Patents Examined by Christopher M. Verdier
  • Patent number: 5165860
    Abstract: The internal blade damper is an elongated member with a damping surface of discrete width in contact with the interior blade surfaces. Contact is continuous throughout a substantial length. The damper extends between 2.degree. and 30.degree. from the radial direction, producing a direction of contact having some radial component. Centrifugal force loads the damping surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Alan W. Stoner, Yehia M. El-Aini, David Wiebe
  • Patent number: 5163816
    Abstract: A turbocharger impeller has a lock ring that is flexed in assembly to clampingly center and lock an impeller wheel on its drive shaft. The lock ring is also applicable to other driving or driven shaft and wheel combinations. The lock ring is made part of a two-piece spacer for the illustrated rotor applications but is not limited to that arrangement. Alternative impeller wheel structures including drive means and locking nose cone features are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Michael B. Goetzke, Paul Cottemoller, Edward J. Cryer, III
  • Patent number: 5163810
    Abstract: A regenerative toric pump in which undesirable noise generation and leakage through the clearance gaps between the impeller and housing is minimized includes an impeller having vanes lying in general planes radiating from the impeller axis disposed at variable spacings from each other in a geometrically balanced pattern. Recesses in one of opposed side surfaces on the impeller and housing are arranged in a pattern such as to minimize leakage through the clearance gap between those surfaces from points in the pump chamber which are at different pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Coltec Industries Inc
    Inventor: John E. Smith
  • Patent number: 5161941
    Abstract: An actuator and associated linkage assembly combined to multiply the force applied by the actuator in moving a flow control disk of a centrifugal fan against the air pressure generated by the fan. The actuator includes an internal spring mechanism for closing the disk against the fan air pressure. For some applications the closing force provided by the return spring may be supplemented with an auxiliary spring mechanism that is mounted for providing maximum assistance in closing the control disk, yet not prohibiting the actuator from reopening the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Sinko Kogyo, Co, Ltd.
    Inventor: David A. Ratner
  • Patent number: 5160240
    Abstract: A submersible centrifugal pump is disclosed. It includes a housing with a linear stack of axially mounted pumping units therein. Each unit is constructed as a module with at least a first and a second impeller mounted to a central shaft. A diffuser forms an outer casing which is provided for each impeller. A thrust bearing, lubricated and cooled by the fluid being pumped is supported from and to the outer casing and is arranged to receive axial force from the upstream impellers in each modular unit. A plurality of impellers and diffusers can form a single modular unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Oil Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Brown L. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5160243
    Abstract: A metallic reinforced shim is attached to the dovetail of turbine or compressor blades. The shim reduces frictionally induced wear damage to the rotor. In one form, a single ply shim reinforced with a metallic doubler has an anti-fretting layer deposited on the shim face contacting the dovetail slot pressure face, and a doubler layer fastened to the anti-fretting layer in the non-contacting regions to prevent slippage of the shim on the blade. In another form, a multi-layer shim has two layers interposed between the blade dovetail and the disk dovetail slot, with the layers treated so that they do not readily slip relative to the titanium pieces, but do slip relative to each other. The shim is also reinforced with a metallic doubler. Fretting is confined to the consumable shim, and therefore the disk dovetail slot and the mating blade dovetails are not subject to surface degradation with corresponding reduction in fatigue capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Fredrick C. Herzner, Jerome A. Juenger, Peter Wayte
  • Patent number: 5158426
    Abstract: In a stator assembly for a turbomolecular pump, each stator is assembled from two semicircular portions mutually aligned and secured in place by tongue and grooves means, each such stator including a plurality of radially directed blades connecting an inner circular edge and outer circular edge of the stator, such edges occupying respective parallel displaced planes. The outer edge of each stator includes regularly outward projected tabs which bear between spacer rings to maintain axial alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Fausto Casaro, Dario Inserra, Giampaolo Levi, Paolo Pellizzari
  • Patent number: 5158433
    Abstract: A marine propeller including an inner hub to receive a driving connection to the engine and an outer hub is spaced outwardly from the inner hub to provide a passage therebetween for the discharge of exhaust gas from the engine. A plurality of blades extend outwardly from the outer hub. A propeller is die cast from an aluminum alloy and as cast the outer surface hub is cylindrical in configuration. After casting the trailing end of the outer hub is swaged outwardly by a tapered tool to provide an outwardly flared trailing end, which assists gas flow and enhances performance of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin T. Cleary
  • Patent number: 5156522
    Abstract: Improvements in centrifugal pumps are disclosed which minimize flow recirculation effects induced by wear ring leakage flow. The improvements may be used individually or in combination and comprise deflector means attached to the impeller, diverter means attached to the casing or impeller or wear ring inducer means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: Exxon Production Research Company
    Inventor: Lynn P. Tessier
  • Patent number: 5154571
    Abstract: A multistage turbocompressor with a two-stage transmission with a double intermediate cogwheel (5) consisting of two cogwheels (51 and 52). The first cogwheel has a larger module than the second cogwheel and engages only a central cogwheel (2) that drives the pinion shafts (3 & 4) in the first stage. The second cogwheel engages only the pinion shafts (6, 7, & 8) in the second stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Deutsche Babcock-Borsig Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heinrich Prumper
  • Patent number: 5149248
