Abstract: A fluid pumping assembly in which an electrically operated motor is operatively connected to an impeller disposed in a volute housing. The volute housing is formed of two portions of a molded synthetic material which are joined together and which have rib means integrally formed on their inner faces for defining a priming chamber in the volute housing. A seal plate of a dielectric material extends within the volute housing and defines an opening for receiving drive means for the impeller.

Abstract: A pump having a volute housing containing a rotor having a plurality of vanes. Two opposite vanes have opposing axially extending shear blade portions at their inner ends which project into the pump intake openings in the opposite side walls of the volute housing and which co-operate with radially extending shear bars secured externally on the side walls of the volute housing and extend over the housing intake openings, to cut up all types of debris entering the pump and to thereby prevent clogging of the pump.

Abstract: A centrifugal compressor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an inducer section and an impeller section mounted for rotation about an axis. Because leading edges of the impeller blades are cambered, damper pads, extending perpendicular to the low pressure sides thereof also extend axially forward. Blades of the inducer section are indexed rotationally rearward of the impeller blades to improve the distribution of compression gases through the impeller section and high pressure surfaces of the inducer blades mate near their leading edges with outward surfaces of the damper pads. Because the pads and inducer blades vibrate at different frequencies, inducer blade vibrations that might otherwise cause fatigue are attenuated by contact with the damper pads. The damper pad arrangement thus permits the damping of vibrations in the inducer blades notwithstanding the indexed relationship between the inducer section and the impeller section.

Abstract: A hydraulic machine, wherein means for rotating guide apparatus vanes comprises a control ring and at least two actuating motors. Each actuating motor is movably connected to the control ring. The control ring is operatively connected to each vane of the guide apparatus. The actuating motor is fixed to a support member which is rigidly fixed to embedded parts of the hydraulic machine and cast in concrete.

Abstract: The outlet of a centrifugal compressor is provided with an annular row of movable diffuser vanes which align with the fluid flow direction to prevent a surge condition. Each movable diffuser vane has a pivot axis forward of the vane's center of pressure to cause the fluid from the impeller to move the vane such that the flow meets the diffuser vane leading edge with a near-zero incident angle. The vanes are floating or freely movable on the pivot axis except for spring bias which prevents flutter. In some embodiments, the movable vanes are upstream of primary fixed diffuser vanes, of the vane-island or of the airfoil vane type, and are movable between a closed position abutting the primary vanes to variable open positions which create auxiliary diffuser channels.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling the case and the nozzle guide vanes in the turbine section of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. A plurality of guide vanes is cantilevered from the case and extends radially inward across the path of working medium gases flowing through the turbine. A ring, which is deformable to provide radial sealing in operative response to pressure forces exerted by medium gases on the airfoil section of each guide vane, is disposed between the vanes and the case forming an annular chamber which is adapted to receive cooling air and from which the cooling air is flowable to the vanes during operation of the engine.

Abstract: A mechanical joint for connecting each of the actuating levers on a row of variable position engine vanes to a common synchronizing ring including a flattened cylindrical slider fitting in a cylindrical recess in the actuating lever and having a stepped hole to receive a substantially radially extending pin in the synchronizing ring.

Abstract: A fluid dynamic machine has a single rotor providing the rotor portion of a centrifugal compressor and also the rotor portion of an axial-to-radial flow fan. The portion of the rotor blades adjacent the hub define a compressor blading and the axially forward part of each blade is extended outwardly to provide a fan blade. These are supplied from a common inlet eye, and the flow is split at the downstream side of the fan between the fan and compressor passages by a generally radial plate curving forwardly at its inner margin and providing the forward fixed shroud for the compressor blades. The fan diffuser is split in a generally diametrical direction.

Abstract: The accuracy of axial alignment of rotary shafts which are connected to each other by face gears is determined by micrometer screws which are moved into contact with annular control surfaces of the shafts. The control surfaces are normal to the axes of the respective shafts and, if their planes are not exactly parallel to each other, selected teeth of the mating face gears are elastically deformed to a greater or lesser extent to thereby tilt at least one of the shafts with respect to the other shaft until the two axes are accurately aligned with each other. The elastic deformation of selected gear teeth can be effected by bolts and nuts which connect the two shafts and extend in parallelism with their axes or by a composite annular clamp whose arcuate sections engage tapering surfaces on the flanges of the shafts and are held together by bolts which can tilt the shafts relative to each other by changing the width of gaps between neighboring sections.

Abstract: A washing machine including a pump which selectively passes washing liquid to a filter or to a drain, the pump having a vaned impeller driven by an impeller shaft, the impeller structure being provided with a collar in circumscribing relation to the shaft, and a pump housing having a tubular portion in closely spaced relation to the periphery of the collar, the tubular portion having a serrated portion cooperating with the collar to shred lint delivered to the space between the collar and the serrated portion.

