Afterburner fuel manifold quick fill and flow distribution apparatus

Claim 2

Combustion engine fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus comprising: fuel manifold means provided with fuel injection means for discharging pressurized fuel to a combustion chamber; a pressurized fuel source; parallel first and second fuel conduits connected to receive fuel from said source and provided with first and second fuel outlets, respectively; fuel control means operatively connected to said first fuel conduit for establishing a controlled flow of fuel through said first outlet; valve means operatively connected to said first and second outlets and said fuel manifold means and having a first position wherein communication between said first and second outlets and said fuel manifold means is disestablished, a second position wherein said second outlet is communicated with said fuel manifold means to provide pressurized fuel flow to fill said fuel manifold means and a third position wherein said first outlet is communicated with said fuel manifold means to communicate said controlled flow of fuel thereto; and control means operatively connected to said valve means for actuating the same from said first position to said second and third positions in a predetermined sequence.

Claim 3

Combustion engine fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said fuel manifold means includes a plurality of independently pressurized fuel manifolds; said valve means includes a plurality of valves operatively connected in parallel flow relationship to said first and second outlets and each of which controls fuel flow from said first and second outlets to an associated one of said plurality of fuel manifolds; said control means being operatively connected to said plurality of valves and operative to initiate actuation of the same in a predetermined order.

Claim 4

Combustion engine fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said control means includes a positionable control lever for controlling the power output of the engine; and fuel flow responsive means operatively connected to said second fuel conduit and responsive to fuel flow therethrough; said valve means being activated from said first position to said second position in response to a predetermined position of said control lever; said valve means being activated from said second position to Said third position in response to decreasing fuel flow through said second conduit indicating a filled condition of said fuel manifold.

Claim 5

Combustion engine fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein: said valve means is responsive to a controlled fluid pressure and provided with a port adapted to register with one of said first and second outlets depending upon the position of said valve means in response to said control fluid pressure; said control means further includes first and second valve members operatively connected to control said control fluid pressure; said first valve member being operatively connected to said positionable control lever and actuated thereby; said second valve member being operatively connected to said fuel flow responsive means and actuated thereby.

Claim 6

Combustion engine fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein: said fuel flow responsive means includes a venturi in series flow relationship with said second fuel conduit; fluid pressure differential responsive means responsive to combustion chamber gas pressure and venturi throat fuel pressure operatively connected to said second valve member for actuating the same in response to a predetermined differential between said venturi throat pressure and combustion chamber gas pressure.

Claim 7

Combustion engine fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein: said operative connection between said first valve member and said positionable control lever includes a first electric solenoid connected to said first valve member and switch means actuated by said control lever for activating said first solenoid; said operative connection between said second valve member and said fuel flow responsive means includes a second electric solenoid connected to said second valve member and switch means actuated in response to said fuel flow responsive means for activating said second solenoid.

Claim 8

Afterburner fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus for a gas turbine engine having a normally inoperative afterburner, said apparatus comprising: a control lever for controlling the power output of the engine and initiating afterburner operation; a plurality of afterburner fuel manifolds adapted to be independently pressurized with fuel depending upon the position of said control lever; a source of pressurized fuel; parallel first and second fuel conduits connected to receive fuel from said source and provided with first and second outlets, respectively; fuel flow control means responsive to a variable condition of engine operation related to engine power output and operatively connected to said first fuel conduit for controlling fuel flow therethrough as a function of said variable condition of engine operation; a casing having first and second fuel inlets connected to said first and second outlets, respectively, and provided with a plurality of third fuel outlets each of which communicates with an associated one of said plurality of fuel manifolds; valve means associated with each of said third fuel outlets for establishing and disestablishing communication between the same and said first and second fuel outlets; fuel flow responsive means operatively connected to said second conduit for generating a control signal as a function of fuel flow through said second conduit; first control means operatively connected to said control lever and each of said valve means for actuating the latter in succession depending upon the position of said control lever to a first position establishing communication between said second outlet and associated third outlet to provide fill fuel flow to the associated fuel manifold; second control means responsive to said control signal generated by said fuel flow responsive means for maintaining said valve means in said first position in response to fuel flow through said second fuel conduit and actuating said valve means to a second position disestablishing communication between said second outlet and associated third outlet and establishing communication between said first outlet and said third outlet to provide a controlled flow of fuel to said associated fuel manifold; said first control means being responsive to movement of said valve means and rendered inoperative in response to said control lever until said valve means moves from said first position to said second position to activate a succeeding valve means.

Claim 9

Afterburner fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus for a gas turbine engine having a normally inoperative afterburner, said apparatus comprising: a control lever for controlling the power output of the engine and initiating afterburner operation; a plurality of afterburner fuel manifolds adapted to be independently pressurized with fuel depending upon the position of said control lever; a source of pressurized fuel; parallel first and second fuel conduits connected to receive fuel from said source and provided with first and second outlets, respectively; fuel flow control means responsive to a variable condition of engine operation related to engine power output and operatively connected to said first fuel conduit for controlling fuel flow therethrough as a function of said variable condition of engine operation; a casing having first and second fuel inlets connected to said first and second outlets, respectively, and provided with a plurality of third fuel outlets each of which communicates with an associated one of said plurality of fuel manifolds; valve means associated with each of said third fuel outlets for establishing and disestablishing communication between the same and said first and second fuel outlets; fuel flow responsive means operatively connected to said second conduit for generating a control signal as a function of fuel flow through said second conduit; first control means operatively connected to said control lever and each of said valve means for actuating the latter in succession depending upon the position of said control lever to a first position establishing communication between said second outlet and associated third outlet to provide fill fuel flow to the associated fuel manifold; second control means responsive to said control signal generated by said fuel flow responsive means for maintaining said valve means in said first position in response to fuel flow through said second fuel conduit and actuating said valve means to a second position disestablishing communication between said second outlet and associated third outlet and establishing communication between said first outlet and said third outlet to provide a controlled flow of fuel to said associated fuel manifold; said first control means being responsive to movement of said valve means and rendered inoperative in response to said control lever until said valve means moves from said first position to said second position to activate a succeeding valve means.

Claim 10

Afterburner fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said valve means is responsive to a controlled servo fluid pressure; said first control means includes a valve operatively connected to control said servo pressure; an electric solenoid operatively connected to said servo valve for actuating the same; an electric circuit including first and second switch means operatively connected to said control lever and said valve means for activating said electric solenoid.

Claim 11

Afterburner fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein: said second control means includes a second valve operatively connected to control said servo pressure; a second electric solenoid operatively connected to said second servo valve for actuating the same; an electric circuit including fluid pressure responsive switch means responsive to a fluid pressure generated by said fuel flow responsive means for actuating said second solenoid.

Claim 12

Afterburner fuel manifold quick fill and fuel distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said source of pressurized fuel is derived from an engine driven centrifugal fuel pump.