Patent GB-604519-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to compressor-motor apparatus for gaseous materials
IPC: F04B27/12
Filed: 1945-06-19
Abstract: 604,519. Gas compressor-motor apparatus. LITTLE, Inc., A. D. June 19, 1945, No. 15541. Convention date, June 20, 1944. [Class 8 (i)] A compressor-motor of the rotary reciprocating piston type comprises a rod 38, Fig. 1, reciprocated and continuously rotated in fixed bearings 35, 37 by a continuously rotating power shaft 53 acting through a transfer means, a piston 40 coaxial with the rod 38 and surrounded by a cylinder 31 from which it is maintained out of pressure contact by the bearings 35, 37, and a compression-expansion chamber which includes part of the surface of the piston and the inner wall of the cylinder and having inlet and outlet openings 51, 52, Fig. 2, controlled by inlet and outlet valve means 46, 47, Fig. 11, so arranged as to successively direct gas into and from the chamber during the intake and discharge stroke respectively of the piston 40 in the cylinder 31. The power transfer means comprises the motordriven shaft 53 splined at 55 to the rod 38 which is reciprocated by a cam 56 guided by rollers 59, 59a. Alternatively, three drive pins projecting from a shaft collar may fit telescopically into three holes in a guided cam fixed to the rod 38. The compression-expansion chamber is formed of the spaces between the piston hub 41 and the piston skirt 44, and between the piston skirt 45 and the rod 38, which spaces are bounded by re-entrant cylinder head and end members 50, 33. A secondary piston head 67 integral with the rod 38 allows the end of the rod to protrude and form a skirt 68 reciprocating and rotating in a cylinder 69 integral with the head of cylinder 31. The head 70 of cylinder 69 has a re-entrant member 71 .forming with the skirt 68 a second single compression-expansion chamber. Cylinder inlet and outlet openings 72, 73, Fig. 3, are controlled by a pair of opposed port valves 74; the inlets 72 being connected to the main cylinder outlet ports 52 to effect two-stage compression. In a modification, the cylinder 31 is provided with a rotatably adjustable sleeve having inlet and outlet openings corresponding to the openings 51, 52 and co-operating with the valve openings 46, 47 and which sleeve when turned through 90 degrees effects reversal of the action of the compressor motor. In a further modification, the main cylinder 82, Fig. 16, has inlet openings 87, 871 and outlet openings 88, 88<1>, the inlet 87 being controlled by one or other of valve ports 89, Fig. 18, and inlet 87<1> by ports 89<1> and the cylinder outlets 88, 88<1> being controlled by valve ports 90, 90<1> respectively. In a still further modification, a solid piston 95, Figs. 19, 20, has valve ports formed by a first pair of drillings 96, 96<1> and a second pair 97, 971 controlling pairs of cylinder inlet and outlet openings 101, 102 respectively; the compressionexpansion space being formed either side of the piston. A complementary two-stage piston and cylinder apparatus is provided on the other side of the motor 113, Fig. 1, and is similarly actuated thereby to work in parallel with the first-mentioned cylinders and pistons to give one- or two-stage compression according to whether the secondary cylinders and pistons are used. The compressors may act as motors, e.g. expansion engines using hot combustion gases, and the motor 113 as an electric power generator. Lubricant from the vicinity of the cam 56 and passing the bearing 37 is prevented from seeping further along the rod 38 by a baffle 61 and a drain 62 in a trap 60. Furthermore, a positive pressure of working gas may be maintained in the trap by means of valved conduits 158, 63. The bearing 37 is protected from oil in the event of the apparatus being stood on end by a sleeve 151 surrounding the bearing support 36.