The present invention relates to a vibratory patient support system for providing therapeutic vibrational action or forces to a patient suffering from a respiratory ailment. The vibratory patient support system includes a rigid support frame such as a bed frame, a plurality of inflatable sacs supported upon the support frame with each sac having an upper surface so that the plurality of sacs forms a patient support surface. The inflatable sacs are pressurized and maintained at a predetermined pressure. This predetermined pressure may be a patient height and weight specific pressure profile. A vibrating component is provided separate from the apparatus for pressurizing and maintaining the air sacs at the predetermined pressure. The vibrating component vibrates at least a portion of the patient support surface at a predetermined frequency. In this manner, the plurality of air sacs are maintained at their predetermined pressure and the portion of the patient support surface is simultaneously vibrated at the predetermined frequency. The vibrating means are further variably controllable so that an operator can vary the frequency, magnitude or amplitude, and duration of the vibrating therapy. The vibratory patient support system may include a specialty low air loss bed configuration including vibrating means for vibrating a portion of the patient support surface of the low air loss sacs at the predetermined frequency.

Vibratory patient support system

An apparatus is provided for controlling rotating blade tip clearance in a turbo-machine utilizing conical tipped blades. The apparatus comprises an approximately conical blade ring mounted for axially sliding displacement in the turbo-machine cylinder. The conical blade ring encircles the tips of the rotating blades and forms a blade tip clearance therebetween. The tip clearance is controlled during operation of the turbo-machine by axially displacing the conical blade ring. Piston cylinders, actuated by pressurized fluid extracted from the turbo-machine, are used to displace the blade ring. Springs, adapted to bias the blade ring into a position of increased tip clearance, oppose the piston cylinder so that failure of the piston cylinder will not result in a loss of tip clearance. A blade tip clearance sensor transmits information on the tip clearance to a controller that automatically adjusts the blade ring axial position to continuously maintain the optimum tip clearance by regulating the pressure of the fluid supplied to the piston cylinders.

Tip clearance control apparatus for a turbo-machine blade

A low pressure venting panel acts to safely vent a pressure vessel, such as a bag house, from overpressure conditions. The venting panel is particularly responsive and predictable at low pressures. The panel includes a thin rupture body with a central group of apertures and slit lines emanating from the apertures. A thin sealing membrane is bonded to one surface of the rupture body at least in the area of the slits. The characteristics of the sealing membrane enable the membrane to resist expansion in the area of the slits when pressure is applied to the rupture body, thereby resisting rupture of the membrane up to the design rupture limit of the venting panel.

Low pressure venting panel

Various embodiments of a converter for use in a combustion engine having a discharge conduit for discharging exhaust combustion gases are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the converter may include a heating chamber being in thermal contact with the discharge conduit and defining a hydraulic channel through which a fluid passes. The converter may also include an inlet port disposed in the heating chamber for receiving the fluid into the heating chamber, and an outlet port disposed in the heating chamber for discharging the fluid from the heating chamber. The heat energy from the exhaust combustion gases is transferred to the fluid while the fluid passes through the hydraulic channel.

Miniaturized waste heat engine

A circumferential sealing arrangement is disclosed herein. The circumferential sealing arrangement includes a seal runner operable to be fixed to a structure for concurrent rotation with the structure about an axis. The circumferential sealing arrangement also includes a housing that encircles the seal runner or is encircled by the seal runner. The circumferential sealing arrangement also includes a primary seal element at least partially disposed in the housing. The primary seal element includes a first surface cooperating with a second surface of the seal runner to form a circumferential seal between the primary seal element and the seal runner. The circumferential sealing arrangement also includes a secondary seal element positioned between the housing and the primary seal element on a first side of the primary seal element along the axis of rotation. A second side of the primary seal element along the axis of rotation opposite the first side seals against the housing. The secondary seal element generates a biasing force along the axis of rotation urging the second side against the housing.

Circumferential sealing arrangement

A multi-stage axial flow steam turbine having an inner and an outer casing. The inner casing being a pressure vessel having a first end which is enclosed by a nozzle ring disposed around a rotor in closely spaced, sealed relation therewith and having a second end which is open to the interior of the outer casing. Sealing between the inner casing and nozzle ring is provided by a structural hook seal which includes mateable flange portions which are integral with the inner casing and nozzle ring. A control stage and a first plurality of reaction stages are disposed within the inner casing. A second plurality of reaction stages are also disposed between the outer casing and the rotor so that steam leaving the inner casing's second end flows over the inner casing's outer surface and over the nozzle ring's outer surface to cool those outer surfaces before the steam enters the second plurality of reaction stages. The inner casing is mounted in the outer casing in such a manner as to limit relative axial movement and allow free relative radial movement induced by temperature differences between the inner and outer casings. The nozzle ring includes a plurality of nozzle chambers structurally connected and sealed together. Structural jointure between the nozzle ring and inner casing is provided by the hook seal which prevents axial separation thereof and reduces the size of the mounts necessary to support the nozzle ring and inner casing from the outer casing.

Turbine cylinder-seal system

SINGLE CASE LOW PRESSURE TURBINE ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A low pressure turbine apparatus having a single casing member surrounding a rotatable member. The casing comprises six pieces which, when joined, provide an integrated single casing member. Suitable flex plates are provided to accommodate differential thermal expansion of the casing yet avoid thermal distortion of the apparatus. The stationary blading and inlet and extraction flow spaces are incorporated in a center section. Exhaust hood end sections with integral bearing housings are bolted to the center section through vertical joints. Axial brace pipes integral with the center section tie the end sections together and prevent movement of the bearings due to expansion of the higher temperatures in the inlet and extraction zones. Axial alignment of the stationary blading is provided at the center plane of the turbine by the use of integrally fabricated flex plates. The center section is insulated and exposed to atmospheric conditions. There is a separate condenser connection for each exhaust hood end section, and extraction pipe connec-tions are made in an open atmospheric zone.

Single case low pressure turbine

A positioning system for a steam turbine element includes a plurality of flex plates which support an inner cylinder of a steam turbine element with the rotating blades of a rotor and the stationary blades of the inner cylinder at a predetermined position. Sensors detect shifting of the rotor within the inner cylinder and provide control signals to a motor which drives the inner cylinder in an axial direction to account for shifting of the rotor.

Inner cylinder axial positioning system

A seal ring for a bell seal device in an axial flow elastic fluid turbine apparatus. The seal ring is a split annular ring fabricated of an elastic material and disposed in a circumferential groove about the radially outer surface of the bell seal device. The seal ring provides close contact between the radially outer surface of the bell seal device and an inner surface of an inner cylinder of the turbine apparatus. Disposition of the seal ring eliminates leakage flow through a narrow channel between the radially outward surface of the bell seal device and the inner surface of the inner cylinder. In addition, the contact interfaces between the seal ring and the bell seal device and between the seal ring and the inner cylinder provide a damper for absorbing vibrational energies generated within the bell seal device.

Alvin L. Stock

Papers

Turbine cylinder-seal system

Single case low pressure turbine

Inner cylinder axial positioning system

Bell seal vibration damper and seal improvement

Blow-out door for overpressure protection