Patent ID: 8911201

Claim:
A turbine for the expansion of gas and vapor, comprising: a body or case; a fixed external sleeve member, overhanging frontally from a frontal wall of said case; and a turbine shaft extending coaxially and rotating in said external sleeve member with the interposition of a supporting unit, said external sleeve member having a head flange to axially hold said supporting unit and said shaft ending with a joint to connect said shaft to a device to be operated, wherein said supporting unit includes ball bearings to support the turbine shaft in said external sleeve member, and between said external sleeve member and a contiguous end of said turbine shaft an assembly is provided, said assembly comprising a fixed element attached to said external sleeve member and a moving element located concentrically around said turbine shaft, said moving element being connected to said joint, said moving element generating an adjustable axial force so as to compensate the axial thrust of the turbine shaft to limit the application of improper axial loads on the ball bearings.