US2514039A - Fluid pressure turbine - Google Patents

Description

July 4, 1950 F. M. DOWNWARD FLUID PRESSURE TURBINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1945 F. M. DOWNWARD FLUID PRESSURE TURBINE 1950 F.'M\. DOWNWARD I 2,514,039

FLUID PRESSURE TURBINE Filled May 4, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 a. i s M- Patented July 4, 195% FLiJiD'PREssUm: TURBINE Frank M. Downward,"Minquadale, Del assignor'" of one-half to S. W.-Buckley,-Wilmington; Delr Application May ,1945, Serial No; 591,991

13 Claims." (Cl. 253 -45) This invention relates to rotary engines and is most closely related to prime mover devices of the elastic fluid turbine type.

The prime mover, in accordance with the pres-'- ent invention departs considerably from the conventional types of the prior art in that it does not havesets oi rotary blades. separated "by rows of fixed blades. A device in'accordance with the present invention is provided with "elements which might be considered correspondent to the blades or nozzleswina conventional turbine although in the present invention theyact in a different man-.

ner and the flow of elastidflu'id is in a 'zig-za'g path'radially and axially'oi the turbine rotor with" the conversion of the 'energ'y'in the elastic fluid' to mechanical power tal'zin'g'place when'the fluid is passing in 'a radially inwardly and outwardly directi'ori'and as the fluid is passing axially from With" the. construction in accordance with the present the turbines inlet'to the exhaust openings.

invention it is possible to make a prime mover of the turbine class having multiple stages with'the rotor. of uniform diameter throughout its length as distinguished from the conventional turbine in which it is necessary to increase the diameter of the low'pressure stages. The present invenzles'which'are necessary are the-cones which are used to'direct the. steam in' the first stage, which is predominantly an impulse stage. Thereafter the expansion ofthe steam takes place within passages or nozzles within the 'rotor with the re-' sultthat thene'edi for very small clearances is eliminated.

In the more conventiohalprior art turbines of the multi-stage type itis' necessary to have a set of fixed blades or. nozzles for each set of rotary blades or nozzles. Asis welliunderstood; the blades or nozzels are-usually m'oreor less cupshaped elements-which are ver-ythinand are aircircumferentially spaced inf the peripheryof a disc or rotorjhence the application of the term blades. The term-*blade's (or vanes) is posi siblymore "aptly descriptive ina physical sense than-the alternative term-nozzles but these elements are nozzlesin the sense that theycontrcl the directionand theexpansio'n of the steam.

In the conventional-impulse type turbine the expansionof 'the steam takes place in the fixed nozzles and the heat given' up by-the pressure drop impartswelocity to the ste'a'm "jetf The jet impinges against the set of -rotary bladesand gives up its kineticienergy thereto'causing rotation also departs from the prior art to a marked" degree in that thereare' no stationary fixed blades or 'nozzlesbetween the difi'erent stages. The passages which'control theexpansionof the fluid from the point of entrance into the turbine" casing to the exhaust outlet are completely with in the rotorand rotate .threrevvith as an integralunit.

It will be readily apparent from the subsequent" description'that thejpresent invention is adaptable tousewith any fluid such as steam; air orgas. However, for the purpose of simplification of the disclosure and discussion herein, reference will hereinafter 'be made only to steam as an '"ex--- ample of an elastic fluid; a v

I-Ieretofore in multi-stage expansible fluid turbines; it hasbeen necessary'to have sets of stationary blades or nozzles in between eachstage of rotary blades or nozzles. It is well knownthat theiexact shape and degree of divergence or con vergence of-the walls of 'expansible nozzlesiscritical'and therefore it is necessary to assemble the blades insuch a manner that very small clearances are obtained. This necessarily means that the turbine blades must-be made with extreme' accuracy and must also be asseinbledin A very accurate relation; This results in very costly prime movers. Also, the blades ofthe prior art turbines must bemade very thin and have extremely high tensile strength' and be very resistant to high-temperatures.

