Patents by Inventor Mark Scully

Mark Scully 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: 10569849
    Abstract: A system for automated rendezvous, docking, and capture of autonomous underwater vehicles at the conclusion of a mission comprising of comprised of a docking rod having lighted, pulsating (in both frequency and light intensity) series of LED light strips thereon, with the LEDs at a known spacing, and the autonomous underwater vehicle specially designed to detect and capture the docking rod and then be lifted structurally by a spherical end strop about which the vehicle can be pivoted and hoisted up (e.g., onto a ship). The method of recovery allows for very routine and reliable automated recovery of an unmanned underwater asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Stone Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Stone, Evan Clark, Kristof Richmond, Jeremy Paulus, Jason Kapit, Mark Scully, Peter Kimball
  • Publication number: 20180154994
    Abstract: A system for automated rendezvous, docking, and capture of autonomous underwater vehicles at the conclusion of a mission comprising of comprised of a docking rod having lighted, pulsating (in both frequency and light intensity) series of LED light strips thereon, with the LEDs at a known spacing, and the autonomous underwater vehicle specially designed to detect and capture the docking rod and then be lifted structurally by a spherical end strop about which the vehicle can be pivoted and hoisted up (e.g., onto a ship). The method of recovery allows for very routine and reliable automated recovery of an unmanned underwater asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Stone Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Stone, Evan Clark, Kristof Richmond, Jeremy Paulus, Jason Kapit, Mark Scully, Peter Kimball
  • Patent number: 9873495
    Abstract: A system for automated rendezvous, docking, and capture of autonomous underwater vehicles at the conclusion of a mission comprising of comprised of a docking rod having lighted, pulsating (in both frequency and light intensity) series of LED light strips thereon, with the LEDs at a known spacing, and the autonomous underwater vehicle specially designed to detect and capture the docking rod and then be lifted structurally by a spherical end strop about which the vehicle can be pivoted and hoisted up (e.g., onto a ship). The method of recovery allows for very routine and reliable automated recovery of an unmanned underwater asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Stone Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Stone, Evan Clark, Kristof Richmond, Jeremy Paulus, Jason Kapit, Mark Scully, Peter Kimball
  • Publication number: 20160176487
    Abstract: A system for automated rendezvous, docking, and capture of autonomous underwater vehicles at the conclusion of a mission comprising of comprised of a docking rod having lighted, pulsating (in both frequency and light intensity) series of LED light strips thereon, with the LEDs at a known spacing, and the autonomous underwater vehicle specially designed to detect and capture the docking rod and then be lifted structurally by a spherical end strop about which the vehicle can be pivoted and hoisted up (e.g., onto a ship). The method of recovery allows for very routine and reliable automated recovery of an unmanned underwater asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: William C. Stone, Evan Clark, Kristof Richmond, Jeremy Paulus, Jason Kapit, Mark Scully, Peter Kimbal
  • Patent number: 8925322
    Abstract: A turbine fuel supply system is disclosed as including a first sub-system having: a first nozzle for injecting fuel into a combustor of a turbine engine; a first valve controllable to communicate fuel to the first nozzle; and a first fuel manifold for communicating fuel to the first valve from a fuel source; the system further including a controller assembly for raising the pressure of fuel in the first fuel manifold; and the system being characterized in that the first valve is adapted to open in response to a predetermined pressure difference between the first fuel manifold and the pressure in the combustor, thereby allowing fuel to be communicated from the first fuel manifold to the first nozzle. The system may include a first recirculating conduit in fluid communication with the first fuel manifold and the fuel source, the first recirculating conduit allowing fuel not communicated by the first valve to be returned to the fuel source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Mark Scully, Arthur Laurence Rowe
  • Patent number: 8752387
    Abstract: Fuel control arrangements for gas turbine engines generally comprise an injector and a fuel control valve. Typically the fuel control valve is controlled in terms of fuel demand through fuel pressure presented to the valve. Fuel demand may vary and in such circumstances stagnation of fuel adjacent to the valve may cause degradation of the fuel and therefore spurious operational performance. By providing a dedicated working fluid, and typically hydraulic, pressure to the valve a variable aperture port can be displaced to alter the fuel flow configuration within the valve. In such circumstances different fuel valve conditions can be generated by altering the available area of aperture in the port to divert or present fuel to the injector between and across first or primary fuel paths and second or pilot fuel paths as required. Thus more flexibility with regard to fuel presentation to the injector is achieved as well as consistency with respect to avoiding fuel degradation as fuel demand varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Mark Scully
  • Patent number: 8739544
    Abstract: A staging valve arrangement is described that comprises an arrangement of electrically driven staging valves that are located, in use, in the high temperature core zone of an engine. Each staging valve may comprise a housing having an inlet, a pilot flow outlet and a mains flow outlet, a valve member movable between a closed position in which the mains flow outlet is closed and an open position in which the mains flow outlet is open, a motor operable to drive the valve member for movement, and a cooling arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Controls and Data Services Limited
    Inventors: Neil Rawlinson, Michael Robert Lyons, William Keith Bradbury, Laurence Alden, Blair Ramsay, Mark Scully
  • Patent number: 8347599
