Patents by Inventor Laurence Scott Duclos

Laurence Scott Duclos 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: 9828866
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes at least one stationary nozzle and an outer ring having a predefined shape. The outer ring includes at least one groove defined therein configured to receive at least a portion of the at least one stationary nozzle. The nozzle assembly also includes an attachment member coupled between the stationary nozzle and the outer ring. The attachment member has a first configuration at a first nozzle assembly operating temperature a second configuration at a second nozzle assembly operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Orus Fitts, David Robert Schumacher, Laurence Scott Duclos, Anand Aravindrao Kulkarni, David Bruce Knorr
  • Patent number: 9726026
    Abstract: The present application provides a turbine rotor and blade assembly for a steam turbine. The turbine rotor and blade assembly may include a rotor, a number of buckets positioned about the rotor and a locking blade positioned about the rotor. The locking blade may include a base, a first side hook, and a second side hook. The locking blade may include a first side pilot hole defined between the base and the first side hook and a second side pilot hole defined between the base and the second side hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Thomas Basirico, Timothy Scott McMurray, Laurence Scott Duclos, Robert James Bracken
  • Patent number: 9057278
    Abstract: A turbine bucket including an integral rotation controlling feature is disclosed. In one embodiment, a turbine bucket includes: a blade section having an inner radial end and an outer radial end; an integral cover section connected to the outer radial end of the blade section; and a base section for engaging a rotor body, the base section connected to the inner radial end, wherein the base section includes: a central body; a set of tangs extending axially from the central body; a set of flanges radially inboard of the set of tangs and extending axially from the central body; and an integral rotation controlling feature extending from the central body, wherein the rotation controlling feature engages a radial opening in the rotor body. The integral rotation controlling feature is sized to limit rotation of the base section, when the turbine bucket is engaged with a rotor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Royce Howes, Mark Kevin Bowen, Robert James Bracken, Laurence Scott Duclos, Scott Leroy Irwin, Nicholas Andrew Tisenchek
  • Publication number: 20150118041
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes at least one stationary nozzle and an outer ring having a predefined shape. The outer ring includes at least one groove defined therein configured to receive at least a portion of the at least one stationary nozzle. The nozzle assembly also includes an attachment member coupled between the stationary nozzle and the outer ring. The attachment member has a first configuration at a first nozzle assembly operating temperature a second configuration at a second nozzle assembly operating temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Orus Fitts, David Robert Schumacher, Laurence Scott Duclos, Anand Aravindrao Kulkarni, David Bruce Knorr
  • Patent number: 8894372
    Abstract: Systems, methods and devices adapted to ease installation of turbine bucket assemblies about a rotor and to reduce related stress concentrations in the rotor are disclosed. In one embodiment, an insert includes: a base portion adapted to complement an entry slot in a rotor of a turbine; and a neck portion extending radially outboard from the base portion, the neck portion adapted to complement a post of the rotor to form a substantially continuous dovetail about the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Fred Thomas Willett, Jr., Laurence Scott Duclos, Michael Dennis Mack, Timothy Scott McMurray, Roy Paul Swintek
  • Publication number: 20140056712
    Abstract: A turbine bucket including an integral rotation controlling feature is disclosed. In one embodiment, a turbine bucket includes: a blade section having an inner radial end and an outer radial end; an integral cover section connected to the outer radial end of the blade section; and a base section for engaging a rotor body, the base section connected to the inner radial end, wherein the base section includes: a central body; a set of tangs extending axially from the central body; a set of flanges radially inboard of the set of tangs and extending axially from the central body; and an integral rotation controlling feature extending from the central body, wherein the rotation controlling feature engages a radial opening in the rotor body. The integral rotation controlling feature is sized to limit rotation of the base section, when the turbine bucket is engaged with a rotor body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: James Royce Howes, Mark Kevin Bowen, Robert James Bracken, Laurence Scott Duclos, Scott Leroy Irwin, Nicholas Andrew Tisenchek
  • Publication number: 20130330195
    Abstract: The present application provides a turbine rotor and blade assembly for a steam turbine. The turbine rotor and blade assembly may include a rotor, a number of buckets positioned about the rotor and a locking blade positioned about the rotor. The locking blade may include a base, a first side hook, and a second side hook. The locking blade may include a first side pilot hole defined between the base and the first side hook and a second side pilot hole defined between the base and the second side hook.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Thomas Basirico, Timothy Scott McMurray, Laurence Scott Duclos, Robert James Bracken
  • Patent number: 8597489
    Abstract: Conventional electrochemical machining process requires fixed shaped tool cathodes, which makes retooling time consuming and expensive. Flexible tool cathodes include elastically deformable cathodes that can deform in two or three dimensions and can adapt to the contour of the workpiece while the workpiece is moving relative to the flexible tool cathode. That is, the flexible tool cathode can perform tracing. Certain flexible tool cathodes can be also used for special configurations such corners and edges. The flexible tool cathodes can be used to polish, finish, or shape the workpiece through electrochemical processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yuefeng Luo, William Edward Adis, Laurence Scott Duclos
  • Publication number: 20130164138
    Abstract: Systems, methods and devices adapted to ease installation of turbine bucket assemblies about a rotor and to reduce related stress concentrations in the rotor are disclosed. In one embodiment, an insert includes: a base portion adapted to complement an entry slot in a rotor of a turbine; and a neck portion extending radially outboard from the base portion, the neck portion adapted to complement a post of the rotor to form a substantially continuous dovetail about the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Fred Thomas Willett, JR., Laurence Scott Duclos, Michael Dennis Mack, Timothy Scott McMurray, Roy Paul Swintek
  • Publication number: 20120020775
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a first turbine portion and a second turbine portion. A flow splitter assembly is coupled between the first and second turbine portions. The flow splitter assembly includes a first end portion including a first mounting member and a second end portion including a second mounting member. A flow diverting member is positioned between the first and second end portions. The flow diverting member includes a first end section having a first mounting element coupled to the first mounting member and a second end section having a second mounting element coupled to the second mounting member. The flow diverting member includes a flow diverting surface. A first locking member engages the first mounting element and the first mounting member, and a second locking member engages the second mounting element and the second mounting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Prashant Prabhakar Sankolli, Laurence Scott Duclos, Maurice David Fournier
  • Publication number: 20120006691
    Abstract: Conventional electrochemical machining process requires fixed shaped tool cathodes, which makes retooling time consuming and expensive. Flexible tool cathodes include elastically deformable cathodes that can deform in two or three dimensions and can adapt to the contour of the workpiece while the workpiece is moving relative to the flexible tool cathode. That is, the flexible tool cathode can perform tracing. Certain flexible tool cathodes can be also used for special configurations such corners and edges. The flexible tool cathodes can be used to polish, finish, or shape the workpiece through electrochemical processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Yuefeng Luo, William Edward Adis, Laurence Scott Duclos
  • Patent number: 7287956
    Abstract: The turbine includes a diaphragm having a seal carrier mounted in opposition to seal teeth carried by the rotary component. The seal carrier includes a seal face having a coating of abradable material enabling the rotary component to abrade the material from the seal face. The seal carrier is removable from the diaphragm and is carried by an axial extension integral with or removable from the outer diaphragm ring. A spring may be interposed between the seal carrier and the stationary component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert James Bracken, Sterling Ray Hathaway, David Orus Fitts, Ron W. Korzun, Laurence Scott Duclos, William Edward Adis, Mark William Kowalczyk, Bernard Arthur Couture