The main feature of the present invention is a special rotor which revolves as a single unit inside of the turbine casingand the only stationary noztion of theturbine roto'r On'the other hand, in the conventional reactioh type" turbine the" expension of the-steam ta'kes place in the rotary blades or nozzles,-as-well"'as=in the-fixedblades or nozzles. Y

Inthis-typetur bine thereaction of the expanding steam between the set of fixed blades'androtary bladesproduces rotation of therotor, the

space between the fixed and moving blades serving' as an expansible chamber. In this type'turblue the curvature and configuration of the blades is such that the velocity of the jet of "expansible fluid is substantiallythe same as the velocity of the rotary blade; Also; the successive stages may be considered-as sections of a Venturi tube and the curvature of the blades is such as 'tosatisfy the theoretical-condition :which: mustvexist in a steam nozzle in order tofconvert themaximum amount of energy-in theisteam jet-toi mechanical power.

According to the :theo'r'y'of steam turbines'the maximum theoretical powe'r developed by a jet of-steam'flowing throughza nozzle is dependent uponv the weight of the'steam. flowing per unit of time and the:dischargevelocity. Therefore,-

thehigher the discharge-velocity for-a, given rate of flow, the greater will be the power developed and the higher the efliciency. As is well understood, the maximum-weight of steani'which canbe' discharged through a nozzle of anyshape for a given initial pressur'e'is determined by the area of the narrowest'cross section or throat of the nozzle. For a maximum-velocity at the exit end or mouth of the nozzle'at a 'given'rate or,

tent as to reduce the pressure below that of the external pressure at the mouth, sound waves will be produced with a loss of energy which is even greater than that in the former case, Experimen tal and mathemetical investigations indicate that the pressure at the narrowest section or throat of a, nozzle through which steam is flowing falls to approximately 0.58 of the initial absolute pressure and any further fall in pressure must take place beyond the throat. Thus, where the back pressures are greater than 0.58 of the initial absolute pressure maximum discharge velocity may be obtained from nozzles of uniform cross section with convergent sides. Where the back pressure or the pressure into which the nozzle discharges is less than 0.58 of the initial absolute, the nozzle must first converge to the throat and then diverge from the throat to the discharge or mouth end to obtain the maximum velocity.

For purposes of explanation an analogy can be drawn between the passages in the prime mover of the present invention and a Venturi tube (steam nozzle), the passages in the different stages being considered to correspond to diilerent sections of the Venturi tube. In other words, the elements in the present invention which are considered to be sections of Venturi tubes are arranged in a circumferential series on the rotor to constitute one stage of the prime mover. Since the steam follows a zig-zag path radially and axially of the rotor and reacts against the power mover made in accordance with the present inconverting elements or blades when it is moving radially outwardly and inwardly of the rotor and because all sections of the expansion control passages rotate as a unit it is not necessary to in.- crease the diameter of the succeeding stages to accommodate the high velocities of the steam encountered in low pressure stages. t is in the construction utilizing the radially inward and outward. flowv that primarily distinguishes the present invention from all of the known prior art.

In addition to the conventionalcommercial turbines already mentioned, other kinds of turbines are known in which the rotor is in effect a large drum with th steam flowing in spiral ducts orgrooves formed in the inner surface of, the stator casing, the outer urface of the drum serving as one side of the duct and the drum or rotor being rotated by the force of the friction of the steam passing over the surface of the drum. In some instances, the surface of thedrum has been provided with pockets which increased thereaction of the steam on the drum.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a new and improved prime mover or elastic fluid turbine consisting of a simply constructed rotor or stator designed to convert the energy of an elastic fluid under pressure into power of circular motion through gradual and control expansion in which end thrust is eliminated.

A further object is to provide a prime mover or turbine of the type described, of very simple construction, whereby all parts thereof can be produced with semi-skilled and ordinarily skilled labor or automatically operated machines, thus reducing the number of required technicians and vention, the upper portion of the figure being a section taken on the vertical center line and the lower portion of the figure being a fragmentary section with part of the different elements broken away to show the relation of elements;

Figure 2 is a quarter section side elevation oi the rotor of the center or first stage of the turbine, the rotor being viewed from the left-hand side of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an and view of the same rotor, the lower half of the figure being in section;

Figure i is a vertical side view of the same rotor looking from the right-hand of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the elements which surrounds the reaction elements of the rotorand serves to reverse the flow of the steam in the radial direction;

Figure 5a is a side view of Figure 5;

Figure 6 is a vertical end view showing the general shape of the even numbered rotor disks and the end rotor disks at each end of the rotor unit;

Figure 7 is a vertical view of the rotor disk shown in Figure 6, the lower half being in section;

Figure 8 is a partial side elevational of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a side view of a finger ring, a portion of which is shown in Figures 5 and 5a, the lower half of Figure 9 being in section;

Figure 10 is a vertical view of the finger ring shown in Figure 9, the lower half being in section;

Figure 11 is a vertical edge view of the center bucket ring which is a part of the first impulse stage, the lower portion of the View being in section shape of the fiuid passages in each of the different sections or stages of the rotor.

