Improvements in Steam Turbines and Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 31st Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Turbines and Wheels.
I, The Honourable CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS, of Heaton Works,
Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County of Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to steam turbines and steam wheels and its object is to
mprove the construction, economy and action of such turbines and steam wheels
while simplifying the manufacture and adjustments.
In carrying one part of my invention into effect I construct a reaction engine
consisting of one or more pairs of armis mounted upon a spindle and so arranged
that steam is admitted to the interior of the said arms by suitable passages in the
spindle and is discharged from each pair by apertures at the ends of the arms
arranged to discharge at or near the tangent to the circle swept by the arms.
In one con-
The arms are arranged within a hollow case or series of cases.
struction I arrange a series of circular cases to check into each other circumferentially
and form one larger case divided by partitions into a number of chambers. One
spindle passes through the series of chambers and carries upon it a pair of arms in
each chamber. One arm, however, may be carried in each chamber provided with
a suitable balance piece or weight; or any number of arms may be so carried
provided that balancing is carefully allowed for. One end of the spindle passes
through a high pressure steam chest and a number of grooves turned in the spindle
work in a bearing having corresponding grooves; one set of such grooves prevents
the high pressure steam from leaking into the atmosphere from the said high
pressure steam chest and another set of grooves prevents the high pressure steam
from, leaking into the first chamber. Between the two sets of grooves and the
spindle radial apertures are drilled to a hollow, bored out or formed in the spindle.
Similar apertures lead from the said hollow to the interior of the boss of the
first pair of arms; the arms are cast hollow with a passage of uniform area and of
flattened section; the exterior is also of a flattened section sharpened towards both
edges in order to provide arms capable of passing rapidly through the steam in the
casing without creating much resistance. That is, the arms are arranged to move on
edge through the steam within the casing and the necessary section is provided
by making them sufficiently wide. I prefer to rotate these arms at about
6000 revolutions per minute and hence it is necessary that there should be a con-
siderable margin of strength to resist the great centrifugal force. To provide this
strength the exterior figure of each arm is conical, that is, the arm is thicker and
broader at the root near the boss than it is at the extremity. Slots are cut in the
edges of the arms to furnish discharge orifices and permit the steam by its reaction
to propel the arms and hence the spindle. The steam passing from these orifices
fills one chamber of the casing and passes thus through the boss of the next arm
A series of
which boss is turned to fit a bored opening in the wall of the chamber.
passages through the said boss permit steam to flow from the first chamber into the
interior of the second pair of arms, thus the steam discharges by emission apertures
into the second chamber of the casing. From the second chamber the steam passes
similarly through the boss of the third pair of arms and by emission jets to the
third casing whence the steam may pass to the fourth pair of arms and chamber
and so on.
.
As the steam passes in this manner from chamber to chamber through each pair
of arms the pressure falls and each pair by reaction adds to the energy of rotation
of the steam wheel or turbine spinale. The interior of the passages and emission

page_text: apertures of the arms are arranged in continually increasing area in order to allow
for expansion.
It has been proved that steam cannot flow at more than 1440 feet per second and
that an expansion of 1 to 1.63 is sufficient to gain this velocity; therefore in a
compound turbine of the reaction jet type, when working with 100 lbs. steam and
exhausting into the atmosphere it is necessary to employ at least five sets of arms
in separate cases, thus limiting the expansion in each issue, to under the above
mentioned ratio of expansion. For this reason reaction wheels like Hero's engine
employing one wheel only, have not given good results.
The boss of each arm projecting through the partitions is arranged as a nice fit
and grooves or serrations may be turned in the bored apertures in the chamber
walls; I prefer, however, to arrange a groove packing as hereinbefore described
for resisting high steam pressure. Such a packing is described in Specification of
Patent No. 1120 of 1890 already granted to me. I also prefer to use end adjust-
ments for tightening the said packings as described in my Patent No. 14994
of 1890 and arrange the packings around all the bosses so as to be tightened or
adjusted.
At the point where the spindle emerges from the last chamber a similar series of
packing grooves are provided.
At the lower side of each chamber I arrange apertures opening into drain jackets
or boxes.
It is important that these jackets or boxes be thoroughly drained free
from condensed water. I prefer to fasten the bosses of my arms to the spindle by
pinching screws although keys may be used and I build together the whole apparatus
by threading on the arms pair by pair and then slipping on each chamber in series,
bolting the whole together by convenient longitudinal bolts. I discharge the
exhaust steam from the last chamber in series either to the atmosphere or into a
suitable condenser. In order to secure minimum resistance of the arms within the
casings I polish the surfaces to a considerable extent and to provide a casting of
smooth surface within, I cast the oblong hollow interior of each pair of arms open
straight through and I close in the ends by securely riveted pieces. This con-
struction enables me to efficiently clean out the interior and it permits of each
pair of arms being correctly balanced as to weight when mounted upon the
spindle.
