Patent ID: 6912838

Claim:
A crossfire tube assembly for connecting adjacent combustors in a gas turbine, said crossfire tube assembly comprising: a hollow inner tube having a first inner end, a second inner end, a first inner wall having a first axis defined therethrough, and a first outer wall coaxial with and radially outward from said first inner wall, said first outer wall having a first diameter proximate said second inner end, and a first groove, having a first groove width, circumferentially disposed about said first outer wall proximate said first inner end; a hollow outer tube coaxial with said hollow inner tube and having a first outer end, a second outer end, a second inner wall, and a second outer wall coaxial with and radially outward from said second inner wall, said second inner wall having a second diameter proximate said first outer end, and a second groove, having a second groove width, circumferentially disposed about said second outer wall proximate said second outer end; wherein said first diameter is slightly less than said second diameter such that a portion of said hollow inner tube is telescopically received within said hollow outer tube, said second inner end is located radially inward from said second inner wall; a first coating applied to said first outer wall of said hollow inner tube and to said second outer wall of said hollow outer tube including said first and second grooves; a plurality of clips, each of said clips having a first surface, second surface, a thickness there between, a first clip end, a second clip end, a first width at said first clip end, a second width at said second clip end, a first leg and second leg extending from said first clip end to proximate said second clip end, said first leg and said second leg separated by an opening having a third width at said first clip end and a fourth width proximate said second clip end, said first width greater than said second width and said third width greater than said fourth width, a second coating applied to said first surface, said second surface, and across said thickness between said first and second legs, extending from said first end at least along a region of said clip having said first width; and wherein said clips engage said first groove of said hollow inner tube and said second groove of said hollow outer tube by said opening of said clips passing around said first groove and said second groove, respectively.