Patents by Inventor Robert E. Gladden

Robert E. Gladden 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: 4456427
    Abstract: The turbine blades of a high pressure turbine in a gas turbine jet engine are cooled by cooling air injected into cooling channels in the blade using angled nozzles supplied with high pressure air from the engine compressor. The nozzles project the high pressure air across a lower-pressure gap into slots which lead to internal channels in the turbine disk without requiring the use of seals to produce a pressure differential to encourage the flow of cooling air. Maximum air transfer into the internal channels in the turbine blades occurs when the air impacting slots in the turbine wheel is travelling at an angle with respect to the slots which is approximately parallel to the axes of the internal channels. A relatively narrow range of angular misalignment for aiming the nozzles is permitted. The pressure of the air from the plenum may be reduced by employing two or more flow channels in series before projecting the air across the gap to the turbine wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1984
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dennis C. Evans, Robert A. Nicoll, Robert E. Gladden
  • Patent number: 4236870
    Abstract: A convectively cooled turbine blade has a three-pass cooling air passageway. Air enters the blade at its root end, travels along a reversing path through the passageway and is emitted through an array of slots in the blade trailing edge generally configured in the form of a Venetian blind. Pedestals or turning vanes located in the turning areas of the passageway control separation of flow to prevent development of local hot spots. Pedestals located in a midchord portion of the passageway prevent sidewall panel vibration and enhance cooling efficiency. A root metering plate governs magnitude of cooling flow through the turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Elias Hucul, Jr., Robert E. Gladden