The invention might be considered to be a combination of all three of the prior types of turbines mentioned above. The steam is supplied to the center of the periphery of the rotor through suitable nozzles, the jets from which react against buckets or blades on the rotor in what is an impulse stage. The steam then proceeds radially inwardly of the rotoriwhere it strikes a ring member which reverses the direction of the steam so that it fiows radially outwardly against inclined vanes. The impingementof the steam against a so-called" bucket ring and inclined vanes creates a moment on the.

turbine rotor in a manner, in general, similar whereit is again reversed thus forming a zig-zag path which may be repeated for any convenient number of stages.

One of the salient features of the present invention is a turbine construction in which the steam flows in radially Zig-Zag paths which progress axially from the center of the turbine casing toward the opposite ends thereof in such a manner that end thrust on the rotor is substantially neutralized and in which the abrupt change direction of the path of the steam converts some of the potential energy in the steam into heat and thereby changes the form of the energy of the steam to facilitate its further flow through the turbine to produce a rotating torque against the rotor. The significant feature of the present invention is the construction in which all of the elements against which the steam impinges are fixed to the shaft and therefore while rotating are stationary relative to each other.

Referring specifically to the drawings an em-' bodiment of the present invention shown for the purpose of illustration comprises a cylindrical outer casing or stator 2 having one or more fluid inlet flanges 3 and a base flange f, which may be secured to any suitable base or mounting (not shown) by bolts 5. On each end of stator 2 are end plates 8 detachabiy bolted to the stator 3. around the outer circumference and held thereto by bolts iii. The end plates 8 are provided with exhaust ports 54 having suitable flanges i2 which may be connected to suitable exhaust piping by means of bolts i i. Inside of the stator 2 is a rotor mounted on shaft It which passes through packing boxes i8 which are made integral with the end plates 8, the packing 41 being held in place by a packing gland 28 which in turn is held in place with stud bolts 68 and nuts T63, thereby preventing the escape of fluid around the shaft it.

The shaft it may be mounted or journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) at the outer ends of the base plate (also not shown).

The rotor is made up of a plurality of rotor disks, the rotor being divided into two main sections, cne comprising the disks on the right hand side of the transverse center line of the rotor and the other section comprising the disks on the left hand side of that center line. The rotor disks on the left hand side are images of the corresponding ones on the right hand side on the center line. As will be clear from Figure 1, with the numbering eginning with the one immediately adjacent the center line and with the exception of the end disks on each side, alternate odd numbered disks on each side of the center line are provided with wedge-shaped radially extending fins 36 on one side thereof and vanes 42 on the other side thereof. The details of these alternate disks having the fins and the vanes are shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

For purposes of explanation the present invention may be considered to have eight stages; the first stage comprising the bucket ring on the center line and the second stage comprising the two abutting rotor disks surrounded by the bucket ring; the next two stages on either side of the center line comprising the respective abutting rotor disks and their surrounding finger rings. The end stages do not have the inclined vanes but are provided with the radial fins which control'the expansion of the power fluid. Also, as shown in Figure 1, each of the end disks has an outer plane face and an annular flange which 6 serves'as-a respective end of the rotor. u'orure disks comprise hubs (iii which are attached tothe shaft l5 by a single key 22 and are securely held together in a unit by nuts 32 and 34 as shown in Figure 1. In addition to the hubs the odd numbered disks are provided with web portions and outer hubs it. Each of the odd-numbered disks has an outer annulus radiating around and from hub 24 and to the outer circumference,

and on one side of annulus 25 are fins 36 also supported to hub 2a with spoke-like feet 3'! thereby forming passage it] communicating with arcuate passages 44 through annulus 25, and passages M pass from one side to the other side of annulus 25 (these latter passages it and 44 serve as the communication between the inner edges of fins 36 on one side of the disk and the inclined vanes 42 on the opposite side of the disk).

