Patent ID: 7837435

Claim:
A gas turbine engine having a plurality of vane assemblies extending circumferentially about an engine centerline, the vane assemblies comprising: an outer arc-shaped platform; at least one airfoil extending radially inward from the outer arc-shaped platform; an inner arc-shaped platform fixed to the at least one airfoil opposite the outer arc-shaped platform, the inner arc-shaped platform comprising: a first surface; a second surface located radially outward of the first surface, thereby forming a platform thickness therebetween; a forward face; an aft face spaced an axial distance from the forward face, thereby forming a platform length; a first side face and a second side face, the first and second side faces being generally parallel; a first extension plate fixed to the first side face and a second extension plate fixed to the second side face, the extension plates extending radially inward from the inner arc-shaped platform, the extension plates having a first plurality of openings; at least one shim plate having a second plurality of openings and a plate thickness; and at least one fastener; wherein the at least one shim plate is positioned between the first and second extension plates of adjacent vane assemblies, such that the second plurality of openings corresponds to the first plurality of openings and the at least one fastener is positioned at least partially through the first and second openings so as to fix the adjacent vane assemblies together.