Claims
- 1. An air transfer assembly for use in a gas turbine engine for providing temperature control air to engine parts substantially without leakage comprising:
- a) an annular plenum;
- b) at least one air transfer tube having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end coupled in flow communication with said annular plenum;
- c) an annular support distally located from the engine parts and adapted to receive and slideably engage said distal end of said air transfer tube;
- d) an annular manifold proximally located to the engine parts and adapted to receive and slidably engage said proximal end of said air transfer tube, said proximal end being in flow communication with the engine parts;
- e) replaceable means for confining said transfer tube between said annular support and said manifold forming a slideable conduit for control air passage between said plenum and said manifold, said confining means comprising a bushing replaceably installed in said annular support so as to prevent stress concentrations from forming in said annular support; and
- f) means for preventing control air leakage; and
- g) a sleeve coaxially mated with said bushing and adapted to slideably receive said distal tube end.
- 2. An air transfer assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said confining means is adapted to function when there is relative motion between said annular support and said annular manifold.
- 3. An air transfer assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said annular support forms part of said annular plenum.
- 4. An air transfer assembly in accordance with claim 1, including a plurality of air transfer tubes.
- 5. An air transfer assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein said plurality of said air transfer tubes are uniformly spaced.
- 6. An air transfer assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said annular plenum is located adjacent to a gas turbine nozzle section.
- 7. An air transfer assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said replaceable confining means further comprises:
- a) said bushing having a first end adapted to removably engage said annular support and a second end having a key;
- b) a flat washer inserted in said bushing second end; and
- c) a retaining ring adapted to removably engage said key wherein said flat washer is interposed between said sleeve and said retaining ring such that said washer is retained in said bushing second end and prevents unintentional dissociation of said sleeve from said bushing and limits tube travel.
- 8. An air transfer assembly in accordance with claim 7, wherein said leakage prevention means comprises an interference fit between said sleeve and said distal tube end and between said adapted annular manifold and said proximal tube end.
- 9. An air transfer assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said replaceable confining means further comprises:
- a) said bushing being replaceably installed in said annular support at a first end and having a second end including a key; and
- b) a retaining ring adapted to engage said key thereby providing a slide stop for said distal tube end.
- 10. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly for use in a gas turbine engine for providing temperature control air to engine parts without leakage and that has a support having an outer surface and an inner surface and having an aperture and that has an air transfer tube, comprising:
- a) an aperture insertable axial bushing, generally tubular in shape, having proximal and distal ends and a radially extending annular flange located medially between said proximal end and said distal end;
- b) a plurality of slots having a generally uniform width each extending from said proximal end of said bushing in a generally axial direction to circumferentially similar termination locations proximal to said annular flange;
- c) means for clamping said proximal bushing end to said support, whereby said clamping means prevents stress concentrations from forming in said support;
- d) a key on said bushing being located distally from said annular flange;
- e) a sleeve adapted to insertably mate with said bushing and slideably engage said transfer tube; and
- f) means for releaseably securing said sleeve in said bushing.
- 11. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said clamping means comprises an annular hook formed on said proximal bushing end such that when said bushing is inserted through said aperture of said support, said flange abuts said outer surface and said hook radially expands to engage said inner surface of said support when said sleeve is insertably mated with said bushing.
- 12. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said securing means comprises a flat washer and a retaining ring adapted to removably engage said key thereby providing an axial abutment means for said sleeve.
- 13. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly in accordance with claim 10 including means for providing an axial slide stop for said transfer tube.
- 14. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly in accordance with claim 13 wherein said slide stop means comprises said flat washer and said retaining ring.
- 15. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly in accordance with claim 10 including means to substantially eliminate crack initiation sites from said slot termination location.
- 16. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein said elimination means comprises an arcuate hole intersecting said termination location and having a diameter nearly twice said slot width.
- 17. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly in accordance with claim 10 including means for preventing control air leakage.
- 18. A replaceable air transfer bushing assembly in accordance with claim 17 wherein said prevention mean comprises an interference fit between said transfer tube and said sleeve.
- 19. A replaceable air transfer bushing in accordance with claim 18, including:
- means for slideably engaging said transfer tube;
- means for limiting said transfer tube slide travel; and
- means for preventing control air leakage.
- 20. A replaceable air transfer bushing in accordance with claim 19 wherein said prevention means comprises an interference fit between said transfer tube and said engaging means.
Government Interests
The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. F33657-84-C-2011 awarded by the U.S. Department of the Air Force.
US Referenced Citations (19)