Each of the odd-numbered disks has on one side of 31111111115 25 the fins 3t and on the opposite side thereof inclined vanes 42 except the end rotor disks which do not have the inclined vanes and annulus 25 is extended to a larger diameter thus forming rec ving flange for sleeve '5 The annulus of disks immediately adjacent to the center line and forming the first stage has fins that are longer when measured outwardly from hub 2 and extend to the outermost circumference of annulus 25. The end rotor disks have a series of passages 52 passing through outer hub and communicating with passage 40 and with exhaust port "54. Rings 58 fitting into end plates 8 and bearing an outer edge of hub 24 "of each rotor end disk maintain pressure difierential between steam inlet and exhaust ports, as shown in Figure 1. Each of the even numbered disks are provided with webs 28 and outer hubs 2%. Also the even numbered disks are provided with an annular web which extends outwardly from the hubs and on which the radially extending fins 38' are carried. As is readily apparent from the drawings, the respective fins 36 and 353 of adjacent rotor disks are complementary so that they fit together to form a Zig-zag passage between them which controls the expansion of steam as it passes from the inlet of each of the successive stages to the discharge orifices of the turbine. There are no openings through this outer web so that the steam must pass outwardly through the passages between the vanes 52 of the adjacent disk and the outer periphery of the outer webs of the even numbered disks where it is again directed radially inwardly through the passage formed between the fingers 13 of the finger rings and the fins 3t and 38. The passages between the fins 3t and 38 are in communication with passages 48 and. with arcuate passages at which communicate with the passages fit formed between the inclined vanes 52 on the opposite radial face of the rotor disk shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

In addition to the rotor disks previously described, the rotor comprises a plurality of annular rings it which have a plurality of angular fingers iii, as shown in Figures 5 and 10 and a bucket-ring 5-6 having a plurality of converging passages 5s. The details of this ring are shown in Figures 11 and 12. There are two sets of these so-called finger rings, one set being on one side of the transverse center line of the rotor and the other being on the opposite side of that center line. Those on one side of the center line are the images of those on the other side thereof. The shape of the fingers are shown in Figure 5, They are so shaped as to permit the controlled serrate expansion of the steam s it passes from one stage over into the next. The shape of the passages 56 is such that the steam can flow out of the periphery of one stage, expand a moderate amount, reverse and flow into the next stage. When the steam abruptly changes direction some of the kinetic energy will be converted into heat which will tend to superheat the steam and thereby change the rate of expansion of the steam. For instance. the passages between the vanes 42 are expanding so therefore the pressure must drop. As the steam goes into the finger rings where its direction abruptly reverses some of its kinetic energy will be converted into heat which will increase the pressure again. Its further expansion will be controlled by the passages between the complementary vanes 36 and 38.

The bucket ring 46 is fitted over the center of the rotor and at the sides thereof are sleeves 54. If desired, complementary interengaging bosses and recesses (not shown) may be provided on the abutting sides of the bucket ring 46 and the sleeves 5d to prevent any relative rotational movement. Likewise, if desired, similar means may be provided between the outer ends of sleeves 54 and the outer flanges on the end disks of the rotor 5. It will be readily apparent that when the nuts 32, 34 on the shaft is are drawn up tight the bucket ring 46 and the sleeves ti t, the rotor disks and the finger rings 48 will be held in a rigid integral unit.

As is shown in Figure 1, the steam enters the turbine stator 2 through the passage in the flange 3. Although only one flange 3 is shown, it will be readily apparent that preferably similar steam inlets would be distributed around the periphery of the stator. The steam entering the stator at high velocity impinges against the converging sides of the passages 58 in the bucket ring 46 and produces a turning moment on the rotor 5. The bucket ring 46 constitutes the first stage and is in the nature of an impulse stage. The steam discharged from the narrow ends of passages 56 flows inwardly through passages 5| formed by the fins 36, 3S, thence into passages 53 (shown in Figure l) at which point fluid flows both ways, going toward both end rotor disks through the intercoupled passages 40 and 44 disposed between the inner hubs 2 1 of the rotor disks and the inner circumference of the annulus 25, thence outwardly of the axis of the rotor disk through the passages 58 between vanes 42 on the sides of the disks opposite the fins 36, 38. The expanding steam then passes into passages 52 formed by notches G3 in the undersides of the fingers d5, thence into the passages 56 between the fingers 35 and then back radially inwardly through the passages formed by the next adjacent set of complementary fins 36, 38 and similarly to the last set of complementary fins into the passages 52 formed by holes through the outer hubs of the end rotor disks and thence into the exhaust ports 64.

