US2466193A - Compressor for refrigerating systems - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1949.

A. P. ANDERSON COMPRESSOR FOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 17, 1945 April 5, 1949. A. P. ANDERSON COMPRESSOR FOR REFRIGERATING SYVSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1945 Patented Apr. 5, 1949 B. BEFRIGERATIN G SYSTEMS August P. Anderson, Goshen, Ind.

Application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616,882 5 Claims. (Cl. 230-175) COMPRESSOR F The invention relates to compressors for refrigerating systems.

One object of the invention is to provide a compressor of the radial piston-type in which swinging movement is imparted to cylinders so they automatically function to control the intake to, and exhaust of fluid from the cylinders, for the compression of fluid by the piston.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate, from compressors of the radial .piston type, vthe conventional intake and discharge valves for the cylinders which, in use, are subject to wear and leakage, become noisy, are sometimes rendered leaky by scale, metal cuttings, carbon, grit and the like in the uid being compressed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compressor of the radial piston type for refrigating systems which comprises three or more radially movable pistons, which is simple in c'onstruction, light in weight, includes interchangeable parts, is balanced, and free from vibration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compressor of this type which is simple and compact in construction and eicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compressor of this type which can be produced and operated at low cost.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly dened by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section of a compressor embodying the invention taken on line l-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the compressor-cylinders.

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the face of the stationary head engaged by the cylinders.

Fig. 4 is a section illustrating one of the exhaust ports in the casing. Y

Fig. 5 is a section illustrating one of the intake ports in the casing.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of one of the compressor pistons and cylinders and the circular path of the axis of the pivot between the pis-` ton and the eccentric ring, illustrating the angle of a cylinder and its piston at the end of a compression stroke of the piston, and relative positions of the cylinder-port and the inlet and exhaust ducts in the crank-case at the end of the compression stroke.

Fig. 8 is a similar view illustrating the angular pitioniof a compressor-cylinder and its piston at the middle of a suction stroke of the piston and the relative positions of the cylinder-port and the inlet and exhaust ducts in the crank-case when the piston is at the middle of its exhaust stroke.

Fig. 9 is a similar view illustrating the angular position of a compressor-cylinder and its piston at the end of the suction stroke of the piston and .the relative positions of the cylinder-port and the inlet and exhaust ducts in the crank-case, at the end of said suction stroke.

Fig. 10 is a similar view illustrating the angular position of the cylinder and its piston in the middle of a compression stroke and the relative positions of the cylinder-port and exhaust and inlet ducts in the crank-case when thepiston is in the middle of said compression stroke.

The compressor comprises a stationary casing which may be supported in any vsuitable manner for housing the electric motor I6 for driving theA compressor. This casing includes a cylindrical section I0 having an integral cross-wall or head I I and a removable upper head l2, which provide a sealed enclosure for the electric motor I6. The casing also comprises a crank-case section which includes a cylindrical wall or crank-case Il with an integral lower-end wall which, with the head Il, form a housing for the operating elements of the compressor, and is adapted to retain a column of lubricating oil. The upper-end of the crankcase is provided with a flange I9 which is removably secured by bolts 20 to a flange 2| around the head II for access to the compressor. A head or frame 28 is stationarily supported in the crankcase in longitudinally spaced relation from head Il, by a series of spacer bolts 30, the upper ends of which are screw-threaded into head il. A shaft 23 of the rotor of electric motor I6 is journalled in a bushing 24 in a hub 25 on head Il and a bushing 26 which extends through and is fixed in the hub of head 28. A thrust-bearing 29 is provided for shaft 23.

Shaft23 extends through the head I i and into the head 28 and has keyed thereto, between said heads, an eccentric 44 for operating a series of radial pistons. Eccentric 44 is provided with a hub 45 which is secured on shaft 23 by a nut 46 which clamps said hub between a collar 41 engaged by said nut and a collar 48 which engages a shoulder on said shaft. A weight 44a is integrally formed with eccentric 44 and functions as a counter-balance. The eccentric 44 fits in a ring 4i for operating the compressor pistons by power from the motor I6.

The compressor is exemplified with a series of 3 three radial cylinders 32 which are symmetrically disposed around the axis, of shaft 23 and are confined for pivotal movement between the confronting faces of heads 26 and II. Pistons 39 are axially slidable in said cylinders 32, respectively. Each cylinder 32 is provided on its opposite sides with co-axial trunnions 33 which are journalled in sockets 34 in heads Il and 23, for pivotally supporting the cylinder to swing in a plane parallel with the plane of rotation of eccentric 44 or transversely to the axis of shaft 23. Each piston has a rigid or integral stem which is pivotally connected to ring 4I which nts around and is operated by eccentric 44. Pins 42, which pivotally connect ring 4I and pistons 39, are operated by the eccentric 44 to impart movement to the pistons 39 for moving them axially in cylinders 32 'for suction and compression strokes and to operate the pistons angularly for swinging the cylinders imparting compound angular and axial movement to the pistons which imparts pivotal movement to the cylinders. y

A plunger 39 is slidably tted in a pivoted I cylindrical guide 39b which is provided with trunnions 39 which are journalled Inco-axial sockets' in heads II and 26. Plunger 39a is provided with a rigid or integral stem 43 which is secured to ring 4I by rivets 46'. Plunger 39B and the pivoted cylinder 39h constitute means for controlling the angular movement of ring 4I relatively to the axis of shaft 23 to cause the pistons 39 of the compressor and cylinders 32 to swing 0n the axes of trunnions 33 and control the pivotal movement of the cylinders-in the crank-case, to impart predetermined compounded sliding and pivotal strokes to pistons 39, and pivotal strokes' to cylinders 32.

