Patents by Inventor Stephen John Howell

Stephen John Howell 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).

  • Publication number: 20170248078
    Abstract: A combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor dome defining an opening, a cooling hole, and at least in part defining a combustion chamber. The combustor dome includes a first side and a second side, the cooling hole extending from the first side to the second side. The combustor assembly additionally includes a fuel-air injector hardware assembly positioned at least partially within the opening of the combustor dome and including a heat shield. The heat shield includes a heat deflector lip. The cooling hole in the combustor dome is oriented to direct a cooling airflow onto the heat deflector lip to maintain at least a portion of the heat shield within a desired operating temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: David Andrew Hannwacker, Stephen John Howell
  • Publication number: 20170248320
    Abstract: A combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor dome having a hot side and a cold side and at least in part defining a combustion chamber. The combustor assembly additionally includes a fuel-air injector hardware assembly having a first member and a second member. The first member is positioned at least partially adjacent to the cold side of the combustor dome and the second member is positioned at least partially adjacent to the hot side of the combustor dome. The first and second members together define an attachment interface joining the first member to the second member and mounting the fuel-air injector hardware assembly to the combustor dome. The attachment interface may be shielded from the combustion chamber to protect the attachment interface from an undesirable amount of thermal expansion and to maintain the materials within desired material operating temperature limits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: David Andrew Hannwacker, Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson
  • Patent number: 7721437
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a combustor for a gas turbine engine, wherein the combustor includes a swirler assembly. The method comprises machining material to form a domeplate, positioning a sealplate including an overhanging portion against the domeplate, securing the sealplate in position relative to the domeplate with a welding process, and welding the swirler assembly to the domeplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy P. McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 7448216
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a gas turbine engine. The method comprises coupling a combustor including a dome assembly and a combustor liner that extends downstream from the dome assembly to a combustor casing that is positioned radially outwardly from the combustor, coupling a ring support that includes a first radial flange, a second radial flange, and a plurality of beams that extend therebetween to the combustor casing, and coupling a primer nozzle including an injection tip to the combustor such that the primer nozzle extends axially through the dome assembly such that fuel may be discharged from the primer nozzle into the combustor during engine start-up operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy P. McCaffrey, Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Publication number: 20080209728
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a combustor for a gas turbine engine, wherein the combustor includes a swirler assembly. The method comprises machining material to form a domeplate, positioning a sealplate including an overhanging portion against the domeplate, securing the sealplate in position relative to the domeplate with a welding process, and welding the swirler assembly to the domeplate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy P. McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 7310952
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a combustor for a gas turbine engine, wherein the combustor includes a swirler assembly. The method comprises machining material to form a domeplate, positioning a sealplate including an overhanging portion against the domeplate, securing the sealplate in position relative to the domeplate with a welding process, and welding the swirler assembly to the domeplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy P. McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 7216488
    Abstract: An ignition device assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor includes a body and a shroud. The body extends from an inlet end to an outlet end, and the shroud extends circumferentially around at least a portion of the body, and axially from a first end to a tip end. The shroud includes a tip portion and a body portion. The body portion includes a plurality of metering openings and a plurality of first outlet openings. The plurality of metering openings are for channeling cooling air to the ignition device body, and the plurality of first outlet openings are for channeling spent cooling air from the ignition device body. The tip portion includes a plurality of discharge openings extending therethrough for channeling cooling from the ignition device body. The plurality of first outlet openings are between the shroud tip portion and the plurality of shroud metering openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Barry Francis Barnes, Ramy Michael Souri
  • Patent number: 7152411
    Abstract: A combustor includes an outer wall and an inner liner joined to an inner shell in turn mounted to an inner casing. The casing includes a first rabbet at an end flange in which is mounted a corresponding flange of the inner shell. The inner shell also includes a second rabbet which receives an end flange of the inner liner. The inner shell is trapped in the first rabbet by an inner retainer. And, the inner liner is trapped in the surrounding second rabbet for aft-mounting the liner and shell to the inner casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Patrick McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes, Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson
  • Patent number: 7131273
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor carburetor includes forward and aft air swirlers. The aft swirler has a septum defining a primary venturi and a plurality of circumferentially spaced aft swirl vanes. The forward swirler has a plurality of circumferentially spaced forward swirl vanes extending forwardly from a flat annular radial flange of the forward swirler, an annular wall extending forwardly from a forward face of the septum and radially bounding an annular recess on the forward face, and the radial flange slidably retained within the annular recess and against the septum by a flat retainer attached to the annular wall of the septum. The flat retainer may be produced by stamping. An anti-rotation tab on the radial flange of the forward swirler extends radially through a corresponding notch in the annular wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, Jennifer Caiulo, Robert Gregory Carita
