Handling system for turbine shroud

{
  "publication_number": "US12188367B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Handling system for turbine shroud",
  "abstract": "A handling system includes an elongated member including a first end and a second end, and a first bend therein. The elongated member is positioned in a slot of the turbine shroud. A base retention member extends from the first end of the elongated member to engage and retain a first end portion of the turbine shroud on the elongated member, and a sliding retainer is configured to slidingly receive the elongated member. The sliding retainer is shaped and sized to slidingly engage in the slot and selectively retain a second end portion of the turbine shroud in a handling position on the elongated member. A lock is coupled to the sliding retainer and selectively movable between a locked position in which the lock retains the sliding retainer in the handling position and an unlocked position in which the sliding retainer slides freely on the elongated member.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A handling system for a turbine shroud having a slot therein, the handling system comprising: an elongated member including a first end and a second end, the elongated member including a first bend therein, the elongated member configured to be positioned in the slot of the turbine shroud; a base retention member extending from the first end of the elongated member to engage and retain a first end portion of the turbine shroud on the elongated member; a sliding retainer including a body having an opening configured to slidingly receive the elongated member, the body of the sliding retainer configured to slidingly engage in the slot and selectively retain a second end portion of the turbine shroud in a handling position on the elongated member; and a lock coupled to the sliding retainer and selectively movable between a locked position in which the lock retains the sliding retainer in the handling position and an unlocked position in which the sliding retainer slides freely on the elongated member.",
    "2. The handling system of claim 1, wherein the lock includes a pin selectively movable between the locked position in which the pin extends through a first opening in the elongated member and retains the sliding retainer in the handling position, and the unlocked position in which the pin is retracted from the first opening in the elongated member and allows the sliding retainer to slide freely on the elongated member.",
    "3. The handling system of claim 2, wherein, in the unlocked position, the pin is positioned in a second opening in the elongated member spaced from the first opening.",
    "4. The handling system of claim 2, wherein the pin includes a spring-loaded pin coupled to the sliding retainer.",
    "5. The handling system of claim 1, wherein the first bend in the elongated member is configured to engage an inner surface of the slot and position the base retention member to engage and retain the first end portion of the turbine shroud on the elongated member.",
    "6. The handling system of claim 5, wherein the sliding retainer includes a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side, and wherein the first side of the sliding retainer extends farther from the first end of the sliding retainer than the second side of the sliding retainer, and wherein the first side of the sliding retainer engages a same inner surface of the slot of the turbine shroud as the first bend of the elongated member.",
    "7. The handling system of claim 6, wherein the second side of the sliding retainer includes a ramped surface extending at less than 90° from the elongated member.",
    "8. The handling system of claim 1, wherein the body of the sliding retainer has a first portion having a shape and size configured to slidingly engage in the slot, and a second portion larger than the first portion and configured to abut the second end portion of the turbine shroud to selectively retain the second end portion of the turbine shroud in the handling position on the elongated member.",
    "9. The handling system of claim 1, further comprising a spacing member coupled to the elongated member adjacent the base retention member.",
    "10. The handling system of claim 1, further comprising a handle coupled to the second end of the elongated member.",
    "11. The handling system of claim 1, wherein the base retention member extending from the first end of the elongated member includes a second bend in the elongated member.",
    "12. The handling system of claim 1, wherein the elongated member includes a plurality of elongated members, each elongated member having a different length and a different angle in a respective first bend compared to others of the plurality of elongated members to accommodate a selected turbine shroud of a plurality of different turbine shrouds, and wherein the sliding retainer includes a plurality of sliding retainers, each sliding retainer having at least one of a different shape and a different size compared to others of the plurality of sliding retainers to accommodate the slot of the turbine shroud of a selected turbine shroud of the plurality of different turbine shrouds.",
    "13. The handling system of claim 1, wherein the slot is a curved slot.",
