Improvements in Steam or other Elastic Fluid Turbines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd June, 1891-Accepted, 25th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or other Elastic Fluid Turbines.
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 improvements in the detail arrangements and con-
struction of "steam turbines" and has for its object the removal of certain
difficulties which have hitherto impaired the efficiency and economy of such motors.
My improvements relate to means of minimising leakage, adjustment of packings,
arrangement of radial turbines, construction and arrangement of moving and fixed
blades with their casings, balancing steam thrust and construction of thrust
bearings.
An important if not the chief obstacle to the successful working of such turbines
has been due to the difficulty of preventing considerable leakage of steam by way
of the necessary clearances between the rotating blades and the casing, and the
fixed blades and the rotating spindle or cylinder. This difficulty is common to all
types of steam turbine whether simple or compound, and to overcome it in
accordance with my invention, I provide means for the longitudinal adjustment of
the moving turbine spindle relatively to the case and so arrange the rotating and
fixed turbine blades that such longitudinal movement diminishes the clearance
between the rotating blades, and the casing, or between these blades and the fixed
blades.
In this manner I control the clearance spaces so that I can reduce such spaces
to the lowest point consistent with the safety of the blades while revolving. The
longitudinal adjustment of the spindle may be effected in any convenient manner
by adjusting screw, wedge, lever, or other mechanical device, and the same move-
ment which adjusts the clearance may also tighten up the packing arrangements
which prevent leakage of the steam at the spindle where it enters the turbine case.
By so reducing leakage I am enabled to increase the diameter of the turbines
and diminish the rate of revolution, or while maintaining the same speed with
larger diameter I reduce the number of turbines in the motor for a given power..
I thus gain in quietness or simplicity of construction as I determine.
In constructing outward flow turbines I sometimes adopt the following improved
arrangements of turbine moving and fixed blades. In one arrangement I cut, cast,
weld or otherwise attach the blades in circular rows on one side only of the
rotating disc or cone, and similarly attach or form circular rows of blades on one
side of the fixed disc or cone in such manner that when a pair of discs or cones
rotating and fixed come together face to face to form one complete element of
a compound turbine, the circular rows of rotating and fixed blades, project within
each other forming alternating concentric circles of guide blades and rotating
blades. The guide blades forming the inner circle, and directing the steam out-
wards upon the first circle of moving blades where it passes to the next circle of
fixed blades and so on through fixed and moving blades alternately until it reaches
the exterior of the disc or cone and is discharged to the exhaust or to. another
turbine pair. The number of rows in each disc or cone, the extreme diameter, the
number, dimensions and shape of the blades depends on the power and speed of
the motor required together with the pressure, nature, and density of the motive
fluid employed. In such turbines 1 sometimes adopt the known methods of con-
structing the fixed discs in halves, each half attached to the interior of a
longitudinally divided case, or thread; the discs on alternately with the rotating

page_text: discs fixed on the spindle, but I prefer to so form the fixed discs that when threaded
on the spindle between the moving discs they drop into the case when the spindle
is placed in position.
The two halves of the case are formed with grooves into which the fixed discs
fit so that when the two parts of the case are bolted together, the fixed discs are
firmly held in the grooves, and fit in these grooves steam tight and prevent steam
passing except by the proper channels. The fixed discs are in this arrangement
of larger diameter than the moving discs and I prefer to keep them in position
when the spindle carrying both sets of discs is out of the case by means of lugs or
distance pieces attached to or forming part of the fixed discs, but so placed as to
give sufficient clearance to the moving discs when in rotation. The two halves of
the case may be made without grooves and the fixed discs may be arranged to fit
the continuous cylindrical surface in a steam-tight way while they may be held in
position by friction alone, or by pins, screws, bolts, or keys put in place either
before or after the case is bolted together.