  • Patent number: 7093440
    Abstract: An outer combustor wall (36) includes an outer support shell (40) surrounding an outer combustion liner (42). The shell (40) includes a first radial aft flange (46), and the liner (42) includes a second radial aft flange (48) axially adjoining the first flange. An annular retainer (50) and seal (62) are joined to the first flange for slidingly trapping the second flange therebetween for thermally floating the liner on the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, Barry Francis Barnes, Timothy Patrick McCaffrey, John Carl Jacobson
  • Patent number: 7093419
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a gas turbine engine. The method comprises coupling a combustor including a dome assembly and a combustor liner that extends downstream from the dome assembly to a combustor casing that is positioned radially outwardly from the combustor, coupling a ring support that includes a first radial flange, a second radial flange, and a plurality of beams that extend therebetween to the combustor casing, and coupling a primer nozzle including an injection tip to the combustor such that the primer nozzle extends axially through the dome assembly such that fuel may be discharged from the primer nozzle into the combustor during engine start-up operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy P. McCaffrey, Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 7051532
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a combustor for a gas turbine engine. The method includes providing a dome assembly that includes at least one cooling slot lip and at least one filler projection, wherein a gap defined between the cooling slot lip and the at least one filler projection has a height defined between cooling slot lip and the at least one filler projection that is substantially uniform through the gap. The method also includes coupling a liner assembly to the dome assembly, such that a combustion chamber is defined by the liner assembly, and coupling an inner and an outer support to the dome assembly, such that the dome assembly extends between the inner and outer supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy P. McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 7036316
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a combustor for a gas turbine engine. The method comprises coupling an inner liner to an outer liner such that a combustion chamber is defined therebetween, positioning an outer support a distance radially outward from the outer liner, and positioning an inner support a distance radially inward from the inner liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, Allen Michael Danis
  • Patent number: 6968699
    Abstract: A combustor includes outer and inner liners joined together by a dome to define a combustion chamber. A row of air swirlers is mounted in the dome and includes corresponding main fuel injectors for producing corresponding fuel and air mixtures. Pilot fuel injectors fewer in number than the main injectors are mounted in the dome between corresponding ones of the swirlers. Staged fuel injection from the pilot and main injectors is used for starting the combustor during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy Patrick McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 6955038
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a gas turbine engine. The method comprises coupling a combustor including a dome assembly and a combustor liner that extends downstream from the dome assembly to a combustor casing that is positioned radially outwardly from the combustor, coupling a fuel injector including a fuel inlet and an air inlet to the combustor casing such that the fuel injector extends axially through the dome assembly such that fuel may be discharged from the primer nozzle into the combustor, and coupling the air inlet to an air source such that cooling air received therethrough is circulated through the fuel injector to facilitate cooling the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy P. McCaffrey, Stephen John Howell, Walter J. Tingle, Barry Francis Barnes, John Carl Jacobson
  • Patent number: 6952927
    Abstract: A combustor baffle includes an annular splashplate having a center mounting tube therein for receiving a carbureted stream. A semi-ferrule is offset both laterally and transversely from the tube, and is open laterally outwardly therefrom. The semi-ferrule cooperates with an adjoining semi-ferrule for defining a port in which a pilot injector or igniter may be mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy Patrick McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes, Thet Don Kwan
  • Publication number: 20040261419
    Abstract: A combustor includes an outer wall and an inner liner joined to an inner shell in turn mounted to an inner casing. The casing includes a first rabbet at an end flange in which is mounted a corresponding flange of the inner shell. The inner shell also includes a second rabbet which receives an end flange of the inner liner. The inner shell is trapped in the first rabbet by an inner retainer. And, the inner liner is trapped in the surrounding second rabbet for aft-mounting the liner and shell to the inner casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Timothy Patrick McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes, Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson
  • Publication number: 20040250548
    Abstract: An outer combustor wall (36) includes an outer support shell (40) surrounding an outer combustion liner (42). The shell (40) includes a first radial aft flange (46), and the liner (42) includes a second radial aft flange (48) axially adjoining the first flange. An annular retainer (50) and seal (62) are joined to the first flange for slidingly trapping the second flange therebetween for thermally floating the liner on the shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, Barry Francis Barnes, Timothy Patrick McCaffrey, John Carl Jacobson
  • Publication number: 20040237532
    Abstract: A combustor baffle includes an annular splashplate having a center mounting tube therein for receiving a carbureted stream. A semi-ferrule is offset both laterally and transversely from the tube, and is open laterally outwardly therefrom. The semi-ferrule cooperates with an adjoining semi-ferrule for defining a port in which a pilot injector or igniter may be mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy Patrick McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes, Thet Don Kwan
  • Patent number: D647113
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Creative Instore Solutions Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Stephen John Howell