Including Casing Part Selectively Movable Relative To Fixed Support Patents (Class 415/126)
  • Patent number: 7422413
    Abstract: The present invention is a shroud tip clearance control ring for use in a gas turbine engine in which a rotary blade and a shroud ring form a gap that forms a blade outer air seal, and where the shroud ring is formed of two shroud segment halves, each shroud segment including a pin located near an end of the segment, the pins being slidably within slots formed on the casing, and a drive member moves along a direction in which the pins are moved along the slots to change a radius of the shroud ring in a way such that the radius remains substantially the same along a 360 degree angle of the shroud ring. The drive member includes two positions, one that places the shroud ring in a radially inward position, and another position that places the shroud ring in a radially outward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alfred P Matheny
  • Patent number: 7393179
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for permitting free rotation of turbine nozzle vanes, while minimizing or eliminating leakage on the vane side-walls. The device incorporates a plurality of nozzle vanes arranged around the circumference of a radial or mixed inflow turbine. Each of the nozzles is individually attached to a rod positioned perpendicular to the flow direction. The nozzle rods in the circumferential array protrude through a movable annular back-wall, and are rotated by a linkage or gear. Between discrete movements of the vane mechanism, a bellows device is used to provide pressure-actuated force in the movable back-wall, thereby clamping the nozzle between the two surfaces. Prior to rotating the nozzles, pressure within the bellows interior is decreased via venting to cause a retraction of the back wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Brayton Energy, LLC
    Inventors: James B. Kesseli, Ward H. Robinson, Antoine H. Corbeil
  • Patent number: 7322805
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for adjusting an impeller in a motor and impeller assembly of a pumping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Biver, Mark A. Playford, Jeremiah D. Quill, Gregory L. Peck
  • Patent number: 7311492
    Abstract: A duct fan comprises a housing (4) having substantially the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped and inside thereof an impeller (5) and a motor for rotation thereof. The fan has also a member for connecting an inlet side of the housing to an upstream duct part for sucking air in therefrom and a member for connecting an outlet side of the housing to a downstream duct part for exhausting air thereto. The impeller is a radial impeller having the axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main transport of air from the inlet to the outlet. The outlet connecting member is designed to define an airflow path tapering substantially conically in the outlet towards the end of that member adapted to adjoin to a said downstream duct part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Inventor: Hans Östberg
  • Patent number: 7306426
    Abstract: A rotary flow inducing device having a rotary flow inducing blade and a protection mechanism including a trigger to move the protection mechanism between an operational flow configuration and a protective no-flow configuration with respect to the rotary flow inducing blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: John P. Franz, David L. Vaughn, Steven D. Webster
  • Patent number: 7303062
    Abstract: A bulk materials pump feeder having a housing and a rotating drive rotor for transferring material from an inlet to an outlet of the housing. The drive rotor has a hub. Drive disks extend away from the hub toward a housing inner wall. Three structural features of the feeder reduce the tendency of material to jam between the drive rotor and the housing or other stationary parts. First, the distance between the circumferential edges of the drive disks and the housing inner wall increases from the inlet to the outlet in the direction of rotation of the drive rotor. Second, a low-friction brush seal disposed on the periphery of the drive disks seals the area between the periphery of the drive disks and the inner wall. Finally, a materials scraper having a flexible tip is mounted in the housing and extends into the drive rotor between the drive disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventors: Timothy R. Baer, James T. Foley
  • Patent number: 7290980
    Abstract: A furnace blower apparatus has a tubular housing that is connected between a heating furnace and an exhaust flue of the furnace. The housing has an interior bore containing a fan assembly for drawing air through the furnace burner chamber on operation of the fan assembly. The housing includes a panel that is removably mounted to a side wall of the housing. The fan assembly is mounted to an interior surface of the panel, whereby the fan assembly can be removed from the interior of the housing by removing the panel from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Jakel Incorporated
    Inventors: William Stuart Gatley, Jr., Joan Teresa Richter, Michael Lynn Kennedy
  • Patent number: 7287379
