Patents by Inventor Ian Alexander MacFarlane

Ian Alexander MacFarlane 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: 10196975
    Abstract: A method of isolating a turbine shroud from propeller loads in an engine having an outer case with a mount defining a mount plane and an attachment location within the mount plane, the mount configured for attachment of the engine to an aircraft at the attachment location to transfer the propeller loads. The shaft of the engine is supported with a portion of the outer case extending from the mount and defining a load path for the propeller loads. The turbine support case is attached to extend free of the load path, by attaching the turbine support case to the outer case only through a connection along the plane, the connection defining a pivot point allowing a limited relative pivoting motion around the pivot point between the turbine support case and the mount. The turbine shroud is located by directly connecting it to the turbine support case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Ian Alexander MacFarlane
  • Publication number: 20160312695
    Abstract: A method of isolating a turbine shroud from propeller loads in an engine having an outer case with a mount defining a mount plane and an attachment location within the mount plane, the mount configured for attachment of the engine to an aircraft at the attachment location to transfer the propeller loads. The shaft of the engine is supported with a portion of the outer case extending from the mount and defining a load path for the propeller loads. The turbine support case is attached to extend free of the load path, by attaching the turbine support case to the outer case only through a connection along the plane, the connection defining a pivot point allowing a limited relative pivoting motion around the pivot point between the turbine support case and the mount. The turbine shroud is located by directly connecting it to the turbine support case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventor: Ian Alexander MACFARLANE
  • Patent number: 9410441
    Abstract: A turboprop engine including an annular outer case including a mount ring for attachment to an aircraft along a plane to transfer loads from a propeller and having an annular flange extending radially inwardly therefrom within the plane, an annular turbine support case received within the outer case and connected to the outer case only through a direct connection with the annular flange allowing a limited relative pivoting motion between the turbine support case and the mount ring, and a turbine section including a rotor closely surrounded by a shroud with an annular tip clearance being defined therebetween, the shroud being directly connected to and located by the turbine support case. A method of isolating a turbine shroud from propeller loads in a propeller engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Ian Alexander Macfarlane
  • Publication number: 20140069107
    Abstract: A turboprop engine including an annular outer case including a mount ring for attachment to an aircraft along a plane to transfer loads from a propeller and having an annular flange extending radially inwardly therefrom within the plane, an annular turbine support case received within the outer case and connected to the outer case only through a direct connection with the annular flange allowing a limited relative pivoting motion between the turbine support case and the mount ring, and a turbine section including a rotor closely surrounded by a shroud with an annular tip clearance being defined therebetween, the shroud being directly connected to and located by the turbine support case. A method of isolating a turbine shroud from propeller loads in a propeller engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventor: Ian Alexander Macfarlane
  • Publication number: 20090104019
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a gas generator module and a reduction gearbox module. The gas generator module has an axis which extends longitudinally along a centreline of the gas generator module, and the reduction gearbox module has an axis which extending longitudinally along the centreline of the reduction gearbox and is offset from said generator axis. The reduction gearbox is driven by an intermediate shaft angled relative to the turbine output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Ian Alexander MacFarlane, Zenon Szlanta, Lazar Mitrovic, Keith Morgan
  • Patent number: 6735954
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a gas generator module and a reduction gearbox module. The gas generator module has an axis which extends longitudinally along a centreline of the gas generator module, and the reduction gearbox module has an axis which extending longitudinally along the centreline of the reduction gearbox and is offset from said generator axis. The reduction gearbox is driven by an intermediate shaft angled relative to the turbine output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Ian Alexander MacFarlane, Zenon Szlanta, Lazar Mitrovic, Keith Martin Morgan
  • Publication number: 20030115885
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a gas generator module and a reduction gearbox module. The gas generator module has an axis which extends longitudinally along a centreline of the gas generator module, and the reduction gearbox module has an axis which extending longitudinally along the centreline of the reduction gearbox and is offset from said generator axis. The reduction gearbox is driven by an intermediate shaft angled relative to the turbine output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Ian Alexander MacFarlane, Zenon Szlanta, Lazar Mitrovic, Keith Martin Morgan
  • Patent number: 6502630
    Abstract: A convectively-cooled hydraulic fluid tank system comprises a hydraulic fluid tank and a fluid cooler incorporated into the hydraulic fluid tank. The fluid cooler includes a vortex chamber having a wall made of a heat conductive material. An inlet is provided to direct incoming pressurized hydraulic fluid tangentially onto the inner surface of the vortex chamber wall to create a swirled flow of hydraulic fluid against the inner surface of the wall. A cooling structure extends from an exterior surface of the vortex chamber wall to promote heat dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Ian Alexander MacFarlane, Keith Martin Morgan, Thomas Francis Haslam-Jones, Nigel Walters, Jean Omer Gagnon
  • Patent number: 6364249
    Abstract: A power plant and transmission arrangement for a helicopter wherein the helicopter engine is integrated to the helicopter transmission to form therewith a single unit rigidly mounted to the helicopter frame. By so integrating the engine to the helicopter transmission the center of gravity of the engine can be placed closer to the rotor mast of the helicopter, thereby enhancing the stability and the handling characteristics of the helicopter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Keith Martin Morgan, Ian Alexander MacFarlane, Lazar Mitrovic
  • Publication number: 20010042081
    Abstract: A method of paring a document, marked up using a given markup language before use of the document by an application such as a web browser, the document comprising markup and data, by identifying markup which is not used by the application; and creating a pared document using the same markup language, comprising other portions of the markup other than the identified portion. By tailoring the document to the application, the time that is required to download the document can be reduced, which is useful for users who are using slow links such as a connection through a cellular phone, and where the users device has limited display capabilities, meaning that much of the document cannot be used by the users application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventors: IAN ALEXANDER MACFARLANE, A. JULIAN CRADDOCK, STEVEN M. ARMSTRONG, RAMZAN A. KHUWAJA
  • Patent number: 6167429
    Abstract: Using a server to provide access to a plurality of unrelated types of services, to a user communicating from a remote terminal to the server, by detecting a service access command sent from the user, the service access command comprising an indication of a service type, the service access command having a syntax which uses only alphanumeric characters, or "#" or "*" characters. Interpreting the command involves extracting the service type, to detect if the command further comprises one or more parameters relating to the service, extracting any such parameters and initiating the provision of the selected service. By having a server which understands commands in a form having a syntax using a limited set of characters, service access from telephones or terminals with smaller keyboards, becomes easier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: David Edward William Mercer, Ian Alexander Macfarlane, A. Julian Craddock