Patent ID: 8911205

Claim:
A knife edge seal assembly comprising: at least one knife edge having knife edge material removed to a first knife edge radial height; and at least one honeycomb ring seal having honeycomb material removed to a finished radial thickness for sealable engagement with the at least one knife edge; and a removable shim inserted between a rotor disk and a turbine blade, wherein the shim simulates a centrifugal force on the turbine blade wherein the shim further comprises: a first wedge, separate from the turbine blade, with a top tapered surface disposed under the turbine blade when the removable shim is inserted between the rotor disk and the turbine blade; and a second wedge, separate from the turbine blade, with a bottom tapered surface disposed on top of the first wedge, wherein the bottom tapered surface of the second wedge is arranged in opposing sliding contact with the top tapered surface of the first wedge; wherein the bottom surface of the second wedge is disposed against the top surface of the first wedge until the force exerted on the turbine blade by the top of the second wedge simulates, when the rotor disk is not rotating, the centrifugal force on the turbine blade when the rotor disk is rotating; wherein the finished radial thickness of the at least one honeycomb ring seal establishes a first radial gap between an inner annular surface of the at least one honeycomb ring seal and the at least one knife edge before the at least one knife edge begins rotating.