Turbine engines

Claim 2

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments of said component to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said last-mentioned means comprising seals which are of monometallic, sheet metal construction and have a concave cross-section and arcuate edge portions, each said seal extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher operating temperatures and each said seal being oriented with its major cross-sectional dimension orthoganally related to the axial centerline of the segmented component and to a radius extending from said centerline through the gap between said segments.

Claim 3

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments of said component to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the opposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals which are of monometallic construction, said seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between each two adjacent segments and said seals each having arced edge portions which are disposed in interference fits in and with the sides of said grooves both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 4

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments of said component to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the opposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals which are of monometallic construction, said seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between each two adjacent segments and said seals each having arced edge portions which are disposed in interference fits in and with the sides of said grooves both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 5

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments of said component to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, each two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and those portions of the seals which bridge the gaps between adjacent segments of said stationary component having a concave cross-sectional configuration and arcuate edge portions.

Claim 6

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments of said component to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, each two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and those portions of the seals which bridge the gaps between adjacent segments of said stationary component having a concave cross-sectional configuration and arcuate edge portions.

Claim 7

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annulary, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments of said component and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and each said seal having elastically deformable, arcuate edge portions which are elastically biased into interference fits with said grooves and provide a seal between said segments both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 8

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annulary, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments of said component and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and each said seal having elastically deformable, arcuate edge portions which are elastically biased into interference fits with said grooves and provide a seal between said segments both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 9

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments of said component to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said last-mentioned means comprising seals with a concave cross-section, each said seal extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, two adjacent segments and each said seal having a continuous, periphery defining a closed curve and two concavely configured portions bridging the gap between the segments with which the seal is associated, said portions being in a mirror image relationship.

Claim 10

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments of said component to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said last-mentioned means comprising seals with a concave cross-section, each said seal extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, two adjacent segments and each said seal having a continuous, periphery defining a closed curve and two concavely configured portions bridging the gap between the segments with which the seal is associated, said portions being in a mirror image relationship.

Claim 11

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments, the edge portions of said seals being disposed in interference fits in said grooves and those edge portions of the seals disposed in interference fits with the segments bridged thereby having a loop-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 12

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; a segmented, annular, stationary component in and supported from said nozzle case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments, the edge portions of said seals being disposed in interference fits in said grooves and those edge portions of the seals disposed in interference fits with the segments bridged thereby having a loop-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 13

A gas turbine as defined in claim 6 wherein one of said loop-shaped edge portions of each seal opens toward the exterior of the nozzle case, the other of said edge portions opens toward the interior of the nozzle case, and said edge portions are connected by a planar central portion which bridges the gap between the segments in which the edge portion of the seal are fitted.

Claim 14

A gas turbine as defined in claim 6 wherein both of said loop-shaped edge portions of each seal open toward the exterior of the nozzle case and said edge portions are connected by a planar central portion which bridges the gap between the segments in which the edge portions of the seal are fitted.

Claim 15

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; flow directing nozzles integrated into nozzle segments arranged in an annular array, said segments being supported in juxtaposed relationship from said case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said last-mentioned means comprising seals which are of monometallic, sheet metal construction and have a concave cross-section and arcuate edge portions, each said seal extending longituidnally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures and each said seal being oriented with its major cross-sectional dimension orthoganally related to the axial centerline of the nozzle case and to a radius extending from said centerline through the gap between said segments.

Claim 16

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; flow directing nozzles integrated into nozzle segments arranged in an annular array, said segments being supported in juxtaposed relationship from said case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said last-mentioned means comprising seals which are of monometallic, sheet metal construction and have a concave cross-section and arcuate edge portions, each said seal extending longituidnally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures and each said seal being oriented with its major cross-sectional dimension orthoganally related to the axial centerline of the nozzle case and to a radius extending from said centerline through the gap between said segments.

Claim 17

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; flow directing nozzles integrated into nozzle segments arranged in an annular array, said segments being supported in juxtaposed relationship from said case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent nozzle segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals which are of monometallic construction, said seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments and said seals each having arced edge portions which are disposed in interference fits in and with the sides of said grooves both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 18

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; flow directing nozzles integrated into nozzle segments arranged in an annular array, said segments being supported in juxtaposed relationship from said case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent nozzle segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals which are of monometallic construction, said seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments and said seals each having arced edge portions which are disposed in interference fits in and with the sides of said grooves both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 19

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; flow directing nozzles integrated into nozzle segments arranged in an annular array, said segments being supported in juxtaposed relationship from said case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, each two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and those portions of the seals which bridge the gaps between adjacent segments of said nozzle case having a concave cross-sectional configuration and arcuate edge portions.

Claim 20

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; flow directing nozzles integrated into nozzle segments arranged in an annular array, said segments being supported in juxtaposed relationship from said case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, each two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and those portions of the seals which bridge the gaps between adjacent segments of said nozzle case having a concave cross-sectional configuration and arcuate edge portions.

