Compliant structural members

Claim 2

In a machine having two, juxtaposed, relatively movable components, means providing a seal between said components comprising an assemblage of deformable metallic strips disposed in side-by-side relationship with the opposite edges of the strips respectively facing one and the other of said components; means spacing said strips apart to provide interstices therebetween; and a backing member disposed between said assemblage of metallic strips and one of said components for maintaining said strips of the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship; the edges of the strips facing said one of said components being fixed to the backing member and the edges of the strips facing the other of said components being free of attachment to each other, whereby the portions of the strips nearer to said other component can move relative to each other and to said other component to provide a compliant seal between said assemblage of metallic strips and said other component; the means spacing said strips apart comprising corrugations formed in at least part of said strips; and said strips being oriented to extend in the direction of relative movement between said components with the corrugations at the edges of the strips which are free of attachment to each other being at an angle of less than 90° to said direction of movement to thereby minimize the resistance to deformation offered by said strips.

Claim 3

The machine of claim 1 wherein all of said strips are corrugated with the corrugations extending diagonally from edge-to-edge of each said strip, the corrugations in alternate strips extending in opposite directions whereby the corrugations in adjacent strips come into contact to space apart and provide the interstices therbetween.

Claim 4

The machine of claim 1 wherein all of said strips are corrugated with the corrugations extending diagonally from edge-to-edge of each strip, the corrugations in all of said strips extending in the same direction and the corrugations in adjacent strips being inclined at different angles relative to the edges of the strips, whereby the corrugations in adjacent strips come into contact to space the strips apart and provide the interstices therebetween.

Claim 5

The machine of claim 1 wherein the corrugations in at least alternate strips are V-shaped, said corrugations spacing said strips apart and thereby providing the interstices therebetween.

Claim 6

The machine of claim 1 wherein only alternative ones of said strips are corrugated.

Claim 7

The machine of claim 1 wherein the corrugations in the strips are of at least two different configurations.

Claim 8

The machine of claim 1, wherein the corrugations in adjacent strips are in a mirror image relationship relative to the corrugations in the strips thereadjacent.

Claim 9

The machine of claim 1 wherein the corrugations in said strips have an arcuate configuration.

Claim 10

The machine of claim 8 wherein the corrugations in adjacent strips face in opposite directions.

Claim 11

The machine of claim 1 wherein the strips of the seal providing means are composed of at least two different metallic materials.

Claim 12

The machine of claim 1 wherein at least part of the strips of the seal providing means are of knitted or woven metallic fibers.

Claim 13

The machine of claim 1 wherein at least part of the strips in the assemblage are of perforated, notched, or other open construction.

Claim 14

The machine of claim 1, wherein there is a friction reducing coating on the surface of said other component which is contacted by the seal providing means and/or on those edges of the strips contacted by said other component.

Claim 15

The machine of claim 1, wherein at least part of said strips are of woven or felted strand construction.

Claim 16

In a machine having two, juxtaposed, relatively movable components, means providing a seal between said components comprising an assemblage of deformable metallic strips disposed in side-by-side relationship with the opposite edges of the strips respectively facing one and the other of said components; means spacing said strips apart to provide interstices therebetween; and backing means disposed between said assemblage of metallic strips and one of said components for maintaining said strips of the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship; the edges of the strips facing said one of said components being united with the backing means and the edges of the strips facing the other of said components being free of attachment to each other, whereby the portions of the strips nearer said other components can move relative to each other and to said other component and provide a compliant seal between said assemblage of metallic strips and said other component; there being corrugations formed in at least part of said strips; and said strips being oriented to extend in a direction of relative movement between said components with the corrugations at the edges of the strips which are free of attachment to each other being oriented at an angle of less than 90° with respect to said direction of relative movement.

