Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Nathan D. Herkamp
  • Patent number: 6612809
    Abstract: The present invention provides a seal for a gas turbine engine, comprising an annular ring with an L-shaped cross-section having a radially extending leg and an axially extending leg. A plurality of corrugations are formed in the axial leg so as to make it compliant in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Paul Czachor, Tod Kenneth Bosel
  • Patent number: 6609282
    Abstract: A device for installing a bolt retainer onto a bolt includes a support bar and a handle attached to the support bar. A retainer dispensing assembly mounted to the support bar includes a rail capable of holding a number of bolt retainers thereon. A retainer seat is attached to the support bar, and the retainer seat and retainer dispensing assembly are relatively positioned so that the retainer dispensing assembly delivers bolt retainers to the retainer seat. A slide member is slidingly mounted in a channel in the support arm. The slide member slides between a first position in which it engages a bolt retainer on the retainer seat and a second position in which it drives the bolt retainer onto a bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Thomas Morrissey, Louis Francis Zukowski
  • Patent number: 6606863
    Abstract: Apparatus for simplification of engine core removal for maintenance of gas turbine engines. Ordinarily, to remove a high-pressure compressor in a twin-spool engine, many components of the engine must be removed, such as parts of a booster, in order to gain access to a mounting nut which is threaded onto a shaft supporting the high-pressure compressor. The removal is necessary because the nut must be extracted from the engine after disengagement from the shaft. Under the invention, this removal-of-components is largely eliminated, by providing a stowage location for the nut within the engine. The nut is removed, and then threaded onto a set of threads specifically provided for storage of the nut, and for nothing else.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Larry Wayne Napier
  • Patent number: 6607165
    Abstract: A mount for mounting an aircraft engine to an aircraft includes a mounting frame having first and second flanges spaced apart a predetermined distance. Each of the first and second flanges has a bolt hole formed therein. A single thrust link is connected at one end to the mounting frame and at another end to the engine and serves as the primary axial loadpath for the engine. A lug formed on the engine casing is disposed between the first and second flanges and has a thickness that is less than the distance between the first and second flanges. The lug also has a bolt hole formed therein. A bolt extends through the bolt holes in the first and second flanges and the lug to connect the lug to the first and second flanges. The bolt hole in the lug is larger in diameter than the bolt to allow the lug to slide axially along the bolt. The first and second flanges, the lug and the bolt provide a waiting failsafe arrangement for reacting axial loads upon failure of the single thrust link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Alan Manteiga, Christopher James Wilusz, Cornelius Harm Dykhuizen
  • Patent number: 6607356
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil includes pressure and suction sidewalls having first and second flow channels disposed therebetween and separated by a longitudinally extending bridge. The bridge includes a row of inlet holes, and a row of outlet holes extends from the second channel toward the trailing edge of the airfoil. A row of turbulator ribs is disposed inside the second channel along the pressure sidewall and are longitudinally elongate and substantially colinear. The ribs face the inlet holes for crossover impingement cooling from the air channeled therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Francis Manning, Mohammad Esmail Taslim
  • Patent number: 6595748
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil having a leading edge flow chamber disposed behind a leading edge in front of a pair of side channels. The leading edge channel receives coolant from the pressure side channel in isolation from the suction side channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Allen Flodman, Bhanu Mahasamudram Reddy, Mark Douglas Gledhill
  • Patent number: 6591613
    Abstract: A fuel control system for a gas turbine engine includes logic that is used to facilitate enhanced compressor stall margin when the engine is operating in potential icing conditions is described. The fuel control system is coupled to at least one fuel regulator within the engine, and receives input from a plurality of sensors coupled to the engine. More specifically, the system receives input from environmental sensors, as well as inputs representing compressor inlet temperature, compressor discharge pressure, and corrected core engine speed. Furthermore, the fuel control system also receives input from the other engine fuel regulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventor: James William Simunek
  • Patent number: 6592287
    Abstract: An assembly of parts is prepared by providing a female part having a recess and a male part having an inserted surface received within the recess. A relief pattern such as knurling is formed on the inserted surface. The inserted surface of the male part is inserted into the recess of the female part with a contacting-channeled fit between the inserted surface and the recess surface, so that the knurl serves to align the inserted surface within the recess. The inserted surface of the male part is brazed or otherwise joined to the recess of the female part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael P. Hagle, Gilbert Farmer
  • Patent number: 6584762
    Abstract: A fuel control system for an aircraft gas turbine engine that includes a thrust augmentation system. An augmentor fuel pump is arranged to provide pressurized fuel to an exhaust nozzle throat area actuation system to eliminate the need for a separate hydraulic pump to provide pressurized fluid for exhaust nozzle actuation. An augmentor fuel bypass arrangement is provided to enable the augmentor fuel pump to provide pressurized fuel to the main fuel pressurizing valve and to components operated by the main fuel system in the event of failure of the main fuel pump. The augmentor fuel pump pressure and output flow are controlled as a function of thrust augmentation demand and main fuel system operation. The system provides redundancy by enabling either the main fuel system or the augmentor fuel system to maintain engine operation if one of the fuel systems fails or provides inadequate fuel flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Barton Hunter Snow, Mitchell Donald Smith
  • Patent number: 6585482
