Bearing locking assemblies and methods of assembling the same

• US 10,001,029 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Carter, Bruce Alan, Ganiger, Ravindra Shankar, Wainwright, Richard Charles, Moongilpalayam Chenniappan, Venkatachalapathy, Chelstowski, Krzysztof
• Primary Examiner(s): Charles, Marcus
• Application Number:
  US15/111,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20160341073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 384540, 384537, 384542, 384562, 384585, 384601, 384903, 411227, 411232, 411246, 411279, 411293, 403321
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/162 Bearing supports
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/06 Arrangements of bearings bearings F16C; Lubricating of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or engines in general F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/60 Assembly methods
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/30 Retaining components in desired mutual position
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/10 by a plate, spring, wire or ring immovable with regard to the bolt or object and mainly perpendicular to the axis of the boltF16B39/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/22 in which the locking takes place during screwing down or tightening F16B39/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/32 Locking by means of a pawl or pawl-like tongue
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/06 with a single row or balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2226/60 with threaded parts, e.g. bolt and nut connections in general F16B23/00 - F16B43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/23 Gas turbine engines in general F02C
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/042 Housings for rolling element bearings for rotary movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/067 Fixing them in a housing with interposition of an element F16C35/07

Abstract

A bearing assembly for use in a gas turbine engine is provided. The bearing assembly includes a bearing retainer having an inner portion, an outer portion spaced radially apart from the inner portion, and an intermediate portion connecting the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion define a space there-between. The bearing assembly also includes a bearing housing having an extended portion positioned within the space. The bearing assembly also includes a locking assembly comprising a locking plate and an axial keyway that extends axially away from the locking plate. The locking plate is coupled to the bearing retainer and the axial keyway is coupled to the extended portion of the bearing housing.

Claims

1. A bearing assembly comprising:

a bearing retainer including an inner portion, an outer portion spaced radially apart from the inner portion, and an intermediate portion connecting the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion define a space there-between;

a bearing housing having an extended portion positioned within the space; and

a locking assembly comprising a locking plate and an axial keyway that extends axially away from the locking plate and toward the bearing housing, wherein the locking plate is coupled to the bearing retainer and the axial keyway is coupled to the extended portion of the bearing housing;

wherein the intermediate portion has a first axial end and a second axial end, and a window is defined through a part of the intermediate portion from the first axial end to the second axial end.

2. A bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the window is substantially rectangular in shape, and is sized to receive the axial keyway.

3. A bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the axial keyway extends through the window, and couples with the extended portion of the bearing housing.

4. A bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking assembly is removably secured to the bearing retainer and to the bearing housing.

5. A bearing assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of locking assemblies spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the bearing retainer.

6. A bearing assembly comprising:

a bearing retainer including an inner portion, an outer portion spaced radially apart from the inner portion, and an intermediate portion connecting the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion define a space there-between;

a bearing housing having an extended portion positioned within the space; and

a locking assembly comprising a locking plate and an axial keyway that extends axially away from the locking plate and toward the bearing housing, wherein the locking plate is coupled to the bearing retainer and the axial keyway is coupled to the extended portion of the bearing housing;

wherein the axial keyway defines a cavity in the aft axial end of the axial keyway, and the cavity is configured to receive a part of the extended portion of the bearing housing.

7. A bearing assembly according to claim 6, wherein the cavity includes a plurality of retention features, the extended portion includes a plurality of corresponding machined slots, and the retention features and corresponding machined slots securely engage the axial keyway and the extended portion.

8. A bearing assembly according to claim 6, wherein the locking assembly is removably secured to the bearing retainer and to the bearing housing.

9. A bearing assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of locking assemblies spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the bearing retainer.

10. A bearing assembly comprising:

a bearing retainer including an inner portion, an outer portion spaced radially apart from the inner portion, and an intermediate portion connecting the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion define a space there-between;

a bearing housing having an extended portion positioned within the space; and

a locking assembly comprising a locking plate and an axial keyway that extends axially away from the locking plate and toward the bearing housing, wherein the locking plate is coupled to the bearing retainer and the axial keyway is coupled to the extended portion of the bearing housing;

wherein the locking assembly is an annular ring having a plurality of axial keyways spaced about the periphery of the ring, wherein each of the plurality of axial keyways is configured to extend through a corresponding window in the bearing retainer.

11. A bearing assembly according to claim 10, wherein the locking assembly is removably secured to the bearing retainer and to the bearing housing.

12. A bearing assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of locking assemblies spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the bearing retainer.

13. A bearing assembly comprising:

a bearing retainer including an inner portion, an outer portion spaced radially apart from the inner portion, and an intermediate portion connecting the inner portion and the outer portion, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion define a space there-between;

a bearing housing having an extended portion positioned within the space; and

a locking assembly comprising a locking plate and an axial keyway that extends axially away from the locking plate and toward the bearing housing, wherein the locking plate is coupled to the bearing retainer and the axial keyway is coupled to the extended portion of the bearing housing;

wherein the bearing retainer defines a plurality of self-locking inserts configured to receive respective retaining elements that secure the locking plate to the bearing retainer.

14. A bearing assembly according to claim 13, wherein the retaining elements are at least one of a bolt, a screw, a cotter pin, a lockwire, and a polymeric compound.

15. A bearing assembly according to claim 13, wherein the locking assembly is removably secured to the bearing retainer and to the bearing housing.

16. A bearing assembly according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of locking assemblies spaced circumferentially about the periphery of the bearing retainer.

17. A locking assembly for use in a gas turbine engine, the locking assembly comprising:

a substantially flat locking plate that defines at least one slot;

an axial keyway coupled to the flat locking plate and extending axially outward from the locking plate, wherein the axial keyway is configured to be inserted through a window of a bearing retainer and coupled to a bearing housing; and

at least one retaining element configured to be inserted through a respective slot of the locking plate such that the locking plate is secured to the bearing retainer.

18. The locking assembly of claim 17, wherein an aft axial end of the axial keyway defines a cavity configured to receive a portion of the bearing housing.

19. The locking assembly of claim 18, wherein a plurality of retaining features extend from the axial keyway to the cavity, and the plurality of retaining features are configured to engage with corresponding slots on the bearing housing.

20. A method of assembling a bearing assembly for use in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

positioning an extended portion of a bearing housing between an inner portion and an outer portion of a bearing retainer, wherein the inner portion is radially spaced from the outer portion and an intermediate portion connects the inner portion and the outer portion;

defining a window in the intermediate portion of the bearing retainer, wherein the window extends from a first axial end to a second axial end of the intermediate portion;

coupling an axial keyway to a locking plate, wherein the axial keyway extends axially away from the locking plate;

coupling the locking plate to the bearing retainer;

inserting the axial keyway through the window; and

coupling the axial keyway with the extended portion of the bearing housing.