Patents by Inventor Hamish Constable

Hamish Constable 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: 8235176
    Abstract: A lubrication and scavenge system for a gas turbine, capable continued operation in nose-down or nose-up orientations, has a number of oil drainage passages to return oil to one or more collection chambers adjacent a rolling element bearing. A rotary impellor in the chamber forces the oil into a scavenge off-take passageway in the chamber wall leading to a scavenge pump. However, in some orientations windage effects in the chamber can return the oil to the drainage passage rather than permitting the impellor to centrifuge it into the off-take passageway. As a result oil starvation may occur. To avoid this and improve scavenging a shield is located between the drainage path and the off-take passageway adjacent to a face of the impellor. The shield may comprise an additional member, but preferably is formed integrally with a bearing race so as to ease assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Mark Hannaford, John L. Gibbons, John Astley, Hamish Constable
  • Publication number: 20090250296
    Abstract: A lubrication and scavenge system for a gas turbine, capable continued operation in nose-down or nose-up orientations, has a number of oil drainage passages to return oil to one or more collection chambers adjacent a rolling element bearing. A rotary impellor in the chamber forces the oil into a scavenge off-take passageway in the chamber wall leading to a scavenge pump. However, in some orientations windage effects in the chamber can return the oil to the drainage passage rather than permitting the impellor to centrifuge it into the off-take passageway. As a result oil starvation may occur. To avoid this and improve scavenging a shield is located between the drainage path and the off-take passageway adjacent to a face of the impellor. The shield may comprise an additional member, but preferably is formed integrally with a bearing race so as to ease assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Mark Hannaford, John L. Gibbons, John Astley, Hamish Constable