Spherical button washer for exhaust duct liner hanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9382875-B2
Application number	US-201213586638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2012
Priority date	Aug 15, 2012
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A hanger for suspending a liner within an exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine comprises a bracket, a washer, a rod and a cap. The bracket is for connection to an exhaust duct liner of a gas turbine exhaust system. The washer is connected to the bracket at a slip joint. The rod is connected to the washer at a ball joint. The cap for is for connecting to an exhaust duct of the gas turbine exhaust system. The cap is connected to the rod.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hanger for use in a gas turbine engine exhaust system, the hanger comprising:
a bracket for connection to an exhaust duct liner of the gas turbine exhaust system;
a washer connected to the bracket at a slip joint;
a rod connected to the washer at a ball joint; and
a cap for connecting to an exhaust duct of the gas turbine exhaust system, the cap connected to the rod, wherein the slip joint and the ball joint restrain a first end of the rod in a generally radially direction and permit movement in all other rotational and translational directions, and wherein a second end of the rod is fixed such that the second end of the rod is translationally restrained with respect to the cap and translations of the first end of the rod relative to the second end of the rod are rotationally restrained at the second end.

2. The hanger of claim 1 wherein the bracket comprises:
a platform; and
a slide bore extending through the platform and to which the washer is connected.

3. The hanger of claim 2 wherein the bracket further comprises:
a plurality of legs extending from the platform; and
a plurality of feet spaced from the platform by the plurality of legs.

4. The hanger of claim 2 wherein the washer comprises:
an first disk adjacent a first side of the platform;
a post extending from the first disk through the slide bore;
a second disk adjacent a second side of the platform;
a post bore extending through the second disk and surrounding the post;
wherein the second disk is spaced from the first disk and the slide bore is wider than the post to form the slip joint.

5. The hanger of claim 4 wherein the second disk further comprises a post collar surrounding the post.

6. The hanger of claim 1 wherein:
the washer includes a radially outwardly extending spherical button; and
the rod includes a radially inwardly extending socket that receives the spherical button to form the ball joint.

7. The hanger of claim 6 wherein the rod comprises:
a pair of rod sections each forming a portion of the socket; and
a retainer that holds the pair of rod sections together.

8. The hanger of claim 7 wherein the retainer is selected from the group consisting of a rod cap and a clip, wherein the rod cap forms a resilient hinge between the rod sections, and wherein the clip applies a spring-force to the rod sections to cause mutual engagement therebetween.

9. The hanger of claim 1 wherein the rod is threaded into the cap.

10. The hanger of claim 1 wherein the cap comprises:
a plate for engaging the exhaust duct;
a rod bore extending through the plate; and
a collar surrounding the rod bore to receive the rod.

11. A suspension system comprising:
an exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine;
an exhaust duct liner disposed within the exhaust duct;
a rod comprising:
a first end having a threaded shaft; and
a second end having a socket, wherein the first end is fixed such that the first end is translationally restrained with respect to the exhaust duct and translations of the second end of the rod relative to the first end of the rod are rotationally restrained at the first end;

a washer comprising:
a first plate having a button joined to the socket to form a ball joint; and
a second plate spaced from the first plate to define a gap;

a bracket joined to the exhaust duct liner, the bracket having a slide bore inserted into the gap, wherein the washer is joined to the bracket to form a slip joint, and wherein the ball joint and the slip joint are disposed at the same end of the rod; and
a cap joined to the exhaust duct, the cap having a rod collar that receives the rod.

12. The suspension system of claim 11 wherein the bracket comprises:
a platform through which the slide bore extends;
a plurality of legs extending from the platform; and
a plurality of feet spaced from the platform by the plurality of legs.

13. The suspension system of claim 11 wherein the washer further comprises:
a post extending from the first plate opposite the button;
a bore extending through the second plate and surrounding the post; and
a post collar on the second plate surrounding the bore;
wherein the post is joined to the post collar to define the gap.

14. The suspension system of claim 11 wherein the rod comprises:
a pair of circumferential rod sections each forming a portion of the socket and the threaded end; and
a retainer that holds the pair of rod sections together;
wherein the pair of rod sections are threaded into the rod collar.

15. The suspension system of claim 11 wherein the cap comprises:
a plate fastened to the exhaust duct; and
a bore extending through the plate around which the rod collar is disposed.

16. A method for assembling a suspension system for hanging and exhaust duct liner within an exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
joining a spherical button to a liner bracket at a slip joint;
coupling a socket of a rod to the spherical button, wherein the socket is disposed at a first end of the rod to form a sliding ball joint; and
threading a cap around the rod, wherein the cap is disposed at a second end of the rod that is fixed such that the second end of the rod is translationally restrained relative to the exhaust duct and translations of the first end of the rod relative to the second end of the rod are rotationally restrained at the second end of the rod.

17. The method of claim 16 and further comprising:
joining the liner bracket to studs of an exhaust duct liner; and
joining the cap to the exhaust duct with fasteners.

18. The method of claim 16 and further comprising:
splitting the rod to fit the spherical button into the socket.

19. The method of claim 16 and further comprising:
pre-assembling a washer to the bracket by joining opposing plates to opposite sides of the bracket.

20. An exhaust duct liner suspension system comprising:
a washer comprising:
a first disk comprising:
a post bore extending through the first disk; and
a rod collar surrounding the post bore;

a second disk spaced from the first disk to form a gap, the second disk comprising:
a post extending from a first side of the second disk through the post bore and into the rod collar; and
a spherical button extending from a second side of the second disk;

wherein the first and second disks couple the washer to a support to form a sliding joint; and

a retainer rod comprising a socket coupled to the spherical button to form a ball joint, the retainer rod being comprised of a plurality of sections, wherein the ball joint and sliding joint are disposed at a first end of the rod, and wherein a second end of the rod is fixed such that the second end of the rod is translationally restrained and translations of the first end of the rod relative to the second end of the rod are rotationally restrained at the second end of the rod.

21. The exhaust duct liner suspension system of claim 20 and further comprising:
a cap coupled to the retainer rod, the cap comprising:
a plate for engaging an exhaust duct;
a rod bore extending through the plate; and
a stiffener collar surrounding the rod bore to retain the plurality of sections.

Assignees

• Kramer George J
• Smith Jeffrey S
• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Kramer George J
• Smith Jeffrey S

Classifications

• F02K1/82

  Jet pipe walls, e.g. liners · CPC title

• Y10T29/49323

  Assembling fluid flow directing devices, e.g., stators, diaphragms, nozzles · CPC title

• F02C7/20

  Mounting or supporting of plant; Accommodating heat expansion or creep · CPC title

• F02K1/80 Primary

  Couplings or connections · CPC title