Patents by Inventor David J. Thomas

David J. Thomas 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).

  • Turbine blade with heat shield
    Patent number: 10215028
    Abstract: An airfoil assembly for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The airfoil assembly includes a root, a tip shroud, and an airfoil located between the root and tip shroud. The airfoil includes a spar and a heat shield arranged around the spar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Tara G. Schetzel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • Turbine shroud with movable attachment features
    Patent number: 10215056
    Abstract: A turbine shroud for positioning radially outside of blades of a turbine rotor includes a carrier, a blade track, and a track attachment system. The blade track is moved radially outwardly into a cavity of the carrier, and the track attachment system is adjusted to block radially inward movement of the blade track out of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Robert J. Shinavski, Zacheriah A. Cole
  • COMPLIANT RAIL HANGER
    Publication number: 20190024516
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes a supporting component and a supported component. The supporting component includes features engaged by the supported component. The supported component comprises ceramic-containing materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Joseph P. Lamusga, Ted J. Freeman, Andrew J. Lazur
  • Gas turbine engine composite vane assembly and method for making same
    Patent number: 10174619
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine composite vane assembly and method for making same are disclosed. The method includes providing at least two gas turbine engine airfoil composite preform components. The airfoil composite preform components are interlocked with a first locking component so that mating faces of the airfoil composite preform components face each other. A filler material is inserted between the mating surfaces of the airfoil composite preform components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Richard C. Uskert, David J. Thomas, Wayne S. Steffier, Robert J. Shinavski, Adam L. Chamberlain
  • Composite annulus filler
    Patent number: 10156151
    Abstract: A composite annulus filler adapted to bridge the gap between two adjacent rotor blades attached to a rim of a rotor disc of a gas turbine engine. The annulus filler includes a unitary body portion having a platform which extends between the adjacent rotor blades and defines an airflow surface for air being drawn through the engine and a support body extending beneath the platform and terminating in a root which, in use, extends along a groove provided in the rim of the rotor disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman
  • SHROUD CARTRIDGE HAVING A CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE SEAL SEGMENT
    Publication number: 20180328213
    Abstract: A shroud for radially encasing a turbine in a gas turbine engine is provided. The shroud comprises a carrier which defines a pin-receiving carrier bore, and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) seal segment comprising an arcuate flange with a surface facing the turbine and a part that defines a pin-receiving seal segment bore. The seal segment bore is radially spaced from the arcuate flange by a spacing flange which extends radially outward from the arcuate flange to effect receipt within the seal segment bore of an elongated pin. The elongated pin extends through the carrier bore and the seal segment bore, and the elongated pin has a lateral cross-sectional dimension of at least three-eighths of an inch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce Notth American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Kent Vetters, David J. Thomas, Ted Freeman, Douglas David Dierksmeier, Jun Shi, Todd Engel
  • Hanger system for a turbine engine component
    Patent number: 10100659
    Abstract: A component of a turbine is disclosed. The component includes an carrier segment having a rail, an frame segment including a hanger having a flange supported on the rail of the carrier segment, and an inner surface having a section of a track for a turbine blade defined therein. The component also includes a retainer segment secured to the carrier segment such that the hanger is secured between the retainer segment and the carrier segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Joseph P. Lamusga, Aaron D. Sippel, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Simon L. Jones
  • Compliant rail hanger
    Patent number: 10100649
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes a supporting component and a supported component. The supporting component includes features engaged by the supported component. The supported component comprises ceramic-containing materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Joseph P. Lamusga, Ted J. Freeman, Andrew J. Lazur
  • Vane assembly for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 10094239
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed in this paper. The vane assembly includes an inner platform, an outer platform, and a ceramic-containing airfoil. The ceramic-containing airfoil extends from the inner platform to the outer platform. A reinforcement spar made from a metallic material extends from the inner platform to the outer platform through a hollow core of the ceramic-containing airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Bruce E. Varney, David J. Thomas, Jeffrey A. Walston
  • Shroud cartridge having a ceramic matrix composite seal segment
    Patent number: 10087770
    Abstract: A shroud for radially encasing a turbine in a gas turbine engine is provided. The shroud comprises a carrier which defines a pin-receiving carrier bore, and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) seal segment comprising an arcuate flange with a surface facing the turbine and a part that defines a pin-receiving seal segment bore. The seal segment bore is radially spaced from the arcuate flange by a spacing flange which extends radially outward from the arcuate flange to effect receipt within the seal segment bore of an elongated pin. The elongated pin extends through the carrier bore and the seal segment bore, and the elongated pin has a lateral cross-sectional dimension of at least three-eighths of an inch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Kent Vetters, David J. Thomas, Ted Freeman, Douglas David Dierksmeier, Jun Shi, Todd Engel
