Patents by Inventor Stephen Eugene Melton

Stephen Eugene Melton 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).

  • Thrust bearing support assembly for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 8292238
    Abstract: A thrust bearing support assembly includes a first substantially trapezoidally-shaped side, and a second substantially rectangularly-shaped side coupled to the first side. The thrust bearing support assembly also includes a third substantially trapezoidally-shaped side coupled to the second side, and a fourth substantially rectangularly-shaped side coupled to the first and third sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas George Wakeman, Peter Walter Mueller, Stephen Eugene Melton, Michael Todd Summers
  • Supercore sump vent pressure control
    Patent number: 7836675
    Abstract: An active air pressure control apparatus for a bearing sump cavity in a gas turbine engine includes a bearing assembly supporting a rotatable shaft that connects a rotatable power turbine and a rotatable compressor. The active air pressure control apparatus also includes a sump cavity surrounding the bearing assembly, a sump pressurization cavity in flow communication with a source of pressurized air and in flow communication with the sump cavity, and a sump vent tube in flow communication with the sump cavity and an air/oil separator. The active air pressure control apparatus includes an adjustable valve in the sump vent tube, and a controllable blower in flow communication with the sump vent tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bala Corattiyil, Stephen Eugene Melton
  • GAS TURBINE ENGINE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING SAME
    Publication number: 20090246002
    Abstract: A method of reducing gas turbine engine distortion includes coupling a core gas turbine engine to a power turbine, coupling the power turbine to a thrust bearing support assembly through a frusto-conically shaped structural support such that the net axial thrust of the coupled core gas turbine engine and power turbine reacts through the thrust bearing support assembly at engine centerline to facilitate minimizing distortion of the core gas turbine engine casing, and supporting the thrust bearing support assembly such that all of the remaining thrust generated by the core gas turbine engine and the power turbine is reacted to ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas George Wakeman, Peter Walter Mueller, Stephen Eugene Melton, Michael Todd Summers
  • Gas turbine engine assembly and method of assembling same
    Patent number: 7546742
    Abstract: A method of reducing gas turbine engine distortion includes coupling a core gas turbine engine to a power turbine, coupling the power turbine to a thrust bearing support assembly through a frusto-conically shaped structural support such that the net axial thrust of the coupled core gas turbine engine and power turbine reacts through the thrust bearing support assembly at engine centerline to facilitate minimizing distortion of the core gas turbine engine casing, and supporting the thrust bearing support assembly such that all of the remaining thrust generated by the core gas turbine engine and the power turbine is reacted to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas George Wakeman, Peter Walter Mueller, Stephen Eugene Melton, Michael Todd Summers