Abstract: A segmented seal plate supporting a brush seal mounted in the space between the compressor and turbine and bearing against the shaft of a microturbine engine form a barrier in this cavity and serves to control flow in this space. A plurality of circumferentially spaced discretely sized holes in the seal plate judiciously located above the brush seal bearing against the shaft interconnecting the back-to-back mounted compressor/turbine controls the amount of cooling air so that the combination of the brush seal, segmented plate and discretely sized holes controls the leakage from the compressor of each engine of a given model and controls cooling flow to the turbine for reducing efficiency scatter from engine to engine.

Abstract: This is a method for fabricating non rotating stator vanes that can be configured into a fixed stator vane or dam by forming a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes extending from the peripheral edge(s) of an annular portion which portion is sacrificial in that after assembly it is removed. Assembling the vanes so that they are sandwiched between side plates and securing them in place. Thereafter removing the sacrificial portion. In one embodiment the vanes can be on the outer peripheral edge, in another embodiment the vanes can be on the inner peripheral edge or in a third embodiment the vanes can be on both edges. After assembly the fluid flowing between vanes are bounded by the side faces of the side plates. Hence in operation, fluid is bounded by adjacent vanes and the side plates. The vanes/side plates made by this method can also be formed in a linear configuration.

Abstract: The flow path of the exhaust of a recuperator of a microturbine engine system is routed to insulate the turbine exhaust in the recuperator. The recuperator is encapsulated for defining a passage for flowing the exhaust over the outer diameter of the recuperator so as to insulate the heat within the recuperator. A by-pass system that is operable mechanically or automatically directs turbine exhaust to by-pass the recuperator is disclosed in another embodiment. The by-pass serves to trim the efficiencies of the original manufactured microturbine engines so that all the engines attain a given preselected matching efficiency level. The by-pass can also be utilized to control the temperature of a boiler, chiller or other elements incorporated in the microturbine system by controlling the turbine exhaust to by-pass the recuperator.

Abstract: A ball bearing construction including a plurality of balls supported in a cage and each ball within a row is off-set relative to each other. In certain applications the rolling surface of the balls bear against the rotating shaft and the case enclosing the bearing. The number of balls and the number of rows are predicated on the particular application. This invention is particularly efficacious for use for medical instruments. In other embodiments an inner race and/or outer race can be utilized with this configured balls and cage.

Abstract: Unadulterated and natural honey is packaged in a template by providing a plurality of templates formed from planar wood members that are vertically installed in a box-like container mounted above a beehive and providing a recess in the planar wood member that is closed on the bottom face by a wax foundation sheet where passageways lead the worker bees and excludes the queen bee to the recess for depositing the honey. The template is removed from the box-like container and installed in a box or package for retail sales and obviating the necessity of transporting the honey from the beehive to the processing plant and avoiding the steps of centrifuging and heating.

Abstract: A direct fired absorption chiller is combined with a microturbine engine that operates to power another medium includes a by-pass valve interconnecting the discharge end of the recuperator and the discharge end of the turbine so as to maintain a constant heat delivered to the chiller. A temperature monitoring sensor actuates the by-pass valve to assure that the proper heat is maintained in the chiller. In the preferred embodiment the microturbine powers an electrical generating system.

Abstract: A journal bearing for a high speed surgical drill and/or attachment for rotatably supporting a cutter is made from a polymer of polyimide resin and graphite material and is designed to have a polygon configured bore where there are two point contact of the mating surfaces of the bore walls and cutter's shaft and preferably the bore is square shaped in cross section. This bearing results in a decrease in the envelope size of the support tube and hence, the overall diameter of the surgical instrument at the distal end enhances the line of vision of the cutter to the surgeon when the surgeon is performing surgical procedures. The entrance ends of the intermediate bearings are countersunk to define a ramp to ease the egress of the tool bit shaft for entering the tube of the drill motor or drill attachment during the assembly thereof.

Abstract: A high speed surgical instrument is designed with a clutch that automatically locks a cutter which is easily assembled and disassembled without moving parts. The clutch includes a pin and U-shaped pin that compliments a configured groove section at the proximal end of a cutter that fits into a clutch mechanism in the drill or attachment. The cutter includes axially spaced and opposed grooves judiciously located and a flat end portion that allows easy ingress and egress for locking into the clutch mechanism. A square or multi-sided bore configuration of a journal type bearing made from a high temperature resistance polymer material allows the drill to operate at high speeds with a reduction in the diameter of the distal end of the cutter support.

Abstract: Air tubes are circumferentially spaced around the outer liner of an annular combustor for a microturbine engine in proximity to and downstream of a dam extending into the combustion chamber for reducing the emission of NOX. The air tubes are dimensioned so that the length to passage diameter is such that a swirling motion of the air injected into the combustion zone is normal to the center line of the annular combustor.

Abstract: The compressor discharge air that normally leaks from the high pressure compressor hub and a portion of the compressor discharge air that is utilized for component cooling, is re-routed to by-pass the engine's TOBI to flow into a manifold defined by the stator support structure and a foot of the first turbine vane to the inner diameter platform of the first turbine vane of the high pressure turbine section to cool the aft end thereof before being discharged into the engine's main gaseous stream.

