Abstract: A turbine blade is disclosed having a tip shroud that includes internal passages through which cooling air is flowed to minimize creep. The cooling air is provided to the shroud through dedicated cooling passageways which include tube inserts that restrict the transfer of heat from the airfoil portion of the turbine blade to the cooling air within the tube as the cooling air passes through the airfoil portion.

Abstract: A method is provided for repairing Z-notch wear surfaces on low pressure gas turbine engine turbine blades. The method is directed to turbine blades made of superalloy Inconel 713. Powdered Inconel 713 is welded to the Z-notch wear surface by directing an Nd:YAG laser beam upon the material. The laser beam is focused and traverses the wear surface in a stich-like pattern. The method allows Inconel 713 turbine blades to be repaired with the same material in a manner that does not generate cracking in the matrix material.

Abstract: A turbine bucket is disclosed which includes a dovetail for mounting the bucket within the turbine, a parallelogram-shaped platform connected to the dovetail, a parallelogram-shaped shroud, and an airfoil connected between the platform and the shroud. The platform includes an inner flowpath surface at which a first end of the airfoil intersects with the platform the inner flowpath surface being parallelogram-shaped and formed from a first inclined plane and a second inclined plane that meet at a first common boundary and form a first ridge or valley, boundary bisecting the inner flowpath surface, the shroud including an outer flowpath surface at which the second end of the airfoil intersects the shroud, the outer flowpath surface being parallelogram-shaped and formed from a third inclined plane and a fourth inclined plane that meet at a second common boundary and form a second ridge or valley, second common boundary bisecting the outer flowpath surface.

Abstract: A steam turbine that passes more turbine driving steam by off-setting the turbine moving blade throat•pitch ratio before operation and, when a blade untwist is generated during operation, causing more turbine driving steam to flow by maintaining an appropriate value, and, at the same time causing the turbine moving blade throat•pitch ratio to swell by giving the blade untwisting angle to the blade cross-sections in regions where the aerodynamic loss is small. The steam turbine is one in which the throat•pitch ratio (S/T) distribution of a turbine moving blade is offset by forming a curve providing at least one minimal value and maximal value by giving blade twist angle to the blade cross-sections in the blade height direction from blade root to blade tip and, at the same time, the distribution of throat•pitch ratio (S/T) taking into consideration blade untwist generated during operation.

Abstract: An open cooling circuit for a gas turbine airfoil and associated tip shroud includes a first group of cooling holes internal to the airfoil and extending in a radially outward direction generally along a leading edge of the airfoil; a second group of cooling holes internal to the airfoil and extending in a radially outward direction generally along a trailing edge of the airfoil. A common plenum is formed in the tip shroud in direct communication with the first and second group of cooling holes, but a second plenum may be provided for the second group of radial holes. A plurality of exhaust holes extends from the plenum(s), through the tip shroud and opening along a peripheral edge of the tip shroud.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating a rotor assembly for a turbine is provided. The method includes forming a cover on each bucket radial tip wherein the cover includes a leading edge side in a direction of rotation, and a trailing edge side in the direction of rotation wherein the leading edge and trailing edges are parallel with respect to each other, and wherein the leading edge and trailing edges are skewed with respect to the axis of rotation. The method includes forming an extension in the cover leading edge side, forming a groove in the cover trailing edge side, and attaching each bucket to the radially outer rim, such that the extension in the cover leading edge side of one cover is in mating engagement with the groove in the cover trailing edge side of an adjoining cover.

Abstract: A turbine engine shroud segment comprises a body including a radially outer surface having axially and circumferentially spaced apart edge surfaces. The segment includes a projection integral with and projecting generally radially outwardly from the body, and positioned at a generally midway surface portion between the axially spaced apart edge surfaces. The projection comprises a head and a transition portion with a cross section smaller than that of the head and integral with and between the head and the body. In a turbine engine shroud assembly, a plurality of such shroud segments are assembled circumferentially with a shroud hanger carrying the projection in a hanger cavity through end portions of radially inner opposed hook members that register with the projection at the transition portion.

