Patents Examined by Donald E. Stout
  • Patent number: 4912921
    Abstract: An emergency on board power source (28) for jet aircraft having high (22) and low speed (14) spools is disclosed for operation above altitudes where auxiliary power units (14) are operational. A power takeoff (56) is provided from the low speed spool of the jet engine to drive an emergency power unit (28) for supplying electrical and/or hydraulic on board power to the aircraft to maintain control during emergency conditions during which the auxiliary power unit is not operational or is not operational to supply sufficient power to maintain hydraulic or elecrical on board power to uninterruptible electrical and hydraulic power loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: John N. Rice, Jarvis J. M. Yeh
  • Patent number: 4911618
    Abstract: A cryocompressor includes a check valve arranged in a circuit connecting a compression chamber defined by a piston disposed in a cylinder with an annular gap small enough to provide an expected sealing effect to a buffer chamber also defined by the piston in the cylinder, a cross sectional area of the annular gap between the piston and the cylinder being larger on the side of the compression chamber than on the side of the buffer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Suganami, Yoshio Kazumoto
  • Patent number: 4909712
    Abstract: An electromagnetic fluid pump having a generally cylindrical housing divided into an inlet chamber, an outlet chamber and an intermediate chamber by a pole member and a separator plate. The pole member is sealingly attached to the wall of the housing and divides the inlet chamber from the intermediate chamber. A first O ring provides a gas tight seal between the pole member and a piston guide which provides a fluid passageway between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. The separator plate is sealingly attached to the end of the piston guide adjacent to the outlet chamber and separates the outlet chamber from the intermediate chamber. A second O ring provides a gas tight seal between the internal wall of the housing and a rim portion of the separator plate. An electrical connector having a connector pin provides electrical power to an electronic circuit periodically energizing a solenoid coil to reciprocate a piston disposed in the piston guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Facet Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold R. Mortensen
  • Patent number: 4907407
    Abstract: An arcjet thruster has an anode body forming a constrictor and a nozzle which define an arc chamber. The thruster also has a cathode in the form of a rod having a tip and being spaced upstream from the constrictor. The thruster employs several features which reduce anode and cathode erosion and increase the operational life of the thruster. One set of features relate to the employment of cathode and anode shaping. Another feature relates to the use of a propellant injector having a series of radially and tangentially arranged passages for providing direct injection of propellant gas into the arc chamber and enhanced convective cooling of the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Simon, Steve Knowles, William Smith
  • Patent number: 4906165
    Abstract: A flow meter for use with a fluid source includes a chamber of known volume, and level sensors for detecting fluid boundaries at either end of the known volume. A valve between the fluid source and chamber is opened at a defined time until fluid level within the chamber rises above the upper sensor, whereupon the valve is closed. As the fluid level falls past the upper sensor a second time level is measured, with both time intervals being terminated as the level falls to the lower level sensor. The average flow rate as the fluid falls between the two sensors is calculated by a computer, and the total volume is then calculated using the longer measured time interval. Flow rates over long time periods can be accurately measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Inventors: Ronald L. Fox, Scott A. Amundsen
  • Patent number: 4904168
    Abstract: A cassette and a cassette receptacle assembly are provided for use in an ocular surgical system. The cassette includes a housing which defines an arcuate race. A flexible tube extends across the race and conveys a fluid when compressed by the rollers of a roller pump. A slot is defined by the housing at the point where the tube forms a bend prior to entering the race. The slot has a height which is preferably smaller than the diameter of the tube and therefore prevents the tube from flattening as the rollers urge it away from the slot. The cassette mounting assembly includes a pair of cams which urge the cassette into a locked position with respect to the roller pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: United Sonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Cavoto, Anthony DiGiacomo, Christopher V. Kayser, Joseph D. Spinosa
  • Patent number: 4903476
    Abstract: An igniter for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a body section mounted on a ball joint within a standoff cylinder. The standoff cylinder, in turn, is mounted on the casing of the combustor. An electrode tip, extending from the body section if tightly fitted into a hole in the combustor liner. The ball joint permits substantial transverse motion of the electrode tip to fit it through the hole during installation of the igniter, and to track the position of the hole if it should move relative to the casing due to differential thermal expansion during operation of the combustor. Seals between mating parts prevents the leakage of air from the interior of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles E. Steber, Robert J. Travis, John A. Rizzo
