Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Albert P Ciez

William H Kasner

Martin H Cooper

George A Blasiole

William A Bencloski

Clark E Swenson

Katherine M Andrews

A rotary connector for coupling at least one stationary pipe to a rotating pipe includes a casing which is connected to a stationary inlet pipe and a stationary outlet pipe and which houses a rotary stem. The rotary stem includes an inner stem disposed within an outer stem for providing a first and second fluid flow path through the rotary stem. A spool is positioned between the rotary stem and the rotating pipe, which leads to a rotating piece of equipment, such as a combustor. The spool has an inner sleeve disposed within an outer sleeve for providing first and second fluid flow paths through the spool. The rotary connector also includes a seal for sealing an inboard end of the casing and a blind flange for sealing an outboard end of the casing. The fluid flows from the inlet pipe, through apertures in the outer stem, through an annulus between the inner and outer stems, through an annulus between the inner and outer sleeves of the spool, and into the coaxial pipe. After the fluid exits the rotary equipment, such as the combustor, the fluid flows back through the coaxial pipe, through the inner sleeve of the spool, through the inner stem of the rotary stem, through apertures in the outer stem and into the outlet pipe attached to the casing.

Rotary connector with removable spool

A laser welding beam transport system is provided in which the laser beam 14 emanating from the laser generator 10 is expanded in diameter in an expander 16 at a location close to the generator, and then is transported in its expanded diameter to a remote location where the beam is reduced in diameter in a beam reducer 26 at a location close to the welding station 28 for the purpose of maintaining a relatively constant power density of the beam at the station over a significant range of working travel of the working station.

Laser beam transport system

Growing community of inventors

Murrysville Boro, PA, United States of America

Albert P Ciez