Outer air seal

Claim 2

For a gas turbine engine having an engine case, a segmented, outer air seal of the type adapted to circumscribe the tips of the rotor blades, wherein the improvement comprises: a continuous ring positioned externally of the engine case for radially positioning the outer air seal, wherein said radial position is determined by a substantially fixed position of the continuous ring.

Claim 3

An outer air seal assembly of the type utilized to circumscribe the tips of the rotor blades of an axial flow rotary machine, wherein said seal assembly comprises: a machine case having a plurality of circumferentially spaced bushings disposed therein; a continuous ring positioned externally of the machine case and spaced radially apart therefrom; a plurality of arcuate segments which circumscribe the tips of the rotor blades, and wherein each segment has a circumferential extending track; two or more retention blocks slideably disposed within each circumferential track; and a plurality of pins extending radially inward from the continuous ring through said bushings to engage a corresponding block within the outer air seal.

Claim 4

An outer air seal assembly of the type utilized to circumscribe the tips of the rotor blades of an axial flow rotary machine, wherein said seal assembly comprises: a machine case having a plurality of circumferentially spaced bushings disposed therein; a continuous ring positioned externally of the machine case and spaced radially apart therefrom; a plurality of arcuate segments which circumscribe the tips of the rotor blades, and wherein each segment has a circumferential extending track; two or more retention blocks slideably disposed within each circumferential track; and a plurality of pins extending radially inward from the continuous ring through said bushings to engage a corresponding block within the outer air seal.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 2 wherein a sleeve disposed in the machine case is adapted to guide each of the radially extending pins.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 3 wherein each sleeve further includes sealing means adapted to prevent the escape of working medium gases from the interior of the machine.

Claim 7

Means for supporting a segmented outer air seal of the type circumscribing the tips of rotor blades of a rotary machine, wherein said support means comprises; an essentially cylindrical case enclosing the machine rotor and the outer air seal; a continuous ring positioned externally of the engine case; and a plurality of rods attached to said ring and extending radially inward from said ring to engage the outer air seal.

Claim 8

Means for supporting a segmented outer air seal of the type circumscribing the tips of rotor blades of a rotary machine, wherein said support means comprises; an essentially cylindrical case enclosing the machine rotor and the outer air seal; a continuous ring positioned externally of the engine case; and a plurality of rods attached to said ring and extending radially inward from said ring to engage the outer air seal.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 5 wherein each of said seal segments is supported by at least two of said radially extending rods.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 6 which further includes a cylindrical bushing supporting each rod at the engine case.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 7 wherein said bushing has a cylindrical sealing surface and wherein each of said rods has a seal associated therewith to seal against the sealing surface of the corresponding bushing.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 7 wherein each of said sealing segments has an arcuate track and wherein a slideable block is disposed in said track, each slideable block being engaged by one of said radially extending rods.