Seal between a turbine rotor of a gas turbine engine and associated static structure of the engine

Claim 1

In a gas turbine engine having a turbine rotor and associated static structure, the improvement in a seal structure between the turbine rotor and the associated static structure comprising: a flexible open triangulated supporting frame coaxial with said turbine rotor and having an inner ring and an outer ring connected together by links; means operatively carrying said triangulated supporting frame from said static structure, said means permitting relatively axial movement of said triangulated supporting frame relative to said static structure and to said rotor without permitting relative rotational movement between said triangulated supporting frame and said static structure; a thin flexible annulus of low friction material carried by one ring of said triangulated frame structure, said annulus of low friction material having a face opposing a first annular surface on said rotor and forming therebetween an air bearing; an annular air seal between said turbine rotor and said triangulated supporting frame, said seal being defined by a second annular surface on said turbine rotor and a plurality of axially projecting fins from the other ring cooperating with said second annular surface of said rotor; and said flexible open triangulated supporting frame and said thin flexible annulus of low friction material accommodating distortions and vibrational movements of said turbine rotor thereby permitting said fins to follow said rotor.