A swivel joint apparatus for supplying utilities to a rotating building
rotatable about a central axis has an inner, fixed spindle for securing to
a fixed base of the building to extend co-axially with a central axis of
rotation of the building, and an outer casing rotatably mounted on the
spindle for securing to the rotatable part of the building. The spindle
has a series of spaced annular flanges defining a series of annular
chambers and at least one ring seal mounted on the peripheral edge of each
flange for rotatable sealing engagement with the outer casing so that the
casing forms an outer wall of each of the annular chambers. A lower end
wall of the spindle has a plurality of ports for connection to fixed
utility lines in the base for fluid supply to and from the building, each
port connected through the spindle to a respective annular chamber. The
outer casing has a series of axially spaced ports for connection to
respective utility lines in the rotatable part of the building, the ports
including at least one port communicating with each of the annular
chambers.