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor rotor assembly which directs air at a sufficient pressure and temperature to a downstream turbine for cooling. The compressor assembly includes a compressor including an impeller and a cooling circuit. The impeller includes an exit, an inlet, and a body extending therebetween. The impeller body includes a first opening positioned a distance from the impeller exit. The cooling circuit extends between the compressor and the turbine and is in flow communication with the impeller opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Gary Charles Liotta, Robert Francis Manning, Robert John Parks
  • Patent number: 6581386
    Abstract: A combustor baffle includes an outer tube with external threads and a heat shield at opposite ends thereof. An inner tube is disposed inside the outer tube in a unitary assembly therewith. The outer tube is retained in a combustor dome by a retention nut, and the inner tube supports an air swirler with a brazed joint therewith. The brazed joint permits sacrifice of the baffle during disassembly for access to the threaded joint for final disassembly without damage to the dome or air swirler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Craig Douglas Young, Paul James Ogden
  • Patent number: 6579010
    Abstract: A retainer nut for use in a bearing assembly disposed between a shaft and another structural element does not trap metallic chips from a failing bearing. The bearing assembly includes a first race mounted to the shaft, a second race mounted to the structural element, and a plurality of bearing elements disposed between the first and second races. The retainer nut is attached to the shaft and includes a cylindrical ring portion and an annular flange disposed on one end of the ring portion. The flange extends radially inward from the ring portion, and a plurality of openings is formed through the flange for allowing metallic chips to freely pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Kelly Trapp, Michael John Halligan, Thomas De Witt Woodrow, Giridhar Namala
  • Patent number: 6579061
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes segments of outer and inner bands supporting corresponding vane pairs. The bands adjoin each other at corresponding ends along splitlines, with each band having a forward land, an opposite aft land, and a middle land extending therebetween. The forward lands have a nominal aft-facing step, the aft lands have a nominal forward-facing step and the middle lands are nominally flush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Peter Heyward, Robert Ingram Ackerman, Gregory Alan White
  • Patent number: 6578794
    Abstract: A method for sensing and reacting to jet engine fan speed in excess of a fan speed computed from an aircraft throttle input is disclosed. Engine fan speeds are detected by adding test conditions to a main central processing unit (CPU) and adding test conditions to an independent overspeed module to provide additional protection from main CPU computational errors. Interpretation of sensor data relating to engine speed may initiate a modeling routine for sensor data. Comparison of measured/computed sensor data to desired conditions using logic and data tables is a used. If an anomaly is detected, engine fuel cutback devices are engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Aidan William Clark, Hans Max Ortlepp
  • Patent number: 6579065
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of radially extending and circumferentially spaced rotor blades and a seal. Each of the blades includes a platform including a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface. The platform radially outer surface defines a surface for fluid flowing thereover. The seal includes at least one hollow member coupled to each rotor blade platform radially inner surface that is configured to reduce fluid flow through a gap defined between adjacent rotor blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Matthew Alban Scott, Jay L. Cornell, Robert Russell Grant
  • Patent number: 6578361
    Abstract: An apparatus is coupled to a gas turbine engine that includes a plurality of engine cavity drains. The apparatus includes a manifold block and a lower seal plate. The manifold block includes a plurality of indicators, and is coupled to the gas turbine engine such that each indicator is in flow communication with a respective engine drain. The lower seal plate is coupled to the manifold block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Jarvis Gerard Higginbotham, Robert David Perry
  • Patent number: 6568079
    Abstract: A replacement method facilitates replacing of a portion of a combustor liner within a gas turbine engine combustor in a cost-effective and reliable manner. The combustor includes a combustion zone that is defined by an inner and an outer liner. The inner and outer liners each include a series of panels and a plurality of nuggets formed by adjacent panels. The method includes the steps of cutting between an outer surface and an inner surface of at least one liner panel, removing at least one panel that is adjacent the area of the liner that was cut, and installing a replacement panel into the combustor for each panel that was removed from the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gilbert Farmer, David Bruce Patterson, Steven Allen Stiverson, James Michael Caldwell, Edward John Emilianowicz, Jeffrey Michael Martini
  • Patent number: 6568909
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip plate, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall. The first sidewall extends in radial span between an airfoil root and the tip plate. Furthermore, the first sidewall defines a pressure side of the airfoil. The second sidewall is connected to the first sidewall at the leading and trailing edges, and extends in radial span between the airfoil root and the tip plate. The second sidewall defines a suction side of the airfoil. The tip plate includes at least one groove that extends substantially between the first and second sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter Nicholas Szucs, Gregory Scott McNulty, Syed Arif Khalid, David William Crall
  • Patent number: 6561761
    Abstract: A compressor flowpath includes circumferentially spaced apart airfoils having axially spaced apart leading and trailing edges and radially spaced apart outer and inner ends. An outer wall bridges the airfoil outer ends, and an inner wall bridges the inner ends. One of the walls includes a flute adjacent the leading edges for locally increasing flow area thereat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John J. Decker, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
  • Patent number: 6561760
    Abstract: A booster compressor includes inlet guide vanes supported from a shroud. A shell surrounds the shroud and defines a manifold. A splitter nose includes a groove receiving a forward tang of the shroud with a clearance therebetween defining an outlet for the manifold. Hot air is channeled through the manifold and out the splitter nose for deicing thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aspi Rustom Wadia, Kenneth Edward Seitzer, Harjit Singh Hura, Frank Worthoff, Raymond Gust Holm, Eric Pierre Masse, Jason Corey Slagle