    Abstract: A turbocharger system for an internal combustion engine having at least one exhaust line for evacuating exhaust gases from the combustion chamber of the engine and at least one inlet line for supplying air to the combustion chamber. A high-pressure turbine interacts with a high-pressure compressor forming a high-pressure turbo unit with a common rotation axis. A low-pressure turbine interacts with a low-pressure compressor forming a low-pressure turbo unit with a common rotation axis. The high-pressure turbo unit and the low-pressure turbo unit are serially placed with the rotation axes essentially concentric and with the high-pressure turbine and the low-pressure turbine placed adjacent to each other and coupled together by an intermediate piece configured as a flow duct. The low-pressure turbo unit (22) is attached to one part of the internal combustion engine, while the high-pressure turbo unit is attached to another part of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Ulrich Gobert, Lars Sundin, Magnus Ising, Daniel Grunditz, Per Andersson, Kent Giselmo, Sebastian Krausche
  • Patent number: 7210897
    Abstract: A space 4 constituted by a sound absorption panel section 1 and active sound absorption control system section 2 between the inner and outer walls of a nacelle forming an engine intake/exhaust duct is utilized as an acoustic resonance field and as a sound absorption field by sticking a porous sound absorption material 14 onto the inside wall surface of the space. The panel section 1 defines a sound absorption space by means of surface plate 6 made of a perforated plate and wire mesh materials plate, panel construction side plate 9 and back sheet plate 13 having porous sound absorption material stuck thereon; and a movement-controlled reflective plate 8, that is capable of movement/rotation control with respect to said perforated plate, is provided within this sound absorption space. Movement of the reflective plate 8 is controlled utilizing the adaptive feed forward control method by means of the output from an active sound absorption control system section 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7201556
    Abstract: A rotor system is provided whereby a rotary assembly such as a fan blade combination in a jet engine is brought into rub contact with a casing such that sensors detect vibration. The casing is then retreated in order to open the gap to a desired value for engine performance. In such circumstances, the rub contact position is defined as a base datum reference from which distance the casing is displaced in order to provide the specified gap for engine performance and efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Peter Loftus
  • Patent number: 7179048
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus with a mesh structure for cooling a lampwick of a projector. The cooling apparatus includes a blower, an adjustable air duct disposed at an outlet of the blower. The adjustable air duct further includes an air duct portion, a guiding portion, and a mesh structure. The blower blows cooling air to the air duct that is directly formed on the blower or installed on the blower with a separate air duct. The guiding portion is configured at an outlet of the air duct. The mesh structure couples to the guiding portion to move a lower portion of the guiding portion by gravity so that most part of the cooling air is blown to the lampwick through an upper portion of the guiding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Jin-Shu Huang, Shang-Hsuang Wu, Nien-Hui Hsu
  • Patent number: 7137772
    Abstract: A retractable drum fan in which two housing sections are telescoped to form a housing, and an impeller is disposed in the housing for forcing air through the housing. The housing sections are movable between a retracted position and an extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Diani, LLC.
    Inventor: Frank Blateri
  • Patent number: 7123484
    Abstract: A multi-layer and multi-direction radial fan device is disclosed, comprising an upper cover, a tower fan body, a cavity partition and a lower cover. The tower fan body is located in the upper cover, and the tower fan body comprises a first fan layer and a second fan layer. The cavity partition is located under the upper cover, wherein the cavity partition comprises an opening, and the tower fan body extends through the opening so as to make the first fan layer between the upper cover and the cavity partition. The lower cover is located under the cavity partition, wherein the lower cover comprises an opening to expose the bottom surface of the second fan layer, and the second fan layer is located between the cavity partition and the lower cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Quanta Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Mong-Hau Tsai
  • Patent number: 7077624
    Abstract: A vehicle cooling fan shroud includes a barrel portion which surrounds a cooling fan and is integrated with a substantially rectilinear shroud portion which surrounds a radiator. The barrel portion includes a first portion and a second portion pivotally attached to the first portion. By pivoting the second portion relative the first cylindrical portion and into the rectilinear shroud portion, the shape of the fan shroud is changed to assist insertion of the fan shroud into an engine compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignees: Custom Molders, Inc., Labelle-Suomela, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel J. Brown
  • Patent number: 7048498
    Abstract: The invention provides a casing, equipment unit, fan unit and electronic equipment capable of easily implementing assembling, disassembling, attaching and so forth without using fixture components, tools, and so forth. The structure is made up of casing sections, hinge parts and a coupling part. The casing sections are made up of not less than two sections and enclosing a hosing space, and members for securing the housing space thereby. The hinge parts are members coupled with the casing sections and supporting each casing section. That is, not less than two casing sections couple the edge parts of each casing section, and bendably support each casing section. The coupling part is a member for restraining the casing sections positionally and maintaining and fixing the housing space. That is, the coupling parts detachably couple each casing section to hold the housing space on each casing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Naofumi Kosugi
