Claims
- 1. Apparatus for axially retaining rotor blades on a rotor disk having a hub, a web extending radially outwardly from said hub and rotor blade mounting posts carried on said web each having a body portion spaced from one another forming axial slots therebetween which mount said rotor blades, said apparatus comprising:
- a radially inwardly extending hook formed on each of said rotor blade mounting posts, said hooks each having a first surface spaced from said body portion of said rotor blade mounting posts forming a cavity therebetween, said first surface facing in a first direction;
- a blade retainer having an outer end engagable with said rotor blades, said blade retainer being formed with a flange having a second surface facing in a second direction opposite to said first surface of said hooks;
- a retaining ring located within said cavity and being interposed between said first surface of said hooks and said second surface of said flange for securing said outer end of said blade retainer in an axially fixed position with respect to said rotor disk, said outer end of said blade retainer preventing axial movement of said rotor blades relative to said rotor disk.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said flange of said blade retainer has an outermost edge, said retaining ring comprising a U-shaped element having a first leg connected to a second leg, said first leg being insertable between said first surface of said hooks and said second surface of said flange, said second leg being positionable atop said outermost edge of said flange.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said first leg of said retainer ring is longer than said second leg thereof.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the length of said first leg and the length of said second leg of said retainer ring are both shorter than the length of said hook formed in said rotor blade mounting posts.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said rotor blades are each formed with an extension, said rotor blades being axially insertable within said axial slots formed between adjacent rotor blade mounting posts so that said extension faces said second leg of said U-shaped element to prevent axial movement of said U-shaped element.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said outer end of said blade retainer is formed with spaced tabs which contact said hooks of said rotor blade mounting posts, said spaced tabs being effective to prevent rotation of said blade retainer with respect to said rotor disk.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said retaining ring is split in at least one direction therealong forming spaced ends thereat.
- 8. Apparatus for axially retaining rotor blades on a rotor disk having a hub, a web extending radially outwardly from said web and rotor blade mounting posts carried on said web each having a body portion spaced from one another forming axial slots therebetween which mount said rotor blades, said apparatus comprising:
- a radially inwardly extending hook formed on each of said rotor blade mounting posts, said hooks each having a first surface spaced from said body portion of said rotor blade mounting posts;
- a blade retainer having a recess and an outer end engagable with rotor blades carried within said axial slots between adjacent rotor blade mounting posts;
- a retaining ring insertable within said recess formed in said blade retainer in a position to contact at least a portion of said hooks on each of said rotor blade mounting posts, said retaining ring securing said outer end of said blade retainer in an axially fixed position with respect to said rotor blade mounting posts and said rotor disk, said outer end of said blade retainer preventing axial movement of said rotor blades relative to said rotor disk.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said retaining ring is a U-shaped element having a first leg connected to a second leg, said first leg being insertable within said recess of said blade retainer and contacting at least a portion of said hooks on said rotor blade mounting posts.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 8 in which each of said rotor blades has a root formed with an extension, said root of said rotor blades being insertable within said axial slots formed between adjacent rotor blade mounting posts so that said extension of said roots is located adjacent said retaining ring.
- 11. Apparatus for preventing forward axial movement of rotor blades on a rotor disk having a hub, a web extending radially outwardly from said web and rotor blade mounting posts carried on said web each having a body portion spaced from one another forming axial slots therebetween within which said rotor blades are mounted, said apparatus comprising:
- an annular, radially inwardly extending hook formed on each of said rotor blade mounting posts, said hook having an aft surface spaced from said body portion of said rotor blade mounting posts forming a cavity therebetween;
- an annular impeller having an inner end adapted to mount to said web of said rotor disk and an outer end which engages an edge of the rotor blades carried in said axial slots between adjacent rotor blade mounting posts of said rotor disk, said impeller being formed with an annular flange having a forward surface which faces said aft surface of said hooks;
- an annular retaining ring located within said cavity and being interposed between said aft surface of said hooks and said forward surface of said flange for securing said outer end of said impeller in a fixed axial position with respect to said rotor blade mounting posts and said rotor disk, said upper end of said impeller preventing forward axial movement of said rotor blades relative to said rotor disk.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10 in which said retaining ring is split in at least one location therealong forming spaced ends thereat.
- 13. The method of retaining rotor blades on a rotor disk in a turbo machine from movement in a forward axial direction, comprising:
- placing a retaining ring in a first, unlocked position within a cavity formed between a radially inwardly extending hook carried on each of the rotor blade mounting posts of the rotor disk and the body portion of said rotor blade mounting posts;
- positioning a blade retainer having a flange against the web and rotor blade mounting posts of the rotor disk so that the flange faces the hooks carried on the rotor blade mounting posts and so that the outer end of said blade retainer is positioned to engage the forward edge of the rotor blades;
- moving said blade retainer radially inwardly from said first, unlocked position to a second, locked position wherein said blade retainer is interposed between said hooks of said rotor blade mounting posts and said flange of said blade retainer to secure said blade retainer from movement in a forward axial direction relative to said rotor disk, said blade retainer preventing movement of said rotor blades in a forward axial direction.
- 14. The method of claim 13 in which said step of placing said retaining ring within a cavity comprises releasably securing said retaining ring to said rotor blade mounting posts with a clamp.
Government Interests
The government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. F33657-83-C-0281 awarded by the Department of Air Force.
US Referenced Citations (14)