Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Steven J. Rosen
  • Patent number: 6551064
    Abstract: An intermetallic article such as a gas turbine engine component and method of manufacture thereof includes a region having compressive residual stresses imparted by laser shock peening (LSP) extending into the article from a laser shock peened surface. One embodiment includes a turbine or compressor blade with an intermetallic airfoil having a leading edge and at least one laser shock peened surface extending radially along at least a portion of the leading edge with a region having compressive residual stresses imparted by laser shock peening (LSP) extending into the intermetallic airfoil from the laser shock peened surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Seetharamaiah Mannava, William D. Cowie
  • Patent number: 6547518
    Abstract: A gas turbine frame has inner and outer annular bands, respectively, joined together by generally radially extending struts therebetween. A radially outer conical support arm extends radially outwardly from the outer band and a radially inner conical support arm extends radially inwardly from the inner band. Circumferentially spaced apart inner and outer openings are disposed in the inner and outer conical support arms, respectively. Each of the struts has at least one radially extending hollow passage which extends through the inner and outer bands. The frame is a single piece integral casting. The inner and outer conical support arms have an equal number of the inner and outer circumferentially spaced apart openings. The inner circumferentially spaced apart openings are equi-angularly spaced apart and the outer circumferentially spaced apart openings are equi-angularly spaced apart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Paul Czachor, Steven Andrew Strang
  • Patent number: 6532656
    Abstract: A method of repairing a gas turbine engine compressor blade airfoils includes machining away airfoil material along leading and trailing edges and a radially outer tip of the airfoil to form leading edge, trailing edge, and tip cut-backs. Then beads of welding material are welded onto the leading edge, trailing edge, and tip cut-backs. Then some of the weld material is machined away from the weld bead to obtain desired finished dimensions of the leading and trailing edges and radially outer tip. Blade material along only radially outermost portions of the leading and trailing edges extending from the tip towards a base of the airfoil is machined away. A rounded corner is formed between the leading edge and trailing edge cut-backs and unmachined portions of the airfoil between the outermost portions of the leading and trailing edges and the base of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Melvin H. Wilkins, Sean J. Corrigan, William T. Dingwell
  • Patent number: 6523350
    Abstract: A fuel injector has at least two generally parallel feed strips. Each of the feed strips is constructed from a single bonded together pair of lengthwise extending plates, each plate having a single row of widthwise spaced apart and lengthwise extending parallel grooves. The plates in each strip are bonded together such that opposing grooves in each of the plates are aligned forming internal fuel flow passages through the length of the strip from an inlet end to an outlet end of the strip. The inlet ends are spaced apart from each other and the outlet ends are spaced apart from each other. Each of the feed strips has one or more convolutions along a length of the strip and the feed strips are not bonded together along the convolutions. The feed strips may be spaced apart from each other or may be in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alfred A. Mancini, Peter W. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6520742
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor disk has a number of annular hubs circumscribed about a centerline and each of the hubs is connected to a disk rim by a web. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart dovetail slots are disposed through the rim, extending circumferentially between disk posts, extending axially from a forward end to an aft end of the rim, and extending radially inwardly from a disk outer surface of the rim. Circumferentially extending annular burst slots extend radially through the rim into the dovetail slots between each adjacent pair of the webs. In the exemplary embodiment of the disk illustrated herein, the dovetail slots are circular arc dovetail slots. An axially forwardly extending overhang is located radially outwardly on each of the disk posts and a chamfer is on a radially outer corner of the each of the disk posts on a portion of the overhangs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Michael Forrester, Janine Elizabeth Bolt, James Edwin Rhoda, Joseph Timothy Stevenson
  • Patent number: 6491496
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine hollow airfoil has chordally spaced apart leading and trailing edges extending radially from a radially inner base to a radially outer airfoil tip. A cooling circuit within the airfoil has radially extending first, middle, and last channels arranged respectively in series with the first channel in fluid communication with a source of cooling air from outside the airfoil. The last channel is in fluid communication with one of the edges. A refresher passageway extends through a radially inner wall bounding a radially inner portion of the last channel and is in fluid communication with the source of cooling air. The refresher passageway is separate, spaced apart, and independent from the first channel. In one embodiment, a metering plate covers an inlet to the refresher passageway and the metering plate has a metering hole over the inlet and the metering hole is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Howard Starkweather
  • Patent number: 6481971
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade spacer has an axially extending backbone, spaced apart forward, mid and aft dovetail lands, respectively, disposed along the backbone, the backbone and the forward, mid, and aft dovetail lands having bottom curved backbone surfaces. Each of the forward, mid and aft dovetail lands has a riser that extends above the backbone and has a riser flat top. In the exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, a spacer tab extends generally axially forward of the forward land and includes intersecting axially and radially extending tab apertures. A void extends around the backbone and between the forward and aft dovetail lands and the void is filled with an elastomeric material. The spacer has a constant shape and size cross-section between the forward and aft dovetail lands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Michael Forrester
