Kenneth L Swain

US Patent:

59316039, Aug 3, 1999

Filed:

Jun 30, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/885717

Inventors:

Kenneth L. Swain - Greenwood IN
Greg B. Key - Indianapolis IN

International Classification:

F02B 1100

US Classification:

405229

Abstract:

Method of reducing moisture damage to a building having a foundation, such as crawl space or a basement, with a floor that includes excavating a pit in the floor and positioning a plastic liner in the pit. This plastic liner defines a cavity and an inlet intersecting the cavity that is configured to collect water. A space exists between the liner and the pit. A trench is formed in a portion of the floor and configured to intersect the pit. A drain tile is put in the trench that has an outlet engaging the inlet of the liner. A pneumatic conveyor system is positioned outside the crawl space or basement that has an intake and a dispensing outlet. An aggregate source is provided outside the foundation adjacent the intake, and the aggregate generally does not exceed the size of pea gravel. A flexible hose is connected to the dispensing outlet which has a discharge outlet selectively positioned within the crawl space or basement. Aggregate is placed into the intake and then discharged through the discharge outlet by pressurized air at a rate of at least two tons per hour.

US Patent:

56429673, Jul 1, 1997

Filed:

Sep 14, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/528346

Inventors:

Kenneth L. Swain - Greenwood IN
Greg B. Key - Indianapolis IN

International Classification:

F02B 1100

US Classification:

405229

Abstract:

Method of reducing moisture damage to a building having a foundation crawl space with a floor that includes excavating a pit in the floor and positioning a plastic liner in the pit. This plastic liner defines a cavity and an inlet intersecting the cavity which is configured to collect water. A space exists between the liner and the pit. A trench is formed in a portion of the floor and configured to intersect the pit. A drain tile is put in the trench which has an outlet engaging the inlet of the liner. A pneumatic conveyor system is positioned outside the crawl space which has an intake and a dispensing outlet. An aggregate source is provided outside the crawl space adjacent the intake, and the aggregate generally does not exceed the size of pea gravel. A flexible hose is connected to the dispensing outlet which has a discharge outlet selectively positioned within the crawl space. Aggregate is drawn by suction into the intake and then discharged through the discharge outlet by pressurized air at a rate of at least three tons per hour.

US Patent:

41786670, Dec 18, 1979

Filed:

Mar 6, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/883688

Inventors:

Eloy C. Stevens - Indianapolis IN
Kenneth Swain - Lizton IN

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

B23P 1502
G01M 132

US Classification:

291568B

Abstract:

A method for controlling the first torsional node line position in a rotatable blade of a turbomachine to improve its flutter stability including the steps of forming a first monolithic blade having a desired airfoil shape with convex and concave side walls; arranging several of the monolithic blades in a cascade array and subjecting the cascade array to an unsteady, supersonic, transonic and subsonic flow condition thereacross and thereafter determining the unsteady surface pressures acting on the monolithic blades; independently determining the first torsional mode vibration node line of each of the monolithic blades and comparing the resultant unsteady pressure force on the monolithic blades and its relationship to the first torsional mode vibration node line to determine whether or not the monolithic blade is absorbing or adding energy to the air flow thereacross; thereafter forming a plurality of first and thereafter modified composite blades by adding dissimilar material to the blade shape of a monolithic blade within the confines of its convex and concave side walls with the location of the dissimilar material and the amount of the dissimilar material being determined by subjecting the first composite blades and modifications thereof to unsteady, supersonic, transonic and subsonic flow conditions while the first composite blades and modification thereof are located in a cascade array and determining the resultant unsteady surface pressures thereon and comparing such unsteady surface pressures to the location of an independently determined node line position of the first composite blades and modifications thereof so as to optimize the location of their first torsional mode node line with respect to unsteady surface pressures produced thereon under unsteady, supersonic, transonic and subsonic flow conditions so as to produce a flutter stable blade.