The zone represented by A is intended to indicate the bucket ring passages 59 where the walls of the orifices are converging. Zone B corresponds to the area or passages between the complementary fins 35 and 38 of the same stage.

Diagrammatic Figure 13 is intended to give a general representation of the general shape of the steam passages beginning with the passages 50 in the bucket ring and progressing toward one side, the right hand side being illustrated. The zone represented by A is intended to indicate the passages 59 in the bucket ring where the Walls of the orifices are converging. Zone B corresponds roughly to the area or passages between the complemental fins of the juxtaposed rotor disks on the center line of the turbine in which the steam begins to expand. As the steam strikes the outer hub 24 of the first rotor disks to the right of the center line, its direction is suddenly changed and it flows to the right and to the left through the passages 40 and 4 1 and into the passages 60 between the vanes 42. This zone is represented by the zone C. Where the direction of the steam is suddenly reversed, some of the kinetic energy of the steam will be converted to heat which will raise the temperature of the steam and increase its velocity as it expands into the adjacent expanding passages. After the steam passes from zone C it enters the passages 52 formed by the notches 41 in the fingers d5 of the finger rings 48 and passes into the converging passages 56 between the fingers oi the finger rings. This may be represented by the zone D. As the steam or other power fluid issues from the vanes into the passages between the fingers 45 its direction is changed by the inclination of the surfaces of the fingers. The reaction produced by this change in direction produces a torque movement on the rotor. As the steam again reverses its direction, some of its kinetic energy will be converted to heat which will raise its pressure and increase its velocity as it continues to follow its zig-zag course through the difierent stages of the rotor until it finally passes between the passages between the complementary fins on the last two rotor disks on each end of the rotor from whence it passes into passages 82 into the exhaust passages 66. The purpose of the passages between the extreme outer sets of rotor disks is to control the expansion of the steam at this point which produces the necessary back pressure in the other stages so that they operate with maximum efiiciency.

From the above description it will be readily apparent that the present invention provides a novel fluid expansion turbine in which the expanding fluid divides in the rotor in such a way as to neutralyze any end thrust and in which the expansible fluid passes into the rotor near the central plane thereof and follows a zig-zag path where mechanical power is extracted from the expanding fluid. In a turbine made in accordance with the present invention, there are no stationary nozzles or blades between the difierent stages whereby losses are minimized.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the inventive conoept. It is therefore desired that the invention not be limited except insofar as is made necessary by the prior art and by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A turbine machine of the class described, comprising an outer casing, an inlet passage in said casing through which an elastic fluid can be admitted into said casing, a rotor adapted for rotation in said casing, said rotor having an annulus provided with a circumferential series of converging passages into and against which the incoming fluid impinges to develop a turning moment on said rotor, said rotor also being provided with a radially extending sinuous passage for controlling the expansion of the elastic fluid after it is discharged through said converging passages, means carried by said rotor for reversing the direction of flow of said fluid and deflecting it in a direction radially outwardly of said rotor, and

impeller blade means'carried by said rotor against tation in said casing; saidrotor having an annulus provided with a circum ferentialfseries of converg ing passages into and against which the incoming fluid impinges to develop a turning moment on said rotor, said'rotor also beingprovided with a radially extending 'sinuous' passage "for controlling the'eiipansion of theelasticfluid after it is dischargedthrou'gh said converging passages, means carried byfsaid rotor for reversing the direction of flow of said fluid and deflecting it in a' directionradially, outwardly of said rotor,

impeller blade means carried by said rotor against which the fluid impinges on'its outer flow todevelop additional turning moment, a second annulus having a series of fluid expansion control passages surrounding'the outer periphery of said impeller blade,,means and a second sinuous passage for directing said -elastic fluid radially inwardly of said rotor and for controlling the expansion of said elastic fluid.

