Turbine blade manufactured of self-carrying laminates

Claim 1

In a method for facilitating both the production of a turbine blade of increased strength, greatly simplified construction, and relatively reduced weight, and further specifically and positively providing for and having built-in provisions for fluid cooling, the steps comprising; initially cutting each of a plurality of individual laminates into an overall rectangular or other specific shape most suitable both for stacking and for ensuring, and providing for the application of a more uniform and positive bonding pressure between adjacently-positioned laminates in the completed stack; facilitating the subsequent final and complete fabrication of the turbine blade by initially, and partially and separately preforming each of the said individual and precut laminates, before their stacking and bonding together, by impressing therewithin both the approximate and general overall outline of the final blade shape to be produced, and complementary matching half portions, with respect to the adjacently positioned laminates in a completed stack, of each of a plurality of built-in coolant passages of varying disposition and complexity to be inherently incorporated in the final blade structure prior to, and as a result of the final assembly thereof; then removing excess material by machine cutting along the previously impressed outlines of, and thereby completing the initial preliminary production of the said complementary matching half portions in preparation for the subsequent formation of the said built-in coolant passages during the final fabrication of the turbine blade; thereafter partially fabricating the turbine blade and completing the formation of the said built-in coolant passages by stacking and bonding together said plurality of individual and now-partially preformed laminates into an overall laminated box-like structure approximating the overall size and shape, and containing the previously impressed outlines in each of the said laminates of the turbine blade to be produced therefrom; and, finally, completing the fabrication of the turbine blade, first, by initially machine removing the gross material from the said box-like structure by cutting along and completely through the said previously-impressed outlines of the approximate final blade shape initially formed in each of the said individual and now-aligned laminates during the partial preformation of each thereof to thereby achieve the rough blade form in final preparation for its subsequent finish contour machining and/or grinding operations.