If required I may use a piston ring or rings in the edge of each fixed disc to
prevent leakage from one division to another. The rows or rings of blades may
be formed on the fixed and moving discs out of the solid by cutting or milling, or
by other mode such as by a reciprocating tool, and may be curved or straight;
but in some cases I prefer to construct the rows of blades separately and then
attach to the discs. In one construction I form the rows of blades from solid
rings suitably cut and let into the side of the discs after forming the blades. Or
I cut the blades on a straight metal rod which I afterwards bend to form a circle,
jointing the ends by solder, welding or other means, or simply butting, and
inserting, and fastening into suitable grooves in the discs either by caulking,
screwing, shrinking, soldering, or other known method. The blades may thus be
formed and attached so as to project from the face of the disc. When shrouded
blades are desired I form them by suitable tools from a wide strip, ring, or tube
of metal, cutting the passages through by cutters. Sometimes I cut straight slots
and form the ring thicker than the finished thickness so that the slots shall not
penetrate. The blades or solid metal between the slots can then be bent up or
curved with pincers or dies. The ring is afterwards backed off to the finished
thickness, the passages are thereby bared and the metal between them is found
not to have been twisted or disturbed by the bending as would be the case if the
slots were cut through before the bending process.
In balancing the end pressure of the steam on the discs I may adopt the known
mode of admitting steam to the centre of a number of symmetrically arranged
discs and so directing the steam to supply two sets of opposed turbines; but I
prefer to pass the steam in one direction and balance the end pressure by means
of a rotating piston or pistons rotating with the turbine spindle and so disposed
that the longitudinal thrust is balanced or nearly balanced. The rotating piston
or pistons carry on its or their circumference suitable ring facings or grooves,
plain or conical which can be tightened, or clearance reduced by the longitudinal
adjustment of spindle hereinbefore described. Similar ring facings or grooves plain
or conical being formed on the interior of the casing to oppose those on the
rotating piston or pistons. Preferably I arrange the pistons on the same spindle
as the turbines, and admit the steam between them and the turbine discs; but they
may be arranged on another spindle suitably connected to the main spindle.
Where the spindle enters the turbine case I may form the packing with rings
and facings as described for the pistons and adjustable by the same movement of
the spindle. By providing several seriel packing faces, leakage may be drawn off
when exhausting to atmosphere or steam admitted to exclude air when exhausting
to a condenser. I may also add in addition or use separately any other form of
packing. The thrust bearing or the bearing which maintains the longitudinal
position of the spindle relatively to the turbine case, I prefer to make of the usual
collar thrust type providing ample bearing surface; but it may be of any other
convenient form. I supply it with a screw or other sufficient means of longitudinal

page_text: adjustment so as to maintain the minimum practicable clearance. I sometimes use
elastic thrust washers to take the thrust as described in my Specification No. 112000
so as to distribute the pressure uniformly.
In
In some cases I provide two or more thrust bearings or divide the thrust bearing
longitudinally or transversely into two or more parts with an end adjustment
common to all to take up end play or wear. The adjustment of these separate
pieces may be relative or absolute as required to meet the conditions of wear.
some cases I may instead of adjusting the spindle end wise adjust by movement of
the cylinder or portions of the cylinder relatively to the spindle or to each other.
And in some cases I prefer to fix thrust bearings to the moving portions of the
cylinder and to move endwise with them.
When the steam pressure varies, the end pressure on the spindle will change
when the system of balancing by rotating piston is used, and to meet this difficulty
I proportion the areas of the balancing piston or pistons and the disc areas of the
concentric rings of blades on the turbine discs to suit the pressures to be used.
Or I arrange a conical balance piston with several diameters of piston and connect
the steps by passages to the turbine chambers in series.
In the inward flow type I arrange the moving and fixed discs in a manner
similar to that I have described in reference to the outward flow type. In this
case however the moving rings of blades lie within, instead of without, their
respective rings of guide blades. I prefer to prevent leakage by the same or
similar devices which after the above explanation are sufficiently obvious.
