Patents Represented by Attorney Derek P. Lawrence
  • Patent number: 4842484
    Abstract: A lightweight counterrotatable propeller system driven by a rotatable shaft is disclosed. The system includes first and second counterrotatable propellers, each propeller including a plurality of blades mounted on first and second hubs, respectively. Each blade is attached to the hub by means of a ball screw which converts centrifugal force on each of the rotating propeller blades into a pitch changing force. Gearing means for operatively connecting the shaft with each propeller are located between the propellers with a carrying member for one of the propellers forming an outer wall which radially bounds the gearing means. Additionally, non-rotating actuating means for changing propeller pitch are operatively connected to the blades of each of said first and second propellers through first and second thrust bearings, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Kenneth O. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4842953
    Abstract: A mixture of two powdered alloys of the M, Cr, Al type, M being Co and/or Ni, is disclosed, in one form, for use in providing an abradable surface of an article and is characterized by the substantial absence of B. The first alloy has substantially no Si and has a higher melting range than that of the second alloy. The second alloy has substantially no Y and consists essentially of, by weight, 8-12% Si, 1.5-4% Al, 10-30% Cr, with the balance M and incidiental impurities. The total mixture composition consists essentially of, by weight, 10-35% Cr, 4-10% Al, from a small but effective amount up to about 0.09% Y, 2-6% Si, with the balance M and incidental impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roger J. Perkins, Murray S. Smith, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4841723
    Abstract: A propulsion system and method having means for cooling the combustor liner and throat liner of a rocket casing by endothermic pyrolysis of a hydrocarbon fuel in the fuel passageway which is adjacent to and surrounding the combustor liner and the throat liner. Means is provided for high heat flux to the combustor liner and throat liner from combustion within the rocket casing whereby the temperature of the liners exceeds their thermal limits. Catalyst means are utilized for the endothermic pyrolysis. Hydrocarbon fuel is passed through the fuel passageway; heat is provided from the combustion of fuel in the combustion chamber to the fuel passageway by radiation through the combustor liner and the throat liner; and the hydrocarbon fuel is heated at a temperature sufficient to cause the endothermic pyrolysis of the hydrocarbon in the fuel passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Monica M. Lau, George A. Coffinberry
  • Patent number: 4842477
    Abstract: The invention relates to a type of proximity sensor. In one form, two sinusoidal signals travel along two transmission lines near an object. When the distance between one or both of the lines and the object changes, the speed of travel of one or both of the signals changes. There is a correlation between the speed change and the distance, thus allowing one to infer distance from speed change. One way to measure the speed change is to measure the phase relationship between the two signals. The invention can be used to measure clearances between turbine blades and turbine shrouds in gas turbine aircraft engines. Based on the measured clearance, other apparatus can direct hot or cold air upon the shroud to expand or shrink the shroud, thereby changing the clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: William R. Stowell
  • Patent number: 4840025
    Abstract: A woven, silicon carbide fiber inner wall forms a combustor liner and a nozzle throat liner, and a woven silicon carbide fiber outer wall is spaced from the inner wall to form a fuel passageway. The silicon carbide fibers are woven to conduct heat from the combustor and nozzle throat to the fuel passageway and thereby provide heat for the endothermic pyrolysis of the fuel in a propulsion system having a rocket casing containing a combustor, propellant injectors, nozzle throat and nozzle. The fuel passageway is adjacent to and surrounds the combustor and nozzle throat, and fuel is endothermically pyrolyzed in the fuel passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: George A. Coffinberry
  • Patent number: 4835959
    Abstract: In a propulsion system which includes a rocket casing having a combustor chamber with a combustor liner and a nozzle throat chamber with a nozzle throat liner; a fuel passageway adjacent to and surrounding the combustor liner and nozzle throat liner which form the inner wall of the fuel passageway, the outerwall of the fuel passageway being spaced from the innerwall to form the passageway, a plurality of flow directing vances disposed in the fuel passageway to direct the fuel in the fuel passageway circumferentially. In the propulsion system, the fuel travels a longer path through the passageway, and the residence time of fuel in the passageway is increased to promote heat transfer to the fuel in the passageway. A plurality of fuel injection holes in the combustor liner are also arranged so that fuel is injected into the combustion chamber in a direction which promotes circumferential motion of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: George A. Coffinberry