Each compressor cylinder 32 is provided with a port 56 in its side which faces the head II. through which fluid alternately passes into and is discharged from the cylinder from intake and exhaust ducts formedin the contiguous face of head II. Each cylinder 32 is provided with an integral pad 32a having a face which slidably fits against the face of a pad 35 formed on the contiguous face of head Ii. The faces of pads 34 on cylinders 32 are pressed into wiping contact with the contiguous faces of pads 35 by springs 36 to maintain a Huid-tight nt between said faces. Springs 36 are confined in the trunnion-sockets 344 in head 26 and engage the trunnions 33 in said head to urge the cylinders 32 into contact with the pads 35 on head I I. A similar spring may be provided for cylindrical guide 39h.

The low pressure fluid or gas from the suction line of a refrigerating system is delivered into the crank-case by a pipe 52 which is connected to head II and communicates with the chamber in crank-case I1. Head II is provided with an angular intake duct I for each cylinder 32 which communicates with the chamber in the crankcase and terminates in the face of a pad 35 on said head, for communicatively connecting cylinder- -port 56 to receive fluid during the suction stroke of the piston 39. A discharge or high pressure Aduct 54 is formed inA head Il for each cylinder 32 and is communicatively connected with one of the cylinder-ports 50 during the out pressure stroke of a piston 39. Discharge ducts 54 for all of the cylinders 32 are communicatively connected to branches of a header 55 which is connected to deliver compressed gas to the condenser of the refrigerating system. Each branch of header 55 includes a check-valve 56. The swinging movement of cylinders 32 are utilized to produce a valve action between the I I for alternately controlling. through ports 50.

' the intake of gas from a duct 5I and the discharge of compressed gas to a duct 5,4. The swinging movements of cylinders 32 also produce a. wiping action between the faces of pads 34 and 35 which tends to keep the contiguous faces free from grit or dirt.

The lower portion of the crank-case il is adapted to retain, or serveas a sump for, a supply of oil for lubricating the bearings of the compressor. A vane type pump 66 includes an impeller 6I which is secured to and driven by the lower end of shaft 23 and a casing 62 for the impeller which is secured by screws 63 to the lower end of head 26. The intake 64 for the oil extends below the level of the column of oil maintained in the crankcase I1. An outlet pipe 65 for oil from casing 62 is connected to a duct 61 in head II for lubricating the bearing in bushing 24 for shaft 23 and to a duct 66 in head 26 for lubricating the bearing in bushing 2.6 for said shaft. Oil which is carried upwardly through bushing 24 passes to ducts 69 in head II for lubricating the bearings for the upper trunnions 33, and leaks back into the crank-case. Ducts `6I! in head 28 conduct oil from the column in the Acrank-case to the bearings for the lower trunnions 3,3.

The operation of the compressor will be as follows: eccentric 44 is rotated continuously in one direction by shaft 23 which is driven by the electric motor I6 and will operate ring 4I to impart axial sliding and oscillatory movement to the pistons 33 which will im part oscillating movement to cylinders 32. During each rotation of eccentric 44, plunger 39, operating inthe pivoted guide 39, will control the angular movement of'ringliY Y around said eccentric and the movement of pins 42. The oscillatory movement of the cylinders 32 will move alternately their ports 56 for intake of gas from ducts 5I and for the discharge of compressed gas through ports 50 and ducts 54. The angular movement of ring 4I on eccentric 44 is controlled by the fixed connection between said ring and plunger-39a which is slidable in cylindrical guide 39bv which is pivotally movable in the sockets for trunnions 39e. These elements cause each of the axes of `pins 42 between ring 4I and pistons 39 to travel in circles indicated by the dotted circle marked X in Figs. 'l to 10. During each revolutiony ofeccentric 44, the ring M will be operated to impart compound reciprocating Vand .angular intake and compression strokes to the pistons 39 in rotative succession. The angular movement of the cylinders 32 produced by pistons 39 from ring 4I will, during each rotation of eccentric 44, control communication through each vcylinder-port 5t with its intake duct 5I and its discharge duct 54. Assuming the -pistons 39 to be at the end of its outstroke, as illustrated in Fig. 7, the port 50 will be disposed between its associated ducts 5I and 54 and closed. Ring 4I, during the inward movement or suction stroke of piston 39, will swing each cylinder 32 to register its port 56 with the intake duct 5I to admit iiuid into the cyinder 32, as illustrated in Fig. 8. When the piston 39 reaches the end of its suction stroke, as illustrated in Fig. 9, cylvinder-port 59 will again be closed. During the succeeding outstroke of pistons 39, each cylinder 32 will be shifted angularly, as illustrated in Fig. .10, and its cylinder-port 50 will be in communication with its associated discharge'duct 54 and discharge the uid under compression to the header 55. Each piston 39 will be operated in rocylinders 32 and head tative succession to produce a substantially constant outflow of compressed iluid.