Abstract: A turbine blade is disclosed having a tip shroud that includes internal passages through which cooling air is flowed to minimize creep. The cooling air is provided to the shroud through dedicated cooling passageways which include tube inserts that restrict the transfer of heat from the airfoil portion of the turbine blade to the cooling air within the tube as the cooling air passes through the airfoil portion.

Abstract: Steam turbine buckets have radially projecting tenons received in openings of covers. The covers are provided with a profiled surface, with recesses or radially outwardly projecting teeth, or both, to form a gap between the cover and a stationary component having increased pressure drop with resulting decreased leakage flow and reduced potential for solid particle erosion. In the profiled cover surface, the outer surface of the tenon and outer surface of the cover are machined to form the recesses or teeth, affording a flush cover/tenon design with improved sealing efficiencies and reduced solid particle erosion.

Abstract: A bucket cover includes circumferentially disposed arcuate cover segments each having discrete arcuate inner, intermediate and outer cover elements for spanning the tips of a plurality of turbine buckets. Each segment includes circumferentially spaced radial openings through the elements for receiving the tenons at the bucket tips. The intermediate element has a cavity or recess formed between circumferentially spaced webs which define the openings through the intermediate element for weight reduction purposes. In final assembly, the tips of the tenons are automatically peened to retain the elements on the buckets and excess material is machined to provide a smooth, continuous arcuate, circumferentially extending outer surface. The cavities are bounded by the webs, forward and rear end walls and the inner and outer surfaces of the outer and inner elements, respectively.

Abstract: A bucket cover includes circumferentially disposed arcuate cover segments each having discrete arcuate inner, intermediate and outer cover elements for spanning the tips of a plurality of turbine buckets. Each segment includes circumferentially spaced radial openings through the elements for receiving the tenons at the bucket tips. The intermediate element has a cavity or recess formed between circumferentially spaced webs which define the openings through the intermediate element for weight reduction purposes. In final assembly, the tips of the tenons are automatically peened to retain the elements on the buckets and excess material is machined to provide a smooth, continuous arcuate, circumferentially extending outer surface. The cavities are bounded by the webs, forward and rear end walls and the inner and outer surfaces of the outer and inner elements, respectively.

Abstract: A rotating blade with reduced noise for use, for example, in a fan or other fluid pumping structure, is disclosed. The structure includes a housing, a hub rotatably coupled to the housing, a plurality of blades, each with an inner edge attached to the hub, and a plurality of end-pieces. Each end-piece is attached to an outer edge of a corresponding one of the blades. Each end-piece extends in the axial direction beyond the surface of the outer edge of the corresponding blade. The advantage is that less turbulence is created by the blades, resulting in reduced noise and greater efficiency.

Abstract: The moving blades of a rotor included in a steam turbine are formed so that the width of a gap between opposite end surfaces of first connecting members of adjacent blades along the direction of rotation of the rotor and the width of a gap between opposite end surfaces of second connecting members of the adjacent blades along the direction of rotation of the rotor are determined so as to make the second connecting members start coming into contact with each other at a rotating speed of the rotor higher than a rotating speed at which the first connecting members of the adjacent blades start to come into contact with each other.

Abstract: A rotating blade with reduced noise for use, for example, in a fan or other fluid pumping structure, is disclosed. The structure includes a housing, a hub rotatably coupled to the housing, a plurality of blades, each with an inner edge attached to the hub, and a plurality of end-pieces. Each end-piece is attached to an outer edge of a corresponding one of the blades. Each end-piece extends in the axial direction beyond the surface of the outer edge of the corresponding blade. The advantage is that less turbulence is created by the blades, resulting in reduced noise and greater efficiency.

