Patents by Inventor Robert Ingram Ackerman

Robert Ingram Ackerman 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: 8544173
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle may be repaired by severing the inner band from the vanes and outer band, which may then be discarded. A replacement nozzle is cast to include replacement vanes extending between a replacement outer band and an inner web, with the replacement outer band and vanes conforming with the original outer band and vanes. The new web is configured differently than the old inner band and includes a tie bar. The inner band is machined to form vane seats. The web is machined to form plinths atop the tie bar at each of the replacement vanes. The plinths and tie bar are assembled through the vane seats and bonded to the machined inner band to collectively form the repaired turbine nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Nicklus Miller, David Edwin Budinger, Marek M. Steplewski, Wayne Ray Grady, Robert Ingram Ackerman, Cary Michael Kinder, Ian Craig Linscott
  • Publication number: 20120047734
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle may be repaired by severing the inner band from the vanes and outer band, which may then be discarded. A replacement nozzle is cast to include replacement vanes extending between a replacement outer band and an inner web, with the replacement outer band and vanes conforming with the original outer band and vanes. The new web is configured differently than the old inner band and includes a tie bar. The inner band is machined to form vane seats. The web is machined to form plinths atop the tie bar at each of the replacement vanes. The plinths and tie bar are assembled through the vane seats and bonded to the machined inner band to collectively form the repaired turbine nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Matthew Nicklus Miller, David Edwin Budinger, Marek M. Steplewski, Wayne Ray Grady, Robert Ingram Ackerman, Cary Michael Kinder, Ian Craig Linscott
  • Patent number: 6592330
    Abstract: A dovetail assembly including non-parallel relief faces that facilitates reduced pressure face brinelling in turbine engines. The assembly includes a plurality of rotor blades, each including a dovetail. Each dovetail includes at least a pair of blade tangs including blade relief faces. The dovetail assembly also includes a rotor disk including a plurality of dovetail slots, each sized to receive a dovetail. Each dovetail slot is defined by at least one pair of opposing disk tangs including disk relief faces. The disk relief faces are non-parallel to the blade relief faces when the dovetail is mounted in the dovetail slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Leslie Eugene Leeke, Sean Robert Keith, Ronald Eugene Mc Rae, Jr., Robert Ingram Ackerman, Richard William Albrecht, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20030113206
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes segments of outer and inner bands supporting corresponding vane pairs. The bands adjoin each other at corresponding ends along splitlines, with each band having a forward land, an opposite aft land, and a middle land extending therebetween. The forward lands have a nominal aft-facing step, the aft lands have a nominal forward-facing step and the middle lands are nominally flush.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: John Peter Heyward, Robert Ingram Ackerman, Gregory Alan White
  • Patent number: 6579061
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes segments of outer and inner bands supporting corresponding vane pairs. The bands adjoin each other at corresponding ends along splitlines, with each band having a forward land, an opposite aft land, and a middle land extending therebetween. The forward lands have a nominal aft-facing step, the aft lands have a nominal forward-facing step and the middle lands are nominally flush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Peter Heyward, Robert Ingram Ackerman, Gregory Alan White
  • Publication number: 20030044284
    Abstract: A dovetail assembly including non-parallel relief faces that facilitates reduced pressure face brinelling in turbine engines. The assembly includes a plurality of rotor blades, each including a dovetail. Each dovetail includes at least a pair of blade tangs including blade relief faces. The dovetail assembly also includes a rotor disk including a plurality of dovetail slots, each sized to receive a dovetail. Each dovetail slot is defined by at least one pair of opposing disk tangs including disk relief faces. The disk relief faces are non-parallel to the blade relief faces when the dovetail is mounted in the dovetail slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Leslie Eugene Leeke, Sean Robert Keith, Ronald Eugene Mc Rae, Robert Ingram Ackerman, Richard William Albrecht
  • Patent number: 6439837
    Abstract: A nozzle vane includes a row of trailing edge apertures and cooperating inboard slots joined in flow communication with a mid-chord cavity. An outboard slot is spaced outwardly from a respective last one of the inboard slots, and outboard of a respective last one of the trailing edge apertures. The outboard slot extends behind a braze joint between the vane and a supporting band and is effective for backside cooling thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Peter Heyward, Robert Ingram Ackerman, Richard Hartley Pugh, Steven Curtiss Warfield, Kenneth Morand Lieland