I also sometimes make the arms of sheet copper, brass or steel which are riveted,
screwed or soldered on to the boss; by this means greater strength and tightness is
secured and a higher speed or longer arms are admissible.
The spindle bearings are formed in the manner described and claimed by me in
Specification No. 1120 of 1890.
In large steam turbines using high steam pressure I find that the reaction arms
herein before described are more economical in some cases for the high pressure
part of the machine than the discs and blades hitherto used by me but I find the
discs arranged with moving and fixed blades sometimes to be still the most
economical for the low pressure part of the machine. Another part of this invention
accordingly consists in a combination of reaction arms for the high pressure part of
the machine with discs and blades for the low pressure part. Such a combination
under some circumstances gives much greater economy in steam consumption when
high pressures are used than has been hitherto attained.
Another part of my invention consists in the combination of reaction arms with
abutments placed round the circumference of the interior of each chamber in which
the said arms rotate and when using such abutments I arrange a conical shield
under a steam jet travelling with the arm and causing the steam brought to rest by
each fixed blade or abutment to re-act again against the said conical shield and
increase the energy of rotation.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1893.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Steam Turbines and Wheels.
I, The Honourable CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS of Heaton Works,
Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County of Durham, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to steam turbines and steam wheels, and its object is to
improve the construction, economy, and action of such turbines, and steam wheels.;
while simplifying the manufacture and adjustments.
Referring to the two sheets of accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing a steam wheel in which my invention
is carried into effect.
Figure 2 is a transverse section through one of the chambers.
Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 1 showing my steam wheels in combination
with a low pressure radial disc.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a single arm with jet discharge and balance weight.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the arm.
Figure 6 is a section showing the method of closing up the end.
In carrying one part of my invention into effect, I construct a reaction engine
consisting of one or more pairs of arms such as A A' A' mounted upon a spindle C
and so arranged that steam is admitted to the interior of the said arms by suitable
passages as C Figure 1 in the spindle C and is discharged by apertures as C³ from
the hollow spindle and from each pair by apertures as a a a³ at the ends of the
arms A A' A' arranged to discharge at or near the tangent to the circle swept by
the arms as shown clearly at Figure 2. The arms are arranged within a hollow
case or series of cases D'D' D'. In one construction as shown at Figures 1 and 3,
I arrange a series of circular cases to check into each other circumferentially, and
One
form one larger case divided by partitions into a number of chambers.
spindle C passes through the series of chambers and carries upon it a pair of arms
in each chamber. One arm, however, may be carried in each chamber provided
with a suitable balance weight or piece; or any number of arms may be so carried
provided that balancing is carefully allowed for. Such an arm with its balance
weight is shown at Figure 4. One end of the spindle passes through a high
pressure steam chest B and a number of grooves E turned in the spindle work in
a bearing having corresponding grooves; one set of such grooves prevents the
high pressure steam from leaking into the atmosphere from the said high pressure
steam chest P, and another set of grooves E' prevents the high pressure steam
from leaking into the first chamber. Between the two sets of grooves E E' and
the spindle C radial apertures Care drilled to a hollow bored out or formed in
the spindle C. Similar apertures C lead from the said hollow to the interior
of the boss of the first pair of arms A2; the arms are cast hollow with a passage
of uniform area, and of Hattened section; the exterior is also of a flattened section
sharpened towards both edges as shown at Figure 5 in order to provide arms
capable of passing rapidly through the steam in the casing without creating much
resistance. That is, the arms are arranged to move on edge through the steam
within the casing, and the necessary section is provided by making them sufficiently
wide. I prefer to rotate these arms at about 6000 revolutions per minute and
hence it is necessary that there should be a considerable margin of strength to
resist the great centrifugal force. To provide this strength the exterior figure of
each arm is conical, that is, the arm is thicker and broader at the root near the
boss than it is at the extremity. Slots a a' a' are cut in the edges of the
arms A A A³ to furnish discharge orifices and permit the steam by its reaction to
propel the arms, and hence the spindle. The steam passing from these orifices fills
.