In the
case when a single row only of guide and moving blades are used in each turbine,
the inward flow differs from the outward flow in that the guide rings in the former
may be formed in halves and attached to the two halves of the longitudinally
divided casing, the spindle can then be dropped into place and the cover let down,
no end displacement of the spindle being necessary to allow of the parts to come
into place as is required in putting together the outward flow type under similar
circumstances.
In this turbine the partition containing the guide blades may be brought
inwards close to the spindle as described in my Patent No. 11200 and the moving
disc may be a shrouded wheel, similar to an inward flow water turbine.
Although throughout this Specification I have described steam as the motive
fluid, I wish it to be distinctly understood that any other elastic motive fluid may
be used to actuate the turbines constructed according to my invention.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1890.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or other Elastic Fluid Turbines.
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 improvements in the detail arrangements and construction
of steam turbines and has for its object the removal of certain difficulties which
have hitherto impaired the efficiency and economy of such motors.
My improvements relate to the means of minimising leakage, adjustment of
packings, arrangements of radial turbines, construction and arrangement of moving
and fixed blades with their casings, balancing steam thrust and construction. of
thrust bearings.
An important if not the chief obstacle to the successful working of such turbines
has been due to the difficulty of preventing considerable leakage of steam by way

page_text: of the necessary clearances between the rotating blades and the casing and the fixed
blades and the rotating spindle or cylinder. This difficulty is common to all types
of steam turbine whether simple or compound and to overcome it in accordance
with my invention I provide means for the longitudinal adjustment of the moving
turbine spindle relatively to the case and so arrange the rotating and fixed turbine
blades that such longitudinal movement diminishes the clearances between the
rotating blades and the casing or between these blades and the fixed blades.
In this manner I control the clearance spaces so that I can reduce such spaces
to the lowest point consistent with the safety of the blades while revolving.
The longitudinal adjustment of the spindle may be effected in any convenient
manner by adjusting screw wedge lever or other mechanical device and the same
movement which adjusts the clearance may also tighten up the packing arrangements
which prevent leakage of steam at the spindle where it enters the turbine case.
By reducing the leakage I am enabled to increase the diameter of the turbines
and so reduce the number of turbines in the motor, or the rate of revolution
for any given power, I then gain in quietness or simplicity of construction as I
determine.
In constructing outward flow turbines I sometimes adopt the following_improved
arrangement of turbine moving and fixed blades. In one arrangement I cut, cast,
weld or otherwise attach the blades in circular rows on one side only of the
rotating disc or cone and similarly attach or form circular rows of blades on one
side of the fixed disc or cone in such manner that when a pair of discs or cones
rotating and fixed come together face to face to form one complete element of a
compound turbine, the circular rows of rotating and fixed blades project within
each other forming alternately concentric circles of guide blades and rotating
blades. The guide blades forming the inner circle and directing the steam
outwards upon the first circle of moving blades where it passes to the next circle
of fixed blades and so on through fixed and moving blades alternately until it
reaches the exterior of the disc or cone and is discharged to the exhaust or to
another turbine pair. The number of rows in cach disc or cone, the extreme
diameter, the number, dimensions and shape of the blades depend on the power and
speed of the motor required together with the pressure, nature and density of the
motive fluid employed.
In such turbines I sometimes adopt the known methods of constructing the fixed
discs in halves, each half attached to the interior of a longitudinally divided case
or thread the discs on alternately with the rotating discs fixed on the spindle but I
prefer to so form the fixed discs that when threaded on the spindle between the
moving discs they drop into the case when the spindle is placed in position.
The two halves of the case are formed with grooves into which the fixed discs
fit so that when the two parts of the case are bolted together the fixed discs are
firmly held in the grooves, and fit in the grooves steam tight and prevent steam
passing except by the proper channels. The fixed discs in this arrangement are
of larger diameter than the moving discs and I prefer to keep them in position; or
when the spindle carrying both sets of discs is out of the case, by means of distance
pieces attached to or forming part of the fixed discs so placed as to give sufficient
clearance to the moving discs when in rotation. The two halves of the case may
be made without grooves and the fixed discs may be arranged to fit the internal
cylindrical surface in a steam tight manner, they meither before or after the case is
be held in position by friction
alone or by pins, screws, bolts or keys in place
bolted together.
