Snubber thrust mount

Details Snubber thrust mount Snubber thrust mount

2000-05-24

2001-10-02

Barefoot, Galen L. (Department: 3644)

Aeronautics and astronautics

Aircraft power plants

Mounting

C248S554000, C060S039300

Reexamination Certificate

active

06296203

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and, more specifically, to thrust mounts therefor for mounting the engine to an aircraft pylon.
A turbofan gas turbine engine is mounted to an aircraft at corresponding pylons either on the wing or tail sections thereof. Engine mounts may take various forms and must include the capability for carrying thrust loads between the engine and aircraft.
Since size and weight are fundamental constraints in an aircraft application, the engine mounts must be relatively compact and relatively light weight, yet provide suitable strength and longevity for carrying the substantial thrust loads over a useful life in the operation of the aircraft.
Since the engine includes rotor components, it is a source of vibratory excitation typically represented by the operating speed of the engine expressed in 1/revolution, or simply 1/rev. Engine vibratory design must ensure that the various resonant frequencies of the various components of the engine have sufficient margins from the 1/rev excitation frequencies to reduce or minimize 1/rev excitation thereof. Excessive vibratory excitation may result in the accumulation of high cycle fatigue (HCF) which limits the useful life of the corresponding components subject to forced excitation. Vibration may also produce wear and repetitive impact damage at component joints.
Since the engine mounts support the engine, they are subject to vibratory excitation therefrom due to the 1/rev operating speeds. Typical engine mount components are relatively short and rigid and have relatively high resonant frequencies which typically provide large margins with the 1/rev excitation frequencies of the engine.
An exemplary aircraft engine thrust mount is disclosed is U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,307, assigned to the present assignee, which includes a pair of thrust links for carrying thrust load between the engine and aircraft pylon. The outer ends of the thrust links are pivotally joined to an equalizer beam or lever, commonly referred to as a whiffle tree, which is pivotally mounted at its center to the platform supported by the aircraft pylon.
Thrust loads generated during forward propulsion of the aircraft or during thrust reversal operation of the engine during landing are carried through the thrust links between the engine and pylon, with the equalizer beam pivoting slightly at its center to ensure substantially equal thrust loads being carried by the two links.
This thrust mount is relatively compact with a relatively short equalizer lever resulting in a narrow width thrust mount. Correspondingly, this mount has relatively high resonant frequencies providing substantial margins with the 1/rev excitation frequencies of the engine, with little or no HCF accumulation over its useful life.
However, in a recent development effort for another aircraft engine application, the equalizer lever must be relatively long which correspondingly increases the overall elastic flexibility thereof, and increases the overall width of the thrust mount. Correspondingly, low order resonant frequencies of such a long and slender mount system substantially reduce the operating margins with the 1/rev operating speeds of the engine, and thusly contribute to an increased opportunity for HCF damage which could reduce the useful life of the mount.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a thrust mount configured for accommodating equalizer lever flexibility for minimizing vibratory damage or wear therefrom.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A thrust mount includes a platform mountable to an aircraft pylon, and includes end clevises and a center clevis therebetween. An equalizer lever includes opposite ends, and a center therebetween pivotally joined to the center clevis. Thrust links are pivotally joined to the lever ends. And, a pair of elastomeric snubbers are disposed adjacent respective ends of the lever inside the end clevises in frictional abutment therebetween.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4854525 (1989-08-01), Chee
patent: 5303880 (1994-04-01), Cencula et al.
patent: 5320307 (1994-06-01), Spofford et al.
patent: 5351930 (1994-10-01), Gwinn et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Snubber thrust mount does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Snubber thrust mount, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Snubber thrust mount will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2555984