Steam Turbine.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Steam Turbine.
OTTO TROSSIN, Engineer care of Messrs. R. Gordon & Co., Palmerston Buildings
93 Bishopsgate Street London, E.C. do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The purpose of the Invention is: "to use Steam as a motiv power."
The principle of the Engine is based, that through the steam pressure-molten
metal inside of a "conducting apparatus" will be put in quick movement and from
it-conducted to a Turbine Wheel, so that the power of the moving metal is
transferd to the Turbine Wheel-or motion of masses through Power-and after
this--" using moving masses to produce power."
Fig. 12. of the Drawing is an Engine with upright standing axle.
A is the conducting apparatus in connexion with the Steam-chest g, in which (g)
exists the Steam-valve o.
The conducting apparatus A is fixed so in the Reservoire C, that the room t. t. is
formed. In this room is the molten metal, which runs in to the passages uu u of
the conducting apparatus A.
When the molten metal has reached the point u, the steam valve o must open for
a moment.
The Steam flows through the Tube E.-from here through four openings (not to
be seen in the Drawing) which are round the valve o and from here through the
now open valve o in to the passages u u.
The Steam presses here on the molten metal, divide the same in two parts-from
which the first part is driven with increasing quickness through the passages i u
in to the Turbine Wheel T.
By this the power of the Steam is transfered through the mediation of the
molten metal on the Turbine-Wheel.
The flowing back of the second part of molten Metal is stopped through a
swimming ring i i.
Dated this 1th love of Awe 1906
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Steam Turbine.
I, OTTO TROSSIN, Civil Engineer care of Mr. Boeck 34, Neustrasse, Hohenfelde
Hamburg formerly Messrs. R. Gordon & Co., Palmerston-Buildings 93, Bishopsgate
Street London, E.C. 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:

page_text: The object of the invention is to employ strongly superheated steam as motive
power. The principle of the machine is based upon that through steam pressure
molten metal will be set in quick motion within a conducting apparatus and be led
from there on to a Turbine wheel so that the existing force in the molten metal
will be conveyed to the latter, in other words moving of masses by a force and
hereby the utilization of the moved masses to create force.
There are already two inventions which work with molten metal and superheated
steam. The theory of the one is based upon steam working through buoyancy in
molten metal.
The second of these inventions works in this way, the superheated steam raises
the molten metal and the latter works through its own gravity whilst sinking
again.
Since more than 50 years it is known that, by applying super-heated steam in
Motors, great advantages may be obtained.
Consequently a large number of trials have been made to use super-heated steam
in the Piston-Engines now commonly adopted. To the best of my knowledge said
trials have never had any result, for the super-heated steam will burn or cause to
evaporate the lubricating elements, rendering the piston and all parts of the gear
coming into contact with the hot steam, unfit for further use within a short time,
in consequence of which the engine will stop working. In order to overcome these
difficulties, a piston-engine of one-sided effect has been constructed, in order to
apply steam, though not very hot, but so much super-heated, that the cooling-down
in the cylinder is neutralized.
The cylinders of said engines are at the one end cooled by means of water, so that
the piston working in this part of the cylinder may be lubricated. Said arrangement,
however, apart from the fact that, by the cooling through water, great losses of
heat will be caused, is of no practical use, as the chief matter viz. to use really
strong super-heated steam, is not intended and consequently is not reached, or, in
fact, cannot be reached, for the organs of the gear will also in the case of this
engine, be exposed to the injurious effect of the super-heated steam, without being
protocted.
As mentioned in the premises, there already exists an engine, or rather, there has
already existed an engine, upon which I experimented in 1884 (when in London)
for a period of about half a year. Said engine must fairly be considered as the
perfection of an engine for superheated steam, because it works without the parts
which are exposed to the super-heated steam coming into any contact with each
other. The engine referred to has neither a piston nor gear parts; it simply consists
of an over-shot wheel, which turns with its axle inside a tank filled to about parts
with molten lead. The super-heated steam will stream from below without
interruption into the cells of the turning wheel, and here acts by its buoyancy in a
metallic fluid. The power so created is transmitted further by means of the wheel
and its axle. As the specific weight of molten lead is somewhat heavy, the power
produced by the wheel is also a great one, because the buoyancy is equal to the
weight of the removed fluid.
