Improvements in Engines of the Turbine Type.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1398-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
Improvements in Engines of the Turbine Type.
I, WILLIAM EDGAR PRALL, of 261, East 42nd Street, New York, in the County
and State of New York, United States of America, Steam Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The invention relates to engines of the turbine type and has for its object to
increase their efficiency and the economy of manufacture. It consists in the
construction hereinafter described and pointed out.
In the accompanying drawings,
15 aparea perspective of bucket rings;
Figs. 6 and 6 are partial sections showing different positions of movable parts;
Fig. 7 is a broken elevation of a reversible engine with the improvement applied
thereto;
Fig. 8 is a partial section of the same;
Fig. 9 is a partial section indicating a modification; and
Fig. 10 is a partial section indicating a modification.
Numeral 1 denotes the engine base and 2 a cylinder or case which is closed
by a detachable head 3. Means for connecting these parts aro indicated at 4.
5 denotes bearings including a stuffing box and 6 is a rotary shaft bar driving
any desired machinery. To this shaft is fixed by screws 7 or any suitable means
nhub 8 provided with extensions 8¹.
The hub in the present instance comprises concentric cylindrical parts joined
by a web. 9. To the hub are fixed, by any suitable means and in steam tight
manner, one or more annular discs, rings or flanges 10 having on their proximate
or inner faces buckets or inclined fluid-deflecting planes 11 adapted to receive the
impact of steam or other fluid.
The annular discs or rings 10 may have a close joint with the inner surface
of the cylinder.
12 denotes a stationary abutment or piston head fixed to the cylinder between
the rings 10 and fitted between them with close joints.
The abutment is cored out to provide an admission port 13 which receives
atram or other agent. The port 13 admits steam to the buckets 11 through one
or more ports 16.
The partitions 17 between the buckets in each ring are separated by a distance
less than the circumferential length of the abutment 12 so that the escape of
steam back past these partitions on either side is precluded, as indicated in the
drawings.
The impact of the motive fluid on the surface of the buckets causes them to
advance until they are moved beyond the abutment whereupon there is an exhaust

page_text: into the annular space 19 and out through port 20. Steam or other agent is
continuously admitted to the port 13 and acts upon the buckets in succession,
being successively exhausted as the buckets faces are driven beyond the abutment
and a communication with the exhaust port thereby opened.
The steam expands according to the distance between the partitions, the cut-off
being effected by the partitions following that whose inclined face has just
received impact and the pressure of expanding fluid. Obviously the cut-off can be
varied by providing bucket rings having partitions of greater or less dimensions
circumferentially, and provision for this may be made by detachably connecting
the rings to the hub so that different bucket rings can be used as desired. The
particular form of buckets and impact faces is not essential provided they direct
the steam at the proper angle to the opposite bucket.
In Figure 7 is shown a reversing engine embodying our invention. 21 denotes
a steam inlet pipe and 22 inlet ports and 23 exhaust ports.
24 and 25 indicate respectively admission and exhaust rocking valves and 241
and 25 are crank arms fixed to the stems of the valves. 26 is a connecting rod
and 27 a reversing lever, the construction being such that steam can be admitted
to either port 13 of the abutment 12¹ and exhausted through the corresponding
exhaust valve.
28 denotes a valve in the steam supply pipe for regulating or wholly closing off
steam admission. This valve may be automatically controlled by a governor if
desired.
The exhaust may connect with a vacuum chamber, and a condenser and pump
may be provided if desired but such devices being well known description is
unnecessary.
It is not in every case necessary to admit all or any of the propelling fluid
through port 13 and another admission port or ports such as 13 indicated by
dotted lines in Figures 1 and 5, may if desired be used solely or in co-operation
with a port such as 13. In case a port such as 131 is used the admission will be
continuous.
It will be understood that a propelling fluid will by its expansive force be
thrown against the faces 11 in zig zag course and that exhaust occurs after the
impact on the face adjacent port 20. Obviously this port may communicate with
other bucket rings or discs in one cylinder suitably prolonged to further utilize
the steam, and multiple expansion is also contemplated.
The principles of construction and operation would be illustrated were the
rings 10 made separate and one of them fixed to the cylinder as by a screw 30
(see Fig. 10).
Referring to Figures 1 to 9*
Figure 1 is a central section of a modification of the improved impact engine
eylinder transverse to the shaft;
Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1*;
Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2^;
Fig. 4 is a partial section showing another modification, and
Fig. 5 is a partial transverse section of the same;.
Fig. 6 is a partial section of a compound engine, and
Fig. 7 is a partial elevation of the same showing steam ports;
Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Figure 7^;
Fig. 9 is a partial broken section showing steam deflectors.
Numeral 1 indicates a shaft and 2 a fixed cylinder having a head 3 with a screw
thread or other suitable connection to the cylinder. 4 is an exhaust port.
To the shaft is fixed what may be styled a piston comprising exterior or curved
and interior discs or rings 5 and 6 each provided with inclined faces or surfaces 7¹
to receive the impact of steam or other fluid admitted through a port 8 in an
abutment 9 fixed to the stationary cylinder. The rings or discs 5 and 6 may be
east. integrally with the head or diaphragm or they may be made separate and
connected by any suitable means. Water or other agent admitted from pipe 10

