Shifting edge scrubbing

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6568994
  • Patent Number
    6,568,994
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, August 24, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 27, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A workpiece includes an aperture bordering a surface at a shifting edge. A stream of pliant shot is discharged in a carrier fluid at the edge with a shallow angle of incidence. And, the workpiece is rotated to sweep the shot stream along the shifting edge for abrasion thereof.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates generally to manufacture and repair of machine parts, and, more specifically, to surface finishing of such parts.




Machines are assemblies of various parts which are individually manufactured and assembled. Machines typically include metal parts, although synthetic and composite parts may also be used. And, each part requires specialized manufacturing.




For example, metal parts may be fabricated from metal stock in the form of sheets, plates, bars, and rods. Metal parts may also be formed by casting or forging. Such parts may be machined to shape in various manners.




Machining requires the selective removal of material to configure the part to its final shape and size within suitable manufacturing tolerances, typically expressed in mils, and with a suitable surface finish which is typically smooth or polished without blemish.




Each step in the manufacturing process of machine parts adds time and expense which should be minimized for producing a competitively priced product. It is desirable for each subsequent step in the manufacturing process to avoid damaging previously finished portions of the part which would then require additional corrective finishing steps.




Gas turbine engines are an example of a complex machine having many parts requiring precise manufacturing tolerances and fine surface finishes. A typical engine includes a multistage compressor for pressurizing air which is mixed with fuel in a combustor and ignited for generating hot combustion gases which flow downstream through one or more turbine stages that extract energy therefrom. A high pressure turbine powers the compressor, and a low pressure turbine provides output power, such as powering a fan disposed upstream from the compressor in an aircraft engine application.




The engine thusly includes various stationary components, and various rotating components which are typically formed of high strength, state of the art metal and composite materials. The various parts undergo several steps in their manufacturing and are relatively expensive to produce.




Of particular interest in manufacturing compressor and turbine rotor disks is maintaining smooth surface finish thereof and large radii along edges therein for minimizing stress during operation. Rotor disks support corresponding rotor blades around the perimeters thereof, and are subject to substantial centrifugal force during operation. The centrifugal force generates stress in the rotor disk which can be concentrated at sharp edges or small comers in the disk, which must therefore be suitably eliminated.




In one type of rotor disk, axial dovetail slots are formed through the perimeter of the disk for retaining rotor blades having corresponding axial dovetails. The dovetails include one or more pairs of dovetail tangs, in the exemplary form of a fir tree, which mate in complementary dovetail slots formed between corresponding disk posts.




The dovetail slots are typically manufactured by broaching wherein successively larger cutting tools cut the perimeter of the rotor disk to form the desired dovetail slots in a sequential operation. Each dovetail slot is broached in turn until the full complement of slots is formed around the perimeter of the disk.




The disk prior to the broaching operation has already undergone several steps in the manufacturing process including precision machining of most of its external surface. Broaching of the dovetail slots in the perimeter of the disk typically results in sharp corners or edges on the entrance side of the slot, and burrs on the exit side of the slot. The sharp entrance edges and burred exit edges require further processing to form suitably large radii which correspondingly reduce stress concentrations during operation of the rotor disk.




Deburring and radiusing of the rotor disk typically requires several additional processes in view of the complexity of the rotor disk and the complexity of the dovetail slots therein. For example, the individual rotor disk after broaching may be turned inside a bed of abrasive particles, such as the Sutton Blend (trademark) process, used to initially deburr the slots and form suitable corner radii therealong. However, the Sutton Blend process is directional and is effective for radiusing only some of the edges of the serpentine dovetail slots.




Accordingly, the disk undergoes additional processing for benching or further abrading slot edges, typically near their bases, by hand or robotically. One form of benching is conventionally known as Harperizing which is a trademark process using cloth wheels having abrasive therein.




This process is then followed by a conventional abrasive flow for blending the benched regions as required for achieving suitable radii.




These various steps require corresponding processing time, and are correspondingly expensive. And, hand benching always includes the risk of inadvertent damage to the rotor disk rendering it defective, and requiring scrapping thereof at considerable expense.




Furthermore, the rotor disk includes other machined features which may have sharp edges and burrs thereon which also require processing. For example, an annular row of axial holes extend through the web of the disk below the dovetail slots which receive retaining bolts during assembly. These bolt holes are suitably drilled, and like broaching, have sharp entrances and sharp exits with burrs thereon. These edges are also suitably radiused using the processes described above, which adds to the time and expense for disk manufacture.




