Patents by Inventor Thomas Tracy Wallace

Thomas Tracy Wallace 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: 20220412225
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a gas turbine engine may generally include a wash stand having a base frame and a plurality of fluid injection nozzles configured to be supported by the base frame relative to the gas turbine engine. The nozzles may be configured to inject a cleaning fluid through an inlet of the fan casing of the engine as the fan blades are being rotated in a rotational direction such that the cleaning fluid is directed past the rotating fan blades and into a compressor inlet of the engine. Additionally, each nozzle may be oriented at a positive tangential angle defined relative to the rotational direction of the plurality of fan blades. The system may also include a fluid source in flow communication with the wash stand for supplying the cleaning fluid to the plurality of fluid injection nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Lloyd Eric Rawson, Thomas Tracy Wallace
  • Patent number: 11441446
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a gas turbine engine may generally include a wash stand having a base frame and a plurality of fluid injection nozzles configured to be supported by the base frame relative to the gas turbine engine. The nozzles may be configured to inject a cleaning fluid through an inlet of the fan casing of the engine as the fan blades are being rotated in a rotational direction such that the cleaning fluid is directed past the rotating fan blades and into a compressor inlet of the engine. Additionally, each nozzle may be oriented at a positive tangential angle defined relative to the rotational direction of the plurality of fan blades. The system may also include a fluid source in flow communication with the wash stand for supplying the cleaning fluid to the plurality of fluid injection nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lloyd Eric Rawson, Thomas Tracy Wallace
  • Publication number: 20200141269
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a gas turbine engine may generally include a wash stand having a base frame and a plurality of fluid injection nozzles configured to be supported by the base frame relative to the gas turbine engine. The nozzles may be configured to inject a cleaning fluid through an inlet of the fan casing of the engine as the fan blades are being rotated in a rotational direction such that the cleaning fluid is directed past the rotating fan blades and into a compressor inlet of the engine. Additionally, each nozzle may be oriented at a positive tangential angle defined relative to the rotational direction of the plurality of fan blades. The system may also include a fluid source in flow communication with the wash stand for supplying the cleaning fluid to the plurality of fluid injection nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Lloyd Eric Rawson, Thomas Tracy Wallace
  • Publication number: 20170204739
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a gas turbine engine may generally include a wash stand having a base frame and a plurality of fluid injection nozzles configured to be supported by the base frame relative to the gas turbine engine. The nozzles may be configured to inject a cleaning fluid through an inlet of the fan casing of the engine as the fan blades are being rotated in a rotational direction such that the cleaning fluid is directed past the rotating fan blades and into a compressor inlet of the engine. Additionally, each nozzle may be oriented at a positive tangential angle defined relative to the rotational direction of the plurality of fan blades. The system may also include a fluid source in flow communication with the wash stand for supplying the cleaning fluid to the plurality of fluid injection nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Lloyd Eric Rawson, Thomas Tracy Wallace
  • Patent number: 9169728
    Abstract: Bolted together first and second flanges include bolts disposed through first bolt holes in the first flange. The bolts extend at least partially through second holes in the second flange. Bolt include bolt heads, threads, and shanks therebetween. Crushable spacers disposed around the shanks of a first plurality of the bolts and contacting and axially extending between the bolt heads and the first flange. Bushings disposed around a second plurality of the bolts and contacting and axially extending between the bolt heads and the second flange. A shank outer diameter may be smaller than a thread diameter and heat shrink tubing may be disposed around the bolt shanks of at least some of the spacers. First bolt holes may extend into an open annular slot on first flange and second holes may extend partially through a forward extending annular rail of second flange with rail received within slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Tracy Wallace, William Joseph Simpson, John Howard List, Jason Jianxin Tao, Tod Robert Steen
  • Publication number: 20130149139
    Abstract: Bolted together first and second flanges include bolts disposed through first bolt holes in the first flange. The bolts extend at least partially through second holes in the second flange. Bolt include bolt heads, threads, and shanks therebetween. Crushable spacers disposed around the shanks of a first plurality of the bolts and contacting and axially extending between the bolt heads and the first flange. Bushings disposed around a second plurality of the bolts and contacting and axially extending between the bolt heads and the second flange. A shank outer diameter may be smaller than a thread diameter and heat shrink tubing may be disposed around the bolt shanks of at least some of the spacers. First bolt holes may extend into an open annular slot on first flange and second holes may extend partially through a forward extending annular rail of second flange with rail received within slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas Tracy Wallace, William Joseph Simpson, John Howard List, Jason Jianxin Tao, Tod Robert Steen
  • Patent number: 7093996
    Abstract: A method enables a thrust link including a clevis to be coupled to a mounting lug including a spherical bearing. The method comprises positioning the spherical bearing within the thrust link clevis, and coupling the thrust link to the mounting lug by inserting a fastener through the clevis such that the fastener extends from one side of the clevis through the spherical bearing to the other side of the clevis, and such that fuse element included with at least one of the fastener and the clevis is positioned within a structural load path defined between the clevis and the thrust link, wherein the fuse element is configured to fail when subjected to a predetermined load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Tracy Wallace, Nelson Dirk Gibbens, Martin Joseph Pierce, Cornelius H. Dykhuizen
  • Publication number: 20040216461
    Abstract: A method enables a thrust link including a clevis to be coupled to a mounting lug including a spherical bearing. The method comprises positioning the spherical bearing within the thrust link clevis, and coupling the thrust link to the mounting lug by inserting a fastener through the clevis such that the fastener extends from one side of the clevis through the spherical bearing to the other side of the clevis, and such that fuse element included with at least one of the fastener and the clevis is positioned within a structural load path defined between the clevis and the thrust link, wherein the fuse element is configured to fail when subjected to a predetermined load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas Tracy Wallace, Nelson Dirk Gibbens, Martin Joseph Pierce, Cornelius H. Dykhuizen
