Patents by Inventor Thomas Robbins Tipton
Thomas Robbins Tipton 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: 10724377Abstract: An article of manufacture includes a rotor blade configured for use with a turbomachine. The blade is configured for attachment to a rotor wheel. The blade is configured to substantially reduce the possibility of attachment with an undesired rotor wheel by modification of at least one characteristic of the blade, so that the modification of the characteristic is matched by a complementary characteristic of the rotor wheel. The characteristic of the blade is, neck width, platform length, platform angle, platform height, tang height, or circumferential width. The blade and the wheel comprise a first stage of the turbomachine. The undesired rotor wheel is in a second stage of the turbomachine, where the first stage is different from the second stage. The complementary characteristic of the wheel is, slot opening width, platform opening depth, slot neck width, slot neck angle, slot tang depth, or slot tang width.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2016Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jamie Dean Lumpkin, Thomas Robbins Tipton, Kelvin Rono Aaron
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Publication number: 20160298461Abstract: An article of manufacture includes a rotor blade configured for use with a turbomachine. The blade is configured for attachment to a rotor wheel. The blade is configured to substantially reduce the possibility of attachment with an undesired rotor wheel by modification of at least one characteristic of the blade, so that the modification of the characteristic is matched by a complementary characteristic of the rotor wheel. The characteristic of the blade is, neck width, platform length, platform angle, platform height, tang height, or circumferential width. The blade and the wheel comprise a first stage of the turbomachine. The undesired rotor wheel is in a second stage of the turbomachine, where the first stage is different from the second stage. The complementary characteristic of the wheel is, slot opening width, platform opening depth, slot neck width, slot neck angle, slot tang depth, or slot tang width.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2016Publication date: October 13, 2016Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jamie Dean Lumpkin, Thomas Robbins Tipton, Kelvin Rono Aaron
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Patent number: 9145777Abstract: An article of manufacture has a first component configured for use with a turbomachine. The first component is configured for attachment to a second component, and reduces the possibility of attachment with an undesired third component by modification of a characteristic of the first component. This modification is matched by a complementary characteristic of the second component. The first component has a nominal airfoil profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in a scalable table selected from the group consisting of TABLES 1-11. Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z are non-dimensional values convertible to dimensional distances by multiplying by a number. X and Y are coordinates which, when connected by continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each Z height. The airfoil profile sections at each Z height being joined with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2012Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Michael James Dutka, John Duong, Ya-Tien Chiu, Alexander David Shrum, Kelvin Rono Aaron, Christopher Edward LaMaster, San-Dar Gau, Franco Monteleone, Paul Griffin Delvernois, Matthew John McKeever, Govindarajan Rengarajan, Jeremy Peter Latimer, Marc Edward Blohm, Eric Richard Bonini, Venkata Siva Prasad Chaluvadi, Jamie Dean Lumpkin, Thomas Robbins Tipton
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Patent number: 8974182Abstract: The present application thus provides a turbine bucket. The turbine bucket may include a platform, an airfoil extending from the platform at an intersection thereof, and a core cavity extending within the platform and the airfoil. The core cavity may include a contoured turn about the intersection so as to reduce thermal stress therein.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2012Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bradley Taylor Boyer, Thomas Robbins Tipton
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Patent number: 8944751Abstract: The present application provides an inner nozzle platform. The inner nozzle platform may include a platform cavity, an impingement plenum positioned within the platform cavity, a retention plate positioned on a first side of the impingement plenum, and a compliant seal positioned on a second side of the impingement plenum.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2012Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Aaron Gregory Winn, Robert Walter Coign, James Stewart Phillips, Thomas Robbins Tipton, Gregory Thomas Foster, Ravichandran Meenakshisundaram, Niranjan Gokuldas Pai
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Publication number: 20140030098Abstract: An article of manufacture has a first component configured for use with a turbomachine. The first component is configured for attachment to a second component, and reduces the possibility of attachment with an undesired third component by modification of a. characteristic of the first component. This modification is matched by a complementary characteristic of the second component. The first component has a nominal airfoil profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in a scalable table selected from the group consisting of TABLES 1-11. Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z are non-dimensional values convertible to dimensional distances by multiplying by a number. X and Y are coordinates which, when connected by continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each Z height. The airfoil profile sections at each Z height being joined with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2012Publication date: January 30, 2014Inventors: Michael James Dutka, John Duong, Ya-Tien Chiu, Alexander David Shrum, Kelvin Rono Aaron, Christopher Edward LaMaster, San-Dar Gau, Franco Monteleone, Paul Griffin Delvernois, Matthew John McKeever, Govindarajan Rengarajan, Jeremy Peter Latimer, Marc Edward Blohm, Eric Richard Bonini, Venkata Siva Prasad Chaluvadi, Jamie Dean Lumpkin, Thomas Robbins Tipton
