US1917444A - Supercharger - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 1l, 1933 UNITED STATES' PATENT lOFFICE DAVID GREGG, OF CALDWELL, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ECLPSE AVIATION COBPO RATION, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW' JERSEY, A CORPORATION Ol' NEW JERSEY SUPERC'HARGER Application filed March 18, 1931. Serial No. 522,491.

' This invention relates to superchargers, and particularly to means for compressing the combustible mixture to be supplied to the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine having a two-stroke cycle.

An orbject of the invention is to provide a novel construction for a supercharger of the type adapted to be driven fromA a rotatable member of an associated engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supercharger embodying a-rotary valve v mechanism of novel construction adapted to be rotated with a driven member mounted by novel means operating to vary the volume of the compression chamber in accordance with the variation in the angle described by a rotating element of said novel means.

A further object is to yprovide a supercharger in which the compression chambers are so controlled aspto be of constantly increasing volume during the intake period, and of constantly decreasing volume during the discharge period.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from inspection of the following specifications when read with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a deinition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 'is a transverse sectional view of a device embodying the invention; and

`2 is a sectional elevation view taken at right angles to the viewpoint and along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v

In the drawing, the invention is shown embodied in a cylindrical casing' member 3 having oppositely disposed extensions 4 and 5, the former constituting an'entrance duct for the air or combustible mixture to be compressed in the casing 3 and then delivered to the intake manifold ofthe engine with which the exit passage 5 communicates. c

may be interposed between the supercharger and the engine, or between'the supercharger and the air intake duct, any suitable means for carbureting the combustible mixture and otherwise conditioning the combustion supporting air to secure maximum efficiency of combustion in the combustion chambers of the engine, and that the location and operation of the same is not material to the present invention which consists in the construction of a novel supercharger capable of application and use with any suitable arrangement of such devices.

comprises the provision of a cylindrical valve member 6 of the sleeve'or tubular type having any desired number of pairs of longitudif nally extending ports 7 and 7 a each pair being cpt in the cylindrical wall thereof at diametrically opposite locations thereon, and at angular distances corresponding to the number. of ports, said sleeve member being adapted to closely fit the-cylindrical surface of the chamber 3 and be rotated relatively thereto.

b v novel means now to be described.

Such a novel supercharger construction4 It is to be understood, of course, that there.

v'The novel compressing means preferably y takes the-form of a plurality of curved blades or vanes 15 corresponding in number to the number of ports; and pivotally secured alt their outer ends to suitable pivots 9 extending from the inwardlyturned ends of the member 6 and spaced equally about the periphery of said member between the successive ports 7 and 7 a. ,The inner ends of the vanes 8 are preferably pivotally connected by pins V10 journale'd in ears 11 formed on shoes 12 whichare slidably mounted about the end portions of the circumference of the driven drumfor rotor 14, suitable annular grooves or tracks 13 being provided for this purpose in the end surfaces of the rotor 14, the latter being supported at either end thereof on bearing pins 18 secured in the supporting frame 19 eccentrically to the axis of rotation of sleeve 6, bearings 20 being provided to facilitate rotation of the member 14 about said bearing pms. Y l

Any suitable driving means may be employed for imparting rotation to sleeve valve 6, but in the preferred form as illustrated, such driving means comprises the provision of a gear 23 rotatably supported on ball bearing 24 and secured to a flanged annular end of plate 25 by suitable screws 26 the gear 23 being also drivably secured to the sleeve 6 by means of said screws 26, and being inmesh with a gear 27 which is in turn rotatable with the crankshaft or other rotatable member of the associated engine.

As shown best in Fig. 2, the casing 5 is 4divided centrally by a partition 29 whichV thereby forms two exit ducts 30 and 31, each leading to the intake manifold or inlet port of a cylinder (or group of cylinders firing at the same time). In the device illustrated thereare four vanes and two sets of ports,

compressing and timing the delivery of a charge for two cylinders or sets of cylinders. For a three cylinder engine, (or engine with three sets of cylinders firing together-as, for example, a six cylinder two cycle engine with opposed cylinders) there would be six vanes, and three sets of spaced ports, and three outlets.

Having thus identified the parts entering into the preferred embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, the operation will be seen to be as follows):

On rotation` being imparted to the sleeve 6 through the intermediary of gears 23 and 27, and driving screws 26, the combustible charge will be admitted through each ofthe ports 7 during a portion of each revolution of the sleeve 6, the gearing being preferably timed so that admission occurs as the piston is in proper position to insure properly timed delivery of the charge to the combustion chambers of the cylinder. Following the admission of the charge through the port 7, the

,oscillating action of the vanes 15 (as their shoes 12 slide at variable speeds along tracks 13)- compresses the charge and, after half a revolution, forces it through the port 7' into the chamber 31, from which chamber it leads to the proper combustion point. Continued.

rotation of sleeve 6 eccentrically to the rotor 14 will bring the port 7 a into registry with the intake passage 4, and at the same time will bring the op osite port 7a into registry with outlet chamher 30, whereupon a similarly compressedl charge will be delivered thereto.