The deburring and radiusing processes described above are used selectively for the edges being treated to avoid or minimize any changes to the remaining surface of the rotor disk which is typically smooth with a fine surface finish. Any damage to that finish requires additional processing and corresponding time and expense.




Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved process for selective surface treating a workpiece, having little or no adverse effect on adjoining surface finish thereof.




BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




A workpiece includes an aperture bordering a surface at a shifting edge. A stream of pliant shot is discharged in a carrier fluid at the edge with a shallow angle of incidence. And, the workpiece is rotated to sweep the shot stream along the shifting edge for abrasion thereof.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention, in accordance with preferred and exemplary embodiments, together with further objects and advantages thereof, is more particularly described in the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:





FIG. 1

is a schematic representation of an apparatus for scrubbing a workpiece in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a top view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.


1


and taken along line


2





2


, showing partly in flowchart form an exemplary method of scrubbing the workpiece supported upon a pair of rotary platters.





FIG. 3

is an elevational, partly sectional view of a portion of the workpiece illustrated in FIG.


2


and taken generally along line


3





3


.





FIG. 4

is an enlarged, top view of a portion of the workpiece illustrated in FIG.


3


and taken along line


4





4


.





FIG. 5

is an enlarged view of an exemplary pliant shot illustrated in

FIG. 3

within the circle labeled


5


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Illustrated in

FIG. 1

is workpiece


10


in the exemplary form of a gas turbine engine rotor disk as may be found in a turbine or compressor thereof. The workpiece is formed of metal, although other workpieces of different configurations may be used and formed of different materials as desired.




As illustrated in more detail in

FIG. 2

, the disk may have any conventional form including a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart dovetail apertures or slots


12


extending axially through the perimeter thereof. The dovetail slots are typically formed by broaching in which a series of increasingly sized cutters are drawn across the perimeter of an initially solid rotor disk to form the respective dovetail slots therein. As a result of broaching, each of the dovetail slots initially has sharp edges


14


, as shown in more detail in

FIG. 3

, at both its entrance side and exit side. The exit side of the broached dovetail slot typically also includes sharp burrs extending outwardly therefrom.




As indicated above, the rotor disk has undergone various manufacturing steps prior to broaching, and has precise dimensions and a smooth surface finish which must be protected in subsequent operations. Deburring of the broached dovetail slots is required, and the dovetail edges are typically radiused for reducing stress concentration thereat. However, deburring and radiusing typically requires multiple additional processing steps in conventional practice in view of the shifting or meandering profile of the individual dovetail slots as illustrated in more detail in FIG.


4


.




Each dovetail slot is in the form of a fir tree defined between pairs of lobes or tangs in dovetail posts remaining in the disk perimeter after the broaching operation. The entrance and exit edges


14


of each dovetail slot continually shift in direction from the outer perimeter of the disk to the bases of the slots and back to the outer perimeter of the disk to correspond with the desired profile of the dovetail slots. In this way, complementary dovetails or rotor blades (not shown) are radially retained in the corresponding slots by the cooperating pressure faces defined between the dovetails and their disk slots.




The shifting profile of the individual dovetail slots increases the complexity of deburring thereof and radiusing thereof by conventional processes which are directional or subject to variation if done by hand.




Illustrated initially in

FIG. 1

is an apparatus


16


specifically configured for treating a workpiece in the exemplary form of the rotor disk


10


which has one or more apertures


12


requiring deburring or radiusing thereof along the corresponding edges.




The disk


10


has two axially opposite side surfaces


18


through which the disk slots


12


extend. The disk surfaces


18


are typically premachined to a precise and smooth finish which is protected during abrasion of the dovetail slot edges.




The apparatus


16


illustrated in

FIG. 1

includes a first rotary platter or turntable


20


for supporting the disk


12


thereatop. A second platter or turntable


22


is preferably provided to support the first platter. Means


24


are provided for discharging a stream of pliant or soft shot


26


in a carrier fluid


28


, such as air, atop the disk for edge treatment thereof.




Additional means


30


are operatively joined between the first and second platters for rotating the first platter


20


atop the second platter


22


. These means may have conventional components, including a first motor and a platter drive, to provide desired rotation of the first platter.




Further means


32


are operatively joined to the second platter


22


for rotating the second platter for revolving the first platter and disk thereatop to effect compound rotary motion at the impact site of the shot


26


atop the disk. These means may have conventional components, including a second motor and platter drive, to provide desired rotation of the second platter.




