Turbine nozzle vane mounting means

Claim 1

A NOZZLE RING FOR AN AXIAL FLOW TURBINE, SAID NOZZLE RING COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY SIMILAR AND RADIALLY EXTENDING VANES ARRANGED IN AN ANNULAR SERIES SO THAT THEIR INNER AND OUTER ENDS ARE DISPOSED RESPECTIVELY ALONG INNER AND OUTER CONCENTRIC CIRCLES, MOUNTING MEANS LOCATED ADJACENT ONE OF SAID CONCENTRIC CIRCLES AND SERVING TO HOLD IN FIXED AND NONADJUSTABLE POSITIONS THE ASSOCIATED ENDS OF THE SAID VANES, RADIALLY EXTENDING STEMS FORMED ON THE ENDS OF THE VANES DEFINING THE OTHER OF SAID CONCENTRIC CIRCLES, AN ANNULAR RETAINING MEMBER LOCATED ALONG AND ADJACENT THE LATTER ENDS OF SAID VANES, MEANS INDEPENDENT OF SAID VANES FOR SUPPORTING SAID ANNULAR RETAINING MEMBER IN A FIXED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF SAID TURBINE AND A PLURALITY OF BALL AND SOCKET BEARINGS CARRIED BY SAID ANNULAR RETAINING MEMBER, EACH OF SAID BEARINGS HAVING A BALL MEMBER PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING WHICH SLIDABLY RECEIVES A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID VANES STEMS SO AS TO PERMIT RADIAL SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID VANE STEM RELATIVE TO SAID RETAINING MEMBER.