Patents by Inventor Thomas Joseph Farineau

Thomas Joseph Farineau 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: 11035421
    Abstract: A clutch system configured to transmit torque between an input shaft and an output shaft. The clutch system may include a clutch and a lubrication supply system. The clutch may include: an input portion disposed at an end of the input shaft; an output portion disposed at an end of the output shaft; and a sliding component that slides axially between the input and output portions to engage the clutch. The lubrication supply system may include: one or more lubricant feeds for delivering a lubricant to the clutch; and one or more lubricant drains for draining the lubricant from the clutch. The one or more lubricant feeds may include one or more respective valves. The one or more valves each may be configurable between settings that vary an amount of the lubricant delivered to the clutch via the respective one of the one or more lubricant feeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Winfred Jewett, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Siddharth Navinchandra Ashar, Andrew John Lammas, Paul Richard Stukenborg, Eric Paul Knopf, Mateusz Wojciech Golebiowski, Chad Duncan Munkres, Eric Lorin Letterman
  • Publication number: 20200347893
    Abstract: A clutch system configured to transmit torque between an input shaft and an output shaft. The clutch system may include a clutch and a lubrication supply system. The clutch may include: an input portion disposed at an end of the input shaft; an output portion disposed at an end of the output shaft; and a sliding component that slides axially between the input and output portions to engage the clutch. The lubrication supply system may include: one or more lubricant feeds for delivering a lubricant to the clutch; and one or more lubricant drains for draining the lubricant from the clutch. The one or more lubricant feeds may include one or more respective valves. The one or more valves each may be configurable between settings that vary an amount of the lubricant delivered to the clutch via the respective one of the one or more lubricant feeds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Winfred Jewett, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Siddharth Navinchandra Ashar, Andrew John Lammas, Paul Richard Stukenborg, Eric Paul Knopf, Mateusz Wojciech Golebiowski, Chad Duncan Munkres, Eric Lorin Letterman
  • Patent number: 10774667
    Abstract: A steam turbine is provided. The steam turbine includes a housing, a first steam inlet configured to discharge a first steam flow within the housing, and a second steam inlet configured to provide a second steam flow. A rotor and stator are coupled to the housing and configured to form a first flow path therebetween and in flow communication with the first steam flow. The rotor includes a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor, at least one root of the plurality of blades has a first side, a second side and a passageway coupled in flow communication to the first side and the second side. The passageway is configured to receive the second steam flow within the at least one root. The at least one root includes an angel wing configured to seal the second steam flow from the first flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sacheverel Quentin Eldrid, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Michael Earl Montgomery, Timothy Scott McMurray, Xiaoqing Zheng
  • Patent number: 10738626
    Abstract: A turbine engine including: rotor blades circumferentially arrayed about a rotor wheel; a connection assembly by which each of the rotor blades connects to the rotor wheel, the connection assembly including: an axially oriented slot formed through a perimeter face of the rotor wheel; a root of the rotor blade installed within the slot, the root being shaped in relation to the slot such that the installation therein forms an axially extending shim cavity between opposing exterior surfaces of the root and the slot; and a shim installed within the shim cavity for restraining movement of the rotor blade relative to the rotor wheel in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Timothy Scott McMurray, John James Ligos
  • Patent number: 10465537
    Abstract: The present application provides a steam turbine. The steam turbine may include a number of rotor wheel slots, a number of buckets positioned in the rotor wheel slots, and a radial support assembly positioned between each of the buckets and each of the rotor wheel slots. The radial support assembly may include one or springs and one or more shims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, John Ligos, Thomas Joseph Farineau
  • Patent number: 10400614
    Abstract: Various aspects include a turbomachine bucket, corresponding shim and related turbine rotor. In some cases, a steam turbine bucket includes: a blade having a first end, and a second end opposite the first end; a tip at the first end of the blade; and a base at the second end, the base including a dovetail for complementing a corresponding dovetail slot in a steam turbine rotor, the dovetail having: a body; a plurality of projections extending from the body in opposing directions for complementing a plurality of recesses in the corresponding dovetail slot; and a shim locking slot extending through the body along the opposing directions, the shim locking slot being open at a bottom surface of the body and sized to engage a shim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Thomas Joseph Farineau, John James Ligos
  • Publication number: 20190120069