Abstract: A turbine blade having a cooled shroud comprises a blade attachment portion and a radially extended turbine airfoil integral with the blade attachment portion. The turbine airfoil has a plurality of cooling passages. A tip shroud is affixed to a top portion of the airfoil, the tip shroud having a plurality of circumferential cooling channels disposed substantially parallel to the rotation of the airfoil. Each circumferential cooling channel is in communication with a respective cooling passage and at least one exit port is in communication with at least one of the circumferential cooling channels.

Abstract: An open cooling circuit for a gas turbine bucket wherein the bucket has an airfoil portion, and a tip shroud, the cooling circuit including a plurality of radial cooling holes extending through the airfoil portion and communicating with an enlarged internal area within the tip shroud before exiting the tip shroud such that a cooling medium used to cool the airfoil portion is subsequently used to cool the tip shroud.

Abstract: An improved gas turbine blade is disclosed that utilizes a blade tip shroud with tapered shroud pockets to remove excess weight from the shroud while not compromising shroud bending stresses. Excess shroud weight removed by the tapered pockets reduces overall blade pull while maintaining material necessary to increase shroud stiffness. The resulting rib created between the tapered pockets provides a surface, away from possible areas of stress concentration, for drilling radial cooling holes.

Abstract: An axial-flow fan device includes a fan frame having an intake opening and an outlet opening, and an impelling apparatus mounted in the fan frame and having fan blades and an air gap generation member surrounding the fan blade. The air gap generation member which is made of a plurality of rings is mounted on a blade wheel and connected to the ends of the fan blades to reinforce the fan blades, with each of the rings overlapping and separated from each other for generating a plurality of air gaps when the fan blades rotate.

Abstract: A turbine blade having a cooled shroud comprises a blade attachment portion and a radially extended turbine airfoil integral with the blade attachment portion. The turbine airfoil has a plurality of cooling passages. A tip shroud is affixed to a top portion of the airfoil, the tip shroud having a plurality of circumferential cooling channels disposed substantially parallel to the rotation of the airfoil. Each circumferential cooling channel is in communication with a respective cooling passage and at least one exit port is in communication with at least one of the circumferential cooling channels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lightweight shrouded turbine blade. The turbine blade comprises an airfoil section and a hollow blade tip shroud joined to the airfoil section. The hollow tip shroud is preferably a cast, compartmentalized structure and has a plurality of ribs acting as load bearing structures and defining a plurality of shroud core sections. Each of the shroud core sections communicates with a supply of cooling fluid and has a plurality of apertures for supplying cooling fluid to exterior portions of the shroud.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lightweight shrouded turbine blade. The turbine blade comprises an airfoil section and a hollow blade tip shroud joined to the airfoil section. The hollow tip shroud is preferably a cast, compartmentalized structure and has a plurality of ribs acting as load bearing structures and defining a plurality of shroud core sections. Each of the shroud core sections communicates with a supply of cooling fluid and has a plurality of apertures for supplying cooling fluid to exterior portions of the shroud.

Abstract: In an air-cooled turbine blade (10) which has a shroud-band element (11) at the blade tip, the shroud-band element (11) extending transversely to the blade longitudinal axis, hollow spaces (16, 16′, 17, 17′) for cooling being provided in the interior of the shroud-band element (11), which hollow spaces (16, 16′, 17, 17′) are connected on the inlet side to at least one cooling-air passage (18) passing through the turbine blade (10) to the blade tip and open on the outlet side into the exterior space surrounding the turbine blade (10), the hollow spaces (16, 16′, 17, 17′) and the shroud-band element (11) are matched to one another in shape and dimensions in order to reduce the weight of the shroud-band element (11).

Abstract: An article that is configured to be rotatably mounted includes an embedded hollow cavity into which at least one dampening member is inserted. The dampening member or members frictionally engage the hollow cavity such that relative movement between the dampening member or members and the hollow cavity operates to attenuate vibration that is generated when the article is rotated.

