Patents Examined by Christopher M. Verdier
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Patent number: 5226805Abstract: A windmill includes a hub assembly (13) connected to a shaft (3) and having a plurality of blades (6) extending therefrom. Each blade comprises an inner section (6a) hingeably connected to a hub member (14) along a first axis (8) and an outer section (6b) hingeably connected to the inner portion along a second hinge axis (7) extending from a point on the trailing edge (11) of the blade adjacent the first hinge axis to a point on the leading edge (12) remote from the first hinge axis. The blades are resiliently biased towards a rest position wherein the inner section of each blade lies in a plane at an angle to the plane of rotation of the blades and the outer sections extend outwardly in a plane at an angle to the plane of the inner section and at a pitch angle to the plane of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 1992Date of Patent: July 13, 1993Assignee: Proven Engineering Products LimitedInventor: Gordon Proven
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Patent number: 5207559Abstract: An improved variable geometry diffuser assembly is provided. This assembly includes a variety of features that reduce the leakage and improve the precision within the assembly. These features include: sealing disks mounted to the vane; cantilevered vanes mounted for rotation to coolside diffuser wall only, thereby reducing the effects of thermal growth on the assembly; and self lubricating, non-metallic bushings for supporting the various components in the assembly thereby reducing friction and any need for lubrication. Each vane is coupled to a single unison ring through an arm member also employing non-metallic bushings.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1991Date of Patent: May 4, 1993Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.Inventors: Lloyd L. Clevenger, John D. Sullivan
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Patent number: 5207560Abstract: A multi-stage centrifugal pump wherein a casing surrounds an impeller and a fluid flow guiding insert in each pump stage. The casing is made of a ferritic material, and the inserts are made of an austenitic material. The casing defines with each insert a first clearance wherein a cylindrical surface of the casing is surrounded by a cylindrical surface of the respective insert so that the width of the clearance increases in response to heating of the inserts and of the casing at the respective first clearances. The casing further defines with each insert a second clearance which is disposed radially outwardly of the respective first clearance and wherein a frustoconical surface of the casing surrounds a complementary frustoconical surface of the respective insert so that the width of each second clearance decreases in response to heating of the casing and of the inserts at the respective second clearances.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 1991Date of Patent: May 4, 1993Assignee: KSB AktiengesellschaftInventor: Jorg Urban
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Patent number: 5203873Abstract: An impingement-cooled gas turbine blade includes an impingement baffle which, during engine operation, is subject only to shear loading. A tubular baffle body is provided with a pair of mounting flanges which are bonded between a forward portion of the turbine blade and an aft portion of the turbine blade. The bond extends from the blade dovetail to the blade tip.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1991Date of Patent: April 20, 1993Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert J. Corsmeier, Harvey M. MacLin
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Patent number: 5201850Abstract: A rotor includes a disc having a plurality of blades extending therefrom. The blades include tip shrouds, each having first and second axial ends, and first and second circumferential faces. The first and second faces of adjacent tip shrouds are spaced from each other to define gaps therebetween. The first and second ends each include U-shaped slots, each having an arcuate damper wire disposed therein. The slots are aligned generally parallel to an axial centerline axis of the rotor for allowing ease of manufacture and assembly while providing effective frictional damping by the damper wires urged by centrifugal force against the slots.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 1991Date of Patent: April 13, 1993Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christopher H. Lenhardt, Carl Grant, Chellappa Balan
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Patent number: 5195868Abstract: A heat shield mechanism for thermally protecting a casing located in a turbine engine having a plurality of honeycomb cells which are connected to a support plate. A spring in contact with the support plate and in contact with a vane liner exerts a force on the support plate which causes at least one of the plurality of honeycomb cells to be pressed against the casing.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1991Date of Patent: March 23, 1993Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Larry W. Plemmons, Mark S. Rocklin, Jay A. Benson
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Patent number: 5185217Abstract: A relatively displacing apparatus including a movable member and a stationary member which has a coating layer disposed adjacent to the movable member, formed by flame spray coating and including at least one selected from the group consisting of hexagonal system boron nitride and ceric oxide. Since the coating layer is easily machined with the movable member, the coating layer comes to have a surface generated by machining with the movable member and the clearance between the movable member and the stationary member is made zero (0) substantially when the movable member and the stationary member displace relatively at a high temperature. Thus, the efficiency of the relatively displacing apparatus has improved. In addition, since the coating layer has a high thermal shock resistance, the durability of the relatively displacing apparatus has improved.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 1990Date of Patent: February 9, 1993Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Noritaka Miyamoto, Takashi Tomoda
