Evening journal., 1919-12-04
|'UlFR G51S open lkVEkTS TUaBIN4
QUARTERS IN DGV R THlT WILL REV -RSL
w. c. Downward Demon
strateS Working Model
of New Engine
WORKED ON MACHINE
FOR % YEARS


After working for more than % years
William C. Downward, OF No. 6i4 South
Union street, claims that he has in
vented a reversible turbine which will
reyolutionize industrial plants as well
as make a change in the machinery OF
hundreds Of Ocean-golng steamships.
The completed model has been in exist
enoe more than a year. but Mr.. Down
ward did not make his invention public
only last night, after obtaining his pat
ent from the Canadian government. The
new turbine has been patented In the
United States folt than a year.
A representative OF The Evening
Journal was shown by Mr.. Downward
last night the working model Of the
turbine in the cellar Of his home. Steam
TO supply the tui bine was gotten up by
means Of a steam automobile boiler.
After obtaining a sufficient steam pres.
sure, Mr.. Downward turned on the
steam. and the little engine droncd
steadily in crescendO. When the rotor
Of the tu bine was making perhaps
5000 revolutions a minute. the pressure
was reversed, the d one OF the rotor
d. Opped instantly 10 a hum, the noise
ceased, and the visible portion Of the
SHAFT rotated I'm the opposite direction.
This is the Il. ST time this has been done
in the history OF steam machinery, ac-
cording to Mr.. Downward.
Afierward. Mr.. Downward allowed a
high steam pressure TO accumulate. and
ran the tuib.ne at what ne claimed was
10000 revolutions per minute. The
steady song Of the motor rose TO a Wild
scream, when the limit OF the power
was allowed to have its way win o.
machine. When the steam power was
! exhausted the rotor ran for some time
with its own momentum
Mr.. Downward stated that the boiler
was inadequate TO supply the needs OF
the turbine. but that on a larger scale
the new turbine would work with enOr-
nous speed, with economy and with
power
( II was in 1896 that Mr.. Downward
started TO work on his idea-a revers-
ible turbine that needed no auxiliary
machinery 10 turn its power In the Op-
pOs.te direction He has worked d3y
and night since that time. and has COM
pleted a dozen models before he found
one that really suited him. The prin-
ciple OF the new turbine as II Il to-
day is radically different from an
old machine which the Even
ing Journal representative was shown
the product Of Mr.. DOwnward's brain
many years ago.
At present there are turbines which
reverse their motion by means Of an
expensive reversing gear. An electrical
hrnN nfF 70
versible steam turbine has been The
inventors dream for the past thirty
years. Whether Mr. DOwnward's ma
en- ne will be economical or will work
out on a large scale is problematical
and Is a matter for skilled engineers
TO decide.
The interior Of the turbine as showT
In the drawings and by the woode'
models is different from that OF an!
other turbine extant. There are NJ
blades. no cups nor buckets. and. ac
cordlng 10 the inventor. there is moth
ing to become derangcd. lie says tina
his invention will work upside down
inclined at Is degrees or lying on 10:
side. He claims that II Is practically
indestructible He also says that no
harm can be done 20 the rotor or any
OF the adjacent mechanism by the pres
ence OF water in the steam. and that
in that point Il differs from all other
! turbines In existence.
Il was explained that the rotors were
covered with thousands Of tr'angularly
shaped bits OF metal. by which the
power OF the expanding steam was com
munIcated 10 the shaft These tri-
angles. he stated are so placed that
when steam comes In from the con-
trary position the same power ana
speed can be obtained.
The turbine Is wonderfully simple IN
construction and Is mechanically sym
metrical on both sides Of the vertical
center line of the machine. When asked
II the reversing principal would be ap-
plicable in a large turbine. Mr. Down
ward said that Il would, II certain me-
chanlcal principles were adhered to.
Mr. Downward claims that his tur-
bine Is: First, reversible; second. pow
erful; third, economical; fourth. sim
ple: nth, practically indestructible
sixth. easy Of repair; seventh easy ot
construction.
Mr.. Downward has been employed by
the American Car and Foundry Com
nanv In the capacity OF stationary en-