Claim 21

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; flow directing nozzles integrated into nozzle segments arranged in an annular array, said segments being supported in juxtaposed relationship from said case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and each said seal having elastically deformable, arcuate edge portions which are elastically biased into interference fits with said grooves and thereby provide a seal between said segments both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 22

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; flow directing nozzles integrated into nozzle segments arranged in an annular array, said segments being supported in juxtaposed relationship from said case; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent segments and said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and each said seal having elastically deformable, arcuate edge portions which are elastically biased into interference fits with said grooves and thereby provide a seal between said segments both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 23

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; an annular array of radially extending flow directing nozzles supported from said case; a bladed rotor; means supporting said rotor in said case downstream from said nozzles for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the case; an annular array of tip shoe segments surrounding said rotor; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent tip shoe segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said last-mentioned means comprising seals which are of monometallic, sheet metal construction and have a concave cross-section and arcuate edge portions, each said seal extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures and each said seal being oriented with its major cross-sectional dimension orthoganally related to the axial centerline if the tip shoe array and to a radius extending from said centerline through the gap between said segments.

Claim 24

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; an annular array of radially extending flow directing nozzles supported from said case; a bladed rotor; means supporting said rotor in said case downstream from said nozzles for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the case; an annular array of tip shoe segments surrounding said rotor; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent tip shoe segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said last-mentioned means comprising seals which are of monometallic, sheet metal construction and have a concave cross-section and arcuate edge portions, each said seal extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures and each said seal being oriented with its major cross-sectional dimension orthoganally related to the axial centerline if the tip shoe array and to a radius extending from said centerline through the gap between said segments.

Claim 25

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; an annular array of radially extending flow directing nozzles supported from said case; a bladed rotor; means supporting said rotor in said case downstream from said nozzles for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the case; an annular array of tip shoe segments surrounding said rotor; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent tip shoe segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent tip shoe segments and said sealing means comprising seals which are of monometallic construction, said seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments and said seals each having arced edge portion which are disposed in interference fits in and with the sides of said grooves both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 26

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; an annular array of radially extending flow directing nozzles supported from said case; a bladed rotor; means supporting said rotor in said case downstream from said nozzles for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the case; an annular array of tip shoe segments surrounding said rotor; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent tip shoe segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent tip shoe segments and said sealing means comprising seals which are of monometallic construction, said seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments and said seals each having arced edge portion which are disposed in interference fits in and with the sides of said grooves both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 27

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; an annular array of radially extending flow directing nozzles supported from said case; a bladed rotor; means supporting said rotor in said case downstream from said nozzles for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the case; an annular array of tip shoe segments surrounding said rotor; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent tip shoe segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, each two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and those portions of the seals which bridge the gaps between adjacent tip shoe segments having a concave cross-sectional configuration and arcuate edge portions.

Claim 28

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; an annular array of radially extending flow directing nozzles supported from said case; a bladed rotor; means supporting said rotor in said case downstream from said nozzles for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the case; an annular array of tip shoe segments surrounding said rotor; and means for sealing the gaps between adjacent tip shoe segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and sealing the gap between, each two adjacent segments at both ambient and higher, operating temperatures, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and those portions of the seals which bridge the gaps between adjacent tip shoe segments having a concave cross-sectional configuration and arcuate edge portions.

Claim 29

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; an annular array of radially extending flow directing nozzles supported from said case; a bladed rotor; means supporting said rotor in said case downstream from said nozzles for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the case; an annular array of tip shoe segments surrounding said rotor; and means for sealing the gaps between the adjacent tip shoe segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent tip shoe segments and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and each said seal having elastically deformable, arcuate edge portions which are elastically biased into interference fits with said grooves and provide a seal between said segments both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 30

A gas turbine comprising: a nozzle case through which heated gases are adapted to flow; an annular array of radially extending flow directing nozzles supported from said case; a bladed rotor; means supporting said rotor in said case downstream from said nozzles for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of the case; an annular array of tip shoe segments surrounding said rotor; and means for sealing the gaps between the adjacent tip shoe segments to keep the heated gases from escaping through said gaps, there being grooves opening onto the apposite faces of adjacent tip shoe segments and said sealing means comprising seals extending longitudinally with respect to, and bridging the gap between, each two adjacent segments, said seals being of monometallic, sheet metal construction and each said seal having elastically deformable, arcuate edge portions which are elastically biased into interference fits with said grooves and provide a seal between said segments both at ambient temperatures and at higher, operating temperatures.

Claim 31

A gas turbine engine comprising: a compressor; a combustor for heating air discharged from said compressor; a gas producer turbine drive-connected to said compressor through which the heated air and combustion products generated in said compressor can expand to drive the gas producer turbine and the compressor; and a power turbine downstream from said gas producer turbine, said gas producer turbine being a turbine as defined in any of the preceding claims 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 or 14.

Claim 32

A gas turbine engine comprising: a compressor; a combustor for heating air discharged from said compressor; a gas producer turbine drive-connected to said compressor through which the heated air and combustion products generated in said compressor can expand to drive the gas producer turbine and the compressor; and a power turbine downstream from the gas producer turbine, said gas producer turbine being a turbine as defined in any of the preceding claims 1, 3, 4, 9, 11-13, 15 or 16.