Abstract: A panel fitting device comprises a main part made of wire rod or plate material and a pressing part made of the same material connected together at one end so that they form a clearance for receiving an upper panel, and the other end of the main part has a supporting leg to hitch a base material such as a C-shaped channel. When the base material is hitched by the supporting leg and the main part and the pressing part are turned clockwise, the top part of the lower panel is caught between the main part and the base material, and then, the bottom end of an upper panel is inserted into the aforementioned clearance and the upper and lower panels can thus be easily installed.

Abstract: A combination floor, jack and trailer assemblies characterized by a precast floor assembly having a pair of longitudinal beams and a plurality of transverse beams, including end beams, the longitudinal and end beams forming underpenning for a modular home; a jack assembly for attaching to said floor assembly even at ground level and for lifting said floor assembly sufficiently for the running thereunder of a trailer assembly, the jack assembly having a superstructure, lift bar for lifting the superstructure and the attached floor assembly, top fastener for fastening the lifting bar to prevent upward movement, interconnection means for connecting the jack with the floor assembly, extensible leg having a plurality of stations therealong for fastening the base along the leg and a jack for raising the floor assembly by forcing the extensible leg and the lift bar apart by one or more cycles so that the trailer assembly can be run underneath; and a trailer assembly including front and rear units having respective f

Abstract: A centrifugal compressor has at least one stage with its own impeller shaft and a gear train for driving the impeller shaft. The gear train includes a plurality of meshing parallel shaft gears comprising two input gears either of which can receive drive from a prime mover. The ratio of the number of teeth of the input gears is such that the relative shaft speeds of the input gears are 5n: 6N where n is 1 or 2 and N is 1 or 2.

Abstract: A method for starting a blower in the form of a single-stage radial fan installed in a pressure system such as the circulating cooling system of a turbogenerator in which the resistance of the pressure system is varying during the starting operation by means of a starting duct provided with a throttling element. The throttling element is closed at any desired blower speed ranging from 10 to 100% of its rated speed when the point of intersection between the pressure system characteristic, modified on the basis of the open throttling element, and the blower characteristic has been reached whereupon the desired point of operation conforming to the blower characteristic and the system characteristic will regulate itself automatically.

Abstract: A unison ring for adjusting the nozzle vanes in a split shaft gas turbine is mounted via a secondary ring attached to and encircling the casing. The secondary ring is mounted so as to accommodate dimensional variations in the housing due to temperature changes without altering the freely movable mounting engagement of the unison ring. The unison ring can thus be easily adjusted regardless of the variations in radial dimension between the housing and the unison ring.

Abstract: A member interposed between the inner and outer casings of a rotary machine which is arranged to hold the casings in concentric alignment with the machine shaft as the two casings undergo transient thermal and pressure growth.

Abstract: A pump for handling liquids laden with abrasive particles having impellers arranged in a counter-opposed manner on the pump shaft to rotate jointly with the latter. At the points of impeller mounting, the shaft has tapered surfaces whose apices face each other and the mating surfaces of the impellers are also tapered. At least one of the tapered surfaces of the shaft is formed by a bushing disposed with provision for moving axially along said shaft for pressing the impellers against the corresponding tapered surfaces of the shaft. This mode of mounting the impellers extends considerably the service life of the pump.

Abstract: Reversal means for a transverse or cross flow blower is provided which allows for reversal of fluid flow direction without changing impeller rotation direction. In the first embodiment, power means rotate the housing 180.degree. from its initial position, thereby providing for reversal of the fluid flow. In the second embodiment, fluid flow reversal is provided by a pair of inlet and outlet volute walls made up of curved vanes. The vanes are generally elongated and pivotally mounted for rotation about their longitudinal axis by means of linkages connected to a power means. By opening the vanes of one volute wall while closing the vanes of the other, air flow reversal is conveniently accomplished.

Abstract: A thermal turbomachine such as an axial flow steam turbine of the center intake opposite flow type includes an intake duct surrounding the rotor and which is delimited by a portion of the internal surface of an inner housing surrounding the rotor and by the juxtaposed surfaces of two rotationally symmetrical shells. In order to permit the shells to expand substantially unhindered in relation to the inner housing as a result of imposed thermal stresses and still provide a gastight seal between an internal surface portion of the inner housing and the peripheral portions of the shells the latter are pressed into a slidable sealing engagement with the former rather than rigidly attached to each other. According to one embodiment, the slidable sealing engagement between the parts is established by means of a groove provided on one part into which the other part is fitted.

