Abstract: A turbine rotor unit and a method of producing the same are disclosed. This turbine rotor unit comprises a ceramic rotor, a ceramic shaft integrally united with the ceramic rotor and a metal shaft provided with a cylindrical portion fixing the ceramic shaft therein and is characterized by having a gap between a substantial portion of the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder portion located near the side of the ceramic rotor and the outer surface of the ceramic shaft. Further, the turbine rotor unit is produced by arranging on one end of the metal shaft a cylindrical portion wherein an inner diameter at its opening side is larger than that at the bottom side, inserting the ceramic shaft into the cylindrical portion, and fixing the ceramic shaft to the cylindrical portion at its small diameter side.

Abstract: A nozzle chamber assembly comprising an upper nozzle chamber resting on a lower nozzle chamber wherein the nozzle chambers are neither bolted nor pinned at their horizontal juncture but are held together by gravitational and pressure forces. A removable bolt which passes through the upper portion of the inner cylinder during assembly of the turbine and threads into the upper portion of the nozzle chamber to fasten the upper nozzle chamber in the upper portion of the inner cylinder during assembly and is removable once the inner cylinder is assembled. The inlet nozzles for the turbine and nozzle chambers are slidably received and sealed in a common bore which extends through the inner cylinder.

Abstract: A cartridge or plug-in pump for use in a fluid holding receptacle such as an aircraft fuel tank. A pump housing on the fluid holding receptacle has an inlet opening to allow passage of fluid from the receptacle into the pump housing. A plug-in pump assembly is axially and rotatably positionable in the pump housing. A pump inlet closure is mounted on the pump housing for movement between inlet open and closed postions. Seals are provided between the pump housing and the pump assembly. A first actuator moves the closure to its inlet closed position in response to rotational movement of the pump assembly relative to the pump housing. A second actuator moves the pump assembly axially relative to the pump housing to break the seals also in response to rotational movement of the pump assembly relative to the pump housing. The first and second actuators are synchronized whereby the closure is in its inlet closed position at the time the seals are broken.

Abstract: A variable capacity radial flow turbine includes a turbine housing which incorporates a turbine wheel and which forms a working gas passageway that leads to the turbine wheel and that is divided into two parts. The working gas passageway is provided with a pivotable plate-like member, so that the flow rate of the working gas flowing into the turbine wheel can be continuously changed by shifting the position of this member and thus opening or closing part of a working gas intake.

Abstract: A fan-filter combination which can be used to remove air-borne contaminates in air that is directed into or exhausted from localized areas includes a filter affixed to a fan unit by a bracketing structure into which the filter is slidingly receivable.

Abstract: A compressor with a rotary driven centrifugal impeller which receives inlet air from an inlet passageway and this discharges compressed air through a radially extending diffuser passageway. Moveable vanes are provided both in the inlet passageway and diffuser passageway for varying the pressure and flow output from the compressor while maintaining the rotary speed of the centrifugal impeller substantially constant. In the preferred form of the invention, the centrifugal impeller and an electrical generator are rotatably driven at a constant speed and in synchronism with each other and, together, form an electrical and pneumatic power system.

Abstract: A blower has a tubular air flow guiding sleeve. An electric motor is located coaxially within the sleeve in a casing connected to the sleeve by flow-straightening blades and a propeller is fixed to a rotary shaft of the motor and placed in front of the blades. A central unit comprises the tubular casing constituting a single casting with the blades and a part of said sleeve surrounding the propeller. A length of that part around the propeller is machined concentrically to an inner surface of said casing slidably receiving the stator of the motor. A PTFE ring may be located in a recess of the sleeve in radial alignment with the propeller blade tips.

Abstract: A turbo-compressor air supply system for supplying air at relatively low pressure and high volume to a paint spray system or the like. The air supply system comprises a drive motor including a casing, a drive shaft projecting from the casing and air intake means in fluid communication with the casing. A turbo-compressor is provided which includes a housing, a drive shaft having first and second projecting ends, a bearing housing projecting from the compressor housing and disposed concentrically around and spaced from a projecting end of the drive shaft and a bearing disposed concentrically around the projecting end. A drive train couples the compressor drive shaft with the other projecting end of the drive motor drive shaft to enable the motor to drive the turbo-compressor. Means are provided for placing the bearing housing in fluid communication with a drive motor casing and associated air intake means to provide cooling for the bearing.

Abstract: An axial torque governor for a turbo-supercharger for internal combustion engines has a flow channel which is composed of a cylindrical section and of a spherical section following thereupon, the spherical section merging into a second cylindrical section by way of a nozzle section. The radius of the spherical section is equal to the radius of the first cylindrical section. A plurality of guide vanes are each composed of essentially circular segments which cover the cross-section of the first cylindrical section given complete closure of the inlet passage, whereby the pivoting axes of the guide vanes respectively lie in the entry edge of the vanes.

Abstract: In a variable nozzle structure for a turbine, moveable vanes for controlling variable cross section nozzles which lead to a turbine wheel are actuated by a drive unit which comprises an actuator for causing a linear motion to a rod member, a lever arm member which is pivotally supported by a part of the turbine casing and is connected to the rod member at its one end so as to be able to rotate about its pivot point with respect to a turbine casing when the rod member is driven linearly, a crank arm member which is integrally connected to a pin shaft which is securely attached to each of the moveable vanes and pivotally supports the corresponding moveable vane, and an engagement member which is fixedly attached to the lever arm member and is engaged with the crank arm member so as to cause the rotational motion of the crank arm member when the lever arm member is rotatively driven by the rod member. Thereby, accurate control of the variable nozzles can be accomplished with a simple structure.

