Patent ID: 7950236

Claim:
An annular exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine comprising an inner case and an outer case co-axially disposed and radially spaced apart by a plurality of airfoils radially extending therebetween, thereby defining an annular gas path, the inner case including an axial end portion at a rear end thereof for connection with a front end of a tail cone, the axial end portion bending radially and inwardly at a rear extremity thereof to stiffen the rear end of the inner case, the axial end portion including a plurality of mounting holes for receiving respective mounting bolts radially extending therethrough to secure the axial end portion of the inner case to the front end of the tail cone, the inner case further including a number of openings substantially axially aligning with the respective mounting holes to permit a floating nut to be attached to an inner side of the axial end portion at each mounting hole, the inner case including an annular wall immediately adjacent to the axial end portion, the annular wall extending radially to define an angle between the annular wall and the axial end portion, the openings being disposed in the annular wall and extending radially and inwardly and terminating at the axial end portion.