Abstract: A fluid-flow machine. At least one substantially disc-shaped rotor has a plurality of fluid-flow channels therethrough. Each fluid-flow channel comprises rectangular shaped inlet and outlet openings on opposite sides of the rotor disposed at different distances from the axis of rotation of said rotor, a tangential inlet channel portion including the inlet opening for receipt of a fluid-flow medium, a tangential outlet channel portion including the outlet opening for discharge of the fluid-flow medium and a circular radial connecting section between the channel portions having curved opposite ends connecting said inlet portion to said outlet portion completely around the perimeter thereof. Each channel portion has a direction, for directing the fluid-flow medium, which has a transverse and an axial component relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor. The axial components are in the same direction and the transverse components are in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A stator vane assembly for a compressor or turbine of a gas turbine engine. The stator vane assembly comprises a plurality of circumferentially-spaced stator vanes extending in a generally radial direction between radially spaced co-axial annular walls mounted co-axially on a rotor of the compressor or turbine. The vanes are flexible and are engaged at at least one position in the radial length thereof by an axially movable annular vane-deflecting member, whereby the vanes are deflectable in cross-sectional shape depending upon the axial position of the vane-deflecting member.

Abstract: A short, wide angle diffuser having means for preventing boundary layer separation is disclosed. The means includes means for injecting a fluid stream into the diffuser at preselected locations for mixing with the boundary layer fluid. The injected fluid may be derived from the fluid exiting from the diffuser and fed back into the diffuser.

Abstract: A turbomachine having a stationary housing and a rotatable rotor mounted therein and including a series of rotor blade rings carried by the rotor and a series of guide vane rings carried by the housing, the guide vane rings and the rotor blade rings being disposed in mutually alternating relationship, further includes means defining an annular space located forward of the first rotor blade ring of the series of rotor blade rings, flow medium supply means communicating with the annular space for supplying flow medium thereto, the annular space extending radially outwardly and along the entire periphery of the turbomachine for producing a torsional flow of the flow medium, the rotor having a shaft formed with a collar, and the series of rotor blade rings including a first blade ring mounted on the collar directly behind the annular space and having a diameter greater than that of the succeeding blade rings of the series, whereby the flow medium supplied to the annular space axially impinges directly on the firs

Abstract: A diffuser provides a transition from a centrifugal compressor to the annular combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine. The diffuser comprises a plurality of linear passages which gradually merge radially outward from a circular cross-section to an outlet having a near rectangular cross-section defined by two flat opposing parallel sides and two opposing curved sides. The two opposing curved sides produce a razor sharp trailing edge which maximizes the diffuser efficiency. The linearity of the diffuser passage allows the diffuser to be manufactured to close tolerances by electric discharge milling an annular plate in a manner which assures uniformity and consistency between diffusers. The near rectangular shape of the outlet of the diffuser passages optimizes flow distribution to the annular combustion chamber. A transition region and deswirler section downstream of the near rectangular outlet may be provided to match the diffuser flow path to the combustor geometry.

Abstract: A fixing arrangement for a guide part of a fixed casing on a rotating mace whose rotor is supported by a concrete beam, is characterized in that the guide part is fixed to a plate applied against a lateral wall of the beam and is integral with trusses sunk in the mass of the beam. The invention applies, more particularly, to steam turbine exhaust chambers.

Abstract: A 360.degree. volute, radial inflow turbine housing has the housing chamber inlet and housing chamber with a radial divider extending circumferentially of the housing chamber for between approximately 180.degree. and 300.degree. dividing the housing chamber into axially adjacent parts for the extent of the divider which ultimately opens circumferentially into a common chamber part extending circumferentially over the remainder of the housing chamber. All of the housing chamber divided and common parts communicate generally radially inwardly to a generally central turbine wheel location.

Abstract: The turbine rotor has about its periphery a steam track in the form of a groove. The groove is closed at its leading end by a small face and has walls which diverge in a helical pattern. The bottom and walls of the groove terminate in an outwardly sloping area which meets the closed leading end of the groove. Alternatively there may be a succession of grooves, each with a closed leading ends and diverging walls. Additionally the housing may include a stationary steam track closed at both ends with walls diverging in the opposite direction from the diverging walls of the groove in the rotor.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle has inner and outer shrouds structurally connected by hollow core members which together with nose and tail inserts retained in the shrouds form airfoil-shaped vanes. Openings in one of the shrouds supply cooling air to the hollow vane cores whose walls have orifices to impinge air upon the inserts. Spent air from the nose insert film cools the core. Air directed at the tail insert divides to flow through holes in the insert and to film cool the insert. Orifices and holes are cast or readily drilled into the parts prior to their assembly. For superior resistance to high temperatures, the inserts are preferably columnar-grained or monocrystalline superalloy castings which are brazed or welded into the shrouds and are replaceable to extend nozzle service life. Alternatively, ceramic or metal inserts are mechanically retained in the shrouds.

Abstract: Apparatus for varying the nozzle area in the turbine section of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. Nozzle guide vanes extend across the flow path for the working medium gases and are rotatable to alter the area of the nozzle. In one embodiment the rotatable vanes are cantilevered from the outer engine case and are opposed at their radially inner ends by a shroud which is affixed to the inner engine case.

Abstract: In a hydraulic plant comprising one or more machines of the reaction turbine or rotary pump type, the conventional single spiral casing of each machine is replaced by several partial volutes connecting the periphery of the fixed supporting blade ring by several independent tubular connection elements to a pressure pipeline.