  • Patent number: 4904162
    Abstract: A fuel supplying pump having a switching circuit provided in the pump closing. The switching circuit stops the pump when an engine stops rotating due, for instance, to a fuel pipe breakage. The circuit having a transistor with a base connected to an oil pressure responsive switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryozo Suzuki, Jun Shiraga, Shingo Iwai, Tetsuo Okashiro
  • Patent number: 4903477
    Abstract: In a gas turbine the transition duct is subject to high temperature since it conducts the combustion products to the power turbine. It is normally cooled by air from the compressor. This invention improves the uniformity of cooling by forcing the cooling air to pass over all surfaces of the transition duct. Air flow passages are formed between the ducts and saddle shaped members which direct the flow of air from the compressor over the outer surfaces of the ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Graham P. Butt
  • Patent number: 4902206
    Abstract: A bellows pump which is disclosed herein has two bellows made of a plastic material and provided with liquid inlet and outlet ports for transferring a liquid by expanding and contracting the bellows. The bellows pump comprises cylinder cases in each of which the bellows is vertically expandably and contractably contained and mounted at its access port side to a ceiling of said cylinder cases, gas pumping means for alternately feeding a compressed gas from a lower end thereof into the cylinder cases, a pair of rods passed through bottoms of the cylinder cases and fixed to the lower ends of the bellows, and adapted to be moved in response to the expansion and contraction of the bellows, and actuating means adapted to be operated in response to the up and down movement of the rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignees: Haluna Kabushiki Kaisha, Nisso Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Nakazawa, Jisaburo Naito, Hiroyuki Horiki, Tutomu Kawashima
  • Patent number: 4901521
    Abstract: A combined gas turbine and steam power plant for generating electrical energy includes a combustion chamber for the complete combustion of solid fuels with the aid of a stationary fluidized bed generating steam for the operation of the steam power plant, the combustion chamber having a nozzle bottom, a fuel delivery point above the nozzle bottom, and a wall with at least one opening formed therein for the removal of combustible gas produced from a fuel degasification and gasification zone forming during operation in the fluidized bed in the vicinity of the fuel delivery point, a combustor of the gas turbine plant in which compressed air required for the operation of the gas turbine is heated by combustion of combustible gas, and a combustible gas line connected between the at least one opening and the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Brown Boveri & Cie
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schemenau, Jurgen Bennert, Dietrich Ceelen
  • Patent number: 4901527
    Abstract: A low turbulence, close-coupled mounting structure for a flame holder disposed in an afterburner section of a gas turbine engine is provided. The afterburner section has a plurality of angularly spaced, radially extending fuel injection nozzles, with a fairing surrounding each nozzle to form open ended heat shields about the nozzles. A flame holder having a first cross-sectional configuration is disposed in recessed portions formed in the fairings surrounding the nozzles. The cross-sectional configuration of the recessed portions is configured to substantially conform to a portion of the cross-section of the flame holder such that the flame holder is recessed into the fairings when mounted thereon, thus eliminating outward projections at the connection of the flame holder and fairings. The flame holders are secured in the recessed portions by pins extending through aligned apertures in the skirts of the flame holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dudley O. Nash, James R. Reigel, Frederick J. Stine
  • Patent number: 4901520
    Abstract: A system for cooling a turbine assembly in a gas turbine engine. The system has a bleed means for bleeding a portion of a first core of gas exited from a compressor section of the engine to thereby form a second core of gas. The second core of gas is additionally pressurized by a second compressor means to increase the pressure of the second core of gas. The second core of gas is then delivered to the turbine section for cooling of the engine such that the second core of coolant gas has a higher pressure than the first core of gas exiting the combustor section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Avco Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Kozak, George Minkkinen
  • Patent number: 4901526
