Ducted fan turbine engine

• US 4,920,744 A
• Filed: 11/04/1988
• Issued: 05/01/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
• Original Assignee: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle
• Inventors: Garcia, Alain, Tchavdarov, Jean-Claude, Porte, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Stout, Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US07/267,458
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 60/226.1, 60/39.31, 60/262, 244/54, 248/554, 248/555
• US Class Current: 60/226.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/08 Inspection panels for power plants

Abstract

Inside a ducted fan turbine engine, especially one with a high or very high bypass dilution ratio, access to the gas generator compartment of the engine is effected by means of two articulated caps (34) with a C-shaped section. The upper edge of each cap (34) is connected to the fixed structure of the jet engine by means of a series of articulated arms (36) and a telescopic link (54) is inserted between the housing of the engine and the bottom of each cap. In a first stage (arrow F1), this mechanism enables the caps (34) to be brought beyond the rear edge of the outer ring (12) of the jet engine, the links (54) being locked in a compressed position. In a second stage, the caps (34) uncoupled from the ring (12) are able to pivot from the desired angle (arrow F2) around an axis (y-y'"'"') parallel to the axis (x-x'"'"') of the ducted fan turbine engine.

Claims

1. A ducted fan turbine engine comprising a central engine provided with a housing encompassed by a gas generator compartment externally delimited by an intermediate ring, a fan duct delimited between the intermediate ring and an outer ring, the intermediate ring comprising two articulated caps with a C-shaped section allowing for access to be gained to the central engine, and means for moving said caps, wherein each of said caps is connected to the housing of the engine by said moving means so that each of said caps can be displaced between a closed position whereby a front end portion of said cap is located within said outer ring, and a rear intermediate position whereby said cap is fully displaced beyond a rear edge of said outer ring, each of said caps being mounted on said moving means so that said caps can be rotated between said rear intermediate position and an open position, said caps being rotated about an axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis o the ducted fan turbine engine.

2. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein a movable safety telescopic link is provided for being placed between each cap and the housing of the engine when the cap is in the open position.

3. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the engine comprises a circumferential groove with a V-shaped section on which the front extremity of each cap is centered, and a cylindrical support surface on which the rear extremity of each cap is centered when the caps are in the closed position.

4. A ducted fan turbine engine comprising a central engine provided with a housing encompassed by a gas generator compartment externally delimited by an intermediate ring and fan duct delimited between the intermediate ring and an outer ring, the intermediate ring comprising two articulated caps with a C-shaped section allowing for access to be gained to the central engine, wherein each of the caps is joined onto the housing of the engine by means of a mechanism allowing this cap to move between a closed position, a rear intermediate position in which the cap is fully situated beyond a rear edge of the outer ring, and an open position, each mechanism including at least two axially spaced arms, one extremity of each arm being joined onto a beam integral with the housing and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the ducted fan turbine engine around a first spindle orthogonal to this axis, the opposite extremity of each arm being joined onto an intermediate part by a second spindle parallel to the first spindle, this intermediate part itself being joined onto the cap in the proximity of a first extremity of the C formed into a section by the latter by a third spindle parallel to said longitudinal axis.

5. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 4, wherein each mechanism also comprises a locking device mounted on said beam and on which is an elastic device serving to keep the locking device in a position automatically ensuring blocking of one of the arms in the rear intermediate position and in the open position of the cap.

6. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 4, wherein each mechanism comprises at least one telescopic link whose extremities are respectively joined onto the housing of the engine and the cap in the proximity of the second C formed into a section by the latter, each extremity of the link being articulated around two orthogonal spindles, one of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ducted fan turbine engine and the other spindles are parallel to each other.

7. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 6, wherein each telescopic link comprises locking means suitable for preventing any variation of the length of the link when the latter has a minimum length determining the closed position and rear intermediate position and when the link has at least one other length greater than the minimum length determining the open position.

8. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 4, wherein each longitidunal beam bears a joint on which one edge of the cap takes sealed support delimiting said first extremity of the C formed into a section by the latter when the cap is in the closed position.

9. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 4, wherein bolts are provided to connect each cap to the beam where this cap is mounted when said cap is in the closed position.

10. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 4, wherein bolts are provided to connect between them the caps in the closed position, these bolts being placed between the second extremities of the C formed into a section by the caps.

11. A ducted fan turbine engine according to claim 4, wherein said first extremity of the C formed into a section by each cap is the upper extremity of the latter.