Patent attributes
Aspirating face seal between high and low pressure regions of turbomachine between rotatable and non-rotatable members of turbomachine includes gas bearing rotatable and non-rotatable face surfaces, non-rotatable face surface mounted on annular slider on non-rotatable member. Retracting means retracts annular slider away from rotatable member and non-rotatable face surface away from rotatable surface and includes circumferentially spaced apart non-coiled springs axially disposed between slider and non-rotatable engine member. Leaf springs may include first and second ends mounted or attached to first and second mounting lugs or tabs attached to non-rotatable member and slider respectively and middle portion between ends. Springs oriented for retracting slider if slider contacts rotatable member. Primary and starter seal teeth may be mounted on carrier on rotatable member. Primary seal tooth may be on non-rotatable member and starter seal tooth on rotatable member.