page_text: one chamber D' of the casing and passes thus through the boss of the next arm,
which boss is turned to fit a bored opening in the wall of the chamber. A series
of passages through the said boss permit steam to flow from the first chamber into
the interior of the second pair of arms A'; thus the steam discharges by emission
apertures into the second chamber D' of the casing. From the second chamber the
steam passes similarly through the boss of the third pair of arms A and by
emission jets a to the third casing D whence the steam may pass to a fourth pair
of arms and chamber if desired, and so on.
As the steam passes in this manner from chamber to chamber through each
pair of arms, the pressure falls and each pair by reaction adds to the energy of
rotation of the steam wheel or turbine spindle. The interior of the passages
and emission apertures of the arms are arranged in continually increasing area in
order to allow for expansion.
It has been proved that steam cannot flow at more than 1440 feet per second,
and that an expansion of 1 to 1.63 is sufficient to gain this velocity; therefore in a
compound turbine of the reaction jet type, when working with 100 lbs. steam and
exhausting into the atmosphere, it is necessary to employ at least five sets of arms
in separate cases, thus limiting the expansion in each issue, to under the above
mentioned ratio of expansion. For this reason reaction wheels like Heroes engine
employing one wheel only, have not given good results.
The boss of each arm projecting through the partitions is arranged as a nice fit
and grooves or serrations may be turned in the bored apertures in the chamber
walls I prefer however to arrange a groove packing as hereinbefore described for
resisting high steam pressure. Such a packing described in Specification of
Patent No. 1120 of 1890 already granted to me. I also prefer to use end adjust-
ments for tightening the said packings as described in my Patent No. 14994 of
1890 and arrange the packings around all the bosses so as to be tightened or
adjusted. At the point where the spindle emerges from the last chamber a similar
series of packing grooves as E' are provided. At the lower side of each chamber
I arrange apertures H opening into drain jackets or boxes G. It is important
that these jackets or boxes be thoroughly drained free from condensed water.
prefer to fasten the bosses of my arms to the spindle by pinching screws, although
keys may be used, and I build together the whole apparatus by threading on the
arms pair by pair and then slipping on each chamber in series, bolting the whole
together by convenient longitudinal bolts. I discharge the exhaust steam from
the last chamber in series either to the atmosphere or into a suitable condenser by
way of the pipe F. In order to secure minimum resistance of the arms within
the casings I polish the surfaces to a considerable extent, and to provide a casting
of smooth surface within I cast the oblong hollow interior of each pair of arms
open straight through, and I close in the ends by securely riveted pieces.
I
An end so finished is shown at Figure 6, where b is the riveted in piece. This
construction enables me to efficiently clean out the interior and it permits of each
pair of arms being correctly balanced as to weight when mounted upon the
spindle.
I also sometimes make the arms of sheet copper, brass or steel, which are
riveted, screwed or soldered into the boss; by this means greater strength and
lightness is secured and a higher speed or longer arms are admissible.
The spindle bearings are formed in the manner described and claimed by me in
Specification No. 1120 of 1890.
In large steam turbines using high pressure I find that the reaction arms
as A A A herein before described are more economical in some cases for the high
but
pressure part of the machine than the discs and blades hitherto used by me,
find the discs arranged with moving and fixed blades sometimes to be still the
most economical for the low pressure part of the machine. Another part of this
invention accordingly consists in a combination of reaction arms as A A¹ A' for
the high pressure part of the machine, with discs and blades for the low pressure
part. An engine so arranged is shown at Figure 3, where the large disc K, with

page_text: blades on both sides is adopted for the low pressure part. The discs with blades
as described in my Specification No. 10940 of 1891 are here shown in combination
with the reaction arms.
Such a combination under some circumstances gives much greater economy in
steam consumption when high pressures are used than has hitherto been attained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A steam wheel or engine consisting of a number of hollow reaction arms
arranged in sequence in a number of chambers, the said arms having discharge
apertures of increasing area from the high pressure to the low pressure end,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A steam wheel or engine comprising a series of chambers in which reaction
arms are caused to rotate, the said chambers being provided with drainage apertures
and drainage boxes or spaces, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. A steam turbine comprising a series of reaction arms rotating in a series of
chambers for the high pressure steam; in combination with a disc or discs carrying
blades for the low pressure steam, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described, reference being had to Figure 3 of the drawings.
4. In reaction arms for steam wheels, the construction of the said arms cast
hollow throughout and closed at the ends by filling in pieces, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated at Figure 6 of the drawings.
5. The particular arrangement and construction of steam wheels or turbines as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 28th day of February 1894.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.