Patents by Inventor David P. Scothern

David P. Scothern 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: 9133939
    Abstract: A hydraulic seal arrangement for a rotating machine, particularly a gas turbine engine, comprises a hydraulic seal and a hydraulic trap. When the machine is shut down, oil is retained in the hydraulic trap. When the machine is restarted, the oil from the hydraulic trap is available to re-make the hydraulic seal, thereby reducing or avoiding the leakage that typically occurs in such seal arrangements until the flow of oil through the seal arrangement is re-established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: David P Scothern, Neil R Fomison
  • Patent number: 8721260
    Abstract: A fan retention shaft is provided for retaining a fan within a gas turbine engine in the event of fan shaft failure. The fan retention shaft has a first shaft which in use extends from the engine and a second shaft to which in use the fan is attached, the second shaft being coaxial with the first shaft and the first and second shafts defining an annular passage between them. An energy absorbing medium is disposed within the annular passage. The fan retention shaft has a retaining formation for preventing the first shaft and the second shaft from moving axially with respect to one another. The retaining formation is configured to release the first shaft and the second shaft from their relative axial positions when a threshold axial load is applied to the fan retention shaft. The energy absorbing medium is arranged to absorb kinetic energy from the second shaft as the second shaft moves axially with respect to the first shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventor: David P. Scothern
  • Patent number: 8424280
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine arrangement comprises a first gas turbine engine, a second gas turbine engine, a differential gearbox and an electrical generator. The differential gearbox has a first input drive, a second input drive and an output drive. The output drive of the differential gearbox is arranged to drive the electrical generator via an external, accessory, gearbox. The external, accessory, gearbox drives other accessories. The first gas turbine is arranged to drive the first input drive of the differential gearbox and the second gas turbine engine is arranged to drive the second input drive of the differential gearbox. The electrical generator and accessories are driven at a constant frequency speed/frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventors: Gareth E Moore, David R Trainer, David P Scothern, David S Knott, Paul Simms
  • Patent number: 8297039
    Abstract: A propulsion engine (100) for an aircraft, the propulsion engine comprising: one or more fans (110, 120); driving means (132) arranged to drive the one or more fans; and power transfer means (134) connected to the one or more fans and arranged to selectively transfer a variable amount of power to or from the one or more fans so as to control the rotational speed of the one or more fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: David P. Scothern
  • Publication number: 20110083416
    Abstract: A propulsion engine (100) for an aircraft, the propulsion engine comprising: one or more fans (110, 120); driving means (132) arranged to drive the one or more fans; and power transfer means (134) connected to the one or more fans and arranged to selectively transfer a variable amount of power to or from the one or more fans so as to control the rotational speed of the one or more fans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: David P. SCOTHERN
  • Publication number: 20110085906
    Abstract: A fan retention shaft is provided for retaining a fan within a gas turbine engine in the event of fan shaft failure. The fan retention shaft has a first shaft which in use extends from the engine and a second shaft to which in use the fan is attached, the second shaft being coaxial with the first shaft and the first and second shafts defining an annular passage between them. An energy absorbing medium is disposed within the annular passage. The fan retention shaft has a retaining formation for preventing the first shaft and the second shaft from moving axially with respect to one another. The retaining formation is configured to release the first shaft and the second shaft from their relative axial positions when a threshold axial load is applied to the fan retention shaft. The energy absorbing medium is arranged to absorb kinetic energy from the second shaft as the second shaft moves axially with respect to the first shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: David P. SCOTHERN
  • Publication number: 20100090415
    Abstract: A hydraulic seal arrangement for a rotating machine, particularly a gas turbine engine, comprises a hydraulic seal and a hydraulic trap. When the machine is shut down, oil is retained in the hydraulic trap. When the machine is restarted, the oil from the hydraulic trap is available to re-make the hydraulic seal, thereby reducing or avoiding the leakage that typically occurs in such seal arrangements until the flow of oil through the seal arrangement is re-established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: David P. Scothern, Neil R. Fomison
  • Publication number: 20100024434
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine arrangement (1) comprises a first gas turbine engine (10), a second gas turbine engine (70), a differential gearbox (57) and an electrical generator (112). The differential gearbox (57) has a first input drive (54), a second input drive (78) and an output drive (110). The output drive (110) of the differential gearbox (57) is arranged to drive the electrical generator (112) via an external, accessory, gearbox (56). The external, accessory, gearbox (56) drives other accessories (116, 120). The first gas turbine (10) is arranged to drive the first input drive (54) of the differential gearbox (57) and the second gas turbine engine (70) is arranged to drive the second input drive (78) of the differential gearbox (57). The electrical generator (112) and accessories (116, 120) are driven at a constant frequency speed/frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Gareth E. Moore, David R. Trainer, David P. Scothern, David S. Knott, Paul Simms