Patent ID: 8177186

Claim:
A holding structure for supporting a removed turbine engine cover plate assembly including a cover plate having an inner side, an outer side, a C-stage ring extending from the inner side and a central aperture extending between the inner and outer sides, the cover plate assembly further including a basket extending from the inner side of the cover plate, and a support housing having an upper portion located adjacent the outer side of the cover plate and a lower portion extending through the aperture in the cover plate, the holding structure comprising: an upper support member having: a first slot defining a slot extending inwardly from an edge of said upper support member for receiving a C-stage ring of a cover plate of a first cover plate assembly to be supported on the holding structure, said first slot having an interior cross sectional dimension less than an outer cross sectional dimension of the cover plate and greater than an outer cross sectional dimension of the C-stage ring of the cover plate, wherein said upper support member defines an upper surface adapted to engage the inner side of the cover plate to support the first cover plate assembly on the holding structure; and another slot defining a slot extending inwardly from said edge of said upper support member for receiving one of: a support housing of the first cover plate assembly upon removal of the support housing from the first cover plate assembly; and a C-stage ring of a cover plate of a second cover plate assembly to be supported on the holding structure; and a lower support member vertically spaced from said upper support member by at least one support bar, said lower support member having an upper surface facing an end of a basket of the first cover plate assembly distal from the inner side of the cover plate when the first cover plate assembly is supported on said upper support member.