Sealing of vaned assemblies

Claim 2

A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, and support means for said assembly, the vane assembly including at least one vane and a radially inner and radially outer shroud member connected to the vane, said support means comprising radially inner and outer support members movably axially relative to each other, said vane assembly being supported between and tiltable by axial relative movement of said radially inner and outer support members, at least one of said shroud members having a chordally extending straight sealing edge cooperating with one of the radially inner and outer support members to make a continuous chordal line sealing contact there between throughout a range of tilt of said vane assembly caused by axial relative movement of said radially inner and outer support members.

Claim 3

A vane assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein each shroud member has a radially extending flange.

Claim 4

A vane assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the chordally extending sealing edge is formed on the flange on said radially outer shroud member.

Claim 5

A vane assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the chordally extending sealing edge is formed on the flange on said radially inner shroud member.

Claim 6

A vane assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein a chordally extending sealing edge is formed on the flanges on each of said shroud members.

Claim 7

A vane assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vane assembly is in the form of a gas turbine engine nozzle guide vane assembly and has two vanes.

Claim 8

A gas turbine engine having an annular array of nozzle guide vanes and radiallY inner and outer support members capable of having at least relative axial movrment, said annular array of nozzle guide vanes being supported between said radially inner and outer support members, said vanes being arranged in a series of vane assemblies, each said assembly including at least one vane having a radially inner and a radially outer shroud member, and arranged to tilt with respect to said radially inner and outer support members when said inner and outer support members have relative axial movement, said support members and said radially inner and outer shroud members having cooperating means defining a chordal line sealing contact between said shroud members and said support members throughout a complete range of tilting movement of said vane assemblies caused by relative axial movement of said support members.

Claim 9

A gas turbine engine having an annular array of nozzle guide vanes and radiallY inner and outer support members capable of having at least relative axial movrment, said annular array of nozzle guide vanes being supported between said radially inner and outer support members, said vanes being arranged in a series of vane assemblies, each said assembly including at least one vane having a radially inner and a radially outer shroud member, and arranged to tilt with respect to said radially inner and outer support members when said inner and outer support members have relative axial movement, said support members and said radially inner and outer shroud members having cooperating means defining a chordal line sealing contact between said shroud members and said support members throughout a complete range of tilting movement of said vane assemblies caused by relative axial movement of said support members.

Claim 10

A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said chordal line sealing contact is defined by a chordally extending sealing edge formed on one of said shroud members and a flat surface formed on a corresponding one of said radially inner and outer support members.

Claim 11

A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said chordally extending sealing edge is formed on said radially outer shroud member.

Claim 12

A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said chordal line sealing contact is defined by a chordally extending sealing edge formed on one of said support members and a flat surface formed on a corresponding one of said radially inner and outer shroud members.

Claim 13

A gas turbine engine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said chordally extending sealing edge is formed on said radially inner support member.

Claim 14

A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine and support means for said vane assembly, said vane assembly including at least one vane and a radially inner shroud member and a radially outer shroud member connected to said vane, said support means comprising a radially inner support member and a radially outer support member, said radially inner support member and said radially outer support member capable of having at least relative axial movement, said vane assembly being supported between said radially inner support member and said radially outer support member, seal means between said outer shroud member and said outer support member and between said inner shroud member and said inner support member, at least one of said seal means being a line contact chordal seal throughout any tilting of said vane assembly caused by any relative axial movement of said inner support member and said outer support member, and including a chordally extending straight sealing edge on one of said members and a flat surface on the cooperating other of said members.

Claim 15

A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine and support means for said vane assembly, said vane assembly including at least one vane and a radially inner shroud member and a radially outer shroud member connected to said vane, said support means comprising a radially inner support member and a radially outer support member, said radially inner support member and said radially outer support member capable of having at least relative axial movement, said vane assembly being supported between said radially inner support member and said radially outer support member, seal means between said outer shroud member and said outer support member and between said inner shroud member and said inner support member, at least one of said seal means being a line contact chordal seal throughout any tilting of said vane assembly caused by any relative axial movement of said inner support member and said outer support member, and including a chordally extending straight sealing edge on one of said members and a flat surface on the cooperating other of said members.

Claim 16

A vane assembly as claimed in claim 12 in which said chordally extending straight sealing edge is on one of said inner shroud member and said outer shroud member.

Claim 17

A vane assembly as claimed in claim 12 in which said chordally extending straight sealing edge is on one of said radially inner support member and said radially outer support member.

Claim 18

A vane assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein each of said seal means includes a line contact chordal seal throughout any tilting of said vane assembly caused by any relative axial movement of said inner support member and said outer support member.