Patents by Inventor John E. Hatfield

John E. Hatfield 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: 5704211
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine with first and second axial flow compressors and an intercooler therebetween is provided with a diffuser to diffuse the air flow leaving the downstream end of the first axial flow compressor at a first radial distance from the axis to the upstream end of the intercooler at a second radial distance from the axis. The diffuser comprises a first radially extending wall, a second radially extending wall and a plurality of diffuser vanes extending therebetween which define a plurality of generally radially extending diffusing passages. The vanes are wedge shaped. This arrangement provides diffusion in a short axial length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John E. Hatfield
  • Patent number: 5626018
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine with first and second axial flow compressors and an intercooler therebetween is provided with a diffuser to diffuse the air flow leaving the downstream end of the first axial flow compressor at a first radial distance from the axis to the upstream end of the intercooler at a second radial distance from the axis. The diffuser comprises a first radially extending wall, a second radially extending wall and a plurality of diffuser vanes extending therebetween which define a plurality of generally radially extending diffusing passages. The vanes are wedge shaped. This arrangement provides diffusion in a short axial length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John E. Hatfield
  • Patent number: 5564898
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine with first and second axial flow compressors and an intercooler therebetween is provided with a bend diffuser and a radial flow diffuser to diffuse the air leaving the downstream end of the first axial flow compressor at a first radial distance from the axis to the upstream end of the intercooler at a second radial distance from the axis. The bend diffuser comprises a first radially outer wall and a second radially inner wall. The first wall is elliptical and the second wall has a profile derived from a relationship between the local area ratio and the path length around the arc such there is rapid diffusion in the bend diffuser without fluid flow separation from the first wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Stephen J. Richards, Gabriel Simmonds, John E. Hatfield
  • Patent number: 5232385
    Abstract: A twin-hulled ship is powered by a gas turbine engine in each hull, the engine being located near the waterline in vertical alignment with a position outboard of the superstructure's internal sidewall, but preferably inboard of the superstructure's external sidewall. This is facilitated by the outward bulge of the hull relative to the superstructure's external sidewall. An air inlet filter bank is mounted in the side of the superstructure sufficiently far above the waterline to avoid swamping. Air intake ducting leads from the filter bank to the engine, and exhaust ducting leads from the engine to an exhaust outlet at a higher level than the filter bank. This arrangement enables intrusion of intake and exhaust ducting into the main loading deck space to be avoided while minimizing deviation of intake and exhaust ducting from a straight line path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John E. Hatfield
  • Patent number: 5059091
    Abstract: A compressor assembly (12,13) for a gas turbine engine (10) comprises a centrifugal compressor (12) having a variable cross-sectional area diffuser (13) located at its downstream end. When the cross-sectional area of the diffuser (13) is less than a maximum value, some of the air exhausted from the downstream end (24) of the compressor (12) is directed to the upstream end (23) thereof. Sufficient air is so directed as to ensure that the mean air velocity at the outlet (30) of the diffuser (13) remains substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John E. Hatfield