Patents by Inventor David Orus Fitts

David Orus Fitts 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: 9828866
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes at least one stationary nozzle and an outer ring having a predefined shape. The outer ring includes at least one groove defined therein configured to receive at least a portion of the at least one stationary nozzle. The nozzle assembly also includes an attachment member coupled between the stationary nozzle and the outer ring. The attachment member has a first configuration at a first nozzle assembly operating temperature a second configuration at a second nozzle assembly operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Orus Fitts, David Robert Schumacher, Laurence Scott Duclos, Anand Aravindrao Kulkarni, David Bruce Knorr
  • Publication number: 20170096904
    Abstract: A rotary machine is provided. The rotary machine includes a turbine section with a casing and a ring coupled within the casing. The ring has a groove. The rotary machine also includes a nozzle coupled to the ring. The nozzle has a first end, a second end, and an airfoil extending between the first end and the second end along a longitudinal axis. The first end includes a first hook and a second hook. The first hook has a first radially outer surface, and the second hook has a second radially outer surface. The ring and the first end of the nozzle cooperate to form an anti-rotation feature that extends from at least one of the radially outer surfaces along the axis and between the hooks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Manish Mahasukhrai Joshi, David Orus Fitts, Robert Edward Deallenbach
  • Publication number: 20160281519
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly is provided. The nozzle assembly includes at least one stationary nozzle. An outer ring having a predefined shape includes at least one groove defined therein and the groove is configured to receive at least a portion of the stationary nozzle therein. A coupling portion is formed integrally with the stationary nozzle or the outer ring such that the coupling portion extends outwardly therefrom. An attachment member is coupled to the coupling portion to facilitate substantially restricting movement of the stationary nozzle when the outer ring is substantially distorted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Manish Joshi, David Orus Fitts, Robert Edward Deallenbach
  • Patent number: 9347329
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly is provided. The nozzle assembly includes at least one stationary nozzle. An outer ring having a predefined shape includes at least one groove defined therein and the groove is configured to receive at least a portion of the stationary nozzle therein. A coupling portion is formed integrally with the stationary nozzle or the outer ring such that the coupling portion extends outwardly therefrom. An attachment member is coupled to the coupling portion to facilitate substantially restricting movement of the stationary nozzle when the outer ring is substantially distorted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Manish Joshi, David Orus Fitts, Robert Edward Deallenbach
  • Publication number: 20150118041
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes at least one stationary nozzle and an outer ring having a predefined shape. The outer ring includes at least one groove defined therein configured to receive at least a portion of the at least one stationary nozzle. The nozzle assembly also includes an attachment member coupled between the stationary nozzle and the outer ring. The attachment member has a first configuration at a first nozzle assembly operating temperature a second configuration at a second nozzle assembly operating temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Orus Fitts, David Robert Schumacher, Laurence Scott Duclos, Anand Aravindrao Kulkarni, David Bruce Knorr
  • Publication number: 20140072419
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly is provided. The nozzle assembly includes at least one stationary nozzle. An outer ring having a predefined shape includes at least one groove defined therein and the groove is configured to receive at least a portion of the stationary nozzle therein. A coupling portion is formed integrally with the stationary nozzle or the outer ring such that the coupling portion extends outwardly therefrom. An attachment member is coupled to the coupling portion to facilitate substantially restricting movement of the stationary nozzle when the outer ring is substantially distorted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Manish Joshi, David Orus Fitts, Robert Edward Deallenbach
  • Patent number: 7645117
