Patents by Inventor Gary E. Wheat
Gary E. Wheat 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).
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Patent number: 7429403Abstract: A method for introducing an inert carrier gas into a coating container used to provide a metallic coating on articles. The method includes introducing the inert carrier gas into the coating container as a plurality of carrier gas streams proximate the top of the coating container. The carrier gas streams are formed and introduced into the coating container before encountering a source material for the metallic coating, and each carrier gas stream is introduced so that the inert carrier gas at least initially moves within the coating container in a circular swirling fashion above and before encountering the source material and the article.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2005Date of Patent: September 30, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Terri K. Brown, Richard L. Schmidt, Edward J. Cove
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Patent number: 7095495Abstract: A system and method are provided for inspecting cooling holes of a completed, lasered, and deburred turbine airfoil. The cooling holes are covered with a very porous tape before placing the turbine airfoil into an air fixture that has a metered amount of fluorescent liquid dripped into the airline. The atomized fluorescent liquid flows through the turbine airfoil internal cavities, exiting through the open cooling holes, where it is absorbed by the porous tape. A pattern will appear on the tape surface, in the area of the open holes, indicative of the presence of not-through or plugged cooling holes.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2003Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gayle M. Bowles, Gary E. Wheat, William L. Sheyer
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Patent number: 6986814Abstract: A gas distributor suitable for introducing a carrier gas at the top of a coating container used to provide a metallic coating on articles. The gas distributor includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet head in communication with the gas inlet for receiving a flow of gas from the gas inlet. A plurality of gas outlets through which the gas flow exits as a gas stream are spaced along the peripheral surface of the gas outlet head. A plurality of gas deflectors, each proximate to one of the gas outlets, at least initially direct the gas stream exiting the gas outlet in at least a generally centripetal path. This gas distributor can be used in vapor coating apparatus having a coating container, at least one holder for each article to be coated positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor and at least one holder for the source of the metallic coating positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Terri K. Brown, Richard L. Schmidt, Edward J. Cove
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Publication number: 20040149905Abstract: A system and method are provided for inspecting cooling holes of a completed, lasered, and deburred turbine airfoil. The cooling holes are covered with a very porous tape before placing the turbine airfoil into an air fixture that has a metered amount of fluorescent liquid dripped into the airline. The atomized fluorescent liquid flows through the turbine airfoil internal cavities, exiting through the open cooling holes, where it is absorbed by the porous tape. A pattern will appear on the tape surface, in the area of the open holes, indicative of the presence of not-through or plugged cooling holes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2003Publication date: August 5, 2004Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gayle M. Bowles, Gary E. Wheat, William L. Sheyer
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Publication number: 20040062865Abstract: A gas distributor suitable for introducing a carrier gas at the top of a coating container used to provide a metallic coating on articles. The gas distributor includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet head in communication with the gas inlet for receiving a flow of gas from the gas inlet. A plurality of gas outlets through which the gas flow exits as a gas stream are spaced along the peripheral surface of the gas outlet head. A plurality of gas deflectors, each proximate to one of the gas outlets, at least initially direct the gas stream exiting the gas outlet in at least a generally centripetal path. This gas distributor can be used in vapor coating apparatus having a coating container, at least one holder for each article to be coated positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor and at least one holder for the source of the metallic coating positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2003Publication date: April 1, 2004Inventors: Gary E. Wheat, Terri K. Brown, Richard L. Schmidt, Edward J. Cove
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Patent number: 6706323Abstract: Method to facilitate vapor phase coating of turbine airfoils. A dovetail receptacle receives the dovetails of a plurality of airfoils. The airfoils are separated by spacers with the airfoil dovetails sealed in a chamber of the receptacle to facilitate vapor phase coating of airfoil flowpath surfaces and platform upper surfaces of several airfoils simultaneously while masking the dovetail sections.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2002Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Terry K. Brown, Steve E. Bauer
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Publication number: 20030116278Abstract: A gas distributor suitable for introducing a carrier gas at the top of a coating container used to provide a metallic coating on articles. The gas distributor includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet head in communication with the gas inlet for receiving a flow of gas from the gas inlet. A plurality of gas outlets through which the gas flow exits as a gas stream are spaced along the peripheral surface of the gas outlet head. A plurality of gas deflectors, each proximate to one of the gas outlets, at least initially direct the gas stream exiting the gas outlet in at least a generally centripetal path. This gas distributor can be used in vapor coating apparatus having a coating container, at least one holder for each article to be coated positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor and at least one holder for the source of the metallic coating positioned within the coating container and below the gas outlet head of the gas distributor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2001Publication date: June 26, 2003Inventors: Gary E. Wheat, Terri K. Brown, Richard L. Schmidt, Edward J. Cove
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Publication number: 20020098284Abstract: Method to facilitate vapor phase coating of turbine airfoils. A dovetail receptacle receives the dovetails of a plurality of airfoils. The airfoils are separated by spacers with the airfoil dovetails sealed in a chamber of the receptacle to facilitate vapor phase coating of airfoil flowpath surfaces and platform upper surfaces of several airfoils simultaneously while masking the dovetail sections.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2002Publication date: July 25, 2002Inventors: Gary E. Wheat, Terri K. Brown, Steve E. Bauer
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Patent number: 6419753Abstract: Apparatus and method to facilitate vapor phase coating of turbine airfoils. A dovetail receptacle receives the dovetails of a plurality of airfoils. The airfoils are separated by spacers with the airfoil dovetails sealed in a chamber of the receptacle to facilitate vapor phase coating of airfoil flowpath surfaces and platform upper surfaces of several airfoils simultaneously while masking the dovetail sections.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2000Date of Patent: July 16, 2002Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Terry K. Brown, Steve E. Bauer
