Patent ID: 8733800
Filing Date: 2014-05-27
Classification: F02C,F05D,F16L

Abstract:
1. A tube having an integral, spring-loaded, spherical joint, the tube comprising: a. a first portion of the tube having a first mating spherical section at an end of the first portion, a second portion of the tube having a second mating spherical section at an end of the second portion, the first and second mating spherical sections being secured adjacent each other to form a spherical joint configured to permit slidable rotational and angular motion between the first and second spherical sections and to prevent passage of fluid from an interior of the tube out of the tube between the spherical sections; b. the first portion including a shoulder defined on the first portion a distance from the end of the first portion including the spherical section and in a direction toward an opposed end of the tube portion, and the shoulder protruding from the tube in a direction away from a fluid passage interior of the tube; c. the second portion including a spring sleeve extending from the second spherical section toward the first tube portion, the spring sleeve being configured to surround the shoulder on the end of the first portion of the tube; d. a spring secured within the spring sleeve adjacent an exterior surface of the first portion and secured between the shoulder and the spring sleeve for asserting a spring-bias force to maintain the mating spherical sections of the tube portions in contact with each other; e. wherein an end of one of the first and second portions opposed to the ends including one of the first and second spherical sections includes a telescope mount wherein the end defines an expanded ring surrounding the end and configured to fit within a slide seal of the telescope mount, the slide seal defining a circumferential flange dimensioned to receive the expanded ring of the end so that fluid within the tube cannot pass between the slide seal and the expanded ring, and the circumferential flange also dimensioned to permit the expanded ring to slide within the slide seal in a direction parallel to an axis of fluid flow through the tube; and, f. wherein the second portion of the tube is a discharge portion having the second spherical section adjacent an inlet end of the discharge portion and having an outlet end of the discharge portion of the tube secured to a flame port plate of a gas turbine engine.