  • Patent number: 7044288
    Abstract: A bulk materials pump feeder having a housing and a rotating drive rotor for transferring material from an inlet to an outlet of the housing. The drive rotor has a hub. Drive disks extend away from the hub toward a housing inner wall. Three structural features of the feeder reduce the tendency of material to jam between the drive rotor and the housing or other stationary parts. First, the distance between the circumferential edges of the drive disks and the housing inner wall increases from the inlet to the outlet in the direction of rotation of the drive rotor. Second, a low-friction brush seal disposed on the periphery of the drive disks seals the area between the periphery of the drive disks and the inner wall. Finally, a materials scraper having a flexible tip is mounted in the housing and extends into the drive rotor between the drive disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: K-Tron Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Baer, James T. Foley
  • Patent number: 7018169
    Abstract: A device for controlling a fluid flow is disclosed. The device includes at least two fluid flow drivers, a plenum disposed to receive a fluid flow from the at least two drivers, and a baffle disposed within the plenum. The plenum has a first cross-sectional area proximate the at least two drivers and a second cross-section area at a distance from the at least two drivers, the second cross-sectional area being an exit for the fluid flow. The baffle has a first edge restrained proximate the first cross-sectional area and a second opposing edge freely disposed proximate the second cross-sectional area. The baffle has a surface area responsive to the fluid flow within the plenum to reduce a backflow if one of the at least two drivers is operational and another is non-operational.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew G. Phillip, Brian Aiken, H. Ross Edmunds, Brian E. Lindholm, Christopher McMenamin, Pedro Monclova, Christopher T. Moore
  • Patent number: 6994517
    Abstract: A furnace blower apparatus has a tubular housing that is connected between a heating furnace and an exhaust flue of the furnace. The housing has an interior bore containing a fan assembly for drawing air through the furnace burner chamber on operation of the fan assembly. The housing includes a panel that is removably mounted to a side wall of the housing. The fan assembly is mounted to an interior surface of the panel, whereby the fan assembly can be removed from the interior of the housing by removing the panel from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Jakel Incorporated
    Inventors: William Stuart Gatley, Jr., Rex Allen Rothgangel, Joan Teresa Richter, Michael Lynn Kennedy
  • Patent number: 6986640
    Abstract: A pump particularly adapted for use in a closed fluid circuit, as within its housing a resiliently compressible chamber in contact with the fluid being conveyed by the pump so that any pressure change within the fluid caused by temperature variations can be volumetrically absorbed by compression or extension of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Inventor: Karsten A. Laing
  • Patent number: 6974303
    Abstract: A pump includes a main body, a water outlet connector rotatably mounted on the main body, and a positioning bar detachably mounted on the main body and rested on the water outlet connector for locking the water outlet connector on the main body. Thus, the included angle between the water outlet of the water outlet connector and the main body can be adjusted easily and conveniently without needing aid of an additional tool, thereby facilitating the user adjusting the included angle between the water outlet connector and the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Inventor: Wen-Chang Wang
  • Patent number: 6935832
    Abstract: Portable power generating devices are provided for converting potential energy from flowing water, water current, blowing air or air current to mechanical and/or electrical energy. The potential energy is converted to a rotational movement, and the rotational energy is communicated to power conversion units for conversion, wherein the rotational movement is converted to mechanical, electrical or some other useable or useful energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Natural Forces, LLC
    Inventors: Michael D. Platt, Eric E. Platt
  • Patent number: 6926492
    Abstract: A pump of the rotor/stator type for wet cementitious material includes a suction housing for receiving and directing the material into a rotor/stator combination for delivery to the location of use. The suction housing is in the form of a rectangular closed structure having a material receiving flange and enclosing coupling between a drive shaft and an end of a rotor. The housing includes top, bottom and side panels, one of which includes the aforementioned material receiving flange. Each of the panels is easily removed from the suction housing to facilitate cleaning and removal of material residue after use, as well as maintenance and repair of the pump. Cementitious material may be introduced through either the top, bottom or either of the side panels by appropriate positioning of the material receiving flange. The pump further includes a lubricant reservoir for lubricating the drive shaft to extend pump operating lifetime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: ChemGrout, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald C. Hegebarth
