Improvements in Vertical Turbines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, C0th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897
CULIT
1000
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vertical Turbines.
I, JENNER GUEST MARSHALL, of Hagley, in the County of Worcester,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in such turbines.
as rotate on a vertical axis; and the object of my said invention is to reduce to a
minimum the friction between the moving and fixed parts of the turbine.
I will first describe my invention in connection with a vertical turbine in which
the water has a descending motion.
In order that the said invention may be the better understood I remark that in
turbines of the ordinary construction the friction on the footstep or collar bearings
in which the vertical axis of the turbine rotates is due to the weight of the turbine
and its gearing together with the pressure of the descending current of water
passing through the turbine.
In constructing a turbine according to my invention I arrange an annular trough
or vertical cylinder concentric with the vertical axis, the said trough or cylinder
containing mercury. I will hereinafter refer to this trough or cylinder as the
basin. I attach to the vertical axis by means of arms or otherwise, a somewhat
similar but smaller annular trough or cylinder, the last named trough or cylinder
taking into the basin and displacing the mercury therein until the downward
pressure of the turbine is supported. The annular trough or cylinder on the
vertical axis of the turbine thus constitutes a float which relieves the ordinary
footstep or collar bearings of the downward pressure.
A similar arrangement is used in cases where the water flows radially towards or
from the vertical axis of the turbine producing little or no pressure upwards or
downwards.
Where an upward current of water is used to drive the turbine and the pressure
of the water is more than sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the turbine
and its gearing, I prevent the upward thrust of the vertical axis on its bearings by
fixing the annular trough or basin containing the mercury to the vertical axis so as
to rotate therewith, the trough which I have hereinbefore referred to as the float
being stationary.
In some cases I may dispense with the ordinary footstep or collar bearings but
I prefer to use my invention in conjunction with the ordinary footstep or collar
bearings.
Dated this Thirtieth day of March 1896
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JENNER GUEST MARSHALL, of Hagley, in the County of Worcester,.
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to he performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in such turbines
as rotate on a vertical axis; and the object of my said invention is to reduce to a
minimum the friction between the moving and fixed parts of the turbine.
I will first describe my invention in connection with a vertical turbine in which
the water has a descending motion.
In order that the said invention may be the better understood I remark that in
turbines of the ordinary construction the friction on the footstep or collar bearings
in which the vertical axis of the turbine rotates is due to the weight of the turbine
and its gearing, together with the pressure of the descending current of water
passing through the turbine.
In constructing a turbine according to my invention I arrange an annular
trough or vertical cylinder concentric with the vertical axis, the said trough or
cylinder containing mercury. I will hereinafter refer to this trough or cylinder as
the basin. I attach to the vertical axis by means of arms or otherwise a somewhat
similar but smaller annular trough or cylinder, the last named trough or cylinder
taking into the basin and displacing the mercury therein until the downward
pressure of the turbine is supported. The annular trough or cylinder on the
vertical axis of the turbine thus constitutes a float which relieves the ordinary
footstep or collar bearings of the downward pressure. A similar arrangement is
used in cases where the water flows radially towards or from the vertical axis of
the turbine producing little or no pressure upwards or downwards.
Where an upward current of water is used to drive the turbine and the pressure
of the water is more than sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the turbine
and its gearing, I prevent the upward thrust of the vertical axis on its bearings by
fixing the annular trough or basin containing the mercury to the vertical axis so as
to rotate therewith, the trough which I have herein before referred to as the float
being stationary.
In some cases I may dispense with the ordinary footstep or collar bearings but
I prefer to use my invention in conjunction with the ordinary footstep or collar
bearings.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in elevation (partly in
section) a vertical turbine containing my improvements in which turbine the water
flows radially towards the vertical axis of the turbine; Figure 2 represents in plan
(partly in horizontal section) the wheel of the said turbine and parts adjacent to
the said wheel drawn to a smaller scale than Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents in vertical section a part of a vertical turbine in which the
water has a downward flow, and Figure 4 represents the modified footstep bearing
hereinafter described.
Figure 5 represents in elevation (partly in vertical section) the bearing arrange-
ment for a turbine in which an upward current of water is employed.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
I will first describe the arrangement Figures 1 and 2.
In the said turl ine there is little or no downward or upward pressure due to the
water by which the turbine is worked the downward pressure on the footstep or

page_text: collar bearing being wholly or mainly due to the weight of the turbine and its
gearing.
In constructing the said turbine according to my invention I support on
beams a, a an annular trough b arranged concentric to the vertical shaft c of the
turbine. In the said trough b hereinafter called the basin I pour mercury d.
I fix on the vertical shaft c of the turbine an annular trough e hereinafter called
the float, the float being similar to but of smaller size than the annular basin b so
that the said float e readily enters the basin b and sinks to a greater or less depth
in the mercury d. The displaced mercury rises in the annular space between the
basin b and float e until the height of the mercurial column balances the weight of
the turbine.
I use in certain cases where the resultant pressure of the turbine and water is
downwards a modified footstep hearing instead of the basin b and float e for the
purpose of counterbalancing the weight of the turbine and its gearing and the
pressure due to the water. The said modified footstep bearing is represented in
Figure 4 and consists of a basin of a size somewhat larger than the bottom or
bearing block on the bottom end of the shaft e the said basin containing
mercury g by the displacement of which mercury on the introduction of the
bearing block c therein the downward pressure in the turbine is counterbalanced
in the same way as with the annular float and basin.
Where an upward current of water in the turbine is employed of a pressure
more than sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the turbine and its gearing
I invert the arrangement represented in Figure 1 as will be seen by reference to
Figure 5; that is to say, I support the basin by arms keyed to the shaft c so as
to rotate therewith and fix the annular mercury displacing cylinder or float e to
beams a, a.
Where thought necessary or desirable I combine with the arrangement Figure 1
the footstep bearing represented in Figure 4; or where in any construction of
turbine a footstep bearing is not thought necessary its use may be altogether
dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention of "Improvements in vertical turbines";-
First. Counterbalancing the weight of vertical turbines and their gearing, or
the weight of the turbine and pressure of the water actuating the same, so as to
reduce the friction between the fixed and movable parts of the turbine to a
minimum by the employment of an annular trough or basin containing mercury
fixed concentric to the shaft or carried by arms on the shaft and a mercury
displacing annular trough or float carried by the shaft in the former case and fixed
in the latter case, whether the said arrangement be used independently of a
footstep bearing or be combined with an ordinary footstep bearing or with the
improved footstep bearing substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. In vertical turbines the arrangement of the footstep bearing
represented in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings for partially or wholly
supporting the weight of the turbine and gearing and pressure of water actuating
the same, the said arrangement consisting in the employment of a basin containing
mercury into which the buttem or bearing block of the shaft dips substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Dated the Fightounth day of November 1896
JENNER GUEST MARSHALL.