Improvements in Turbines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Turbines.
I, GEZA KÜRTÖSI of Zólyom, in the Kingdom of Hungary and Empire of
Austria, 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 :-
The object of the present invention consists in a method of regulating turbines
the particulars of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which
Figures 1 and 2 show a cylinder under water pressure and its section A. B.
Figure 3 shows a centrifugal regulator on the section C. D. of Figure 2.
Figure 4 shows a section on the line E. F. of Figure 2.
The essential part of the regulating arrangement consists in the closing plates a
connected to one another by slides which can close more or less the opening A
into which the water driving the turbine passes in the closed in turbine envelope
by means of rolls 6 which move on a track c c. When the speed of the machine
becomes greater more and more plates a place themselves upon the opening A.
According to the well known hydro-dynamic law the pressure of the water receives
thereby no reduction because regarding water as being column moving in a
conduit the total of energy and pressure of the latter is alike at each point.
It results that the pressure of the water on the sides of the plates a which are
turned towards the opening A is smaller than that upon the opposite sides of the
plates because the water on that side is in motion whilst on the other side it is at
rest. The difference in pressure is equal to the active power of the flowing water
and the excess pressure tends to press the plates downwards. If therefore the
rollers 6 had a free course they would consecutively place themselves upon the
openings A. It follows from this, that, for the purpose of regulating the turbine
a counterforce is necessary which will correspondingly reduce the surplus pressure
of the water in motion. The plates a forming the water controlling device are
narrow trapeze formed pieces of a thickness corresponding to the static pressure of
the water. In the case of great elevations they are made of steel and in other
cases preferably of cast iron. The slides connecting them are made of hardened
steel and secured to the plates by means of bolts or screws in such a manner that
their outer edges come together at the centre of the turbine. The rolls bare
attached to the first plate and a suitable fastening for the bar d which is in
connection with the regulating mechanism properly so called and draws away the
secured to the envelope
plates a from the opening A as required. The last plate
of the turbine by means of screws. The whole row of the plates a is connected
together and protected against the opening A by means of a flexible leather or
indiarubber lining. The force requisite for the removal of the obstructing plates
is supplied by the pressure of the water itself flowing in the turbine in such
manner that the pressure acts upon a plunger piston connected with the bar d and
which passes through the envelope of the turbine in a water-tight stuffing box.
The stroke of the piston corresponds in the main with the direction of the rails c c
upon which the rolls 6 move. In order to render the action more certain there is
placed between the end of the bar d and the last plate a roller g. The motion of
the piston is dependant on a regulating cylinder which receives the piston at the
end opposite to that of the rod d. One end of the regulating cylinder is connected
to a water conducting tube, the other end to the turbine whereby a pressure is

page_text: created in the cylinder which is equal to that prevailing in the turbine. Hereby a
force is obtained which strives to place the plates a entirely upon the opening A.
In the tube f there is inserted a slide box and by means of the said slide the above
mentioned connection can he either absolutely cut off or altered as may be
required, (Figures 2 and 4). In the uppermost position of the slide the cylinder
stands as shown in Figure 4 in connection with the free portion so that in this case
the water pressure acting upon the lower end of the piston attains its full power.
The rollers 6 then proceed upon the rails upwards, the plates a are raised one after
the other and the openings A are opened. If now the connection be cut off
corresponding to the middle position of the slide, the pressure in the regulating
cylinder is correspondingly reduced as that of the power which strives to press the
plates a upon the openings. In this case the plunger does not alter its position
until a difference of pressure is established. The lowest position of the slide
corresponds to a connection between the regulating cylinder and the turbine as
already indicated above. The turbine is kept at the required speed by means of
an ordinary centrifugal regulator corresponding to the speed required by the motor
or other machine which it is driving. A low speed of the turbine is demonstrated
in Figures 3 and 4. The slide is brought into the highest position by means
of the centrifugal regulator, a great speed brings this slide into its lowest
position.
The arrangement above described is adapted to turbines of partial effect, in
turbines with full effect the parts a, b, c that is to say the closing device must be
multiplied. Moreover a ring is provided upon the cylindrical part which surrounds
the axle of the turbine and from which arms lead to the closing device, and in this
latter case the common plunger moves the ring.
In carrying out the construction it is moreover to be remarked that the
regulating cylinder should be provided with an automatic safety valve which will
open as soon as on the one side the pressure of the water is greater than in the
iuterior of the turbine and will allow water to flow into the same, this happens
when the plunger receives more energy than the turbine ring whereby the slide
closes the opening. The slides are accessible through a spiral tube and may be
oiled by means of the same. If the water is not sufficiently clean a guiding iron in
the shape of a snow plough is-adapted to the closing surface which by means of the
arms fixed thereon draws or pushes the closing device before it.
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 regulating mechanism for turbines with uncovering of the conducting
channels by means of plates characterized by having the said plates joined together
by articulations and in which the same can consecutively lay themselves upon the
iulet opening A so that the first of these plates a bears rolls b which move upon
suitable rails cc whilst the last of the plates a is suitably attached to the envelope
of the turbine.
Dated this 20th 1
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.