  • Patent number: 6899513
    Abstract: A compressor bleed valve system for bleeding air from a gas turbine engine compressor comprises a bladder inflatable between at least a collapsed position and an expanded position for selectively opening and closing a compressor airbleed passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Andreas Eleftheriou
  • Patent number: 6896481
    Abstract: A water pump includes a first enclosure having a center portion that is moveable from a normal condition to a deflected condition and a second enclosure adjacent to the first to form an internal cavity. An impeller is disposed within the internal cavity. A tubular shaft portion extends from the impeller through a bore in the second enclosure. The tubular shaft portion is press fit to a motor shaft which rotates the impeller within the internal cavity. As the motor shaft is inserted into the tubular portion of the impeller, a tool is used to press on and axially deflect the center portion of the first enclosure. Thus, the center portion of the first enclosure contacts the impeller and provides an opposing force on the impeller while the motor shaft is inserted into the tubular portion of the impeller. When the motor shaft is press-fit sufficiently into the tubular portion, the tool is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
    Inventor: John C. Dahlheimer
  • Patent number: 6890149
    Abstract: A laminar flow air mover includes a cylindrical fan having an outlet opening connected to a conduit system. The conduit system includes a first portion connected to the outlet portion of said centrifugal fan and an outlet portion detachably connected to the first portion by a reusable breakaway connection. A baffle plate is pivotably mounted in the outlet of said outlet portion and extends transversely of said outlet portion to direct a coherent flow of air for a substantial distance in the desired direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Inventors: Donald Metz, David Martini
  • Patent number: 6881028
    Abstract: Apparatus for pumping a pulp suspension and simultaneous abduction of gas from the suspension is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one pulp pump including a pump housing with an inlet, a first outlet for the suspension, and a second outlet for the gas. The gas outlet is connected to at least one external vacuum pump by a gas conduit including a substantially vertical portion having a maximum height, located on a level above the pulp pump, and a flushing water supply for the supply of flushing water to the gas conduit connected above the substantially vertical portion of the gas conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Danielsson
  • Patent number: 6872050
    Abstract: A system for preventing stall in a centrifugal compressor. The compressor includes an impeller rotatably mounted in a housing and a nozzle base plate fixed to the housing adjacent the impeller. The nozzle base plate cooperates with the housing to define a diffuser gap. The base plate includes a plurality of mechanism support blocks positioned on the backside of the nozzle base plate. A drive ring, mounted to the support blocks, is rotationally moveable with respect to the support blocks and the nozzle base plate between a first position and a second position. Connected to the drive ring is a diffuser ring that moves in response to movement of the drive ring. Diffuser ring moves between a retracted position that is not within the diffuser gap and an extended position extending into the diffuser gap to constrict the gap opening and reduce the flow of fluid through the diffuser gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: York International Corporation
    Inventor: Kurt Nenstiel
  • Patent number: 6851925
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a mechanism for fast fastening fans of a server, comprising a fastening frame of hollow parallelepiped shape having at least one divider for dividing an internal space thereof into a plurality of compartments, each compartment being adapted to fasten a fan therein; a plurality of first fastening members each disposed inside the compartment perpendicular to the divider and having a positioning groove abutted on the divider; and a plurality of second fastening member disposed on a housing of the server and being adapted to the corresponding first fastening members so that the fastening frame along with the fans can be assembled to or detached from housing quickly, resulting in an increase of the assembly and maintenance efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Inventec Corporation
    Inventor: Chih-Peng Chuang
  • Patent number: 6821095
    Abstract: A portable electrical blower assembly is provided. The portable electrical blower assembly has a pair of wall members; a motor control assembly coupled to a surface of one of the wall members, the motor control assembly including a motor control housing; a motor adjacent the motor control assembly and coupled thereto; and an air director disposed between the pair of wall members, the air director being rotatable with respect to the pair of wall members and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Lasko Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Dooley, Robert Boohar, Anatoly I. Muchnik
  • Patent number: 6695574