    "14. A handling system for a first set of turbine shrouds having a first dimension and at least one second set of turbine shrouds having a second, different dimension than the first set, the turbine shrouds of both sets having a curved slot therein, the handling system comprising for each of the first set and the second set: an elongated member including a first end and a second end, the elongated member including a first bend therein, the elongated member and the first bend configured to be positioned in the curved slot of the turbine shroud of a respective set; a base retention member extending from the first end of the elongated member to engage and retain a first end portion of the turbine shroud of the respective set on the elongated member; a sliding retainer including a body having an opening configured to slidingly receive the elongated member for the turbine shroud of the respective set, the body of the sliding retainer configured to slidingly engage in the curved slot of the turbine shroud of the respective set and selectively retain a second end portion of the turbine shroud of the respective set in a handling position on the elongated member; and a lock coupled to the sliding retainer and selectively movable between a locked position in which the lock retains the sliding retainer in the handling position and an unlocked position in which the sliding retainer slides freely on the elongated member.",
    "15. The handling system of claim 14, wherein the lock includes a pin selectively movable between the locked position in which the pin extends through a first opening in the elongated member and retains the sliding retainer in the handling position, and the unlocked position in which the pin is retracted from the first opening in the elongated member and allows the sliding retainer to slide freely on the elongated member.",
    "16. The handling system of claim 15, wherein, in the unlocked position, the pin is positioned in a second opening in the elongated member spaced from the first opening.",
    "17. The handling system of claim 15, wherein the pin includes a spring-loaded pin coupled to the sliding retainer.",
    "18. The handling system of claim 14, wherein the first bend in the elongated member is configured to engage an inner surface of the curved slot of the turbine shroud of the respective set and position the base retention member to engage and retain the first end portion of the turbine shroud of the respective set on the elongated member.",
    "19. The handling system of claim 18, wherein the sliding retainer includes a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side, and wherein the first side of the sliding retainer extends farther from the first end of the sliding retainer than the second side of the sliding retainer, and wherein the first side of the sliding retainer engages a same inner surface of the curved slot of the turbine shroud as the first bend of the elongated member.",
    "20. The handling system of claim 14, wherein the body of the sliding retainer has a first portion having a shape and size configured to slidingly engage in the curved slot of the turbine shroud of the turbine shroud of the respective set, and a second portion larger than the first portion and configured to abut the second end portion of the turbine shroud of the respective set to selectively retain the second end portion of the turbine shroud of the turbine shroud of the respective set in the handling position on the elongated member.",
    "21. A method of grasping a turbine shroud having a curved slot therein, the method comprising: positioning an elongated member in the curved slot of the turbine shroud, the elongated member including a first end, a second end, a first bend between the first end and the second end and a base retention member extending from the first end and engaging and retaining a first end portion of the turbine shroud on the elongated member; sliding a sliding retainer along the elongated member and into the curved slot at a second end portion of the turbine shroud to a handling position on the elongated member, the sliding retainer configured to abut the second end portion of the turbine shroud in the handling position; and locking the sliding retainer in a locked position in which the sliding retainer is fixed relative to the elongated member in the handling position and the sliding retainer grasps and retains the turbine shroud on the elongated member."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The disclosure relates generally to handling systems and, more particularly, to a handling system for a turbine shroud.\n\nIndustrial components such as turbine shrouds can be very heavy. In addition, many industrial components have physical structure that makes them hard to safely handle and move. For example, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an illustrative turbine shroud 118 that includes a body 119 having a female opening 127 in the form of a curved slot 128 therein. Body 119 of turbine shroud 118 is also curved along its length, and thus is challenging to securely handle. Each turbine shroud 118 is part of a set of turbine shrouds for a particular stage of a turbine amongst a plurality of stages. Curved slot 128 is used to mount turbine shroud 118 along with a set of identical turbine shrouds on an inner circumference of a casing of a turbine to form a turbine shroud stage. Turbine shrouds 118 for a given stage have different circumferential, axial, and radial sizes compared to those for another stage. Thus, many different varieties of turbine shrouds 118 must be handled for a given turbine, and even larger variety of turbine shrouds must be handled for a fleet of different sized turbines.\n\nDuring manufacture or during assembly in the field, turbine shrouds 118 must be lifted and moved so they can be packaged for transportation purposes or installed in a turbine. In some cases, access to the turbine shroud is limited, e.g., when it is closely positioned to sides of a holding pocket in a transportation container.",
  "cpc": [
    "F01D 25/285",
    "B66C 1/66",
    "F05D 2230/60"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B66C 1/66",
    "F01D 25/28"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "GE Infrastructure Technology LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Christopher David Runkel",
    "István Bacsa"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-10-11",
  "publication_date": "2025-01-07",
  "grant_date": "2025-01-07",
  "priority_date": "2022-10-11",
  "application_number": "US-202218045620-A",
  "family_id": "90574867",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}