Compressor-blade-retaining means

Claim 2

In a turbomachine rotor assembly of the type comprising a circumferential blade-retaining groove having a loading slot formed therein and a plurality of bladed members assembled therewith so that their root members are circumferentially spaced in said groove, blade-retaining means comprising, an elongated recess in the inner surface of said groove and extending partially circumferentially thereof, said recess being located in alignment with said loading slot; and a spring retainer disposed in said recess, said retainer comprising a leaf spring whose ends are located in said recess in juxtaposition with the ends thereof, and whose intermediate span is in spaced relation to the blind surface of said recess, said retainer including a protuberance located for alignment with said loading slot and extending into the space between two adjacent blade roots.

Claim 3

The assembly recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated recess is symmetrically located with respect to said loading slot.

Claim 4

The assembly recited in claim 2 wherein said spring retainer is relatively unstressed.

Claim 5

The assembly recited in claim 3 wherein said leaf spring includes at each of its ends a pad which maintains the said spring in spaced relation with the blind surface of said recess.

Claim 6

The assembly recited in claim 4 wherein the inner surface of the blade-retaining groove additionally includes a pair of stress relief grooves adjacent opposite ends of said elongated recess, each said stress relief groove having approximately the same depth as said elongated recess at the end adjacent thereto and fairing into the said inner surface at a point removed from said recess.

Claim 7

A turbomachine rotor assembly comprising, a rotor spool defining a flow path surface and including at least one retaining groove therein, said retaining groove extending circumferentially of said spool and including a relatively narrow portion adjacent the said flow surface and an undercut portion radially inward from said relatively narrow portion; a loading slot extending radially into said groove and having a dimension axially oriented with respect to the spool which substantially equals the corresponding dimension of said undercut portion; an elongated recess in the inner surface of said groove and extending partially circumferentially thereof, said recess being located in alignment with said loading slot; a plurality of bladed members assembled with said spool, each said bladed member comprising an airfoil and a root at the base of said airfoil, said root comprising a neck adjacent the base of said airfoil and an enlarged portion radially inward of and adjacent to said neck, said root being slidably engaged in said groove with said neck located in the relatively narrow portion of said groove and sAid enlarged portion located in the undercut portion of said groove; means for circumferentially spacing said roots, said roots being circumferentially located in said groove so that a space between two adjacent roots is in alignment with said loading slot; and a spring retainer disposed in said elongated recess, said retainer comprising a leaf spring whose ends are located in said recess in juxtaposition with the ends thereof and whose span intermediate the ends is in spaced relation to the blind surface of said recess, said retainer further including a protuberance aligned with said loading slot, which protuberance extends into and circumferentially fills the space between two adjacent blade roots.

Claim 8

A turbomachine rotor assembly comprising, a rotor spool defining a flow path surface and including at least one retaining groove therein, said retaining groove extending circumferentially of said spool and including a relatively narrow portion adjacent the said flow surface and an undercut portion radially inward from said relatively narrow portion; a loading slot extending radially into said groove and having a dimension axially oriented with respect to the spool which substantially equals the corresponding dimension of said undercut portion; an elongated recess in the inner surface of said groove and extending partially circumferentially thereof, said recess being located in alignment with said loading slot; a plurality of bladed members assembled with said spool, each said bladed member comprising an airfoil and a root at the base of said airfoil, said root comprising a neck adjacent the base of said airfoil and an enlarged portion radially inward of and adjacent to said neck, said root being slidably engaged in said groove with said neck located in the relatively narrow portion of said groove and sAid enlarged portion located in the undercut portion of said groove; means for circumferentially spacing said roots, said roots being circumferentially located in said groove so that a space between two adjacent roots is in alignment with said loading slot; and a spring retainer disposed in said elongated recess, said retainer comprising a leaf spring whose ends are located in said recess in juxtaposition with the ends thereof and whose span intermediate the ends is in spaced relation to the blind surface of said recess, said retainer further including a protuberance aligned with said loading slot, which protuberance extends into and circumferentially fills the space between two adjacent blade roots.

Claim 9

The assembly recited in claim 6 wherein the means spacing said roots comprises a platform on each bladed member normal to the axis thereof, said platform being located at the base of said airfoil.

Claim 10

The assembly recited in claim 7 wherein the said platforms adjacent said loading slot cooperatively define an access hole for providing access to said protuberance.