Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 12th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 17th Feb.. 1888
I, The Honorable CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS, of Victoria Works, Gateshead, in
the County of Durham, a member of the Firm of Clarke, Chapman, Parsons, & Co.,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in rotary motors of the kind described
in the specification of my Patent No. 6735 of 1884, and has for object increased
efficiency in the use of the motive fluid. According to the invention set forth in the
specification referred to, the motive fluid passes in succession through a number of
motors of the turbine type, falling in pressure as it proceeds and until its velocity during
its passage through the blades does not greatly exceed that of the motor. The space
for the actuating fluid increases either continuously or step by step, the increase being
gained either by an increased area or by an increased pitch of the blades, or
both.
Now according to the present invention sets of turbines similar to those described
in the preceding specification are employed, all fixed on one spindle, and they are of
different diameters, the diameter being considerably increased step by step to allow
the steam as it expands to flow through larger turbines, as well as those of greater
pitch as before described. The arrangement is such that a higher circumferential
velocity can be attained as the pressure falls.
In proportioning the turbines I endeavour to attain the best total aggregate
efficiency when leakage and slip are taken into account; the rate of increase of the
diameters of the turbines is dependent on the initial and final steam pressures which
are to be employed.
It is necessary that the spindle of the motor should be preserved from end pressure;
this is conveniently attained as before by placing on it two similar and equal sets of
turbines, one on each side of a central steam inlet. This end is further assured by
connecting similar sets of turbines by passages, so that the steam pressures acting on
the annular surfaces which are formed when a larger turbine follows one of smaller
diameter, are kept equal.
In some cases it may be convenient to supply the compound motor with steam at

page_text: or near the atmospheric pressure and to exhaust into a condenser; under these
circumstances it is preferable to admit the steam at the ends of the motor, and to
allow it to exhaust at the centre; the smaller turbines are then placed at the ends of
the spindle, and the larger near the centre.
If high pressure steam be used and the exhaust be delivered into a condenser, it is
preferred to make the joint at each end of the spindle, where it emerges from the
case or exterior cylinder of the motor, by water admitted to an annular groove around
the spindle. The leakage past this joint into the condenser is thus water and not air.
The water can be conveniently obtained from: the hot well or feed.
Or this joint inay
be made by several rings, as described in specification referred to above, running in
grooves in the ends of the cylinder, and to these grooves, or to an annular cavity
around the spindle a small quantity of steam is admitted to prevent air being drawn
into the condenser.
This small quantity of steam may be drawn from the main steam pipe or place of
lower pressure in the motor, but it is preferable to control its flow by a small equili-
brium valve so as to maintain a pressure in the annular space slightly above the
atmosphere.
+1
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
1
Improvements in Rotary Motors Actuated by Elastic Fluid
Pressure.
I, The Honorable CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS. of Victoria Works, Gateshead, in
the County of Durham, a member of the Firm of Clarke, Chapman, Parsons, & Co.,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention has reference to improvements in rotary motors of the kind described
in the specification of my Patent No. 6735 of 1884, and has for object increased
efficiency in the use of the motive fluid. According to the invention set forth in the
specification referred to, the motive fluid passes in succession through a number of
motors of the turbine type, falling in pressure as it proceeds and its velocity during
its passage through the blades does not greatly exceed that of the motor. The space
for the actuating fluid increases either continuously or step by step, the increase béing
gained either by an increased area or by an increased pitch of the blades, or both.
Now according to the present invention, sets of turbines similar to those described
in the preceding specification are employed, all fixed on one spindle, and they are of
different diameters, the diameter being considerably increased step by step to allow
the steam as it expands to flow through larger turbines, as well as those of greater
pitch as before described. The arrangement is such that a higher circumferential
velocity can be attained as the pressure falls.
In proportioning the turbines I endeavour to attain the best total aggregate
efficiency when leakage and slip are taken into account; the rate of increase of the
diameters of the turbines is dependent on the initial and final steam pressures which
are to be employed.
It is necessary that the spindle of the motor should be preserved from end pressure;
this is conveniently attained as before by placing on it two similar and equal sets of
turbines, one on each side of a central steam inlet. This end is further assured by
connecting similar sets of turbines by passages, so that the steam pressures acting on
the annular surfaces which are formed when a larger turbine follows one of smaller
diameter, are kept equal.
