Other

The Boeing Company

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

The United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of

Oliver James Groves

Mark James Groves

David J Oakley

Shad James Groves

Bruce J Kaiser

Jacob Virnig

Donald A Jensen

Joel M Thomas

Tae Ho Kim

Michael H Konen

Thanh V Duong

Charles D Harrison

Bart M Taylor

Thomas S Nelson

Se Y Chun

Gregory Koyfman

Maxine L Groves

Edward D Oare

Marcus Titus Wojcik

Gary F Heilman

Marvin D Dansie

A salt recovery system, comprising: a) a salt recovery tank, configured to receive and hold brine; b) a fluid tank, configured to hold a fluid and comprising a heater configured and heat the fluid in the fluid tank; c) a heat exchanger pipe, configured to receive the fluid from the fluid tank, to enable heat exchange between the fluid in the heat exchanger pipe and the brine in the salt recovery tank, and to release the fluid into the fluid tank; d) a circulation pump configured for driving a circulation of the fluid from the fluid tank, through the heat exchanger pipe, and back into the fluid tank; e) a first vacuum pump configured to lower pressure inside the salt recovery tank and to pump the water vapor out the salt recovery tank; f) a recycled water tank, configured to receive the water vapor from the first vacuum pump.

Salt recovery system

A water purification system comprising a salvage pump, a vacuum assembly, and a clean water assembly. The salvage pump is configured to draw water from a water source. The vacuum assembly is configured to remove solutes from the water via vacuum evaporation. The clean water assembly is configured to remove non-soluble particles and/or bacteria from the water.

Water purification system

A portable sputtering apparatus for repairing the damaged surface on aircrafts comprises: a cylindrical chamber, having a top chamber plate and a bottom chamber plate. The cylindrical chamber comprises a welded flange for attachment to a high vacuum system and a first tube and flange assembly for attachment to an inert gas bottle. The top chamber plate comprises a cathode housing, comprising a cathode coated with the material to be sputtered onto the surface of the aircraft, and a second tube and flange assembly for discharge of pressure within the chamber. The bottom chamber plate comprises a second housing that attaches to the surface of an aircraft. Within the second housing is a metal sheet, having an aperture that allows sputtered material to flow onto the surface of the aircraft. The material to be sputtered may be carbon composite or copper.

Portable sputtering apparatus and method

An electromagnetic actuator assembly for moving heavy loads and running on electromagnetic energy has at least one piston providing movement of heavy loads. Two pairs of THK linear rails controls the electromagnetic actuator assembly. A pair of drive motor coil assemblies provides a force to the two pairs of THK linear rails. A foundation houses an internal tube that contains a plurality of cables. A housing mount weldment connects the plurality of cables to a pair of electrical connections of the pair of drive motor coil assemblies, and allows the plurality of cables to extend when traveling back and forth inside the internal tube. The housing mount weldment has a plurality of openings for access to the plurality of cables. An exposed linear encoder runs along the at least one piston, comprising at least one scale providing positional feedback of the at least one piston.

Electromagnetic actuator structure and anchoring assembly

A device for supporting a weed eater is provided. The device comprises a grasping unit, a central body, a lower support unit, and at least one wheel. The grasping unit is configured for grasping a shaft of the weed eater. The central body has an upper hand and a lower end, the upper end being joined to the grasping unit. The lower support unit is joined to the lower end of the central body. The at least one wheel is joined to the lower support unit and configured for supporting the lower support unit.

Weed eater support device

A retractable dock having a ramp, with first forward and aft sides, extending from a bulkhead toward water. The first aft side joins the bulkhead via a locking mechanism. All locking mechanisms allow rotation. The dock has an aft floating assembly with an aft bridge and second aft and forward sides. The second aft side joins the first forward side of the ramp via a second locking mechanism. The aft float assembly has an aft floating unit floating on water supporting the aft bridge. The aft floating unit joins the aft bridge by another locking mechanism. The second locking mechanism joins to the ramp and either the second aft side or aft floating unit. The dock has a forward floating assembly with a forward bridge joined to the aft bridge configured for extension and retraction. The forward floating assembly has a forward floating unit floating under the forward bridge supporting it.

Retractable dock

An electromagnetic jack assembly. The jack has a first inner jack member having vertical walls, configured to slide within the base, the first inner jack member being nested within the base and having at least two walls connected to respective inside faces of the vertical walls of the base; a first linear magnetic drive assembly, comprising: a magnetic coil; and a magnet track, mounted on the base and the magnetic coil mounted on the first inner jack member or vice versa. The magnetic drive assembly forms the connection between the base and the first inner track. A second inner jack member nested within the first inner jack member and has a second linear magnetic drive assembly. The magnetic drive assembly forms the connection between the first and second inner track members.

Multi stage electromagnetic jack assembly

An apparatus for loading and unloading a main landing gear ('MLG') of an aircraft includes a fixture that is adapted to couple to a truck of the MLG such that a sagittal plane of the fixture is parallel to or coplanar with a sagittal plane of the MLG and both translational forces and turning moments applied to the fixture are coupled directly through the fixture to the MLG, a mechanism for controllably translating the fixture in the sagittal plane thereof, and a mechanism for controllably rotating the fixture in the sagittal plane thereof.