Abstract: The adjoining edges of bucket covers are sealed one to the other. A brush seal projecting from a stationary shroud overlies the bucket covers. A joint at which the adjacent covers sealingly engage each other precludes radial outflow of high pressure fluid into bristles of the brush seal, preventing radial and axial deflection of the bristles and consequent failure of the bristles. The joints between the covers may comprise lap or tongue-and-groove joints.

Abstract: A rotor (1) of a turbomachine comprises a basic rotor element (2) and a multiplicity of rotor blades (3, 3′, 3″, 3′″). The rotor blades (3, 3′, 3″, 3′″) are arranged in a distributed manner in at least one row on the circumference of the basic rotor element (2). An area for a row of guide vanes is furthermore provided in front of and/or behind the row of rotor blades. A heat shield element (4) or a plurality of heat shield elements (4′, 4′, 4′″) lined up on the circumference of the rotor (1) is arranged in such a way between the basis rotor element (2) and the rotor blades (3, 3′, 3″, 3′″) of the row of rotor blades that the basic rotor element (2) is completely covered in the areas of the row of rotor blades and the row of guide vanes.

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 bucket cover to be attached to the tip of a turbine bucket has an aperture with an engageable geometry for receiving a tenon extending from the bucket and retaining the bucket cover to the bucket. The cover has an outer planar surface, an inner planar surface to abut against the bucket and an aperture extending between its surfaces. The aperture is defined by a sidewall that has multiple surfaces of varying cross-sectional size so as to structurally engage a tenon that is deformed during assembly. The sidewall of the aperture has a concave curved portion adjacent the outer planar surface leading to a narrow throat portion that corresponds generally to the size and shape of an undeformed tenon. In a method of making a turbine blade attached to a bucket cover, after a tenon is received in the aperture, the tenon is deformed by application of compressive force so that the tenon fills the aperture of the cover.

Abstract: The adjoining edges of bucket covers are sealed one to the other. A brush seal projecting from a stationary shroud overlies the bucket covers. A joint at which the adjacent covers sealingly engage each other precludes radial outflow of high pressure fluid into bristles of the brush seal, preventing radial and axial deflection of the bristles and consequent failure of the bristles. The joints between the covers may comprise lap or tongue-and-groove joints.

Abstract: A steam turbine that passes more turbine driving steam by off-setting the turbine moving blade throat-pitch ratio before operation and, when a blade untwist is generated during operation, causing more turbine driving steam to flow by maintaining an appropriate value, and, at the same time causing the turbine moving blade throat-pitch ratio to swell by giving the blade untwisting angle to the blade cross-sections in regions where the aerodynamic loss is small. The steam turbine is one in which the throat-pitch ratio (S/T) distribution of a turbine moving blade is offset by forming a curve providing at least one minimal value and maximal value by giving blade twist angle to the blade cross-sections in the blade height direction from blade root to blade tip and, at the same time, the distribution of throat-pitch ratio (S/T) taking into consideration blade untwist generated during operation.

Abstract: A turbine disk assembly having an integrally bladed turbine disk and a plurality of captured damper members. The integrally bladed turbine disk includes a plurality of turbine blades that terminate at an integral tip shroud. A damper aperture is formed between each pair of adjacent integral tip shrouds and includes a first slotted portion and a second slotted portion. The first slotted portion is formed concentric to the two adjacent integral tip shrouds, extending circumferentially and axially through the two adjacent integral tip shrouds. The second slotted portion extends radially outwardly between the two adjacent integral tip shrouds. One of the damper members is disposed in the first slotted portion of the an associated damper aperture and frictionally engages at least one surface of each of the two adjacent tip shrouds to dissipate energy when relative motion occurs between the two adjacent integral tip shrouds to dampen vibration.

