Patent ID: 7159403

Claim:
A dual annular combustor for a gas turbine engine, said combustor comprising a spectacle plate comprising an inner annulus and an outer annulus, and a plurality of pairs of swirlers attached to said spectacle plate, each of said pair of swirlers comprises an inner swirler coupled to said inner annulus and an outer swirler coupled to said outer annulus, each said swirler comprising a pair of substantially parallel flats, wherein to assemble said combustor: an assembly fixture is coupled to one pair of said swirlers, wherein said assembly fixture includes a plurality of arms that are sized to receive and align said flats of each said swirler with respect to each other and an attachment portion that is configured to couple to said spectacle plate; said assembly fixture is removably coupled to said spectacle plate to facilitate maintaining an alignment of each said swirler with respect to said spectacle plate; each remaining swirler is then coupled to said spectacle plate; and said assembly fixture is then uncoupled from said spectacle plate after each said swirler is attached to said spectacle plate.