    Abstract: A turbine engine including: rotor blades circumferentially arrayed about a rotor wheel; a connection assembly by which each of the rotor blades connects to the rotor wheel, the connection assembly including: an axially oriented slot formed through a perimeter face of the rotor wheel; a root of the rotor blade installed within the slot, the root being shaped in relation to the slot such that the installation therein forms an axially extending shim cavity between opposing exterior surfaces of the root and the slot; and a shim installed within the shim cavity for restraining movement of the rotor blade relative to the rotor wheel in a radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Timothy Scott McMurray, John James Ligos
  • Publication number: 20180142561
    Abstract: Various aspects include a turbomachine bucket, corresponding shim and related turbine rotor. In some cases, a steam turbine bucket includes: a blade having a first end, and a second end opposite the first end; a tip at the first end of the blade; and a base at the second end, the base including a dovetail for complementing a corresponding dovetail slot in a steam turbine rotor, the dovetail having: a body; a plurality of projections extending from the body in opposing directions for complementing a plurality of recesses in the corresponding dovetail slot; and a shim locking slot extending through the body along the opposing directions, the shim locking slot being open at a bottom surface of the body and sized to engage a shim.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Thomas Joseph Farineau, John James Ligos
  • Publication number: 20170342845
    Abstract: The present application provides a steam turbine. The steam turbine may include a number of rotor wheel slots, a number of buckets positioned in the rotor wheel slots, and a radial support assembly positioned between each of the buckets and each of the rotor wheel slots. The radial support assembly may include one or springs and one or more shims.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, John Ligos, Thomas Joseph Farineau
  • Publication number: 20170218786
    Abstract: A steam turbine is provided. The steam turbine includes a housing, a first steam inlet configured to discharge a first steam flow within the housing, and a second steam inlet configured to provide a second steam flow. A rotor and stator are coupled to the housing and configured to form a first flow path therebetween and in flow communication with the first steam flow. The rotor includes a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor, at least one root of the plurality of blades has a first side, a second side and a passageway coupled in flow communication to the first side and the second side. The passageway is configured to receive the second steam flow within the at least one root. The at least one root includes an angel wing configured to seal the second steam flow from the first flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Sacheverel Quentin Eldrid, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Michael Earl Montgomery, Timothy Scott McMurray, Xiaoqing Zheng
  • Patent number: 9702261
    Abstract: A steam turbine is provided. The steam turbine includes a housing and a steam inlet coupled in flow communication to the housing which is configured to discharge a first steam flow within the housing. A stator is coupled to the housing and includes plurality of vanes. A rotor is coupled to the housing and located within the stator, wherein the rotor and the stator are configured to form a first flow path there between and in flow communication with the first steam flow. The rotor includes a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor, at least one root of the plurality of blades has a first side, a second side and a passageway coupled in flow communication to the first side and the second side. The passageway is configured to define a second flow path in flow communication with the first flow path and to discharge a second steam flow within the at least one root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sacheverel Quentin Eldrid, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Michael Earl Montgomery, Timothy Scott McMurray, Xiaoqing Zheng
  • Patent number: 9574453
    Abstract: A steam turbine is provided. The steam turbine includes a housing and a steam inlet configured to discharge a primary steam flow within the housing. A stator is coupled to the housing and a rotor is coupled to the housing and located within the stator. The rotor and the stator are configured to define a primary flow path there between and in flow communication with the primary steam flow. The steam turbine includes a seal assembly coupled to the housing. The seal assembly includes a packing head and a plurality of seals. The packing head is configured to define a cooling flow path in flow communication with the rotor and configured to discharge a cooling steam flow toward the rotor. An anti-swirl device is coupled to the seal assembly and located between the rotor and the packing head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zheng, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Sacheverel Quentin Eldrid, Jason L. Bowers
  • Patent number: 9388698
