ROBERT GLENN GRUBB
Engineers in York, PA

6016600, Jan 25, 2000

Jan 7, 1998

9/003895

Mark E. Kennell - Dallastown PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Randy V. Seifarth - York PA
Robert D. Steele - York PA

Voith Hydro, Inc. - York PA

B23P 1500

298891

A method of assembling a turbine runner while it remains situated in a water passageway. The turbine runner comprises a hub having a longitudinal axis, spaced apart outer and inner surfaces defining a cavity, and a corresponding plurality of blades pivotally connected to the hub. Each blade has a trunnion and is supported in rotation by an associated blade support assembly including at least one trunnion bushing. The cavity substantially encloses the support assemblies. The method comprises the steps of assembling a maintenance platform in the water passageway below the runner, installing for at least one of the blades a new trunnion bushing in the associated blade support assembly, and removing the maintenance platform from the water passageway. The hub has an inner hub for supporting the trunnion bushing, and the inner hub may be split into upper and lower inner hubs which may be uncoupled for installing the new trunnion bushing. The runner is surrounded by a discharge ring for directing a flow of water past the runner blades.

6254339, Jul 3, 2001

Jun 2, 1999

9/324312

Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Mark E. Kennell - Dallastown PA
Wolfgang Heine - York PA

Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation, Inc. - York PA

F03B 306, F03B 318, F03B 1510, F03B 1514

4151731

A turbine disposed in a water passageway includes a hub and associated runner blades. Each blade comprises an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is rotatable relative to the hub about a blade rotational axis. The water passageway includes a spherically-shaped discharge ring that conforms to the outer edges of the blades to improve certain turbine parameters such as cavitation, efficiency, flow disturbance, and fish survivability. The turbine hub may also include a spherically-shaped outer surface in a region swept by the inner edges of the blades when the blades are rotated from maximum to minimum pitch, as well as seals attached to the inner edges of the blades. The hub may also be associated with blades in which the chord is reduced in the root region of the blade.

5879130, Mar 9, 1999

Jun 13, 1997

8/876098

James R. Beyer - York PA
Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA

Voith Hydro, Inc. - York PA

F04D 2938

415115

A turbine, adaptable to enhance the levels of dissolved gas such as oxygen in water flowing therethrough, includes a rotating shaft and a runner secured to the shaft. The runner includes a crown, a band and a plurality of spaced apart runner blades. Each blade has a water directing surface defined by a pressure side, an oppositely facing suction side, a leading edge and a spaced apart trailing edge. At least one of the blades further has a first gas admission passage extending from a first gas admission aperture formed in the crown to a second gas admission aperture formed in the band. The runner further includes an interconnection passage and a gas discharge aperture formed in the band for discharging an oxygen containing gas from the band.

4063675, Dec 20, 1977

Dec 13, 1976

5/750256

Robert G. Grubb - York PA

Allis-Chalmers Corporation - Milwaukee WI

B23K 3102

228178

Method of fabricating a crown plate for a Francis-type hydraulic turbine runner. The crown is fabricated from an integrally formed inner circular portion and a pair of outer semi-circular portions welded thereto. The inner circular portion provides a rigid section of high integrity to which the runner shaft is connected.

6402477, Jun 11, 2002

Nov 28, 2000

09/723590

Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Randy V. Seifarth - York PA
Siegbert Etter - Heidenheim, DE
Donald E. Zehner - Etters PA

Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation, Inc. - York PA

F03B 306

416244A, 416174, 416245 A, 415 13, 415 17, 415 24, 415 33, 415 36, 415 42, 4151701, 4151742

A turbine, adaptable to improve the survivability of fish present in water flowing therethrough, includes a hub and associated runner blades. Each blade comprises an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is rotatable relative to the hub about a blade rotational axis. The turbine is provided with a gap shielding device designed to shield a gap formed between the hub and the blade inner edge as the blade is rotated about its axis. The gap shielding device may comprise a plurality of independently biased pins, a plurality of fluid jets, a plurality of flexible members, a fluid-filled boot, and combinations thereof.

