US2083847A - Centrifugal force air pump wheel - Google Patents

Description

' June 15, 1937. o. B. JOHNSON 2,083,847

CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AIR PUMP WHEEL Fil ed May 22, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet l June 1937. o. B. JOHNSON CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AIR PUMP WHEEL Filed May 22, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm 0.3. Jizwarz June 15, 1937. o. B. JOHNSON CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AIR PUMP WHEEL Filed May 22, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 \19. wk mm \m Rm,

June l5, 1937. o. B. JOHNSON CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AIR PUMP WHEEL I Filed May 22, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 15, 1937.

o. B. JOHNSON 2,083,847

' CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AIR PUMP WHEEL Filed May 22, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June l5, 1937. o. B. JOHNSON CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AIR PUMP WHEEL Filed May 22, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 5 anism in operating the machine.

Patented June 1 5, 1937 carnal) STATES CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AIR PUMP WHEEL Orlando 13'. Johnson, Boise, Idaho Application May 22,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an air pump constructed in such a manner that the centrifugal motion of the balanced flywheels forming a part thereof, will actuate mechanism to compress and store air in a suitable tank at usable, practical compression. An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character includingbalanced flywheels supplied with movable weights arranged in such a way that the movements of the weights or the inertia thereof will be exercised in favor of the direction of rotation of the balanced flywheel, assisting in rotating the balanced flywheels by adding power thereto, and resultingin an easier operation of the device,

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism so balanced and proportioned that it requires a minimum amount of force to actuate the mechanism and cause it to produce a quantity of compressed air which may be utilized as a source of power. A still further object is to provide means toharness forces present in the machine and which are ordinarily inhibitory, in such a manner as to materially aid the motion of the mechanism and assist the power mech- With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of con struction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the cylinders of the machine together with the pistons operating therein.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through a modified form of the machine.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 5.

1935, Serial No. 22,845

further modified form of the invention/the ma- I chine embodying a vertical shaft. v

Figure 10 is a sectionalview taken on line Ifllll of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the machine embodies a frame indicated generally by the reference character 5,.the frame embodying side members 6 that are formed with bearings l at their upper endsin which the hollow shaft 8 is mounted. This hollows shaft 8 supports balanced flywheels 9, which balanced flywheels are connected by means of shafts H], which shafts provides supports for the cylinders ll, that are mounted on the elongatedbearing members I2, which bearing members are .in communication with the hollow shaft 8, through the pipes 13.

Pipes it which connect with the ends of the cylinders the bearing members I 2;

Slidably mounted with theccylinders H, are pistons Hi, which are free to move longitudinally of the cylinders under the centrifugal forces caused by the rotation of the balanced flywheels 9. These cylinders II are provided with removable heads l5, each of which is supplied with an inlet valve l6 and an outlet valve I], the outlet valve being arranged to control the passage of air from the cylinders.

Mounted at one end of each bearing member I 2 is a sprocket I8 over which sprocket chains l9 operate, the chains l9 also operating over the sprockets 20, keyed to the hollowshaft 8 to the end that as the balanced flywheels rotate, the cylinders will be maintained in horizontal positions at all times, and the centrifugal forces caused by the rotation of thebalanced flywheels will tend to throw the pistons l4-to their outer ends. Thus it will be seen that, when the balanced flywheels are operating in a clockwise direction the pistons will move to the outer ends of the cylinders whereupon the weight of the pistons will tend to assist in rotating thebalanced fiywheels. As the cylinders pass at lowermost points in the path of rotation of the balanced flywheels, it will be seen that the pistons are thrown to the opposite ends of the cylinders, forcing air from the cylinders and compressing the air in a suitable tank, which in the present showing is indicated by the reference character 2!. indicated at 22 establishes communication between the hollow shaft 8 and tank 2!.

Mounted on one of the balanced flywheels 9, is a pulley 23 over which the belt 24 operates, the belt 24 also operating over the pulley 25 mounted on the armature shaftof themotor 26,

H, are also in communication with.

The pipe Tin which motor constitutes the power device for rotating the flywheels and operating the machine. It might be further stated that the sprockets l8 and 20 are of equal diameters to the end that as the balanced flywheels rotate, the cylinders will be maintained in horizontal positions at .all time.

In the form of the invention as shown by sheets 3 and 4 of the drawings, the base includes a frame indicated generally by the reference character 26, the frame having openings at its upper end, for the reception of the hollow shaft 21. Mounted on this shaft 21 are balanced flywheels 28 spaced apart as clearly shown by Figure 6, the flywheels 28 being connected by means of the hollow shafts 29, spaced apart equidistantly, the shafts 29 having their ends closed to prevent the escape of air at the ends of the shafts 29.