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Publication number: 20130230407Abstract: The present application thus provides a turbine bucket. The turbine bucket may include a platform, an airfoil extending from the platform at an intersection thereof, and a core cavity extending within the platform and the airfoil. The core cavity may include a contoured turn about the intersection so as to reduce thermal stress therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2012Publication date: September 5, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Bradley Taylor Boyer, Thomas Robbins Tipton
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Publication number: 20130175357Abstract: The present application provides an inner nozzle platform. The inner nozzle platform may include a platform cavity, an impingement plenum positioned within the platform cavity, a retention plate positioned on a first side of the impingement plenum, and a compliant seal positioned on a second side of the impingement plenum.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Aaron Gregory Winn, Robert Walter Coign, James S. Phillips, Thomas Robbins Tipton, Gregory Thomas Foster, Ravichandran Meenakshisundaram, Niranjan Gokuldas Pai
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Patent number: 7833362Abstract: A method by which high temperature properties of a ductile iron alloy, including creep and LCF properties, can be increased for pressure-containing components that are subject to creep and low cycle fatigue. The method comprises modifying the ductile iron alloy to contain 0.4 to 0.8 weight percent molybdenum. A casting of the modified ductile iron alloy is produced and then annealed at a temperature of at least 725° C. for not less than five hours to eliminate carbides and/or stabilize pearlite in the casting. The annealed casting of the modified ductile iron alloy exhibits improved creep resistance and low cycle fatigue properties in comparison to an identical casting of a ductile iron alloy that does not contain molybdenum.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2008Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mark Roger Brown, Thomas Robbins Tipton, Liming Xu
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Patent number: 7806655Abstract: A method for assembling a stator assembly for a turbine engine is provided. The method includes providing a blade with a base including an end wall having at least one hole defined therein and providing a shim having at least one aperture extending therethrough. The shim aperture is aligned with the end wall hole, and the shim is secured to the blade base end wall using a fastener. The fastener is inserted through the shim aperture in an interference fit within the end wall hole. The blade and the shim are coupled to a turbine casing.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2007Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lynn Charles Gagne, Graham David Sherlock, Kelvin Aaron, Thomas Robbins Tipton
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Publication number: 20090007995Abstract: A method by which high temperature properties of a ductile iron alloy, including creep and LCF properties, can be increased for pressure-containing components that are subject to creep and low cycle fatigue. The method comprises modifying the ductile iron alloy to contain 0.4 to 0.8 weight percent molybdenum. A casting of the modified ductile iron alloy is produced and then annealed at a temperature of at least 725° C. for not less than five hours to eliminate carbides and/or stabilize pearlite in the casting. The annealed casting of the modified ductile iron alloy exhibits improved creep resistance and low cycle fatigue properties in comparison to an identical casting of a ductile iron alloy that does not contain molybdenum.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2008Publication date: January 8, 2009Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Mark Roger Brown, Thomas Robbins Tipton, Liming Xu
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Publication number: 20080206063Abstract: A method for assembling a stator assembly for a turbine engine is provided. The method includes providing a blade with a base including an end wall having at least one hole defined therein and providing a shim having at least one aperture extending therethrough. The shim aperture is aligned with the end wall hole, and the shim is secured to the blade base end wall using a fastener. The fastener is inserted through the shim aperture in an interference fit within the end wall hole. The blade and the shim are coupled to a turbine casing.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2007Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: Lynn Charles Gagne, Graham David Sherlock, Kelvin Aaron, Thomas Robbins Tipton
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Patent number: 7104759Abstract: Blades of increased blade angle may be retrofitted onto existing compressor rotor wheels as replacement blades whereby higher performance and efficiency without replacing the rotor wheel may be achieved. The base attachments of replacement blades are provided with lateral extensions or flanges and the rim of the compressor wheel is provided with recesses straddling the grooves to accommodate the flanges. The leading edge of the replacement blade is positioned circumferentially for support only by the platform extension thereby limiting the mean and vibratory stresses in the leading edge of the airfoil and maximizing damage tolerance.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2004Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Robbins Tipton, Nicholas Francis Martin, Jr.
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Patent number: 7024744Abstract: A method of tuning a compressor stator blade having a base portion and an airfoil portion to achieve a desired natural frequency, includes a) identifying the natural frequency of the compressor stator blade; b) determining a different target natural frequency for the compressor stator blade; and c) removing material from the base portion of the compressor stator blade in an amount and in a configuration that achieves the target natural frequency. A frequency-tuned compressor stator blade includes an airfoil portion and a base portion, the base portion having a substantially solid rectangular shape; and a groove cut across a width dimension of the base portion, the groove having dimensions selected to obtain a predetermined natural frequency for the airfoil portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2004Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Nicholas Francis Martin, Thomas Robbins Tipton