Abstract: An integrated fan and low pressure compressor rotor having a hub with a circumferential array of primary blades. Each primary blade has a forward fan blade portion housed in the engine inlet radially extending from the hub to the fan case and a rearward compressor blade portion housed in the core duct radially extending from the hub to the intermediate case. The fan blade portion and compressor blade portion have aerodynamically aligned lateral airfoil surfaces and platforms such that the fan blade portion and compressor blade portion have continuously merged lateral airfoil surfaces and platforms. The integrated rotor replaces two conventional rotors resulting in cost savings.

Abstract: A turbine 400 has a central duct 410 which accelerates fluid passing through it and a blade configuration which retards the flow of fluid near the tips of the turbine. This structure results in a vortex having a higher fluid pressure behind the tips of the turbine blades 408 and a lower fluid pressure behind the duct. In the present invention, this vortex is enhanced by (1) an increased acceleration of the fluid passing through the duct 410 and a deceleration of the fluid passing through the blades 408; and/or (2) by a fluid redirection device 850 for directing the fluid passing through the duct towards the outer diameter of the turbine.

Abstract: In a turbo engine's welded rotor includes a number of disks, the radially or quasi-radially extending welding seams are intermediately interrupted by annular cavities through which a cooling medium flows, and these cavities are surrounded by a circumferentially extending insert ring. This insures the flow of the cooling medium through the entire rotor without reducing the strength of the welding bond.

Abstract: A tandem turbine-blade cascade for a turbine, turbo-engine or power engine includes at least two rows of blades disposed substantially directly in line with one another in the rotor or stator. The second row of blades has a larger number of blades than the first row of blades and the second row of blades are distributed nonuniformly. The spacing (s.sub.1) between two blades of the first row of blades is substantially equal to the sum (s.sub.2) of two successive blade spacings (s.sub.12, s.sub.22) in the second row of blades and the distribution quotient (s.sub.12 /s.sub.22) of the blade spacings in the second row is in the range between 0.4 and 1.0.

Abstract: A multistage fluid machine includes a casing, a rotary shaft, and a plurality of impellers mounted on the rotary shaft in a multistage arrangement. The impellers are fixed to the rotary shaft in such a manner that, when the impellers are projected on a plane normal to the rotary shaft, all the blades of the impellers are shifted out of phase with respect to each other in the circumferential direction on that plane in order to reduce the vibrations of the casing.

Abstract: An anti-rotation device for preventing rotation of a wheel with respect to a shaft, wherein the wheel is primarily secured to the shaft by an interference shrink fit, should the interference shrink fit loosen, comprises an annular member separate from yet irrotatably secured to the periphery of the shaft, such as by an interference shrink fit, and a pair of spaced apart restraining tabs coupled to the annular member for receiving a portion of the wheel therebetween. A portion of the radial inner surface of the member may be outwardly tapered toward an axial end to assist dispersion of fluid which may accumulate in the region of the anti-rotation device. The device may include spacing protrusions for axially spacing the device from the wheel and may be disposed between a pair of wheels for preventing undesirable rotation of one or both wheels.

Abstract: A one-piece cylindrical drum of a drum rotor has a plurality of enlarged, axially spaced-apart, annular rim portions through which axial blade root slots are machined. The slots are curved along their length about an axis located radially outwardly of the rim. The rotor is preferably made from a plurality of bonded together cylinder-like sections. After bonding the sections together the curved blade root slots are machined using a circular broach.

Abstract: Six rows of radial blades, arranged to extend in a spiral (in the direction of axial rotation) covering 55 degrees of arc about a hollow support section, constitute an optimum blade arrangement for maximum efficiency in low velocity airflows. Each blade in the rows is contoured to receive both direct flow pressure as well as airfoil lift in order to provide maximum energy transfers from low velocity airflows.

Abstract: A hollow rotor shaft 34 having a bore 36 sealed by an end cap 40 is disclosed. The end cap abuttingly engages a first side 42 and second side 44 on the shaft which extend radially inwardly into the bore of the shaft. The sides face in opposite directions and are oriented in a generally axial direction. The end cap includes at least one dog 48, a cover 46 pressed tightly against the first side by the rotatable dog and a lock means such as the bolt 50. The dogs are rotatable to a first position during insertion and rotatable to a second position during assembly by the lock means which extends through the cover to permit assembly and disassembly of the end cap from the exterior of the rotor shaft. In one embodiment a gasket 72 is trapped between the side of the shaft and the cover by the side of the shaft and the cover.

Abstract: A windmill having a plurality of pairs of diametrically opposed vanes mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis in alignment with the wind. The pairs of vanes are supported in uniformly spaced relationship to each other axially of the axis of rotation and each successive pair is indexed circumferentialy in the direction of rotation relative to the prior pair. The vanes are automatically moved to a less efficient position as the speed of the wind increases to limit the maximum speed of the windmill.