Afterburner fuel injection devices for jet engines

Claim 2

In a jet engine comprising a turbine having a rear bearing, an afterburner duct, a central mounting fixed on the axis of said duct, means mounting the rear bearing in the central mounting, a flame holder fixed coaxially in the duct, an afterburner fuel injection arrangement comprising an injection device of generally wheel-shaped form including at least one circular manifold, a hub and pipes connecting said manifold to said hub, connecting links extending from the injection device for attachment to said flame holder and permitting movement of said hub relative to said flame holder, an aperture in the central mounting to receive the hub for relative axial slidable movement of the hub, a feedpipe of gooseneck form connected to said hub for supplying fuel by way of said hub to said manifold, and means for carrying the feedpipe through the afterburner duct wAll permitting longitudinal and lateral movement of the feedpipe with respect to said duct wall.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, in which said pipes are radially directed and spaced at uniform angles.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, in which said links are articulated to the injection block at junctions between the pipes and the manifold.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of coaxial manifolds.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 4, in which the coaxial manifolds are arranged upon the surface of an ideal cone opening upstream, the gooseneck pipe over a portion of its length being parallel to said surface.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 1, in which the means for carrying the feedpipe through the duct wall comprises a plate covering an opening formed in a flat on said wall, and a connecting pin mounting the plate onto said flat for pivotal movement of the plate about an axis contained substantially in a same transverse plane of said duct as a middle region of the opening.

Claim 8

A device as claimed in claim 5, including a bearing pad associated with said plate, the bearing having an internal bore in which the feedpipe can slide and an external groove adapted to engage the edge of said opening and defining a flange portion which can pass freely through said opening.

Claim 9

A device as claimed in claim 7, in which said opening, said external groove and the flange portion defined by the groove are circular, the base of the groove being coaxial with the bore and the flange portion being offset.

Claim 10

In a combination in a jet engine, an afterburner duct, a central mounting fixed on the axis of the duct for carrying a turbine rear bearing, a flame holder fixed coaxially in the duct downstream of the central mounting; and, between the central mounting and the flame holder, an injection device of generally wheel-shaped form including at least one circular manifold, a hub and pipes connecting said manifold to said hub, articulated links connecting the injection device to the flame holder, means for slidably carrying the hub for axially slidable movement in the central mounting, a feedpipe of gooseneck form connected to the hub for supplying fuel to the manifold by way of said pipes, and means for passing the feedpipe through the afterburner duct wall including a duct wall portion displaceable substantially axially of the duct and a throughway in said duct wall portion for the feedpipe permitting sliding movement of the feedpipe.

Claim 11

In a combination in a jet engine, an afterburner duct, a central mounting fixed on the axis of the duct for carrying a turbine rear bearing, a flame holder fixed coaxially in the duct downstream of the central mounting; and, between the central mounting and the flame holder, an injection device of generally wheel-shaped form including at least one circular manifold, a hub and pipes connecting said manifold to said hub, articulated links connecting the injection device to the flame holder, means for slidably carrying the hub for axially slidable movement in the central mounting, a feedpipe of gooseneck form connected to the hub for supplying fuel to the manifold by way of said pipes, and means for passing the feedpipe through the afterburner duct wall including a duct wall portion displaceable substantially axially of the duct and a throughway in said duct wall portion for the feedpipe permitting sliding movement of the feedpipe.

Claim 12

In a jet engine comprising a gas turbine (2) having a rear bearing (3), a duct wall (5) forming an afterburner duct (1) for receiving hot gas discharged from the turbine, a central mounting assembly (4) in the afterburner duct, means (6) supporting the central mounting assembly coaxially in the duct wall, means supporting said rear bearing in the central mounting assembly, a flame holder assembly (8), and means (20) supporting the flame holder assembly coaxially in the afterburner duct downstream of the central mounting assembly; an afterburner fuel injection arrangement comprising: an injection device (7) of generally wheel-shaped form including at least one circular manifold (9), a hollow hub (12), and a plurality of spoke-like pipes (13) connecting said circular manifold to said hollow hub; a sliding knuckle connection between the injection device and the central mounting assembly, including a connecting member (17) having a part-spherical peripheral surface (17d), means (16) fastening the connecting member to the hub integrally, and an axially extending sleeve (18) in the central mounting assembly for receiving said peripheral surface slidingly; a plurality of connecting links (19) each having an upstream end and a downstream end; means connecting said upstream and downstream ends pivotally to the injection device and to the flame holder assembly, respectively; and means for feeding the injection device with fuel, including a feed pipe of gooseneck form having an upstream end connected To the hollow hub and an inlet end extending substantially radially adjacent an opening (5a) in a flat portion (5b) of the duct wall, a plate section (33a) covering said opening, means for supplying fuel to said inlet end and incorporating joint means (15d, 27, 28), means fastening the joint means to said inlet end, a bore (33c) in the plate section for receiving the joint means slidingly, and a connecting pin (34) located laterally of said bore, for mounting the plate section onto said flat portion for pivotal movement of the plate section.

Claim 13

In a jet engine comprising a gas turbine (2) having a rear bearing (3), a duct wall (5) forming an afterburner duct (1) for receiving hot gas discharged from the turbine, a central mounting assembly (4) in the afterburner duct, means (6) supporting the central mounting assembly coaxially in the duct wall, means supporting said rear bearing in the central mounting assembly, a flame holder assembly (8), and means (20) supporting the flame holder assembly coaxially in the afterburner duct downstream of the central mounting assembly; an afterburner fuel injection arrangement comprising: an injection device (7) of generally wheel-shaped form including at least one circular manifold (9), a hollow hub (12), and a plurality of spoke-like pipes (13) connecting said circular manifold to said hollow hub; a sliding knuckle connection between the injection device and the central mounting assembly, including a connecting member (17) having a part-spherical peripheral surface (17d), means (16) fastening the connecting member to the hub integrally, and an axially extending sleeve (18) in the central mounting assembly for receiving said peripheral surface slidingly; a plurality of connecting links (19) each having an upstream end and a downstream end; means connecting said upstream and downstream ends pivotally to the injection device and to the flame holder assembly, respectively; and means for feeding the injection device with fuel, including a feed pipe of gooseneck form having an upstream end connected To the hollow hub and an inlet end extending substantially radially adjacent an opening (5a) in a flat portion (5b) of the duct wall, a plate section (33a) covering said opening, means for supplying fuel to said inlet end and incorporating joint means (15d, 27, 28), means fastening the joint means to said inlet end, a bore (33c) in the plate section for receiving the joint means slidingly, and a connecting pin (34) located laterally of said bore, for mounting the plate section onto said flat portion for pivotal movement of the plate section.