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to rotor cooling and, more particularly, to a stator member having at least one passage for the delivery of cooling steam to a bucket root. In one embodiment, the invention provides a turbine comprising: a rotor including a first bucket root; and a stator member having: a rotor bore within which at least a portion of the rotor is disposed; a facing end adjacent to the first bucket root of the rotor; a plurality of seals within the rotor bore for sealing against the rotor, the plurality of seals including a first seal nearest the facing end and a second seal adjacent to the first seal; and a plurality of passages, each extending from a surface of the rotor bore at a point between the first seal and the second seal and extending through the facing end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zheng, Sanjay Chopra, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Tai Joung Kim, Richard James Miller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9267387
    Abstract: A partial seal platform for mounting a seal and securing seal to a rotor or a casing including a first arcuate securing segment with a first securing notch for receiving a first securing ridge of rotor or casing; a second arcuate securing segment with a second securing notch for receiving a second securing ridge of rotor or casing; an arcuate coupling segment with a first flat ridge forming a first and second lateral notch on each side of the first flat ridge for receiving the first arcuate securing segment and the second arcuate securing segment; and an arcuate mounting segment including a second flat ridge forming a lateral notch on each side of second flat ridge for receiving first arcuate securing segment and second arcuate securing segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Farineau, Michael Dennis Mack, Timothy Scott McMurray, Xiaoqing Zhen
  • Patent number: 9255483
    Abstract: A locking blade for a rotor can include an airfoil portion with a root from which a tongue extends. Opposed bucket segments can engage the tongue and can be retained in a longitudinal direction of the blade by a fastener, such as a pin, that can extend through holes in the segments and tongue. Tines parallel to and on opposite sides of the tongue can extend from the root and include holes through which the fastener can extend, the bucket segments extending between respective tines and the tongue. The structure can eliminate an assembly gate in a rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Farineau, Timothy Scott McMurray
  • Patent number: 9216495
    Abstract: A spacer for holding an alignment of two concentric cylinders including at least two arcuate spacer segments, each of the at least two arcuate spacer segments having at least one spacer passage for receiving a part of a coupling bolt, each of the at least two arcuate spacer segments fitting between each of two respective end surfaces of two concentric cylinders, each end surface having a cylindrical seat; and a ring with an outer surface adjoining an inner surface of each of the at least two arcuate spacer segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Farineau
  • Patent number: 9212563
    Abstract: The present application provides a turbine rotor and blade assembly for a steam turbine. The turbine rotor and blade assembly may include a rotor, a number of buckets positioned about the rotor, and a locking blade positioned about the rotor. The locking blade may include a multi-piece configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Farineau, Edward Arthur Dewhurst, Timothy Scott McMurray, Manuel Fernandez, John Thomas Basirico
  • Patent number: 9175572
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include a system having a turbine blade segment having a blade and a mounting segment coupled to the blade, wherein the mounting segment has a multi-piece assembly configured to mount in a radial direction into a slot of a turbomachine rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Scott McMurray, Thomas Joseph Farineau
  • Publication number: 20150184529
    Abstract: A steam turbine is provided. The steam turbine includes a housing and a steam inlet configured to discharge a primary steam flow within the housing. A stator is coupled to the housing and a rotor is coupled to the housing and located within the stator. The rotor and the stator are configured to define a primary flow path there between and in flow communication with the primary steam flow. The steam turbine includes a seal assembly coupled to the housing. The seal assembly includes a packing head and a plurality of seals. The packing head is configured to define a cooling flow path in flow communication with the rotor and configured to discharge a cooling steam flow toward the rotor. An anti-swirl device is coupled to the seal assembly and located between the rotor and the packing head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zheng, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Sacheverel Quentin Eldrid, Jason L. Bowers
  • Publication number: 20150159497
    Abstract: A steam turbine is provided. The steam turbine includes a housing and a steam inlet coupled in flow communication to the housing which is configured to discharge a first steam flow within the housing. A stator is coupled to the housing and includes plurality of vanes. A rotor is coupled to the housing and located within the stator, wherein the rotor and the stator are configured to form a first flow path there between and in flow communication with the first steam flow. The rotor includes a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor, at least one root of the plurality of blades has a first side, a second side and a passageway coupled in flow communication to the first side and the second side. The passageway is configured to define a second flow path in flow communication with the first flow path and to discharge a second steam flow within the at least one root.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sacheverel Quentin Eldrid, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Michael Earl Montgomery, Timothy Scott McMurray, Xiaoqing Zheng