Patents by Inventor Thomas Froats Broderick

Thomas Froats Broderick 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: 20230392247
    Abstract: A composition of matter is generally provided, in one embodiment, a titanium alloy comprising about 5 wt % to about 8 wt % aluminum; about 2.5 wt % to about 5.5 wt % vanadium; about 0.1 wt % to about 2 wt % of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of iron and molybdenum; about 0.01 wt % to about 0.2 wt % carbon; up to about 0.3 wt % oxygen; silicon and copper; and titanium. A turbine component is also generally provided, in one embodiment, that comprises an article made from a titanium alloy. Additionally, methods are also generally provided for making an alloy component having a beta transus temperature and a titanium silicide solvus temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Andrew Philip Woodfield, Thomas Froats Broderick, William Andrew Sharp, II
  • Patent number: 11426792
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional target object may include forming a shell from loose machining powder using an additive manufacturing process and subjecting the shell to a densification process to form a target object. The shell may define an enclosure that contains additional machining powder. The densification process may include causing metallurgical bonding between the shell and additional machining powder contained in the enclosure defined by the shell and shrinking and/or distorting the shape of the shell to conform the target object to a three-dimensional model for the target object. The shell may include a plurality of layers and/or parts that differ at least in respect of density. The plurality of layers and/or parts may be configured based at least in part on the shrinking and/or distorting to the shape of the shell needed to conform the target object to the three-dimensional model for the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Zhiwei Wu, Yanmin Li, David Henry Abbott, Xiaobin Chen, Thomas Froats Broderick, Judson Sloan Marte, Andrew Philip Woodfield, Eric Allen Ott
  • Publication number: 20210039169
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional target object may include forming a shell from loose machining powder using an additive manufacturing process and subjecting the shell to a densification process to form a target object. The shell may define an enclosure that contains additional machining powder. The densification process may include causing metallurgical bonding between the shell and additional machining powder contained in the enclosure defined by the shell and shrinking and/or distorting the shape of the shell to conform the target object to a three-dimensional model for the target object. The shell may include a plurality of layers and/or parts that differ at least in respect of density. The plurality of layers and/or parts may be configured based at least in part on the shrinking and/or distorting to the shape of the shell needed to conform the target object to the three-dimensional model for the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Zhiwei Wu, Yanmin Li, David Henry Abbott, Xiaobin Chen, Thomas Froats Broderick, Judson Sloan Marte, Andrew Philip Woodfield, Eric Allen Ott
  • Patent number: 10780501
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional part. The method includes: performing partial densification processing on loose machining powder, to form a densified and sealed enclosure, where there is still loose machining powder accommodated inside the enclosure; and performing overall densification processing on the enclosure and the machining powder inside the enclosure, so as to implement metallurgical bonding between the machining powder inside the enclosure and the enclosure during the densification, thereby forming a target three-dimensional part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zhiwei Wu, Yanmin Li, David Henry Abbott, Xiaobin Chen, Thomas Froats Broderick, Judson Sloan Marte, Andrew Philip Woodfield, Eric Allen Ott
  • Publication number: 20150283614
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional part. The method includes: performing partial densification processing on loose machining powder, to form a densified and sealed enclosure, where there is still loose machining powder accommodated inside the enclosure; and performing overall densification processing on the enclosure and the machining powder inside the enclosure, so as to implement metallurgical bonding between the machining powder inside the enclosure and the enclosure during the densification, thereby forming a target three-dimensional part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Zhiwei Wu, Yanmin Li, David Henry Abbott, Xiaobin Chen, Thomas Froats Broderick, Judson Sloan Marte, Andrew Philip Woodfield, I, Eric Allen Ott
  • Publication number: 20140120483
    Abstract: A method of thermal management includes positioning a first workpiece and a second workpiece in at least one tool having internal cavities, passing a fluid into at least one of the internal cavities to cool portions of the first and second workpieces, welding the first workpiece and the second workpiece in the at least one tool by resistance heating to form a joined workpiece, controlling a rate of cooling of the joined workpiece to slow a rate of cooling through at least one of a resistive heat element or welding electrode of the at least one tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy J. Trapp, Thomas Froats Broderick, Jeffrey Root, Greg Firestone
