Patents by Inventor Arthur McCardle

Arthur McCardle has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8020367
    Abstract: An exhaust vane disposed in a divergent section of an aircraft gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle is sideways pivotable about a vane pivot axis. The nozzle vane pivot axis may be centrally located at an unvectored nozzle throat. Transversely spaced apart upper and lower tips of the exhaust vane may be incorporated to sealingly engage a nozzle outer wall along upper and lower surfaces of the outer wall of the nozzle. The exhaust vane has flat or contoured vane sidewalls and contoured vane sidewalls may be concave. The exhaust vane may have transversely biased apart upper and lower vane sections extending transversely inwardly from the upper and lower tips of the exhaust vane respectively. The exhaust vane may be articulated having upstream and downstream sections separately sideways pivotable about the vane pivot axis and a second pivot axis downstream of and parallel to the vane pivot axis respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Jay Toffan, James Lee Salmon, Ronald Clement Hollett, Arthur McCardle
  • Publication number: 20090064660
    Abstract: An exhaust vane disposed in a divergent section of an aircraft gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle is sideways pivotable about a vane pivot axis. The nozzle vane pivot axis may be centrally located at an unvectored nozzle throat. Transversely spaced apart upper and lower tips of the exhaust vane may be incorporated to sealingly engage a nozzle outer wall along upper and lower surfaces of the outer wall of the nozzle. The exhaust vane has flat or contoured vane sidewalls and contoured vane sidewalls may be concave. The exhaust vane may have transversely biased apart upper and lower vane sections extending transversely inwardly from the upper and lower tips of the exhaust vane respectively. The exhaust vane may be articulated having upstream and downstream sections separately sideways pivotable about the vane pivot axis and a second pivot axis downstream of and parallel to the vane pivot axis respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Jay Toffan, James Lee Salmon, Ronald Clement Hollett, Arthur McCardle
  • Patent number: 7475548
    Abstract: A vectorable nozzle includes convergent and divergent sections and a throat therebetween. Heightwise spaced apart upper and lower walls outwardly bound a nozzle flowpath and extend aftwardly through the convergent and divergent sections from the nozzle inlet to the nozzle outlet. The upper wall includes triangular left and right side convergent upper panels pivotably mounted to a triangular convergent upper ramp in the convergent section along left and right side convergent angled hinge lines respectively. The upper wall further includes triangular left and right side divergent upper panels pivotably attached to a triangular divergent upper ramp in the divergent section along left and right side divergent angled hinge lines respectively. The left and right side convergent upper panels are in sealing engagement with the left and right side divergent upper panels along left and right side upper interfaces, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Jay Toffan, Arthur McCardle
  • Publication number: 20080016872
    Abstract: A vectorable nozzle includes convergent and divergent sections and a throat therebetween. Heightwise spaced apart upper and lower walls outwardly bound a nozzle flowpath and extend aftwardly through the convergent and divergent sections from the nozzle inlet to the nozzle outlet. The upper wall includes triangular left and right side convergent upper panels pivotably mounted to a triangular convergent upper ramp in the convergent section along left and right side convergent angled hinge lines respectively. The upper wall further includes triangular left and right side divergent upper panels pivotably attached to a triangular divergent upper ramp in the divergent section along left and right side divergent angled hinge lines respectively. The left and right side convergent upper panels are in sealing engagement with the left and right side divergent upper panels along left and right side upper interfaces, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Jay Toffan, Arthur McCardle
  • Patent number: 4176792
    Abstract: A convergent-divergent exhaust nozzle is provided with a four-bar linkage system which allows effective variation of both the primary nozzle throat and exit areas, as well as movement of the outer nozzle, by movement of a single cam roller assembly. In addition to the convergent and divergent flaps, the linkage system includes a rigid link extending out from the exhaust duct and a compression link pivotally interconnecting the rigid link and the divergent flap. Nozzle area variations are accomplished by rotating the convergent flap about a pivot attached to the exhaust duct, with the divergent flap and the outer nozzle flap being moved accordingly. The desired nozzle throat/exit area ratio relationship can be appropriately established by proper selection of the lengths of the individual links and location of their connection points. Provision is made to readily change the length of one of the links to thereby modify the area ratio schedule as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1979
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Arthur McCardle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4000611
    Abstract: A variable area exhaust device is provided for a gas turbine engine, with the actuation thereof being achieved by means other than conventional actuators. Area variation is accomplished by means of a rotatable duct section forming the downstream extremity of the exhaust device. A portion of the duct comprises a nozzle flap and another portion comprises a piston disposed in a pressure plenum and adapted to at least partially balance the exhaust gas loads on the flap portion to facilitate actuation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1977
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arthur McCardle, Jr., John J. Wright, Jarod L. Baugh
  • Patent number: 3981450
    Abstract: A translating flap convergent/divergent-aircraft engine thrust nozzle and integrated thrust reverser including a cascade for reversing the flow of engine exhaust, an inner exhaust duct-translating segment and an outer cowl normally enclosing the cascade therebetween; a series of blocker doors positioned in a normal stowed, inactive relation in the aft end portion of the thrust nozzle; main, hydraulic actuators are interconnected with and operable to simultaneously translate the translating segment and cowl to open a reverse-exhaust flow path through the cascade; and a cam-operated device interconnected between the translating segment and the blocker doors to automatically reposition the blocker doors to an active position blocking the engine exhaust path through the thrust nozzle in concert with the translation of the translating segment and cowl to their reverse flow-producing positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Arthur McCardle, Jr., George H. Israel, Jr., Frank J. Trombetta, David F. Howard