3.,A turbine mach'ine of the class described, having a casing, inlet passage in said casing through which elastic fluidcan be admitted into said casing, a rotor adaptedfor rotation in said casing, said rotor comprising an annulus arranged centrally of said rotor andhaving a circumferential series of gaugedslotsfinto and against which plementary radially extending surfaces to form a passage extending radially inwardly and sinuously circumferentially ofsaid rotorto control. the expansion of said elasticfluid, impeller means on the opposite sides of saidabutting disk-lilieeieouter casing, said rotor also having an annulus fprovided with a circumferential series of converging passages into and against which said incoming fluid may impinge to develop a turning moment on said rotor, a plurality of pairs of disklike elements having complementary fins on their adjacent faces which form passages which are sinuous in a circumferential direction and have substantial radial depth for controlling the expansion of said'elastic fluid discharged through said'passages, certain of said'disk-like elements having radially inclined vanes on their opposite sides and abutting hub portionswhich serve as deflecting means to abruptlyreversethe flow of said elastic fluid toward'the radial outward direction against said radially inclined vanes to develop additional turning moment on said rotor.

6. A turbine: machine of the class described, comprising an outer casing, an inlet passage in the wall of saidicasin'g-through which an elastic fluid can be admitted into said casing, asrotor ments, anannular hub surfacerad'ially inwardly of said sinuoufspassa'ge for, deflecting and reversing the flowiof saidfe lastic fluid radially outwardly against said impeller means.

4. A turbine machine of the class described, comprising anouter casing, an inlet passage in the wall oisaidpasing throughvihichv anelastic fluid can befadmitted. into said casing, a. rotor adapted fozzrotation Vinsaid casing, said rotor stantial radial depth for controlling the expansion of the elastic fluid after'it is-discharged through said converging passages-of said annulus, said sinuous passages being in communication in serial relation in said rotor to form. atortuous path axially and radially of said rotor andradially inclined impeller means in said rotor and in said tortuous path against whichsaid fluid may impinge during its flow radially outwardly of said .rotorto. develop additional. turning torque.

5 A, turbine machineof the class, described, comprising an outer casing, an inlet passage in the wall of said casing through which an elastic fluid can be admitted-into said casing, a rotor adapted for rotation; in said casing, the outer periphery of said rotor having a fluid-tight rotating engagement with the inner surface of said adapted for rotation in said casing, the outer periphery of said rotor having a fluid-tight rotating engagementwith the inner surface of said outer casing, said rotor also having an annulus provided with a'circumferential series of converging passages into and against Which'said incoming fluid may impinge to develop a turning moment on said rotor, a plurality of pairs of disk-like elements having complementary fins on their adjacent faces whichzform passages which are sinuous in a'circumferential direction and have substantial radial depth for controlling the expansion of said elastic fluid discharged through said passages, certain of Said dish-like elements having radially inclined vanes on their opposite sides and abutting hub portions which serve as deflecting means to abruptly reverse the flow of said'elastic fluid toward the radial outward direction against said radially inclined vanes to develop additional turning moment on said rotor, said disk like elements being surrounded by an annular member having circumferential series of slots which control the expansion of said fluid emerging from said radially inclined vanes and which directs said fluid into the next adjacent circumferentially sinuous passage.

7. A turbine machine ofthe class described, comprising an outer casing, an inlet passage through which elastic "fluid can be admitted to said casing and an exhaust passage through which said fluid may be discharged, a rotor adapted for rotation in said casing, said rotor having a plurality ofaxially spaced radially disposed fluid passages, some'of said passages being sinuous in a circumferential direction and having substantial radial'depth and the alternate intermediate return passages having radially inclined impeller blade means,'all of said passages being connected inserial relation side by side and said rotor having surfaces disposed radially inwardly of the outer periphery thereof for deflecting and abruptly reversing the flowpf'elastic'fluid through said rotor. V I v 8.,A turbine machine of the class described, comprising an outer casing, an inlet passage through which elastic fluid can be admitted to said casing, ,an [exhaust passage for such casing through which saidfluid may be discharged, a rotor adapted for rotation in said casing, said rotor having a plurality, of axially spaced fluid passages arranged sideby sidev and connected in serial relation whereby the elastic fluid passing from said inlet to said exhaust passageof said machine must travel through said rotor in a tortuous zig-zag path radially and axially of said rotor, certain of said passages sinuous in a circumferential direction for controlling the expansion and flow of the elastic fluid in a radially inward direction and the other of said passages comprising a labyrinth of areas between radially inclined impeller blade means, said rotor having surfaces disposed near its outer periphery and radially inwardly of said outer periphery for deflecting and abruptly reversing the flow of elastic fluid from one of said passages to an adjacent passage.