  • Publication number: 20140117007
    Abstract: A method of heat treating an engine component includes connecting a disk having a plurality of titanium components to a fixture, positioning one of the titanium components into an induction coil loop, providing an alternating current to the induction coil loop, heat treating the titanium component positioned in the induction coil loop and, monitoring a temperature of the heat treating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy J. Trapp, Thomas Froats Broderick, Jeffrey Root, Greg Firestone
  • Publication number: 20090032152
    Abstract: A titanium-alloy article is produced by providing a workpiece of an alpha-beta titanium alloy having a beta-transus temperature, and thereafter mechanically working the workpiece at a mechanical-working temperature above the beta-transus temperature. The mechanically worked workpiece is solution heat treated at a solution-heat-treatment temperature of from about 175° F. below the beta-transus temperature to about 25° F. below the beta-transus temperature, quenched, overage heat treated at an overage-heat-treatment temperature of from about 400° F. below the beta-transus temperature to about 275° F. below the beta-transus temperature, and cooled from the overage-heat-treatment temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew Philip WOODFIELD, Wesley Douglas PRIDEMORE, Bernard Harold LAWLESS, Nancy Ann SULLIVAN, Peter WAYTE, Michael James WEIMER, Thomas Froats BRODERICK
  • Patent number: 7449075
    Abstract: A titanium-alloy article is produced by providing a workpiece of an alpha-beta titanium alloy having a beta-transus temperature, and thereafter mechanically working the workpiece at a mechanical-working temperature above the beta-transus temperature. The mechanically worked workpiece is solution heat treated at a solution-heat-treatment temperature of from about 175° F. below the beta-transus temperature to about 25° F. below the beta-transus temperature, quenched, overage heat treated at an overage-heat-treatment temperature of from about 400° F. below the beta-transus temperature to about 275° F. below the beta-transus temperature, and cooled from the overage-heat-treatment temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Philip Woodfield, Wesley Douglas Pridemore, Bernard Harold Lawless, Nancy Ann Sullivan, Peter Wayte, Michael James Weimer, Thomas Froats Broderick
  • Patent number: 7384244
    Abstract: A metallic component, which may be an airfoil, includes at least one treated patch, wherein the entire thickness of the component within the treated patch is in a state of residual compressive stress. A surface-treated area overlaps at least a boundary between the treated patch and the remainder of the component. The surface of the component within the surface-treated area is in a state of residual compressive stress, so as to resist crack initiation at the boundary between the treated patch and the remainder of the component. A method is also provided for making such a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Froats Broderick, Andrew P. Woodfield
  • Patent number: 7331755
    Abstract: A method for assembling a vane sector for a gas turbine engine, the vane sector including an airfoil vane and a platform includes depositing a wear coating material onto a selected area of the platform, positioning the platform adjacent to the airfoil vane, and executing a brazing operation such that the airfoil vane is permanently coupled to the platform portion and such that the wear coating material is bonded across a predefined area of the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Froats Broderick, Ronald Lance Galley, Clifford Earl Shamblen, David Edwin Budinger, Reed Roy Oliver, Roger Owen Barbe
  • Patent number: 7249412
    Abstract: A BLISK having a damaged blade, with a repair region that has a thickness less than a specified thickness as a result of damage during manufacture or prior service, is repaired by depositing repair metal onto the repair region to increase its thickness to greater than its specified thickness dimension. Only the repair region is stress relieved by heating the repair region to a stress-relieving temperature of from about 1150° F. to about 1250° F. for a time of at least about 1 hour. The intentional manipulation of microstructure in only the thinner airfoil sections allows multiple repairs, which are not possible in the thicker sections of the BLISK. An alpha-case thickness of repair metal, preferably of at least about 0.0002 inches of repair metal, is removed from a surface of the repair region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter Wayte, Thomas Froats Broderick
  • Patent number: 7198684
    Abstract: A plurality of gas turbine components or other articles are manufactured from a plurality of metallic-alloy workpieces using a manufacturing apparatus having a metalworking apparatus, and an annealing apparatus wherein the individual workpieces are annealed by single-workpiece annealing and not by large-batch annealing. A workpiece flow of the plurality of workpieces is established sequentially through the metalworking apparatus and the annealing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Froats Broderick, Jeffrey Lynn Myers, Francois Laurent Giguere, Peter Brian Haley, Paul Raymond Phaneuf, William Francis Bergeron, Thomas Caudwell Straub