page_text: under pressure and passing into space 11 at 8 advances toward the exhaust by
repeated impacts upon the faces 71 on opposite sides of the space 11 (Figs. 1, 4, 10)
and drives the piston and shaft, admission and exhaust being continuous.
121, see Figures 6 and 8ª, denotes stationary deflectors or fingers which may be
used if preferred. These are so situated with relation to the impact faces as to
deflect the steam against similar faces on opposite sides of the space 11.
In Figure 4 is shown a modification in which a disc or head 12 is fixed in
& Stationary cylinder 2 and a dise 13 fixed to a shaft, each being provided with
impact faces 7. These discs have contiguous rims or flanges at 14, and disc 12
has an abutment 15 to prevent backflow of the steam. 16 is an admission port,
and 16 an exhaust pipe.
In Figures 6 and 7 is shown a construction whereby an indefinite number of
bucket discs or rings may be employed to secure multiple expansion. 17 denotes
a disc or ring fixed at 18 between sections 19 of a stationary cylinder and pro-
vided on each face with impact faces. 20 and 21 are rotating discs. fixed to
the shaft and provided with suitable impact faces.
Steam is admitted to the impact faces of one disc at 81 (see Figure 7^) and
exhausted at the adjacent port 41 (Figures 7 and 8) and this exhaust is ad-
mitted at 811 to the faces of the adjacent disc and exhausted at 4". Any number
of discs may be thus combined.
In all forms of the engine the steam admission and exhaust ports are in direct
The course of
communication through the annular space between the discs.
steam will be from one dise to its opposite in a zig zag line producing a series
of impacts upon the moving faces or planes inclined to the direction of the
movement of said faces, that is of the discs (or pistons). However great the
velocity of the disc or discs as compared with that of the steam in its transverse
reactions there will always be faces in suitable situation to receive its impact
and this is true though there is a single annular passage always open between
the admission and exhaust ports.
Although the inclined faces are adapted to receive the impact of steam in
transverse direction they are also adapted to receive pressure of expanding steam.
It is conceived that no ateam pressure will be lost, the direct path for its escape
being preferably narrow as represented, so that the numerous cross currents of
high velocity act as a barrier to any direct escape through the open space between
the discs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. In an engine the rotary rings or discs provided with bucket faces or deflect-
ing planes to compel the propelling fluid to pass in a zig zag manner said discs
being separated by a stationary abutment, through which the propelling fluid is
admitted and directed against the bucket faces, substantially as shown and
described.
2. In an engine the rotary rings or discs provided with bucket faces or de-
flecting planes to compel the propelling fluid to pass in a zig zag manner said
dises being rigidly fixed together and separated by a stationary abutment, through
which the propelling fluid is admitted and directed against the bucket faces, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
3. In an engine, the cylinder provided with fixed abutment having admission
ports for a fluid under pressure, and rotating dison or rings provided with bucket
faces or planes, exhaust ports, and reversing valves whereby the fluid may be
admitted to either abutment port and exhausted from a corresponding port to
drive the engine in reverse directions, substantially as described.
the rotor annular rings or disce provided with bucket faces or

page_text: manner, said discs being separated by a fixed abutment, substantially as shown and
described.
5. In an engine the discs or rings provided with deflecting planes facing each
other, one of said discs being made fast to the shaft to rotate with it, and
the other being fixed, the fixed disc having an abutment 15 to prevent the
propelling fluid from escaping directly to the exhaust, substantially as shown
and described.
6. In an engine provided with rotary discs or rings having faces or planes
for directing the propelling fluid in a zig zag motion across an open channel or
way between them, the deflecting fingers situated in the said way between the
discs, substantially as shown and described.
7. In an engine provided with a plurality of rotary discs having deflecting
bucket faces or planes for directing the propelling fluid in a zig zag direction,
comprising several sections, and the connecting channel leading from the exhaust
port of one section to the inlet port of the succeeding section through an abut-
ment situated between two discs, and provided with an admission port, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
8. In an engine having two oppositely situated discs provided with deflecting
faces or planes to direct the propelling fluid in a zig zag manner one of said discs
being attached to and revolving with the shaft and the other stationary, the
combination with said discs of an abutment situated in an open space between
said discs, substantially as shown and described.
9. In an engine having two discs provided with deflecting faces or planes to
direct the propelling fluid in a zig zag manner across a space between the disca;
the abutment fixed between the discs to prevent the backward flow of the fluid, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
Dated this 14th day of November 1900
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.