In this operation,` this piston 39 which is connected to ring 4I diametrically opposite the guide plunger 39a and the cylinder 32 for said piston, if the pin 42 connecting said piston and ring is spaced the same radial distance from the axis of shaft 23 as the other pins 42, would be shifted a greater angular extent than the pins 42 for the other pistons 39. To compensate for this variation, the axis of the trunnions 39c for the cylindrical guide 39b and the axis of the diametrically opposite cylinder 32 are spaced a somewhat greater distance from the axis of shaft 23 than the tr'unnions for the other cylinders. This results in imparting angular movement of the same degree to the outer ends of all the cylinders 32 and makes it possible to provide intake ducts and exhaust ducts equi-distantly spaced apart, for producing the same relctive .movement between the cylinder-ports 50 and the intake ducts 5I and exhaust ducts 54 for all of the cylinders 32. In this manner, the pivotal or angular movements of the cylinders 32 imparted thereto by the pistons 39 and eccentric 44, the ring 4l and pistons 39 will automatically control the intake of the fluid into the cylinders and the discharge of the compressed uid from the cylinders in rotative succession.

The invention exemplifies a compressor of the radial piston and cylinder type in which the :flow of gas to and from the cylinders is automatically controlled Without conventional poppet, or slide` valves. The compressor is simple and compact in construction and the operating parts are automatically lubricated. Upon removal of the crankcase I1 from the casing section which houses the electric motor, the compressor parts become readily accessible for repair or replacement.

While the invention has been described and is particularly advantageous for use with refrigerating gases, it is obvious that it may be used for other purposes. The invention is also applicable -to compressors with any suitable number of cylinders and pistons.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the details described, since these may be modified Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A compressor comprising a series of pivotally mounted cylinders, pistons axially slidable in and pivotally movable for pivotaly shifting the cylinders, a driven eccentric, a ring on the eccentric, means including an element rigid with and for controlling the angular movement of the ring for imparting sliding and pivotal strokes to the i pistons for pivotally shifting the cylinders, and means controlled by the pivotal movement of the cylinders for controlling the intake and exhaust of uid for compression in the cylinders by the pistons.

2. A compressor comprising a casing adapted to vretain oil and a head, a driven shaft extending through the head, an eccentric on said shaft, and in the casing, a ring on said eccentric, a second head mounted in the casing in spaced relation to the nrst head, cylinders disposed between 'the heads and provided with trunnions for supporting the cylinders for pivotal movementand with faces iitting against the rst head, springs mounted in the second head for pressing the cylinders against the first head, pistons axially slidable in the cylinders and provided with fixed stems .pivotally connected to the ring, means for controlling the angular movement of the ring to impart axial movement of the pistons in the cylinders and their pivotal movement for swinging the cylinders between said heads, and intake and exhaust ducts in said rst head, the cylinders being provided with ports movable between said ducts for controlling the flow of fluid between said ducts and the cylinders.

3.' A compressor comprising: a casing, a series of cylinders pivotally mounted in the casing, pistons axially slidable in and pivotally movable with the cylinders, a driven eccentric, a ring journalled on the eccentric, circumferentially spaced pivotal connections between the ring and the pistons, respectively, means for limiting the angular movement of the ring on the eccentric to control said pivotal connections for imparting reciprocating movement to the pistons, and means controlled by the pivotal movement of the cylinders for controlling the intake and exhaust of -fiuid for compression in the cylinders by the pistons.

4. A compressor comprising: a casing, a series of cylinders pivotally mounted in the casing, pistons axially slidable in and pivotally movable with the cylinders, a driven eccentric, a ring journalled on the eccentric, circumferentially spaced pivotal connections between the ring and the pistons, respectively, means for limiting the angular movement of the ring on the eccentric to control said pivotal connections for imparting reciprocating movement to the pistons, said limiting means including a stem rigid with and projecting outwardly from the ring, and means controlled by the pivotal movement of the cylinders for controlling the intake and exhaust of fluid for compression in the cylinders by the pistons.

5. A compressor comprising: a casing, a series of cylinders pivotally mou/ted in the casing, pistons axially slidable in and pivotally movable with the cylinders, a driven eccentric, a ring journalled on the eccentric, circumferentially spaced pivotal connections between the ring and the pistons, respectively, means for limiting the angular movement of the ring on the eccentric to control the pivotal connections for imparting reciproeating movement to the pistons, said limiting means including a stem rigid with the ring and a guide pivotally mounted in the casing and in which the stem is slidable, and means controlled by the pivotal movement of the cylinders for controlling the intake and exhaust of fluid for compression. in the cylinders by the pistons.

AUGUST P. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,675,546 Green July 3, 1928 1,703,108 Hvid Feb. 26, 1929

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