Patents by Inventor David Leach

David Leach 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: 6470689
    Abstract: A ventilation scheme for a rotary machine supported on pedestals within an enclosure having a roof, end walls and side walls with the machine arranged parallel to the side walls, includes ventilation air inlets located in a first end wall of the enclosure; a barrier wall located within the enclosure, proximate the first end wall to thereby create a plenum chamber. The barrier wall is constructed to provide a substantially annular gap between the barrier wall and a casing of the turbine to thereby direct ventilation air axially along the turbine; one or more ventilation air outlets located proximate a second, opposite end wall on the roof of the enclosure. In addition, one or more fans are provided for pulling ventilating air into said plenum chamber via the ventilation air inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Troy Joseph Schroeder, David Leach, Michael Anthony O'Toole
  • Patent number: 6457936
    Abstract: Circumferentially spaced arrays of support pins are disposed through access openings in an outer turbine shell and have projections received in recesses in forward and aft sections of an inner turbine shell supported from the outer shell. The projections have arcuate sides in a circumferential direction affording line contacts with the side walls of the recesses and are spaced from end faces of the recesses, enabling radial and axial expansion and contraction of the inner shell relative to the outer shell. All loads are taken up in a tangential direction by the outer shell with the support pins taking no radial loadings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Leach, Peter Allen Bergendahl
  • Patent number: 6431555
    Abstract: A plurality of arcuate, circumferentially extending leaf seal segments form an annular seal spanning between annular sealing surfaces of inner and outer casings of a turbine. The ends of the adjoining seal segments have circumferential gaps to enable circumferential expansion and contraction of the segments. The end of a first segment includes a tab projecting into a recess of a second end of a second segment. Edges of the tab seal against the sealing surfaces of the inner and outer casings have a narrow clearance with opposed edges of the recess. An overlying cover plate spans the joint. Leakage flow is maintained at a minimum because of the reduced gap between the radially spaced edges of the tab and recess, while the seal segments retain the capacity to expand and contract circumferentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Stewart Schroder, David Leach
  • Patent number: 6422807
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine having inner and outer shells, with the inner shell being radially movable relative to rotor bucket tip passage in the inner shell for flowing a thermal medium. A pair of passage portions are formed in each of the aft and forward inner shell sections with axially communicating passageways between the passage portions. A thermal medium, preferably from an off-turbine site, is provided for flow through the second-stage aft inner shell section, along axial passageways along the mid-line of the inner shell to a first passage portion of the forward inner shell section. Cross-over paths flow the thermal medium from the first passage portions to second circumferentially extending passage portions of the forward inner shell section, in turn, in communication with axial passageways extending from the forward section to the aft section. A second pair of passage portions flow the thermal medium to an outlet in the aft section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Leach, Iain Robertson Kellock, Larry Wayne Plemmons, Cedric Chow, Brendan Francis Sexton, Mark Stewart Schroder
  • Publication number: 20020055330
    Abstract: A ventilation scheme for a rotary machine supported on pedestals within an enclosure having a roof, end walls and side walls with the machine arranged parallel to the side walls, includes ventilation air inlets located in a first end wall of the enclosure; a barrier wall located within the enclosure, proximate the first end wall to thereby create a plenum chamber. The barrier wall is constructed to provide a substantially annular gap between the barrier wall and a casing of the turbine to thereby direct ventilation air axially along the turbine; one or more ventilation air outlets located proximate a second, opposite end wall on the roof of the enclosure. In addition, one or more fans are provided for pulling ventilating air into said plenum chamber via the ventilation air inlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Troy Joseph Schroeder, David Leach, Michael Anthony O'Toola
  • Patent number: 6357221
    Abstract: A ventilation scheme for a rotary machine supported on pedestals within an enclosure having a roof, end walls and side walls with the machine arranged parallel to the side walls, includes ventilation air inlets located in a first end wall of the enclosure; a barrier wall located within the enclosure, proximate the first end wall to thereby create a plenum chamber. The barrier wall is constructed to provide a substantially annular gap between the barrier wall and a casing of the turbine to thereby direct ventilation air axially along the turbine; one or more ventilation air outlets located proximate a second, opposite end wall on the roof of the enclosure. In addition, one or more fans are provided for pulling ventilating air into said plenum chamber via the ventilation air inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Troy Joseph Schroeder, David Leach, Michael Anthony O'Toole
  • Publication number: 20020023426
    Abstract: A ventilation scheme for a rotary machine supported on pedestals within an enclosure having a roof, end walls and side walls with the machine arranged parallel to the side walls, includes ventilation air inlets located in a first end wall of the enclosure; a barrier wall located within the enclosure, proximate the first end wall to thereby create a plenum chamber. The barrier wall is constructed to provide a substantially annular gap between the barrier wall and a casing of the turbine to thereby direct ventilation air axially along the turbine; one or more ventilation air outlets located proximate a second, opposite end wall on the roof of the enclosure. In addition, one or more fans are provided for pulling ventilating air into said plenum chamber via the ventilation air inlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Troy Joseph Schroeder, David Leach, Michael Anthony O'Toole
  • Patent number: 6224332
    Abstract: A turbine includes upper and lower inner shell sections mounting the nozzles and shrouds and which inner shell is supported by pins secured to a surrounding outer shell. To disassemble the turbine for access to the inner shell sections and rotor, an alignment fixture is secured to the lower outer shell section and has pins engaging the inner shell section. To disassemble the turbine, the inner shell weight is transferred to the lower outer shell section via the alignment fixture and cradle pins. Roller assemblies are inserted through access openings vacated by support pins to permit rotation of the lower inner shell section out of and into the lower outer shell section during disassembly and assembly. The alignment fixture includes adjusting rods for adjusting the inner shell axially, vertically, laterally and about a lateral axis. A roller over-cage is provided to rotate the inner shell and a dummy shell to facilitate assembly and disassembly in the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: David Leach, Peter Allen Bergendahl, Stuart Forrest Waldo, Robert Leroy Smith, Robert Kim Phelps