Patents by Inventor Neil R. Smith

Neil R. Smith 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).

  • Nut securing arrangement for electrical generator
    Patent number: 8541916
    Abstract: A system for securing a nut (24) used to compress a compliant seal (23) surrounding a radial conductor lead (21) of an electric generator (10). The generator has a rotor (11) with the radial conductor lead arranged in a radial lead bore (20) of the rotor and the seal coaxially arranged surrounding the radial lead. A receiving pocket (15) is arranged in a body of the rotor adjacent to the radial lead bore. The nut is arranged coaxially with the radial conductor lead, the nut including a seal contacting surface (35) and a ligament (26) arranged opposite the seal contacting surface, wherein a portion of the ligament is deformed into the receiving pocket to lock the nut against rotation, thereby maintaining a desired degree of compression on the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy E. Whitener, Stephen T. Soto, Neil R. Smith
  • Nut Securing Arrangement for Electrical Generator
    Publication number: 20110148231
    Abstract: A system for securing a nut (24) used to compress a compliant seal (23) surrounding a radial conductor lead (21) of an electric generator (10). The generator has a rotor (11) with the radial conductor lead arranged in a radial lead bore (20) of the rotor and the seal coaxially arranged surrounding the radial lead. A receiving pocket (15) is arranged in a body of the rotor adjacent to the radial lead bore. The nut is arranged coaxially with the radial conductor lead, the nut including a seal contacting surface (35) and a ligament (26) arranged opposite the seal contacting surface, wherein a portion of the ligament is deformed into the receiving pocket to lock the nut against rotation, thereby maintaining a desired degree of compression on the seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Randy E. Whitener, Stephen T. Soto, Neil R. Smith