IMPROVEMENTS IN TURBINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JACOB MCCONNELL, of Ballymena, in the county of Antrim, Ireland Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TURBINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of improvements in the construction of turbines, and
comprises novel arrangements whereby the admission of water may be auto-
matically regulated, and the velocity of rotation of the turbine and the power
developed by it, be controlled, and whereby the outflow of the water may also be
regulated so as to obtain a maximum efficiency of the wheel under varying
conditions of the water supply.
The improved turbine consists of a central rotating wheel carried on a vertical
shafe and formed with curved blades arranged as is usual in turbines in which the
water enters at the outside of the wheel and passes out by the centre; and this
wheel is fitted within an annular guide case provided with stationary guide blades,
which direct the inflowing water against the blades of the wheel. The stationary
guide blades are fitted with movable blades or valves, which when open lie in
recesses formed in the fixed bla les, and which oscillate on vertical pins passing up
through the guide case. The centre pins carrying the oscillating valves are each
fitted with an arm projecting out radially on the top of the casing to a ring to
which they are all connected, and this ring is fitted so that it may oscillate freely
in unison with the movement of the valves. One of the centre pins of the valve is
carried up in the form of a vertical spindle, to the end of which is fitted a bevel
wheel or segment gearing into a wheel on a horizontal shaft on which is fitted a
disc or crank fitted with an adjustable pin from which a weight is suspended. The
object of this arrangement is that the weight, by acting through the gearing
described, may always tend to keep the valves closed in the guide case against the
pressure of the water, the weight or the eccentricity of the pin to which it is
suspended, being adjusted to regulate the pressure tending to close the valves.
When the pressure of the water is sufficiently great and the counter-balancing
weight tending to close the valves is properly adjusted, the water will open the
valves fully while the full power is developed by the turbine. When part of the
load is taken off the turbine, the wheel will commence to rotate at a higher speed,
and the centrifugal action on the water within the wheel will react on the inflowing
water and reduce the inward pressure, so that the valves will at once be partially

page_text: closed by the counterbalancing weight arrangement and the supply of water will
be diminished until the initial velocity of the wheel is again attained. In like
manner, if the velocity of the wheel is momentarily reduced, the valves will open
to a greater extent by reason of the increased pressure of the inflowing water.
The same results will be obtained by substituting a spring. or springs, or like
devices, to act on the ring whose oscillation opens or closes the valves, suitable
means being provided for adjusting the power of the springs.
The inner or discharge ends of the curved blades of the wheel are increased in
depth by being expanded both downwards and upwards where the water finds its
outlet, the object being to allow the water to discharge freely; and near the upper
end of the central discharge opening in the wheel, a large dise is fitted on the
central shaft, and is made adjustable vertically, so that it may be fitted to close to
a greater or less extent the discharge outlet from the wheel. The object of this
arrangement is that the outlet may be regulated according to the available supply
of water.
The guide case is fitted within a close casing, to which the water is admitted by
an inlet pipe or opening, and a central discharge opening is provided both in the
top and bottom of the casing.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JACOB MCCONNELL, of Ballymena, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TURBINES and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
"
This Invention consists of improvements in the construction of turbines, and
comprises novel arrangements whereby the admission of water may be automatically
regulated, and the velocity of rotation of the turbine and the power developed by
it, be controlled,. and whereby the outflow of the water may also be regulated so
ns to obtain a maximum efficiency of the wheel under varying conditions of the
water supply.
My Invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1
is a vertical section and Figure 2 a sectional plan of a modification of the improved
turbine.
The improved turbino consists of a central rotating wheel A, carried on Д
vertical shaft B by means of a disc B' and formed with curved blades a arranged
as is usual in turbines in which the water enters at the outside of the wheel and
passes out by the centre; and this wheel is fitted within an annular guide case C
provided with stationary guide blades c, which direct the inflowing water against
the blades a of the wheel. The stationary guide blades aro fitted with movablo
blades or valves d, which when open lie in recesses formed in the fixed blades c,
and which oscillate on vertical pins d' passing up through the guide case C. The
centre pins d' carrying the oscillating valves d are each fitted with an arm e
projecting out radially on the top of the casing C to a ring E to which they are
all connected, and this ring is fitted and guided on rollers f, so that it may oscillate
freely in unison with the movement of the valves d. One of the centre pins ď
of the valves is carried up in the form of a vertical spindle d³ to the end of which
is fitted a bevil wheel or segment G gearing into a wheel H on a horizontal shaft I,
on which is fitted a disc or crank J fitted with an adjustable pinj from which a
weight K is suspended by a cord or chain L. The object of this arrangement is
that the weight K, by acting through the gearing described, may always tend to
keep the valves & closed in the guide case C, against the pressure of the water, the
weight or the eccentricity of the pin to which it is suspended, being adjusted to
regulate the pressure tending to close the valves. When the pressure of the water
is sufficiently great and the counter-balancing weight K tending to close the
valves d is properly adjusted, the water will open the valves fully while the full
power is developed by the turbine. When part of the load is taken off the turbine,
the wheel will commence to rotate at a higher speed, and the centrifugal action on
the water within the wheel A will react on the inflowing water and reduce the
inward pressure, so that the valves & will at once be partially closed by the
counterbalancing weight arrangement and the supply of water will be diminished
until the initial velocity of the wheel is again attained. In like manner, if the
velocity of the wheel is momentarily reduced, the valves will open to a greater
extent by reason of the increased pressure of the inflowing water. The same

page_text: results will be obtained by substituting a spring or springs, or like devices, to act
on the ring E whose oscillation opens or closes the valves, suitable means being
provided for adjusting the power of the springs.
The inner or discharge ends of the curved blades, or of the alternate blades a of
the wheel A are increased in depth by being expanded both downwards and
upwards at a where the water finds its outlet, the object being to allow the water
to discharge freely; and near the upper end of the central discharge opening a¹
in the wheel, a large disc M is fitted on the central shaft B, and is made adjustable
vertically by a sliding bush and collar m so that it may be fitted to close to a
greater or less extent the discharge outlet from the wheel. The object of this
arrangement is that the outlet may be regulated according to the available supply
of water.
The guide case C is fitted within a close casing D to which the water is admitted
by an inlet pipe or opening D', and a contral discharge opening D' is provided
both in the top and bottom of the casing D, the water passing through the upper
outlet being led over a stationary shelf above the rotating wheel A.
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
First. The combination of parts constituting the improved turbine herein
described and illustrated.
Second. In a turbine the stationary case fitted with movable blades or valves
operated automatically by the action of the water and counterbalancing weight or
spring substantially as herein set forth.
Third. The arrangement in a turbine wheel of the blades expanding upwards
and downward in combination with a regulating disc substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
Dhanbrauth
J. 1005