General Electric Company

Other

Gary Mac Holloway

Charles Robert Wojciechowski

Charles William Carrier

Larry R Palmer

Richard Clay Haubert

Joseph M Collins

A method is provided for assembling a shaft having a metal matrix composite mid shaft and monolithic high strength alloy forward and aft shafts. The forward and aft shafts are each inertia friction welded to separate annular transition pieces which include a barrier layer operative to prevent the formation of intermetallic compounds. Special tooling is used to avoid applying shear stresses to the transition piece during welding. The welded forward and aft subassemblies are subsequently heat treated before inertia friction welding them to the mid shaft.

Inertia welded shaft and method therefor

A method for manufacturing a rotor shaft includes fabricating a first shaft portion that extends axially from a first end to a second end, fabricating a second shaft portion that extends axially from a first end to a second end, and coupling the second shaft portion to the first shaft portion with an explosive bonded joint such that the second shaft portion is aligned substantially concentrically with respect to the first shaft portion, and such that the bonded joint extends obliquely with respect to a centerline axis of symmetry of the rotor shaft.

Methods and apparatus for manufacturing rotor shafts

A mechanical coupling to transfer torque between cooperating rotatable members each of substantially circular cross section and aligned along an axis of rotation comprises first and second members including, respectively, first and second surface portions in juxtaposition across an interface. Each surface portion includes a plurality of spaced apart teeth mechanically interlocking at the interface. The first surface portion comprises a fiber reinforced material including fibers oriented within about 45&deg;, on either side, of an axis of rotation. Provided is a clamp to hold the first and second surface portions together at the interface.

Mechanical coupling for cooperating rotatable members

A gas turbine engine drive shaft includes a tubular main shaft and an annular end fitting disposed coaxially therewith. The shaft and fitting have corresponding ends abutting at a joint. An annular collar surrounds the shaft and fitting over the joint and is bonded thereto for carrying torsional, tensile, and bending loads across the joint. In this way, a composite main shaft may be joined to a monolithic end fitting.

Composite drive shaft

A safety system for use with boats to be stored in enclosed buildings to minimize potential problems of fires and explosions. This system has a transmitting unit for attachment to the boat itself which is energized when the electrical distribution system of the boat is energized. This transmnitting unit generates a signal indicating this energized state. A receiving unit associated with the building receives any output signal of the transmitting unit and sounds an alarm when this output signal is detected by the receiving unit. In the preferred form, the transmitting unit and the receiving unit utilize infra-red light as the generated and received signal. Also in the preferred embodiment, the detector unit has a plurality of detector elements arranged along the side and top edges of a doorway leading into the storage facility. As a result of this system it can be assured that no boat with an energized electrical distribution system is stored within the facility.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Gary Mac Holloway