Gas turbine construction

Claim 2

In a gas turbine engine, a rotatable disk and blade assembly comprising: a disk having a side which is essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the disk and which includes a track incorporated therein; a plurality of blades attached to and extending radially from the disk; a plurality of sideplates in surface contact with the side of the disk; and means for attaching the sideplates to the disk, the attaching means slidably engaging the side track of the disk and having the freedom to relocate within the track under varying engine thermal conditions.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein the track is circular and concentric about the center of the disk.

Claim 4

In a gas turbine engine, a disk and blade assembly comprising: a turbine disk having, a plurality of blade loading slots which are located around the outer circumference of the disk, a circular track in the side of the disk, and a plurality of holes which pass through the disk between the blade loading slots; a plurality of turbine blades attached to the disk, each blade being fitted into a corresponding loading slot in the disk; a plurality of segmented sideplates in surface contact with the disk, each sideplate having at least one attaching stud hole and at least one throughbolt hole; a plurality of attaching studs, each stud being slidably retained in the track and protruding through one of the attaching stud holes, each sideplate being secured to the disk with retaining nuts in cooperation with the studs; and a plurality of throughbolts, each throughbolt being retained in a disk hole and protruding through one of the throughbolt holes, each sideplate being held in surface contact with the disk by retaining nuts in cooperation with the throughbolts.

Claim 5

In a gas turbine engine, a disk and blade assembly comprising: a turbine disk having, a plurality of blade loading slots which are located around the outer circumference of the disk, a circular track in the side of the disk, and a plurality of holes which pass through the disk between the blade loading slots; a plurality of turbine blades attached to the disk, each blade being fitted into a corresponding loading slot in the disk; a plurality of segmented sideplates in surface contact with the disk, each sideplate having at least one attaching stud hole and at least one throughbolt hole; a plurality of attaching studs, each stud being slidably retained in the track and protruding through one of the attaching stud holes, each sideplate being secured to the disk with retaining nuts in cooperation with the studs; and a plurality of throughbolts, each throughbolt being retained in a disk hole and protruding through one of the throughbolt holes, each sideplate being held in surface contact with the disk by retaining nuts in cooperation with the throughbolts.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 3 wherein the attaching studs are Tee headed bolts.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 3 wherein each throughbolt has a shoulder which engages a corresponding recess in the disk.

Claim 8

In a gas turbine engine, a disk and blade assembly comprising: a turbine disk having, a plurality of blade loading slots which are located around circumference of the disk, a circular track in the side of the disk, and a cooling air chamber at the base of each blade loading slot; a plurality of turbine blades which are fitted into corresponding loading slots in the disk rim, each blade having a platform section which extends circumferentially about, and is spaced apart from the rim thereby forming an axial platform cavity between adjacent platform sections and the rim; a plurality of segmented sideplates having attaching stud holes therein, the sideplates being held in surface contact with the disk and providing an axial enclosure to both the disk cooling air chamber and the axial platform cavity; a plurality of attaching studs, which are slidably retained in the disk track and protrude through the attaching stud holes; and a passage connecting the cooling air chamber and the axial platform cavity to a source of pressurized air.

Claim 9

In a gas turbine engine, a disk and blade assembly comprising: a turbine disk having, a plurality of blade loading slots which are located around circumference of the disk, a circular track in the side of the disk, and a cooling air chamber at the base of each blade loading slot; a plurality of turbine blades which are fitted into corresponding loading slots in the disk rim, each blade having a platform section which extends circumferentially about, and is spaced apart from the rim thereby forming an axial platform cavity between adjacent platform sections and the rim; a plurality of segmented sideplates having attaching stud holes therein, the sideplates being held in surface contact with the disk and providing an axial enclosure to both the disk cooling air chamber and the axial platform cavity; a plurality of attaching studs, which are slidably retained in the disk track and protrude through the attaching stud holes; and a passage connecting the cooling air chamber and the axial platform cavity to a source of pressurized air.