Bristle arrangement for brush seal, method and assembly for making same, and method of making brush seal

Abstract

A bristle arrangement for use in a brush seal, comprising: a plurality of bristles arranged in a length; and a joint along the length securing the bristles together. The fixture for making the bristle arrangement, comprises: a base having a surface with an arrangement of guides thereon, the guides adapted to orient the tufts on the surface; and a cover having a surface for receiving the tufts. The cover removably mounts to the base to sandwich the tufts between the cover and the base. Making a brush seal with multiple stages comprises the steps of: providing plates and bristle arrangements; creating a stack of plates and bristle arrangements; and joining the stack.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A bristle arrangement for use in a brush seal, the bristle arrangement comprising: 
 a plurality of bristles arranged in a length; and    a joint securing said plurality of bristles together;    wherein said joint extends along said length.    
     
     
         2 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said joint is a weld joint.  
     
     
         3 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bristles each have opposed ends, and said joint is located at one of said opposed ends.  
     
     
         4 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of bristles are metallic.  
     
     
         5 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bristle arrangement is subsequently combined with plates to form a brush seal.  
     
     
         6 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 5 , wherein a plurality of the bristle arrangements are subsequently combined with a plurality of said plates to form a multiple stage brush seal.  
     
     
         7 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said length defines an arc.  
     
     
         8 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said arc is a circle.  
     
     
         9 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said arc has an outer diameter and an inner diameter, and said joint is located at said outer diameter or said inner diameter.  
     
     
         10 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said joint is continuous.  
     
     
         11 . The bristle arrangement as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of bristles are grouped in tufts, said joint securing said tufts together.  
     
     
         12 . A method of making a bristle arrangement for a brush seal, comprising the steps of: 
 arranging a plurality of bristles along a length; and    joining said plurality of bristles along said length.    
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the joining step comprises welding.  
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the joining step occurs at an end of said bristles.  
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of bristles are metallic.  
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of securing the bristle arrangement between plates to form a brush seal.  
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said length comprises an arc.  
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said arc is a circle.  
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the joining step occurs at an outer diameter or an inner diameter of said arc.  
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the joining step creates a continuous joint along said arc.  
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the arranging step comprises the steps of: separating said plurality of bristles into groups; 
 joining said plurality of bristles within said groups to create tufts; and    arranging said tufts along said length.    
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for making a bristle arrangement, comprising: 
 a base having a surface with an arrangement of guides thereon, said guides adapted to orient a plurality of tufts on said surface; and    a cover having a surface for receiving the tufts;    wherein said cover removably mounts to said base to sandwich said plurality of tufts between said base and said cover.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising a shuttle, said shuttle removably receiving said base and having an arrangement of guides thereon corresponding to said guides on said base for orienting said tufts.  
     
     
         24 . A method of making a brush seal having multiple stages, comprising the steps of: 
 providing plates and bristle arrangements;    creating a stack of said plates and bristle arrangements to define said multiple stages of said brush seal; and    joining said stack to create said brush seal.    
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said bristle arrangement includes: 
 a plurality of bristles arranged along a length; and    a joint extending along said length and securing said plurality of bristles together.    
     
     
         26 . The method as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said plurality of bristles are arranged in an arc, and said joint extends along said arc.  
     
     
         27 . The method as recited in  claim 26 , wherein said arc is a circle.  
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said joint extends continuously along said length.  
     
     
         29 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the joining step comprises welding.  
     
     
         30 . The method as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said plates include a windage cover.  
     
     
         31 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said plates and said bristle arrangements are discrete before the stack creating step.