Patent ID: 7914255

Claim:
A method of assembling a diaphragm assembly for a steam turbine, said method comprising: forming at least one opening within a radially outer band; forming at least one opening within a radially inner band, wherein the inner band opening is approximately the same size as the outer band opening; coupling at least one partition to the at least one opening defined within the radially outer band such that the at least one partition is secured substantially stationary relative to the radially outer band, said coupling the at least one partition to the at least one opening within the radially outer band comprises inserting the at least one partition through the at least one opening defined within the radially outer band such that the at least one partition extends between the at least one radially outer band opening and the at least one radially inner band opening, wherein the radially outer band includes: a radially inner surface; and a radially outer surface, wherein a perimeter of the at least one opening is at least partially defined by a wall that extends between the outer band radially inner surface and the outer band radially outer surface at an oblique angle with respect to the outer band outer surface, and wherein the wall includes at least two sides extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, each of the leading and the trailing edges is oriented at a first oblique angle, each of the two sides is oriented at a second oblique angle that is larger than the first oblique angle to facilitate minimizing the first oblique angle at the leading edge and at the trailing edge of the at least one opening.