Abstract: Axial entry dovetails on buckets are installed axially into generally complementary-shaped female dovetails about the rim of the turbine wheel. The buckets include bucket covers having an interference fit such that upon installation, the buckets tend to rotate, which causes radial inward displacement of the buckets. To eliminate the bucket rotation and radial displacement, the male dovetails mount an anti-rotation key for reception in a generally complementary-shaped recess at the base of the female dovetail. The anti-rotation key in the slot eliminates rotation and radial displacement of the bucket, maintaining the buckets on radii and enables the bucket covers to be machined to proper diameters.

Abstract: Axial entry dovetails on buckets are installed axially into generally complementary-shaped female dovetails about the rim of the turbine wheel. The buckets include bucket covers having an interference fit such that upon installation, the buckets tend to rotate, which causes radial inward displacement of the buckets. To eliminate the bucket rotation and radial displacement, the male dovetails mount an anti-rotation key for reception in a generally complementary-shaped recess at the base of the female dovetail. The anti-rotation key in the slot eliminates rotation and radial displacement of the bucket, maintaining the buckets on radii and enables the bucket covers to be machined to proper diameters.

Abstract: A bucket spreading tool is disclosed for separating covers of adjacent turbine buckets, the tool includes: an arm for extending a head of the tool between adjacent turbine wheels and for positioning the head between the adjacent buckets of a wheel, wherein the head includes an attachment to an end of the arm and a forward portion having a front side surface shaped to engage a first bucket of said adjacent buckets, and a rear side surface shaped to engage a second bucket of said adjacent buckets.

Abstract: A bucket spreading tool is disclosed for separating covers of adjacent turbine buckets, the tool includes: an arm for extending a head of the tool between adjacent turbine wheels and for positioning the head between the adjacent buckets of a wheel, wherein the head includes an attachment to an end of the arm and a forward portion having a front side surface shaped to engage a first bucket of said adjacent buckets, and a rear side surface shaped to engage a second bucket of said adjacent buckets.

Abstract: A system and method for securing an integral closure bucket to a rotor wheel assembly. The integral closure bucket is inserted in a direction coincident with a radius of the rotor wheel assembly, where the remaining buckets have been previously inserted in a direction parallel to the axis of the turbine rotor wheel. The closure bucket has an integral shroud and is connected to a turbine rotor wheel assembly in which the remaining buckets have been previously inserted in an axial direction. The buckets adjacent the closure bucket are spread apart both tangentially and axially to provide sufficient clearance for the radial insertion of the integral closure bucket. To prevent axial movement of the closure bucket and adjacent buckets, twist locks are utilized in channels provided in the bottom of the female dovetails in the rotor wheel.

Abstract: A system and method for securing an integral closure bucket to a rotor wheel assembly. The integral closure bucket is inserted in a direction coincident with a radius of the rotor wheel assembly, where the remaining buckets have been previously inserted in a direction parallel to the axis of the turbine rotor wheel. The closure bucket has an integral shroud and is connected to a turbine rotor wheel assembly in which the remaining buckets have been previously inserted in an axial direction. The buckets adjacent the closure bucket are spread apart both tangentially and axially to provide sufficient clearance for the radial insertion of the integral closure bucket. To prevent axial movement of the closure bucket and adjacent buckets, twist locks are utilized in channels provided in the bottom of the female dovetails in the rotor wheel.

Abstract: A method of reducing the formation of burrs during machining of turbine bucket covers of a turbine assembly includes the steps of inserting a filler material in a gap formed between adjacent bucket covers of a turbine assembly, machining the bucket covers to produce a desired profile for the bucket covers, and removing the filler material.

Abstract: A horizontal axis clothes washing machine. A rotatable clothes basket has a generally longitudinally extending and generally horizontally oriented axis of rotation and has two longitudinally spaced-apart ends. The clothes basket is rotatably attached to a generally surrounding tub which is suspended from a generally surrounding cabinet. Each of a pair of balance rings has a circumferential interior cavity, is attached to the clothes basket near a corresponding one of the ends, and has a generally longitudinally extending axis generally coaxially aligned with the axis of rotation. Tubes connect the cavity of one of the balance rings with the cavity of the other of the balance rings.