  • Patent number: 6471479
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine hollow airfoil includes an airfoil outer wall having width wise spaced apart pressure and suction side walls joined together at chordally spaced apart leading and trailing edges of the airfoil and extending radially outward from a base to a tip. The airfoil includes a single three pass aft flowing serpentine cooling circuit and a straight through leading edge cooling channel extending radially through the airfoil and bounded in part by the leading edge. The exemplary embodiment includes a trailing edge cooling plenum and a straight through single pass trailing edge feed channel for providing cooling air to the trailing edge cooling plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Howard Starkweather
  • Patent number: 6464457
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine arcuate segment has an arcuate band segment, at least one tab and an arcuate rail segment spaced axially apart from the tab and located along an axial end of the band segment. The tab and the arcuate rail segment extend radially away from the band segment and a space is located between the tab and the rail segment. A tab aperture extends entirely through the tab. The rail segment has a rail aperture entirely therethrough. A leaf seal and a spring are disposed within the space to bias the leaf seal against the aft rail. In an exemplary embodiment, a spring aperture extends entirely through the spring, a seal aperture extends entirely through the leaf seal, and a headless pin is disposed in the apertures such that the leaf seal and the spring are radially restrained by the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Clive A. Morgan, Todd S. Heffron, Eric J. Wienholts, Robert I. Ackerman, John P. Heyward
  • Patent number: 6457942
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a gas turbine engine retainer having a block, a retainer slot disposed through the block, and a shelf normal to and extending axially forward of the block below the retainer slot. A retainer wall depending radially inwardly from the block and the retainer wall has a retainer wall thickness smaller than a block thickness of the block. The shelf is disposed along a radially inner edge of the retainer wall and the retainer slot is disposed through the retainer wall along the shelf. The retainer slot is arced or curved sideways and may be rectangular in cross-section. The retainer slot may be rectangular in cross-section and the shelf may be a rectangular shelf that is rectangular in cross-section. The retainer slot may also be skewed sideways with respect to a shelf centerline extending axially down a middle of the shelf. A radially extending shelf aperture is disposed through the shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James Michael Forrester
  • Patent number: 6447250
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor disk has a number of annular hubs circumscribed about a centerline and each of the hubs is connected to a disk rim by a web. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart circular arc dovetail slots are disposed through the rim. Circumferentially extending annular burst slots extend radially through the rim into the dovetail slots between each adjacent pair of the webs. The fan blades have circular arc dovetail roots disposed within the circumferentially spaced apart circular arc dovetail slots. A one piece spinner attached to a forward extension of the disk at a location between a tip and an axially aft spinner end of the spinner. Non-integral platforms circumferentially disposed between the fan blades. A booster spool is connected to the rotor disk by a mounting plate therebetween and the platforms are radially retained to the disk and mounting plates by pins through holes in mounting lugs depending radially inwardly from the platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sean Joel Corrigan, Jeffrey Clayton Potter, Joseph Timothy Stevenson, Jay L. Cornell, James Michael Forrester, Rolf Robert Hetico
  • Patent number: 6444126
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a wastewater treatment plant having, in serial fluid flow relationship, a wastewater source, a wastewater treatment plant, and a discharge site. The wastewater treatment plant has, in serial fluid flow relationship, an aerobic bioreactor in fluid flow communication with the wastewater source and an anoxic bioreactor in fluid flow communication with the discharge site. Fixed film packing for growing microbes is disposed in first and second tanks of the first and second bioreactors, respectively. A primary holding tank is disposed between the wastewater source and the aerobic bioreactor. A first pump is used for pumping liquid out of the primary hold tank through a first pressure line into the first tank to a pressure line outlet in a bottom of the first tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: T. M. Gates, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick T. Gates, Todd M. Gates
  • Patent number: 6439619
    Abstract: A pipe connection includes a longitudinally extending first pipe portion having an annular first flange at a first distal end of the first pipe and a longitudinally extending second pipe portion having an annular second flange at a second distal end of the second pipe. One of the flanges is a male flange and the other of the flanges is a female flange. The male flange has a ring shaped male wall longitudinally extending from a longitudinally facing flat surface of the male flange. The female flange has a ring shaped female wall longitudinally extending from a longitudinally facing first flat surface of the female flange. The male and female walls are shaped and sized such that the male wall is received within the female wall. A detent is formed from, in, and extending radially away from a first one of the walls toward a second one of the walls. A notch extends radially into the second one of the walls and is sized and shaped to receive the detent therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Ralph Storage, Leon James Bryan, David Lee Graham
  • Patent number: 6439841
