Patents by Inventor Christopher P. Cox

Christopher P. Cox 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).

  • Inducer seal with integrated inducer slots
    Patent number: 11821365
    Abstract: The present application provides an inducer seal configured to provide a flow of air to a rotor shaft within a turbine of a gas turbine engine. The inducer seal includes a ring plate having an outer surface with a circumferential channel and an inner surface having an abradable seal. A number of inducer slots are positioned in the ring plate that extend from the outer surface to the inner surface such that the flow of air may pass therethrough in a tangential direction relative to rotation of the rotor shaft to cool the rotor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher P. Cox, Lucas Wedmore
  • INDUCER SEAL WITH INTEGRATED INDUCER SLOTS
    Publication number: 20230243304
    Abstract: The present application provides an inducer seal configured to provide a flow of air to a rotor shaft within a turbine of a gas turbine engine. The inducer seal includes a ring plate having an outer surface with a circumferential channel and an inner surface having an abradable seal. A number of inducer slots are positioned in the ring plate that extend from the outer surface to the inner surface such that the flow of air may pass therethrough in a tangential direction relative to rotation of the rotor shaft to cool the rotor shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher P. Cox, Lucas Wedmore
  • Method and apparatus for matching the thermal mass and stiffness of bolted split rings
    Patent number: 8128353
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling distortion in the casing of a gas turbine are disclosed. The method uses a split in the flange ID underneath “false” flanges to tune the hoop stiffness of the casing to match the stiffness and behavior of the bolted joint. By matching the hoop carrying capability and load path of the split-line flange, as well as the thermal mass effect, the distortion can be channeled to a higher order distortion mode that can evenly distribute the deflection and approach a pure circular form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark W. Flanagan, Christopher P. Cox
  • Method and apparatus for matching the thermal mass and stiffness of bolted split rings
    Publication number: 20100080698
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling distortion in the casing of a gas turbine are disclosed. The method uses a split in the flange ID underneath “false” flanges to tune the hoop stiffness of the casing to match the stiffness and behavior of the bolted joint. By matching the hoop carrying capability and load path of the split-line flange, as well as the thermal mass effect, the distortion can be channeled to a higher order distortion mode that can evenly distribute the deflection and approach a pure circular form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark W. Flanagan, Christopher P. Cox