PAUL FRANCIS NORTON
Pilots at Argonne Ct, San Diego, CA

5538380, Jul 23, 1996

Jun 27, 1994

8/265864

Paul F. Norton - San Diego CA
James E. Shaffer - Maitland FL

Solar Turbines Incorporated - San Diego CA

F16B 3716, F16B 3930

411436

A nozzle guide vane assembly has ceramic components therein having a conventional thread thereon including a preestablished pitch and having a preestablished rate of thermal expansion. The nozzle guide vane assembly has a metallic components therein having a preestablished rate of thermal expansion being greater that the rate of thermal expansion of the ceramic components is positioned in a gas turbine engine. The metallic component, a nut, has a thread therein including a plurality of crests being spaced on a pitch equal to that of the ceramic component and has a pair of contacting surfaces extending from the plurality of crests. A notch spirally extends intermediate adjacent ones of the plurality of crests and has a preestablished depth which is at least twice the size of the conventional pitch. Furthermore, the pair of contacting surfaces are in contact with only a portion of the threaded surface of the ceramic components.

5584652, Dec 17, 1996

Jan 6, 1995

8/369245

James E. Shaffer - Maitland FL
Paul F. Norton - San Diego CA

Solar Turbines Incorporated - San Diego CA

F01D 902

415115

A turbine nozzle and shroud assembly having a preestablished rate of thermal expansion is positioned in a gas turbine engine and being attached to conventional metallic components. The metallic components having a preestablished rate of thermal expansion being greater than the preestablished rate of thermal expansion of the turbine nozzle vane assembly. The turbine nozzle vane assembly includes a plurality of segmented vane defining a first vane segment and a second vane segment. Each of the first and second vane segments having a vertical portion. Each of the first vane segments and the second vane segments being positioned in functional relationship one to another within a recess formed within an outer shroud and an inner shroud. The turbine nozzle and shroud assembly provides an economical, reliable and effective ceramic component having a preestablished rate of thermal expansion being less than the preestablished rate of thermal expansion of the other component.

5634768, Jun 3, 1997

Nov 15, 1994

8/339532

James E. Shaffer - Maitland FL
Paul F. Norton - San Diego CA

Solar Turbines Incorporated - San Diego CA

F01D 904

415137

An airfoil and nozzle assembly including an outer shroud having a plurality of vane members attached to an inner surface and having a cantilevered end. The assembly further includes a inner shroud being formed by a plurality of segments. Each of the segments having a first end and a second end and having a recess positioned in each of the ends. The cantilevered end of the vane member being positioned in the recess. The airfoil and nozzle assembly being made from a material having a lower rate of thermal expansion than that of the components to which the airfoil and nozzle assembly is attached.

5503528, Apr 2, 1996

Dec 27, 1993

8/173765

Boris Glezer - Del Mar CA
Gary L. Boyd - Alpine CA
Paul F. Norton - San Diego CA

Solar Turbines Incorporated - San Diego CA

F01D 508, F01D 528

416 96R

A turbine wheel assembly includes a disk having a plurality of blades therearound. A ceramic ring is mounted to the housing of the turbine wheel assembly. A labyrinth rim seal mounted on the disk cooperates with the ceramic ring to seal the hot gases acting on the blades from the disk. The ceramic ring permits a tighter clearance between the labyrinth rim seal and the ceramic ring.

5380154, Jan 10, 1995

Mar 18, 1994

8/215439

Paul F. Norton - San Diego CA
James E. Shaffer - Maitland FL

Solar Turbines Incorporated - San Diego CA

F04D 2960

4152092

A nozzle guide vane assembly having a preestablished rate of thermal expansion is positioned in a gas turbine engine and being attached to conventional metallic components. The nozzle guide vane assembly includes an outer shroud having a mounting leg with an opening defined therein, a tip shoe ring having a mounting member with an opening defined therein, a nozzle support ring having a plurality of holes therein and a pin positioned in the corresponding opening in the outer shroud, opening in the tip shoe ring and the hole in the nozzle support ring. A rolling joint is provided between metallic components of the gas turbine engine and the nozzle guide vane assembly. The nozzle guide vane assembly is positioned radially about a central axis of the gas turbine engine and axially aligned with a combustor of the gas turbine engine.

5487642, Jan 30, 1996

Aug 12, 1994

8/262179

Paul F. Norton - San Diego CA
James E. Shaffer - Maitland FL

Solar Turbines Incorporated - San Diego CA

F04D 2960

4152092

A nozzle guide vane assembly having a preestablished rate of thermal expansion is positioned in a gas turbine engine and being attached to conventional metallic components. The nozzle guide vane assembly includes an outer shroud having a mounting leg with an opening defined therein, a tip shoe ring having a mounting member with an opening defined therein, a nozzle support ring having a plurality of holes therein and a pin positioned in the corresponding opening in the outer shroud, opening in the tip shoe ring and the hole in the nozzle support ring. A rolling joint is provided between metallic components of the gas turbine engine and the nozzle guide vane assembly. The nozzle guide vane assembly is positioned radially about a central axis of the gas turbine engine and axially aligned with a combustor of the gas turbine engine.

2013022, Aug 29, 2013

Feb 27, 2012

13/405738

Olivier Jacques Louis LAMICQ - Poway CA, US
Fernando Manuel Ibarra Esparragoza - San Diego CA, US
Paul Francis Norton - San Diego CA, US
Jeremiah Wesley Key - San Marcos CA, US

F01D 5/14, F01D 5/30

416234

A rotor blade for a gas turbine engine has an airfoil, a base integrally joined to the airfoil, and a root integrally joined to the base and mountable in a slot in a rotor hub of the gas turbine engine. The root has a dovetail including at least one contact face that, when mounted, contacts a surface of the slot to retain the rotor blade in the hub. The root includes a neck between the base and the dovetail, and a groove in the neck for redirecting stress in the rotor blade. In certain embodiments, the groove is at a distance from the at least one contact face, has a length less than a length of the dovetail, and/or has an initial non-zero depth at the side of a trailing edge of the airfoil and tapers to a zero depth in the direction of the leading edge of the airfoil.