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Patent number: 5178520Abstract: A centrifugal or rotary double pump has a singular circular casing surmounting two motors driving individual rotors within the casing. Above a flat side of the casing is attachable to the device serviced by the double pump and receives an insert defining the inlet and outlet apertures and within the housing, defining two pump units each in conjunction with the respective rotor.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 1991Date of Patent: January 12, 1993Assignee: Wilo-Werk GmbH & Co. Pumpen- und ApparatebauInventor: Gunter Strelow
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Patent number: 5178513Abstract: Turbine nozzle phasing device for controlling a flow of gasses to a plurality of nozzles in response to a control signal. The turbine nozzle phasing device includes a housing having a lower portion which includes a first plenum for receiving the flow of hot gasses and an upper portion which includes a second plenum integral with the first plenum, a detachable partition for separating the first plenum from the second plenum and a first nozzle which communicates with the first plenum. Hot gasses flowing into the first plenum flows through the first nozzle. A set of second nozzles is provided which communicates with the second plenum. Partition detaching apparatus is also included for detaching the detachable partition in response to the control signal to permit a portion of the hot gasses flowing into the first plenum to flow into the second plenum and through the set of second nozzles.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1991Date of Patent: January 12, 1993Assignee: Sundstrand CorporationInventors: William C. Trommer, Gary D. Nohr
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Patent number: 5176497Abstract: An improved compressor wheel assembly for a a turbocharger or the like includes a centrifugal compressor wheel having a boreless hub to substantially improve wheel fatigue life. The compressor wheel is formed as by casting from an aluminum alloy to include an integral mounting sleeve extending coaxially from the boreless hub and adapted for connection as by threading with a turbocharger shaft. An annular spacer ring of wear resistant material is mounted on the wheel mounting sleeve and defines wear resistant surfaces for supporting one or more seal rings within the bore of a compressor backplate opening, and for axially engaging an adjacent thrust bearing unit associated with the turbocharger shaft.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 1991Date of Patent: January 5, 1993Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.Inventors: Edwin R. Deacon, William R. Swihart, Jonathan R. Heim
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Patent number: 5174189Abstract: A fluid control apparatus which communicates a fluid cylinder with a fluid supply passage and a return passage, and a piston of the fluid cylinder is connected to a spoiler of an airplane.The fluid control apparatus comprises a hydraulic passage and a check valve. The hydraulic passage is capable of communicating with cylinder chambers located at both sides of the piston. The check valve is opened by hydraulic pressure generated by backward movement of the piston.The fluid control apparatus has a blow down valve characteristic so that the piston is allowed to move only in one direction by an external force when supply of fluid to the actuator is stopped because at least one of the supply passage and the return passage is damaged.The fluid control apparatus further has a retainer and a manually operable member.The retainer communicates the return passage with the hydraulic passage capable of communicating with cylinder chambers of the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 1991Date of Patent: December 29, 1992Assignee: Teijin Seiki Co., Ltd.Inventor: Toshio Kamimura
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Patent number: 5174713Abstract: A circumferential flow type fuel pump has an impeller rotated by engagement between a hole in the impeller and a rotating shaft having a diameter smaller than that of the hole. The center ofthe hole is eccentric with respect to the center of the impeller in accordance with the difference between the diameter of the hole and the diameter in section of the rotating shaft, so that the center of the impeller coincides with the center of the rotating shaft during rotation of the impeller.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1991Date of Patent: December 29, 1992Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shingo Iwai, Hiroshi Yoshioka
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Patent number: 5174714Abstract: A heat shield mechanism for shielding a structure in a turbine engine having a sheet metal backing which is bonded to a plurality of honeycomb cells aligned in a radially outward manner toward a casing. The honeycomb cells and sheet metal backing form a heat shield which acts as a vortex destroyer by eliminating fluid flow around the turbine structure.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1991Date of Patent: December 29, 1992Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Larry W. Plemmons, John R. Hess
