Owing to these a body propelled through such a medium encounters a peculiar inpediment known as "lateral" or "skin resistance", which is two-fold; one arising from the shock of the fluid against the asperities of the solid substance, the other from internal forces opposing molecular separation. As an inevitable consequence a certain amount of the fluid is dragged along by the moving body. Conversely, if the body be placed in a fluid in motion, for the same reasons, it is impelled in the direction of movement.
These effects, in themselves, are of daily observation, but I believe that I am the first to apply them in a practical and economical manner of fluid propulsion. The nature of my discovery and the principles of construction of the apparatus which I have designed for carrying it out, I shall now proceed to describe by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an operative and efficient embodiment of the same.
Fig. 1 is a partial end view, and Fig. 2 a vertical cross section of a pump or compressor, which Figs. 3 and 4 represent, respectively, in corresponding views, a rotary engine or turbine, both machines being constructed and adapted to be operated in accordance with my invention.
Figs. 1 and 2 show a runner composed of a plurality of flat rigid disks 1 of a suitable diameter, keyed to a shaft 2 and held in position by a threaded nut 3, a shoulder 4 and washers 5 of the requisite thickness. Each disk has a number of central openings 6, the solid portions between which form spokes 7 preferably curved, as shown, for the purpose of reducing the loss of energy due to the impact of the fluid.
This runner is mounted in a two-part volute casing 8 having stuffing boxes 9 and inlets 10 leading to its central portion. In addition a gradually widening and rounding outlet 11 is provided formed with a flange for connection to a pipe as usual. The casing 8 rests upon a base 12 shown only in part and supporting the bearings for the shaft 2, which being of ordinary construction are omitted from the drawings.
An understanding of the principle embodied in this device will be gained from the following description of its mode of operation.
Power being applied to the shaft and the runner set in rotation in the direction of the solid arrow, the fluid by reason of its properties of adherence and viscosity, upon entering through the inlets 10 and coming in contact with the disks 1 is taken hold of by the same and subjected to two forces, one acting tangentially in the direction of rotation, and the other radially outward. The combined effect of these tangential and centrifugal forces is to propel the fluid with continuously increasing velocity in a spiral path until it reaches the outlet 11 from which it is ejected. This spiral
