Patents by Inventor Keith A. Schoonmaker

Keith A. Schoonmaker 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).

  • Fixture for mounting articulated turbine buckets
    Patent number: 8046886
    Abstract: A fixture and method for assembling axial entry buckets with complex geometry to a rotor wheel is provided. The fixture features an inner and an outer split ring shaft clamp, which is bolted together around the rotor wheel packing diameter and provides a mounting base. The transfer ring mounts around and abutting the rotor wheel. The transfer ring includes a circumferential slot to accept bucket-holders. The bucket holders loaded with turbine buckets, inserted onto the transfer ring and moved circumferentially around the transfer ring to align the turbine buckets to slots on the rotor wheel. Pressure is applied to spiral the buckets from the bucket-holders into final position in slots on the rotor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan R. DeMania, Thomas J. Farineau, Keith A. Schoonmaker
  • FIXTURE AND METHOD FOR MOUNTING ARTICULATED TURBINE BUCKETS
    Publication number: 20110154631
    Abstract: A fixture and method for assembling axial entry buckets with complex geometry to a rotor wheel is provided. The fixture features an inner and an outer split ring shaft clamp, which is bolted together around the rotor wheel packing diameter and provides a mounting base. The transfer ring mounts around and abutting the rotor wheel. The transfer ring includes a circumferential slot to accept bucket-holders. The bucket holders loaded with turbine buckets, inserted onto the transfer ring and moved circumferentially around the transfer ring to align the turbine buckets to slots on the rotor wheel. Pressure is applied to spiral the buckets from the bucket-holders into final position in slots on the rotor wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Alan R. DeMania, Thomas J. Farineau, Keith A. Schoonmaker