ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 31 -- United States Patent no. 12,509,998, issued on Dec. 30, was assigned to HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND Corp. (Charlotte, N.C.).
"Crank gear" was invented by Leela Herena (Streamwood, Ill.) and Matthew Slayter (Loves Park, Ill.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A crank gear includes a shaft extending along a centerline. A first bearing, a second bearing, and a gear are mounted to the shaft. An interface at the first end of the shaft for rotating the shaft and the gear about the centerline. The crank gear is reversibly insertable through a port of a gearbox to engage a gear. The gear is rotationally coupled to a rotor of a gas turbine engine."
The patent was filed on Aug. 21, 202...