  • Patent number: 4833881
    Abstract: A new and improved gas turbine engine augmentor including a liner having a film-coolable first portion joined to a convection-coolable second portion is disclosed. A cooling gas, such as fan bypass air, is channeled to the liner for film cooling the first portion and providing a residual cooling film to the second portion. The second portion is also convection coolable by air passing over an outer surface thereof. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the augmentor liner also includes a screech portion disposed at an upstream end of the first portion and downstream of a flameholder. The screech portion includes a substantially imperforate outer wall and an inner wall spaced therefrom which define a manifold therebetween. The inner wall includes a plurality of apertures in flow communication with the combustion zone. The manifold and apertures are effective for suppressing screech while substantially preventing the leakage of cooling air therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John W. Vdoviak, Chester J. Lamando, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4835394
    Abstract: A cable assembly for an electrical signal transmission system comprises a plurality of elongated conductors, a conductive shield surrounding each conductor, and a dielectric layer between each shield and its respective conductor. The shielded conductors are embedded in a dielectric material and the dielectric material is wrapped in a double conductive shield. Adhesive layers are located between the double shield and the dielectric material and between the two shields making up the double shield. This cable assembly results in a signal transmission apparatus which has increased immunity to the effects of external electromagnetic fields, electrostatic charge, and mechanical vibration. It is particularly useful in transmitting low level signals produced by ionization detectors used in X-ray inspection apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Douglas S. Steele
  • Patent number: 4832568
    Abstract: An assembly for mounting a plurality of circumferentially spaced and radially extending airfoils. In a preferred embodiment the assembly comprises a plurality of arcuate mounting fairings each including a central boss having at least one radially extending recess disposed in a radially inner surface thereof which contains an elastomeric boot for receiving an end of one of the plurality of airfoils. The mounting fairing further includes integral first and second flanges extending circumferentially outwardly from opposite sides of the boss portion which overlap complementary second and first flanges, respectively, of adjacent mounting fairings. Fastening means connect the first and second flanges of adjacent mounting fairings to form a continuous annular shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert H. Roth, Bruno G. Lampsat, Jack L. Readnour
  • Patent number: 4829813
    Abstract: The Mach number M.sub.o of flow in the intake nozzle or bypass duct of a gas turbine aircraft engine is determined from the acoustic impedance of a Helmholtz resonator to an engine fan-stator sound source. Pressure measurements P.sub.1 (t) and P.sub.2 (t), made nonintrusively at the duct wall surface and resonator cavity bottom are subjected to Fourier analysis to give P.sub.1 (f) and P.sub.2 (f), and acoustic impedance for the flow is determined from a complex transfer function H.sub.12. Flow Mach number is then established using known acoustic impedance/Mach number correlation relationships or a stored look-up table. An alternative embodiment, utilizes a sound source mounted in the Helmholtz resonator bottom and determines Mach number by pressure measurements made at spaced locations on the resonator chamber wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Asif A. Syed
  • Patent number: 4830934
    Abstract: An improved mixture of alloy powders is provied for use in treating a preselected article alloy, for example, to repair or join multiple components of the article. The mixture has at least three distinct groups of alloy powders which together define a mixture composition range, with each alloy powder of the groups characterized by a composition and melting range different from the others and from the article alloy. In a preferred form, the mixture composition range comprises, by weight, 15-30% Cr, 1.5-6% W, 0.4-4% Al, 1-11% Ti, 1-6% Ta, up to 1.5% B, up to 0.5% Si, up to 0.2% Zr, up to 3% Mo, up to 0.3% Hf, up to 6% Cb, up to 2% Re, with the balance selected from Co and Ni along with incidental impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen J. Ferrigno, Mark Somerville, William R. Young
  • Patent number: 4826400
    Abstract: A turbomachinary airfoil in one form comprises a pressure side and a suction side curved circumferentially outward in the direction that the suction side faces. The invention is effective for reducing both radial and circumferential boundary layer pressure gradients thereby reducing airfoil aerodynamic losses. In another form of the invention the airfoil is a vane of a turbine vane assembly having an inner and outer shroud wherein the vane in addition to being curved is leaned circumferentially outward in the direction that the suction side faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Brent A. Gregory
  • Patent number: 4826451