  • Patent number: 6652226
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a non-rotatable member that includes a honeycomb seal that reduces wear to rotor seal teeth disposed within the gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine also includes a rotatable annular member including a sealing assembly disposed between rotor and stator components. The rotatable annular member includes seal teeth that extend radially outward from the rotatable annular member. The stator components include a non-rotatable member that includes a honeycomb seal that extends radially inward. The honeycomb seal is fabricated from a material that has a melting temperature less than approximately 2000° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Richard William Albrecht, Jr., Joseph Charles Kulesa, Robert Paul Czachor, Shesh Krishna Srivatsa, Daniel Edward Wines, Thomas Tracy Wallace
  • Patent number: 6629817
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine including an inflection that facilitates enhancing film cooling of the airfoil, without adversely affecting aerodynamic efficiency of airfoil is described. The airfoil includes a generally concave first sidewall and a generally convex second sidewall joined at a leading edge and at a trailing edge of the airfoil. A plurality of cooling openings extend between an internal cooling chamber and an external surface of the first sidewall. One cooling opening extends from the cooling chamber into the inflection at a relatively shallow injection angle with respect the airfoil external surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Monty Lee Shelton, Thomas Tracy Wallace, Robert Alan Frederick
  • Patent number: 6610416
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method to reduce the strength of the honeycomb of a jet turbine stator, increasing its machinability, with a resultant reduction in measured peak tooth temperature, while maintaining or even improving its high temperature capability, so as not to limit its operating environment. The air seal functionality is unaffected, and even improved in some instances. The machinability of the honeycomb is increased by using a light element diffused into the honeycomb ribbon to produce the effect of reducing its strength and ductility while maintaining the environmental resistance needed. The present invention also includes the stator honeycomb produced by the foregoing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Tracy Wallace, Brent Ross Tholke
  • Patent number: 6540477
    Abstract: A turbine cooling circuit includes a flow sleeve having an aft end for adjoining the rim of a turbine disk. A seal rotor is spaced from the aft end adjacent a row of inlet holes. An inducer has an outlet disposed radially outwardly from the sleeve inlet holes. And, a seal stator surrounds the seal rotor to define a rotary seal disposed radially inwardly from the inducer outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Glynn, Thomas Tracy Wallace, Ronald Arthur Dickman, Monty Lee Shelton
  • Publication number: 20030007864
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine including an inflection that facilitates enhancing film cooling of the airfoil, without adversely affecting aerodynamic efficiency of airfoil is described. The airfoil includes a generally concave first sidewall and a generally convex second sidewall joined at a leading edge and at a trailing edge of the airfoil. A plurality of cooling openings extend between an internal cooling chamber and an external surface of the first sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Monty Lee Shelton, Thomas Tracy Wallace, Robert Alan Frederick
  • Publication number: 20020172591
    Abstract: A turbine cooling circuit includes a flow sleeve having an aft end for adjoining the rim of a turbine disk. A seal rotor is spaced from the aft end adjacent a row of inlet holes. An inducer has an outlet disposed radially outwardly from the sleeve inlet holes. And, a seal stator surrounds the seal rotor to define a rotary seal disposed radially inwardly from the inducer outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Glynn, Thomas Tracy Wallace, Ronald Arthur Dickman, Monty Lee Shelton
  • Publication number: 20020158417
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method to reduce the strength of the honeycomb of a jet turbine stator, increasing its machinability, with a resultant reduction in measured peak tooth temperature, while maintaining or even improving its high temperature capability, so as not to limit its operating environment. The air seal functionality is unaffected, and even improved in some instances. The machinability of the honeycomb is increased by using a light element diffused into the honeycomb ribbon to produce the effect of reducing its strength and ductility while maintaining the environmental resistance needed. The present invention also includes the stator honeycomb produced by the foregoing method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Tracy Wallace, Brent Ross Tholke
  • Publication number: 20020110451
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a non-rotatable member that includes a honeycomb seal that reduces wear to rotor seal teeth disposed within the gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine also includes a rotatable annular member including a sealing assembly disposed between rotor and stator components. The rotatable annular member includes seal teeth that extend radially outward from the rotatable annular member. The stator components include a non-rotatable member that includes a honeycomb seal that extends radially inward. The honeycomb seal is fabricated from a material that has a melting temperature less than approximately 2000° F.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Richard William Albrecht, Joseph Charles Kulesa, Robert Paul Czachor, Shesh Krishna Srivatsa, Daniel Edward Wines, Thomas Tracy Wallace
  • Publication number: 20020078175
    Abstract: A web-based method and system for monitoring and managing program performance in a real-time manner enhances business reflex. Elements of program performance and structure are maintained and updated on the information platform, and accessible by management and others requiring the information. The information platform is a combination of desktop and spreadsheet technologies that raise the decision making abilities of the business entity. The information platform collects and integrates data from multiple users. The collected and integrated data can be stored, and is retrievable for observation, analysis, and updating by subsequent users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Tracy Wallace, Christopher Charles Glynn
  • Patent number: 6398487
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly includes a plurality of aerodynamic devices to direct airflow radially inward. The gas turbine engine rotor assembly includes a rotor shaft that includes a plurality of openings. The aerodynamic devices include a pair of vane segments and a pair of sidewalls. A contoured outer surface includes an opening and permits the aerodynamic device to be positioned against an inner surface of the rotor shaft, and a flange ring defines a pocket. The aerodynamic device fits within the pocket to concentrically align the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Tracy Wallace, Christopher Charles Glynn, Monty Lee Shelton, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Dean Thomas Lenahan, Barry John Kalb