Patents by Inventor Thomas Michael Merlau
Thomas Michael Merlau 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).
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Patent number: 10837645Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a coupling assembly for a turbomachine. The coupling assembly includes a liner and a sleeve at least partially positioned circumferentially around the liner. A frame is positioned between the liner and the sleeve. The frame includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a base wall extending from the first side wall to the second side wall. A block is positioned between the liner and the sleeve and is movable relative to the frame to permit the block to move toward and away from the base wall. Moving the block away from the base wall causes the block to exert an inward force on the liner and the base wall to exert an outward force on the sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Joseph Daniel Becker, Stuart Craig Hanson
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Patent number: 10612785Abstract: A tool for repairing an out-of-round component such as a combustor body is disclosed. The tool includes a base including a first arcuate member; a second arcuate member; and a linear actuator coupling the second arcuate member to the base. The linear actuator moves the second arcuate member between a retracted position out of engagement with the out-of-round component and an extended position in which the first arcuate member and the second arcuate member engage an interior surface of the out-of-round component in an opposing relationship to force the out-of-round component into a more round state compared to an initial state of the out-of-round component. A related method is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2017Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Joseph Daniel Becker, Stuart Craig Hanson, Brian Michael Leinonen, Gregory Scott Means
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Patent number: 10519810Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the manipulation of turbomachine combustors. An apparatus according to the present disclosure can include: a bracket body including an operative head configured to removably attach a turbomachine combustor; a rotatable joint rotatably coupled to the bracket body through a gear bearing, wherein the gear bearing is configured to rotate the bracket body relative to the rotatable joint; and a suspended member rotatably coupled to the rotatable joint at a first end, and coupled to a suspension joint at a second end, wherein the rotatable joint rotates the gear bearing and the bracket body relative to the suspended member to center the gear bearing about a predetermined axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Stuart Craig Hanson, Kyle Joseph Banwart, Joseph Daniel Becker, Jereld Alen Meiers, Thomas Michael Merlau
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Patent number: 10294082Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a component handling assembly. The component handling assembly includes a base member, an arm pivotably coupled to the base member, and a beam rotatably coupled to the base member. The component handling assembly also includes a counterweight rotatably coupled to a first end of the beam. The component handling assembly further includes a coupling assembly coupled to a second end of the beam. The coupling assembly is configured for coupling to a component. Rotating the counterweight in a first direction rotates the beam, the coupling assembly, and the component in a second direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Joseph Daniel Becker, Stuart Craig Hanson
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Patent number: 10280802Abstract: An apparatus for lifting an inner casing of a turbine includes a base, an arm, a guide roller, and an adjustment system. The arm has a first end and a second end, and is pivotally connected to the base intermediate the first end and the second end. The guide roller is operatively coupled to the first end of the arm to rotatably engage an exterior surface of the inner casing, and an adjustment system extending from the base and engaging the arm to change an angular position of the arm relative to the base and adjust a position of the guide roller relative to the exterior surface of the inner casing.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2016Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Stuart Craig Hanson, Brett Darrick Klingler, Wayne David Sullivan
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Publication number: 20190010026Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a component handling assembly. The component handling assembly includes a base member, an arm pivotably coupled to the base member, and a beam rotatably coupled to the base member. The component handling assembly also includes a counterweight rotatably coupled to a first end of the beam. The component handling assembly further includes a coupling assembly coupled to a second end of the beam. The coupling assembly is configured for coupling to a component. Rotating the counterweight in a first direction rotates the beam, the coupling assembly, and the component in a second direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2017Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Joseph Daniel Becker, Stuart Craig Hanson
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Patent number: 10125634Abstract: A combustor assembly alignment system comprises an alignment plate comprising a plurality of alignment plate holes that align with a plurality of combustor assembly flange holes, an alignment plate securement system configured to secure the alignment plate to a combustor assembly flange by passing through a first alignment plate hole of the alignment plate and a first combustor assembly flange hole of the combustor assembly flange, and an alignment tube that extends away from the alignment plate, wherein a hollow interior of the alignment tube aligns with a second combustor assembly flange hole when the alignment plate is secured to the combustor assembly flange.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2015Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Stuart Craig Hanson, Sandra Beverly Kolvick, Thomas Alan Mogle, II, Loy Milton Miller, Jr.
