Patents by Inventor Robert BRACKEN

Robert BRACKEN 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).

  • Publication number: 20070258826
    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: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Bracken, David Fitts, Sterling Hathaway, William Adis, Ronald Korzun, Larry Duclos
  • Publication number: 20070245532
    Abstract: A reaction turbine stator vane segment comprising an integral grouping of plural vanes, an arcuate tip shroud connected between radially inner tips of the vanes, and an arcuate mounting portion extending across radially outer tips of the vanes, the arcuate tip shroud formed with plural seal components extending radially inwardly from the tip shroud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Bracken, David Fitts, Ronald Korzun, Mark Kowalczyk
  • Publication number: 20070110571
    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: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Bracken, John Murphy, Stephen Swan, Jeffrey Simkins, Clement Gazzillo, David Fitts, Mark Kowalczyk
  • Publication number: 20070110567
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rotor assembly for a steam turbine including a stacked rotor section having rotor plates. The rotor plates include a main body portion having a plate shape and a first axial face and a second axial face opposite to the first axial face. The rotor plates also include an airfoil base surface at an outer radial edge of the main body portion. The rotor plates further include buckets which extend radially outward from the airfoil base surface. And the rotor plates yet further include a seal disposed to prevent steam exposure to the first and second axial faces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Bracken, John Murphy, Stephen Swan, Jeffrey Simkins, Clement Gazzillo
  • Publication number: 20070110570
    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: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Bracken, John Murphy, Stephen Swan, Jeffrey Simkins, Clement Gazzillo, Ronald Korzun, David Fitts
  • Publication number: 20070071605
    Abstract: Integrated nozzle and bucket wheels for turbine stator and rotor components, respectively, include a three hundred sixty degree wheel formed from a single piece of stock material. The nozzle wheels include radially inner portions formed to include a plurality of nozzles, while the bucket wheels are each formed to include a plurality of buckets. The nozzle and bucket wheels may be split into plural arcuate segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Clement Gazzillo, John Murphy, Stephen Swan, Robert Bracken, Jeffrey Simkins
  • Publication number: 20070053773
    Abstract: An integrated nozzle wheel for a turbine stator component includes a three hundred sixty degree wheel formed from a single piece of stock material, a radially inner portion of the wheel machined to include a plurality of nozzles, each having an airfoil portion and a radially inner tip shroud portion; a radially outer portion of the wheel machined to include one or more assembly features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Murphy, Stephen Swan, Robert Bracken, Jeffrey Simkins, Clement Gazzillo, David Fitts, Mark Kowalczyk
  • Publication number: 20070048130
    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: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Sullivan, Robert Bracken, Jeffrey Simkins, Stephen Swan, David Fitts, Ronald Korzun, John Murphy
  • Publication number: 20060245923
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing reaction nozzles for a turbine comprising (a) providing a piece of flat plate stock of predetermined size and thickness; and (b) machining the piece of flat plate stock to form a unitary, arcuate reaction nozzle segment including at least two adjacent nozzle airfoils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Fitts, Robert Bracken, Sterling Hathaway, Ronald Korzun, Larry Duclos, William Adis
  • Publication number: 20060228213
    Abstract: A retaining key for a turbine nozzle includes a key body having top and bottom surfaces, a pair of sides and a pair of ends including a forward end having a pair of horizontal shoulders on opposite sides of a center rib, the shoulders located substantially midway between the top and bottom surfaces such that the forward end has a substantially inverted T-shaped profile, and a rearward end having a first surface portion extending from and substantially perpendicular to the top surface and a second surface portion extending at an acute angle downwardly and toward the forward end and intersecting the bottom surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Robert Bracken
  • Publication number: 20060133928
    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: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Bracken, Sterling Hathaway, David Fitts, Ron Korzun, Laurence Duclos, William Adis, Mark Kowalczyk, Bernard Couture
  • Publication number: 20060088409
    Abstract: A reaction turbine stator vane segment comprising an integral grouping of plural vanes, an arcuate tip shroud connected between radially inner tips of the vanes, and an arcuate mounting portion extending across radially outer tips of the vanes, the arcuate tip shroud formed with plural seal components extending radially inwardly from the tip shroud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Bracken, David Fitts, Ronald Korzun, Mark Kowalczyk
  • Publication number: 20050220622
    Abstract: A method and system of constructing equivalent integral covered blading for a turbine having multiple blades supported by a stator include multiple blade foils; multiple respective cover portions defining a first surface configured to span tips of multiple adjacent blades between tip locations of adjacent blades thereby to form the cover portion portions for adjacent blades and wherein the cover portions associated with each respective adjacent blades include facing sides for adjacent cover portions of adjacent blades; and an overcover coupled to a second surface opposite the first surface of the respective cover portions, the overcover configured to at least one of stiffen deterministic constraints of the tips and seal against leakage through the facing sides for adjacent cover portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald Korzun, Christopher Sullivan, Robert Bracken, David Fitts
  • Publication number: 20050111973
    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: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher SULLIVAN, David FITTS, Robert BRACKEN, Gregory LANDRY