In some cases it may be convenient to supply the compound motor with steam at
or near the atmospheric pressure and to exhaust into a condenser; under these circum-
stances it is preferable to admit the steam at the ends of the motor and to allow it to
exhaust at the centre; the smaller turbines are then placed at the ends of the spindle,
and the larger near the centre.
If high pressure steam be used and the exhaust be delivered into a condenser, it is
preferred to make the joint at each end of the spindle, where it emerges from the case
or exterior cylinder of the motor, by water admitted to an annular groove around

page_text: the spindle. The leakage past this joint into the condenser is thus water and not air.
The water can be conveniently obtained from the hot well or feed. Or this joint may
be made by several rings, as described in my said former specification referred to
above, running in grooves in the ends of the cylinder, and to these grooves, or to an
annular cavity around the spindle a small quantity of steam is admitted to prevent air
being drawn into the condenser.
This small quantity of steam may be drawn from the main steam pipe or place of
lower pressure in the motor, but it is preferable to control its flow by a small equili-
brium valve so as to maintain a pressure in the annular space slightly above that of
the atmosphere.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal section of a motor according to my
present invention, the motor being, however, constructed in the main on the principle
set out in my said former specification.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate under different modifications arrangements of joints
between the ends of the spindle and the case or exterior cylinder of the motor, such
joints being suitable for use when high pressure steam is employed and the exhaust is
delivered into a condenser.
In the motor illustrated in Fig. 1, the motive fluid enters a central chamber a from
which it passes in succession through a number of the motor rings of the turbine type
all fixed on one spindle b. They are of different diameters, the diameter being con-
siderably increased step by step to allow the steam as it expands to flow through
larger turbines, as well as those of greater pitch.
In the arrangement illustrated by way of example in Fig. 1 there are six sets of
turbines, but other numbers or multiples of sets may be employed according to con-
venience or requirement. In the illustration, the six sets constitute three pairs.
Commencing from the centre c and c¹ constitute the first pair of sets of turbines; their
exhaust ends are connected by a passage d. e and e¹ constitute the second pair of sets
of turbines. The diameter of this pair is considerably larger than the diameter of the
first pair, c and c'. The turbines e, e', are connected by a passage f. g and gl con-
stitute a third pair of turbines; they are connected by a passage h through which the
steam exhausts it may be to the atmosphere, or it may be to the condenser. By
connecting the exhaust ends of the cylinders of each pair of turbines by a passage as
described, (or there might be more than one such passage), the steam pressures
acting on the annular surfaces which are formed when a larger turbine follows
one of smaller diameter, are kept equal, thus ensuring that the spindle of the motor
shall be preserved from end pressure.
Referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, i in each case is an annular groove around the
spindle and k is a pipe by which water is admitted to the said annular groove. Such
water can conveniently be obtained from the hot well or feed as hereinbefore men-
tioned. In Fig. 2, packing rings are used similar to those employed in my original
arrangement, the water admitted through the pipe k and space i forming an air tight
joint.
In Fig. 3 the spindle is serrated by a spiral groove cut in it to diminish the quantity
of water drawn in by the vacuum of the condenser and thus enable a smaller supply
of water to staunch the joint.
It has been found that such a groove or series of spiral grooves will have a powerful
action on water when the spindle is revolving at a high rate of speed.
Referring to Fig. 4, it is found in practice that individual packing rings of the
kind shown in this Fig., do not wear well at very high rates of speed when subjected
to considerable fluid pressure; therefore when exhausting into a condenser it is
advantageous to use several such packing rings in such a manner that the pressure
shall distribute itself between them. Such an arrangement is illustrated in the said
Figure where there are three rings 1, 1, 1, and one ring m each running in a groove
in the end of the cylinder. To the annular cavity around the spindle, as also to these
grooves, a small quantity of steam is admitted to prevent air being drawn into the
condenser, the steam so admitted being obtained as hereinbefore mentioned.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention'
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. In a motor of the kind described in the Specification of my Patent No. 6735
of 1884 arranging the cylinders or chambers containing groups of blades in pairs, the
cylinders or chambers constituting each pair having their exhaust ends connected
together by a passage or passages, substantially as hereinabove described for the
purpose specified.
2. My improved construction of motor substantially as hereinabove described with
reference to and illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings annexed whether with or without
either of the packing arrangements illustrated respectively in Fig. 2, in Fig. 3, and
in Fig. 4.
Dated this 12th day of January 1888.
CHARLES A. PARSONS.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.