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Patent number: 5174719Abstract: Drag produced by cold, viscous oil, interacting with the gear meshes of a gear drive (8) connected to a ram air turbine (2) of an aircraft (1), is controlled to allow proper start-up of the ram air turbine. The lubricating oil is isolated from the gear meshes in remote sumps (11, 12) when the turbine is located in the stowed, inoperative position. An oil metering orifice controls the oil flow from the remote sumps to gearbox sumps with movement of the turbine from the stowed position (A) to the deployed position (B), so as to delay the application of cold, viscous coil to the gear meshes until after start-up of the turbine. This avoids excessive start times and failure to start from the high drag caused by cold, viscous oil on the gear meshes.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 1991Date of Patent: December 29, 1992Assignee: Sundstrand CorporationInventors: Richard E. Walsh, Craig S. Legault
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Patent number: 5171128Abstract: An improved centrifugal fan wheel adapted to receive a flow medium for radially accelerated discharge by plurality radially extending impeller blades. A plurality of flow medium passage channels are positioned radially inwardly of an outer extent of the fan wheel to improve the efficiency of the fan. The flow medium passage channels are defined by alternating cutouts disposed between adjacent blades about the outer extent of a fan wheel back plate.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 1991Date of Patent: December 15, 1992Assignee: Twin City Fan & Blower Co.Inventors: Richard D. Williamson, Michael J. Franklin
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Patent number: 5168626Abstract: A pump drip collector is easily provided to a pump housing of a particular shape. A cylindrical drum of L-shaped cross section, incapable of serving as a drip collector by itself, is adapted to be freely pressed over a cylindrical protrusion from a flat face of the pump housing. When a circular end edge of the drum engages the face, it is spun welded in place. Thereafter, the drum and pump face together provide a complete drip collector. The drum may also pilot on the outside of the protrusion to maintain concentricity during the spinning process.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 1991Date of Patent: December 8, 1992Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Ronald L. Dorski, Steven F. Baker
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Patent number: 5169286Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement on a centrifugal pump including: a casing defining an inlet path extending at the axial portion thereof, a turbine chamber communicating with the inlet path, and an outlet path disposed at the outer periphery portion of the turbine chamber; a drive shaft rotatably held in the casing; and a turbine fixed on the drive shaft and disposed rotatably in the turbine chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 1992Date of Patent: December 8, 1992Assignees: Yutaka Yamada, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yutaka Yamada
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Patent number: 5167483Abstract: An energy conversion device which benefits from forces associated with angular momentum. A mass such as fluid is directed through a conduit from one elevation to a lower elevation with the conduit configured to conform to a decreasing cross-sectional area and oriented in a spiral of substantially conical shape so that fluid entering into the conduit accelerates both by virtue of the decreasing cross-sectional area of the conduit and by the velocity added to the fluid by successively constricting the fluid to an ever tighter spiral path of lesser radius ultimately to an output of the conduit which is in communication with a converter such as a turbine. The converter has an interior passageway in axial alignment with an outlet of the conduit and includes an interior vane which coacts against the fluid exiting from the outlet of the conduit imparting rotation to the rotor which circumscribes the passageway. The rotor is supported on a bearing block and operatively couples to a stator for power output.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 1990Date of Patent: December 1, 1992Inventor: Samuel W. Gardiner
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Patent number: 5167485Abstract: A joint connection for abutting, circumferentially extending segments in a gas turbine engine, such as turbine nozzle segments, includes a sealing member which is insertable between longitudinally extending slots formed in the abutting side edges of two adjacent segments. The segments are each formed with a number of grooves which are longitudinally spaced along the length of the slots therein, and which extend beneath the sealing member carried within the slots. A cooling air flow path is thus formed extending from one side of the sealing member, into the longitudinal slot of each segment and then through the grooves to the opposite side of the sealing member so that the entire joint connection or seal region between the abutting side edges of the segments is cooled.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 1992Date of Patent: December 1, 1992Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: John H. Starkweather
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Patent number: 5165848Abstract: A heat shield device for a vane liner in which a first plurality of honeycomb cells which are axially aligned are attached to a first side of the vane liner. A second plurality of honeycomb cells are axially aligned and attached to a second side of the vane liner. The first and second sides of the vane liner are opposite to each other and are provided with cavities which are filled in by the first and second pluralities of honeycomb cells.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1991Date of Patent: November 24, 1992Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Larry W. Plemmons