Patent ID: 8376697

Claim:
Sealing apparatus in a gas turbine comprising forward and aft rows of rotatable blades coupled to a disc/rotor assembly and a row of stationary vanes positioned between the forward and aft rows of rotatable blades, the sealing apparatus comprising: an annular intermediate disc coupled to the disc/rotor assembly so as to be rotatable with the disc/rotor assembly during operation of the gas turbine; seal housing apparatus coupled to said annular intermediate disc so as to be rotatable with said annular intermediate disc and the disc/rotor assembly during operation of the gas turbine, said seal housing apparatus comprising: a leg structure extending radially outwardly from said annular intermediate disc toward the row of stationary vanes, said leg structure including a first end portion coupled to said annular intermediate disc and a second end portion spaced apart from said first end portion in a radial direction; and a base member coupled to said second end portion of said leg structure, said base member extending generally axially between the forward and aft rows of rotatable blades and positioned adjacent to the row of stationary vanes, said base member having a first end portion proximate to the forward row of rotatable blades and a second end portion proximate to the aft row of rotatable blades; a first seal retainer plate structure associated with the forward row of rotatable blades and having a generally axially extending first seal structure; and a first seal member associated with said first seal structure and said first end portion of said base member so as to seal a first gap between said first seal structure and said first end portion of said base member.