Patent ID: 8033786

Claim:
A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, the vane assembly comprising a plurality of airfoils radially extending between an inner and outer vane platforms defining a gas path therebetween, the vane assembly being concentric with a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, at least the inner platform having a mounting member protruding therefrom and disposed in engagement with a corresponding cooperating portion of a supporting structure of the vane assembly such as to at least partially support and position the vane assembly in place within the gas turbine engine, and wherein an axial loading element is disposed between the mounting member of the vane assembly and the cooperating portion of the supporting structure to generate principally axial load force therebetween, the axial load force limiting relative axial movement between the vane assembly and the supporting structure during operation of the gas turbine engine, and wherein the axial loading element is a biasing element which exerts said principally axial load force directly against the mounting member thereby forcing the mounting member into contact with an abutting surface of the supporting structure, the biasing element including a sheet metal spring plate that is distinctly formed from the cooperating portion of the supporting structure of the vane assembly.