Patents by Inventor Dale E. Hampshire

Dale E. Hampshire has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5709516
    Abstract: A washer faced spring assembly is disclosed for a motion absorbing and motion damping application which includes a first washer having a circular or polygonal hole therethrough centered about a central axis, a second washer disposed opposite to the first washer also having a circular or polygonal hole therethrough centered about a central axis disposed generally coincident with the hole of the first washer, and a spring connected between the first washer and the second washer, the spring including a plurality of fingers providing planar or full surface contact between the first and second washers. The washer faced spring assembly may also include a base portion utilized in conjunction with the plurality of fingers, where the base portion has one of several alternative shapes, such as circular or polygonal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ivan H. Peterson, James S. Hoelle, Dale E. Hampshire
  • Patent number: 5273249
    Abstract: A support system for coupling elements of different temperatures while reducing thermal and dynamic stress. The support system couples a fuel manifold to a combustor in a gas turbine engine and includes first and second elongated brackets connected, respectively, to the combustor and to the fuel manifold. Distal ends of each of the brackets are positioned in overlapping relationship. A slot is formed in one of the overlapping distal ends and an aperture formed in the other aligned generally with the slot. A fastener extends through the aperture and slot compressing the ends against each other with a preselected force such that the ends cannot separate but can exhibit a sliding motion in the slot direction. The compressive force is controlled by a spring member positioned between one end of the fastener and an adjacent surface of one of the first and second brackets. A second disk fits around the stud similar to a large flat washer and the spring member fits around the stud between the two disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ivan H. Peterson, Steven A. Walters, Dale E. Hampshire