    Abstract: An energy absorber and deflection device for deflecting engine debris fragments from their tangential trajectory from a core of a gas turbine engine. The device includes a deflection plate radially spaced from a protected portion of the periphery of the rotor, adapted to cover the protected portion in a closed position, and to swing open about a fore edge of the deflection plate to a deployed position. A flexible joint secures the fore edge of the deflection plate to the engine and a frangible joint secures an aft edge of the deflection plate to the engine. In the case of a turbofan engine, the deflector plate may form part of the inner bypass duct surface to deflect debris to exit aft through the bypass duct, and in turboshaft and turboprop engines the deflector plate serves to deflect debris and reduce debris velocity to contain debris within the engine cowling or nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Robert Mather
  • Patent number: 6622499
    Abstract: An air cycle system for use in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine is provided. A compressor has an outflow to an intercooler with an outflow to a first bypass valve. The first bypass valve has an open and a closed orientation, directing air to the engine of the vehicle in the open orientation and directing air to an expander in the closed orientation. The expander has an outflow to a second bypass valve that is adjustable so it can direct a variable fraction of air to the engine and the remainder of the air to an air handling unit. The air handling unit has at least a fan, a scroll center, and first and second air flow paths. The first air flow path has an input at the scroll center from the second bypass valve and the second air flow path has an input at the fan from the interior of the vehicle. The air handling unit mixes air from the first and second flow paths and directs the mixed air to the interior of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Gielda, Guy D. Morris, James R. Winkleman
  • Patent number: 6607350
    Abstract: Tip clearance apparatus for a gas turbine engine comprises a shroud ring having curved portions so as to allow eccentric offset and hence asymmetric movement of the shroud. The shroud ring is mounted within a guide also having corresponding curved portions and movement of the shroud ring is controlled by the use of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Alec G Dodd
  • Patent number: 6571563
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a housing and an axially extending shaft journaled to the housing by two axially spaced apart bearings. The bearings are located along the shaft so as to define an overhung shaft portion. A rotating component such as a turbine wheel or compressor wheel is mounted on the overhung shaft portion and is concentric about the centerline (50) of the engine. An annular shroud (40) that is part of the housing is disposed about the rotating component, the annular shroud (40) being concentric about a centerline (60) radially offset from the engine (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas K. Yim, Robert A. Nims, Mike Masoudipour
  • Patent number: 6488468
    Abstract: Centrifugal pumps are disclosed for pumping a pulp suspension including a housing, a rotary shaft mounted within the housing, an impeller including a hub and blades, a wheel disk mounting the blades and including openings for discharging gas generated in the pump, vacuum blades mounted on the hub behind the wheel disk, a vacuum housing enclosing the vacuum blades, the vacuum housing including an outer cylindrical wall which is radially displaced and eccentrically disposed with respect to the vacuum blades, the vacuum housing including a front wall and a rear wall separated from the vacuum blades by a gap, the rear wall being axially adjustable so that the gap between the vacuum blades and the rear wall can be adjusted to adjust the vacuum generated thereby, and a passageway for communication between the openings in the wheel disk and the suction opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Valmet Fibertech AB
    Inventors: Peter Danielsson, Kjell Forslund
  • Publication number: 20020172593
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement (46) for mounting a turbofan gas turbine engine (10) on an aircraft pylon (44). The gas turbine engine (10) comprises a core engine (24) having a core engine casing (26). The mounting (46) comprises a first mounting (48) for mounting the core engine casing (26) on the pylon (44) and a second mounting (50) for mounting the core engine casing (26) on the pylon (44). The first mounting (48) comprises a first hinge adjacent (52) the core engine casing (26) and a second hinge adjacent (54) adjacent the pylon (44). The first hinge (52) is arranged parallel to the axis (S) of the gas turbine engine (10) to form a roll hinge. The second hinge (54) is arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis (S) of the gas turbine engine (10) to form a pitch hinge. The second mounting (50) comprises a third hinge (56) adjacent the core engine casing (26) and a fourth hinge (58) adjacent the pylon (44).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventor: Kenneth F. Udall
  • Patent number: 6481957
    Abstract: A modular wind energy device for converting wind energy into mechanical energy, which includes a support structure configured for placement onto a support surface (36) and defining an axis of rotation (23) generally parallel thereto; one or more panemone type rotors (16) mounted onto the support structure for free rotation about the axis of rotation, having a pair of wing elements, of which, during rotation of the rotor in response to an airflow, at all times, one of the wing elements faces in an upstream direction and the other of the wing elements faces in a downstream direction; a power take off element associated with the one or more rotors; and shroud apparatus (10) for reducing resistance against the returning wing surfaces, and for directing the airflow toward the effective wing surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Inventor: Bruce I. Brill
  • Patent number: 6431823