  • Patent number: 7097720
    Abstract: A method for laser shock peening an article including laser shock peening a first area with at least one high fluence laser beam and laser shock peening a border area between the first area and a non-laser shock peened area of the article with at least one first low fluence laser beam. The border area may be laser shock peened with a second low fluence laser beam or more low fluence laser beams wherein the second low fluence laser beam and others have a lower fluence than the first low fluence laser beam. The border area may be laser shock peened with progressively lower fluence laser beams starting with the one first fluence laser beam wherein the progressively lower fluence laser beams are in order of greatest fluence to least fluence in a direction outwardly from the first area through the border area to the non-laser shock peened area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Seetha Ramaiah Mannava, Todd Jay Rockstroh, William Woodrow Shepherd, Ian Francis Prentice, Thomas Froats Broderick
  • Patent number: 6814818
    Abstract: A method for heat treating titanium-alloy articles in a vacuum furnace includes a step of first determining, for a first set of titanium articles in a first vacuum furnace and for a first set of heat treatment conditions, a minimum surface area of the first set of titanium articles associated with an acceptable alpha case formation for the first set of titanium articles. There is a second determining, for a second set of titanium articles in a second vacuum furnace and for a second set of heat treatment conditions, of a minimum surface area of a second set of titanium articles associated with an acceptable alpha case formation for the second set of titanium articles, responsive to the value of the minimum surface area of the first set of titanium articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Philip Woodfield, Thomas Froats Broderick, Reed Roeder Corderman
  • Publication number: 20040217094
    Abstract: A method for laser shock peening an article including laser shock peening a first area with at least one high fluence laser beam and laser shock peening a border area between the first area and a non-laser shock peened area of the article with at least one first low fluence laser beam. The border area may be laser shock peened with a second low fluence laser beam or more low fluence laser beams wherein the second low fluence laser beam and others have a lower fluence than the first low fluence laser beam. The border area may be laser shock peened with progressively lower fluence laser beams starting with the one first fluence laser beam wherein the progressively lower fluence laser beams are in order of greatest fluence to least fluence in a direction outwardly from the first area through the border area to the non-laser shock peened area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Seetha Ramaiah Mannava, Todd Jay Rockstroh, William Woodrow Shepherd, Ian Francis Prentice, Thomas Froats Broderick
  • Publication number: 20040177906
    Abstract: A plurality of gas turbine components or other articles are manufactured from a plurality of metallic-alloy workpieces using a manufacturing apparatus having a metalworking apparatus, and an annealing apparatus wherein the individual workpieces are annealed by single-workpiece annealing and not by large-batch annealing. A workpiece flow of the plurality of workpieces is established sequentially through the metalworking apparatus and the annealing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas Froats Broderick, Jeffrey Lynn Myers, Francois Laurent Giguere, Peter Brian Haley, Paul Raymond Phaneuf, William Francis Bergeron, Thomas Caudwell Straub
  • Publication number: 20040084117
    Abstract: A method for heat treating titanium-alloy articles in a vacuum furnace includes a step of first determining, for a first set of titanium articles in a first vacuum furnace and for a first set of heat treatment conditions, a minimum surface area of the first set of titanium articles associated with an acceptable alpha case formation for the first set of titanium articles. There is a second determining, for a second set of titanium articles in a second vacuum furnace and for a second set of heat treatment conditions, of a minimum surface area of a second set of titanium articles associated with an acceptable alpha case formation for the second set of titanium articles, responsive to the value of the minimum surface area of the first set of titanium articles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Andrew Philip Woodfield, Thomas Froats Broderick, Reed Roeder Corderman
  • Patent number: 6468367
    Abstract: A superalloy weld composition, includes: about 2 to about 5 wt % Co; about 5 to about 15 wt % Cr; about 7 to about 10 wt % Al; about 4 to about 6 wt % Ta; about 0.5 to about 1.5 wt % Si; about 0.1 to about 0.5 wt % Hf; up to about 0.05 wt % C; up to about 0.05 wt % B; about 1.0 to about 2.0 Re; about 3 to about 4.5 wt % W; and balance Ni.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles Gitahi Mukira, Melvin Robert Jackson, Jon Conrad Schaeffer, William Scott Walston, Thomas Froats Broderick