Patents by Inventor William Patrick Rusch

William Patrick Rusch 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: 20240077000
    Abstract: A method and system for aligning a component within a turbine casing, and a related turbine casing, are disclosed. In a top-on position, a location of a reference point and another, vertically spaced reference point on the lower casing are measured. After removing at least the upper casing, the reference points' locations are measured again, and the locations of a reference point on an upper surface of the HJ flange are measured. A prediction offset value is calculated for the component support position in the top-on position based on the locations. The prediction offset value may include a vertical adjustment based, in part, on a translation of a triangular spatial relationship of a number of the reference points and/or a tilt angle, a horizontal adjustment, and a HJ flange surface distortion adjustment. The component support position is adjusted by the prediction offset value to improve alignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Krzysztof Andrzej WOSZCZAK, William Patrick RUSCH, Samuel Nathan MERRILL, Ejiro Anthony ORUAGA, David John NELMES, Justyna Ludwika WOJDYLO, John Francis NOLAN
  • Patent number: 11859507
    Abstract: A method and system for aligning a component within a turbine casing, and a related turbine casing. In a top-on position, a location of an optical target and another, vertically spaced optical target on the joint flange are measured. After removing at least the upper casing, the optical targets' locations are measured again, and the locations of a pair of reference points on an upper surface of the horizontal joint flange are measured. A prediction offset value is calculated for the component support position in the top-on position based on the locations. The prediction offset value may include a vertical adjustment based, in part, on a translation of a triangular spatial relationship of a number of the reference points and/or a tilt angle, a horizontal adjustment, and a horizontal joint flange surface distortion adjustment. Support position is adjusted by the prediction offset value to improve alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Krzysztof Andrzej Woszczak, William Patrick Rusch, Samuel Nathan Merrill, Ejiro Anthony Oruaga, David John Nelmes, Justyna Ludwika Wojdylo, John Francis Nolan
  • Publication number: 20220364482
    Abstract: A method and system for aligning a component within a turbine casing, and a related turbine casing. In a top-on position, a location of an optical target and another, vertically spaced optical target on the joint flange are measured. After removing at least the upper casing, the optical targets' locations are measured again, and the locations of a pair of reference points on an upper surface of the horizontal joint flange are measured. A prediction offset value is calculated for the component support position in the top-on position based on the locations. The prediction offset value may include a vertical adjustment based, in part, on a translation of a triangular spatial relationship of a number of the reference points and/or a tilt angle, a horizontal adjustment, and a horizontal joint flange surface distortion adjustment. Support position is adjusted by the prediction offset value to improve alignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Krzysztof Andrzej WOSZCZAK, William Patrick RUSCH, Samuel Nathan MERRILL, Ejiro Anthony ORUAGA, David John NELMES, Justyna Ludwika WOJDYLO, John Francis NOLAN
  • Patent number: 9376934
    Abstract: A standard for supporting a turbine rotor and a turbine shell includes a bearing block including a housing enclosing bearing surfaces engageable by the turbine rotor. Turbine shell-arm supports are located on opposite sides of the housing, the turbine shell-arm supports each having a horizontal and one or more vertical surfaces adapted to be engaged by support arms of a turbine shell enclosing at least a portion of the turbine. An internal cooling/heating circuit is arranged to simultaneously cool or heat the bearing block and the turbine shell-arm supports to thereby reduce differential thermal growth characteristics of the turbine rotor and turbine shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edward Jay Cooper, Peter John Eizenzopf, Xiaoqing Zheng, William Patrick Rusch, Hemanth GS Kumar, Craig Daniel Ivancic, Edward John Sharrow
  • Patent number: 8662823
    Abstract: A steam turbine may include a turbine section including a rotor. An inner casing is provided about the turbine, the inner casing including an upstream end, a downstream end and an inner casing exhaust port positioned at the downstream end allowing exhaust steam to exit the inner casing. An outer casing is provided about the inner casing, the outer casing including an upstream end, a downstream end and an outer casing exhaust port positioned at the upstream end of the outer casing. A flow path extends between the inner casing and the outer casing through which the exhaust steam passes in an upstream direction from the inner casing exhaust port to the outer casing exhaust port. A flow barrier may be provided in the flow path between the inner casing and the outer casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin John Lewis Roy, Mark Jeffrey Passino, Jr., William Patrick Rusch
