Abstract: Methods and apparatus for preventing swirl in a stem turbine having an annular-shaped stationary portion through which extends in regions of differential pressure a rotatable shaft include flow dams situated perpendicularly with respect to a plurality of spaced-apart annular teeth which extend radially inward from the stationary portion toward the shaft to within close proximity thereof, each adjacent pair of teeth forming a cavity there between. By damming the cavities, a circumferential stem flow is substantially minimized, thereby preventing the conditions necessary for the inducement of swirl.

Abstract: A face disc keyed to the shaft and keyed to a peripheral flange on a turbine blade disc eliminates stress concentration at the highly stressed juncture of the blade disc and shaft on fabricated turbine rotors.

Abstract: A tubular element having structural members disposed thereon at selected axial locations for supporting thermocouples inside the bore of a hollow shaft. Each of the structural members constitutes a generally "X"-shaped configuration which is substantially divided in half to form separated sections. Thermocouples placed in the legs of each X-shaped structural member are biased into contact with the shaft's interior surface by spring members which are disposed in openings formed in both sections on opposite sides of the X member's division at low or zero speed and by the springs and centrifugal force at high speed. Relative axial movement of the sections constituting each X member is restrained by dowels set into the sections and across the space separating them. Wires from the thermocouples extend radially into and axially within the tubular member. At one axial end of the tubular member the thermocouple wires are connected to a rotatable transmitter which broadcasts signals received from those thermocouples.