Patent GB-731671-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to compressed-air-driven turbines
Inventor: MEREDEW GEORGE CHARLES
IPC: F04D13/04
Filed: 1952-02-26
Abstract: 731,671. Centrifugal pumps; turbines; speed governors. SELF-PRIMING PUMP & ENGINEERING CO., Ltd., and ROLLS-ROYCE, Ltd. Feb. 3, 1953 [Feb. 26, 1952], No. 5075/52. Classes 57, 110 (1) and 110 (3). [Also in Group XXXIV] The compressed air supply to a compressed air driven turbine, is controlled by a non-rotatable air control valve which is moved in the axial direction of the rotor by governor weights rotatable with the shaft acting through a two-part rod which is coaxial with the shaft. One part of the rod rotates with the shaft and the other does not rotate. A floating ball or roller thrust bearing provided between the two parts of the rod, has a pressure contact with one of the parts which permits without relative rotation of the contacting surfaces, relative angular or lateral movement of the surfaces to allow for angular or axial misalignment of the rod parts. The turbine 100, Fig. 3, drives a pump 90 which is of the type described in Specification 670,226 through bevel gearing 52, 56. The turbine is of the type described in Specification 731,672, in which air passes through an inlet pipe 101, ports 102 and a divergent annulus 103 to the nozzle plate 104 and turbine blades 105, 106, 107. The exhaust from the turbine passes through a shroud 109 to the outlet pipe 110. A pair of governor weights 121 pivotally mounted on the turbine shaft have arms 121b which engage the head 126 of one part 125 of a valve control rod. On the other end of this valve control rod is mounted the inner race 130 of a bearing, the outer race 131 of which is carried in a floating housing 132 which is prevented from rotating by springs 133 attached to the turbine casing. The housing 132 has a hard button 134 mounted in its end face which bears against the head 135 of another part 136 of the valve control rod which may then remain stationary. The part 136 slides in a sleeve 140 forming part of a sleeve 141 which is axially adjustable in the turbine casing. A balanced sleeve valve 144 controlling the inlet air ports 102 is attached to the other end of the rod 136. Two helical control springs 145, 146 are mounted between a plate 147 with a spherical seating on the head 135 of the rod 136 and abutment surfaces on the sleeve 141. The loading of the springs is adjusted by screwing the sleeve 141 into and out of the casing. The bearing 130, 131 may be lubricated by grease packed into the housing 132 but if the temperature is too high, lubricating oil from the gears 52, 56 is passed through a hole 150, Fig. 5, a passageway 151 and port 152 formed in a fixed member 153 into a space 154 between the fixed member and the inner wall of the shaft 116. The member 153 is provided with a screw thread so that as the shaft 116 rotates oil is fed through the ports 156 and the interior of the control rod to the bearing 158. Wires 159 placed inside the control rod limit the rate of oil flow. In a modification, the bearing 130, 131 is transferred to the other side of the bearing 117. According to the Provisional Specification one part 130 of the bearing is attached to one part of the control rod and the other part 131 is attached to the other part of the control rod which is prevented from rotating by a dowel pin in the turbine casing engaging a guideway in the rod. Specification 608,963 also is referred to.