Patents Examined by Timothy Thorpe
  • Patent number: 5846056
    Abstract: This invention provides a reciprocating pump system having means for determining the cylinder head pressure of at least one cylinder of each pump in the system. A control circuit continually determines the average cylinder head pressure, estimates the pump bearing life that has been consumed and the remaining pump bearing life from the pressure head information. The control circuit also controls the operation of the pumps as a function of cylinder head pressure. A temperature sensor coupled to the pump system provides temperature of the pump oil. The control circuit controls the operation of the pump as function of the pump oil temperature. The pump speed is decrease when the pump oil temperature exceeds a predetermined value. A vibration sensor coupled to the pump provides vibration level to the control circuit, which controls the pump operation in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Inventors: Jasbir S. Dhindsa, Leroy M. Rambin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5845483
    Abstract: An engine starting system is provided for an aircraft gas turbine engine having a fan, compressor, combustor, high pressure turbine joined to the compressor by a core shaft, and a low pressure turbine joined to the fan by a fan shaft. A fluid assist pump is operatively joined to the fan shaft, and a fluid assist motor is operatively joined to the core shaft and the assist pump. The assist pump and motor are selectively engaged so that windmilling of the fan during aircraft flight powers the assist pump to in-turn power the assist motor to accelerate the core shaft to a minimum speed for allowing restarting of the engine in flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John P. Petrowicz
  • Patent number: 5845479
    Abstract: A combustion turbine power generation system includes a modified simple cycle combustion turbine power generation system optimized for a "hot" stand-by reserve mode of operation and having a power shaft assembly including a compressor, an expansion turbine, and a double-ended motor/generator between the compressor and the turbine. The motor/generator has a turbine driving clutch structure on one end thereof and a compressor driving clutch structure on the other end thereof. A combustor feeds the expansion turbine. The power generation system includes an additional system having a boost compressor, an intercooler feeding cooled air to the boost compressor an electric motor for driving the boost compressor, and aftercooler downstream of the boost compressor. A compressed air energy storage is downstream of the aftercooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Nakhamkin, Robert Schainker
  • Patent number: 5846066
    Abstract: A mechanical vacuum pump having mounted in each of at least three pumping chambers a pair of intermeshing rotors. A first rotor of each pair being mounted for rotation on a first shaft passing through the chambers and a second rotor of each pair being mounted for rotation on a second shaft passing through the chambers. The first and second shafts are driven in contra-rotating directions to effect a sequential pumping action by the pairs of rotors in each chamber in respect of gas being pumped between a pump inlet and a pump outlet. The pump possesses at least one chamber with claw-type profile rotors and one ore more chambers with roots-type profile rotors. The chamber nearest the pump outlet has a rotor with a roots-type profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: The Boc Group plc
    Inventor: Alan Paul Troup
  • Patent number: 5846062
    Abstract: A screw type dry vacuum pump having dual shafts is disclosed, whereby the process gas is transported through three compartments, a gas admittance pump section, a central drive motor section, and a gas discharge pump section. By placing the drive motor in the center of the pump, it becomes possible to design a pump having the dual shafts supported only at one end, thus enabling to mount the rotors at the free ends of the pump which are closed with end plates which can be removed easily for servicing the pump sections. Synchronous operation of the dual shaft pump by magnetic coupling enables to lower power consumption and to extend the range of operable pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Yanagisawa, Kozo Matake, Yoshinori Ojima, Yasushi Hisabe
  • Patent number: 5846059
    Abstract: A multistage compressor has a yoke with a cross slider and roller bearings pressed against the sides of the cross slider by spring forces to enable the cross slider to slide smoothly within the yoke. The spring forces are generated by springs disposed between the yoke and a liner plate that urges the roller bearings against the cross slider. By this construction, the yoke and cross slider are not damaged during operation of the compressor even if the dimensions of the members change due to thermal expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., Osaka Gas Co., Ltd., Toho Gas Co., Ltd., Saibu Gas Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Mizuno, Yoshihito Tajima, Atsunori Sugihara, Akifumi Kobayashi, Manabu Hattori, Tokio Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5842839
    Abstract: A liquid transfer system for liquids that are subject to solidification uses a pipeline, with compressed gas as the liquid displacement medium. The pipeline comprises a substantially rigid outer line and a flexible inner hose, forming with the outer line an intermediate interstitial zone along the inner hose; a check valve located adjacent each end of the inner hose provides uni-directional flow within the system. A gas compressor connected with the interstitial zone by way of a flow control selectively applies pressurized gas or vacuum to the zone. The three possible phases of operation comprise; a first phase, when vacuum is applied to the interstitial zone, to expand the inner hose and induce liquid from the source to substantially fill the inner hose; a second phase when gas pressure is applied to the interstitial zone, to compress the inner hose and expel the liquid toward the point of delivery. The first and second phases are repeatable, to provide cumulative delivery of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Inventors: Roger C. Walsh, Douglas W. Eggins