However, the engine has the fault that one can only construct the wheel with a
speed of circumference of not more than 10 to 12 feet per second. The consequence
of this fault is that, especially in cases of large-sized engines, the revolution-is so
slow that it becomes necessary to arrange smaller wheels running more quickly,
the engines then requiring rather large wheels and much fluid motal.
The purpose of my present invention, therefore, is to improve the machines
described above (which has likewise been invented by me) in order to use the steam-
tarbine in all such cases where a greater speed and lightness of the motor appears
desirable, and only to apply the former machine in such cases where no special
speed is required.
There exists quite a series of inventions which, however, are more or less child's
play, and which are of no practical value, but as they seemingly touch the principle
of my machine, I am sorry to be under the necessity to mention them. In the case

page_text: of all these inventions, saturated steam is employed without exception, which acts
on fluids being liquid under ordinary temperature.
When working these machines, the steam passes through injectors or similar
nozzle apparati nuinterruptedly into the machine and, by the energy of the steam
running in very quickly, will put the fluid therein contained in motion, and the
latter acts upon a bucket-wheel which is intended to utilize the living power of the
fluid substance.
My machine, therefore, differs chiefly from the last-mentioned machines by the
fact that I apply strongly super-heated steam instead of saturated steam and instead
of fluids which are liquid at an ordinary temperature, I employ metals which are
molten in the machine.
As regards the construction, my machine chiefly differs from the above-mentioned
machines by the fact that I connect one or more conduit-channels of my machine
with one of the well-known steam-gears, (that means flat slide, piston-slide, valve
or cock-gear), by means of which I make use of both the pressure of admission and
also the pressure of expansion in order to set the molten metal into motion;
and only in this manner it is practically possible to transmit the whole
energy contained in the steam upon the metal, as may be proved by a simple
calculation.
On the other hand, such engines only fitted with one injector or nozzle apparatus,
in order to put molten lead in motion by super-heated steam, are unable to trans-
form the energy contained in the steam into work to a higher extent than 1%,
thus reversing 99% of the steam-power back again into heat.
From the facts stated above it becomes obvious that the principle of the
machines, described in the premises, is totally different from the principle by which
my machine is worked, and that, consequently, the construction of my machine is
also a totally different one.
In the three sketches herewith enclosed, all Figures Nos. 1 to 9 are marked out
by the same letturs or numbers as the respective objects themselves.
In Fig. 1 and 2 two machines are sketched out which only differ as regards the
stopping of the channel conveying the metal.
The right side of the sketch shows a machine in which the flowing back of the
metal is stopped by a circular valve q. The left side of the sketch shews a machine
in which the backward flow of the metal is stopped by a piston-slide.
The guide-apparatus F is fitted into the box E in such a manner and is so
connected with box E, that an intermediate space e will be created which is filled
with molten metal. In the middle of the guide-apparatus, the valve-chest G is
screwed on to the former in steam-tight manner.
On to the valve-chest the box H is casted, which is closed up by cover I. The
latter holds the bearing K of the turbine-wheel I, the axle of which reaches through
cover M of box E, and is connected above with the fly-wheel N the latter serving
likewise as pulley.
The nave of the latter rests on three rollers f which are fitted at the end of the
tube. The water-tank O which is to be filled with water, is cast on to the tube
end, in order to keep the axles cool, so that they may be lubricated with oil.
Below the roller-bearings, the ball-bearings Pare fitted, which may be regulated
by means of three screws. On the axle of the wheel L the spur-wheel g is fixed,
which catches into a larger cog-wheel h. The axle of the latter rests upon the
bearings . Said bearings are affixed to the frames R which simultaneously
support the stuffing-box the latter being also cooled by water.
On the cog-wheel h Figure 2, the disc m is affixed, which moves the frame n
carried thereby to and fro, whereby through intermediation of rod o the anglo-
lever S is moved about. Arm S is connected with sliding-rod T, whereby the
piston-slide p is moved up and down in the valve-chest G. In doing so the super-
ated steam is let into compartment U during such intervals of time as are
required by the working of the machine. The slide-rod, which is lengthened
downwards, is screwed together with a larger piston slide V, whereby the latter.

page_text: is forced to follow the movements of the slide p. Both of these parts are so
combined that during the working of the steam, slide V keeps the channels e closed
up; but as soon as the effect of the steam will cease, then it quickly opens the
channels again. In a machine which is constructed like the one to the right side
of the sketch, the closing up of the channels e is effected by the circular valve q.