Abstract: Efficiency of a boat propeller is increased by curved flanges extending along the tips of the propeller blades. The flanges form projections at the blade tips which deflect water that flows radially towards the tips outward into the thrust producing water flow through the propeller. The flanges have arcuate outer surfaces that face away from the propeller hub and which have a center of curvature at the axis of rotation of the propeller. Arcuate inner surfaces of the flanges have centers of curvature which are offset from the axis of rotation. This flange configuration inhibits cavitation in the region of the flanges and also at the hub region of the propeller.

Abstract: A steam turbine for use in a thermal or nuclear power plant includes moving blades of a rotor which vibrate as the rotor rotates, inducing an excessive stress in joints of connecting members for connecting the adjacent moving blades and blade portions of the moving blades and damaging the joints. The moving blades are formed so that a width of a gap between opposite end surfaces of first connecting members of adjacent blades along the direction of rotation of the rotor and a width of a gap between opposite end surfaces of second connecting members of the adjacent blades along a direction of rotation of the rotor are determined so as to make the second connecting members start coming into contact with each other at a rotating speed of the rotor higher than a rotating speed at which the first connecting members of the adjacent blades start come into contact with each other.

Abstract: In an air-cooled turbine blade which, at the blade tip, has a shroud-band element extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the blade, a plurality of cooling bores passing through the shroud-band element for the purpose of cooling, which cooling bores are connected on the inlet side to at least one cooling-air passage running through the turbine blade to the blade tip and open on the outlet side into the exterior space surrounding the turbine blade, improved and assured cooling is achieved owing to the fact that the cooling bores run from inside to outside in the shroud-band element at least approximately parallel to the direction of movement of the blade and in each case open upstream of the outer margin of the shroud-band element into a surface recess open toward the exterior space.

Abstract: A heat shield for a gas turbine, which heat shield encloses in an annular manner the moving blades, rotating in the hot-gas duct of the gas turbine, of a stage of the gas turbine and consists of a plurality of heat-shield segments which are arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction, are curved in the shape of a segment of a circle and are cooled from outside, and the longitudinal sides which are designed as correspondingly curved rails running in the circumferential direction and having in each case a pair of arms of which project in the axial direction, run in parallel and are at a distance from one another, the heat-shield segments, while forming a cavity to which cooling air can be admitted, are fastened to the inside of an annular carrier, which concentrically surrounds the heat shield in such a way that in each case a radial gap is formed between the longitudinal sides of heat-shield segments and the adjacent elements which define the hot-gas duct on the outside.

Abstract: In an air-cooled turbine blade (10) which has a shroud-band element (11) at the blade tip, the shroud-band element (11) extending transversely to the blade longitudinal axis, hollow spaces (16, 16′, 17, 17′) for cooling being provided in the interior of the shroud-band element (11), which hollow spaces (16, 16′, 17, 17′) are connected on the inlet side to at least one cooling-air passage (18) passing through the turbine blade (10) to the blade tip and open on the outlet side into the exterior space surrounding the turbine blade (10), the hollow spaces (16, 16′, 17, 17′) and the shroud-band element (11) are matched to one another in shape and dimensions in order to reduce the weight of the shroud-band element (11).

Abstract: A turbine bucket tip shroud is reinforced by introducing a reinforcing material such as a ceramic-matrix composite as reinforcing rods or bars into the casting of the tip shrouded turbine bucket, to provide resistance to creep deformation. By reducing creep deformation, unlatching of the interlocked tip shrouds is minimized, and bucket overload and vibratory failures are avoided.

Abstract: A compressor stator includes a casing having a circumferentially extending slot therein in which are mounted a plurality of vane sectors. Each sector includes a plurality of vanes extending between outer and inner bands, with each outer band being mounted in the slot. A plurality of tabs are ranged in interlocked pairs between the outer bands and casing for unloading adjacent sectors from each other.

