Patents by Inventor Thomas Joseph Kelly

Thomas Joseph Kelly 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: 10597756
    Abstract: Gamma titanium aluminide intermetallic compositions (gamma TiAl intermetallics) based on the TiAl (gamma) intermetallic compound. The gamma TiAl intermetallics contain chromium and niobium, as well as controlled amounts of carbon that achieve a desirable balance in room temperature mechanical properties and high temperature creep capabilities at temperatures approaching and possibly exceeding 1600° F. (about 870° C.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael James Weimer, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, Jr., Thomas Joseph Kelly
  • Publication number: 20130248061
    Abstract: Methods of processing compositions containing titanium and aluminum, especially titanium aluminide intermetallic compositions (TiAl intermetallics) based on the TiAl (gamma) intermetallic compound. The methods entail processing steps that include a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) cycle and a heat treatment cycle that can be performed in a single vessel. TiAl intermetallic compositions processed in this manner preferably exhibit a duplex microstructure containing equiaxed and lamellar morphologies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Kelly, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael James Weimer, Richard Kenneth Whitacre
  • Publication number: 20130251537
    Abstract: Gamma titanium aluminide intermetallic compositions (gamma TiAl intermetallics) based on the TiAl (gamma) intermetallic compound. The gamma TiAl intermetallics contain chromium and niobium, as well as controlled amounts of carbon that achieve a desirable balance in room temperature mechanical properties and high temperature creep capabilities at temperatures approaching and possibly exceeding 1600° F. (about 870° C.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael James Weimer, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, JR., Thomas Joseph Kelly
  • Publication number: 20120251840
    Abstract: Nickel-base alloys suitable for use as a weld material to weld high-temperature components (10), such as turbine blades and vanes of gas turbine engines. The nickel-base alloys consist essentially of, by weight, 5 to 10 percent chromium, 3 to 14 percent cobalt, up to 4 percent molybdenum, 3 to 7 percent tungsten, 5 to 9 percent tantalum, 5 to 8 percent aluminum, 0.1 to 2 percent hafnium, 0.005 to 0.03 percent boron, up to 0.15 percent carbon, the balance being nickel and incidental impurities and/or residual elements. Welds (12) formed with the alloys are capable of exhibiting desirable levels of strength and oxidation resistance, while containing little if any rhenium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Patrick Maly, Thomas Joseph Kelly
  • Patent number: 8267662
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a turbine damper by a metal injection molding process is disclosed. The damper includes a base section and a wire section, and is formed of a nickel-base or cobalt base superalloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: D. Keith Patrick, Randall Charles Bauer, Thomas Joseph Kelly
  • Patent number: 8236232
    Abstract: Methods for making a reinforced refractory crucible for melting titanium alloys including providing a form, applying a facecoat to the form, the facecoat having at least one facecoat layer, applying a backing about the facecoat, the backing having at least one backing layer, applying at least one reinforcing element to at least a portion of the facecoat layer, the backing layer, or a combination thereof where the reinforcing element includes at least one composition selected from ceramic compositions, metallic compositions, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, Thomas Joseph Kelly, Mohamed Rahmane, Stephen Rutkowski, Michael James Weimer, Sairam Sundaram
  • Patent number: 8206645
    Abstract: A method for preparing a filler-metal weld rod of a filler-metal composition includes the steps of centerless grinding the filler metal weld rod of a forced mixture of a mass of titanium aluminide intermetallic alloy powder that was used to form the weld rod, and hot isostatic pressing the filler-metal weld rod at a temperature greater than 2150° F., at a pressure between about 15,000 pounds per square inch and about 25,000 pounds per square inch and for a time of about 1 to 5 hours, thereby increasing the relative density to between about 98% and about 99%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Kelly
  • Publication number: 20110293462
    Abstract: A method for preparing a filler-metal weld rod of a filler-metal composition includes the steps of centerless grinding the filler metal weld rod of a forced mixture of a mass of titanium aluminide intermetallic alloy powder that was used to form the weld rod, and hot isostatic pressing the filler-metal weld rod at a temperature greater than 2150° F., at a pressure between about 15,000 pounds per square inch and about 25,000 pounds per square inch and for a time of about 1 to 5 hours, thereby increasing the relative density to between about 98% and about 99%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Kelly
  • Patent number: 8062581
    Abstract: Refractory crucibles capable of managing thermal stress and suitable for melting highly reactive alloys having a facecoat, a backing, and at least one retaining ring applied about at least a portion of the backing of the crucible, the retaining ring comprising a composition selected from the group consisting of conductive materials, non-conductive materials, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Inventors: Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, Mohamed Rahmane, Thomas Joseph Kelly, Michael James Weimer, Sairam Sundaram
  • Patent number: 8048365
    Abstract: Crucibles for melting titanium alloys having a facecoat including at least one facecoat layer containing an oxide selected from scandium oxide, yttrium oxide, hafnium oxide, a lanthanide series oxide, and combinations thereof, and a backing including at least one backing layer where the crucible has a backing to facecoat thickness ratio of from about 6.5:1 to about 20:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Brian Michael Ellis, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, Thomas Joseph Kelly, Mohamed Rahmane, Stephen Francis Rutkowski, Michael James Weimer, Joseph Carl Wukusick
  • Patent number: 8021604
