Patent GB-190500372-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or pertaining to Turbines.
Inventor: MEERTEN HENRIK VAN
Filed: 1905-01-07
Granted: 1906-04-07
Abstract: 372. Meerten, H. van. Jan. 7. Gas turbines.-A reversible internalcombustion turbine has a driven portion 1, Fig. 1, and a driving - portion 2, the blades in these portions being arranged in opposite directions. The driven portion produces a forced draught and also compresses air, to be utilized for starting the turbine, into a reservoir 4, Fig. 2, formed between the casing 5 and an outer jacket 3. A double-beat non- return valve 6 controls the air supply to the turbine for starting. The fuel, which may be liquid, gaseous, powdered, mixed or unmixed, is supplied at the inlet end of the turbine, and is carried forward by, and mixed with, the air, the heat generated by the compression of the air serving for ignition when light oils are used, or a lamp may be used with heavy oils. The turbine is driven by the pressure fluid resulting from the combustion. When the turbine is of the disk type, it comprises alternate disks 9, 10, Fig. 3, attached respectively to the shaft 11 and a fixed or rotatable outer casing 12. Distance - pieces 13, Figs. 3 and 4, which engage, and retain the correct distance between, the disks 10, are formed with lugs 15, 16 to engage a groove 14 in the casing, and with longitudinal projections 17 on the lugs 16 to engage corresponding recesses in the lugs 15 of adjacent disks. To effect reversal, the outer casing of the turbine is so constructed as to render it capable of rotation when a single shaft is provided, or the outer casing may rotate in a direction opposite to that of the inner disk or drum when two shafts are provided, one within the other. The latter form is shown in Fig. 5. The outer casing 18 and the inner drum 19 carry, respectively, vane or guide blades 20, 21. The outer shaft 26 is supported, preferably by ball bearings 28, on the inner shaft 27. For running in one direction, the drum is clutched to the inner, and the casing to the outer, shaft, and for the opposite direction, the drum is clutched to the outer, and the casing to the inner, shaft. The clutches are of the ball type used in free-wheel bicycles. One raceway 29 is fixed directly to the outer shaft 26, and a second raceway 37 is connected to the outer shaft by means of the coupling- cylinder 40 ; a third raceway 36 is connected to an extension 48 of the inner shaft 27, and a fourth raceway 38 is connected to the inner shaft by means of a coupling-cylinder 39 and hollow arms 54. The balls 29, 30 for these raceways are carried respectively by sliding sections 31, 32, which are guided to move lengthways of the drum by means of tongues and grooves, and can be simultaneously moved in opposite directions, by means described below, to reverse the turbine. In the position shown in Fig. 5, the drum is clutched to the outer shaft 26, and the casing to the inner shaft 27, but, by moving the raceways 31, 32, the balls 29 are brought over the raceway 36, and the balls 30 under the raceway 38, so that the drum is now clutched to the inner shaft and the casing to the outer shaft. Intermediate races 44, 45, preferably supported on ball bearings, allow the drum and casing to run idle. The races are shifted by means of annular clutches 41, 42, which rotate freely against the races upon ball bearings, and are prolonged by rods 58, 59 which pass through openings in the nave and rim, and are belted to circular racks 60, 61. Toothed sectors 62, 63 engage the racks, and are simultaneously' rotated in opposite directions by means of a hand-wheel 70, a worm 68, and two worm-wheels 66, 67 on the opposite ends of shafts 64, 65 carrying the pinions 62, 63. The pinions are connected to their shafts by claw couplings, as shown in Fig. 5c, so that the shafts 64, 65 may be turned through a certain angle, before the ball races are moved, to cut off the fuel supply as follows : the fuel is supplied through a pipe 49, an extension'48 of the shaft 27, hollow arms 54, and distributers 56, provided with slits 57, as shown in Fig. 5A, to ensure thorough mixture of the fuel and air. A valve 51, shown in Fig. 5D, on the pipe 49, has its stem pressed by a spring against an eccentric 71 on the shaft 64, which is so arranged relatively to the claws in the pinions 62, 63 that the valve closes before the pinions begin to rotate. The extension 48 is supported on ball bearings 52, which act as thrust bearings when a screw propeller is attached to the shaft, and is provided with radial spokes which strengthen it and also act as vanes. The starting- valve 6, located at the junction of the driven and driving section of the turbines, is operated by a bell-crank lever 76 engaging a rod 77, the opposite end of which slides in an annular groove 78 in a ring 79 connected to an outer ring which may be moved by band by means of studs 81 passing through the cylinder 40, or mechanism may be provided to move the ring from a distance, such as a ring 81<a> and a system of levers. The air supply in the turbines shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 may be regulated by reversing one or more sets of disks with their vanes. Fig. 8 shows a reversing steam turbine of the form in which a single shaft 82 is used, the shaft being preferably hollow to convey the steam to the turbine. A stuffing-box 83 prevents leakage between the drum and the shaft, and a stuffing-box 84 is provided where the shaft joins the supply pipe 85. A ball clutch 86, in the position shown, connects the drum and shaft allows the balls to run idle when moved to the ring 89, or couples the casing to the shaft when moved to the ring 90. A fixed sleeve 91 surrounds the opposite end of the bearing; the drum runs freely on the sleeve with the balls 92 in the position shown, but, when they are brought beneath the ring 93, the drum is fixed to the sleeve. A similar clutch 95 couples the casing to the fixed sleeve in the position shown, or allows the casing to rotate when the balls are moved over the ring 97. The races 98, 99, 100 are connected to the rack 101, which is actuated by a toothed sector 102, as described with reference to Fig. 5, the supply valve 107 being similarly actuated. In each case, rollers may replace the balls in the clutches and bearings. A starting air current may be produced by a heated chimney, or by separate hand-actuated apparatus.