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Patent number: 6299509Abstract: A tumble medium for surface treatment of an article having a first radiographic signature comprises material having a second radiographic signature different from the first radiographic signature sufficient to enable radiographic detection of the material as distinct from the article. The tumble medium is used in a method for treatment of a surface of an article including there through openings communicating with an interior of the article. After tumbling, the article is inspected by radiography to detect any tumble medium within the interior of the article.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2001Date of Patent: October 9, 2001Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Robert K. Patterson, Linda R. Crenshaw, Jon C. Schaeffer
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Publication number: 20010007807Abstract: A tumble medium for surface treatment of an article having a first radiographic signature comprises material having a second radiographic signature different from the first radiographic signature sufficient to enable radiographic detection of the material as distinct from the article. The tumble medium is used in a method for treatment of a surface of an article including there through openings communicating with an interior of the article. After tumbling, the article is inspected by radiography to detect any tumble medium within the interior of the article.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2001Publication date: July 12, 2001Inventors: Gary E. Wheat, Robert K. Patterson, Linda R. Crenshaw, Jon C. Schaeffer
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Patent number: 6253441Abstract: A substrate article is processed by masking a first portion of the substrate article with a maskant including a foil layer overlying and contacting the first portion of the substrate article, leaving a second portion of the substrate article exposed, and a mask layer overlying and contacting the foil layer. The mask layer may be formed of a mixture of aluminum oxide and metal powders or carbon. The masked substrate article is processed to deposit a coating, such as an aluminum coating, on the second portion of the substrate article, without removing the maskant. The substrate article may instead be masked by carbon without the underlying nickel layer. After coating, the substrate article may be further processed by brazing to the first portion of the substrate article.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1999Date of Patent: July 3, 2001Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Terri K. Brown
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Patent number: 6220947Abstract: A tumble medium for surface treatment of an article having a first radiographic signature comprises material having a second radiographic signature different from the first radiographic signature sufficient to enable radiographic detection of the material as distinct from the article. The tumble medium is used in a method for treatment of a surface of an article including there through openings communicating with an interior of the article. After tumbling, the article is inspected by radiography to detect any tumble medium within the interior of the article.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1997Date of Patent: April 24, 2001Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Robert K. Patterson, Linda R. Crenshaw, Jon C. Schaeffer
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Patent number: 6056507Abstract: A method for preparing a Ni base superalloy inner wall surface of a body open end, such as an end of a turbomachinery blade, and an end plate, such as a blade tip cap, for brazing together at a rim of the end plate includes electrochemically removing oxides from the inner wall surface. The end plate is prepared, at least at its rim, by first removing surface and subsurface oxides, for example by mechanical abrading or a combination of such abrading and acid cleaning. Then at least the rim is electroplated with Ni which is heated to diffuse the Ni into the rim substrate. This provides an improved combination of surfaces for brazing, for example with a Ni base brazing alloy. After brazing the rim to the inner wall, there is provided an article with an improved relatively low oxide brazed joint, including less than about 20 volume % oxides, and a plate rim of substantially Ni along with elements diffused from the brazing alloy and the rim.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1997Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Robert E. Mc Cracken, Nicholas C. Palmer
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Patent number: 5773790Abstract: A method of forming and inspecting beam drilled holes, and in particular laser beam drilled holes, in an article, such as a turbine blade or vane airfoil, with a hollow interior. The method includes (a) filling the hollow interior with a beam blocking material having fluorescent material, (b) beam drilling the holes in the wall through to the hollow interior, and (c) inspecting the hole under an ultraviolet light. The beam blocking material preferably includes a wax material and step (a) includes filling the hollow interior with a melted mixture of the wax and fluorescent materials. The wax material may be a pattern wax material suitable for use in making turbine blade investment casting molds and the fluorescent material may be a fluorescent penetrant.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1997Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James R. Moore, Gary E. Wheat
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Patent number: 5672261Abstract: A method for preparing a Ni base superalloy inner wall surface of a body open end, such as an end of a turbomachinery blade, and an end plate, such as a blade tip cap, for brazing together at a rim of the end plate includes electrochemically removing oxides from the inner wall surface. The end plate is prepared, at least at its rim, by first removing surface and subsurface oxides, for example by mechanical abrading or a combination of such abrading and acid cleaning. Then at least the rim is electroplated with Ni which is heated to diffuse the Ni into the rim substrate. This provides an improved combination of surfaces for brazing for example with a Ni base brazing alloy. After brazing the rim to the inner wall, there is provided an article with an improved relatively low oxide brazed joint, including less than about 20 volume % oxides, and a plate rim of substantially Ni along with elements diffused from the brazing alloy and the rim.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1996Date of Patent: September 30, 1997Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Robert E. McCracken, Nicholas C. Palmer
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Patent number: 5511946Abstract: A gas turbine engine airfoil includes a tip corner disposed at the juncture of the airfoil tip and trailing edge, and a cooling hole extends therethrough in direct flow communication with an internal cooling passage thereof. A cross-hole extends perpendicularly into the tip corner and into the cooling hole for discharging from the airfoil a portion of cooling air channeled into the cooling hole. The airfoil tip corner is therefore cooled by the air channeled through the cross-hole received from the intersecting cooling hole.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 1994Date of Patent: April 30, 1996Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Gary E. Wheat, Barry T. Malone, Nicholas C. Palmer, Robert C. Simmons