Patent ID: 7874164

Claim:
A fuel nozzle installation structure in a gas turbine engine, comprising: a support structure including a flat mounting surface, and defining an aperture in the flat mounting surface, the aperture extending through the support structure and including an inner flange to form an annular shoulder; a fuel nozzle including a nozzle body defining a passage therethrough for directing a fuel flow though the fuel nozzle and a flange around the nozzle body extending radially and outwardly from the nozzle body, the nozzle body being inserted into the aperture of the support structure and the flange of the fuel nozzle being mounted to the mounting surface of the support structure; a spacing apparatus between the flange and the mounting surface to reduce heat transfer from the support structure to the fuel nozzle during engine operation, said spacing apparatus provided on the flange and extending from the flange to contact the mounting surface; and an annular seal disposed around the nozzle body and supported by the annular shoulder of the support structure, a seal surface of the flange of the fuel nozzle compressively abutting the annular seal against the support structure.