The impact site is illustrated in more particularity in

FIG. 3

wherein a stream of the pliant shot


26


is discharged or ejected in the carrier air


28


at the slot edge


14


with a shallow angle of incidence A with or relative to the exposed disk outer surface


18


.




The disk


10


is rotated atop the platters, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, to sweep the shot stream along each of the slot edges


14


for abrasion thereof to deburr or radius as desired.




As shown in

FIG. 3

, the pliant shot


26


may be used to quickly and safely remove burrs and the sharp corners at the slot edges


14


while providing little or no damage to the finish of the exposed disk surface


18


adjoining the slots. The pliant shot


26


and shallow incidence or surface angle A cause scrubbing of the shot laterally along any portion of the surface


18


impacted for selectively removing target material from only protrusions, such as the slot edges


14


facing the shot stream.




The shot


26


is pliant and resilient, and initially compresses as it impacts the disk surface with little or no rebounding in the region of the impact site. The shallow incidence angle A ensures that the shot is scrubbed generally parallel to the disk surface


18


for the protection thereof, while then traveling in impingement against any protruding target, such as the slot edges


14


which define discontinuities in the disk surface.




As shown in magnification in

FIG. 3

, the stream of shot


26


has a suitably large spread to impact the disk surface over a corresponding impact site including one or more of the dovetail slots


12


. The pliant shot compress as they engage the disk surface and travel parallel therealong due to their kinetic energy, as well as the blanket of carrier fluid


28


which flows thereover. In this way, Sustained Surface Scrubbing (S


3


) is effected for maintaining the stream of shot over a finite distance along the disk surface with little or no appreciable rebounding therefrom.




In the preferred embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 5

, the shot


26


comprises a light-weight, resilient material such as sponge, rubber, felt, plastic, foam, or other resilient material. The shot may have open or closed cells. The shot


26


preferably includes abrasive particles


26




a


imbedded therein, although in alternate embodiments abrasive may be omitted. Suitable abrasives include particles of various minerals, metal oxides, plastics, and black walnut shell, for example.




One type of suitable pliant shot is commercially available from Sponge-Jet Inc. of Eliot, Me. under the tradename of Sponge Media. This sponge media includes a polyurethane open-cell carrier in which is impregnated different types of abrasive material for different abrasive performance. And, one form of the sponge media is without abrasive.




Equipment


24


, as illustrated in

FIG. 1

for discharging the pliant shot is also commercially available from Sponge-Jet Inc., but is modified and operated differently for purposes of the sustained surface scrubbing of the present invention. In conventional practice, the sponge media is blasted perpendicularly, or close thereto, against a surface of a workpiece for removing coatings thereof while profiling the underlying surface.




Accordingly, impingement of the sponge media not only removes coatings atop the surface, but also removes underlying material of the surface itself which changes its surface finish.




As indicated above, the rotor disk


10


, as an exemplary workpiece, typically has a finished surface which is preferably protected when removing the target material therefrom. Since the target material includes burrs or sharp corners along the dovetail edges


14


, suitable discrimination between the adjoining surface, having the same material composition, is required to prevent damage to that surface or change in its surface finish.




The blasting apparatus


24


illustrated in

FIG. 1

is conventional in structure and includes a hopper


24




a


in which the pliant shot


26


is stored. The hopper is joined in flow communication with a delivery conduit


24




b


through which the shot is discharged.




An air compressor or pump


24




c


is operatively joined to the delivery conduit


24




b


for providing air as the carrier fluid


28


under suitable pressure for carrying and discharging the shot in a stream through a nozzle


24




d


. The nozzle may have any suitable configuration for discharging the shot


26


in a suitably wide stream for decreasing overall processing time. And, low air pressure of about 30-40 psi is preferred to discharge a uniform dispersion of the shot.




The nozzle


24




d


illustrated in

FIG. 1

is preferably fixedly mounted to a suitable stationary support, and aimed or directed at the desired region of the rotor disk


10


for undergoing scrubbing thereof.




As shown in more detail in

FIG. 3

, the nozzle


24




d


is oriented relative to the disk surface


18


for discharging the shot


26


at the shallow incidence angle A. In one embodiment tested, the incidence angle A was about 30°, and the shot was observed as maintaining scrubbing contact on a flat surface without appreciable rebound for at least several centimeters. Sustained surface scrubbing was also obtained at an incidence angle of about 45° on the flat plate.