These shafts 29 are secured to thefly wheels 28 by means of the nuts 30, which hold the shafts 29 against rotary movement with respect to the flywheels 28. Each of the shafts 29 provides a support for a pair of cylinders 3|, which cylinders are secured to the spaced bars-'32 that have bearing openings to receive the shafts 29 in such a way that rotary movement of the cylinders 3| on their shafts 29, will be permitted. 1

At each end'of each cylinder is an outlet opening controlled by means of an outlet valve 33, the valves 33 being supported within the ends of the manifolds 34 also disposed at the ends of the cylinders 3|. Intake valves 35 control the passage of air into the cylinders, at the ends of the cylinders, the air being drawn into the cylinders by means of the pistons 36 which are mounted for free sliding movement within the cylinders. Pipes 31 communicate with the manifolds 34, and have their inner ends connected with the air chambers 38 formed by the housings 39 which are spaced from the shafts 29 on which the housings are mounted. Openings 4!] establish communication between the air chambers 38 and the shafts 29, so that air forced from the cylinders, will enter the housings and shafts 29 while the cylinders move with respect to their shafts.

Collars 42 are mounted on the shafts 29 and are disposed in spaced relation therewith providing air passageways which communicate with the hollow shafts 29 through openings so that air passing through the shafts 29, may enter the pipes 43 which connect with the collars 42 and communicate with the air passageways thereof. The collar 44 is mounted on the main hollow shaft 21 and disposed in spaced relation therewith providing an air passageway which is in communication with the interior of the hollow shaft 21 through openings formed in the hollow shaft. Thus it will be seen that air passing through the passageways formed by the collars 42 will enter pipes 43 and be directed to the interior of the hollow shaft 21. Leading from the hollow shaft 21, is a pipe 45 which establishes communication between one end of the hollow shaft 21 and the storage tank 48.

It will of course be understood that rotary movement of the balanced fly wheels 28 tends to cause the pistons 36 to be thrown to the outer ends thereof, due to centrifugal force, and to increase the efficiency of the machine, means has been provided to slightly tilt the cylinders, as shown by Figure of the drawings, at certain points, during the cycles of rotation of the balanced fly wheels.

To accomplish this tilting of the cylinders, a plurality of sprockets 41 are secured to the shaft 21, which sprockets transmit movement to sprockets 48 loosely mounted on the shafts 29, through the chains 49, there being provided a pair of sprockets and a chain for each pair of cylinders at one side of each pair of cylinders, and the sprocket wheels 41 are a small percentage smaller than the sprocket wheels 48, the sprocket wheels 48 having approximately 22 teeth while the sprocket wheels 41 are supplied with 24 teeth.

These sprocket wheels 48 are directly connected with ratchet wheels 50 that have approximately 24 teeth, which teeth are engaged by the pawls 5| that are carried by the bars 32, whereby the cylinders are connected with the ratchet wheels so that as the balanced fly wheels 28 rotate, slight rotary movement will be imparted to the cylinders 3|, moving the cylinders to positions as shown by Figure 5 of the drawings with the result that the weight of the pistons within their cylinders on the up and down movements of the cylinders, will tend to direct a force in a clockwise direction .and in favor of the direction of rotation of the fly wheels, through the medium of the chains and sprockets. Y

Loosely mounted on the shaft 21 are sprocket wheels 52 which connect with sprocket wheels 53 loosely mounted on the shafts 29 through the medium of the chains 54, the sprocket wheels 52 being slightly larger than the sprocket wheels 53, the sprocket wheels 52 having approximately 26 teeth, while the sprocket wheels 53 have 24 Directly connected with the sprocketwheels 53 are ratchet wheels 55 which have their teeth disposed in a direction opposite to the teeth of the ratchet wheels 59, the ratchet wheels 55 being engaged by the pawls 56 that are mounted at the opposite sides of the pistons and held into engagement with the teeth by means of spring members 51.

The main power is transmitted to the fly wheels through the medium of a power driven belt not shown, and which operates over the pulley 5B.

In this form of the invention the fly wheels 28 must be revolved in a clockwise direction with the result that the upper cylinder battery as shown by Figure 5, has a motion to the right, while the lower cylinder battery as shown in this figure is in motion towards the left. Since sprockets 41 are two teeth smaller than sprockets 48, it will be seen that the ratchet wheels 59 secured thereto, will rotate one-twelfth of a revolution less than the fly wheels 28, in anticlockwise direction. Since sprockets 52 are of a greater diameter than the sprockets 53 and have two more teeth than sprockets 53 attached to the reversed ratchet wheels 55, ratchet wheels 55 will travel one-twelfth faster than the revolutionary speed of fly wheels 28, also anti-clockwise.