Abstract: A turbine blade (18) for a gas turbine engine includes a machining datum and support tool interface (52). The datum and interface feature is a frustoconical depression residing in a blade outer shroud (36) and ideally aligned with an airfoil stacking line (40). The blade has a prefinished state in which the depression has a prefinished depth and a finished state in which the depression has a finished depth. The finished depth is smaller than the prefinished depth, but is nevertheless sufficient to act as a support feature during manufacturing operations. The utility of the depression, as both a datum and as a support feature, survives the original manufacturing operations so that the depression is useful for post-manufacturing inspection and repair.

Abstract: A method of applying a wear-resistant hardface material (alloy) to a portion of a turbine blade, typically a wear surface on a shrouded turbine blade. A thin foil of brazing alloy (which in the preferred embodiment is a nickel-based alloy) is placed over said wear surface, and a hardface alloy of a greater than desired thickness (which in the preferred embodiment is a cobalt-based alloy) is placed thereover, thereby sandwiching the foil therebetween. The wear surface, foil, and hardface material are heated for a period sufficient to melt the foil and cause bonding of the hardface alloy to the wear surface. The hardface material is thereafter machined to bring the wear surface to design tolerances. A turbine blade, and a method of rebuilding a portion of a turbine blade, are also disclosed.

Abstract: In a gas turbine moving blade 1, the convection of cooling air is promoted to enhance the heat transfer rate, the cooling effect of a shroud 2 is enhanced and the entire cooling effect of the blade is enhanced. An inner cavity 10 is formed in the blade over the entire length thereof. A multiplicity of pin fins 5 are provided in the inner cavity, being fixed to wall thereof. An enlarged cavity 6 is formed in the shroud 2 of a terminal end of the blade 1. Cooling air entering the inner cavity 10 of the blade 1 flows into the enlarged cavity 6 and flows out of the shroud 2 downwardly through holes 7 of a peripheral portion of the enlarged cavity 6. The entire portion of the shroud 2 is cooled uniformly, and the cooling effect of the entire blade is enhanced by an enhanced heat transfer rate in the blade and by uniform cooling of the entire shroud.

Abstract: A tip shroud (11) for a moving blade to be used at a downstream stage of a gas turbine. The tip shroud is extended in its creep lifetime by feeding it effectively with cooling air. In the tip shroud (11), there are cut-off portions (12, 13) which are passed by a hot combustion gas so that they are influenced by thermal stress. On the shroud faces, there are formed grooves (31, 32; 33, 34), and cooling guide covers (21, 22) are mounted in the grooves. The cooling guide covers (21, 22) are closed at one side with members (21a, 22a) and open at an end thereof. The covers function to cover the air holes (17) so that the cooling air is fed to the cut-off portions (12, 13) individually. The metal temperature rise at the cut-off portions (12, 13), as will be influenced by the hot combustion gas, can be suppressed so as to extend the creep lifetime of the tip shroud.

Abstract: A tip shroud for a moving blade that is made thin and light for use at a gas turbine downstream stage. Cooling air holes (13 to 16) having a slot shape, are formed in a tip shroud (11) of the moving blade (10). The cooling holes are opened in two side faces of the tip shroud to release the cooling air from the inside of the moving blade (10). In the upper face of the tip shroud 11, there are formed cooling air holes 20, which communicate with the higher pressure side in a combustion gas flow direction R to release the cooling air so that the cooling air flows from the higher pressure side to the lower pressure side so as to cool a high stress portion Y. A high stress portion X is likewise cooled with the cooling air coming from an adjoining moving blade. The slot shapes of the cooling air holes (13 to 16) allow the cooling air to flow widely, thereby cooling the face of the tip shroud (11), and the cooling air holes 20 cool the high stress portions X and Y effectively.

Abstract: A propeller (10) including a hub (11), a plurality of blades (13) extending outwardly from the hub (11) and part annular connecting elements (17) which interconnect tips (16) of adjacent blades (13). The trailing edges (21) of the elements (17) extend from the trailing edge of one blade (13) at its tip to intersect the adjacent blade (13) at a relief point (23) on the high pressure side of the blade (13) between the leading and trailing edges of the blade (13). The leading edge (20) of the elements (17) extends from the leading edge of a blade (13) at its tip (16) to intersect the adjacent blade (13) at a relief point (25) on the low pressure side of the blade (13) intermediate the leading and trailing edges of the blade (13) at its tip (16).