    Abstract: A filler-metal weld rod of a filler-metal composition is prepared by providing a mass of metallic powders, mixing the metallic powders with a temporary thermoplastic binder to form an injection-moldable mixture, and thereafter injection molding the injection-moldable mixture at an injection-molding temperature above the thermoplastic temperature of the thermoplastic binder to form an injection-molded rod. Any excess thermoplastic binder is removed from the injection-molded rod, and the injection-molded rod is thereafter sintered to form a filler-metal weld rod, with the temporary thermoplastic binder removed in the step of sintering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Kelly
  • Patent number: 8007712
    Abstract: Reinforced crucibles for melting titanium alloys having a facecoat including at least one facecoat layer, a backing including at least one backing layer, and at least one reinforcing element applied to at least a portion of one or more of the facecoat layer, the backing layer, or a combination thereof where the reinforcing element includes at least one composition selected from ceramic compositions, metallic compositions, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, Thomas Joseph Kelly, Mohamed Rahmane, Stephen Rutkowski, Michael James Weimer, Sairam Sundaram
  • Publication number: 20110094705
    Abstract: Methods for centrifugally casting a highly reactive titanium metal involving providing a cold wall induction crucible having a plurality of induction coils and a removable bottom plate, using a power source to heat a titanium metal charge in the induction crucible to obtain a molten metal, preheating a secondary crucible and placing the preheated secondary crucible into a centrifugal casting machine, positioning the centrifugal casting machine having the secondary crucible beneath the induction crucible, withdrawing the bottom plate of the induction crucible and turning off the power source to the induction crucible to allow the molten metal to fall from the induction crucible into the secondary crucible, and accelerating the secondary crucible to centrifugally force the molten metal into a casting mold to produce a cast component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: THOMAS JOSEPH KELLY, MICHAEL JAMES WEIMER
  • Publication number: 20100254820
    Abstract: A restored or regenerated article including a residual substrate comprised of a first material and a restorative or regenerative layer of second material overlying at least a portion of the residual substrate. The second material is substantially similar in composition to the first material to promote an integral bond therebetween. The second material comprises the deposit of a suitable deposition process, i.e., vapor phase deposition, cathodic arc deposition, or sputtering. The restored/regenerated article includes an environmental coating at least partly diffused into the restorative or regenerative layer. The environmental coating comprises a deposit from a deposition process selected from vapor phase deposition, cathodic arc deposition, and combinations thereof. Heat treatments of about 2 hours or longer at temperatures between about 1500 ° F. to about 2300° F. (about 816° C. to about 1260° C.) to enhance the bond between the residual substrate and the restorative/regenerative layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Michael Patrick Maly, William Thomas Carter, JR., Thomas Joseph Kelly, Mark David Veliz
  • Patent number: 7790101
    Abstract: Articles for use with highly reactive alloys that include a graphite crucible having an interior, and at least a first protective layer applied to the interior of the graphite crucible in which the graphite crucible having the first protective layer is used for melting highly reactive alloys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Kelly, Michael James Weimer, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7761969
    Abstract: Methods for making refractory crucibles capable of managing thermal stresses and suitable for melting highly reactive alloys, the method involving providing a crucible having at least a facecoat and a backing, heating at least one retaining ring, applying the at least one retaining ring about at least a portion of the backing of the crucible; and allowing the at least one retaining ring to cool and shrink-fit about the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, Mohamed Rahmane, Thomas Joseph Kelly, Michael James Weimer, Sairam Sundaram
  • Patent number: 7687151
    Abstract: An overlay for repairing spline and seal teeth of a mated component is disclosed. The overlay is a tube constructed of a weld repair material, the tube having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface is dimensioned to define an aperture sized to receive a plurality of radially spaced splines of the component, the splines of the component arranged to matingly engage a complementary component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Troy Lance Finton, Thomas Joseph Kelly, Kenneth Eric Lutz
  • Patent number: 7685711
    Abstract: A method of producing a metallic component includes: providing a body made of a first alloy; providing a preform comprising a metallic powder made of a second alloy and formed in the shape of an extension of the body; and heating the preform with microwave energy to sinter the metallic powder together and to bond the preform to the body. The method may be used to make new components as well as to repair or modify existing components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Kelly
  • Publication number: 20100008778
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a turbine damper by a metal injection molding process is disclosed. The damper includes a base section and a wire section, and is formed of a nickel-base or cobalt base superalloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: D. Keith PATRICK, Randall Charles BAUER, Thomas Joseph KELLY
  • Publication number: 20090311121
    Abstract: A method of producing a metallic component includes: providing a body made of a first alloy; providing a preform comprising a metallic powder made of a second alloy and formed in the shape of an extension of the body; and heating the preform with microwave energy to sinter the metallic powder together and to bond the preform to the body. The method may be used to make new components as well as to repair or modify existing components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Kelly