Abstract: A multi-stage axial-flow turbine structure where in order to reduce the energy content of the gaseous working medium leaving the last moving blade row in comparison to the available heat drop, the flow discharge cross-section area from the last moving row, compared to the flow discharge cross-section area of the penultimate moving row, is made larger by some 10 to 40 % than would correspond to the ratio of the increase in volume of the working medium from the penultimate to the last moving blade now. This is accomplished, for example, by increasing the ratio of the passage width to blade pitch and/or by increasing the annular flow area, this ratio being varied over the length of the blades of the last row in order to obtain a uniform velocity profile in the axial and tangential directions.

Abstract: A high speed, high capacity impeller assembly for a double suction, double volute centrifugal pump. The impeller assembly includes an impeller and two inducers rotatably mounted on a shaft. The inducers feed influent into the eye of the impeller on either side thereof. The impeller includes a plurality of vanes having a low lead angle at the leading edge of each vane. Partial vanes are also provided between each main vane to reduce vortex motion and pump vibration.

Abstract: In a method of widening the zone of stable operation of an axial-flow fan, and of attenuating noise generated thereby, a portion of the flow medium is drawn off upstream of the fan and is returned to a zone at the periphery of the fan rotor. The invention also includes an axial-flow fan for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An inducer having a generally conical hub and a plurality of blades projecting substantially perpendicular to the axis of said hub; each of said blades being formed of alar configuration with the tip suction surface leading edges of said blades defining angles of .+-. 0.5.degree. with the relative flow direction of the incident fluid, and having the ratio of the spacing between adjacent blades to the clearance distance between said blade tips and an encircling housing greater than about 70.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a side channel compressor comprising a housing defining a fluid conveying chamber, the fluid conveying chamber being of a curved configuration, a compressor wheel, means mounting the compressor wheel for rotation about an axis, fluid inlet and fluid outlet ports in fluid communication with the fluid conveying chamber, the compressor wheel having a plurality of blades which during the rotation of the compressor wheel move fluid along the chamber in a direction from the inlet port toward the outlet port, each blade being disposed generally radially relative to the axis of rotation of the compressor wheel, each blade having radially innermost and outermost blade portions with the latter being more remote from the axis than the former, and the innermost and outermost blade portions being inclined relative to the compressor wheel axis and inclined in the direction of fluid flow along the chamber with the angle of the innermost blade portions to a plane normal to the axis being greater th

Abstract: A fan assembly including a fan scroll having a discharge opening. The relative position of the opening may be altered from one unit to the next to direct the air in a desired direction. The fan shaft is mounted off-center relative to the center of the side walls of the fan assembly housing. The position of the fan shaft is varied about the circumference of an imaginary circle in accordance with the position of the discharge opening. The center of the imaginary circle is coincident with the center of the side walls.

Abstract: A centrifugal type fluid moving device having a rotor operating in a working chamber around it, wherein the working chamber is established by a plurality of working chamber defining modules each of which defines a "section" of overall working chamber. Each module presents an outlet for its respective section of the chamber. Both "tiered", or stacked, module sections, and "angular" module section embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A swivel, particularly useful in core drilling a bore hole, including a rotor rotatable in a stator, the rotor having a passage through which compressed air is forced to an air operated device for producing cores in the bore hole, and also having a return passage through which the cores conveyed by a portion of the compressed air flow into a core receiving chamber in the stator, a pusher or wiper in the chamber being secured to the rotor to rotate therewith and move around the chamber to shift the cores and core particles toward and into a stator outlet.

Abstract: A seal is provided between adjacent stationary annular shroud members in a gas turbine. The shroud members have an axially directed gap disposed between their adjoining ends. Each adjoining end of each stationary shroud has a shoulder arrangement which provides support for a seal disposed across the gap. The shoulders on the ends of the shrouds provide restraint against radially inwardly directed dislocation, and a blade ring which supports the shroud members themselves, provides restraint against axial and radially outwardly directed dislocation. The seal prevents escape of hot motive fluid from the generally axially directed working fluid flow path.

Abstract: A stator of a hydraulic machine with the end-face sealing of vanes comprises an upper rim, a lower rim and rotatable stator vanes mounted with their journals in said rims in such a manner as to form an annular row. The upper and lower rims are provided with holes for receiving the vane journals and with rectangular recesses located between the adjacent holes receiving the vane journals in the zone of projection of the section of the vanes on said rims when the vanes are in the closed position. In order to eliminate leakages of liquid between the rims and the end faces of the vanes, a seal is disposed in each recess along the entire length thereof. The seal comprises a gasket inserted in the recess with a space remaining between the base thereof and the bottom of the recess, the gasket having at least one through passage for filling the space with liquid flowing to the stator.