By this mechanism the weight inertia in exercise upon weighted cylinders and pistons, operates in favor of the motion of the fly wheels 28. It will be seen that as fly wheels 28 revolve clockwise, the weighted pistons 36 slide in the upper cylinders towards the left hand ends of their cylinders, causing the left hand ends of the down moving cylinders 28 to be heavier than the right hand ends. This motion causes pawl 5| to engage with ratchet wheel 55 applying power over the lower section of the uppermost chain 54 rotating the sprocket 53 in the direction of rotation of the Wheels 28.

Since sprocket 53 connected with the ratchet wheel 55 is traveling one-twelfth slower the weighted ends of the cylinders 3| are caused to fall the distance of one tooth on the ratchet wheel 56 in a half revolution, and this movement is so timed that as the right hand battery of cylinders H as shown by Figure 5, continues its downward portion of the clockwise motion of whee-ls 28, pawl 51 engages ratchet wheel 50 the moment before the weighted pistons 36 return to the right hand ends of the cylinders 3!. As the clockwise motion of wheels 28 continues towards the bottom of the machine, and the cylinders 3! which are in horizontal positions start pistons 36 on the return to the right hand ends of the cylinders 3| as pistons 36 arrive past the center line of shaft 29, the weight inertia'is exerted in the opposite direction to that of the upper half of the cycle.

In consequence, newly engaged pawl now engages the ratchet wheel 50 and the gravitational force exerts its pull over the sprocket 52 on the now lower segment of chain 54 causing this force to be spent towards furthering the rotary motion of wheels 28 in a clockwise direction and the reversal of the weight from one ratchet to the other will be so maintained that cylinders 3| are held in position over a horizontal line, while weight forces them against the ratchets, over a minor portion of the oscillatory arc.

It will be seen that the centrifugal force exerted upon pistons 36 during each cycle, causes them to draw air into the cylinders, through the valves 35. As the pistons 36 start their return movements to the opposite ends of their cylinders, the valves 33 close and valves 24 open, exhausting the air compressed in cylinders 3! into the manifolds 34.

As shown by sheets 5 and 6 of the drawings I have illustrated a machine wherein the cylinders and pistons operate in horizontal planes. In this form of the invention the numeral 58 indicates a hollow shaft having its ends closed, the lower end of the shaft being secured to the base 59 by means of the collar 66, which is locked to the base 58 by means of the set screw 6|.

Rotatably attached to the shaft 58 are bars 62 which are the equivalent of the wheels 28 and 9 of the machines heretofore described. These bars 52 must have equally weighted ends over the center line, so that they have a balanced motion as they rotate around shaft 58. At the opposite ends of these bars 62 are shafts 63, which shafts are hollow and disposed vertically or in parallel relation to the shaft 58, the shafts 63 being mounted in suitable bearings so that they may rotate freely.

In bearings mounted on the shafts 63 are mounted sprocket wheels 64 attached to the ratchet wheels 65 and 66 which are freely rotatable upon the shafts 63. Extending through the shafts 63 and stufiing boxes 61 are hollow shafts 68, the ends thereof being closed and secured to the cylinders 69, as clearly shown by the drawings. Mounted near the ends of the hollow shafts 63 and projecting toward the rim of the ratchet wheels are ratchet arms ID which are secured to the walls of the cylinders 69. These ratchet arms provide supports for the ratchet dogs H and 12. Secured to the central hollow shaft 58 to move therewith, are sprocket Wheels 13 and 14 which are connected with the sprockets 64, through the chains that move thereover. Mounted-within the cylinders 69 are double acting pistons '16 which slide freely throughout .the lengths of the cylinders, and are constructed. of material rendering them exceptionally heavy, the pistons being fitted with compression rings to seal the pistons within their cylinders. Thus it will vbe seen that reciprocationofthepistons 56 causes air to be compressed against the cylinder heads 14, forcing the valves I8 to their open positions against the action of springs 18, causingair to pass through the tubular connections 86 andyinto the hollow shafts 68 from where the 'air passes through the vertical shafts 63 by meansof stuffing boxes 61. Shafts 68 havesuitable orifices communicating with the stuffing boxes 6?.

The air so compressed is forced into the hollow main shaft 58 from the shafts 63 by means of the stuffing boxes 8| and 82 connected by pipes 83. The air is taken from the upper endof the main shaft-58, through the pipe 84, where it is directed to. a suitable receiving tank not shown.

It will also be seen in this form of the invention another set of sprockets and chains is provided, the numeral 85 indicating wheels rigidly attached to the center shaft 58. The numeral86- represents sprockets of equal ratio which are securedto the shafts 63, at the lower ends thereof. These sprockets which are connected by means of the chains 15, will causethe cylinder batteriesto maintain a predetermined position throughout the cycles of operation. f l

Rigidly attached to a cross bar 62 is a pulley indicated by the reference, character 61, which pulleyparries the load thrust of the entire rotatable unit, upon the base collar 66. Power is communicated from the primary drive or power supply mechanism 88, through the drive belt 89.

