Power turbine support

Claim 2

A power turbine support and structural nozzle assembly comprising a rotor, a turbine nozzle ring with an annular outer shroud and an inboard annular blade platform, a plurality of nozzle vanes connected between said shroud and said platform at circumferentially spaced points therearound for flow of motive fluid, a turbine bearing cage located radially inwardly of said platform including means thereon to rotatably support the rotor, an outer annular engine case having mounting holes therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially directed trunnion bosses on said outer shroud radially inwardly spaced from said case and aligned with said holes, and connection means to couple said trunnion bosses to said case for accurately cross-key locating said nozzle ring within said engine case while permitting free radial expansion of said nozzle ring with respect to said engine case, and an index flange on said platform directed radially inwardly thereof, and means on said bearing cage slidably supported on said index flange to accurately cross-key locate and to freely radially support said bearing cage with respect to said nozzle ring to maintain said bearing cage accurately centered with respect to said case during thermal expansion of said nozzle ring with respect thereto.

Claim 3

A power turbine support and structural nozzle assembly comprising a rotor, a turbine nozzle ring with an annular outer shroud and an inboard annular blade platform, a plurality of nozzle vanes connected between said shroud and said platform at circumferentially spaced points therearound for flow of motive fluid, a turbine bearing cage located radially inwardly of said platform including means thereon to rotatably support the rotor, an outer annular engine case having mounting holes therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially directed trunnion bosses on said outer shroud radially inwardly spaced from said case and aligned with said holes, and connection means to couple said trunnion bosses to said case for accurately cross-key locating said nozzle ring within said engine case while permitting free radial expansion of said nozzle ring with respect to said engine case, and an index flange on said platform directed radially inwardly thereof, and means on said bearing cage slidably supported on said index flange to accurately cross-key locate and to freely radially support said bearing cage with respect to said nozzle ring to maintain said bearing cage accurately centered with respect to said case during thermal expansion of said nozzle ring with respect thereto, said connection means including sleeves with a length greater than the depth of said outer case at said case hole to define an expansion bearing surface, means for connecting the inboard end of said sleeves to said trunnion bosses to bridge the gap between said case and said structural nozzle.

Claim 4

A power turbine support and structural nozzle assembly comprising a rotor, a turbine nozzle ring with an annular outer shroud and an inboard annular blade platform, a plurality of nozzle vanes connected between said shroud and said platform at circumferentially spaced points therearound for flow of motive fluid, a turbine bearing cage located radially inwardly of said platform including means thereon to rotatably support the rotor, an outer annular engine case having mounting holes therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially directed trunnion bosses on said outer shroud radially inwardly spaced from said case and aligned with said holes, and connection means to couple said trunnion bosses to said case for accurately cross-key locating said nozzle ring within said engine case while permitting free radial expansion of said nozzle ring with respect to said engine case, and an index flange on said platform directed radially inwardly thereof, and means on said bearing cage slidably supported on said index flange to accurately cross-key locate and to freely radially support said bearing cage with respect to said nozzle ring to maintain said bearing cage accurately centered with respect to said case during thermal expansion of said nozzle ring with respect thereto, said connection means including sleeves with a length greater than the depth of said outer case at said case hole to define an expansion bearing surface, means for connecting the inboard end of said sleeves to said trunnion bosses to bridge the gap between said case and said structural nozzle.

Claim 5

A power turbine support and structural nozzle assembly comprising a rotor, a turbine nozzle ring with an annular outer shroud and an inboard annular blade platform, a plurality of nozzle vanes connected between said shroud and said platform at circumferentially spaced points therearound for flow of motive fluid, a turbine bearing cage located radially inwardly of said platform including means thereon to rotatably support the rotor, an outer annular engine case having mounting holes therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially directed trunnion bosses on said outer shroud radially inwardly spaced from said case and aligned with said holes, and connection means to couple said trunnion bosses to said case for accurately cross-key locating said nozzle ring within said engine case while permitting free radial expansion of said nozzle ring with respect to said engine case, and an index flange on said platform directed radially inwardly thereof, and means on said bearing cage slidably supported on said index flange to accurately cross-key locate and to freely radially support said bearing cage with respect to said nozzle ring to maintain said bearing cage accurately centered with respect to said case during thermal expansion of said nozzle ring with respect thereto, a pair of hollow struts aligned with said trunnion bosses and extending from said outer shroud through said blade platform, said connection means including an oil inlet fitting, an oil nozzle extending through one of said pair of hollow struts to direct oil to said bearing cage, and an oil return duct in the other of said pair of hollow struts to return oil from said cage.