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump includes a casing having an outlet chamber and an impeller rotatable in the casing. A set of controlling sideplates are installed in the outlet chamber. The controlling sideplates are movable along the axis of the impeller, positioned such as to change the outlet width and the chamber volume thus allowing one to obtain the desired pumping parameters. A driving mechanism is connected to the sideplates, for their axial movement. The design contains driving mechanisms of the hydraulic type and electrical type. A pair of pilot shafts are connected to the sideplates and extend into a sensor for controlling the movement of the sideplates. A control system is also provided whose main purpose is adjusting the axial displacement of the sideplates, which automatically controls the variable pumping parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventor: Yudko Slepoy
  • Patent number: 6389847
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air output unit in connection with a tempering station in a tempering plant for glass panels, and to a method for manufacturing the unit. An equipment bay (3) has its walls (32), roof (33), and floor (31) designed and dimensioned as a shipping container, wherein air output equipment (4) is set up and secured prior to shipping to a working site. Since the fan room enclosing an air output unit functions at the same time as a shipping container for the air output unit, the repeated loading and unloading of air output equipment is avoided. The workload required for shipping and assembling is substantially reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Tamglass Ltd. Oy
    Inventor: Markku Lehto
  • Patent number: 6361280
    Abstract: An improved system for mounting components to a rotatable shaft. The improved system may include a pump having impellers keyed to a rotatable shaft. Diffusers cooperate with the impellers to conduct pumped fluid upward from the impeller. The improved system for mounting includes a plurality of stop rings and an expansion assembly. A stop ring is secured to the shaft at each end of the rotatable component. An expansion assembly is disposed between a first stop ring and the rotatable component. The expansion assembly is axially expanded to force the rotatable component against a second stop ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Camco International, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Furnas
  • Patent number: 6340283
    Abstract: A pair of high speed blowers are pivotally mounted in a vertical plane on a movable frame structure. Each blower has blades turning in an opposite direction from the other blower. The blowers are locked in place at an angle of 10 to 60 degrees with respect to each other so that air emanating from the blowers impinge on each other downstream from the blowers. The air impingement creates a triangular type expanding air stream pattern downstream from the impingement area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Graves Spray Supply, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Hedger, Jeff Neal Bullock
  • Patent number: 6257498
    Abstract: An economical and compact air handler specially configured for use in agricultural applications is provided. The agricultural air handler includes a shroud formed to surround a rotating shaft having a propeller attached to each end of the shaft. The propellers draw air through an air inlet located proximate the top of the shroud. Each propeller blows the air out of an end of the shroud. A shaft drive rotates the shaft. The shaft drive can be powered by a source outside the shroud, or a source contained within the shroud. The power source can include a hydraulic pump driven by the power take-off of a tractor. An air stream is blown from the shroud. The air stream is directed in an approximately vertically planar flow pattern to remove water ponded within the stem cup of a agricultural crop, such as cherries. The air handler can be used as a freeze protecting heat exchanger or for the application of liquid or dust formulations of agri-chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Inventor: James R. Siebol
  • Patent number: 6224332
    Abstract: A turbine includes upper and lower inner shell sections mounting the nozzles and shrouds and which inner shell is supported by pins secured to a surrounding outer shell. To disassemble the turbine for access to the inner shell sections and rotor, an alignment fixture is secured to the lower outer shell section and has pins engaging the inner shell section. To disassemble the turbine, the inner shell weight is transferred to the lower outer shell section via the alignment fixture and cradle pins. Roller assemblies are inserted through access openings vacated by support pins to permit rotation of the lower inner shell section out of and into the lower outer shell section during disassembly and assembly. The alignment fixture includes adjusting rods for adjusting the inner shell axially, vertically, laterally and about a lateral axis. A roller over-cage is provided to rotate the inner shell and a dummy shell to facilitate assembly and disassembly in the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: David Leach, Peter Allen Bergendahl, Stuart Forrest Waldo, Robert Leroy Smith, Robert Kim Phelps
  • Patent number: 6203270
