Patents by Inventor Leslie Charles Kurz

Leslie Charles Kurz 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: 10465701
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine may have a fan section that includes a variable pitch mechanism for changing the pitch of fan blades. The gas turbine engine may include a fan hub that is rotatable about an engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine and a blade receiver that is for holding a fan blade and that is rotatably coupled to the fan hub and may be rotatable about a radial axis of the gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may include a spring element disposed between the fan hub and the blade receiver to bias the blade receiver radially outward and an annular retaining ring may be disposed around the radial axis and between the fan hub and the blade receiver to limit radially outward movement of the blade receiver to prevent the blade receiver from decoupling and disengaging from the fan hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin D. Craig, Leslie Charles Kurz
  • Patent number: 10415405
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine may have a blade receiver for holding a fan blade, wherein the blade receiver is rotatable about a radial axis of the gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may also include a variable pitch mechanism comprising an actuation arm. The gas turbine engine may also include a splined index ring disposed between the actuation arm of the variable pitch mechanism and the blade receiver. The splined index ring may include an outer spline and an inner spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Leslie Charles Kurz
  • Publication number: 20180306039
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine may have a blade receiver for holding a fan blade, wherein the blade receiver is rotatable about a radial axis of the gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may also include a variable pitch mechanism comprising an actuation arm. The gas turbine engine may also include a splined index ring disposed between the actuation arm of the variable pitch mechanism and the blade receiver. The splined index ring may include an outer spline and an inner spline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: LESLIE CHARLES KURZ
  • Publication number: 20180306201
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine may have a fan section that includes a variable pitch mechanism for changing the pitch of fan blades. The gas turbine engine may include a fan hub that is rotatable about an engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine and a blade receiver that is for holding a fan blade and that is rotatably coupled to the fan hub and may be rotatable about a radial axis of the gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may include a spring element disposed between the fan hub and the blade receiver to bias the blade receiver radially outward and an annular retaining ring may be disposed around the radial axis and between the fan hub and the blade receiver to limit radially outward movement of the blade receiver to prevent the blade receiver from decoupling and disengaging from the fan hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: COLIN D. CRAIG, LESLIE CHARLES KURZ
  • Patent number: 10066774
    Abstract: A fitting for attaching to double wall tubes includes a body, a fitting center port, an outer seal, a tube connection, a pad connection, an inner seal, a groove, and a diagnostic port. The body has a first surface on a first side of the body and a second surface on a second side of the body. The fitting center port extends through the body for passing a primary fluid flow. The tube connection is on the first side of the fitting, and includes an inner connection and an outer connection. The groove is in the second surface surrounding the inner seal and the groove is configured to receive an outer seal. The diagnostic port is in the second surface for transferring a collected fluid through the body to the outer connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Peter S. Matteson, Joseph Martin Gambill, Leslie Charles Kurz, Richard Joseph Bulkovitch, Pawel Socha, Michael Luther Comeau, Usman Khan
  • Patent number: 9926795
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a blade positioning and support system for a gas turbine engine including a blade, the blade having a root and a tip, with the root having a surface oriented away from the tip, the surface having a forward end and an aft end, the forward end projecting farther away from the tip than the aft end. Further, the present disclosure provides a blade receiver, the blade receiver having a face and a facet, with the face being oriented away from the facet, the face having a forward end and an aft end, the aft end projecting farther away from the facet than the forward end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Leslie Charles Kurz
  • Patent number: 9926851
    Abstract: A spring assembly has a spring end for engagement with a component to bias the component in a first direction. The spring end is connected to a plurality of coils, which have an inner peripheral surface, and are mounted about a pivot pin. A damper is positioned between an outer peripheral surface on the pivot pin and the inner peripheral surface of the spring coils. The damper is engaged by the spring coils, if the spring end is driven in a direction opposed to the first direction. A one-way drive assembly and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher T. Anglin, Leslie Charles Kurz
  • Publication number: 20160281896
    Abstract: A fitting for attaching to double wall tubes includes a body, a fitting center port, an outer seal, a tube connection, a pad connection, an inner seal, a groove, and a diagnostic port. The body has a first surface on a first side of the body and a second surface on a second side of the body. The fitting center port extends through the body for passing a primary fluid flow. The tube connection is on the first side of the fitting, and includes an inner connection and an outer connection. The groove is in the second surface surrounding the inner seal and the groove is configured to receive an outer seal. The diagnostic port is in the second surface for transferring a collected fluid through the body to the outer connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Peter S. Matteson, Joseph Martin Gambill, Leslie Charles Kurz, Richard Joseph Bulkovitch, Pawel Socha, Michael Luther Comeau, Usman Khan
  • Patent number: 9359912
    Abstract: A runner assembly for a circumferential seal assembly includes a runner defined about an axis. The runner has an inwardly extending runner mounting flange. A radially flexible clamp is engaged with the inwardly extending mounting flange. An axial spring is trapped between an axial retainer and the runner. The runner, the radially flexible clamp, the axial spring, and the axial retainer are co-rotatable about the axis. The axial retainer is radially inline with the runner and spaced from a radially inner surface of the runner such that there is a radial gap between the axial retainer and the radially inner surface of the runner permitting radial movement of the runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: M. Rifat Ullah, Jonathan Logan Miller, Leslie Charles Kurz
  • Publication number: 20160061202
    Abstract: A pump assembly includes a housing having a first lobe. A shaft rotates at least partially inside the housing about an axis and has an outer surface. A base member is mounted on the shaft so as to rotate with the shaft. The base member is mounted on a location of the shaft such that at least a portion of the base member is located within the first lobe. A fin protrudes generally axially from the base member. The fin is configured to extend outward from the outer surface of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Hung Duong, Leslie Charles Kurz
  • Publication number: 20150354378
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a blade positioning and support system for a gas turbine engine including a blade, the blade having a root and a tip, with the root having a surface oriented away from the tip, the surface having a forward end and an aft end, the forward end projecting farther away from the tip than the aft end. Further, the present disclosure provides a blade receiver, the blade receiver having a face and a facet, with the face being oriented away from the facet, the face having a forward end and an aft end, the aft end projecting farther away from the facet than the forward end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventor: Leslie Charles Kurz
  • Publication number: 20150292415
    Abstract: A spring assembly has a spring end for engagement with a component to bias the component in a first direction. The spring end is connected to a plurality of coils, which have an inner peripheral surface, and are mounted about a pivot pin. A damper is positioned between an outer peripheral surface on the pivot pin and the inner peripheral surface of the spring coils. The damper is engaged by the spring coils, if the spring end is driven in a direction opposed to the first direction. A one-way drive assembly and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher T. Anglin, Leslie Charles Kurz
  • Publication number: 20120177486
    Abstract: A runner assembly for a circumferential seal assembly includes a runner having an inwardly extending runner mounting flange, a flexible mounting structure and a retainer assembly therefore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: M. Rifat Ullah, Jonathan Logan Miller, Leslie Charles Kurz