Turbine blade

Claim 2

A turbine blade comprising: a metal center body structure shaped to define a turbine blade, said structure having a reduced thickness portion, a peripheral portion of said structure extending around the said reduced thickness portion, leading and trailing edges on said blade, portions of said peripheral portion providing said edges, slots extending through said reduced thickness portion from a front side thereof to a back side thereof, ribs separating said slots, the ends of said ribs integral with the said metal center body structure, the thickness of said ribs corresponding with the thickness of the reduced thickness portion whereby the said ribs have a thickness which is never greater than the thickness of the said reduced thickness portion, composite skins covering said slots and said reduced thickness portion, said skins adhered to said front and back sides, said skins mating with said peripheral portion to produce smooth surfaces on said structure from said leading edge to said trailing edge, a plurality of said slots spaced apart transversely and longitudinally defining longitudinal and transverse ribs therebetween, the ends of said ribs integral with the said peripheral portion, and a single skin covering each of said front and back sides.

Claim 3

The blade of claim 1 wherein connecting channels extend through some of said ribs communicating some of said slots to other of said slots.

Claim 4

The blade of claim 2 wherein second connecting channels extend through portions of the said peripheral portion communicating some of said slots to the atmosphere exterior of the said turbine blade.

Claim 5

A turbine blade comprising: a metal center body structure shaped to define a turbine blade, said structure having a reduced thickness portion, a peripheral portion of said structure extending around the said reduced thickness portion, leading and trailing edges on said blade, portions of said peripheral portion providing said edges, slots extending through said reduced thickness portion from a front side thereof to a back side thereof, ribs separating said slots, the ends of said ribs integral with the said metal center body structure, the thickness of said ribs corresponding with the thickness of the reduced thickness portion whereby the said ribs have a thickness which is never greater than the thickness of the said reduced thickness portion, composite skins covering said slots and said reduced thickness portion, said skins adhered to said front and back sides, said skins mating with said peripheral portion to produce smooth surfaces on said structure from said leading edge to said trailing edge, a plurality of said reduced thickness portions each having slots extending therethrough from a front side thereof to a back side thereof, said reduced thickness portions spaced apart by a portion having a thickness greater than the reduced thickness portions, a plurality of said composite skins, one of said skins covering each of said front and back sides of each of said reduced thickness portions, and said skins mating with said peripheral portions and said greater thickness portion along the sides of the said reduced thickness portions to produce smooth surfaces on said structure from said leading edge to said trailing edge.

Claim 6

A turbine blade comprising: a metal center body structure shaped to define a turbine blade, said structure having a reduced thickness portion, a peripheral portion of said structure extending around the said reduced thickness portion, leading and trailing edges on said blade, portions of said peripheral portion providing said edges, slots extending through said reduced thickness portion from a front side thereof to a back side thereof, ribs separating said slots, the ends of said ribs integral with the said metal center body structure, the thickness of said ribs corresponding with the thickness of the reduced thickness portion whereby the said ribs have a thickness which is never greater than the thickness of the said reduced thickness portion, composite skins covering said slots and said reduced thickness portion, said skins adhered to said front and back sides, said skins mating with said peripheral portion to produce smooth surfaces on said structure from said leading edge to said trailing edge, a plurality of said reduced thickness portions each having slots extending therethrough from a front side thereof to a back side thereof, said reduced thickness portions spaced apart by a portion having a thickness greater than the reduced thickness portions, a plurality of said composite skins, one of said skins covering each of said front and back sides of each of said reduced thickness portions, and said skins mating with said peripheral portions and said greater thickness portion along the sides of the said reduced thickness portions to produce smooth surfaces on said structure from said leading edge to said trailing edge.

Claim 7

The blade of claim 4 wherein the said slots are arranged to define longitudinal ribs therebetween and the said ribs are integral at both ends thereof with portions of the said center body.

Claim 8

The blade of claim 5 wherein the said slots are arranged to define longitudinal and transverse ribs therebetween, said ribs integral at both ends thereof with portions of the said structure.

Claim 9

The blade of claim 4 wherein connecting channels communicate some of said slots in one of said reduced thickness portions to some of said slots in another of said reduced thickness portions.

Claim 10

The blade of claim 7 wherein second connecting channels communicate some of said slots in one of said reDuced thickness portions to the atmosphere exterior of the blade.

Claim 11

A turbine blade comprising: a metal center body structure shaped to define a turbine blade, leading and trailing edges on said blade, said edges formed by said structure, slots extending through said structure intermediate the said edges, center body material ribs having their ends integral with the said structure separating adjacent slots, said ribs spaced from one another, composite skins covering said slots terminating in spaced relation from the said edges, said skins adhered to front and back sides of the said structure, said skins and structure dimensioned to mate in a smooth transition adjacent the said edges to provide smooth surfaces on the front and back faces of the said blade, a plurality of said slots spaced apart transversely and longitudinally defining longitudinal and transverse ribs therebetween, the ends of said ribs integral with the said structure, and single skins covering each of the said front and back sides.

Claim 12

A turbine blade comprising: a metal center body structure shaped to define a turbine blade, leading and trailing edges on said blade, said edges formed by said structure, slots extending through said structure intermediate the said edges, center body material ribs having their ends integral with the said structure separating adjacent slots, said ribs spaced from one another, composite skins covering said slots terminating in spaced relation from the said edges, said skins adhered to front and back sides of the said structure, said skins and structure dimensioned to mate in a smooth transition adjacent the said edges to provide smooth surfaces on the front and back faces of the said blade, a plurality of said slots spaced apart transversely and longitudinally defining longitudinal and transverse ribs therebetween, the ends of said ribs integral with the said structure, and single skins covering each of the said front and back sides.

Claim 13

The blade of claim 9 wherein connecting channels extend through some of said ribs communicating some of said slots to other of said slots.

Claim 14

The blade of claim 10 wherein second connecting channels extend through the portions of the said structure communicating some of said slots to the atmosphere exterior of the said blade.

Claim 15

A turbine blade comprising: a root section, a blade section integral with said root section having a leading and a trailing edge, said blade section having a plurality of slots extending therethrough from a front surface to a back surface of said blade section, said slots spaced apart by ribs integral with the blade section material, composite skins overlying said apertures, said composite skins adhered to the said blade section, said composite skins interfitting with the said blade section adjacent the peripheral areas thereof to provide smooth front and back surfaces for said blade section, portions of said blade section spaced from said skins defining said edges, connecting channels connecting at least some of said slots through the tip of said blade section to the atmosphere exterior of said blade and secondary connecting channels connecting at least some of said slots through the root section of said blade to define passageways through the said blade comprising said secondary channels, said slot, and said first channels for passage of fluid through the said turbine blade to control the temperature thereof.

Claim 16

A turbine blade comprising: a root section, a blade section integral with said root section having a leading and a trailing edge, said blade section having a plurality of slots extending therethrough from a front surface to a back surface of said blade section, said slots spaced apart by ribs integral with the blade section material, composite skins overlying said apertures, said composite skins adhered to the said blade section, said composite skins interfitting with the said blade section adjacent the peripheral areas thereof to provide smooth front and back surfaces for said blade section, portions of said blade section spaced from said skins defining said edges, connecting channels connecting at least some of said slots through the tip of said blade section to the atmosphere exterior of said blade and secondary connecting channels connecting at least some of said slots through the root section of said blade to define passageways through the said blade comprising said secondary channels, said slot, and said first channels for passage of fluid through the said turbine blade to control the temperature thereof.