This mechanism must be rotated in a direction from the right towards the left hand side of the machine, which movement will result in a properly timed motion to receive the added power of the reciprocating weight inertia exerted thereon, i. e., as cross bar 62 is revolved from right hand to left hand by primary power at 88 the pistons 16 of cylinders 69 at the right, move rearwardly driving the greater portion of the weight upon the trailing ends of the cylinders. This Weight is thrown. against the upper ratchet wheel 65 by the ratchet pawl H attached to ratchet arm Ill, causing the pull on chain 15, between sprockets 64 and 13 of which the ratio of sprockets l8 and 64 is one-twelfth greater on sprocket wheels I9. The relationship causes ratchet wheel 65 to have slightly greater motion than the cross bar 62 per revolution, and allows the weighted trailing ends of the right hand cylinders to transmit the ensuing weight inertia over rigid sprockets 13 in favor of the motion given to the cross bars 62. As the right hand battery of cylinders 69 approaches the center line, and since they are maintained parallel to their original positions, by means of the sprocket wheels and sprocket chains 85, 15 and 86, the position of the reverse ratchet 66 operating through the sprocket 64 and controlling sprocket wheel 11, will be found to have lost the distance of one notch upon ratchet wheel 66, so that the ratchet dog or pawl engaging the ratchet wheel 66 at this point raises the forward end of the cylinder 69 to a slightly higher elevation, as the weighted piston 16 reciprocates to the reverse end of the cylinder 69.

The gravitation of pull is not transferred from the ratchet wheel 65 to the ratchet wheel 66, and due to the one-twelfth less ratio between sprocket wheel 10 and the corresponding" sprocket wheel 64 the gradually descending weight in the cylinder 69 exerts a force over the opposite side of the sprocket ll, adding the weight inertia to assist in the rotation of the entire rotatable unit.

I claim:

- 1. A machine of the class described, comprising a base, a shaft mounted on the base, rotary membars mounted on' the shaft, stationary sprockets mounted on the shaft, cylinders mounted for rotary movement on the rotary members, sprockets associated with the cylinders, chains operating over the stationary sprockets and last mentioned sprockets, whereby the cylinders are rotated and maintained in substantially horizontal positions throughout the cycle of rotation of the fly wheels, pistons slidable throughout the lengths of the cylinders by centrifugal force as the rotary members rotate, compressing air, and means for rotating the rotary members.

2. A machine of the class described, comprising a base, a main shaft mounted on the base, spaced balanced fly wheels mounted for rotary movement on the shaft, shafts connecting the fly wheels at the peripheries thereof, cylinders pivotally mounted on the last mentioned shafts, means for rotating the fly wheels, means for rotating the cylinders with respect to the flywheels maintaining the cylinders in substantially horizontal positions throughout the cycle of rotation of the fly wheels, pistons slidable in the cylinders and adapted to be thrown to the ends of the cylinders bycentrifugal force compressing air.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a base, a main shaft on the base, rotary members mounted on the main shaft, cylinders mounted on the rotary members and adapted to rotate with respect thereto, means for transmitting movement of the rotary members to the cylinders whereby the cylinders are maintained in substantially horizontal positions throughout the cycle of rotation of the fly wheels, pistons free to slide within the cylinders, said pistons adapted to be thrown to the ends of the cylinders by centrifugal force when the rotary members rotate, compressing air, and. means for rotating the rotary members.

4. A machine of the class described comprising a base, a main shaft mounted on the base, rotary members mounted on the shaft, stationary sprockets on the main shaft, cylinders pivotally mounted on the 1 rotary members, sprockets mounted adjacent to the cylinders, chains operating over the stationary sprockets and last mentioned sprockets, whereby the last mentioned sprockets are rotated as the rotary members rotate, ratchet wheels operated by the sprockets, means for transmitting movement of the ratchet wheels to the cylinders whereby the cylinders are normally maintained in horizontal positions throughout the cycle of rotation of the fly wheels, pistons free to slide in the cylinders, and means for rotating the rotary members.

5. A machine of the class described, comprising a main shaft supported on the base, balanced fly wheels mounted for rotary movement on the shaft, shafts mounted on the fly wheels, cylinders mounted for rotary movement on the latter shafts, sprockets on the last mentioned shafts, sprockets on the main shaft, chains operating over the sprockets on the main shafts and last mentioned sprockets whereby rotary movement of the fly wheels produces a rotary movement of the sprockets, cylinders mounted on the last mentioned shafts, means for transmitting movement of the sprockets to the cylinders, whereby the cylinders are held in substantially horizontal positions throughout the cycle of rotation of the fly wheels, pistons operating in the cylinders and adapted to be thrown to the ends of the cylinders compressing air, and means for rotating the fly wheels.

ORLANDO B. JOHNSON.

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