Patents by Inventor Dale H. Blount

Dale H. Blount 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).

  • Cryogenic anti-friction bearing with reinforced inner race
    Patent number: 4997297
    Abstract: This invention consists of a bearing (26) designed to operate in a cryogenic environment and which has an inner raceway (30) generally constructed as an annular band fitted by an interference fit to a rotating shaft (12). A pair of annular tension bands (32, 34) are fitted onto opposed sides of the band and function to firmly clamp the raceway (30) to the shaft (12). This occurs because the tension bands are constructed of a material which, when cooled to aproximately -385.degree. F., shrinks more than the raceway (30) and the shaft (12) to which it is fitted. The bands further relax somewhat at room temperature and permit the interference fit between the raceway (30) and the shaft (12) to be sized such that the raceway (30) is not overly stessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Dale H. Blount
  • Rotor self-lubricating axial stop
    Patent number: 4826396
    Abstract: A plurality of lubricating plugs are disposed in the stationary backup face adjacent to the axial stop face of a rotating impeller mounted in a turbopump for pumping liquid oxygen or liquid hydrogen. The stop face and the backup face are those surfaces which engage when the axial load on the impeller exceeds the load balancing capability. The plugs have a truncated conical configuration so as to be trapped in the backup face, and are disposed at varying radii on the face to provide complete surface lubrication. The plugs may be formed from Teflon, Kel-F or bronze filled Teflon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Dale H. Blount
  • Propulsion apparatus and method using boil-off gas from a cryogenic liquid
    Patent number: 4585191
    Abstract: A propulsion system and method is disclosed for controlling the attitude and drag of a space vehicle (10). A helium dewar (12) contains liquid helium (11) which cools an experiment package (22). The helium is heated or vented to keep the temperature between 1.5 and 1.7 degrees K to maintain helium boil-off gas adequate as a propellant without adversely affecting the experiment package which is contained in the helium dewar for protection from solar heating. The apparatus includes auxiliary heater (32) and temperature sensor (30) for controlling the temperature of the helium. The boil-off gas propellant is delivered to thruster modules (A) to control vehicle attitude and compensate for drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Dale H. Blount