Patents by Inventor Michael Beverley

Michael Beverley 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: 8020269
    Abstract: An apparatus enables a turbine nozzle, including at least two turbine nozzle singlets to be fabricated. Each singlet includes inner and outer bands and a vane extending therebetween. The vane also includes first and second sidewalls coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The apparatus comprises a fixture, and at least two support members extending from the fixture. Each support member has first and second abutment surfaces, wherein a first of the at least two support members contacts at least one of the leading and trailing edges of a first of the vanes. At least two locating features extend from the fixture, wherein a first of the locating features contacts one of the first and second sidewalls of the first vane. At least two biasing members are coupled to the fixture, wherein a first of the biasing members biases the first vane against the first locating feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Beverley, Leslie Eugene Leeke, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100281689
    Abstract: An apparatus enables a turbine nozzle, including at least two turbine nozzle singlets to be fabricated. Each singlet includes inner and outer bands and a vane extending therebetween. The vane also includes first and second sidewalls coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The apparatus comprises a fixture, and at least two support members extending from the fixture. Each support member has first and second abutment surfaces, wherein a first of the at least two support members contacts at least one of the leading and trailing edges of a first of the vanes. At least two locating features extend from the fixture, wherein a first of the locating features contacts one of the first and second sidewalls of the first vane. At least two biasing members are coupled to the fixture, wherein a first of the biasing members biases the first vane against the first locating feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Michael Beverley, Leslie Eugene Leeke, JR.
  • Patent number: 7334306
    Abstract: An apparatus enables a turbine nozzle, including at least two turbine nozzle singlets to be fabricated. Each singlet includes inner and outer bands and a vane extending therebetween. The vane also includes first and second sidewalls coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The apparatus comprises a fixture, and at least two support members extending from the fixture. Each support member has first and second abutment surfaces, wherein a first of the at least two support members contacts at least one of the leading and trailing edges of a first of the vanes. At least two locating features extend from the fixture, wherein a first of the locating features contacts one of the first and second sidewalls of the first vane. At least two biasing members are coupled to the fixture, wherein a first of the biasing members biases the first vane against the first locating feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Beverley, Leslie Eugene Leeke, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20070017958
    Abstract: Methods for coating a substrate, such as a turbine engine component, are presented. In one method a preform comprising braze alloy and wear-resistant particles is attached to the substrate. The preform is then bonded to the substrate to form the wear-resistant coating. Other embodiments include articles, such as components for gas turbine engines, comprising a wear-resistant coating disposed on a substrate, the wear-resistant coating comprising wear-resistant particles in a braze alloy matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Wayne Hasz, David Budinger, Michael Beverley, D. Patrick, Dennis Gray
  • Publication number: 20060280610
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a turbine blade includes casting at least one turbine blade that includes a blade tip shroud and at least one seal tooth coupled to the blade tip shroud, and removing at least a portion of the turbine blade such that a radially outer surface of the blade tip shroud has at least two substantially flat surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: John Heyward, Michael Beverley, Francis Bobie
  • Patent number: 7108479
    Abstract: A method enables a gas turbine engine to be operated. The method comprises supplying cooling fluid into a manifold ring that includes a plurality of distribution ports defined by a sidewall connected by a radially inner wall, channeling the cooling fluid circumferentially through the manifold ring and through at least one distribution port that is defined by a wall that extends arcuately across at least one turbine nozzle, and discharging cooling fluid from the distribution ports radially inwardly towards the at least one turbine nozzle positioned radially inward from the manifold ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Beverley, Darek Zatorski, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Publication number: 20050268462
    Abstract: An apparatus enables a turbine nozzle, including at least two turbine nozzle singlets to be fabricated. Each singlet includes inner and outer bands and a vane extending therebetween. The vane also includes first and second sidewalls coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The apparatus comprises a fixture, and at least two support members extending from the fixture. Each support member has first and second abutment surfaces, wherein a first of the at least two support members contacts at least one of the leading and trailing edges of a first of the vanes. At least two locating features extend from the fixture, wherein a first of the locating features contacts one of the first and second sidewalls of the first vane. At least two biasing members are coupled to the fixture, wherein a first of the biasing members biases the first vane against the first locating feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Beverley, Leslie Leeke
  • Publication number: 20040258516
    Abstract: A method enables a gas turbine engine to be operated. The method comprises supplying cooling fluid into a manifold ring that includes a plurality of distribution ports defined by a sidewall connected by a radially inner wall, channeling the cooling fluid circumferentially through the manifold ring and through at least one distribution port that is defined by a wall that extends arcuately across at least one turbine nozzle, and discharging cooling fluid from the distribution ports radially inwardly towards the at least one turbine nozzle positioned radially inward from the manifold ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Michael Beverley, Darek Zatorski, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Publication number: 20040124231
    Abstract: A method for coating a substrate is presented. The method comprises providing a substrate; attaching a preform to the substrate, the preform comprising braze alloy and wear-resistant particles; and bonding the preform to the substrate to form a wear-resistant coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Wayne Charles Hasz, David Edwin Budinger, Michael Beverley, D. Keith Patrick, Dennis Michael Gray
  • Patent number: 6368060
    Abstract: A cooling hole configuration for an air-cooled component, such as a gas turbine engine airfoil. The cooling hole is configured to have cross-sectional variations and a noncircular-shaped diffuser-type opening that significantly improve the cooling film distribution across the external surface of an airfoil, with the result that heat transfer from the surrounding environment to the airfoil is reduced. The cooling hole is configured to have its central axis at an acute angle to the exterior surface of the airfoil, and defines a noncircular-shaped opening at the airfoil surface. The cooling hole generally has a first region adjacent the airfoil surface and a second region interior to the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Arnold Fehrenbach, John Howard Starkweather, Michael Beverley
  • Patent number: 6329015
    Abstract: A method of forming a shaped hole in a substrate, including substrates protected by coatings, as is the case where an air-cooled component has a thermal barrier coating for protection from a hostile thermal environment, such as the turbine, combustor and augmentor sections of a gas turbine engine. In particular, cooling holes are formed in an air-cooled component after a ceramic layer has been deposited on the surface of the component without damaging or spalling the ceramic layer. Processing steps generally include forming a hole through the ceramic layer and a substrate protected by the ceramic layer, thereby defining an opening at the surface of the ceramic layer. The diameter of the hole is less than the final size required for the cooling hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Arnold Fehrenbach, John Howard Starkweather, Michael Beverley
  • Patent number: 6074706
    Abstract: A method of forming a thermal barrier coating system on an article subjected to a hostile thermal environment, such as the hot gas path components of a gas turbine engine. The coating system is generally composed of a ceramic layer and preferably a bond coat that adheres the ceramic layer to the component surface. Surface features such as grooves are cast directly into the surface of the component. If the bond coat is present, the grooves in the component surface cause the bond coat to also have grooves that generally correspond to the grooves in the component surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Beverley, John P. Heyward, Jeffrey A. Conner