  • Patent number: 5842837
    Abstract: A tandem pump apparatus is featured having a main suction passage connected to a fluid source. The main suction passage branches into first and second suction passages which, in turn, feed into first and second pumps. Each pump discharges a portion of the fluid to a return passage that is fluidly connected to the suction port of each respective pump. In each return passage, a return control valve is disposed to control the amount of fluid returned to the suction port. The tandem pump featured in this invention exhibits increased efficiency and decreased noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Nakayoshi, Naoki Oogushi
  • Patent number: 5842835
    Abstract: A compressor includes a cylinder block having a cylinder bore, a first housing attached to a first end of the cylinder block, a second housing attached to a second end of the cylinder block, a crank chamber defined between the cylinder block and the first housing, a drive plate located in the crank chamber and mounted on a drive shaft, and a piston operably coupled to the drive plate and located in the cylinder bore. The drive plate is tiltable between a maximum inclination position and a minimum inclination position according to a difference between the pressure in the crank chamber and the pressure in the cylinder bore. The cylinder block has a shutter chamber opening to the first end and the second end. A shutter member is accommodated in the shutter chamber. The shutter member is movable between a first position and a second position in response to the inclination of the drive plate to selectively connect and disconnect an external circuit with an suction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawaguchi, Masanori Sonobe, Ken Suitou, Takuya Okuno, Masakazu Murase, Koji Kawamura
  • Patent number: 5842836
    Abstract: A reciprocating piston type compressor having a cylinder block unit closed, at at least one of the axial ends thereof, by a housing having a central suction chamber and a discharge chamber arranged around the suction chamber hermetically isolated by a separation wall integral with the housing, a valve plate interposed between the end of the cylinder block unit and the housing and having suction and discharge ports, suction passageways formed in the cylinder block unit to have fluid communication with the suction chamber via openings thereof, a plurality of pressing ribs axially integrally extending from an inner face of the housing toward the valve plate so as to apply a higher pressure to the valve plate at positions of the valve plate between respective two neighboring openings of the suction passageways in cooperation with the separating wall to prevent deformation of the valve plate due to the high pressure of the refrigerant in the respective cylinder bores whereby the hermetic seal between the valve pla
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Tomoji Tarutani, Noriyuki Shintoku, Tomohiro Wakita, Atsuko Toyama
  • Patent number: 5839884
    Abstract: A supersonic device including an elongated mixer-diffuser housing having first and second drive nozzles arranged axially and tandemly therein. The first and second drives nozzles are arranged in first and second cylinder parts, respectively, of the mixer-diffuser housing. A conical first mixer part is disposed between the first and second cylinder parts and defines a first mixing zone therein. The second drive nozzle further comprises a generally conical displacement body, preferably configured as a supersonic cone or wedge, which extends into the conical first mixer part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mannesmann AG
    Inventor: Alfred E. Beylich
  • Patent number: 5839267
    Abstract: This invention relates to a new land based gas turbine in simple or combined cycle configuration, which permits a user to incorporate air or steam cooling of hot gas turbine parts with minimal change in components, and which also incorporates design changes enabling certain turbine components to be used without change in both 50 and 60 Hz turbines. The invention here specifically relates to parameter selection for the operating cycles of 50 and 60 Hz gas turbines with air or steam cooling, and in simple or combined cycle configuration. A method of operating a combined cycle, gas turbine broadly comprises the steps of compressing inlet air with a multi-stage compressor with a pressure ratio of about 23 to 1; directing substantially all of the air discharged from the compressor to a combustion system to produce gaseous products of combustion; directing the gaseous products of combustion through the turbine; and exhausting the gaseous products of combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Roger W. Schonewald, Jairaj Ramachandran, George W. Scheper, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5839283
    Abstract: In a gas-turbine annular combustion chamber (4) which is arranged downstream of a compressor (1) and is equipped on its front plate with at least one row of premix burners (5) arranged in an annular form, in each case a combustion-air duct (15) designed as a diffuser leads directly downstream of the compressor outlet from the guide vanes (9) of the last compressor row to each burner (5), at the downstream end of which combustion-air duct (15) at least one longitudinal-vortex generator (16) is located, at least one fuel injection means (17) being provided in or downstream of the longitudinal-vortex generator (16). A mixing duct (19) which ends in the combustion chamber (4) and has a constant height (H) and a length (L) which corresponds approximately to twice the value of the hydraulic duct diameter (D) is arranged downstream of the fuel injection means (17). The overall size of the gas turbine in the region of the combustion chamber (4) can thereby be substantially reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Klaus Dobbeling