    Abstract: A mounting ring is provided which adapts an oversized exhaust flow guide to the existing inner cylinder of a steam turbine. The mounting ring is comprised of six arcuate segments which allow the mounting ring to be radially installed into a groove, machined in the outer diameter of the inner cylinder, despite the presence of lugs which preclude axial installation. The mounting ring and exhaust flow guide form a moisture removal gap just upstream of the tips of the last row rotating blades. Arcuate filler segments are installed in the vicinity of the horizontal joint to create a uniform moisture removal gap around the circumference of the steam flow path. The mounting ring creates an access space above the horizontal joint flanges in the cover half of the innert cylinder for installation of the horizontal joint bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Edward P. Cramer
  • Patent number: 5146764
    Abstract: A method of controlling a centrifugal compressor having a variable width diffuser section, the compressor being part of a chiller having a condenser and an evaporator, the method including the steps of defining the width of the diffuser which results in an optimum noise and performance level at given values of an operational parameter of the compressor, periodically sensing the operational parameter of the compressor, and periodically varying the diffuser width according to the sensed operational parameter to create a diffuser width that results in the optimum noise and performance levels at the sensed value of the operational parameter. The step of defining preferably defines the width based at least on the capacity at which the compressor is operating. The capacity is preferably determined by measuring the flow and temperature difference of the fluid passing through the evaporator. A control system for controlling the chiller system to minimize noise is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: York International Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce K. Bauman, Charles F. Boal
  • Patent number: 5145321
    Abstract: A rotor for rotation about an axis includes a driving member rotationally fixed to a drive shaft and having a plurality of equi-spaced drive pins extending radially of the axis of rotation and in a plane of rotation perpendicular to the axis, and located in an elastomeric bearing assembly attached to a gimbal housing connected to a spherical elastomeric thrust bearing having a geometral center located at an intersection of the axis of rotation and the plane of rotation whereby in operation the rotor can be tilted in any direction about the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Westland Helicopters Limited
    Inventors: Peter J. Flux, Gerald H. Martyn
  • Patent number: 5143512
    Abstract: A rotor disk for a gas turbine engine includes a central load-bearing web portion and a centrifugal pump portion located externally of the load-bearing web portion for pumping cooling air into an array of turbine blades. The pump portion includes an enlarged material section formed homogeneously with the web portion and extends axially forwardly and radially inwardly from the rim of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Corsmeier, Robert L. Sponseller, James R. Reigel, Harvey M. Maclin
  • Patent number: 5143515
    Abstract: A pump assembly which overcomes a shaft and cover cracking problem comprising a means for heating the seal purge water flowing along the shaft before it exits into an annulus (mixing region) thus reducing the temperature difference between the cooler seal purge water and the hotter product water prior to the mixing of the two waters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: BW/IP International, Inc.
    Inventors: Clark S. Boster, Sankaraiyer Gopalakrishnan, Carl F. Reimers, Gordhan K. Vaghasia
  • Patent number: 5143517
    Abstract: A fan for a turboshaft engine is disclosed comprising a rotatable disc having an array of blades secured at evenly spaced intervals around its periphery, each pair of successive blades and the disc defining a space which is delimited by the stem and a platform of a first of the two blades, the stem and a platform of the second of the two blades, and the periphery of the disc between the two blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation"S.N.E.M.C.A."
    Inventor: Gerard R. E. R. Vermont
  • Patent number: 5143513
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a two chamber dishwasher pump wherein the pumping noise associated with recirculation is substantially lowered by reducing the intake area to the recirculation impeller thereby interrupting air pockets formed in the fluid while recirculating. In addition the noise associated with fluid drainage is minimized by an aperture between the drain chamber inlet and the drain outlet which allows fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet thereby interrupting air pockets in the drain line which create the noise. In addition, fluid flows through the aperture in an opposite direction to that described above in order to relieve excessive pressure in the drain line during recirculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: David I. Ellingson, Herbert E. Scott, James E. Sparks
  • Patent number: 5141396
    Abstract: A feed unit, in particular for the feed of fuel, has an electric drive motor with a pump unit coupled with it, the pump unit being built of two housing parts and a pump wheel arranged between them. The two housing parts and the pump wheel are each developed as a casting or compression molding from a mixture of graphite and plastic. The end surfaces of the pump wheel and of the two housing parts which contact each other are roughened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG
    Inventors: Christoph Schmidt, Thomas Werner
  • Patent number: 5141393
    Abstract: A casing around a turbine and a casing around discharge nozzles have a concentrically arranged shell portion. The seal contains internal pressure while accommodating eccentric, expansion and axial travel. Arcuate seal segments have one leg sealing against a radial surface extending from the inner shell and the other leg against the outer shell. A linkage guides travel of the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John J. Marra
  • Patent number: 5141389
    Abstract: The axial forces imposed on a rotor of a fluid machine such as a compressor is controlled by modulating the pressure supplied to a piston and cylinder device acting between the rotor shaft and housing. A parameter indicative of axial force on the rotor during operation is monitored and changes in the magnitude and direction of the axial forces countered by varying the pressure in the cylinder. The net axial forces imposed on the shaft may thus be controlled in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: NOVA Corporation of Alberta
    Inventors: Clayton Bear, Timothy A. Harris