    Abstract: A fuel control arrangement includes an injector control valve, a fuel supply structure including a primary supply path, a secondary supply path, and a splitter valve configured to split fuel flow between the primary supply path and the secondary supply path to thereby regulate fuel supply. The fuel control arrangement also includes a fuel injector directly connected to the injector control valve. The splitter valve is configured to split fuel flow between the secondary path and the injector control valve in response to a fuel pressure indicative of fuel demand. Further, the splitter is provided distal to the fuel injector and the injector control valve, to operate under different environmental conditions from the injector and the injector control valve. The injector control valve is actuated by a fluid pressure system controlled by a solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventor: Mark Scully
  • Patent number: 8166762
    Abstract: Fuel control arrangements provide and control fuel flow to injectors through fuel control valves. The injectors are connected to respective fuel control valves which in turn are connected to a first fuel flow path. The injectors are also connected to a second fuel flow path. The fuel paths are associated with a fuel source and generally have a recirculation valve between them. When flow in the flow path is stopped, recirculation of fuel can be provided across the recirculation valve to prevent fuel degradation. By provision of a restrictor valve in the second fuel flow path control of fuel recirculation can be achieved, as well as greater flexibility by presenting fuel flow separately through the second flow path to the injector whilst the first flow path is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Mark Scully
  • Publication number: 20110167829
    Abstract: Fuel injection apparatus 54, for a gas turbine engine, includes pilot fuel injection circuits 42 which supply pilot injectors 44 with fuel from a manifold 60, through a pilot control valve 46. The state of the control valve 46 is set by pneumatic pressure in the manifold 56. Main injectors 50 are supplied with fuel from the manifold 60 by main injection circuits 48, through main valves 52. The state of the main valves 52 is set by hydraulic pressure in a manifold 58. Accordingly, control signals to the valves 46, 52 are conveyed independently by means of the pneumatic manifold 56 and the hydraulic manifold 58.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Mark SCULLY, Jonathan P. TAYLOR
  • Publication number: 20100252758
    Abstract: A staging valve arrangement is described that comprises an arrangement of electrically driven staging valves that are located, in use, in the high temperature core zone of an engine. Each staging valve may comprise a housing having an inlet, a pilot flow outlet and a mains flow outlet, a valve member movable between a closed position in which the mains flow outlet is closed and an open position in which the mains flow outlet is open, a motor operable to drive the valve member for movement, and a cooling arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Goodrich Engine Control Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Rawlinson, Michael Robert Lyons, William Keith Bradbury, Laurence Alden, Blair Ramsay, Mark Scully
  • Publication number: 20090320481
    Abstract: Fuel control arrangements for gas turbine engines generally comprise an injector and a fuel control valve. Typically the fuel control valve is controlled in terms of fuel demand through fuel pressure presented to the valve. Fuel demand may vary and in such circumstances stagnation of fuel adjacent to the valve may cause degradation of the fuel and therefore spurious operational performance. By providing a dedicated working fluid, and typically hydraulic, pressure to the valve a variable aperture port can be displaced to alter the fuel flow configuration within the valve. In such circumstances different fuel valve conditions can be generated by altering the available area of aperture in the port to divert or present fuel to the injector between and across first or primary fuel paths and second or pilot fuel paths as required. Thus more flexibility with regard to fuel presentation to the injector is achieved as well as consistency with respect to avoiding fuel degradation as fuel demand varies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: ROLL-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Mark Scully
  • Publication number: 20090320480
    Abstract: Fuel control arrangements provide and control fuel flow to injectors through fuel control valves. The injectors are connected to respective fuel control valves which in turn are connected to a first fuel flow path. The injectors are also connected to a second fuel flow path. The fuel paths are associated with a fuel source and generally have a recirculation valve between them. When flow in the flow path is stopped, recirculation of fuel can be provided across the recirculation valve to prevent fuel degradation. By provision of a restrictor valve in the second fuel flow path control of fuel recirculation can be achieved, as well as greater flexibility by presenting fuel flow separately through the second flow path to the injector whilst the first flow path is inhibited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: ROLL-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Mark Scully
  • Publication number: 20090320482
    Abstract: The present invention addresses fuel supply in gas turbine engines. A splitter valve 47 is provided at a remote, benign temperature location. Injector control valves 51 are individually controlled through a fluid pressure actuation system, typically pneumatic, controlled through a solenoid bank 44 and a controller 40. Such fluid pressure actuation systems are less susceptible to high temperatures and therefore provide reliable on/off control whilst fuel demand regulation is achieved through the remote splitter valve 47.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Mark Scully
  • Publication number: 20080271456
    Abstract: A turbine fuel supply system is disclosed as including a first sub-system having: a first nozzle for injecting fuel into a combustor of a turbine engine; a first valve controllable to communicate fuel to the first nozzle; and a first fuel manifold for communicating fuel to the first valve from a fuel source; the system further including a controller assembly for raising the pressure of fuel in the first fuel manifold; and the system being characterized in that the first valve is adapted to open in response to a predetermined pressure difference between the first fuel manifold and the pressure in the combustor, thereby allowing fuel to be communicated from the first fuel manifold to the first nozzle. The system may include a first recirculating conduit in fluid communication with the first fuel manifold and the fuel source, the first recirculating conduit allowing fuel not communicated by the first valve to be returned to the fuel source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Mark Scully, Arthur Laurence Rowe