9. A turbine machine of the class described, comprising an outer casing, an inlet passage in said casing through which an elastic fluid may be admitted, an exhaust outlet through which said fluid may be discharged, a rotor adapted to rotate in said casing under the action of an elastic fluid passing from said inlet to said exhaust outlet, said rotor comprising a plurality of paired disk-like elements having hubs which fit together to constitute a fluid-tight deflecting surface, said elements also having surfaces which in their juxtaposed relation form radially extending passages, all of said passages being connected in serial relation, certain of said passages being sinuous in a circumferential direction and of substantial radial depth. and the alternate passages being provided between radially inclined impeller blades carried by certain of said elements, an annular member having inclined slots surrounding said impeller blades and having inclined slots which are adapted to control the expansion of elastic fluid and to abruptly reverse its direction of flow from the outer ends of said impeller blades to the next adjacent sinuous passage, a cylindrical sleeve surrounding said annular member, said sleeve adapted to fit and rotate in said casing with a fluid-tight engagement, an annulus provided with a circumferential series of converging passages into and against which the incoming fluid is adapted to impinge to develop a turning moment on said rotor, said annulus surrounding one of said sinuous passages through which the elastic fluid passes into said rotor.

10. A turbine machine of the class described, comprising a casing having an inlet passage disposed circularly of said casing through which an elastic fluid can be admitted to said casing and an exhaust outlet through which said fluid can be discharged from said casing, a rotor adapted for rotation in said casing under the influence of said elastic fluid, said rotor comprising: a plu rality of paired disk-like elements having hub portions which fit together to form deflecting surfaces for said fluid, the pair of disk-like elements arranged circularly of said rotor and in the plane of said inlet passage being provided with complementary surfaces which form passages of substantially radial depth which are sinuous in a circumferential direction, the opposite sides of said first mentioned pair of elements being provided with radially inclined impeller blades, the next adjacent elements on either side of said first mentioned pair -of elements being provided with a plane surface which engages the outside of the respective impeller blades to form a labyrinth of radially inclined passages, said impeller blades being surrounded by an annular member having a plurality of inclined slots, the opposite side of said second pair of elements being provided with surfaces which are complementary to the adjacent surfaces of the next adjacent elements on either side of said second mentioned pair of elements to form radially extending passages which are sinuous in a circumferential direction, said third pair of elements having inclined impeller blades on their respective opposite sides thereof, the next adjacent pair of said elements having a plane surface which engages said impeller blades of said last mentioned pair of elements to form a, second labyrinth of radially inclined passages, all of said radial passages being in serial communication, the communication between aid first sinuous passage and said first labyrinth of passages formed by impeller blades being between the respective hubs and the inner ends of said complementary surfaces and said impeller blades and the communication between the outer ends of the labyrinth passages and the next adjacent sinuous passage being through the passages in said finger ring.

11. A turbine machine of the class described, as claimed in claim 7, in which there is an annulus surrounding said first pair of disk-like elements, said annulus having a circumferential series of converging passages into and against which elastic fluid entering said inlet impinges and passes into the first mentioned sinuous passage.

12. A turbine machine of the type described, as claimed in claim 7, in which there is a cylindrical sleeve surrounding all of the other elements of said rotor except said annulus.

13. A turbine machine of the class described, comprising an outer casing, an inlet passage through which an elastic fluid can be admitted to said casing, an exhaust outlet through which said fluid may be discharged from said casing, a rotor adapted for rotation in said casing, said rotor comprising an annulus having a circumferential series of converging passages into and against which the incoming fluid may impinge to develop a turning moment on said rotor, said passages also erving as inlets to said rotor, said rotor also being provided with a radially extending sinuous passage into which said converging passages open said sinuous passage adapted to control the expansion of the elastic fluid after it is discharged through said converging passages, means carried by said rotor for reversing the direction of flow of said fluid and deflecting it in a direction radially outwardly of said rotor, said rotor also including impeller blade means against which said elastic fluid impinges during it radially outward flow to develop additional turning moment.

FRANK M. DOWNWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 796,704 Clark Aug. 8, 1905 843,073 Comstock Feb. 5, 1907 850,593 Marsh Apr. 16, 1907 870,867 Comstock Nov. 12, 1907 876,628 Fulmer Jan. 14, 1908 2,043,783 Adair June 9, 1936 2,404,371 Glaser July 23, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 134 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1904

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