Patents by Inventor Terry Joe Bruner

Terry Joe Bruner 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).

  • APPARATUS AND METHOD OF REMOVING ABRADABLE MATERIAL FROM A TURBOMACHINE FAN CONTAINMENT CASE
    Publication number: 20040043703
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) and method for removing an abradable material from an interior surface (16) of a fan containment case (14), without requiring removal of the fan containment case (14) from its engine (12). The apparatus (10) and method generally involve adjusting the elevation of a blast head (40) and centering a horizontal axis of rotation thereof with the fan containment case (14) to position the blast head (40) adjacent the abradable material on the case surface (16). An erosion media is then sprayed with the blast head (40) in a substantially radial direction relative to the horizontal axis of rotation of the blast head (40), such that the erosion media impacts and erodes the abradable material. The blast head (40) is rotated about the horizontal axis of rotation thereof so that the erosion media is sprayed at the abradable material along the entire circumference of the fan containment case (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Dean Fox, Terry Joe Bruner, Robert Thomas Ford
  • Apparatus and method of removing abradable material from a turbomachine fan containment case
    Patent number: 6699109
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) and method for removing an abradable material from an interior surface (16) of a fan containment case (14), without requiring removal of the fan containment case (14) from its engine (12). The apparatus (10) and method generally involve adjusting the elevation of a blast head (40) and centering a horizontal axis of rotation thereof with the fan containment case (14) to position the blast head (40) adjacent the abradable material on the case surface (16). An erosion media is then sprayed with the blast head (40) in a substantially radial direction relative to the horizontal axis of rotation of the blast head (40), such that the erosion media impacts and erodes the abradable material. The blast head (40) is rotated about the horizontal axis of rotation thereof so that the erosion media is sprayed at the abradable material along the entire circumference of the fan containment case (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Dean Fox, Terry Joe Bruner, Robert Thomas Ford