6095749, Aug 1, 2000

May 14, 1999

9/312539

James R. Beyer - York PA
Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Christian G. Cabou - Milwaukee MI

Voith Hydro, Inc. - York PA

F04D 2938

415115

A turbine installation is adapted for enhancing the level of dissolved gas in water flowing therethrough. The installation comprises a water passageway for containing turbine components including a turbine runner. The water passageway extends from an upper elevation source of water to a lower elevation discharge region. The turbine runner is disposed in the passageway so that water flowing therethrough impinges on the runner. The runner includes a plurality of blades extending from the hub at circumferentially spaced intervals. Each blade is defined by a pressure surface, an oppositely facing suction surface, a leading edge and an spaced apart trailing edge. At least one of the blades has an integrally formed gas passage extending from a gas inlet aperture in the hub to the trailing edge. The installation further comprises an oxygen containing gas source coupled to the gas inlet aperture and a control system for controlling the flow of gas to the gas inlet aperture to regulate the dissolved oxygen level in the water. A method of increasing the dissolved oxygen level in such a turbine installation is also disclosed.

6247893, Jun 19, 2001

Aug 1, 2000

9/631056

James R. Beyer - York PA
Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA

Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation, Inc. - York PA

F04D 2938

415115

A turbine, adaptable to enhance the levels of dissolved gas such as oxygen in water flowing therethrough, includes a rotating shaft and a runner secured to the shaft. The runner includes a crown, a band and a plurality of runner blades. Each blade is defined by an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. At least one blade includes an integrally formed gas passage in fluid communication with a gas admission aperture in the crown. The gas passage may extend to the trailing edge. Alternatively, the gas passage may extend to the band, and the band then includes a gas discharge means. A method for making a blade having an integral gas passage includes securing a member with a first groove to an insert with a cooperating second grove. A turbine having a hub and a plurality of rotatable blades includes a plurality of groups of gas passages extending to at least one exterior region of the hub associated with a blade. The blade includes a gas admission passage extending to an edge region of the blade.

5924842, Jul 20, 1999

Oct 17, 1996

8/733366

James R. Beyer - York PA
Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Christian G. Cabou - Milwaukee WI

Voith Hydro, Inc. - York PA

F04D 2938

415115

A turbine, adaptable to enhance the levels of dissolved gas such as oxygen in water flowing therethrough, includes a rotating shaft and a runner secured to the shaft. The runner includes a crown, a band and a plurality of runner blades. Each blade is defined by an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. At least one of the blades includes a leading blade portion with a first slot along a rear edge thereof and a trailing blade portion with a second slot along a front edge thereof. The leading and trailing blade portions are fixedly secured together along their front and rear edges so that the first and second slots cooperate to form an integral gas passage in the at least one blade. The at least one blade further includes a means for discharging gas from the channel to a location adjacent the trailing edge.

6164907, Dec 26, 2000

May 18, 1999

9/314225

Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Randy V. Seifarth - York PA
Siegbert Etter - Heidenheim, DE
Donald E. Zehner - Etters PA

Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation Inc. - York PA

F03B 306, F03B 318, F03B 1510, F03B 1514

4151734

A turbine installation having reduced inner and outer gaps comprises a water passageway and a turbine runner disposed in the passageway downstream of a discharge ring. The turbine runner includes a hollow hub having spaced apart inner and outer surfaces and a longitudinal axis and a plurality of runner blades. Each blade comprises a hydrofoil having an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is pivotally connected to the hub about a rotational axis extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so that its inner edge is proximate the hub. Each blade is rotatable between a maximum pitch position and a minimum pitch position. The discharge ring has a spherical configuration cooperable with the outer edge of each of the blades to reduce an outer gap formed between the outer edge of each of the blades and the passageway. The hub may be configured as a sphere downstream of the blade rotational axes to reduce an inner gap formed between the inner edge of each of the blades and the hub.

5947679, Sep 7, 1999

Mar 28, 1996

8/623245

Joseph M. Cybularz - Jacobus PA
Richard K. Donelson - Emigsville PA
Richard K. Fisher - Jacobus PA
Robert G. Grubb - York PA
Randy V. Seifarth - York PA
Siegbert Etter - Heidenheim, DE
Donald E. Zehner - Etters PA

Voith Hydro, Inc. - York PA

F03B 306, F03B 318, F03B 1510, F03B 1514

415 17

A turbine, adaptable to improve the survivability of fish present in water flowing therethrough, includes a hub and associated runner blades. Each blade comprises an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is rotatable relative to the hub about a blade rotational axis. The turbine is provided with features designed to shield a gap formed between the hub and the blade inner edge as the blade is rotated about its axis.