US3472446A - Compressor - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 14, 1969 P. J. LINNERT COMPRESSOR Filed April 29, 1968 FIG.

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ATTO RNEY United States Patent Office 3,472,446 Patented Oct. 14, 1969 3,472,446 COMPRESSOR Peter J. Linnert, Onalaska, Wis., assignor to The Trane Company, La Crosse, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Apr. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 724,750 Int. Cl. F04b 27/ 00, 39/10 U.S. Cl. 230-184 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A multicylinder refrigeration compressor having in combination resilient annular suction valves and elongated reed discharge valves arranged to minimize the number of valve guiding members and to` permit the use of a head having a simple partitioning arrangement defining the suction and discharge chambers therein.

Resilient annular suction valves and elongated reed discharge valves per se have been in usel for many years. The present invention, however, employs these valves in a unique combination which permits the dual use of certain vlave guiding pins to maintain the relative location of annular and reed valves of the same cylinder and of adjacent cylinders. This is accomplished by placing the guiding pins in a row coincident `with a plane containing the central axes of the compressor cylinders of a cylinder bank. The elongated reed valves are oriented in an endto-end relation whereby they may all be located in a single elongated discharge chamber of the compressor head which chamber extends over and communicates directly with each cylinder of the cylinder bank. Elongated suction chambers on each side of and extending parallel with the discharge chamber may also communicate with all the cylinders of the bank. This arrangement materially simplifies the head structure for a compressor using resilient annular suction valves in combination with elongated reed valves.

Specifically this invention involves a compressor comprising: a compressor body; an elongated crankshaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation; said compressor body defining first and second cylinders having respectively first and second central axes; said first and second central axes being substantially parallel, spaced one from the other, and contained in a plane which is substantially parallel to said axis of rotation; piston means drivingly connected to said crankshaft for compressing gas in said cylinders; a valve plate overlying one end of said cylinders; said valve plate defining first and second discharge valve ports adjacent said plane coextensive respectively with said rst and second cylinders for communicating said first and second cylinders with the discharge side of said compressor; first and second elongated reed discharge valves overlying said first and second discharge valve ports respectively on the side of said valve plate opposite from the cylinder side thereof; the longitudinal axes of said elongated reed discharge valves being generally parallel to said plane; said valve plate defining therein first and second suction valve ports coextensixe with said first cylinder and located on opposite sides of said plane for communictaing said first cylinder with the suction side of said compressor; said valve plate defining therein third and fourth suction valve ports coextensive with said second cylinder and located on opposite sides of said plane for communicating said second cylinder with the suction side of said compressor; a first resilient annular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of said valve plate overlying said first and second suction valve ports; a second resilient annular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of said valve plate overlying said third and fourth suction valve ports; a head overlying said valve plate and having partitions therein separating said suction valve ports from said discharge valve ports.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent as this specification describes the invention in detail with reference to the drawings wherein similar numerals have been used to describe like elements and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a central vertical section of a compressor incorporating my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken at line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken at line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 1 shows a reciprocal piston compressor unit 10 particularly useful for compressing refrigeration gases. Compressor 10 has a main body or housing 12. An internal wall 14 substantially separates the housing 12 into a compressor portion 16 and a motor portion 18. A crankshaft 20 within compressor portion 16 has an extended shaft drivingly connected to a rotor 22 of motor 24 within motor portion 18. Crankshaft 20 is mounted in suitable bearings 26 for rotation about an axis concentric with said bearings.

The upper portion of the compressor portion has two parallel circular cylinders 28 and 30 for receiving pistons 32 and 34 respectively. Pistons 32 and 34 are connected via connecting rods 36 to separate throws of crankshaft 20 so that pistons 32 and 34 may be reciprocally driven by motor rotor 22 of motor 24. During operation refrigerant gas enters the suction side of the compressor body at 38 via compressor inlet 39 and leaves the discharge side of the compressor body 40 via compressor outlet 41. The cavities 42 in compressor body 12 extending about cylinders 28 and 30 are part of and in fluid communication with the suction side of the compressor body.

Now with reference to FIGURES 2,-4, a flat rectangular valve plate 44 overlies the upper ends of cylinders 28 and 30, and a compartmental head 46 overlies valve plate 44. Head 46 is provided with partitions 48 and S0 which divide head 46 into an elongated central discharge gas charnber 52 and a pair of elongated suction gas chambers 54 and 56, each of which has a vertical cross section along its minor axis in the form of an inverted U.. Chambers 52, 54 and 56 have their major axes in a direction parallel to the crankshaft axis of rotation and are all closed on the upper side thereof by the top wall 57 of head 46. The bottom sides of chambers 52, 54 and 56 of head 46 are closed by valve plate 44. A gasket 59 between valve plate 44 and head 46 underlying the vertical side walls and partitions Valve plate 44 further has first and second arcuate through going suction ports 60 and 62 coextensive with the end of cylinder 28 and which respectively communicate suction chambers 54 and 56 with the interior of cylinder 28 and third and fourth arcuate through going suction ports 64 and 66 coextensive with the end of cylinder 30 and which respectively communicate suc'tion chamber 54 and 56 with the interior of cylinder 30.

