The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 31, 1992
Filed:
Feb. 28, 1990
Gunter Berger, Recklinghausen, DE;
Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft, Dusseldorf, DE;
Abstract
A Kaplan turbine is provided. The Kaplan turbine includes a turbine shaft having a solid shaft and turbine blades on one end thereof. The turbine shaft has an end distal from the turbine blades which distal end includes a hollow shaft, a portion of the hollow shaft being developed as a cage. A drive shaft is connected on one end to a generator. The other end of the drive shaft extends within the hollow shaft and into the cage. The cage includes a gear assembly for transmitting rotational force from the turbine shaft to the drive shaft. A housing surrounds the cage and the gear assembly. The housing can be mounted on a foundation. The Kaplan turbine has thrust bearings mounted within the housing at interfaces between the cage and the housing. The Kaplan turbine also has radial bearings mounted in the housing at interfaces between the solid shaft and the housing and between the hollow shaft and the housing, respectively.