Patent ID: 8684704

Claim:
A cam-driven compressor including: a housing, a cam and a plurality of cylinder and piston assemblies wherein each said cylinder and piston assembly comprises a piston located and movable within a respective cylinder, wherein the improvement comprises: a plurality of cam follower assemblies each including a roller element rotatably connected to a roller bracket which is mounted between generally rectangular first and second, spaced end plates, and a connecting rod having first and second ends, wherein each said connecting rod first end is connected to a respective said roller bracket, each said connecting rod second end is connected to a respective said piston, said roller element of each of said cam follower assemblies being in rolling contact with said cam; and first and second housing plates positioned in spaced, parallel relation to said housing with said first and second housing plates each including a plurality of integral grooves aligned in facing relation to each other, each pair of integral facing grooves defining a linear guide channel, whereby the entirety of each respective cam follower assembly is contained within a respective linear guide channel and each of said generally rectangular first and second end plates of each respective cam follower assembly are received in closely fitting, sliding engagement within said respective linear guide channel.