Inlet structure for turbo machine

Claim 2

An elastic fluid turbo machine comprising a casing, an exhaust diffuser tube mounted in said casing, a nose piece extending within the diffuser tube in concentrically spaced relation thereto, said diffuser tube and said nose piece forming an annular fluid inlet passage, a bladed turbine wheel journaled in said casing and disposed inwardly of said nose piece with the wheel blades in registration with said inlet passage for the impingement of fluid thereon, said diffuser tube being formed with a series of circumferentially spaced apart apertures, a nozzle blade detachably positioned in each of said apertures, said blades extending radially across said inlet passage, and nozzle blade clamping means disposed externally of said diffuser tube, said clamping means being in engaging relationship with the peripheral ends of said nozzle blades to provide a force operable to hold said nozzle blades with the ends thereof abutting against said nose piece, said clamping means being sufficiently resilient so as to accommodate radial expansion of said nozzle blades.

Claim 3

A turbo machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said diffuser tube is detachably mounted in said casing and said nose piece is supported by said diffuser tube.

Claim 4

A turbo machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said nozzle blade clamping means consists of a clamping band encircling the outer ends of said nozzle blades and means operable to contract said band about said blades.

Claim 5

A turbo machine as set forth in claim 1 and including an inlet fluid supply member detachably secured to said casing and co-operable to affix said diffuser tube in said casing and said nose piece in said diffuser tube.

Claim 6

An elastic fluid turbo machine comprising a casing having an end wall formed with an opening, a tubular exhaust diffuser mounted in said opening and extending inwardly therefrom, a nose piece disposed in said tubular diffuser in concentrically spaced relation thereto and forming in conjunction therewith an annular fluid inlet passsage, a turbine wheel journaled in said casing and disposed in said diffuser coaxially thereof and inwardly from said nose piece, a circular series of blades fixed to the periphery of said wheel and arranged in registration with said annular inlet passage, said tubular diffuser being formed with a series of circumferentially spaced apart apertures, a nozzle blade positioned in each of said apertures, said nozzle blades being disposed radially in said inlet passage with the inner ends of the nozzle blades contacting said nose piece, and the outer ends of said blades extending outwardly from the peripheral surface of said tubular diffuser, a clamping band encircling the outer ends of said nozzle blades and means operable to contract said band to maintain the inner ends of said nozzle blades against said nose piece, said clamping band being in engaging relationship with the peripheral ends of said nozzle blades to provide a force operable to hold said nozzle blades with their inner ends firmly contacting said nose piece, said clamping band being sufficiently resilient so as to accommodate radial expansion of said nozzle blades.

Claim 7

An elastic fluid turbo machine comprising a casing having an end wall formed with an opening, a tubular exhaust diffuser mounted in said opening and extending inwardly therefrom, a nose piece disposed in said tubular diffuser in concentrically spaced relation thereto and forming in conjunction therewith an annular fluid inlet passsage, a turbine wheel journaled in said casing and disposed in said diffuser coaxially thereof and inwardly from said nose piece, a circular series of blades fixed to the periphery of said wheel and arranged in registration with said annular inlet passage, said tubular diffuser being formed with a series of circumferentially spaced apart apertures, a nozzle blade positioned in each of said apertures, said nozzle blades being disposed radially in said inlet passage with the inner ends of the nozzle blades contacting said nose piece, and the outer ends of said blades extending outwardly from the peripheral surface of said tubular diffuser, a clamping band encircling the outer ends of said nozzle blades and means operable to contract said band to maintain the inner ends of said nozzle blades against said nose piece, said clamping band being in engaging relationship with the peripheral ends of said nozzle blades to provide a force operable to hold said nozzle blades with their inner ends firmly contacting said nose piece, said clamping band being sufficiently resilient so as to accommodate radial expansion of said nozzle blades.

Claim 8

A turbo machine as set forth in claim 5 and including a common means for detachably securing said diffuser tube in said wall opening and detachably securing said nose piece in said diffuser tube.

Claim 9

A turbo machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said wall opening and said diffuser tube are formed with co-acting shoulder means, an inlet fluid passage member detachably mounted on said casing wall, said passage member being operable to maintain the shoulder means of said diffuser in engagement with said shoulder means in said opening.

Claim 10

A turbo machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said nose piece is formed with a plurality of radially extending lugs, the outer ends of said lugs terminating in spaced relation to said diffuser tube and means co-operable with said lugs to retain said nose piece in said diffuser tube.