The production of steam is effected by means of a steam-boiler X Fig. 2, fitted
with a fire-tabe W and an inner fire-place. Inside the fire-tube, another more.
narrow tube Y is fitted, the inner lining of which bears a coat of fire-brick. This
latter tube projects right into the walling which surrounds the machine.
The super-heater, which tightly surrounds the machine, consists of tubes cast
in U shape marked Z; which are screwed together in such manner that they so to
say form one long tube. The saturated steam enters the first tube Z of the super-
heater, flows. through all tubes of same and goes from tube Z¹ into the tube r. The
latter is connected with the stop-valve 8 and from this place, the steam, which has
meanwhile become strongly super-heated, is led into the valve-chest G of the
machine. Figure 4 shews this more distinctly.
The fire-gases which serve for the production of steam, will flow through
fire-tube Wand from here they enter directly the sides of the boiler, and after
having passed the third draught below the boiler, they go into the chimney.
In order to force a part of the fire-gases to flow through tube Y and to pass the.
channel which surrounds the super-heater and the machine, the smoke-regulating-
plate, which can be turned at u, has been fitted.
As shewn by the sketch, one can regulate exactly the quantity of fire-gases which
are intended to serve for the super-heating of the steam. The fire-gases, after leaving
channel t, also enter the second draught of the boiler.
The melting of the metal inside the machine only takes place at one single time,
namely during the drying of the brickwork, and is effected by means of a moderate
fire. Such a machine may be brought to a standstill for 2 to 3 days without fire,
before the metal gets solid. The machine works in the following nanner :-
The fluid metal, which fills up all hollow spaces around the guido-apparatus up
to the turbine-wheel L, will stream into the conduit channels. As soon as it has
reached the curves v, the piston-slide p opens the steam-channel w. The steam now
enters the compartment U and drives the metal situated above it also into the
conduit channels. As soon as the steam has filled up the space limited by the
filling capacity of the machine, said space is shut up by the slide p.
The now expanding steam drives the metal, which is already in quick motion,
with always increasing speed in front of it. Shortly before the end of expansion
of the steam, it enters the turbine-wheel L, in an angle against the horizon of 15°
to 18°, and here gives an effect in known manner. From this point the power is
transmitted to the fly-wheel by means of the axle. The lead situated beneath the
penetrating steam is stopped to flow back by the closed slide V or by the quickly
closing valve q. As soon as the expansion of the steam has come to an end, the
metal again streams into compartment U and drives the consumed steam, situated
above, through the conduit channels into the upper part of compartment E. From
here, the steam flows through tube c, in a thin-cased box y, which has exactly
the shape of the boiler, Figure 1, and rests upon same. A great deal of the heat,
which has been used for the super-heating of the steam, is gathered again, and is
used for the evaporation of the water inside the boiler. One may also construct
extra-tubes in the boiler for this purpose. The arrangement, above described, is
most suitable for machines where the old boilers are kept unaltered.
It will be seen, by the foregoing, that the steam will work inside the lead-turbine
under much more favourable conditions than inside the piston-machine, the cylinder
and steam-channels of which are greatly cooled down by the exhausting steam,
which fact, notoriously will later cause a partly condensing of the new steam.
However, in the lead-turbine, the steam will always enter at the one end of the
conduit-channel and will pass out of the other end, thus rendering the cooling down of
the channel-casings only half as injurious as with the piston machine. The casings of

page_text: the conduit-channels will, however, be amply heated by the lead flowing in front
of the steam, so that, if the steam possesses the temperature of the lead, (which it
naturally will adopt under all circumstances), no cooling down of the steam by the
conduit-channels can take place.
This one advantage alone will be quite sufficient to neutralize more than twice
over any bad influence of the bendings of the conduit-channels.
In the two machines just now described, the steam acts simultaneously in all eight
channels. The consequence of this is that the metal contained in the conduit-
channels will also act upon the turbine-wheel L. As the pressure of quickly floating
lead is very great, these kinds of constructions are only suited for smaller machines
up to 100 Horse-power. Larger sized machines must be constructed as shewn by
Fig. 3 and 4. Eight or more channels are also here united in one guide-apparatus.
The valve-chest G is fitted steam-tight into the guide-wheel F together with the
somewhat conical-shaped cock-casing.
The gear-cock has two slits, through which the steam is led into the conduit-
channels one after another, thus only allowing the lead to act simultaneously out
of two conduit-channels upon the turbine-wheel. The steam acts twice in every
rotation of the cock z inside the conduit-channels, in fact as often as there exist
openings for the steain in the cock.
