Patent ID: 8171719

Claim:
An igniter assembly of a gas turbine, comprising: an igniter disposed within an igniter housing, said igniter being extendable from the igniter housing through an opening in a combustion liner to an extended position, said igniter being retractable from said extended position back through said opening to a retracted position; a compressible assembly disposed between a base of said igniter housing and said combustion liner to form a sealed interface with a perimeter of said opening, said compressible assembly configured to restrict an air flow from passing between said igniter housing base and said perimeter of said opening; a guide comprising a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion comprising an outer flange configured to form a sealed interface with a base of said igniter housing, an upper longnitudinal portion configured to slidably engage an inner portion of said igniter housing, and a lower longitudinal portion, said bottom portion comprising a spring flange and a longitudinal portion; a cover comprising a top portion and an outer portion, said top portion configured to slidably engage an outer surface of said longitudinal portion of said bottom guide portion and said lower longitudinal portion of said top guide portion; a base comprising a bottom portion configured to form a sealed interface with said opening, and a longitudinal portion; and a spring; wherein said spring flange, said outer cover portion, said bottom base portion and said longitudinal base portion are configured to form a variable reciprocating volume, said spring being disposed within said reciprocating volume to impart an upward force on said spring flange to effect a seal between said igniter housing base and said opening; said compressible assembly being variable in length to accommodate a respective variation in a separation between said igniter housing base and said opening.