Patents by Inventor Gregory Christopher Firestone

Gregory Christopher Firestone 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: 20240035383
    Abstract: An airfoil component for attaching to a cropped airfoil is provided. The cropped airfoil comprises a cropped airfoil attachment section and a cropped first side opposite a cropped second side, which each extend axially between a cropped first edge and a cropped second edge to define a cropped chord length. The airfoil component comprises a body having a component first side opposite a component second side. The body defines an attachment section for attaching the airfoil component to the cropped airfoil at the cropped airfoil attachment section. The attachment section extends axially between a component first edge and a component second edge to define a component chord length, and the attachment section is oversized with respect to the cropped airfoil attachment section such that the component chord length is longer than the cropped chord length. Systems and methods also are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Suhas Prabhakar Vaze, Timothy Trapp, Scott Sager Campbell, Gregory Christopher Firestone, Jonathan David Mast, Timothy Vernon Stotler
  • Patent number: 11828190
    Abstract: An airfoil component for attaching to a cropped airfoil is provided. The cropped airfoil comprises a cropped airfoil attachment section and a cropped first side opposite a cropped second side, which each extend axially between a cropped first edge and a cropped second edge to define a cropped chord length. The airfoil component comprises a body having a component first side opposite a component second side. The body defines an attachment section for attaching the airfoil component to the cropped airfoil at the cropped airfoil attachment section. The attachment section extends axially between a component first edge and a component second edge to define a component chord length, and the attachment section is oversized with respect to the cropped airfoil attachment section such that the component chord length is longer than the cropped chord length. Systems and methods also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Suhas Prabhakar Vaze, Timothy Trapp, Scott Sager Campbell, Gregory Christopher Firestone, Jonathan David Mast, Timothy Vernon Stotler
  • Publication number: 20230151735
    Abstract: An airfoil component for attaching to a cropped airfoil is provided. The cropped airfoil comprises a cropped airfoil attachment section and a cropped first side opposite a cropped second side, which each extend axially between a cropped first edge and a cropped second edge to define a cropped chord length. The airfoil component comprises a body having a component first side opposite a component second side. The body defines an attachment section for attaching the airfoil component to the cropped airfoil at the cropped airfoil attachment section. The attachment section extends axially between a component first edge and a component second edge to define a component chord length, and the attachment section is oversized with respect to the cropped airfoil attachment section such that the component chord length is longer than the cropped chord length. Systems and methods also are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Suhas Prabhakar Vaze, Timothy Trapp, Scott Sager Campbell, Gregory Christopher Firestone, Jonathan David Mast, Timothy Vernon Stotler
  • Publication number: 20180216464
    Abstract: A method of repairing a blisk having a hub with circumferentially spaced blades. The method can include removing a portion of a blade and replacing the portion with a replacement piece. The method can further include welding the replacement portion to the blade. The method can further include at least one of inspecting the weld after the completion of the weld and prior to heat treatment, dimensionally inspecting the replacement piece after machining, peening the blade, and surface finishing the replacement piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Keith Edward Bezanson, William E. Morgan, Eric Gebert, Drew Michael Chmura, Donna Tylicki Walters, Stanford Verigood, Suhas Prabhakar Vaze, Timothy J. Trapp, Donovan O. Buckley, Hans R. Wagner, Brian David Church, Gary Edward Trewiler, Gregory Christopher Firestone, James A. Hahn, Jeffrey James Root, Seth Carl Shira
  • Patent number: 8895887
    Abstract: A method for repairing a degraded bolt hole in a casing flange by reaming and removing at least some corrosion on an inside and around the hole to form a reamed hole, mounting the flange to float relative to upper and lower electrodes of a welding machine, radially and axially clamping an area of the flange surrounding the reamed hole, placing upper and lower filler slugs in the reamed hole, placing the electrodes against upper and lower filler slugs and applying a welding current through the electrodes while applying pressure to the filler slugs with the electrodes and resistively heating and melting the filler slugs to form a weldment, and pulsing the welding current on and off. Pulsing may be performed with progressively increasing amounts of current. In situ tempering under the pressure of the electrodes may be performed on a substantially liquid pool formed by the welding current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Joseph Trapp, Manish Deepak Dighe, Gregory Christopher Firestone
  • Patent number: 8516674
    Abstract: A method for bonding airfoil sections includes aligning upper and stub airfoil sections having upper airfoil pressure and suction sides and stub airfoil pressure and suction sides respectively, pressing together upper and stub airfoil cross sections at upper and stub airfoil distal ends of the upper and stub airfoil sections respectively, and then resistance welding, preferably solid state resistance welding, the upper and stub airfoil sections together along the upper and stub airfoil cross sections by passing electrical current across the upper and stub airfoil cross sections. The upper and stub airfoil sections may be clamped between pressure and suction side upper airfoil electrodes and between the stub airfoil pressure and suction sides respectively. The method may be performed while the stub airfoil section is attached to an airfoil carrier such as a rotor disk rim, a gas turbine engine drum, or a gas turbine engine blade platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gary Edward Trewiler, Stephen Joseph Ferrigno, Melvin Howard Wilkins, Timothy Joseph Trapp, Matthew Stewart, Gregory Christopher Firestone
  • Publication number: 20130032578
    Abstract: A method for repairing a degraded bolt hole in a casing flange by reaming and removing at least some corrosion on an inside and around the hole to form a reamed hole, mounting the flange to float relative to upper and lower electrodes of a welding machine, radially and axially clamping an area of the flange surrounding the reamed hole, placing upper and lower filler slugs in the reamed hole, placing the electrodes against upper and lower filler slugs and applying a welding current through the electrodes while applying pressure to the filler slugs with the electrodes and resistively heating and melting the filler slugs to form a weldment, and pulsing the welding current on and off. Pulsing may be performed with progressively increasing amounts of current. In situ tempering under the pressure of the electrodes may be performed on a substantially liquid pool formed by the welding current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Timothy Joseph Trapp, Manish Deepak Dighe, Gregory Christopher Firestone
  • Publication number: 20110005075
    Abstract: A method for bonding airfoil sections includes aligning upper and stub airfoil sections having upper airfoil pressure and suction sides and stub airfoil pressure and suction sides respectively, pressing together upper and stub airfoil cross sections at upper and stub airfoil distal ends of the upper and stub airfoil sections respectively, and then resistance welding, preferably solid state resistance welding, the upper and stub airfoil sections together along the upper and stub airfoil cross sections by passing electrical current across the upper and stub airfoil cross sections. The upper and stub airfoil sections may be clamped between pressure and suction side upper airfoil electrodes and between the stub airfoil pressure and suction sides respectively. The method may be performed while the stub airfoil section is attached to an airfoil carrier such as a rotor disk rim, a gas turbine engine drum, or a gas turbine engine blade platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Gary Edward Trewiler, Stephen Joseph Ferrigno, Melvin Howard Wilkins, Timothy Joseph Trapp, Matthew Stewart, Gregory Christopher Firestone