Claim 17

In a machine having two, juxtaposed, relatively movable components, means providing a seal between said components comprising an assemblage of deformable metallic strips disposed in side-by-side relationship with the opposite edges of the strips respectively facing one and the other of said components; means spacing said strips apart to provide interstices therebetween; and backing means disposed between said assemblage of metallic strips and one of said components for maintaining said strips of the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship; the edges of the strips facing said one of said components being united with the backing means and the edges of the strips facing the other of said components being free of attachment to each other, whereby the portions of the strips nearer said other components can move relative to each other and to said other component and provide a compliant seal between said assemblage of metallic strips and said other component; there being corrugations formed in at least part of said strips; and said strips being oriented to extend in a direction of relative movement between said components with the corrugations at the edges of the strips which are free of attachment to each other being oriented at an angle of less than 90° with respect to said direction of relative movement.

Claim 18

In a machine having two, juxtaposed, relatively moveable components, means providing a seal between said components comprising an assemblage of deformable metallic strips disposed in side-by-side relationship with the opposite edges of the strips respectively facing one and the other of said components; means spacing said strips apart to provide interstices therebetween; means for maintaining said strips of the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship; the edges of the strips facing said one of said components being united with said last mentioned means and the edges of the strips facing the other of said components being free of attachment to each other, whereby the portions of the strips nearer said other component can move relative to each other and to said other component and provide a compliant seal between said assemblage of metallic strips and said other component; there being corrugations formed in at least part of said strips; and said strips being oriented to extend in a direction of relative movement between said components with the corrugations at the edges of the strips which are free of attachment to each other being oriented at an angle of less than 90° with respect to said direction of relative movement. .Iadd. 17. In an abradable fluid seal for use in the space between two relatively movable members, such as the circular space between the cylindrical path of the rotating blade tips in an aircraft gas turbine and the surrounding bore wall of the stationary casing of the turbine wherein the seal has a circular length, an axial dimension and a radial dimension, an improvement comprising: A. A thin elongate fluid-seal strip having opposite inner and outer edges, a narrow width therebetween, an outer base portion extending lenghtwise along said outer edge and widthwise partially across the width of the strip, an inner seal portion extending lengthwise along said inner edge and partially across the width of the strip, and, over a given length, one succession of undulations in its outer base portion and another succession of corresponding undulations in its inner seal portion, 1. the crests, of its base portion undulations, extend across the width of said base portion, and 2. the crests, of its seal portion undulations, extend across the width of said seal portion. .Iaddend.

Claim 19

In a machine having two, juxtaposed, relatively moveable components, means providing a seal between said components comprising an assemblage of deformable metallic strips disposed in side-by-side relationship with the opposite edges of the strips respectively facing one and the other of said components; means spacing said strips apart to provide interstices therebetween; means for maintaining said strips of the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship; the edges of the strips facing said one of said components being united with said last mentioned means and the edges of the strips facing the other of said components being free of attachment to each other, whereby the portions of the strips nearer said other component can move relative to each other and to said other component and provide a compliant seal between said assemblage of metallic strips and said other component; there being corrugations formed in at least part of said strips; and said strips being oriented to extend in a direction of relative movement between said components with the corrugations at the edges of the strips which are free of attachment to each other being oriented at an angle of less than 90° with respect to said direction of relative movement. .Iadd. 17. In an abradable fluid seal for use in the space between two relatively movable members, such as the circular space between the cylindrical path of the rotating blade tips in an aircraft gas turbine and the surrounding bore wall of the stationary casing of the turbine wherein the seal has a circular length, an axial dimension and a radial dimension, an improvement comprising: A. A thin elongate fluid-seal strip having opposite inner and outer edges, a narrow width therebetween, an outer base portion extending lenghtwise along said outer edge and widthwise partially across the width of the strip, an inner seal portion extending lengthwise along said inner edge and partially across the width of the strip, and, over a given length, one succession of undulations in its outer base portion and another succession of corresponding undulations in its inner seal portion, 1. the crests, of its base portion undulations, extend across the width of said base portion, and 2. the crests, of its seal portion undulations, extend across the width of said seal portion. .Iaddend.