Abstract: An improved cutter pump subassembly for use in a centrifugal pump adapted for chopping and pumping an influent liquid containing solids is disclosed. In such a cutter pump, a suction inlet, discharge outlet, means for driving an impeller and a cutter pump subassembly are provided. The improved cutter pump subassembly comprises a housing, an impeller and a stationary cutter. The housing defines a pump chamber and contains the impeller. The housing also contains a centrally located suction aperture that receives the influent liquid and a spiral channel that conducts the liquid out of the housing. The impeller has a shroud and impeller vanes and is rotatably driven by the means for driving an impeller. The impeller vanes each have an outer circumferential end and an inner shearing edge. The stationary cutter is secured adjacent the suction aperture. The cutter has teeth each having at least one blade.

Abstract: In a turbine rotor composed of a ceramic turbine blade and a metal shaft with an end to be machined, martensite stainless steel or martensite heat-resistant steel which can be hardened in a gas or vacuum after having been heated beyond the quenching temperature thereof is used as the metal. The ceramic blade and the metal shaft are heat-connected by brazing or shrinkage fit at 800.degree. C., or more. The metal shaft hardened through the heat-connection is tempered only at the end to be machined or the metal shaft heated to the quenching temperature is quench hardened only in part other than the end to be machined, thus facilitating the machining of the metal shaft locally which keeping the remaining part thereof in a quench hardened condition.

Abstract: A total flow turbine comprises a total flow nozzle and rotor vane train designed to allow a two-phase fluid comprising water and water vapor to pass through the rotor vane train with little deflection to minimize collision of the water with the rotor vane walls.

Abstract: A pump for pumping liquids includes a casing formed by upper and lower casing parts secured together. The upper casing part houses a centrifugal rotor having blades which direct liquid to a volute and the lower casing part houses an axial lift impellor which supplies liquid to the centrifugal rotor by way of fixed blades. The lower casing part also houses a further rotor which induces flow of liquid through the pump inlet. The rotor is directly connected to a drive shaft and the centrifugal rotor and impellor are coupled to the shaft preferably through step up gearing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pumping liquid includes a pump casing with a vortex generating member which generates a swirling column of liquid which swirls about a central axis and which is directed through the pump inlet to discharge into the ambient body of liquid at which its energy is quickly dissipated. The surrounding ambient liquid is drawn through the pump inlet in a counterflow to the vortex column flow and flows into the pump casing and then out through a pump discharge. The preferred vortex generating member was channels of decreasing size converging toward the axis of the vortex column with the streams of liquid increasing their respective velocities as they flow toward the axis at which the streams join and concentrate their energies to form the vortex column. Preferably, the vortex member is driven by a power source.

Abstract: Hot water is uniformly accelerated in a nozzle having a tapered flow passage so that it can flow into a moving blade smoothly. The hot water is then expanded and accelerated within the flow passage of the moving blade which is not turned but widened toward its end and power is generated by its reaction, thereby ensuring a highly efficient total flow turbine.

Abstract: On the suction side of its pump housing a pump is provided with a gas separator optionally built integrally with the pump housing. The gas separator comprises a cyclone chamber with an inlet channel for a gas or air-containing pump medium, and a liquid outlet channel connected to the inlet of the pump. A bleed housing is provided at the upper end of the cyclone chamber, said bleed housing comprising an air duct. The air duct is substantially Z-shaped and of a cross section deviating from circular shape. The air duct comprises furthermore a relatively wide groove over at least a portion of its length and at its upper wall. The groove extends from adjacent the inlet of the air duct and forwards into said duct. In this manner a separation of gas or air from the gas or air-containing pump medium is obtained which is more reliable than the previously known separation.

Abstract: The adjustment of clearances at the time of assembly and subsequently during operation of a labyrinth seal lying between the rotor and stator of a turbomachine is effected by radial displacements of a bush radially rigid with an outer pivot pin of each blade of the stator and co-operates with a boss of the casing by means of screw-threads. Such displacements are controlled as a function of a signal provided by a computer which integrates various operational parameters of the turbomachine and acts on a control ring connected by a lever to the said bush. The internal pivot of the blade is rigid with an annular member which carries a layer of abradable material constituting a fixed part of the labyrinth seal. The rotary part of the labyrinth seal is mounted on an opposed part of the rotor. A method for effecting the adjustment of the clearances is also described.

Abstract: A pump for pumping a slurry includes a rotary pump having a plain disc impeller disposed in a cylindrical chamber of a housing with an inlet coaxial of the impeller into the housing and a substantially square outlet from the periphery of the chamber, with the rotor arranged to provide a substantially unobstructed passage between the inlet past the rotor to the outlet of the pump.

Abstract: Two sets of guide vanes are positioned in the combustion air flow path in the inlet duct of a rotary compressor of a gas turbine engine for controllably varying the air mass flow rate according to turbine load conditions. The upstream set which provides a fixed, initial degree of swirl relative to compressor rotational direction and axis and the controllably moveable downstream set which provides a final degree of swirl cooperate to provide controllable swirl over the range of about 0.degree. to 32.degree. in the inlet air incident upon the turbine blades. The two guide vane sets are separated by a distance sufficient to allow turbulence induced by the first set to fully decay before the second set is encountered.