Abstract: A gas turbine rotor blade has a plurality of first cooling holes for the flow of a cooling gas bored in a blade portion along its lengthwise direction and a plurality of second cooling holes for flow of the cooling gas bored in a shroud along its plane direction so as to communicate with the first cooling holes, and is constructed such that the cooling gas can flow in a uniform distribution. The plurality of the first cooling holes 3 for flow of the cooling gas are bored in the blade portion 2 and the plurality of the second cooling holes 5 for flow of the cooling gas are bored in the shroud 1 along its plane direction. The second cooling holes 5 communicate with the first cooling holes 3, hole to hole, via two-step holes 4, and the second cooling holes 5 are bored alternately on the dorsal side and the ventral side of the rotor blade.

Abstract: This invention relates to high-Cr precision casting materials containing carbon, silicon, manganese, chromium, nickel, vanadium, niobium, nitrogen, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt and optionally boron in specific weight proportions, the balance being iron and incidental impurities, as well as turbine blades made by a precision casting process using these materials. Thus, the present invention provides high-Cr precision casting materials which are capable of precision casting and, moreover, have excellent high-temperature strength, as well as inexpensive and highly reliable turbine blades made by using these casting materials and such turbine blades also having lighter weight.

Abstract: Bucket covers for the buckets of a rotating component of a turbomachine are in radial opposition to a stationary component containing a circumferentially extending brush seal having bristles extending into engagement with sealing surfaces of the covers as the covers rotate by the bristles. The leading edges of the covers for the buckets in the plane of rotation and in the plane containing the brush seal have ramps or rounded surfaces which minimize the wear on the bristles and degradation of the performance of the seal as the bucket covers are rotated past the brush seal.

Abstract: In a turbine having a rotor wheel with axially extending female dovetails spaced circumferentially one from the other about the circumference of the wheel, buckets having male dovetails at their radially inner ends are axially inserted relative to the rotor wheel to secure the buckets to the wheel. Where the buckets have shrouds at their radial outer ends prohibiting axial entry and assembly of the final or closure bucket onto the wheel, an axial entry dovetail segment having radially opposite male dovetails is employed to secure the final or closure bucket to the wheel. The final bucket includes a female dovetail at its radial inner end while the axial entry dovetail segment has radial inner and outer male dovetails.

Abstract: A turbine blade (18) for a gas turbine engine includes a machining datum (60) that extends radially from a pocket (54) in the outer shroud (36) of the blade. The datum is spaced from a sidewall (64) of the pocket so that the datum is peripherally continuous irrespective of whether the blade is in a prefinished state or in a completely finished state. Because the datum's peripheral continuity survives the original manufacturing process, the datum is available for use in post-manufacturing inspection and repair operations.

Abstract: A steam turbine is provided with moving blades which are affected less by erosion and fretting wear due to water and have a high reliability in strength. The moving blades are twisted moving blades, each provided with a blade portion and a shroud portion formed at its tip and a contact surface between shroud portions connecting adjacent moving blades whereby an extension plane of the contact surface toward the blade back side does not intersect with the blade tip of the blade back side shroud portion.

Abstract: A plurality of rotatable turbine blades are formed integral with a shroud and platform and a plurality of arcuate plate root portions which are received by circumferential grooves in a rotor and are fastened to the rotor by three pins extending axially through the root portions and the rotor, the shroud and platform portions having a protrusion on one corner to support the trailing edge of one of the blade portions and a notch in the shroud and the platform on the corner opposite the protrusion whereby the protrusions on one group of blades register with the notch on an adjacent group of blades when the groups of blades are disposed in a circular array on the rotor.