Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement for a gas turbine engine, wherein the nozzle vanes are suspended by their outer shroud segments from the outer turbine casing and are suspended by their inner vane ring segments from an annular vane carrier, the vane carrier having axially spaced-apart radially extending wall sections cooperating with root-ends projecting radially from the vane ring segments, characterized by the vane ring segments and their root-ends and the vane carrier and its wall sections defining between them an annular channel, the forward wall section, viewed in the direction of main gas flow through the engine, of the vane carrier being formed as one piece with the remainder of the vane carrier and being axially resilient, the forward wall section, due to its inherent resilience, bearing resiliently against the forward vane root-ends, thereby providing a seal for the annular channel, and means for introducing cooling air into the annular channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement for a gas turbine engine, wherein the nozzle vanes are suspended by their outer shroud segments from the outer turbine casing and are suspended by their inner vane ring segments from an annular vane carrier, the vane carrier having axially spaced-apart radially extending wall sections cooperating with root-ends projecting radially from the vane ring segments, characterized by the vane ring segments and their root-ends and the vane carrier and its wall sections defining between them an annular channel, the forward wall section, viewed in the direction of main gas flow through the engine, of the vane carrier being formed as one piece with the remainder of the vane carrier and being axially resilient, the forward wall section, due to its inherent resilience, bearing resiliently against the forward vane root-ends, thereby providing a seal for the annular channel, and means for introducing cooling air into the annular channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein one of the forward and rearward wall sections of the vane carrier and its respective root-ends of the vane ring segments are coupled together by a joint which provides centrally and circumferentially locating suspension and limited radial and axial movement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the forward wall section of the vane carrier bears against the rearward surface of the forward vane root-ends and is flexible axially rearwardly to permit the vane ring segments to be mounted on the vane carrier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 1 including another seal between the rearward wall section of the vane carrier and the rear root-ends of the vane ring segments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the joint between the forward vane carrier is produced solely by the resilient force with which the forward wall section presses against the root-ends.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 1 including a circumferential slot in the radial end face of the rearward wall section of the vane carrier, the rearward vane root-ends being accommodated within the slot, one side of the slot being formed with circumferentially equally spaced recesses extending to the free edge of that side, and the rearward vane root-ends formed with axially directed ends accommodated within the recesses.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 1 including wear-inhibiting coatings on the contacting surfaces of the wall sections and root-ends.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein the wear-inhibiting coatings are chromium carbide, or other embedding powders, applied by a plasma thermal spraying process.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein the wear-inhibiting coatings are tungsten carbide/cobalt applied by a flame shock thermal spraying process.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein the wear-inhibiting coatings are nickel, chromium, or silver applied by an electroplating process.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement as defined in claim 1 including abraidable coatings on some of the contacting surfaces of the wall sections and root-ends, the abraidable coatings being Ni-Cr-iron, boron nitride, and aluminium applied by a plasma spraying process.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
158 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement for a gas turbine engine, wherein the nozzle vanes are suspended by their outer shroud segments from the outer turbine casing and are suspended by their inner vane ring segments from an annular vane carrier, the vane carrier having axially spaced-apart radially extending wall sections cooperating with root-ends projecting radially from the vane ring segments, characterized by the vane ring segments and their root-ends and the vane carrier and its wall sections defining between them an annular channel, the forward wall section, viewed in the direction of main gas flow through the engine, of the vane carrier being axially resilient and bearing resiliently against the forward vane root-ends, thereby providing a seal for the annular channel, and means for introducing cooling air into the annular channel and for maintaining the fluid pressure in the annular channel higher than the pressure on the side of the resilient wall section external to the duct.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
158 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement for a gas turbine engine, wherein the nozzle vanes are suspended by their outer shroud segments from the outer turbine casing and are suspended by their inner vane ring segments from an annular vane carrier, the vane carrier having axially spaced-apart radially extending wall sections cooperating with root-ends projecting radially from the vane ring segments, characterized by the vane ring segments and their root-ends and the vane carrier and its wall sections defining between them an annular channel, the forward wall section, viewed in the direction of main gas flow through the engine, of the vane carrier being axially resilient and bearing resiliently against the forward vane root-ends, thereby providing a seal for the annular channel, and means for introducing cooling air into the annular channel and for maintaining the fluid pressure in the annular channel higher than the pressure on the side of the resilient wall section external to the duct.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
166 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement for a gas turbine engine, wherein the nozzle vanes are suspended by their outer shroud segments from the outer turbine casing and are suspended by their inner vane ring segments from an annular vane carrier, the vane carrier having axially spaced-apart radially extending wall sections cooperating with root-ends projecting radially from the vane ring segments, characterized by the vane ring segments and their root-ends and the vane carrier and its wall sections defining between them an annular channel, the forward wall section, viewed in the direction of main gas flow through the engine, of the vane carrier being axially resilient and bearing resiliently against the forward vane root-ends, thereby providing a seal for the annular channel, means for introducing cooling air into the annular channel, and a sealing ring between the forward wall section of the vane carrier and the forward root-end, the sealing ring being partially embedded in the forward wall section and being coaxial with the turbine centerline.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
166 words
A turbine nozzle vane suspension arrangement for a gas turbine engine, wherein the nozzle vanes are suspended by their outer shroud segments from the outer turbine casing and are suspended by their inner vane ring segments from an annular vane carrier, the vane carrier having axially spaced-apart radially extending wall sections cooperating with root-ends projecting radially from the vane ring segments, characterized by the vane ring segments and their root-ends and the vane carrier and its wall sections defining between them an annular channel, the forward wall section, viewed in the direction of main gas flow through the engine, of the vane carrier being axially resilient and bearing resiliently against the forward vane root-ends, thereby providing a seal for the annular channel, means for introducing cooling air into the annular channel, and a sealing ring between the forward wall section of the vane carrier and the forward root-end, the sealing ring being partially embedded in the forward wall section and being coaxial with the turbine centerline.