    Abstract: A rotary machine includes a rotor, a stationary machine casing extending around the rotor, and a bling assembly extending between the casing and the rotor. The machine also includes at least one rotor tip seal assembly and at least one shaft seal assembly. The seal assemblies have a groove configured to receive at least one seal ring band. A method of assembling a rotary machine is also provided. The method includes fabricating the bling assembly by providing two identical members comprising a mating surface and having a semi-circular profile. The method also includes coupling the two members together at their mating surfaces such that a circular ring is formed and such that the mating surfaces define a horizontal joint. The method further includes machining concentric, circular and annular radially inner and outer and airfoil portions within predetermined radial portions of the bling assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert James Bracken, David Orus Fitts, Sterling Hathaway, William Edward Adis, Ronald Korzun, Larry Duclos
  • Patent number: 7537430
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rotor assembly for a steam turbine. The steam turbine includes a retention portion having a stacked rotor section. The steam turbine further includes a first shaft end disposed at a first end of the retention portion. The steam turbine yet further includes a second shaft end disposed at a second end of the retention portion that is opposite to the first end of the retention portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert James Bracken, John Thomas Murphy, Stephen Swan, Jeffrey Robert Simkins, Clement Gazzillo, Ronald W. Korzun, David Orus Fitts
  • Patent number: 7497658
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a stator assembly for a steam turbine. The stator assembly includes a stacked stator section and a retention device. The stacked stator section has a plurality of adjacently disposed stator plates. The retention device retains the adjacent stator plates proximate to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert James Bracken, John Thomas Murphy, Stephen Swan, Jeffrey Robert Simkins, Clement Gazzillo, David Orus Fitts, Mark William Kowalczyk
  • Patent number: 7287956
    Abstract: The turbine includes a diaphragm having a seal carrier mounted in opposition to seal teeth carried by the rotary component. The seal carrier includes a seal face having a coating of abradable material enabling the rotary component to abrade the material from the seal face. The seal carrier is removable from the diaphragm and is carried by an axial extension integral with or removable from the outer diaphragm ring. A spring may be interposed between the seal carrier and the stationary component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert James Bracken, Sterling Ray Hathaway, David Orus Fitts, Ron W. Korzun, Laurence Scott Duclos, William Edward Adis, Mark William Kowalczyk, Bernard Arthur Couture
  • Patent number: 7270512
    Abstract: The steampath for a steam turbine includes stacked stator rings each mounting inwardly directed nozzles and stacked rotor wheels each mounting outwardly directed buckets mounting blades. By alternately stacking the stator rings and rotor wheels, the nozzles and buckets of the various stages are interdigitated to form a steampath. Each bucket includes a blade and a root received in a generally complementary shaped groove on a wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Walter Sullivan, Robert James Bracken, Jeffrey Robert Simkins, Stephen Roger Swan, David Orus Fitts, Ronald Wayne Korzun, John Thomas Murphy
  • Patent number: 6908279
    Abstract: A wedge-like nozzle radial loading pin, preferably formed from steel, that contacts the bottom of a reaction nozzle along a graduated, that is inclined or stepped, surface. This contact will secure the reaction nozzle radially inward against the retaining surface of the carrier dovetail with sufficient force to maintain the designed airfoil pre-twist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Walter Sullivan, David Orus Fitts, Robert James Bracken, Gregory Lee Landry
  • Patent number: 6761538
    Abstract: A loading spring segment for radially loading a turbine bucket within a turbine rotor groove includes a substantially circular metal sheet with a gap between opposed edges of the sheet, the sheet defining an arcuate segment in an arcuate length direction of the spring segment; and a plurality of radial slots in the sheet, spaced along the arcuate length direction to thereby create a plurality of individual springs within the arcuate segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Orus Fitts, Ronald Wayne Korzun, John Thomas Murphy
  • Publication number: 20040086383
    Abstract: Nozzles for a turbine have dovetail-shaped bases for reception in corresponding dovetail-shaped grooves in the carrier halves of a turbine. The nozzles at each of the horizontal joint faces of each carrier half have notches formed along their bases including an abutment face. Key slots are formed in the horizontal joint faces and receive keys bearing against the abutment faces. The keys are peened or screwed into the carrier half at the horizontal joint faces. Radial loading pins engage the end nozzle bases to bias the end nozzles radially inwardly without interfering with the keys retaining the nozzles in the grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Bernard Arthur Couture, David Orus Fitts, Ronald Wayne Korzun, James David Schuhl
