General Electric Company

Michael A Umney

James S Hoelle

Ivan H Peterson

Robert Allan Ahti

Christopher Richard Koss

John J Wright

Kenneth J Ashton

Eric Gv Hall

Thomas G Wakeman

Michael Ralph Storage

Mark Kevin Meyer

Neil Fraser Cunningham

Glenn McAndrews

Steven A Walters

Michael Scott Godbey

Douglas Jerome Jones

David Donald Genest

George Michael Archer

James T Hegge

Benjamin John Kortz

Brian Daniel Rohm

Eric Bouchard

Douglas E Vann

A system for performing a polishing operation on a component is disclosed, the system comprising a robot, a fixture, a mount system for attaching the fixture to a robotic arm and a drive system mounted on the fixture for driving a polishing tool such that the location of the point of contact of the polishing tool with respect to the component is maintained constant during the polishing operation.

System for removing material from components

A method of using a machining assembly to machine a plurality of different turbine components that include a dovetail having a contoured profile. The method includes removably coupling a first set of retainers into the machining assembly, the first set of retainers include an upper portion having a profile that substantially mirrors a portion of the first dovetail, and a lower portion having a profile that substantially mirrors an opposite side of the first dovetail, coupling a first turbine component between the upper and lower portions such that the first turbine component is secured by the first set of retainers, coupling the machining assembly into a milling machine, and machining at least one seal groove into the dovetail of the first turbine component.

Methods and apparatus for machining components

Braze brackets utilized in connection with securing tubes and ducts to turbine engines are described. In one embodiment, the bracket includes a mounting plate having a curved braze surface. A plurality of tangs extend from the mounting plate. The specific dimensions for the braze surface and the tangs are selected depending upon the duct or tube to which the bracket is to be secured and the main bracket body to be used in connection with the bracket. In one embodiment, the curved braze surface has a semi-cylindrical geometric shape, and the tangs extend substantially radially from edges of the braze surface. The tangs are spaced along the edges of the braze surface.

Braze bracket for a turbine engine

A design system for designing a tube for a gas turbine engine is described. The system including, in one embodiment, a computer workstation having a plurality of executable modules stored therein. The modules include a tube design module for routing a tube between tube fittings, a tube editing module for editing tube assembly geometry, and a tube detailing module for preparing detail drawings.

Systems and methods for automated tube design

A design system for designing brackets for gas turbine engines is described. The system may be implemented with a computer workstation and includes a part model library and a drawing note library. The computer workstation is configured to receive a bracket model in electronic form as input and has a number of executable modules stored therein. The system outputs a bracket master model and detail drawings. In one embodiment, the modules include a bracket intelligence builder module for generating intelligence data for the bracket model, a bracket unfolding module for unfolding a bracket model to a flat pattern, a bracket folding module to fold a bracket flat pattern, and a bracket minimum material check module to check for minimum distances between bracket pattern features. Other modules also are described and may form a elements of the system.

Systems and methods for automated bracket design

A tubular wear sleeve includes radially outer and inner surfaces, with the inner surface having at least one protuberance extending radially inwardly therefrom for being received in a complementary indentation in a fluid carrying tube for restraining relative movement therebetween.

Swaged wear sleeve and method

An adjustable loop clamp assembly provides improved retention of electrical cables, tubes or hoses. The clamp assembly comprises a flexible strap with first and second ends. A base, having an elevated platform, a lower platform, a midsection, and two side supports, receives a second end of the strap in an aperture of the midsection. The first strap end is securably affixed to the elevated platform of the base. Support holes in the side supports receive pin portions of a locking cam, the locking cam further comprising a handle portion and a cam portion. A mount bolt is receivable in alignable apertures of the lower platform and the handle portion. The pin portions of the locking cam are pivotably engaged into the mount holes of the side supports, allowing rotation of the locking cam into a position that engages the strap with the cam portion, locking the strap against the base structure, simultaneously contacting the handle portion against the lower platform, further aligning the mount holes in the handle portion and the lower platform so that when a mount bolt is passed through those holes and secured, the locking cam is prevented from disengagement.

Adjustable loop clamp

A coupling assembly for fluid carrying tubes in a gas turbine engine include first and second fittings fixedly joined to respective ones of the tubes. The first and second fittings include respective first and second mating flanges which are joined together by a clamping band which is adjustable therearound. The first and second flanges include oppositely facing first and second flat faces, with the first flange having a counterbore extending inwardly from the first face, and the second flange having a pilot tube extending outwardly therefrom for being inserted into the counterbore. An annular seal is disposed between the first and second fittings for providing a leak-proof coupling upon clamping together of the two fittings by the clamping band.

Coupling assembly

An expansion joint for connecting first and second fluid-carrying pipes comprising first and second annular couplings which are operably affixable to respective ones of the pipes. In a preferred embodiment the couplings include cylindrical bores of substantially the same diameter disposed relative to one another to form a passage for providing flow communication between the pipes. An annular bellows extends between the couplings for accommodating relative axial movement and angular misalignment between the pipes and is disposed radially outward of the passage to capture any fluid leaking between the interfacing surfaces of the couplings. A second cylindrical bore of a first one of the couplings engages an outer spherical surface of the second coupling to allow the second coupling to pivot in a manner which accommodates angular misalignment between the pipes. Means are provided for limiting the pivoting of the second coupling and for preventing the first coupling from rotating about a centerline of the joint, thereby avoiding unacceptable bending and torsional loading of the bellows. The expansion joint further includes means for limiting the axial compression and axial extension of the bellows.

Growing community of inventors

Mason, OH, United States of America

Michael A Umney