    Abstract: An annular turbine frame has ring disposed coaxially about an axial centerline axis and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart ports. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart struts are joined radially to the ring by devises on the ring. Each strut has radially opposite first and second ends, and a through channel extending therebetween. Each of the channels is aligned with a corresponding one of the ports. Each of the ports has a port counterbore though a radially outer portion of the port forming a shoulder in the port. A seal is disposed within the port counterbore between the shoulder and the strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Tod Kenneth Bosel
  • Patent number: 6438941
    Abstract: An air bleed assembly for extracting air from a flowpath in a gas turbine engine includes a casing for surrounding a row of circumferentially spaced apart rotor blades and defining at least in part the flowpath for receiving air compressed by the rotor blades. The casing includes a bleed port disposed downstream of a row of the blades for receiving a portion of the compressed air as bleed airflow and a bleed duct extending away from the bleed port. The bleed duct has an annular slot in the casing. The annular slot has annular slot leading and trailing edges and an annular bifurcated splitter disposed along at least a portion of the annular slot trailing edge. The bifurcated splitter has an annular leading edge forebody located upstream of and separated from an annular splitter wall by an annular return channel. In one embodiment of the invention, the rotor blades are fan blades and the annular bleed space is in the flowpath in a fan section of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dale Bradley Elliott, Peter Nicholas Szucs, Nicholas Damlis, Kenneth Paul Onderko
  • Patent number: 6434745
    Abstract: The invention includes customized software to be used on an end-user computer having fixed storage and an interface with a network server using a network. A GUI component controls a browser which accesses publisher content that is at least partially installed on the fixed storage. Software is provided for monitoring end-user behavior, on-line and off-line, and maintaining a local event statistics database of the end-user behavior including event data related to end-user events. Software is provided for detecting a network connection and transmitting at least a portion of the local event statistics database to the network server. Software is provided for compiling summary information from the local event statistics database wherein the summary information comprises the portion of the local event statistics database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Direct Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph F. Conley, Jr., Jeffrey A. Maier
  • Patent number: 6422082
    Abstract: A method for quality control testing of a laser shock peening process of a production workpiece includes (a) ultrasonically scanning at least a portion of a laser shock peened surface on the workpiece wherein a region having deep compressive residual stresses imparted by the laser shock peening process extends into the workpiece from the laser shock peened surface, (b) digitizing a signal derived from the scanning and forming a digitized image of intensity values from the scanning, (c) calculating at least one statistical function value for a plurality of points of the digitized image of the workpiece based on the intensity values, and (d) comparing the statistical function value to a pass or fail criteria for quality assurance of the laser shock peening process or accepting or rejecting the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ui Won Suh
  • Patent number: 6416280
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a spinner for a front end of a fan assembly of a gas turbine engine. The spinner includes a single piece substantially conically shaped hollow body circumscribed about a centerline extending aftwardly from a tip to an axially aft spinner end. A plurality of bolt holes extend axially parallel to the centerline through the hollow body at an axial location between the tip and the aft spinner end. The hollow body may include a forward conical section extending aftwardly from the tip to a transition section, an aft conical section extending aftwardly from the transition section to the aft spinner end, and the bolt holes are axially located in the transition section. An aft spinner flange attached to the axially aft spinner end includes a plurality of flange lightening holes axially disposed through the aft spinner flange and the flange lightening holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Michael Forrester, Joseph Timothy Stevenson, Jeffrey Clayton Potter, Sean Joel Corrigan
  • Patent number: 6415599
    Abstract: An aircraft gas turbine axisymmetric vectoring nozzle has an interface ring centered about a nozzle, a vectoring ring disposed radially inwardly of and apart from the interface ring, and a bearing radially disposed between the vectoring ring and the interface ring. The bearing may be a sliding bearing having a sliding interface between the vectoring ring and the interface ring and the sliding interface is spherical. The bearing may be constructed of sliding bearing segments having sliding interfaces between the vectoring ring and the interface ring and the sliding interfaces are spherical. Each of the bearing segments includes an outer sliding element attached to the interface ring, an inner sliding element attached to the vectoring ring, and spherically curved outer and inner sliding surfaces on the outer and inner sliding elements respectively wherein the spherically curved outer and inner sliding surfaces define the sliding interfaces between the vectoring ring and the interface ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert M. Ausdenmoore, Bernard J. Renggli
  • Patent number: 6309598
    Abstract: An electrochemical heating pad includes a corrugated sheet having alternating peaks and valleys defining channels of elongated compartments having sidewalls between the peaks and valleys. A dry mixture operable to be wetted and activated with an electrolyte to generate heat through electrochemical reactions is disposed in at least some of and preferably all of the elongated compartments. The channels are covered with a base sheet on or a porous sheet to form the compartments. The corrugated sheet is preferably made from cardboard and the porous sheet is made from non-woven polypropelene. One dry mixture of the invention includes Magnesium in a range of 80% to 95% by weight, Iron in a range of 3% to 6% by weight, and Calcium Nitrate in a range of 1% to 2% by weight. Another mixture includes about 83.5% Magnesium by weight, about 4.0% Iron by weight, about 11.0% salt by weight, and about 1.5% Calcium Nitrate by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Thomas J. Tully