US1639225A - Expansion joint for turbine and condenser connections - Google Patents

Description

J.. F. GRACE EXPANSION JOINT FOR TURBINE AND CONDENSER CONNECTIONS Aug. 16, 1927.

Filed July 5, 1924 PatentedAug. 16, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. GRACE, OF KEARNY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WORTI-IINGTON PUMP AND MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF. NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

EXPANSION JOINT FOR TURBINE AND CONDENSER CONNECTIONS.

Application filed my 5,

1% occur in the condenser upon excessive heating and expansion thereof due to stoppage of the circulating pump or from any other cause, and improved coupling means therefor in which all the locking and adjustments are made from the same side of the expansion joint, so that access to only one side of the exhaust connection is necessary for applying and adjusting the joint. I

In present day turbine and condenser unit installations the turbine is normally supported by a concrete foundation in which the turbine exhaust connection and steam' inlet are coupled together by an expansion joint. In small unit installations having small connections it is practicable to allow sufficient space between the exhaust connection and foundation for installation and adj ustment of the expansion oint from outside the vacuum space, and in such cases this arrangement is preferred, as entrance to the connection is not necessary and adjustment may be made during the operation of the turbine and condenser; Any increase in the size of the foundation because of this space involves so little foundation expense as to be of little or no consequence and, in fact, thefoundation in such small units is usually of such size as to require no addition to provide forthis space. In large unit installations with large connections, however, the concrete foundation'is so'large that for economy it must come up so close to the exhaust connection between the turbine and condenser that it is impractical to apply an expansion joint from the exterior of the vacuum space. To leave a space for this purpose about the turbine exhaust connection 1 would result in a relatively large increase in the size of thefoundation and large waste of concrete. In large unit installations,

therefore, the expansion joint preferably 1924. Serial No. 724,536.

will be applied and adjusted from within the vacuum space.

For a full understanding of the invention a preferred embodiment thereof will now be. described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this-specification and the features forming the invention then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

=Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, of a joint, the locking and adjusting means accessible from outside the exhaust connection; i I

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a detail;

Figure 4 is asection on line 44 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing aconstruction with the parts reversed for access inside the exhaust connection.

Referring tothe drawing, the expansion o nt, by way of illustration, is shown as oining the exhaust connection A of a steam turbine to the steam inlet Bof a condenser provided, respectively, with flanges A and B, which are external in the construction there is secured between the parts A and B a flexible member or ring 10 of any suitable flexible and resilient material, such as soft rubber, and of any desired form, but preferably an annulus having at its opposite ends suitable heads or enlargements .11, 12 preferably cylindrical in shape. This annulus is shown as cylindrical for use with a round exhaust connection, but it will be understood that the annulus may be oblong or of other form, depending on the form of exhaust connection used.

The flexible member 10 may be secured in any-suitable manner but a preferred support therefor comprises supporting rings 13, 14

of suitable shape and preferably divided into a plurality of sections, having exterior 14 extend within the opposite ends of the flexible member 1.0 l are provided with suitably siap'ed depressions 2 to receive the respective heads 11-, 12 ot flexible member 10, which are secured therein by a clampring 3 suitably recessed to receive the leads 11, 12 and secured to the supporting rings 13, 1 by bolts 1. The clamping ring 3 is preferably made in sections. The division ot the supporting and clampingrings into sections aids in adjustment of member 10 for sealing the vacuum space. As shown, rings 13, 14 are divided into four sections and rings 3 .into eight sections, but this may be varied, depending somewhat upon the size or the exhaust connection.

In order to assure that the clamps 8 shall always assume the correct position relative to the rings 18, 14 and provide a bearing for its clamping action, 1 preferably provide a machined joint between the clamp 3 and its ring 13 or 1 1, asthe case may be, comprising an otfset portion or lug 5 seating within an annular recess 6 formed in the ring 13 or 14, the lug 5 and recess 6 being suitably machined for exact fitting.

in connect ng the parts the su 'iporting rings 13, 14 will first be loosely mounted on the flanges A, B" by partially tightening the bolts 1 and the flexible member 10 will then be placed in position with the heads 11, 12 outside the supporting rings 13, 14:, and within the depressions 2, d clan'ipina; rings 3 locked thereagainst by tightening the bolts 4. The rings formed by the heads 11, 12, preferably will be stretched somewhat when in position on the ri 13, 1 1-, to aid in curing a ti 'ht joint. The rings 13, 16 will now be drawn tightly against their respective fiacges A B by the up bolts 1 The width of the flexible web of member 10 between the heads 11,12 is preferably such that it will be slightly stretched when this o-perationis completed, so that during the operation of the turbine and its condenser the normal expansion of the parts will allow the flexible member 10 to assume its normal unstretehed condition.

It willbe understood that various changes 'may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts while still retaining fined by the claims.

1 x hat is claimec is: 1. In an expansion joint, the combination with two spaced hollow members, of supporting ring securedto each hollow member,

shown and described the invention as de a resilient member overlapping the supporting rings. a head, 4 each end of the resilient member, the supporting-rings each being-recessed to receive one of the heads, a recessed clamping ring engaging each of the heads,

I boltsopercnle from one side of the joint for the supporting-rings, a head at each end of the resilient member, the supporting rings eachfbeing recessed to receive one of the heads. a recessed clamping ring engaging each of the heads and operable from one side of the joint, and bolts operable from the same side of the joint for drawing the clamping rings and supporting rings together to secure the ends of the resilient member.

In an expansion joint, the combination with a plurality of hollow members, of a resilient annular member overlapping the hollow members, ahead at each end of the resilient member, each of said hollow mem bers being recessed to receive one of the heads, a sectional recessed clamping ring engaging each of said heads, andboltsopep 7 able from outside thejoint torclamping the heads between the sectional clamping rings and the hollow members.

' 1. Inan expansion oint, the 'CQIHlOlHRUOTI with two spaced hollow members, of a sec tional'su'pporting ring secured to each hollow member, aresilient annular member overlapping the sectional supporting rings.

a head at each end of the resilient me'mber,'

the supporting rings each being 'recessedto receive one ofthe heads, a sectional recessed clamping ring engagingeac'h ofsaid heads, and bolts operable from outside the joint for clamping theheads between the sectional clamping rings and thesectional supporting rings. 7 y

5. In an expansion joint, the combination with two hollow members having external flanges, 01"" asectional externally flanged supporting ring secured to each hollow member by boltspas's'ing through the juxtaposed flanges, resilient annular mem 6L Inan expansion join-t, the combination with two spaced nines members 'li'a'ving flanges, of a flanged sectional supporting ring secured to each hollow member by bolts passing through the juxtaposed flanges, a resilient member overlapping the supporting rings, a sectional clamping ring cooperating with each supporting ring for securing the ends of the resilient member, an annular lug on each clam ing ring, and an annular recess for said ug in each supporting 10 JOHN F. GRACE.

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