Improvement in the Opening and Shutting of Turbine Gates or Shuts.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Opening and Shutting of Turbine Gates
or Shuts.
1, HENRY JAMES HUBERT KING, of Newmarket Engineering Works, Nails-
worth, Gloucestershire, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :—
An improvement in the opening and shutting of turbine gates, or shuts on a
turbine where the inflowing water is controlled by an even number of gates,
or shuts, which open or shut the guides, or water conductors, to the revolving
bucket wheel. The guides form a complete circle. The improvement lies in a
ring of metal-usually cast iron or gunmetal-which has an upper and lower
groove or section with two inclinations diametrically opposite each other; so that
the lower groove runs into the top groove in two parts of the ring opposite each
other.
Into these grooves run little metallic rollers attached directly to the gates, or
shuts. When the ring is moved in a circular direction the rollers pass in pairs
simultaneously from the lower groove to the upper groove so that the gates, or
shuts, in opposite pairs are opened. When the ring has travelled half a turn the
gates, or shuts are all open, & half a turn in the opposite direction when it is
required to shut the gates, or shuts.
The advantages of shutting the gates in pairs is firstly that the water cannot
work more on one side than on the other side of the bucket wheel, that is the
wheel will not be pushed hard over to one side but be in equilibrium. Secondly
that the remaining guides, when one pair of gates, or shuts, are closed, are quite
free & not throttled; so that the efficiency of the impact of the water with the
bucket wheel is the same at all fractions of the total gate area-usually termed
full gate, half gate, quarter gate-this is a very important point regarding the
consumption of water. The efficiency of the water impact with the bucket wheel
as a motive power being the same at all fractions of the gate. The number of
fractions being the number of pairs of gates which cover the circle of guides or
water conductors.
Dated this 7th day of December 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Opening and Shutting of Turbine Gates
or Shuts.
I, HENRY JAMES HUBERT KING, of Newmarket Engineering Works, Nails-
worth, Gloucestershire, 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 :-
Improvement in the opening and shutting of turbine gates, or shuts on a turbine,
where the inflowing water is controlled by an even number of gates or shuts, which
open or shut the guides, or water conductors to the revolving bucket wheel,
The guides form a complete circle.

page_text: The improvement lies in a ring of metal, usually cast iron, or gunmetal which
has an upper and lower groove, or section, with two inclinations diametrically
opposite each other, so that the lower groove runs into the top groove in two parts
of the ring opposite each other.
Into these grooves run little metallic rollers attached directly to the gates, or
shuts. When the ring is moved in a circular direction, the rollers pass in pairs
simultaneously from the lower groove to the upper groove so that the gates, or
shuts, in opposite pairs, are opened. When the ring has travelled half a turn, the
gates, or shuts, are all open, and the ring is turned back again in the opposite
direction half a turn, when it is required to shut the gates, or shuts.
This advantage of shutting the gates in pairs is, firstly, that the water cannot
work more on one side than on the other side of the bucket wheel, that is, the
wheel will not be pushed hard over to one side but be in equilibrium. Secondly,
that the remaining guides, when one pair of gates, or shuts are closed, are quite
free and not throttled so that the efficiency of the impact of the water with the
bucket wheel is the same at all fractions of the total gate area,-usually termed
full gate, half gate, quarter gate, this is a very important point regarding the
consumption of water. The efficiency of the water impact with the bucket wheel
as a motive power being the same at all fractions of the gate. The number of
fractions being the number of pairs of gates which cover the circle of guiders or
water conductors.
In order that my invention may be properly understood I have annexed hereunto
3 sheets of explanatory drawings.
These sheets show the application of my improvement to both inward flow, and
outward flow turbines.