If required I may use a piston ring or rings in the edge of each so as to prevent
leakage from one division to another.
The rows or rings of blades may be formed on the fixed and moving discs cut out
of the solid by cutting or milling, or by other mode such as by a reciprocating
tool, and may be curved or straight; but in some cases I prefer to construct the
rows of blades separately and then attach to the discs,

page_text: Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings which illustrate the carrying
out of my invention―
Figure 1 is an external elevation of one construction of my improved steam
turbine.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section.
Figure 3 is a section of the thrust block and longitudinal adjusting screws
while
Figure 4 shows the arrangement of packing adopted in this case.
Figure 5 illustrates the governing arrangements on a larger scale.
The turbine spindle A rotates in elastic bearings K, K₁ preferably of the type
described in the Specification of Patent No. 1120 of 1890 already granted to me
and the bearing K* carries the end of the armature spindle driven from A by the
connecting piece a. Discs B, B1, B2, B3, B4 are keyed or otherwise fastened to the
spindle and rotate with it and carry rows or rings of blades on one face formed in
any of the modes hereinbefore described which engage or rather alternate with
corresponding rows or rings of fixed blades attached to or forming part of the fixed
rings or plates C, C1, C2, C3, C. The rotating balance piston E secured on the
turbine spindle with the discs has turned ring facings and grooves which rotate
in similar rings and grooves in the ring piece F. L¹³, L' forms the thrust block
and L is the thrust portion of the spindle A.
High pressure steam is admitted to the turbine into the space F between the
balance piston E and the rotating ring B, the steam first passes a row of fixed
blades and is directed outwards to rotating blades whence it impinges upon a
second fixed row and is directed to a second rotating row and so
on until it
discharges at the circumference of the first rotating disc B and passes inwards to
the first row of fixed blades on the fixed ring C³ which directs it in a series of jets
on the first row of moving blades upon the rotating disc B³. The steam passes in
this manner from row to row of blades and from disc to disc continually expanding
or increasing in volume while falling in pressure till it discharges from the last row
of rotating blades in the rotating disc B into the exhaust space G¹ whence it
discharges by suitable pipes or passages to the atmosphere or a condenser. The
exhaust passage G' is in free communication with the outer side of the rotating
piston E and so the external surfaces both of the piston E and the disc B are
exposed to the same pressure. In balancing the end pressure of the steam on the
discs B1, B3, B2, B' and B, I may adopt the known mode of admitting steam to
the centre of a number of symmetrically arranged discs and so directing the steam
to supply two sets of opposed turbines; but I prefer to pass the steam in one
direction and balance the end pressure by means of a rotating piston or pistons
rotating with the turbine spindle as shown at E Figure 2 so disposed that the
longitudinal thrust is balanced or nearly balanced. The rotating piston carries on
its circumference ring facings and grooves alternate with similar ring facings and
grooves which may be parallel as illustrated at Figure 2 or conical. In any case
the ring facings and grooves alternate with similar ring facings and grooves in the
interior of the ring F which is fitted steam tight into the casing arranged in this
instance in two halves and bolted together. The piston E is preferably arranged
on the turbine spindle A and the steam is admitted between it and the turbine discs
as hereinbefore described but the piston E may be arranged on another spindle
suitably connected to the main spindle. Where the spindle A enters the turbine
case D, D', I arrange packing to prevent exit of steam with rings and facings
shown at H Figure 2 and on a larger scale at H, H' Figure 4. The grooved
sleeve H is fitted tightly over the spindle A and rotates with it within the sleeve H'
made in halves and fixed to the case. The alternate grooves and rings effectually
baffle the steam and prevent it from escaping. The thrust bearing or the bearing
which maintains the longitudinal position of the spindle relatively to the turbine
case I prefer to make of the collar thrust type indicated at L1, L2 Figures 2 and 3,
.and I arrange it also to permit of the longitudinal adjustment of the spindle A with
its discs B, B and its balance piston E. The balance piston E is proportioned

page_text: relatively to the disc so that some preponderance of pressure tends to keep the
turbine discs out of contact with the fixed discs or to pull the spindle away from
the thrust block L' towards the other side of the casing. The thrust block is
arranged in two halves L', L2 and the upper half L' slides over the lower half L2.
