Patents by Inventor John M. Koshoffer

John M. Koshoffer 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: 5682739
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine of the type generating a hot gas stream and a fan stream includes a mixer having upstream and downstream portions which define first and second chutes for efficiently mixing the streams prior to discharge through an engine nozzle. Means are provided to selectively communicate the downstream chutes with alternate ones of the upstream chutes to cool the downstream mixer portion and reduce the infrared radiation emissions from the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Barry Weinstein, John M. Koshoffer, Roy E. Moyer
  • Patent number: 5596873
    Abstract: An annular combustor with an air fuel mixer is disclosed including a plurality of mixing tubes having a forward end and an exit end, wherein a longitudinal axis through the exit end for each mixing tube is at both an axial angle and a radial angle to the centerline axis of the mixer. A fuel injector for providing fuel to the forward end of each mixing tube, a fuel manifold in flow communication with each of the fuel injectors, and a fuel supply and control means are provided. High pressure air from a compressor is injected into the mixing tubes and fuel is injected into the mixing tubes from the fuel injectors, wherein the high pressure air and the fuel is uniformly mixed therein so as to produce minimal formation of pollutants when the fuel/air mixture is exhausted out the downstream end of the mixing tubes into the combustor and combusted. The mixing tubes preferably impart a swirl to the fuel/air mixture as it exits into the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Narendra D. Joshi, John M. Koshoffer
  • Patent number: 5483793
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine of the type generating a hot gas stream and a fan stream includes a mixer having upstream and downstream portions which define first and second chutes for efficiently mixing the streams prior to discharge through an engine nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1970
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Barry Weinstein, John M. Koshoffer, Roy E. Moyer
  • Patent number: 5323604
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a combustor is disclosed having three separate domes, each dome having disposed therein a plurality of circumferentially spaced mixers for uniformly mixing air and fuel. The combustor utilizes a high percentage of the total available combustion air at the dome area in order to maintain a lean mixture of air and fuel during all levels of engine output. Besides providing an unobstructed area in the diffuser dump region upstream of the mixers for the combustion air, sealing means is included to prevent cooling air from entering the combustion chamber until downstream of the primary combustion zone. Heat shields having radial centerbodies are also included between each dome to isolate each primary combustion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edward E. Ekstedt, Narendra D. Joshi, Adrian M. Ablett, Timothy R. Gresla, John M. Koshoffer, William F. Burke
  • Patent number: 5289687
    Abstract: A double annular combustor having concentrically disposed inner and outer annular combustors is provided with inner and outer domes. A one-piece cowl is provided upstream of the inner and outer domes in order to form a high pressure region. The one-piece cowl has an inner annular portion, an outer annular portion, and a radial middle portion connecting the inner and outer annular portions. The inner and outer annular portions include scalloped areas therein to facilitate insertion and removal of fuel tubes and nozzles. The cowl middle portion includes a shield to isolate the scalloped areas and the fuel tube from the high pressure region, thereby preventing leakage of air flow and consequential pressure loss from the high pressure region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric J. Kress, Joseph F. Savelli, David W. Parry, John M. Koshoffer
  • Patent number: 5239832
    Abstract: A backing support or bumper mounted downstream of the disk shaped flange of the venturi in adjacently lying fuel cup assemblies and extends to a mid portion of each flange to prevent rotation of the flange and possible disengagement of the fuel nozzle in the event of a bird strike or impact by a foreign object on the dome of the combustor or on the flange itself. The invention provides for a single or double supporting bumper faces or a pair of supporting surfaces on the bumper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John M. Koshoffer, James N. Cooper, Mary C. Haas, James N. Reinhold, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5181377
    Abstract: A friction-damped combustor cowl is formed of first and second plies of sheet material of mating, generally annular configuration defining a central cowl axis and of axially elongated and aerodynamically contoured configuration have respective fore end portions which are curled to form a cowl leading edge of arcuate cross section and corresponding fore edges which are integrally joined, and respective aft end portions which define a cowl trailing edge and corresponding aft edges which are integrally joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Phillip D. Napoli, John M. Koshoffer
  • Patent number: 5117628
    Abstract: A mixer arrangement for a bypass type gas turbine engine is disclosed. The mixer is convoluted and generally annular and defines radially and axially extending first and second chutes adapted to receive, respectively, a hot gas stream from the engine core and a cooler gas stream from the fan duct. A pre-mixer is disposed upstream of the mixer and is also convoluted and is aligned in flow communication with the second chutes of the mixer such that the hot gas stream received by the pre-mixer is mixed with the cooler fan air stream received by the second chutes to raise the temperature of the fan air entering an afterburner section of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John M. Koshoffer
  • Patent number: 4686826
    Abstract: In a turbofan jet engine, having a circumferentially rotatable mixer segment capable of orienting the afterburner ignitors and flameholders into the path of either the exhaust gases or bypass air, a fuel-air transfer apparatus for capturing, transporting and the releasing of an enriched fuel-air concentration from the fuel spray bars, on the stationary structure of the jet engine, to the afterburner ignitors and flameholders rigidly attached at the rear of the rotatable segment of the mixer. The enriched fuel-air mixture is transported between a location of reliable fuel availability, through a region of highly turbulent gas flow and is thereafter released while still in an enriched concentration immediately upstream of the ignitors and flameholders, facilitating ignition and sustained operation of the afterburner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: John M. Koshoffer, Richard A. Pfefferle, Harold A. Larson
  • Patent number: 4584834
    Abstract: A carburetion assembly including flow control means is provided for controlling a discharge spray angle of a fuel and air mixture thereof. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the flow control means can comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures in a shroud member which are effective for providing a control portion of compressor airflow in a downstream, axial direction from a swirler stage of the swirler assembly. The apertures provide a predetermined amount of airflow circumferentially about the fuel and air mixture for constraining the mixture and controlling the discharge spray angle thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John M. Koshoffer, Edward E. Ekstedt, Billy P. Samuel, Edward I. Stamm
  • Patent number: 4259842
    Abstract: A plurality of circumferentially spaced props are attached to the outer overlapping segments of a combustor liner to prevent the thermal outward growth of the inner segment. Placement of the props on the outer segment allows them to remain relatively cool to thereby minimize stresses and, when combined with a liner design which centrifuges the cooling air to the radially inner side of the cooling slot, such placement coincides with a separation bubble so as to minimize flow blockage and resulting hot streaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1981
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John M. Koshoffer, Edward E. Ekstedt, Edward I. Stamm