Patent ID: 6820468
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: F01D,F05D

Abstract:
A fixture for holding a gas turbine engine blade having an airfoil extending outward from a shank and a dovetail extending inward from the shank for attaching the blade to a disk of the engine, said dovetail including at least one pair of protrusions extending fore and aft along opposite sides of the blade, each of said protrusions including a pressure face generally facing the airfoil of the blade for engaging the disk to retain the blade in the disk during operation of the engine, said fixture comprising:a support for receiving the dovetail and including opposing surfaces for engaging laterally opposite tips of at least one pair of said protrusions adjacent the pressure faces when the dovetail is received in the support; and a clamp mounted adjacent the support for movement between a clamped position in which the clamp engages the dovetail to hold the dovetail against the support thereby holding the blade in the fixture and a released position in which the clamp disengages the dovetail to permit removal of the blade from the fixture.