint.