Francis turbines and centrifugal pumps

Claim 1

IN A HYDRAULIC TURBINE, A RUNNER AND A HOUSING, SAID RUNNER COMPRISING AN UPPER SHROUD PROVIDED WITH A SEALING SHOULDER ON ITS UPPER FACE, A PLURALITY OF BLADES AND A LOWER SHROUD, A RADIAL RUNNER INLET BOUNDED BY SAID SHROUDS IN THE REGIONS OF THEIR SIMILAR MAXIMUM DIAMETERS, AN AXIAL RUNNER DISCHARGE THROUGH SAID LOWER SHROUD IN THE REGION OF ITS MINIMUM DIAMETER, THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF SAID SHROUDS BEING POSITIONED IN COOPERATING RELATIONSHIP TO CORRESPONDING BORES IN SAID HOUSING DIMENSIONED SO AS TO PROVIDE RUNNING CLEARANCES BETWEN SAID PERIPHERAL EDGES AND SAID BORES, A LOWER SEAL COOPERATING WITH SAID LOWER SHROUD NEAR TO SAID MINIMUM DIAMETER, A STATIONARY ELEMENT OF SAID LOWER SEAL ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HOUSING, AN UPPER SEAL COOPERATING WITH SAID SEALING SHOULDER, A STATIONARY ELEMENT OF SAID UPPER SEAL ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HOUSING, SAID UPPER SEAL DIAMETER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID PERIPERHAL EDGES, A LOWER ANNULAR SPACE BOUNDED BY SAID LOWER SEAL, SAID HOUSING, AND SAID LOWER SHROUD, AN UPPER ANNULAR SPACE BOUNDED BY SAID UPPER SEAL, SAID HOUSING AND SAID UPPER SHROUD OUTSIDE OF SAID SEALING SHOULDER, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING SEALING WATER INTO EACH OF SAID SEALS INTERMEDIATE OF ITS AXIAL EXTREMITIES, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING AIR INTO EACH OF SAID ANNULAR SPACES WHEREBY CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATION OF AIR AND WATER IS EFFECTIVE IN EXPULSION OF WATER FROM SAID ANNULAR SPACES BY WAY OF SAID RUNNING CLEARANCES.