Patents Examined by Rhonda Barton
  • Patent number: 5997248
    Abstract: A granular composition is applied to tips of rotor blades utilized in a gas turbine engine wherein the blade tips rub against an abradable ceramic layer. Individual grains each have a core of silicon carbide and a layer of aluminum nitride on the core. A layer of a cladding metal may be bonded to the aluminum nitride. The composition also may include particles of cubic boron nitride and/or particles of metal alloy blended with the grains of silicon carbide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Sulzer Metco (US) Inc.
    Inventors: Farshad Ghasripoor, Richard K. Schmid, Mitchell R. Dorfman
  • Patent number: 5993161
    Abstract: A method for designing a mistuned rotor with improved stability and forced response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Benjamin Shapiro
  • Patent number: 5988976
    Abstract: Scrolls separable radially, to enable cleaning and polishing of the inner surfaces of the throat area, are disclosed. In one of the embodiments, an inner structure of the scroll intrudes into the throat area for selectively reducing the area, in order that flow, pump head, and speed can be matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Anthony Mayleben
  • Patent number: 5984633
    Abstract: A guide device for a turbine with a guide-blade carrier installed in a turbine housing, preferably the housing of a steam turbine, and equipped with guide blades, includes positioning elements for positioning and fastening the guide blades to the guide-blade carrier and for ensuring a specific installation position of the guide blades. In order to simplify the production of the guide device, two halves of a guide-blade ring divided in the region of a parting plane of the turbine housing serve as the positioning elements. Radially extending profile holes for inserting a guide-blade root of each guide blade are formed in the guide-blade ring. At least one first holding element is preferably releasable and in each case fixes the guide-blade root to the guide-blade ring. At least one second holding element retains each of the two halves of the guide-blade ring on the guide-blade carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Bachinger, Peter Clement
  • Patent number: 5971706
    Abstract: An inter-rotor bearing assembly includes a first annular member having a circumferential inner surface and a second annular member having a circumferential outer surface. The outer surface is concentric to and disposed radially inward of the inner surface and a bearing is disposed between the surfaces. The bearing has an outer race fixedly attached to the first annular member along the inner surface, an inner race fixedly attached to the second annular member along the outer surface, and rolling elements disposed between the races. A low density high circumferential strength support ring is fixedly attached to the first annular member disposed concentrically outside of the inner race and is preferably made of a titanium matrix composite. The rolling elements may be cylindrical rollers having cylindrical rolling surfaces. The support ring may be fixedly attached around or integral with the first annular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David G. Glista, David W. Crall, Christopher C. Glynn
  • Patent number: 5967754
    Abstract: A one-piece injection molded arm and blade unit for a ceiling fan, or the like, in which a blade forms an extension of an arm. At least one web formed on the arm, and at least one other web is formed on the arm and extends at an angle to the first web. The webs serve to add strength to the unit to counteract the various stresses placed on the unit during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Aloha Housewares Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wang Liang Chou
  • Patent number: 5967742
    Abstract: The operation of quickly taking a turbocompressor off-line from a parallel configuration, of a gas pipeline compressor station, may encounter increased mechanical action (in particular, vibration) upon recycle piping and the additional risk of compressor surge. For these reasons, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for decreasing vibratory loads and for increasing surge prevention effectiveness, while initiating an off-line operation, by (1) altering the surge control line's location, at a preset rate, from its initial location to a predetermined new location; and (2) decreasing the turbocompressor's deceleration rate when the operating point intercepts the surge control line before the control line reaches its new location. Upon completion of the off-line activity, the control line returns to its initial location; and the reduction of compressor speed will cease on reaching a preset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Compressor Controls Corporation
    Inventors: Saul Mirsky, Michael L. Tolmatsky
  • Patent number: 5964573
    Abstract: The invention relates to a housing consisting of two housing halves for a side channel compressor. The strength of such a housing can be appreciably increased in that the front wall (3) of each housing half (1) and (2) has formed on it at least two rings (4) and (5), spaced radially from one another and projecting axially relative to the front wall (3), and rib walls (7) extending in a spoke-like manner between these rings (4) and (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Fischer
  • Patent number: 5961285
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing bottom dross from molten zinc contained in a coating pot includes a pump, a traversing carriage for positioning the inlet of the pump in a desired horizontal location and a slide mechanism for positioning the inlet of the pump in a desired vertical location. The pump is moved in horizontal and vertical direction to remove the accumulated bottom dross. The bottom dross contained in molten zinc is pumped into a V-shaped channel and allowed to flow into either a removable basket or into a pre-melt pot. The pump of the present invention is a pedestal, centrifugal graphite pump powered by an air motor. The pump has a housing enclosing an impeller. The distance between the impeller and the inner wall of the housing is sufficiently large to avoid plugging by the bottom dross but sufficiently small to permit pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: AK Steel Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Meneice, Steven L. Boston
  • Patent number: 5957661
    Abstract: A high efficiency axial flow fan includes a hub, fan blades and a circular band. The hub rotates about a rotational axis when torque is applied from a shaft rotatably driven by a power source. The circular band is concentric with the hub, connected to the tip of each blade, and is spaced radially outward from the hub. The blades are configured to produce an airflow when rotated about the rotational axis. Each blade has a chord length distribution, stagger angle and dihedral distribution which varies along the length of the blade. The dihedral distance of each blade varies as a function of blade radius from the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Canada Limited
    Inventors: Alexander Graham Hunt, Hugo Capdevila, Bonifacio M. Castillo
  • Patent number: 5954477
    Abstract: An annular seal plate for an interstage air riding seal arrangement for the internal cooling system of a gas turbine engine is mounted on a rotatable disc by means of an annular mortise and tenon mounting. The contact faces of the mortise and tenon are angled relative to a radial plane of the disc so that centrifugally generated forces are reacted by the faces in a sense to counter axial tilt so that a seal face of the plate lies exactly in a radial plane, at a design rotational speed, thereby to eliminate convergence or divergence between the seal faces of the air riding seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Julian G Balsdon
  • Patent number: 5951242
    Abstract: A paper machine has a high pressure liquid pump for use with a liquid slitter for slitting a fiber material web. The high pressure liquid pump includes a pump shell having an axis of rotation and an annular smooth inwardly facing surface. The inwardly facing surface is configured for carrying a film of liquid thereon. A hydraulic shoe having an outer convexly curved working face is in close running engagement with the inwardly facing surface. A pivotal arm is connected with the shoe and positions the shoe relative to the inwardly facing surface. The arm is movable toward and away from the inwardly facing surface. A hydraulic pressure member is engaged with the arm for urging the shoe toward the inwardly facing surface dependent upon a hydraulic pressure therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Paper Technology North Amercia, Inc.