    Abstract: There is provided a device for aiding transportation of a steam turbine which includes a rotor extending along a longitudinal axis and having multistage stationary and moving blades, a casing, supported by a base structure, for enclosing the rotor, bearings for rotationally supporting the rotor, and a pair of glands for sealing between the casing and the rotor, the casing including longitudinally opposite side flanges, the glands being mounted onto gland portions which are provided on the respective sides of the rotor outside of the casing and attached to the respective side flanges of the casing through a pair of flexible members, the device includes restrainers which are adapted to replace the glands after the glands are removed from the rotor and the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubhisi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryotaro Magoshi
  • Patent number: 6155782
    Abstract: A small size portable fan having a mechanism for adjusting the angle of a blower relatively to a body portion, and a mechanism for hanging the fan to a human body or other objects. The fan includes a body portion, and a blower pivotally mounted on the body portion for adjusting the relative blower angle. A cord can be attached to the fan for the hanging purpose. The connecting mechanism of the cord to the fan is in a detachable manner that when an outer force applying to the connectors exceeds a certain extent, the cord will be released from the fan, therefore prevents from harms to a wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Chin-Tien Hsu
  • Patent number: 6139262
    Abstract: A system for a variable capacity centrifugal compressor is provided. The compressor includes a base plate, a housing, and a variable geometry diffuser. A selectively moveable wall is disposed adjacent the base plate to vary the geometry of the diffuser. A portion of the moveable wall cooperates with a portion of the base plate to restrict the flow of fluid between the moveable wall and the base plate throughout the range of motion of the moveable wall to reduce the force required to open the diffuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: York International Corporation
    Inventor: Ravi A. Ravidranath
  • Patent number: 6106225
    Abstract: A pump (10, 30) is disclosed which has an intake (16). A rotatable volute (22) can be positioned at least two different positions on the housing (12) of the pump so that the inlet can be at the top of the pump or at the bottom of the pump for use in dirty water applications or shallow water applications, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Beckett Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas Brent Enns
  • Patent number: 6106227
    Abstract: A roller assembly for guiding the motion of a circumferentially extending ring in a gas turbine engine, where the roller assembly has a pin and a collar. The pin has a head which engages a rotatable element, which in turn adapts the roller assembly to engage a track and which adapts the roller assembly to receive an external force from the track under operative conditions, causing a reactive force on the rotatable element to resist the external force. A gap formed between a shank of the pin and the collar decreases the bending stresses in the shank in comparison to forces acting on the pin at an end of the collar which engages a support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Keith T. Honda, Kevin A. Walton, Francis J. Sandini
  • Patent number: 6092987
    Abstract: A housing assembly for a turbine engine has a housing which is adapted to cooperate with an adjacent valve ring assembly. The housing has a plurality of passages for working medium gases which extend radially through the housing and are circumferentially spaced in the housing. The valve ring modulates the flow through the passages. A plurality of flanges extend axially and circumferentially from the housing. Each flange has a track opening which receives a liner and a roller assembly having a bearing surface. The roller assembly in combination with the liner guides the valve ring assembly. The liner and the housing have different physical characteristics, such as a different rate of thermal expansion and different spring rate characteristics which accommodate differences in thermal growth between the liner and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Keith T. Honda, Harvey I. Weiner, Francis J. Sandini
  • Patent number: 6086326
    Abstract: A stator assembly of an axial flow rotary machine has a compressor bleed system. The compressor bleed system includes an axially translating valve ring. The valve ring is movable between an open and closed position and includes guide roller and guide track having guide walls which urge the valve ring axially against resilient seal members. The track is contoured to provide a mechanical advantage when the valve ring is moved to the closed position. A liner is adapted to engage the stator assembly to form the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Keith T. Honda, Harvey I. Weiner
  • Patent number: 5971702
    Abstract: A rotary machine, such as a compressor, includes a casing having an annular cavity. The cavity is stepped to include a first circumferential surface of a first size and a second circumferential surface of a second size, less than the first size. At least one roller member is retractably mounted in the casing and is adjustable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the roller member is retracted from the cavity and is substantially aligned with first circumferential surface. In the second position, the roller is extended into the cavity and substantially aligned with the second circumferential surface. When extended, the roller member can support a reduced diameter portion of a compressor bundle substantially in alignment with the second circumferential surface of the cavity during insertion of the compressor bundle into, or removal of the compressor bundle from the cavity in the compressor casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventors: Brian W. Afton, Norman A. Samurin, Hugh B. Carpenter