Patents by Inventor Grady L. SMITH

Grady L. SMITH 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: 9987700
    Abstract: A magnet arrangement for a magnetically impelled arc butt welding system, wherein the system is used to weld an airfoil to a platform of a gas turbine. The magnet arrangement includes a first plurality of magnets wherein the magnets are located adjacent a first curved airfoil surface and arranged in a first curved shape corresponding to a shape of the first curved airfoil surface. The magnet arrangement also includes a second plurality of magnets wherein the magnets are located adjacent a second curved airfoil surface and arranged in a second curved shape corresponding to a shape of the second curved airfoil surface such that the first plurality of magnets has a different curvature than the second plurality of magnets. The first and second plurality of magnets guide an electric arc of the system along mating surfaces to heat the mating surfaces to enable the airfoil and platform to be forged together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Grady L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20160008909
    Abstract: A magnet arrangement for a magnetically impelled arc butt welding system, wherein the system is used to weld an airfoil to a platform of a gas turbine. The magnet arrangement includes a first plurality of magnets wherein the magnets are located adjacent a first curved airfoil surface and arranged in a first curved shape corresponding to a shape of the first curved airfoil surface. The magnet arrangement also includes a second plurality of magnets wherein the magnets are located adjacent a second curved airfoil surface and arranged in a second curved shape corresponding to a shape of the second curved airfoil surface such that the first plurality of magnets has a different curvature than the second plurality of magnets. The first and second plurality of magnets guide an electric arc of the system along mating surfaces to heat the mating surfaces to enable the airfoil and platform to be forged together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventor: Grady L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150360329
    Abstract: A crack repair method for a turbine component using spark plasma sintering: Applying filler material on a cracked portion of the turbine component. Applying joining pressure on the cracked portion of the turbine component by punches pressing on the component. Simultaneously heating the filler material by an application of electric current. Then cooling the heated filler material to form a joint at the cracked portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Gia Khanh PHAM, Sebastian PIEGERT, Grady L. SMITH