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly for use with a nuclear power plant pressurizer heater includes an external metal shell having a base end and a connection end with a header located internally of the shell intermediate the two ends. Connector pins extend from end to end of the shell passing through apertures in the header. About the pins there is placed a high voltage insulator such as a ceramic material extending on either side of the header. The base end of the connector is filled with an insulative reinforcement material completely surrounding the pins. The connection end is filled with a granular thermally stable insulative material and closed by connection to a heater assembly. The base end of the connector may also include an external flexible covering of insulative material to further protect the pins and reinforcement material from hydroscopic contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Charles R. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 4825648
    Abstract: A turbofan engine having a power generating portion of the engine supporting a fan and surrounded by a cowl. The cowl is split with the two sections being arcuate and hinged so that they can pivotally open for access and removability of the power generating portion of the engine. The split cowl is supported directly from a support pylon whereby there is no fan frame required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Arthur P. Adamson
  • Patent number: 4821193
    Abstract: In a two-channel control system for a gas turbine engine, the occurrence of a fault in the engine causes the control system to switch from one channel to the other. If it is found that neither channel is operative, the invention terminates fuel delivery, thus stopping the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John H. Barber, Curtis L. Brown, Vernon R. Duncan, Carl E. Knox, Roderick D. Owen
  • Patent number: 4817890
    Abstract: An aircraft having a propulsion system which utilizes a dual fuel system having an inner tank for containing a cryogenic fuel and an outer tank surrounding the inner tank for containing a second fuel wherein the second fuel is a fuel having a low freezing point and a high boiling point which acts as an insulator for the cryogenic fuel in the inner tank. Both the inner tank and the outer tank are non-vacuum type tanks, and by surrounding the inner tank containing for example, liquid hydrogen, with pre-cooled liquid and/or gaseous hydrocarbon in the outer tank, excessive boil-off of the liquid hydrogen is prevented at high altitudes. By using this propulsion system and method, the outer wall of the outer tank is the skin of the aircraft, and the shape of the outer wall of the outer tank conforms to the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: George A. Coffinberry
  • Patent number: 4818118
    Abstract: In the present invention, a discrete region of the TBC is heated, as by applying a controlled quantity of laser energy onto the region for a time interval. Then, the radiant thermal energy of a region outside the laser strike region is measured at a predetermined time following the termination of the laser pulse. The intensity of this measured radiant energy is then compared with the radiant intensities which have been experimentally obtained from known thickness specimens and the thickness is inferred therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas E. Bantel, David F. Lahrman, John F. Halase, III
  • Patent number: 4817378
    Abstract: A plurality of circumferentially displaced hollow members are positioned between an outer bypass duct and the center body of the core engine. Each of the hollow members is open at the radially outward end thereof for receiving relatively cool gas from the bypass duct. Each hollow member is formed with an opening in the side thereof extending substantially the full length of the hollow member near the trailing edge thereof for discharging bypass gas from the bypass duct in a direction facilitating thorough mixing of the bypass gas and core gases. A pivoted vane is provided in this opening of each of the hollow members and these vanes are controlled to vary the airflow through the aforementioned openings. Radially extending spraybars or fuel rods are provided within each hollow member adjacent opposite sides thereof so as to be cooled by the bypass air flowing through the hollow member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rollin G. Giffin, III, Ivan E. Woltmann, Donald P. McHugh
  • Patent number: 4815928
    Abstract: In one form of the present invention, turbine cooling air is modulated as a function of engine speed, altitude, and blade temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Frederick J. Pineo, Jose T. Alvarez
  • Patent number: 4816729
    Abstract: This application deals with apparatus for calibrating an automated machining apparatus. The calibration apparatus comprises a tool probe and a system accuracy check gauge rigidly fixed to the workpiece loading mechanism of the machining apparatus. This arrangement allows variations in the locations of the cutting edges of the tools used in the machining apparatus to be taken into account in the machining operation and also allows checking of the dimensional and positional accuracy of the machining apparatus against a precisely known reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John C. Carlson