Due to the spiral and rearwardly extend- Y ing disposition of the vanes 15 relatively to `rthe direction of rotation of sleeve 6, the dithe cylindrical wall thereof,

rection of the gases toward the outlet chambers is facilitated and greater eiiciency of operation therebyl assured. Moreover, the novel construction of the vanes 8 whereby they are pivotally mounted at their ends to produce a constantly changing angularity with respect to the rotor 14, in conjunction with the disposition of the ports 7 and 7a, operates to produce a proper timing of the compressing action with respect to the volume of the associated chambers.

The constantly changing angularity of the vanes causes shoes 12 to move at angular speeds which vary in accordance with the change in the angle described by the shoes while rotating. A corresponding variation occurs in the volume of each chamber due to the disposition of the parts as above suggested, the relation of ports to vanes being such that each chamber is of constantly increasing volume during the entire period of communication between the intake duct and the valve port for the corresponding chamber, and is of constantly decreasing volume during the period of communication between the said port and the Huid discharge duct. Thus there is obtained a perfect synchronization between volume change and pressure change whichinsures maximum eiiciency in operation.

It will be understood,however, that various changes may be made in the form, details of construction, arrangement of parts and the uses to which they are applied.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a tubular member, a rotatable shoe associated therewith, a vane pivotally connected at one end to said tubular member and at the other end to said shoe, means for mounting said shoe for rotation about an axis eccentric to the axis of'said tubular member, and means for rotating said shoe about 'said eccentric axis ata non-uniform speed in response to track a tortuous sealing passageway.

2. In a rotary compressor, a housing having a Huid entrance duct and a fluid exit duct, and means for establishing periodic communication therebetween comprising a tubular valve member having a port formed in a rotor for actuating said valve member to cause said port to register alternately with said entrance and exit ducts, and means mounted within said valve member to form a chamber in which the Yfluid entering said valve member through said Vport 'is compressed prior to delivery to sald'exit duct, said last named means com- Vmember having tubular member and having an inturned flange nested with the rotor to form a tortuous passage therebetween.

3. In a rotary compressor, a cylindrical housing having end walls, a tubular valve member having closed ends rotatably mounted therein,- the valve member, vanes pivotally connected to the valve member, said rotor having annular guideways in its end faces arranged adjacent the end walls of the h ousing, shoes slidably positioned in the guideways iiush with the end walls of both rotor and valve, and said shoes having pivotal connections with the vanes.

4.. In a rotary compressor, a cylindrical housing having end walls, a tubular valve closed ends rotatably .mounted therein, a rotor eccentrically mounted in the valve member, vanes pivotally connected .to the valve member, said rotor having annular guideways of vL-shaped cross section in its end faces arrangedadjacent the end walls of the housing, shoes of L-shaped cross section slidably positioned in the guideways flush with the end walls of both rotor and valve, and said shoes having pivotal connections with the vanes.

5. In a rotary compressor, a cylindrical housing having end walls, a tubular valve member having closed end walls rotatably mounted therein, said end walls having their inner faces in alignment, a rotor eccentrically molmted inthe valve member, vanes pivotally connected to the valve member and to the rotor by shoes relatively movable in their angular relation to the rotor, said shoes having a plane outer face adapted to contact the inner end walls of both the housing and tubular member for preventing leakage therebetween.

6. In a rotary compressor, a cylindrical housing having end walls, a tubular valve member having closed end walls rotatably mounted therein, said end walls having their inner faces in alignment, va rotor eccentrical- 1y mounted in the valve member, vanes pivotally connected to the valve member and to a rotor eccentrically mounted in the rotor by shoes relatively movable in their angular relation to the rotor, Vsaid shoes having 'a plane outer face adapted to contact the inner end walls of both the housing and tubular member for preventing leakage therebetween, and each of said shoes having an inwardly extending flange slidably fitted in a corresponding annular groove in the end face of the rotor.

7 In a rotary fluid compressor havin a cylindrical housing, a tubular valve mem er rotatably mounted therein, a rotor eccenltrically mounted in the member, hinged vanes connecting the rotor and member forming therewith sets of variable volume compartmcnt's, the connection of the vanes with the rotor including. shoes having arcuate projections coacting with an annular groove in the rotor end'face, said vanes being angularly movable with respect to the rotor, an inlet for the compressor, a plurality of outlets, conduits corresponding in number to the number of compartment sets, and means for delivering fluid from the compressor to the outlets selectively and in a regular recurring sequence.

8. In a rotary iuid compressor havin a cylindrical housing, a tubular valve mem er rotatably mounted therein, a rotor eccentrically mounted in the member, hinged vanes connecting the rotor and member .forming therewith sets of variable volume compartments, the connection of the vanes with the rotor including shoes having arcuate projections coacting withan annular groove `in the rotor end face, said vanes being angularly movable with respect to the rot/0r, an inlet for the compressor, va plurality of outlets, conduits corresponding in number to the numberof compartment sets, means for delivering iluid from the compressor to the outlets selectively and in a regular recurring sequence, said means comprising axially spaced outlets in the tubular valve member, and spaced openings inthe housing having a communication with the outlet conduits and arranged to periodically coincide with the valve member outlets.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specication.

DAVID GREGG.

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