General Electric Company

David Robert Kettlewood

Luis Alberto Estrada

Christopher Steven Terrey

The bearing housing of an electrical generator is isolated from the interior of the generator enclosure by forming a cavity in the generator end wall with a seal between the generator end wall and the rotor. By sealing the bearing housing from the interior of the enclosure, the bearing housing is subject entirely to ambient pressure while the interior of the generator is subject to high vacuum pressure for cooling purposes. This isolation minimizes or eliminates potential for oil leakage into the interior of the generator previously caused by exposure on one side of the bearing housing to high vacuum pressure within the generator enclosure and the opposite side to the ambient pressure. This isolation system also eliminates the need for a high suction pressure vapor extractor and enables a conventional vapor extractor associated with the lubrication oil system to remove oil vapors from the bearing housing.

Isolation of generator bearing housing from generator enclosure and methods therefor

A latching mechanism for a swinging door pivotally mounted on for movement about a first axis between fully open and closed positions includes a support column pivotally mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to the first axis. One end of the support column is provided with a support block for supporting the door in the open position, and the other end of the support column is provided with a latching bar for securing the support column in a first position where the support block underlies an edge of the door in the open position. A cam surface is provided on the support column, engagable by the door as the door moves from the closed to the open position to rotate the support column and the support block to a position which permits the door to move to a fully open position without interference from the support column or the support block.

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East Greenbush, NY, United States of America

David Robert Kettlewood