Abstract: A hand support and writing, drawing or painting instrument holder adapted to fit the hand of the user including a main body adapted to fit between the index and middle fingers and a laterally extending thumb support member for supporting the thumb of the user. A concave groove at the upper edge of the laterally extending thumb support accepts the interior of the fore finger and sleeves made from a soft material surrounds the writing, drawing or painting instrument to assure comfort to the user. The writing, drawing or painting instrument fits through a central passage in the main body and is rigidly supported therein to hold the hand spatially away from the writing surface. The movement of the arm provides the writing motion and no pinching pressure of the thumb and fingers are required. A concave groove at the bottom edge of the laterally extending thumb support is provided so that the instrument can be used by either a right or left handed person merely by inverting the instrument.

Abstract: A bicycle carrier primarily designed for transporting an off-road bicycle by a motor vehicle is designed to fit onto the trailer hitch of the motor vehicle. A channel member is supported to a support member and a cross member that fits into the trailer hitch and an upstanding post with a plurality of holes for receiving a locking pin. A locking arm is slidably mounted on the vertical post and when the bicycle is guided onto the channel member the locking arm is positioned downwardly with sufficient force to arm the shocking system of the bicycle and preload the bicycle to the carrier.

Abstract: A convergent type of spray gun is made portable by miniaturizing the components with the addition of a double tube, fluid tip and air cap for defining the discharge nozzle for the liquid resin and atomizing air. The dry powdered nozzle is likewise miniaturized and is adapted to fit over the double tube, fluid tip and air cap arrangement by including a sleeve disposed therebetween. The main body is configured in either an L-shape or straight-through configuration. Although the component parts are miniaturized, the spray gun is capable of flowing coating mixture at the same rate as the larger version convergent spray gun.

Abstract: In one embodiment a hand operated machine for making curly ribbon products comprises a rotary drum that includes a station to attach the uncurled ribbons (more than one), a cutting station to cut the curled ribbons, and a stapling station to staple the ribbons together or to a card, ribbon, or the like. A handle is provided to rotate the drum and a fixed curling mechanism mounted downstream of the drum serves to curl the ribbon as the drum rotates to place the ribbon in contact with the curling mechanism. In another embodiment the machine is automated and includes a drum that has the same stations. The attaching station includes a pair of jaws that are sequentially movable one relative to the other and together to attain attaching the ribbons to the drum for the first cycle, detaching the ribbon during the first cycle and attaching the succeeding ribbon used in the next cycle for mass producing the curly ribbon product.

Abstract: A mechanism that steers a high energy density output(s) in a shaking motion other than a rotating motion that when translated across a surface evenly affects the surface. One application can be used as an end effector. A pivot on the mechanism induces an angular motion that eliminates the tops and bottoms of the pattern produced by the shaking motion. As a waterjet stripping mechanism which may be an end effector, a nozzle or output manifold with one or more orifices or outputs is attached to a non-rotating tube eccentrically mounted within a rotating tube that shakes the nozzle or output manifold so as to direct the stream of water to the target in a skewed circular pattern.

Abstract: Vanes of the type for directing a fluid radially are fabricated by forming the vanes integrally to a support structure made from a sacrificial material which is removed in assembly so that the vanes are supported for operative use. In one embodiment, the vanes are formed in the dams of an annular burner by preforming the vanes supported to a disk; the vanes and disk apparatus is fitted to side plates which are then brazed together and the disk portion and complementary side plate portions are removed, for defining the dam that is affixed to the liner of the annular combustor. Other configurations are contemplated that are tailored to fit the intended embodiment. The vane and support portion made from a sacrificial material constitute an apparatus of this invention.

Abstract: An oxide and coating removal system includes a mobile gantry or transport system supporting an end effector and high energy waterjet rotating nozzles judiciously located relative to the surface of the vehicle and includes positioning mechanism for locating the nozzle discretely relative to the vehicle. An environmentally safe system serves to re-claim the effluent by removing the contaminated particles and returning the re-claimed water to the pumping system.

Abstract: A cutter for a surgical drill and/or attachment includes a configured groove section at the proximal end that fits into a clutch mechanism in the drill or attachment. The distal end portion is flattened at above the center line and extends axially a short distance and defines a shoulder with the outer circumference of the shaft of the cutter. A pair of diametrically grooves disposed downstream of the shoulder toward the distal end are formed on the upper and lower portion of the shaft and are oriented in a horizontal plane passing through the center of the flat portion and include in each of the grooves a pair of predetermined angular grooves displaced from the upper circumferential surface with the apex of the angle being in the horizontal plane and another groove adjacent to and upstream of the shoulder toward the proximate end with a predetermined angle with the apex passing through the horizontal plane.

Abstract: The combination of a case enclosed sprinkler and shut-off valve having the dual function of shutting off the flow of water to a case enclosed sprinkler so that case enclosed sprinkler can be removed from the case enclosed sprinkler system or zone for replacement, repair, maintenance and the like and the insertion and removal of the case enclosed sprinkler operates to open and close the shut-off valve. The shut-off valve has infinite settings so that it can be utilized as a metering valve to limit the flow of water entering the case enclosed sprinkler. In another embodiment, an adapter mechanism can be utilized in combination with the shut-off valve to obtain water from the system when desired.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant coating to protect metallic and polymeric composite surfaces from corrosion and water promoted deterioration that is environmentally safe and non-toxic and is applied in one coat without the use of a primer is provided. The coating comprises a tough, flexible polyurethane binder and a corrosion inhibiting pigment selected from the group consisting of zinc hydroxy phosphite, zinc phosphate, calcium ion-exchanged silica, calcium strontium zinc phosphosilicate. The coating is effective in protecting both aluminum and steel surfaces against corrosion in salt spray environments and in protecting polymeric composite materials such as ablative coatings used in aerospace against deterioration after exposure to water.