Claim 6

A power turbine support and structural nozzle assembly comprising a rotor, a turbine nozzle ring with an annular outer shroud and an inboard annular blade platform, a plurality of nozzle vanes connected between said shroud and said platform at circumferentially spaced points therearound for flow of motive fluid, a turbine bearing cage located radially inwardly of said platform including means thereon to rotatably support the rotor, an outer annular engine case having mounting holes therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially directed trunnion bosses on said outer shroud radially inwardly spaced from said case and aligned with said holes, and connection means to couple said trunnion bosses to said case for accurately cross-key locating said nozzle ring within said engine case while permitting free radial expansion of said nozzle ring with respect to said engine case, and an index flange on said platform directed radially inwardly thereof, and means on said bearing cage slidably supported on said index flange to accurately cross-key locate and to freely radially support said bearing cage with respect to said nozzle ring to maintain said bearing cage accurately centered with respect to said case during thermal expansion of said nozzle ring with respect thereto, a pair of hollow struts aligned with said trunnion bosses and extending from said outer shroud through said blade platform, said connection means including an oil inlet fitting, an oil nozzle extending through one of said pair of hollow struts to direct oil to said bearing cage, and an oil return duct in the other of said pair of hollow struts to return oil from said cage.

Claim 7

A power turbine support and structural nozzle assembly comprising a rotor, a turbine nozzle ring with an annular outer shroud and an inboard annular blade platform, a plurality of nozzle vanes connected between said shroud and said platform at circumferentially spaced points therearound for flow of motive fluid, a turbine bearing cage located radially inwardly of said platform including means thereon to rotatably support the rotor, seal means on said cage to prevent bypass of motive fluid from upstream of said nozzle ring to a point downstream thereof, an outer annular engine case having mounting holes therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially directed trunnion bosses on said outer shroud radially inwardly spaced from said case and aligned with said holes, and connection means to couple said trunnion bosses to said case for accurately cross key locating said nozzle ring within said engine case while permitting free radial expansion of said nozzle ring with respect to said engine case, and an index flange on said platform directed radially inwardly thereof, and means on said bearing cage slidably supported on said index flange to accurately cross-key locate and to freely radially support said bearing cage with respect to said nozzle ring to maintain said bearing cage accurately centered with respect to said case during thermal expansion of said nozzle ring with respect thereto, said structural nozzle assembly further including a plurality of circumferentially spaced hollow struts extending radially between said outer shroud and said blade platform means including a first pair of said struts defining an oil supply and return for said bearing cage, and means including a second pair of said struts defining a fluid supply and return path for coolant flow to both said bearing cage and said seal means.

Claim 8

A power turbine support and structural nozzle assembly comprising a rotor, a turbine nozzle ring with an annular outer shroud and an inboard annular blade platform, a plurality of nozzle vanes connected between said shroud and said platform at circumferentially spaced points therearound for flow of motive fluid, a turbine bearing cage located radially inwardly of said platform including means thereon to rotatably support the rotor, seal means on said cage to prevent bypass of motive fluid from upstream of said nozzle ring to a point downstream thereof, an outer annular engine case having mounting holes therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially directed trunnion bosses on said outer shroud radially inwardly spaced from said case and aligned with said holes, and connection means to couple said trunnion bosses to said case for accurately cross key locating said nozzle ring within said engine case while permitting free radial expansion of said nozzle ring with respect to said engine case, and an index flange on said platform directed radially inwardly thereof, and means on said bearing cage slidably supported on said index flange to accurately cross-key locate and to freely radially support said bearing cage with respect to said nozzle ring to maintain said bearing cage accurately centered with respect to said case during thermal expansion of said nozzle ring with respect thereto, said structural nozzle assembly further including a plurality of circumferentially spaced hollow struts extending radially between said outer shroud and said blade platform means including a first pair of said struts defining an oil supply and return for said bearing cage, and means including a second pair of said struts defining a fluid supply and return path for coolant flow to both said bearing cage and said seal means.