  • Publication number: 20040086387
    Abstract: A loading spring segment for radially loading a turbine bucket within a turbine rotor groove includes a substantially circular metal sheet with a gap between opposed edges of the sheet, the sheet defining an arcuate segment in an arcuate length direction of the spring segment; and a plurality of radial slots in the sheet, spaced along the arcuate length direction to thereby create a plurality of individual springs within the arcuate segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: David Orus Fitts, Ronald Wayne Korzun, John Thomas Murphy
  • Patent number: 6722848
    Abstract: Nozzles for a turbine have dovetail-shaped bases for reception in corresponding dovetail-shaped grooves in the carrier halves of a turbine. The nozzles at each of the horizontal joint faces of each carrier half have notches formed along their bases including an abutment face. Key slots are formed in the horizontal joint faces and receive keys bearing against the abutment faces. The keys are peened or screwed into the carrier half at the horizontal joint faces. Radial loading pins engage the end nozzle bases to bias the end nozzles radially inwardly without interfering with the keys retaining the nozzles in the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Arthur Couture, David Orus Fitts, Ronald Wayne Korzun, James David Schuhl
  • Patent number: 6484505
    Abstract: A combustor for a turbine includes a combustor liner; a first flow sleeve surrounding the liner, the flow sleeve having a plurality of rows of cooling holes formed about a circumference of the flow sleeve; and a transition piece connected to the combustor liner and the flow sleeve and adapted to carry hot combustion gases to a stage of the turbines. The transition piece is surrounded by a second flow sleeve which directs cooling air to the transition piece. One of the plurality of rows of cooling holes in the first flow sleeve is located adjacent the transition piece, and cooling conduits are mounted in the cooling holes of at least the first of the plurality of rows of cooling holes to direct impingement cooling air against the surface of the liner while diverting crossflow cooling air around the impingement cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Mark Brown, David Orus Fitts, Stephen Hugh Black
  • Patent number: 6460326
    Abstract: A diffusion flame nozzle gas tip is provided to convert a dual fuel nozzle to a gas only nozzle. The nozzle tip diverts compressor discharge air from the passage feeding the diffusion nozzle air swirl vanes to a region vacated by removal of the dual fuel components, so that the diverted compressor discharge air can flow to and through effusion holes in the end cap plate of the nozzle tip. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle gas tip defines a cavity for receiving the compressor discharge air from a peripheral passage of the nozzle for flow through the effusion openings defined in the end cap plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Inventors: William Theodore Bechtel, David Orus Fitts, Guy Wayne DeLeonardo
  • Patent number: 6453673
    Abstract: A diffusion flame nozzle gas tip is provided to convert a dual fuel nozzle to a gas only nozzle. The nozle tip diverts compressor discharge air from the passage feeding the diffusion nozzle air swirl vanes to a region vacated by removal of the dual fuel components, so that the diverted compressor discharge air can flow to and through effusion holes in the end cap plate of the nozzle tip. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle gas tip defines a cavity for receiving the compressor discharge air from a peripheral passage of the nozzle for flow through the effusion openings defined in the end cap plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Theodore Bechtel, David Orus Fitts, Guy Wayne DeLeonardo
  • Publication number: 20020073710
    Abstract: A diffusion flame nozzle gas tip is provided to convert a dual fuel nozzle to a gas only nozzle. The nozzle tip diverts compressor discharge air from the passage feeding the diffusion nozzle air swirl vanes to a region vacated by removal of the dual fuel components, so that the diverted compressor discharge air can flow to and through effusion holes in the end cap plate of the nozzle tip. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle gas tip defines a cavity for receiving the compressor discharge air from a peripheral passage of the nozzle for flow through the effusion openings defined in the end cap plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Theodore Bechtel, David Orus Fitts, Guy Wayne DeLeonardo