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Patent number: 10125635Abstract: A fixture and method for installing turbine buckets is disclosed. The fixture is adapted for mounting a plurality of turbine buckets with dovetails to a rotor wheel of a turbomachine that is separated from an adjacent rotor wheel by a spacer wheel, the rotor wheel and the spacer wheel each having a plurality of circumferentially aligned dovetail slots, the fixture includes: a turbine bucket holder having a dovetail that is configured to engage with one of the dovetail slots of the spacer wheel. The profile of a bucket holder dovetail slot substantially aligns the dovetail of the turbine bucket with a dovetail slot of the rotor wheel for at least partial transfer of a turbine bucket thereto.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2015Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Sandra Beverly Kolvick, Kevin Leon Bruce, Matthew Ryan Ferslew, Stuart Craig Hanson, Thomas Michael Merlau, Joshua Michael Oden, Christopher Michael Penny
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Publication number: 20180306446Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a coupling assembly for a turbomachine. The coupling assembly includes a liner and a sleeve at least partially positioned circumferentially around the liner. A frame is positioned between the liner and the sleeve. The frame includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a base wall extending from the first side wall to the second side wall. A block is positioned between the liner and the sleeve and is movable relative to the frame to permit the block to move toward and away from the base wall. Moving the block away from the base wall causes the block to exert an inward force on the liner and the base wall to exert an outward force on the sleeve.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2017Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Joseph Daniel Becker, Stuart Craig Hanson
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Publication number: 20180202664Abstract: A tool for repairing an out-of-round component such as a combustor body is disclosed. The tool includes a base including a first arcuate member; a second arcuate member; and a linear actuator coupling the second arcuate member to the base. The linear actuator moves the second arcuate member between a retracted position out of engagement with the out-of-round component and an extended position in which the first arcuate member and the second arcuate member engage an interior surface of the out-of-round component in an opposing relationship to force the out-of-round component into a more round state compared to an initial state of the out-of-round component. A related method is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2017Publication date: July 19, 2018Inventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Joseph Daniel Becker, Stuart Craig Hanson, Brian Michael Leinonen, Gregory Scott Means
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Publication number: 20180066543Abstract: An apparatus for lifting an inner casing of a turbine includes a base, an arm, a guide roller, and an adjustment system. The arm has a first end and a second end, and is pivotally connected to the base intermediate the first end and the second end. The guide roller is operatively coupled to the first end of the arm to rotatably engage an exterior surface of the inner casing, and an adjustment system extending from the base and engaging the arm to change an angular position of the arm relative to the base and adjust a position of the guide roller relative to the exterior surface of the inner casing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2016Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Stuart Craig Hanson, Brett Darrick Klingler, Wayne David Sullivan
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Publication number: 20170167297Abstract: A combustor assembly alignment system comprises an alignment plate comprising a plurality of alignment plate holes that align with a plurality of combustor assembly flange holes, an alignment plate securement system configured to secure the alignment plate to a combustor assembly flange by passing through a first alignment plate hole of the alignment plate and a first combustor assembly flange hole of the combustor assembly flange, and an alignment tube that extends away from the alignment plate, wherein a hollow interior of the alignment tube aligns with a second combustor assembly flange hole when the alignment plate is secured to the combustor assembly flange.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2015Publication date: June 15, 2017Inventors: Thomas Michael Merlau, Stuart Craig Hanson, Sandra Beverly Kolvick, Thomas Alan Mogle, II, Loy Milton Miller, JR.
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Publication number: 20160376926Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the manipulation of turbomachine combustors. An apparatus according to the present disclsoure can include: a bracket body including an operative head configured to removably attach a turbomachine combustor; a rotatable joint rotatably coupled to the bracket body through a gear bearing, wherein the gear bearing is configured to rotate the bracket body relative to the rotatable joint; and a suspended member rotatably coupled to the rotatable joint at a first end, and coupled to a suspension joint at a second end, wherein the rotatable joint rotates the gear bearing and the bracket body relative to the suspended member to center the gear bearing about a predetermined axis of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2016Publication date: December 29, 2016Inventors: Stuart Craig Hanson, Kyle Joseph Banwart, Joseph Daniel Becker, Jereld Alen Meiers, Thomas Michael Merlau
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Publication number: 20160201556Abstract: A fixture and method for installing turbine buckets is disclosed. The fixture is adapted for mounting a plurality of turbine buckets with dovetails to a rotor wheel of a turbomachine that is separated from an adjacent rotor wheel by a spacer wheel, the rotor wheel and the spacer wheel each having a plurality of circumferentially aligned dovetail slots, the fixture includes: a turbine bucket holder having a dovetail that is configured to engage with one of the dovetail slots of the spacer wheel. The profile of a bucket holder dovetail slot substantially aligns the dovetail of the turbine bucket with a dovetail slot of the rotor wheel for at least partial transfer of a turbine bucket thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2015Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventors: Sandra Beverly Kolvick, Kevin Leon Bruce, Matthew Ryan Ferslew, Stuart Craig Hanson, Thomas Michael Merlau, Joshua Michael Oden, Christopher Michael Penny