Patents by Inventor Christopher E. Wolfe
Christopher E. Wolfe 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).
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Publication number: 20250020082Abstract: A fuel nozzle valve includes a fuel nozzle valve liner having a channel with an opening for allowing fuel to flow therethrough and a seat. A plunger has a stud and a base substantially perpendicular to the stud, the plunger being configured to move relative to the fuel nozzle valve liner to seal or to open the opening of the fuel nozzle valve. The fuel nozzle valve further includes a metal resilient member configured to contact the base of the plunger and the seat of the fuel nozzle valve liner to seal the opening of the fuel nozzle valve when the plunger is moved to seal the fuel nozzle valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2024Publication date: January 16, 2025Inventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Alfred A. Mancini, Randy Joseph Tobe
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Patent number: 12129800Abstract: A fuel nozzle valve includes a fuel nozzle valve liner having a channel with an opening for allowing fuel to flow therethrough and a seat. A plunger has a stud and a base substantially perpendicular to the stud, the plunger being configured to move relative to the fuel nozzle valve liner to seal or to open the opening of the fuel nozzle valve. The fuel nozzle valve further includes a metal resilient member configured to contact the base of the plunger and the seat of the fuel nozzle valve liner to seal the opening of the fuel nozzle valve when the plunger is moved to seal the fuel nozzle valve.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2022Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Alfred A. Mancini, Randy Joseph Tobe
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Publication number: 20230313742Abstract: A fuel nozzle valve includes a fuel nozzle valve liner having a channel with an opening for allowing fuel to flow therethrough and a seat. A plunger has a stud and a base substantially perpendicular to the stud, the plunger being configured to move relative to the fuel nozzle valve liner to seal or to open the opening of the fuel nozzle valve. The fuel nozzle valve further includes a metal resilient member configured to contact the base of the plunger and the seat of the fuel nozzle valve liner to seal the opening of the fuel nozzle valve when the plunger is moved to seal the fuel nozzle valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2022Publication date: October 5, 2023Inventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Alfred A. Mancini, Randy Joseph Tobe
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Patent number: 8689886Abstract: A gate valve has a body, the body having a cavity and a flow passage intersecting the cavity. A seat is mounted to the body at the intersection of the flow passage and the cavity. A gate is installed at the cavity and has an engaging face that slidingly engages the seat while the gate is being moved between open and closed positions. The end faces between a seat pocket and the seat are hard-coated and smooth-finished to provide sealing when mated. The hardcoated pocket and seat sealing surfaces extend the life of the valve by eliminating the need for an elastomeric seal of limited life.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2011Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Dennis Gray, Leonardo Ajdelsztajn
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Publication number: 20120318528Abstract: A gate valve has a body, the body having a cavity and a flow passage intersecting the cavity. A seat is mounted to the body at the intersection of the flow passage and the cavity. A gate is installed at the cavity and has an engaging face that slidingly engages the seat while the gate is being moved between open and closed positions. The end faces between a seat pocket and the seat are hard-coated and smooth-finished to provide sealing when mated. The hardcoated pocket and seat sealing surfaces extend the life of the valve by eliminating the need for an elastomeric seal of limited life.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: VETCO GRAY INC.Inventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Dennis Gray, Leonardo Ajdelsztajn
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Patent number: 7536864Abstract: A gas turbine engine system. The system includes a compressor with a first compressor stage and a second compressor stage, a turbine with a first turbine stage and a second turbine stage, a first flow path connecting the first compressor stage and the first turbine stage, a second flow path connecting the second compressor stage and the second turbine stage, a crossover flow path connecting the first flow path and the second flow path, and an ejector positioned about the crossover flow path and the first flow path. The ejector may be a variable motive nozzle ejector.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2005Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Douglas F. Beadie, Kenneth N. Whaling, David W. Ball, Kevin T. McGovern, Ravi Praveen Eluripati, Omprakash Samudrala
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Publication number: 20090085305Abstract: An apparatus for sealing gas path leakage within a turbomachine is provided. The apparatus may include at least one seal system, which may include at least one sealing shim, at least one spring; and at least one shim protection material. The seal system may be inserted between a first and a second structure of the turbomachine. The seal system may adjust for misalignments between the first and the second structures of the turbomachine.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2007Publication date: April 2, 2009Inventors: Mehmet Demiroglu, Christopher E. Wolfe, Patrick B. Melton, Edip Sevincer
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Patent number: 5613829Abstract: A gas turbine subassembly having a stator, a rotor, and an annular brush seal which is attached to the stator and whose free end is in line-to-line contact with a first circumferential portion of the rotor's outside surface during a first rotation/load state (such as a full-speed/full-load state of a power-plant gas-turbine rotor). A longitudinally-adjoining second circumferential portion (such as a groove) has a smaller diameter than that of the first circumferential portion. The rotor and stator together undergo a predetermined differential thermal movement when the rotor transitions to a second rotation/load state (such as a turning-gear/no-load state). During such movement, the free end of the brush seal moves radially inward and longitudinally across the second portion, preferably without any contact, to minimize or eliminate brush seal wear.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 1996Date of Patent: March 25, 1997Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Osman S. Dinc
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Patent number: 5509669Abstract: A gas-path leakage seal for generally sealing a gas-path leakage-gap between spaced-apart first and second members of a gas turbine (such as combustor casing segments). The seal includes a generally imperforate foil-layer assemblage which is generally impervious to gas and is located in the leakage-gap. The seal also includes a cloth-layer assemblage generally enclosingly contacting the foil-layer assemblage. In one seal, the first edge of the foil-layer assemblage is left exposed, and the foil-layer assemblage resiliently contacts the first member near the first edge to reduce leakage in the "plane" of the cloth-layer assemblage under conditions which include differential thermal growth of the two members. In another seal, such leakage is reduced by having a first weld-bead which permeates the cloth-layer assemblage, is attached to the metal-foil-layer assemblage near the first edge, and unattachedly contacts the first member.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1995Date of Patent: April 23, 1996Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Osman S. Dinc, Bharat S. Bagepalli, Victor H. Correia, Mahmut F. Aksit
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Patent number: 5428992Abstract: A locomotive diesel engine test assembly generates a once-per-cycle signal phased to the top dead center of a predetermined piston in its cylinder. A locomotive diesel engine crankcase door is hermetically attached to the crankcase so as to cover a camshaft located therein. An outer tube extends through and is hermetically and fixedly attached to the crankcase door, and an inner tube extends through and is hermetically and pivotably attached to the outer tube. A proximity sensor is attached to the inner tube and positioned near and generally perpendicular to the camshaft. A marker is attached to the circumference of the camshaft and is detectable by the proximity sensor once per revolution of the camshaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 1994Date of Patent: July 4, 1995Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christopher E. Wolfe, Gary R. Livingston, James R. Beal