    Inventor: Edwin X. Graf
  • Patent number: 5951247
    Abstract: The fan housing of an axial fan having a flow resistance such as a coil or grille in a closely spaced relationship is provided on its discharge side with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending vanes. The vanes act as a radial diffuser in coacting with the rotational/irregular flow in the fan orifice to radially direct the flow and distribute it over the face of the flow resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Rockwell, Sau-Tak R. Chou
  • Patent number: 5944481
    Abstract: The discharge flow path of a transverse fan is modified by placing ramps on the rear/bottom wall to provide localized acceleration of the flow while preventing the establishment of flow instability. The ramps reduce the noise generated without deteriorating the performance of the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Scott D. Stone, John F. Salvaterra
  • Patent number: 5944486
    Abstract: An interchangeable fan blade system for a ceiling fan, made up of a set of adapters having a plurality of elongated attachment apertures that allow the adapter to be threadably fitted to virtually any type of fan support arm, and a complimentary set of interchangeable fan blades. The adapters include one of a variety of connectors for attaching one end of the fan blades to the support arm. The one end of the fan blade is configured and adapted, or otherwise provided with mating connector elements adapted to engage the connectors of the adapters, thereby allowing the fan blades to be removably attached to the adapters. A second embodiment of the interchangeable fan blade system is a set of interchangeable fan blades having a plurality of elongated attachment apertures which allow the fan blades to be secured to virtually any type of fan arm, by threading a plurality of shoulder cap screws and a plurality of male-female connectors though the plurality of attachment apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Inventor: Donald P. Hodgkins, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5938401
    Abstract: A method of testing an actuation system for positioning an inlet guide vane, the actuation system including a primary electronic system, a secondary hydro-mechanical system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas P. Modeen, Christopher E. Paul, Kristin M. Devlin
  • Patent number: 5934870
    Abstract: A steam control valve is provided with a valve core arranged in the valve housing (10), with an upper valve spindle (5) guided in a sealing packing (12), with a valve cone (1) sliding in a lower and upper valve core (3b) and (3a), and with a valve diffusor (6) arranged in the valve housing (10). Piston rings (4a) are inserted in the upper part (1a) of the valve cone (1) sliding in the valve core upper part (3a), and piston rings (4b) are inserted in the lower part (1c) of the valve cone (1) sliding in the valve core lower part (3b). Clean water is used as the hydraulic fluid for the hydraulic drive attached to a connection spacer (15). At least one axial hole (2) is provided in the valve cone (1). With the upper part (3a) and the lower part (3b) of the valve core (3), the middle part (1b) of the valve cone forms an annular chamber (8), at which at least one suction channel (9) is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: GHH BORSIG Turbomaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Achim Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 5927945
    Abstract: An assembling device for the blade of the hanging fan which comprises a ring body arranged on the bottom of the motor unit and having a plurality of dovetail grooves on rim thereof, and blade base has corresponding dovetail shape such that the blade base can be inserted into the dovetail groove and the blades are fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Inventor: Shang Wan Chen
  • Patent number: 5927943
    Abstract: A turbine with the improved inlet casing in accordance with the present invention includes a shaft which extends along and rotates about a central axis. The turbine also includes at least one rotor wheel which is mounted on and extends radially outward from the shaft to a radially outermost periphery. A plurality of buckets are arrayed circumferentially around the rotor wheel at the radially outermost periphery. A housing surrounds the rotor wheel and the stationary flow path component. A plurality of nozzle vanes are circumferentially arrayed in the stationary flow path component which is axially spaced from the buckets of the rotor wheel. The nozzle vanes are configured to direct fluid against an upstream side of the buckets and effect rotation of the rotor wheel. Inlet fingers are formed in the housing, with each of the inlet fingers defining a substantially straight passage between the turbine inlet or a control system and the nozzle vanes of the first stationary flow path component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventor: William C. Maier