Patents by Inventor Jess Lee Freeman

Jess Lee Freeman 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: 11371513
    Abstract: An integrated gas compressor is disclosed herein. The integrated gas compressor includes an integrated motor with a stator, centrifugal impellers, and a shaft assembly with a rotor and conical transition. The integrated motor can produce an electromotive force that is imparted by the stator to rotate the rotor and components coupled to the rotor, such as the conical transition and the centrifugal impellers. At least one of the rotor and conical transition have a cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Solar Turbined Incorporated
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, William Watkins
  • Patent number: 11352904
    Abstract: A magnetic bearing assembly for a rotary machine may lose power and fail to support the rotating assembly resulting in damage to magnetic bearing assembly and/or other components. An auxiliary bearing assembly may be used to support the rotating assembly during such a failure. The auxiliary bearing assembly is located radially inwards of the magnetic bearing assembly and may reduce resonance and/or whirl of the rotating assembly during failure of the magnetic bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: David H. Moulton, Wolfgang Faller, Jess Lee Freeman
  • Publication number: 20210277903
    Abstract: An integrated gas compressor is disclosed herein. The integrated gas compressor includes an integrated motor with a stator, centrifugal impellers, and a shaft assembly with a rotor and conical transition. The integrated motor can produce an electromotive force that is imparted by the stator to rotate the rotor and components coupled to the rotor, such as the conical transition and the centrifugal impellers. At least one of the rotor and conical transition have a cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, William Watkins
  • Publication number: 20210222586
    Abstract: A magnetic bearing assembly for a rotary machine may lose power and fail to support the rotating assembly resulting in damage to magnetic bearing assembly and/or other components. An auxiliary bearing assembly may be used to support the rotating assembly during such a failure. The auxiliary bearing assembly is located radially inwards of the magnetic bearing assembly and may reduce resonance and/or whirl of the rotating assembly during failure of the magnetic bearing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: David H. Moulton, Wolfgang Faller, Jess Lee Freeman
  • Patent number: 9726194
    Abstract: A universal housing for a centrifugal gas compressor is disclosed. The universal housing includes a body, a suction port extending from the body, a discharge port extending from the body, and a first compartment within the body. The first compartment includes a suction inlet in flow communication with the suction port and a discharge outlet in flow communication with the discharge port. The first compartment is configured to receive more than one staging length for the staging. The staging inlet is in flow communication with the suction inlet and the staging outlet is in flow communication with the discharge outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, Gordon E. Brailean, Benjamin Dee Freeman
  • Patent number: 9599152
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a rotary machine is disclosed herein. The bearing assembly includes a bearing housing, a squeeze film cylinder, a damper spring, and a journal bearing. The squeeze film cylinder is located within the bearing housing. The damper spring includes a first portion, a second portion, and a spring portion. The first portion is located proximal the first end. The second portion is located proximal the second end. The spring portion extends axially between the first portion and the second portion and is located within the bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, David Howard Moulton, William Courtney Krehbiel
  • Patent number: 9334898
    Abstract: A centrifugal gas compressor radial magnetic bearing (125) may include windings (126), a lamination sleeve (130), and a lamination (127). The lamination (127) aligned with the windings (126) may provide for efficient operation of the radial magnetic bearing (125). The centrifugal gas compressor shaft (120) may include a tapered region (118) with an adjacent shelf (124) for alignment with the forward surface (131) and taper of the lamination sleeve (130). The lamination sleeve (130) may include one or more axial hydraulic fitting ports (136) for coupling the lamination sleeve (130) and shaft (120) with an interference fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: William Courtney Krehbiel, Jess Lee Freeman, Steven Gene Muse
  • Patent number: 9169847
    Abstract: Radial magnetic bearings (125) of a centrifugal gas compressor (100) may lose power and fail to support the shaft (120) resulting in damage to the shaft (120). Auxiliary bearings (135) may be used to support the shaft (120) during such a failure. A landing guard (140) may be installed as a sacrificial piece between the shaft (120) and the auxiliary bearings (135). Landing guard (140) includes slots (144) that may be used with pins (121) in the shaft (120) to prevent an angular displacement between the landing guard (140) and the shaft (120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: William Courtney Krehbiel, Jess Lee Freeman, Steven Gene Muse
  • Publication number: 20150300406
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a rotary machine is disclosed herein. The bearing assembly includes a bearing housing, a squeeze film cylinder, a damper spring, and a journal bearing. The squeeze film cylinder is located within the bearing housing. The damper spring includes a first portion, a second portion, and a spring portion. The first portion is located proximal the first end. The second portion is located proximal the second end. The spring portion extends axially between the first portion and the second portion and is located within the bearing housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, David Howard Moulton, William Courtney Krehbiel
  • Publication number: 20150300366
    Abstract: A universal housing for a centrifugal gas compressor is disclosed. The universal housing includes a body, a suction port extending from the body, a discharge port extending from the body, and a first compartment within the body. The first compartment includes a suction inlet in flow communication with the suction port and a discharge outlet in flow communication with the discharge port. The first compartment is configured to receive more than one staging length for the staging. The staging inlet is in flow communication with the suction inlet and the staging outlet is in flow communication with the discharge outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, Gordon E. Brailean, Benjamin Dee Freeman
  • Patent number: 9157447
