Ducted fan gas turbine engine

Patent 6073439 Issued on June 13, 2000. Estimated Expiration Date:

March 4, 2018. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Gas turbine engines
Patent #: 4201513
Issued on: 05/06/1980
Inventor: Sales

Rotor drive systems
Patent #: 4452567
Issued on: 06/05/1984
Inventor: Treby , et al.

Bearing support housing Patent #: 5433584
Issued on: 07/18/1995
Inventor: Amin, et al.

Inventors

Assignee

Rolls-Royce plc

Application

No. 034908 filed on 03/04/1998

US Classes:

60/223, With destruction sensing and preventing means60/226.1, Air and diverse fluid discharge from separate discharge outlets (e.g., fan jet, etc.)415/9, INCLUDING DESTRUCTIBLE, FUSIBLE, OR DEFORMABLE NON-REUSABLE PART416/2HAVING FRANGIBLE OR FUSIBLE PART OR CONNECTION

Examiners

Primary: Casaregola, Louis J.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Foreign Patent References

2079402 GB. 01/13/1982
2130340 GB. 05/13/1984
2281104 GB. 02/13/1995

International Class

F02C 007/00

Foreign Application Priority Data

1997-03-05 GB

Abstract

A ducted fan gas turbine engine is provided with a fan which is carried by a shaft. Frangible fuse pins maintain the shaft carrying the fan coaxial with the engine longitudinal axis. In the event of severe fan damage, the fuse pins fracture and the fan shaft orbits about the engine longitudinal axis. An annular resilient member is provided to exert a radially inward restoration force upon the fan shaft following such an event in order to reduce vibration.