Method and apparatus for refurbishing a gas turbine airfoil

• US 6,302,625 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Duke, Douglas E., Murphy, Richard M., Shooter, Dennis C., Carey, Patrick R., Feulner, Zonda L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Briggs, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): CADUGAN, ERICA E
• Application Number:
  US09/418,742
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 298/891, 294/021.9, 298/897, 298/892.3, 298/89, 294/020.6, 409/180, 409/178, 409/179, 409/138, 409/132, 409/131, 409/175, 409/301, 409/298, 451/358, 451/438, 451/45, 451/241, 451/182
• US Class Current: 409/132
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2215/44 Turbine blades
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/12 Trimming or finishing edges, e.g. deburring welded corners
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 6/002 Repairing turbine components, e.g. moving or stationary blades, rotors, B23P6/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 19/14 for grinding turbine blades, propeller blades or the like using grinding belts B24B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/005 Repairing methods or devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49318 Repairing or disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49748 by shaping, e.g., bending, extruding, turning, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303808 including infeeding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/304144 Means to trim edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/306496 with work follower

Abstract

A portable device for refurbishing an edge of an airfoil is provided that has an edge shaper and airfoil positioners that positively engage the airfoil. A method for refurbishing an edge of an airfoil is also provided that includes the steps of (a) providing the portable refurbishing device; (b) locating the edge shaper and the airfoil edge relative to one another with the positioners; and (c) moving one of the device or the airfoil relative to the other along the airfoil edge.

Claims

1. A method for refurbishing a spanwise extending edge of a fan blade mounted within a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a portable refurbishing device having a channel, a plurality of locator sets disposed in said channel, and a rotary edge shaper;

(b) securing said fan blade to prevent said fan blade from moving within said engine;

(c) placing a portion of said edge into said refurbishing device channel, wherein said edge portion is located adjacent a tip or a base of said fan blade;

(d) locating said edge within said channel using said locator sets;

(e) engaging said edge with said edge shaper, and

(f) moving said device along said edge, wherein said edge shaper refurbishes said edge while moving along said edge.

2. A portable device for refurbishing an airfoil, comprising:

a housing having a channel with sides and a base;

a rotary edge shaper, having a wheel with a contoured cross-sectional profile for removing material from said airfoil, wherein a portion of said wheel extends into said channel;

a center locator set disposed within said channel, said center locator set having a pair of opposing slides, wherein said airfoil is received between said slides and said slides locate said airfoil edge relative to said edge shaper;

a of base pads mounted in said channel base and said edge shaper is disposed between said base pads, wherein said base pads are biased in a direction away from said channel base, extending to a position where said base pads prevent an airfoil from engaging said edge shaper unless said base pads are depressed toward said channel base; and

a drive for driving said edge shaper.

3. A portable device for refurbishing an edge of an airfoil, comprising:

a housing having a channel with sides and a base;

a rotary edge shaper, having a wheel with a contoured cross-sectional profile for removing material from said airfoil, wherein a portion of said wheel extends into said channel;

a center locator set having a pair of opposing slides, wherein said airfoil is received between said slides and said slides locate said airfoil edge relative to said edge shaper;

one or more base pads mounted in said base, biased away from said base, wherein said one or more base pads are positioned to prevent contact between the edge shaper and an edge of an airfoil and can be depressed toward the base to expose the edge shaper to the edge of the airfoil; and

a drive for driving said edge shaper.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the edge shaper is disposed between adjacent base pads.

5. A portable device for refurbishing an edge of an airfoil, comprising:

a housing having a channel with sides and a base;

a rotary edge shaper, having a wheel with a contoured cross-sectional profile for removing material from said airfoil, wherein a portion of said wheel extends into said channel;

a center locator set having a pair of opposing slides, wherein said airfoil is received between said slides and said slides locate said airfoil edge relative to said edge shaper;

a first end locator set and a second end locator set disposed in the channel, wherein the center locator set is disposed between the end locator sets;

wherein the end locator sets guide the airfoil into and out of the center locator set; and

a drive for driving said edge shaper.

6. A method for refurbishing a spanwise extending edge of a fan blade for use in a turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a portable refurbishing device having a channel, a plurality of locator sets disposed in the channel, one or more base pads biased away from a base of the channel, and a rotary edge shaper;

(b) placing the edge into the refurbishing device channel;

(c) locating the edge within the channel using the locator sets;

(d) engaging the edge with said edge shaper by depressing the base pad and thereby exposing the edge to the edge shaper; and

(e) shaping the edge by moving the refurbishing device along the edge, wherein the edge shaper removes material from the edge to shape the edge.