The lower half L2 beds firmly to the casing and a screw nut L³ encircles a
projection from both halves but the lower half is not screwed but is turned down
to miss the thread of the nut. The upper half is screwed and is held by the nut, a
flange from which butts against the faced part of the casing. When the nut L³ is
screwed up it therefore causes the upper half L' of the thrust block to slide and
causes the ring facings of the spindle L to bear hard against the corresponding
facings in the lower half L. The grooved spindle L and the grooved block L', L²
therefore permits of longitudinal adjustment and by easing the grooves in the
abutment in the lower part L² the spindle A may be pulled towards the thrust
block or tension block as it really is in this case and the clearance between the ends
of the rotating blades and the surface of the fixed ring and the ends of the fixed
blades and the surfaces of the rotating discs may be reduced to the lowest desirable
amount. The grooves and rings of the piston E are by the same adjustment
brought as close as required to the grooves and rings of the ring F fixed to the
case. The packings H are also tightened up.
Or
When the steam pressure varies, the end pressure on the spindle A will change
when the system of balancing I have described is adopted and to meet this difficulty
proportion the areas of the balancing piston or pistons and the disc areas of the
concentric rings of blades on the turbine discs to suit the pressure to be used.
I arrange a conical balance piston with several diameters of packings and connect
the steps by passages to the turbine chambers in series. In the inward flow type
I arrange the moving and fixed discs in a manner similar to that I have described
in reference to the outward flow type. In this case, however, the moving rings of
blades lie within instead of without their respective rings of guide blades. I
prefer to prevent leakage by the same or similar devices which after the above
explanation are sufficiently obvious. In the case where a single row of guide and
moving blades are used in each turbine, the inward flow differs from the outward
flow in that the guide rings may be formed in halves and attached to the two
halves of the longitudinally divided casing, the spindle can then be dropped into
place and the cover let down, no end displacement of the spindle being necessary
to allow of the parts to come into place as is required in putting together the
outward flow type under similar circumstances.
In this turbine the partition containing the guide blades may be brought inwards
close to the spindle as described in my Patent No. 1120 of 1890 and the moving
disc may be a shouldered wheel similar to an inward flow water turbine.
The governor shown on the drawings Figures 1, 2 and 5 is of the air pump type
described in my Patent No. 11083 of 1890 and the end of the spindle A at A¹
drives the friction wheel M which by gearing rotates a countershaft driving the
air pump N at a reduced speed. The pump controls the steam valve in the
casing and the electric current governs the engine by the solenoid O and
the core lever P. S, S' are oil vessels for lubricating purposes and R is the pipe
connecting between the air pump N and the piston controlling the steam valve.
Although throughout this Specification I have described steam as the motive
fluid, I wish it to be distinctly understood that any other elastic fluid may be used
to actuate the turbines constructed according to my invention.
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) In steam turbines the use of any longitudinal adjustment acting on the
turbine spindle substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
(2) The arrangement of steam turbine with grooved rotating balancing piston
as E, radial flow discs and an adjustable thrust block which takes thrust or pull

page_text: and by its adjustment minimises clearances of turbine blades and balance piston
rings and grooves substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and
illustrated in the drawings.
(3) The arrangement of split thrust or tension block as Figure 3 with fixed half
and movable half adjusted by screw or its equivalent substantially as hereinbefore
described.
(4) The packing device consisting of a grooved part rotating in fixed grooved
ring or sleeve as shown at Figure 4 substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1891.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.