  • Publication number: 20140053394
    Abstract: A standard for supporting a turbine rotor and a turbine shell includes a bearing block including a housing enclosing bearing surfaces engageable by the turbine rotor. Turbine shell-arm supports are located on opposite sides of the housing, the turbine shell-arm supports each having a horizontal and one or more vertical surfaces adapted to be engaged by support arms of a turbine shell enclosing at least a portion of the turbine. An internal cooling/heating circuit is arranged to simultaneously cool or heat the bearing block and the turbine shell-arm supports to thereby reduce differential thermal growth characteristics of the turbine rotor and turbine shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edward Jay COOPER, Peter John EIZENZOPF, Xiaoqing ZHENG, William Patrick RUSCH, Hemanth GS. KUMAR, Craig Daniel IVANCIC, Edward John SHARROW
  • Patent number: 8434964
    Abstract: A coupling includes a first portion configured for connection to a first shaft and having a first portion flange and a second portion configured for connection to a second shaft and having a second portion flange. The coupling also includes an isolating member disposed between the first portion flange and the second portion flange and that is formed of ceramic and electrically isolates the first portion from the second portion. The coupling also includes one or more connecting members passing through the first portion flange, the second portion flange, and the isolating member and holding the first portion flange and the second portion flange in a fixed relationship to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Simon Graham, Ronald Ralph Cairo, Thomas Joseph Farineau, William Patrick Rusch
  • Patent number: 8350181
    Abstract: A gas distribution ring assembly for a plasma spray system includes a gas distribution ring including a plurality of openings allowing a gas to pass to an inner diameter thereof. The assembly also includes a separate positioning ring axially aligned with the gas distribution ring between the gas distribution ring and an electrically charged outlet of the plasma spray system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Garfield Albanese, Donald Joseph Baldwin, Yuk-chiu Lau, Christopher Joseph Lochner, William Patrick Rusch
  • Publication number: 20120128474
    Abstract: A steam turbine may include a turbine section including a rotor. An inner casing is provided about the turbine, the inner casing including an upstream end, a downstream end and an inner casing exhaust port positioned at the downstream end allowing exhaust steam to exit the inner casing. An outer casing is provided about the inner casing, the outer casing including an upstream end, a downstream end and an outer casing exhaust port positioned at the upstream end of the outer casing. A flow path extends between the inner casing and the outer casing through which the exhaust steam passes in an upstream direction from the inner casing exhaust port to the outer casing exhaust port. A flow barrier may be provided in the flow path between the inner casing and the outer casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin John Lewis Roy, Mark Jeffrey Passino, JR., William Patrick Rusch
  • Publication number: 20110311304
    Abstract: A coupling includes a first portion configured for connection to a first shaft and having a first portion flange and a second portion configured for connection to a second shaft and having a second portion flange. The coupling also includes an isolating member disposed between the first portion flange and the second portion flange and that is formed of ceramic and electrically isolates the first portion from the second portion. The coupling also includes one or more connecting members passing through the first portion flange, the second portion flange, and the isolating member and holding the first portion flange and the second portion flange in a fixed relationship to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas Simon Graham, Ronald Ralph Cairo, Thomas Joseph Farineau, William Patrick Rusch
  • Publication number: 20110042358
    Abstract: A gas distribution ring assembly for a plasma spray system includes a gas distribution ring including a plurality of openings allowing a gas to pass to an inner diameter thereof. The assembly also includes a separate positioning ring axially aligned with the gas distribution ring between the gas distribution ring and an electrically charged outlet of the plasma spray system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph Garfield Albanese, Donald Joseph Baldwin, Yuk-chiu Lau, Christopher Joseph Lochner, William Patrick Rusch