The incidence angle A may be varied along with the operating air pressure of the delivery apparatus


24


and the type of pliant shot used, and may range up to about 60°, for example. The limit on the incidence angle A is that angle at which the shot experiences rebounding off the adjoining disk surface


18


surrounding the dovetail slots, with a corresponding loss in lateral or sustained scrubbing thereof. And, shallow incidence angles should be used to prevent the abrasive from imbedding in the disk surface


18


.




Impingement of the shot causing rebounding thereof atop the disk surface is undesirable since the material-removal performance of the shot then occurs in similar amounts along the slot edges


14


and the adjoining disk surface


18


within the impact site of the shot stream. And, normal to the surface impingement of abrasives is undesirable since the abrasive may become imbedded in the workpiece surface


18


.




In contrast, sustained surface scrubbing carries the shot


26


illustrated in

FIG. 3

generally parallel along the exposed surface


18


of the disk with little or no material removal therefrom, while laterally impinging the slot edges


14


which effectively protrude into the incident shot


26


. Deburring and radiusing of the sharp slot edges


14


is readily effected without significantly affecting the disk surface


18


, which maintains its smooth finish without adverse affect from the shot.




Although the incidence angle A of the shot


16


atop the disk surface


18


illustrated in

FIG. 3

is preferably shallow for protecting the disk surface, selective abrasion of the slot edges


14


is effected by ensuring that the shot


26


is directed thereagainst substantially perpendicular or normal thereto. This is additionally illustrated in

FIGS. 2 and 4

wherein the shot


26


is directed tangentially along the disk at the disk slots.




Since each slot


12


has a shifting or meandering edge


14


which outlines the required dovetail shape thereof, one, and preferably both, of the platters


20


,


22


are provided for rotating the disk


10


to position the shifting edges


14


substantially normal to the shot stream. Since the dovetail slots and their shifting edges are repetitive around the perimeter of the rotor disk, the disk


10


is preferably rotated to sequentially position each of the slots


12


within the shot stream for respectively abrading the corresponding edges


14


thereof.




The delivery nozzle


24




d


illustrated in

FIGS. 1 and 2

is preferably stationary in space and directed at a fixed impact site atop a preferred location on the disk. By both rotating and revolving the disk


10


on the respective platters


20


,


22


, sweeping of the shot stream is effected along the shifting edges


14


of the individual dovetail slots. Compound rotary movement of the disk


10


at the impact site is used to advantage to sweep the shot stream along the full shifting profile of the individual dovetail slots while being directed substantially normal to the respective portions thereof for maximizing the abrasion performance of the shot.




As shown in

FIGS. 2 and 4

, the dovetail slots


12


are circumferentially spaced apart from each other and radially aligned at a common radius B from a center of the disk in a uniform ring arrangement. The disk


10


is then rotated about its center atop the first platter


20


, and the disk center revolves around the impact site by rotation atop the second platter


22


.




As initially shown in

FIG. 2

, the stream of shot


26


is directed tangentially near the perimeter of the disk


10


at the outer end of the common radius B to define the impact site thereat which is stationary in space but follows the perimeter of the disk as it rotates and revolves. At the impact site, the disk


10


revolves so that the shot stream is directed substantially perpendicularly along each portion of the shifting slot edge


14


over its entire length from slot-to-slot. This is indicated schematically in

FIG. 4

by the arrow heads on the dashed circle


14




a


indicating the effective revolution of an exemplary dovetail slot


12


relative to the stream of shot


26


.




However, the disk


10


both rotates and revolves, with rotation of the disk ensuring that each of the entire set of disk slots is treated by the shot stream so that collective rotation and revolution of the disk ensures substantially uniform scrubbing of all of the slot edges


14


within the common impact site of the shot stream irrespective of the shifting orientation of those edges.




In the preferred embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 2

, and in more particularity in

FIG. 4

, each of the disk slots


12


has a center aligned generally at the common radius B. This places the center of each disk slot above the rotational center of the second platter


22


, with the shot stream being directed tangentially at the same common radius. By rotating the disk


10


illustrated in

FIG. 2

about its center, and preferably revolving the disk


10


simultaneously by rotating the disk atop the second platter


22


, the shot stream


26


is swept sequentially along the slot edges


14


for abrasion thereof.




