Patents by Inventor Thomas G. Cloft

Thomas G. Cloft 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: 10641181
    Abstract: An example gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a nacelle having an inner wall providing a bypass duct of a gas turbine engine, and an outer wall; an accessory gearbox is received between the inner wall and the outer wall of the nacelle; and an accessory drive of the accessory gearbox is configured to rotate about an accessory drive axis that is transverse to a central axis of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
  • Patent number: 10184404
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a gearbox. The gearbox includes a housing at a forward part of a core compartment of a gas turbine engine. A plurality of accessory drives are each configured to rotatably couple the gas turbine engine accessory gearbox to one of a plurality of accessory components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen
  • Patent number: 10054006
    Abstract: A latch assembly for securing a nacelle portion of a gas turbine engine includes an engine case structure that includes a core compartment. An inner flow structure has closed and opened positions with respect to the engine case structure. The inner flow structure encloses the core compartment in the closed position and provides access to the core compartment in the opened position. A bypass flowpath is provided by a portion of the engine case structure and the inner flow structure. A seal is engaged with the engine case structure and the inner flow structure in the closed position. A latch has a latched position in which radial movement of the inner flow structure relative to the engine case structure is impeded and maintained in the closed position and an unlatched position in which the inner flow structure is permitted to move radially outward to the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
  • Patent number: 9828105
    Abstract: A nacelle assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an integrated afterbody mount case. The integrated afterbody mount case includes an outer ring and a plurality of spokes that extend radially inwardly from the outer ring. The outer ring includes a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface. The plurality of spokes are circumferentially disposed about the radially inner surface and extend radially inwardly from the radially inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas G. Cloft
  • Publication number: 20160186598
    Abstract: A nacelle for incorporation into a gas turbine engine has an inner wall defining a bypass duct, and an outer wall, at least one drive shaft extending through said inner wall, said at least one drive shaft to be connected to a gas turbine engine receiving the nacelle, said at least one drive shaft being connected to drive at least two accessory gear boxes, with said at least two accessory gear boxes being received between said inner and outer walls of said nacelle. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
  • Patent number: 9297314
    Abstract: A nacelle for incorporation into a gas turbine engine has an inner wall defining a bypass duct, and an outer wall. At least one drive shaft extends through the inner wall. The at least one drive shaft is connected to a gas turbine engine receiving the nacelle. The at least one drive shaft is connected to drive at least two accessory gear boxes, with the at least two accessory gear boxes being received between the inner and outer walls of the nacelle. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
  • Patent number: 9239030
    Abstract: A nacelle structure for a gas turbine engine includes an outer nacelle surrounding a fan section and defining an outer boundary of a bypass flow passage and an inner nacelle surrounding a core engine section and defining an inner boundary of the bypass flow passage. A panel of the inner nacelle is moveable between an open position providing access to the core engine section and a closed position. A lock is supported within the inner nacelle proximate the panel. The lock includes an electric actuator for moving a locking pin between a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock prevents opening and limits deflection of the panel when in the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
  • Publication number: 20160010561
    Abstract: An example gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a nacelle having an inner wall providing a bypass duct of a gas turbine engine, and an outer wall; an accessory gearbox is received between the inner wall and the outer wall of the nacelle; and an accessory drive of the accessory gearbox is configured to rotate about an accessory drive axis that is transverse to a central axis of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
  • Publication number: 20150274307
    Abstract: A latch assembly for securing a nacelle portion of a gas turbine engine includes an engine case structure that includes a core compartment. An inner flow structure has closed and opened positions with respect to the engine case structure. The inner flow structure encloses the core compartment in the closed position and provides access to the core compartment in the opened position. A bypass flowpath is provided by a portion of the engine case structure and the inner flow structure. A seal is engaged with the engine case structure and the inner flow structure in the closed position. A latch has a latched position in which radial movement of the inner flow structure relative to the engine case structure is impeded and maintained in the closed position and an unlatched position in which the inner flow structure is permitted to move radially outward to the opened position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
  • Patent number: 9126691