    Abstract: A bottom unit for the combustion chamber of a liquid-fueled rocket including a bottom plate held on a swivel bearing and having circumferentially distributed openings for the injection of the two fuel components as well as two separate groups of supply passages which are connected to these fuel injection openings. The swivel bearing consists of a rigid thrust plate and a rigid hanger plate which are held and joined together by an internally situated, first annular body of rubber elastic material and by a second annular body of rubber elastic material surrounding the first at a radial distance therefrom. The one group of supply passages is formed by the cavity surrounded by tthe first annular body and the other group of supply passages by the annular space between the first and the second annular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
    Inventors: Thomas Barth, Heinz Keller
  • Patent number: 4899539
    Abstract: A flow mixer and flame stabilizer structure for an afterburner of a turbofan engine is disclosed having a variable mixer to mix a portion of the cold flow with the hot flow gasses and which also forms a flame stabilizer for a secondary afterburner fuel injection manifold which injects fuel into the cold flow air during afterburner operation. The device forms a flame stabilizer around the secondary, annular fuel injection manifold and has a generally "U" shaped cross-section. One of the legs forming the "U" shape is fixed, while the opposite leg is movable so as to vary the downstream facing opening between the legs. The movable leg also blocks a portion of the cold flow duct to generate localized increases in pressure upstream of the stabilizer. An air scoop located in this upstream portion communicates with the primary afterburner flame stabilizer to direct pressurized air to cool the primary flame stabilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation (SNECMA)
    Inventors: Philippe M. D. Gastebois, Alain G. J. Habrard, Jean L. Picard
  • Patent number: 4899536
    Abstract: Difficulties in starting turbine engines 10 at high altitudes are avoided in a starting system which includes a combustor 34 having a gas outlet 32 adapted to be in communication with a turbine engine nozzle 28, a fuel inlet 36, and an oxidant inlet 38 so that fuel may be oxidized within the combustor 34 by an oxidant to provide hot gases at the outlet 32. The system includes a first pressure vessel 58 adapted to receive liquid oxygen and a second pressure vessel 60 adapted to receive liquid nitrogen. Pumps 62, 64, and conduits 56, 54, 68 establish a flow path between the vessels 58, 60 and the oxidant inlet 38 while a mixing valve 66 is disposed in the flow path to mix the oxygen and nitrogen flowing therein in a desired proportion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Roy W. Vershure
  • Patent number: 4900235
    Abstract: A windshield washer pump including comprising an impeller chamber having a reversible impeller rotatably mounted therein and an inlet for windshield washer fluid communicating therewith. Dual outlets communicate between the impeller chamber and opposite ends of an adjacent outlet chamber. A piston is slidably mounted in the outlet chamber intermediate axially aligned tubular discharge passages extending from the outlet chamber. Oppositely disposed projections are formed on the piston for being alternately urged into engagement with the tubular discharge passages, permitting the alternate pumping of fluid through the tubular discharge passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: McCord Winn Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Jimmie G. Perkins, James W. Grim
  • Patent number: 4899534
    Abstract: An air turbine starter for use in starting a turbine engine includes a pawl and ratchet clutch having a movable member which selectively prevents engagement of the clutch while providing a pawl raceway surface, or allows clutch engagement. No-load acceleration of the air turbine starter is scheduled to ensure that drop-in speed of the centrifugally responsive pawls is not reached by the ratchet member while clutch engagement is being permitted. The movable member is pneumatically controlled in timed coordination with acceleration of the air turbine starter to prevent crash engagement of the clutch. Clutch ratcheting is also substantially prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.
    Inventor: Kal K. Sorenson
  • Patent number: 4897995
    Abstract: A liquid turbojet engine includes an elongated shaft, a housing mounted about the shaft with the shaft being rotatable relative to the housing about the shaft longitudinal axis, a conduit fixed to the shaft within the housing filled with an inert motive liquid and nozzles for inducing combustible gas bubbles in the motive liquid. The conduit has a compression section extending generally radially from the shaft, a combustion section extending generally axially and parallel to the shaft and from the compression section at a radial distance from the shaft, and an expansion section extending generally radially relative to the shaft axis from an end of the combustion section remote from the compression section. The bubble nozzles are located at the inlet of the compression section. The motive liquid enters through an inlet in the housing. The burned bubbles are discharged with the motive liquid through an exit nozzle in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Inventor: Raafat H. Guirguis
  • Patent number: 4896501
    Abstract: A propulsion system having an afterburning turbojet with turbine bypass ducts in which the afterburner fuel is added. The hot gas products and fuel mixture enters the afterburner at sonic velocity. The turbojet turbine bypass has a flow control connected to the exit of the combustor to control the amount of turbine bypass flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Inventor: Robie L. Faulkner