If the openings of the cock are removed just a little, so that they do not stand
exactly opposite to each other, then the metal out of only one conduit-channel will
act upon the turbine-wheel at one time.
The sides between the slits of the cock-casing nre fitted with oil grooves, running
from top to bottom, which fill themselves with fluid metal and thus tighten up and
During the time the steam is working inside the conduit-channels, they are kept
shut up below by two turning slides, 11, which are firmly connected with cock 2.
As soon as the effect of the steam has ceased inside the channels, the turning slide
has passed over the respective channel opening, so that it is free and the metal may
run in again. In case the cock-gear should not prove of practical value for large-
sized machines, then every single conduit-channel is fitted with a steam-valve which
will all be united with one valve-chest and have to be opened by the machine one
after the other.
In this manner the same purpose will be reached as by the cock z.
As already mentioned in the beginning, it will be absolutely necessary to protect
those parts of the steam-gear which come into contact with the hot steam, against
the injurious effect of the latter, in connection with the friction of these parts.
For this purpose the tightening surfaces and sides are lubricated and tightened
up with liquid metal, thereby reducing the friction of the tightening gear-parts to.
a minimum.
In order to bring the fluid metal for this purpose into the valve-chest G, a forcing
injector 12 has been placed inside the machine. Fig. 5 shews the cross-section of
said injector in a large scale.
With the exception of the return-valve 13 the injector works absolutely without
any moveable parts. It will be seen right off that the injector is nothing else but a
conduit-channel constructed independently so that the steam-gear parts and the
metal-gear parts of the machine work for the apparatus.
The apparatus works in the following manner —
During the time the metal flows into the conduit-channels of the machine, it also
runs through tube 14 into the apparatus, passes a screw 15 which regulates the
afflux of the metal and rises up to 16. In this moment the piston-slide p opens the
steam-sapply channel w of the machine, and a part of the steam passes through
tube 17, cock-opening 18 and tube 19 into the apparatus and there puts the metal

page_text: in quick motion. The metal knocks against the guide-cross of the return valve.
The time during which it flows along the cross, in connection with the pressure
against the latter, is sufficient to open the valve, whereby the three smaller
channels 20 are closed up, through which the exhaust-steam of the apparatus has
escaped. The metal flows into compartment 21 and from here passes through
cock 22 tube 23 into the compartment above the piston slide p, and from here
penetrates into the grooves, slits and smallest openings of the slide, whereby the
same gets well lubricated and (what forms the main object), the steam is fully
blocked up. For, if the metal were not to block up the steam, the latter could
escape through the small openings of the slide at a rate of 3290 feet per second.
On the other hand, molten lead will, under an equal pressure of ten atmospheres,
only flow out at a speed of 43 feet per second, but through the small openings of
the gear, the outflow will not exceed a speed of 27 to 30 feet. This metal will
within a second be replaced once or several times by the forcing injector, according
to the construction of the machine.
The machine having stopped, large quantities of metal will flow into the apparatus.
In order to make it work quickly, the cocks 22 18 must be placed as shewn in
Fig. 7. The apparatus will, in this position of cocks, throw the metal into
compartment E. Thereupon the cocks are placed as in Fig. 8, and now the metal
will be led above the steam gear of the machine.
In the position shewn in Fig. 9 any connection of the apparatus with the machine
is totally abolished. When constructing the circular-valve q hollow, as shewn in
Fig. 6, then it may obtain the same speed, (through, the buoyancy it possesses in
fluid metal), as the backward streaming metal, so that both at the same time and
with equal speed will commence to move in an upward direction, as soon as the
steam commences to act upon the lead, thus the loss of back-flowing lead is very
small.
In addition to the above, I beg especially to remark that these machines may also
be worked in said manner through super-heated steam, by allowing it to pass the
gear of the machine in a saturated condition, the super-heating only taking place
during the entering of the steam into the machine and during the working of the
former.
1. A steam-turbine which is moved by application of molten metal in such manuer
that the steam is allowed to enter in intermitting manner and the metal reservoir
is closed up automatically.
2. For the forcing injector.
3. For applying sliders V Fig. 1, and 11 Fig. 4 to shut off the metal during the
time the steam is working in the conduit-channels.
4. For the swimming valve-ring q Fig. 1 and Fig. 6.