Patent GB-190600797-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Turbines Driven by Elastic Motive Fluid under Pressure.
Inventor: MOLAS JEAN
Filed: 1906-01-11
Granted: 1906-12-31
Abstract: 797. Molas, J. Jan. 11. Elastic-fluid turbines.-The main features of the invention are means for rendering turbines reversible. and balancing end-thrust, and also for facilitating the transmission of motion. End-thrust is balanced by passing steam in opposite directions through the sections X, Y, either from the centre towards the ends, or from the ends to a common central exhaust, as shown in Fig. 1. Each section is a complete turbine in itself, and the shafts are joined at 33 so as to permit of some axial separation without interfering with the rotation as a single shaft. The rotor cores C are also splined to the shafts, the balancing end-pressures being taken by a boss 27. When steam is admitted at the centre and allowed to expand outwards, the rotor cores are cast in one piece and the shafts are not joined at the centre as at 33. In order that the engine may be run in the reverse direction efficiently and without altering the direction of flow of the steam, the sets of crescent-shaped vanes are mounted between annular disks 1, 2, the outer of which may be keyed to the casing A, in which case the vanes act as stationary guideblades ; or the inner of which may be keyed to the rotor C when they act as ordinary rotating vanes. By means of two sets of toothed keys sliding in longitudinal grooves in the casing A and rotor core C respectively, alternate rings of vanes may be fixed to the casing and the remainder to rotor, A movement of the keys will completely reverse this arrangement; what were previously rotating vanes will become stationary, and vice versa, so that reversal is obtained. The casing keys D and the rotor keys E are shown in Fig. 2, and the teeth d which engage the slots in the rings 1, are also shown in developed section in Fig. 3. Similar teeth e engage the slots in the rings 2. The keys are actuated by fluid pressure. Steam is admitted to the chamber 18, expands, and moves the piston 19 to the left. An arm 20 of the piston moves all the rotor keys, and a rod, attached to an arm 22 of another piston 21, moves the casing keys at the same time and in the same direction. The pistons are in contact through the medium of a ball bearing 28. To move the keys in the other direction, high-pressure fluid is admitted by a passage 24 to a chamber 25 where it acts on the piston 21 and moves both pistons to the right. The movement is limited in both directions. Provision may be made for moving them by harttl. The engagement of the coned end 35 of the turbine shaft with the coned socket 36 of the shaft 37 is also controlled by differential fluid pressure, a collar 42 working in a cylindrical chamber in the boss 27 forming the piston. The outer end is constantly exposed to the pressure of expanded fluid from the chamber 18, the tendency being to keep the shaft out of gear, while the inner end may be exposed to high pressure, unexpanded fluid led in by the passage 46 thus bringing the clutch into action. Where the steam passes from the centre outwards through the turbine, and the shafts of the parts X, Y are not connected, this arrangement is slightly modified. A number of "balanced" turbines may be arranged round a central shaft as in Fig. 5, which shows four similar turbines, in which the direction of flow is from the centre outwards, mounted in a casing G, and driving the axle F of a locomotive.' The rotation of the shafts is transmitted to the axle either by friction gearing between the coned ends of the shafts and a coned friction ring 57 on the driving- wheel J, or by spur gearing through a pinion mounted on the clutch shown in Fig. 1 and a ring of teeth 59 on the driving-wheel.