It is noted, however, that the shot stream does not trace each slot edge


14


continuously as the disk turns, but in sections. Due to the compound rotation and revolution of the disk


10


, the shot stream is directed at the individual dovetail slots in sequence. After several rotations of the disk, the combined effect of rotation and revolution ensures that the shot stream is directed substantially normal to all portions of the shifting edges


14


for uniform abrasion thereof.




In the preferred embodiment, the disk is rotated and revolved at different rotary speed expressed in revolutions per minute, rpm. In view of the specific geometry illustrated in

FIG. 2

with the common radius B having opposite ends at the corresponding centers of the two platters


20


,


22


, the disk


10


preferably rotates at a faster rpm atop the first platter


20


than the revolution thereof atop the second platter


22


.




This is better appreciated in a simpler example such as the plurality of circumferentially spaced apart axially bolt holes


12




a


illustrated in FIG.


2


. Each bolt hole is cylindrical with circular entrance and exit edges


14




a


. An exemplary one of the circular edges


14




a


is illustrated in dashed line in

FIG. 4

superimposed atop the center of rotation of the second platter


22


. In such a configuration, rotation of the second platter


22


, without rotation of the first platter


20


, merely rotates the circular edge


14




a


concentrically therewith so that each portion of the circular edge is presented normal to the incident stream of shot


26


. In one revolution of the platter


22


, the entire circumference of the circular edge


14




a


is swept by the shot stream.




By then rotating the disk


10


in addition to its revolution, each of the entire complement of bolt holes


14




a


may be similarly treated along their entire perimeters.




Since the disk rotates and revolves simultaneously, the edge scrubbing thereof occurs periodically from hole-to-hole until the disk has rotated a suitable number of rotations to sweep all of the edges of all the holes.




In a preferred embodiment, the rotor disk should accumulate rotations equal to at least the total number of bolt holes for each revolution of the second platter


22


to sweep all of the edges thereof. Similarly, the rotor disk should accumulate rotations equal to at least the total number of disk slots


12


for each revolution of the second platter to scrub the entire extent of all of the dovetail slots on one side of the rotor disk. The faster rotary speed of the first platter compared to the second platter ensures this desired relationship.




Although the disk slots


12


illustrated in

FIG. 3

may remain empty during edge scrubbing thereof, it is preferred to fill each of the disk slots


12


with a suitable plug or filler


34


which is recessed or stepped below the adjoining disk surface


18


to expose a corner at the corresponding slot edge


14


. The plug


34


may be formed by molding filler simultaneously in all of the disk slots and bolt holes as desired, and maintaining a recess below the disk surface. A suitable plug material is elastomeric, such as polyurethane rubber, which is readily moldable to the disk.




The plug


34


not only protects the inside of the individual dovetail slots


12


from abrasion from the shot


26


, but also controls radiusing of the slot edges


14


, and directs the shot


26


in lateral impingement thereagainst.




As shown in

FIG. 3

, the shot


26


is initially discharged at the shallow incidence angle A atop the disk surface and plug


34


, and is then directed laterally or parallel toward the corner edge


14


for radiusing thereof. Scrubbing of the parallel surfaces has little, if any, abrasion thereof, but lateral impingement of the shot against the protruding corner edge


14


effects significant abrasion thereof, and controlled radiusing.




In this way, the shot


26


is scrubbed laterally along the plug


34


and disk surface


18


for selectively removing or abrading material at primarily only the corner edges


14


. As shown in

FIG. 3

, the shot


26


is scrubbed parallel to those surfaces yet impinges the facing corner edge


14


for local abrasion thereof.




Since abrasion is limited to edges


14


facing the incident shot


26


, the shifting directional orientation of the dovetail slot


12


must be reoriented relative to the shot stream so that all desired portions of the edge face the shot stream during some portion of the scrubbing process. The use of the two platters


20


,


22


in the preferred embodiment ensures that all of the dovetail edges within the impact site of the jet stream are scrubbed for equal duration and with equal effect for providing a uniform radius along the edges controlled in depth by the position of the recessed plug


34


.




Accordingly, sustained surface scrubbing may be effectively applied to shifting edges of various configurations in a workpiece for controlled abrasion thereof while protecting the adjoining flat surfaces. In an annular structure, such as a rotor disk having repetitive apertures with corresponding shifting edges, compound rotation and revolution of the workpiece with a stationary injection nozzle may be used to advantage for automating abrasion treatment of the edges for enhanced uniformity thereof.




