Patents by Inventor Glenn H. Nichols

Glenn H. Nichols 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).

  • Publication number: 20090060724
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus of fabricating a gas turbine engine component are provided. The method includes selecting a surface of a component to apply a wear-resistant material, applying a formed wear pad fabricated from a wear-resistant alloy and a braze material, and vacuum brazing the component and applied wear pad wherein the wear-resistant alloy is bonded to the component surface using the braze material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Gregory M. Ford, Eric Keith, Joshua Miller, David E. Budinger, Glenn H. Nichols
  • Patent number: 7360991
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus of fabricating a gas turbine engine component are provided. The method includes selecting a surface of a component to apply a wear-resistant material, applying a formed wear pad fabricated from a wear-resistant alloy and a braze material, and vacuum brazing the component and applied wear pad wherein the wear-resistant alloy is bonded to the component surface using the braze material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory M. Ford, Eric Keith, Joshua Miller, David E. Budinger, Glenn H. Nichols
  • Patent number: 7222422
    Abstract: A process for refurbishing a worn surface of a shroud support component of a turbomachine, as well as a shroud support component refurbished with the process. The process generally entails removing a surface region of the worn surface so as to define a repair surface on the component. A braze tape formed from a slurry to comprise a braze material and a wear-resistant alloy is then applied to the repair surface, followed by a heat treatment to cause the braze tape to diffusion bond to the repair surface so as to define a built-up surface. The built-up surface is then machined to define a wear-resistant coating on the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bhupendra Kumar Gupta, Edward John Emilianowicz, Thomas J. Kelly, Glenn H. Nichols, Marek M. Steplewski
  • Patent number: 6183192
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes a plurality of vanes joined at opposite ends to outer and inner bands. The inner band has a forward hook which is segmented to reduce thermal mismatch. And, in additional embodiments the vane includes an impingement baffle having preferential cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Judd D. Tressler, Glenn H. Nichols
  • Patent number: 6126400
    Abstract: An airfoil having extended life due to reduction in stresses. The stresses are reduced by extending the thermal barrier coating below the radius between the outer band perimeter and the inner flow path surfaces and tapering the coating thickness. This additional tapered thermal barrier coating reduces the temperature gradient across a region already having high mechanical stresses resulting from geometric considerations thereby lowering thermally-induced stresses so that low cycle fatigue life is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Glenn H. Nichols, Judd D. Tressler
  • Patent number: RE39320
    Abstract: An airfoil having extended life due to reduction in stresses. The stresses are reduced by extending the thermal barrier coating below the radius between the outer band perimeter and the inner flow path surfaces and tapering the coating thickness. This additional tapered thermal barrier coating reduces the temperature gradient across a region already having high mechanical stresses resulting from geometric considerations thereby lowering thermally-induced stresses so that low cycle fatigue life is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Glenn H. Nichols, Judd Dodge Tressler
  • Patent number: RE39479
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes a plurality of vanes joined at opposite ends to outer and inner bands. The inner band has a forward hook which is segmented to reduce thermal mismatch. And, in additional embodiments the vane includes an impingement baffle having preferential cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Judd Dodge Tressler, Glenn H. Nichols