Fuel distribution manifold to an annular combustion chamber

Claim 1

A fuel distribution manifold system for feeding fuel to an annular combustion chamber of a gas turbine comprising an assembly of a plurality of individually removable fuel nozzles positioned about the periphery of the combustion chamber, fuel distributing tubes interconnecting the adjacent fuel nozzles for passage of fuel between the removable fuel nozzles, nozzle coupling means integrally formed with the nozzles for slidably receiving the ends of the fuel distributing tubes for sliding movement of the fuel distributing tubes along their longitudinal axes while the nozzles remain in position to permit the ready removal of any individual nozzle means in the assembly by disconnecting it from interconnection with adjacent nozzles without disturbing any other nozzle in the assembly, each nozzle coupling means including two oppositely disposed annular flange means to receive, in sliding arrangement, the ends of fuel distributing tubes, at least one of the annular flange means having sufficient length to allow sufficient sliding movement of the end of the tube received thereby so that the opposite end of the same tube disengages the annular flange means of an adjacent fuel nozzle, and means for feeding fuel to the assembly.