    Abstract: A thrust collar (161) includes a central disk (162), a forward wing (163), and an aft wing (164). The central disk (162) is a disk shaped hollow cylinder with a central axis (97). The forward wing (163) and the aft wing (164) are thin walled hollow cylinders extending axially from an inner portion of the central disk (162) about the central axis (97) in opposite directions. The forward wing (163) includes a forward mounting pilot (165) extending radially inward from the forward wing (163) distal to the central disk (162). The aft wing (164) includes an aft mounting pilot (167) extending radially inward from the aft wing (164) distal to the central disk (162).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, William Courtney Krehbiel
  • Patent number: 9127664
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plurality of housings. The method may include maintaining an inventory of initial products. Each of the initial products may include a central hollow body extending along a longitudinal axis and monolithically formed with at least one of a suction passage and a discharge passage. Each of the products may have a same initial length. The method may further include receiving a first order for a first housing having a first length and machining a first product to the first length to form the first housing. Also, the method may include receiving a second order for a second housing having a second length and machining a second product to the second length to form the second housing. The first length and the second length may be different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: James Richard Stabe, Jess Lee Freeman, Aziz Asgharzadeh-Fozi
  • Publication number: 20140112774
    Abstract: A thrust collar (161) includes a central disk (162), a forward wing (163), and an aft wing (164). The central disk (162) is a disk shaped hollow cylinder with a central axis (97). The forward wing (163) and the aft wing (164) are thin walled hollow cylinders extending axially from an inner portion of the central disk (162) about the central axis (97) in opposite directions. The forward wing (163) includes a forward mounting pilot (165) extending radially inward from the forward wing (163) distal to the central disk (162). The aft wing (164) includes an aft mounting pilot (167) extending radially inward from the aft wing (164) distal to the central disk (162).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, William Courtney Krehbiel
  • Publication number: 20140112773
    Abstract: A shaft (120) configured to be mounted within a centrifugal gas compressor (100) includes a suction end (116), a discharge end (117), and a shaft surface. The shaft surface includes a hardened surface (123) located between the suction end (116) and the discharge end (117). The hardened surface (123) is a localized portion of the shaft surface having a different surface treatment than a remainder of the shaft surface. The hardened surface (123) is harder than the remainder of the shaft surface. The hardened surface (123) is configured to axially align with a central auxiliary bearing (137).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Gordon E. Brailean, William Courtney Krehbiel, Jess Lee Freeman
  • Publication number: 20140017078
    Abstract: Radial magnetic bearings (125) of a centrifugal gas compressor (100) may lose power and fail to support the shaft (120) resulting in damage to the shaft (120). Auxiliary bearings (135) may be used to support the shaft (120) during such a failure. A landing guard (140) may be installed as a sacrificial piece between the shaft (120) and the auxiliary bearings (135). Landing guard (140) includes slots (144) that may be used with pins (121) in the shaft (120) to prevent an angular displacement between the landing guard (140) and the shaft (120).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: William Courtney Krehbiel, Jess Lee Freeman, Steven Gene Muse
  • Publication number: 20140015361
    Abstract: A centrifugal gas compressor radial magnetic bearing (125) may include windings (126), a lamination sleeve (130), and a lamination (127). The lamination (127) aligned with the windings (126) may provide for efficient operation of the radial magnetic bearing (125). The centrifugal gas compressor shaft (120) may include a tapered region (118) with an adjacent shelf (124) for alignment with the forward surface (131) and taper of the lamination sleeve (130). The lamination sleeve (130) may include one or more axial hydraulic fitting ports (136) for coupling the lamination sleeve (130) and shaft (120) with an interference fit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: William Courtney Krehbiel, Jess Lee Freeman, Steven Gene Muse
  • Publication number: 20130224052
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plurality of housings. The method may include maintaining an inventory of initial products. Each of the initial products may include a central hollow body extending along a longitudinal axis and monolithically formed with at least one of a suction passage and a discharge passage. Each of the products may have a same initial length. The method may further include receiving a first order for a first housing having a first length and machining a first product to the first length to form the first housing. Also, the method may include receiving a second order for a second housing having a second length and machining a second product to the second length to form the second housing. The first length and the second length may be different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: James Richard STABE, Jess Lee Freeman, Aziz Asgharzadeh-Fozi
  • Patent number: 8128865
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a shrouded impeller is disclosed. The method includes providing an open faced impeller, the open faced impeller including a plurality of blades extending at least partially radially from a hub. The method also includes performing a first powder metallurgical process to form a first material over at least part of the open faced impeller. The method further includes forming a shroud circumferentially disposed about the hub and connected to one of more of the blades. Forming the shroud includes performing a second powder metallurgical process to metallurgically bond the shroud to at least some of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: David Brian Jahnz, Jess Lee Freeman
  • Publication number: 20090110556
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a shrouded impeller is disclosed. The method includes providing an open faced impeller, the open faced impeller including a plurality of blades extending at least partially radially from a hub. The method also includes performing a first powder metallurgical process to form a first material over at least part of the open faced impeller. The method further includes forming a shroud circumferentially disposed about the hub and connected to one of more of the blades. Forming the shroud includes performing a second powder metallurgical process to metallurgically bond the shroud to at least some of the blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: David Brian Jahnz, Jess Lee Freeman