Figs. 1 & 2 on Sheet 1 are sectional elevation and plan of an inward flow turbine,
the bucket wheel A works inside the guide ring B, which conducts the inflowing
water. The guide ring is secured to the case C by flanges, and the space between
the outside of case and the guide ring is filled with water at the pressure of the full
head of water available. To regulate the flow of water through the guides in the
guide ring we place all round the diameter of the ring an even number of gates D;
which are operated by gate spindles E. The ends of the spindles are provided
with metallic rollers, and these rollers run in the grooves of cam F, which is in the
form of a circular ring, and which is held in position vertically, and in the centre
by pillars G. also provided with metallic rollers. The circular movement of the
cam F is regulated by a cog wheel which gears into teeth cast on the back of
the cam.
The cog wheel being connected to the hand wheel or governor. The
cam F is provided with two grooves one above the other but the lower groove runs
into the upper groove by two inclinations diametrically opposite.
Thus when the gates are all closed the rollers are all in the bottom groove and
by moving the cam ring F half a turn the rollers pass in pairs (opposite each other)
from the lower groove to the upper groove till all the rollers are in the top
groove. The rollers, being directly connected by the spindles to the gates, cause
the gates, in pairs diametrically opposite each other, to be opened and allow the
water at the full head pressure to act on the bucket wheel. By moving the cam
ring half a turn in the opposite direction to that by which the gates are opened all
the gates are again closed.
Fig. 3 on Sheet 1 is the cam ring F with 4 inclinations opposite each other and
which would only require a quarter of a turn to open all the gates, as 4 gates
would be moving at the same time. With this cam ring the number of gates must
necessarily be four or a multiple of four.
Figs. 4 & 5. on Sheet 2 are the sectional elevation and plan of an outward flow
turbine. The wheel A runs outside the guide ring B which is fixed usually in
a wooden flume, the water being all round it at the pressure of the full head of
water.
The gates D. are placed round inside the guide ring B, and are operated in the
same way as described above by the cam F through the spindle E. The cam F

page_text: is placed above the water at a convenient height, and the pillars G are secured to
a frame casting H, which is bolted to the extention of the guide ring B.
Fig. 6 on Sheet 2 is the cam ring with 4 inclinations.
Figs. 7 & 8 on Sheet 3 are the sectional elevation and plan of an inward flow
turbine where the cam ring is operated above the flume of the turbine, the frame
casting H being fixed on the floor, which covers the flume.
The cam F in this instance having 3 inclinations and the number of gates a
multiple of 3. I have shown 9 gates and the maximum movement of the cam F
would be of a circle. In this instance the 3 gates closed would be at an angle
of 120° to each other, so that the bucket wheel would not be biased sideways in
any direction through the closing of the gate.
Fig. 9 on Sheet 3 is the cam F with 6 inclinations, the maximum movement
being of a circle. Here the number of gates must necessarily be 6 or a
multiple of 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed-I declare what I
claim is :-
1st. The use of a gate gear on an inward flowing turbine as substantially shown
in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 on Sheet 1 by which the gates are fully closed and fully opened
in one or more pairs, diametrically opposite to each other, so that the efficiency of
the water impact with the bucket wheel as a motive power, is the same at all
fractions of the total gate area. The number of fractions being the number of pairs
of gates which are operated upon simultaneously, and that the bucket or turbine
wheel is not biased on one particular side by the action of the water, but works in
equilibrium round its centre.
2nd. The use of a gate gear on an outward flowing turbine as substantially
shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 on Sheet 2 by which the gates are fully closed and
fully opened in one or more pairs of gates diametrically opposite each other for
the same purpose as in Claim 1.
3rd. The use of a gate gear on an inward flowing turbine as substantially shown
in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, on Sheet 3 by which the gates are fully closed and fully
opened, three or a multiple of three at a time, at an angle of 120° on the diameter
to each other, so that the efficiency of the water impact with the bucket wheel as
a motive power is the same at all fractions of the total gate area, the number of
fractions being the total number of gates divided by 3 that are operated upon
simultaneously. Likewise for an outward flow turbine.
Dated this Seventh day of Sentember 1896