  • Seal for gas turbine engines
    Patent number: 10082085
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes a support component, an engine component, and a seal. The annular support component is formed to include a notch. The engine component is mounted in spaced-apart relation to the support component so that a gap is formed between the support component and the engine component. The seal is located in the notch and is adapted to close the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman
  • TURBINE BLADE WITH CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION
    Publication number: 20180230823
    Abstract: A turbine blade of ceramic matrix composite material construction adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The turbine blade includes a root, an airfoil, and a platform. The root is adapted to attach the turbine blade to a disk. The airfoil is shaped to interact with hot gasses moving through the gas path of a gas turbine engine and cause rotation of the turbine blade when the turbine blade is used in a gas turbine engine. The platform is arranged between the root and the airfoil and is shaped to block gasses from the gas path migrating toward the root when the turbine blade is used in a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters, Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • MATERIAL TESTING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE
    Publication number: 20180195940
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a material testing system for use in testing material strength of various gas turbine engine components. The material testing system provides a load force onto portions of gas turbine engine components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Walston, David J. Thomas, Ted J. Freeman
  • THREE-DIMENSIONALLY WOVEN CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE TURBINE BLADE
    Publication number: 20180171806
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite turbine blade for use in a gas turbine engine includes a root, a platform, and an airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, David J. Thomas, Aaron D. Sippel
  • TURBINE SHROUD WITH HANGER ATTACHMENT
    Publication number: 20180149030
    Abstract: An assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine has a carrier component and a supported component. The assembly including a mounting system for coupling the supported component to the carrier component and a seal adapted to resist the movement of gasses between the supported component to the carrier component. In an illustrative embodiment, the assembly is a turbine shroud segment for blocking gasses from passing over turbine blades included in the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters, David J. Thomas, Alexandra R. Baucco
  • TURBINE SHROUD ASSEMBLY WITH ANTI-ROTATION FEATURES
    Publication number: 20180149041
    Abstract: An assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine has a carrier component and a supported component. The assembly including a mounting system for coupling the supported component to the carrier component and a seal adapted to resist the movement of gasses between the supported component to the carrier component. In an illustrative embodiment, the assembly is a turbine shroud segment for blocking gasses from passing over turbine blades included in the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters, David J. Thomas, Alexandra R. Baucco, Joseph P. Lamusga
  • Turbine Shroud Assembly with Locating Pads
    Publication number: 20180149042
    Abstract: An assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine has a carrier component and a supported component. The assembly including a mounting system for coupling the supported component to the carrier component and a seal adapted to resist the movement of gasses between the supported component to the carrier component. In an illustrative embodiment, the assembly is a turbine shroud segment for blocking gasses from passing over turbine blades included in the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Daniel K. Vetters, David J. Thomas, Alexandra R. Baucco
  • Vane assembly for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 9970317
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed in this paper. The vane assembly includes an inner platform, an outer platform, and a ceramic-containing airfoil. The ceramic-containing airfoil extends from the inner platform to the outer platform. A clamp mechanism couples the inner platform and the outer platform to the ceramic-containing airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North America Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Bruce E. Varney, David J. Thomas, Jeffrey A. Walston
  • Ceramic matrix composite seal segment for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 9963990
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) seal segment for use in a segmented turbine shroud for radially encasing a turbine in a gas turbine engine. The CMC seal segment comprises an arcuate flange having a surface facing the turbine and a portion defining a bore for receiving an elongated pin, with the bore having a length that is at least 70% of the length of the elongated pin received therein. The CMC seal segment is carried by the carrier by at least one of the elongated pins being received within the bore. The CMC seal segment portion defining a pin-receiving bore is radially spaced from the arcuate flange by a spacing flange extending radially outward from the arcuate flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Kent Vetters, David J. Thomas, Ted Freeman, Douglas David Dierksmeier, Jun Shi, Todd Engel
  • TURBINE BLADE WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL CMC CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS
    Publication number: 20180119549
    Abstract: An ceramic matrix composite blade for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The ceramic matrix composite blade includes a root, an airfoil, and a platform located between the root and the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, David J. Thomas