  • Patent number: 5836750
    Abstract: A mesopump having a plurality of elementary cells and a method of pumping fluids using the mesopump. The cells each have a body forming a cavity having upper and lower electrodes with curved surfaces facing the other electrode. Electrical connections selectively energize the electrodes. A bistable diaphragm is mounted with its major portion located in the cavity between the electrodes so that the diaphragm deflects toward the upper or lower surfaces to conform thereto. A lateral conduit is located at at least one end of the body for fluid communication with the cavity. The lateral conduits are operably connected to a portion of the diaphragm mounted in the body and are opened and closed by movement of the diaphragm. A vertical conduit on at least one curved surface controls flow of fluid by movement of the diaphragm into and out of contact with the vertical conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Cleopatra Cabuz
  • Patent number: 5836748
    Abstract: A housing has a crank chamber and a plurality of cylinder bores. The housing also has a discharge chamber and a suction chamber, which are communicatable with the cylinder bores. A drive shaft is supported in the housing, and pistons are accommodated in the respective cylinder bores. A swash plate is supported on the drive shaft in such a manner that its inclined angle can be altered, so that the undulation of the swash plate causes the pistons to reciprocate. When this compressor is running with the swash plate set upright, a controller activates an electromagnetic solenoid to supply a lubricating oil to a pressure chamber from an oil-supplying pump. This causes the spool to shift to temporarily hold the swash plate to an inclined position from the upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawaguchi, Masanori Sonobe, Shigeki Kanzaki, Tomohiko Yokono, Ken Suitou
  • Patent number: 5836231
    Abstract: A radial-piston hydraulic motor and method for regulating a radial-piston hydraulic motor including one or more cylinder groups, each cylinder group having piston mechanisms that move radially back and forth. The piston mechanisms include a piston and a press wheel. The volume per revolution of the motor can be changed in one or more stages so that the press wheels of one or more of the piston mechanisms come out of contact with a cam ring. The hydraulic motor also includes a closing valve for closing the flow of working pressure to one or more of the piston mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Valmet Voimansiirto Oy
    Inventor: Mauno Leinonen
  • Patent number: 5836746
    Abstract: A positive displacement vacuum pump, in which a plurality of rotors are driven into synchronous operation by independent motors, uses a rotational position sensor making use of the electromagnetic induction effect for obtaining rotational position information for the individual shafts. The rotational position sensor is cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruo Maruyama, Yoshikazu Abe, Akira Takara, Yoshihiro Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 5836747
    Abstract: A constant-speed, variable-volume, piston-type air pump. The piston head always is closely adjacent to the cylinder head at the completion of the compression stroke. The length or extent of the piston down-stroke or intake stroke is selectively adjustable between a maximum and a minimum position to thus vary the volume of air pumped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Inventor: John T. Gondek
  • Patent number: 5836749
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for injecting gasoline or other fuel directly into the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine including a fuel pump with a plurality of fuel pumping pistons mounted within cylinders formed in a fixed barrel member. Each of the pistons internally contains an improved inlet valving assembly mounted wholly within a bore axially extending in the piston. The valving assembly provides a one-way fluid inletting to the pumping chamber by slight movement of a low mass valving member away from an annular seating surface formed about an inlet passage. Unlike rotary sliding type valves, the subject valve does not move rapidly through and agitate fuel and thereby does not generate any significant degree of undesirable fuel heating thus preventing undesirable fuel vaporization which is detrimental to pumping action of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Margaret C. Novacek, Gregg T. Black
  • Patent number: 5836149
    Abstract: The invention concerns a thrust reverser for a jet engine, of the type having swing doors (6) pivoting about fixed transverse pivots (7) secured to the rear end of flanges extending in line with pipe of the engine. According to the invention, each door (6) is borne by a connecting piece (10) offset towards the front with respect to a transverse plane passing through the pivot axis and orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the door. Furthermore, the fairing (4a, 4b) extends as far as the rear end of the flanges, the said fairing and each door (6) being arranged, on the one hand, so as to cover completely the flanges in the folded position of the said door, and, on the other hand, to enable each door (6) to be brought into its deployed position without any interference between the said fairing and door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Conception Aeronautique Du Sud-Ouest
    Inventor: Guy Servanty