    Abstract: An access door is provided in a housing for a gas turbine engine, with the access door being movable to an access position independent of any required movement of any cowl door or a fan duct door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen
  • Publication number: 20150233300
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a gearbox. The gearbox includes a housing at a forward part of a core compartment of a gas turbine engine. A plurality of accessory drives are each configured to rotatably couple the gas turbine engine accessory gearbox to one of a plurality of accessory components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen
  • Patent number: 9108736
    Abstract: A latch assembly for securing a nacelle portion of a gas turbine engine includes first and second nacelle flow structures that define a portion of a bypass flowpath. A seal is engageable between the first and second nacelle flow structures. A latch is rotatable about a pivot between latched and unlatched positions. The latch maintains the seal in engagement with the first and second nacelle flow structures in the latched position. A method of opening a nacelle flow structure includes the steps of pivoting a latch from a latched position to an unlatched position, and unlatching a first nacelle flow structure relative to a second nacelle flow structure in response to the latch pivoting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
  • Patent number: 9091214
    Abstract: An accessory system for use in a gas turbine engine, which system includes a gearbox adapted to be arranged radially outward of a main axis of the gas turbine engine and inside a nacelle, one or more engine accessories respectively connected to and driven by the gearbox, and a gas turbine engine oil system driven by a source other than the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas G. Cloft
  • Patent number: 8950702
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a gas turbine engine includes a pylon mount structure that has a fore mount portion and an aft mount portion. A first engine mount beam is integrally formed with the fore mount portion as a single-piece component, and a second engine mount beam is integrally formed with the aft mount portion as a single-piece component. The first engine mount beam is attachable to the engine case at a fore attachment interface, and the second engine mount beam is attached to the engine case at an aft attachment interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas G. Cloft
  • Patent number: 8869507
    Abstract: A nacelle assembly for a high-bypass gas turbine engine includes a fan nacelle that includes a first fan nacelle section and a second fan nacelle section, the second fan nacelle section movable relative to the first fan nacelle section. A cascade array is mounted to the first fan nacelle section for movement relative thereto between a stored position and a deployed position, the stored position locates the cascade array at least partially within the first fan nacelle section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen
  • Patent number: 8769924
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes an inlet lip assembly, a fan containment case, and a front flange. The fan containment case surrounds a fan section and is positioned downstream from the inlet lip assembly. The front flange is mounted between the inlet lip assembly and the fan containment case and is positioned upstream from the fan section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas G. Cloft
  • Publication number: 20140165589
    Abstract: A nacelle for incorporation into a gas turbine engine has an inner wall defining a bypass duct, and an outer wall. At least one drive shaft extends through the inner wall. The at least one drive shaft is connected to a gas turbine engine receiving the nacelle. The at least one drive shaft is connected to drive at least two accessory gear boxes, with the at least two accessory gear boxes being received between the inner and outer walls of the nacelle. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
  • Publication number: 20140090386
    Abstract: A disclosed accessory drive system provides for the reduction in the overall diameter of the outer nacelle by splitting the number of accessory components between a first gear box mounted within the outer nacelle and a second gearbox mounted to the core engine. The first gear box mounted to the fan case of the gas turbine engine drives a first plurality of accessory components. The second gear box mounted to a core engine case of the gas turbine engine drives a second plurality of accessory components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Robert L. Gukeisen, Claude Mercier
  • Publication number: 20140075918
    Abstract: A nacelle structure for a gas turbine engine includes an outer nacelle surrounding a fan section and defining an outer boundary of a bypass flow passage and an inner nacelle surrounding a core engine section and defining an inner boundary of the bypass flow passage. A panel of the inner nacelle is moveable between an open position providing access to the core engine section and a closed position. A lock is supported within the inner nacelle proximate the panel. The lock includes an electric actuator for moving a locking pin between a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock prevents opening and limits deflection of the panel when in the locked position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Claude Mercier, Thomas G. Cloft
  • Patent number: 8657567
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided with a nacelle having a hollow inner space. The inner space is utilized as a plenum for directing air from an inlet to an outlet at the upstream end of the nacelle to allow control of an effective lip width of the nacelle under certain flight conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cloft, Ashok K. Jain