Depending upon the complexity of the shifting edges, from simple circles to complex serpentine dovetail slots, one or both of the platters


20


,


22


may be used to advantage for shifting edge scrubbing thereof. Edge scrubbing is thusly effected in a single processing operation that accurately and uniformly removes sharp features from apertures edges irrespective of complexity of the profile thereof. And, the edges are treated without undesirably abrading adjoining flat surfaces within the impact site of the shot stream.




While there have been described herein what are considered to be preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, other modifications of the invention shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein, and it is, therefore, desired to be secured in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A method of treating a workpiece having an aperture bordering an exposed surface at a shifting edge, comprising:discharging a stream of pliant and resilient shot in a carrier fluid laterally along said exposed surface with a shallow angle of incidence therewith for protecting said exposed surface from abrasion therefrom; directing said shot stream along said exposed surface in impingement against said shifting edge for selective abrasion thereof; and rotating said workpiece to sweep said shot stream along said shifting edge for abrasion thereof.
  • 2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising rotating said workpiece to position said shifting edge substantially normal to said shot stream.
  • 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said workpiece includes a plurality of said apertures, and further comprising rotating said workpiece to sequentially position each of said apertures within said shot stream for respectively abrading said edges thereof.
  • 4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising rotating and revolving said workpiece to sweep said shot stream along said shifting edges of said apertures.
  • 5. A method according to claim 4 wherein:said apertures are circumferentially spaced apart at a common radius from a center of said workpiece; and said workpiece is rotated about said center, and said center revolves.
  • 6. A method according to claim 5 wherein:said shot stream is directed at said workpiece at an outer end of said common radius to define an impact site; and said workpiece revolves about said impact site.
  • 7. A method according to claim 6 wherein each of said apertures has a center aligned generally at said common radius.
  • 8. A method according to claim 6 wherein said workpiece is rotated and revolved to sweep said shot stream substantially normal to said shifting edges of all of said apertures in sequence.
  • 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said workpiece is rotated and revolved at different rpm.
  • 10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said workpiece rotates faster than revolving.
  • 11. A method according to claim 6 further comprising:filling each of said apertures with a plug to provide a corner at said edge thereof; and discharging said shot stream at said shallow incidence angle atop said plug and directed toward said corner for radiusing thereof.
  • 12. A method according to claim 11 further comprising scrubbing said shot laterally along said plug for selectively removing material at said corner.
  • 13. A method according to claim 6 wherein said workpiece is a rotor disk, and said apertures comprise axial dovetail slots circumferentially spaced apart therearound.
  • 14. A method according to claim 6 wherein said workpiece is a rotor disk, and said apertures comprise axial bolt holes circumferentially spaced apart therearound.
  • 15. A method according to claim 6 wherein said shot comprises open-cell sponge.
  • 16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said shot further comprises abrasive particles imbedded therein.
  • 17. A method according to claim 16 wherein said sponge shot comprises polyurethane.
  • 18. A method of treating edges of a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart apertures bordering an exposed surface in a rotor disk, comprising:discharging a stream of pliant and resilient shot in a carrier fluid laterally along said exposed surface with a shallow angle of incidence therewith for protecting said exposed surface from abrasion thereof; directing said shot stream along said exposed surface in impingement against one of said aperture edges for selective abrasion thereof; rotating said disk about a center thereof; and revolving said disk to sweep said shot stream sequentially along said aperture edges for abrasion thereof.
  • 19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising:filling said apertures with plugs to provide corners at said edges thereof; and scrubbing said shot circumferentially along said plugs and directed toward said corners in sequence for radiusing thereof.
  • 20. An apparatus for treating edges of a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart apertures bordering a surface in a rotor disk, comprising:a first platter for supporting said disk; a second platter supporting said first platter, and sized to position said disk apertures in turn atop a center thereof; means for discharging a stream of pliant shot in a carrier fluid with a shallow angle of incidence atop said disk and at said second platter center; means for rotating said first platter atop said second platter; and means for revolving said second platter to sweep said shot stream sequentially along said apertures edges for abrasion thereof.
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Entry
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/217,672, filed Dec. 21, 1998, entitled “Free Flow Abrasive Hole Polishing,” Inventor: James S. Shaw, General Electric Company assignee.
Sponge-Jet, Inc., “Sponge Blasting System,” brochure, 1997.
Sponge-Jet, Inc, “Material Safety Data Sheets,” Aug. 30, 1996.
Sponge-Jet, Inc. “Case Histories,” undated.
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