Aircraft landing gear loader

An engine uplift loader includes a frame assembly having generally parallel first and second frame members spaced apart by a distance enabling the shipping cradle and engine to be positioned between the first and second frame members. A plurality of lifting devices are supported on the frame assembly extending upwardly therefrom, each lifting device being operable to raise and lower an upper end of the lifting device relative to the frame assembly along a generally vertical lifting axis. An attachment assembly is mounted to the upper end of each lifting device, each attachment assembly being structured and arranged to attach to the shipping cradle such that raising the upper ends of the lifting devices causes the shipping cradle and engine to be lifted upwardly. At least one of the attachment assemblies is movably mounted on the respective lifting device such that the attachment assembly can be selectively positioned in various positions relative to the lifting axis of the lifting device so as to accommodate different configurations of shipping cradles. Thus, the engine can be lifted while still in its shipping cradle, and the engine uplift loader can accommodate more than one configuration of engine and cradle.

Engine uplift loader

A machine (20) for positioning a jig (22) relative to another surface (28) is disclosed. The machine includes a truss (24) for supporting the jig. A support stand (26) connected to each end of the truss supports the truss at a first position spaced apart from the surface, and at a second position adjacent the surface. Each support stand includes a first linear movement assembly (72) and (74) for respectively acting upon the first and second ends of the truss to move the truss from the first position to the second position, and from the second position to the first position. Each support stand additionally includes a rotating assembly (48) for rotating the truss along an axis substantially passing through both ends of the truss.

Composite stringer and skin panel assembly machine

A ball valve capable of sealing fluids under high pressure is disclosed. The ball valve includes a valve body having a first internal shoulder and a second internal shoulder. A support ring abuts against the first internal shoulder. A sealing ring having an annular recess extending radially abuts against the support ring. A comb disk spring is positioned within the annular recess, the comb disk spring having an apex biased towards the ball. A fitting having a smooth annular support surface extends into the valve body. Sealing rings, such as a backup ring and an O-ring are placed over the smooth support surface and abut against the shoulder of the fitting. A compression ring is placed over the end of the fitting, abutting against the sealing rings. When the fitting is placed within the valve body, the compression ring abuts against the second shoulder of the valve body. Threading of the fitting 20 into the valve body causes the sealing rings to be compressed between the compression ring and the shoulder of the fitting. An arcuate surface on the compression ring forces the O-ring against as support surface of the fitting and a sealing surface of the valve body, preloading the ball valve assembly in the sealed condition. When the ball valve is closed, a seal between the ball and the flow passage is provided by the fitting firmly retaining the comb disk spring and the sealing ring against the ball. Sealing on the side in which the fluid exists is provided between the valve body and the fitting by the combination of the compression ring, O-ring and backup rings and their relationship to the fitting and the valve body.

High-pressure ball valve

A high pressure fitting for placing on a tubing includes an annular sleeve having sealing rings therein and a collar enclosing a portion of the sleeve to restrain lateral movements of the sleeve with respect to the tubing. The sleeve has an interior threaded region to receive a plug and an interior annular region. A recess in the annular region retains an O ring and two backup rings which contact the tubing. The sleeve does not contact the tubing. The collar includes two members that have a flange extending into a recess of the exterior of the sleeve to retain the sleeve. The collar also includes an interior tapered annular region spaced away from the end of the tubing for retaining tapered sleeves. The tapered sleeves grip the tubing to prevent movement of the collar and the sleeve with respect to the tubing when high fluid pressure is in the tubing. A tube guide having a shoulder abutting the end of the tubing aids in placing the sleeve on the tubing. The tube guide has a diameter at the shoulder, equal to or slightly greater than, the external diameter of the tubing. The tube guide is placed in the tubing and the sleeve is slid over the tube guide and onto the tubing after which the tube guide is removed.

Test fitting

Disclosed is an alpha monitor usable in an automated nuclear fuel pin loading and processing unit. Fuel pins or other elongated pins are fed laterally into the alpha monitor in a singular fashion and are translated by a first roller assembly into a weld flare machining and decontamination substation not forming a part of the invention. Pins return and are lifted upwardly and transferred across to a combined pin lifting and electrode operating means which lifts the pins upwardly into a clamshell electrode assembly which is spread open by a combined pin lifting and electrode operating means. Once inserted the clamshell type electrode arrangement closes around the fuel pins so that inspection can occur. Fuel pins are inspected by charging electrodes to a negative potential and measuring the change in charge occurring when positively charged alpha particles strike the negatively charged electrodes. After inspection, the fuel pins are lowered by the pin lifting and electrode operating means into a second roller assembly which longitudinally conveys approved pins from the airtight enclosure in which the alpha monitor is mounted. If the fuel pins are rejected then they are moved laterally by a second transfer means and onto another system for further processing.

Apparatus for inspecting fuel elements

An apparatus and method for treatment of hollow articles by evacuating existing gas or gases therefrom and purging or backfilling the articles with a second gas such as helium. The apparatus includes a sealed enclosure having an article storage drum mounted therein. A multiplicity of such articles are fed singly into the enclosure and loaded into radial slots formed in the drum. The enclosure is successively evacuated and purged with helium to replace the existing gas in the articles with helium. The purged articles are then discharged singly from the drum and transported out of the enclosure.

Growing community of inventors

Freeland, WA, United States of America

Oliver James Groves