Thrust mounting arrangement

• US 20090309005A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Foster, Lawrence D., Young, Michael H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/554
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/40 Arrangements for mounting power plants in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/406 Suspension arrangements specially adapted for supporting thrust loads, e.g. thrust links
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Mounting of gas turbine engines in aircraft requires use of thrust struts associated with mountings. It is important should there be failure that a load path is maintained. Furthermore, on a wing or in-situ inspection is highly desirable with respect to reducing maintenance costs. Of particular concern is failure as a result of cracking both sideways and vertical which may result in loss of all load paths through the mounting. By provision of independent cranks which are associated through crank pivots in apertures of the cranks and then articulation about central pivots provided in apertures and a central element along with pivot association of the struts through pivots created about apertures in the cranks load paths are maintained. By independent provision of the cranks sideways and vertical cracking cannot cause failure in both load paths to the arrangement from the struts. Furthermore, gaps between the cranks and the mounting and in particular snubber surface can be monitored to indicate component failure.

Claims

1. A mounting arrangement for mounting a gas turbine engine to a pylon of an aircraft, the gas turbine has a rotational axis the mounting arrangement comprises

a mounting block,

two thrust struts and

two cranks each pivotably attached to one of the thrust struts and pivotably attached the mounting block, wherein a gap is provided between the two cranks and the mounting block.

2. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two cranks are pivotably attached to one another.

3. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein a centre link pivotably connects between the two cranks.

4. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the two cranks overlap one another and are joined by a pivotable attachment.

5. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the centre link is integral to one of the cranks and pivotably attached to the other crank.

6. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the crank extends either side of its pivotable attachment with the mount block.

7. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the crank or mount block define snubbers either side of the pivotable attachment with the mount block;

the snubbers define at least a part of the gap.

8. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pivotable attachment between the cranks is forward of the pivotable attachment of to the mounting block.

9. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pivotable attachment of the thrust struts are forward of the pivotable attachments to the mounting block.

10. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pivotable attachment(s) between the two cranks are circumferentially between the pivotable attachments of the thrust struts.

11. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein each pivotable attachment to the mounting block is located circumferentially between the pivotable attachments of the thrust strut(s) and the pivotable attachment between the two cranks.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein part of the mounting or crank has a witness surface to highlight any contact between the part of the mounting and the crank.

13. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gap is filled with a displaceable element to identify by displacement of the displacement element closure or opening of the gap.

14. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein part of the mounting or the crank is frangible and an opposed part of the crank or mounting is arranged to cause detachment of the part which is frangible if the gap opens or closes.