Cooling air tube vibration damper

• US 5,853,285 A
• Filed: 06/11/1997
• Issued: 12/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Walker, Roger Clayton, Glynn, Christopher Charles, Hemsworth, Martin C., Miller, Frederick Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US08/872,840
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 416/95, 416/96 R, 416/96 A, 416/97 R, 416/145, 416/248, 416/500, 415/115, 415/116, 415/119
• US Class Current: 416/96.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/04 Antivibration arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/08 Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means specially adapted for radial flow machines or engines F01D5/04
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/10 Anti- vibration means specially adapted for radial flow machines or engines F01D5/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 416/50 Vibration damping features

Abstract

In a compressor rotor assembly including a plurality of rotor disks affixed to a rotor body, and wherein at least one radially directed cooling tube is supported from a radially outer end within a rotor shaft, with an opposite, radially inner free end extending toward a longitudinal axis of the rotor, an improvement comprising a ring member loosely secured to the tube at the free end.

Claims

1. In a compressor rotor assembly including a plurality of rotor disks affixed to a rotor body, and wherein at least one radially directed cooling tube is supported from one end within a rotor shaft, with an opposite free end extending toward a longitudinal axis of the rotor, the improvement comprising a ring member loosely secured to said tube at said free end.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said ring member is located within an annular recess.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said annular recess comprises a sideways U-shaped groove formed by a pair of axially spaced radial flanges.

4. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said annular recess comprises a groove open in a radial inward direction, and further wherein said ring member is held in said recess by a plurality of circumferentially spaced tabs.

5. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said ring member is a split ring.

6. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said ring member is a closed, 360°

ring.

7. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said ring member has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the cooling tube and less than the outer diameters of the pair of radial flanges.

8. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said ring member has a square cross section.

9. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said ring member has a square cross section.

10. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said ring member has a square cross section.

11. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said groove is formed by a radial flange having horizontal and vertical surface components, and wherein said ring member has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the tube and less than an inner diameter of said vertical surface component.