Adjacent the central axis of each of cylinders 28 and 30, valve plate 44 has a pair of arcuate through going discharge ports 68 and 70 coextensive with the end of cylinders 28 and 30 respectively and communicating the interiors thereof with discharge chamber 52. Adjiacent one end of plate 44 is a through going aperture 72 which communicates discharge chamber 52 with the discharge side of the compressor. A fiat gasket 74 is interposed between valve plate 44 and compressor body 12. Gasket 74 has apertures therethrough which are coextensive with the apertures of valve plate 44 and compressor body 12 which are in face-to-face relation therewith. A plurality of head bolts 76 extend through head 46 and valve plate 44 into compressor body 12 to sealingly secure the head and valve plate to the compressor body.

The flow of gas through suction ports 60` and 62 to cylinder 28 and through suction ports 64 and 66 to cylinder 30 is controlled by resilient annular suction valves 78 and 80 respectively. These suction valves are positioned on the cylinder side of valve plate 44 as shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4. Each annular valve has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the dia-meter of its respective cylinder so as to permit the valve to bend from a flat closed position as shown by valve 80 to a cylindrical open position as shown by valve 78. Each annular suction valve has a pair of diametrically opposed tabs 82 extending radially outwardly therefrom supported by and between the cornpressor housing and valve plate and guided by guide pins 84 extending through a slo't in each tab. The slot and pin connection permits rocking or pivoting of the tab relative to the compressor housing while preventing the suction Valve from rotating about the cylinder axis thereby maintaining the area of maximum valve deiiection adjacent the suction ports. A small inclined horizontal slot 86 (FIG. 3) is provided on the rim of each cylinder adjacent each of tabs 82 to provide adequate relief for the movement of tabs 82 accompanying movement of the suction valve to the open position. Each suction valve also has a secondary set of smaller tabs 88 each of which extends into a vertical slot 90 in the cylinder side walls. Tabs 88 function to limit the maximum bending movement of the suction valve at the fully open position by bottoming at the lower end of slots 90'.

The flow of gas through discharge ports 68 and 70 is controlled respectively by fiat elongated resilient reed discharge valves 92 and 94 of substantially identical configuration. Valves 92 and 94 are disposed in end-to-end relation with their longitudinal axes extending in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of crankshaft 20` in the plane containing the central axes of cylinder 28 and 30. A discharge valve stop 96 overlying each of valves 92 and 94 limits opening movement of each valve in a direction from the closed position as shown by valve 92 toward an open position as shown by valve 94. Valve stops 96 are fastened to valve plate 44 by suitable screws 95 as shown. It should be noted that the valve stop 96 associated with valve 92 in FIGURE 2 has been removed so the configuration of valve 92 may be observed.

The relative locations of valve stops 96, discharge valves 92 and 94, valve plate 44, suction valves 78 and 80, and the compressor body are maintained by aforementioned pins 84 which extend through these various elements into the compressor body 12 as shown clearly in FIGURE 3.

It is particularly noteworthy that certain of these pins, i.e., the pins additionally designated by the numeral 98 serve the dual purpose of locating or guiding both the annular suction valve and the discharge reed valve of the same cylinder. It should also be noted that the pin designated by numeral 99 serves the dual purpose of locating or guiding the discharge valve 92 of cylinder 28 and the suction valve 80 of cylinder 30. It should be appreciated thatthe apertures for pins 84 in the valve stops, discharge and suction valves, valve plate and compressor body are of a diameter very close to that of pins 84 whereby the pins serve to substantially fix the relative location of these elements. An interference fit is used between pins 84 and valve plate 44 While a slight clearance is used between pins 84 and the other elements.

It should also be noted that by the unique relative positioning of resilient annular suction valves and elongated reed discharge valves for a bank of cylinders, a simple compressor head can be used requiring only one discharge and two suction chambers therein for all the cylinders within the bank.

Having now described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I contemplate that many changes may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention and I accordingly desire to be limited only by the claims.

I claim:

1. A compressor comprising: a compressor body; an elongated crankshaft disposed for rotation about an axis of rotation; said compressor body defining first and second cylinders having respectively first and second central axes; said first and second central axes beingsubstantially parallel, spaced one from the other, and contained in a plane which is substantially parallel to said axis of rotation; piston means drivingly connected to said crankshaft for compressing gas in said cylinders; an elongated valve plate overlying one end of said cylinders; an elongated concave compressor head overlying said valve plate disposed with the concave side thereof toward said valve plate; said head having plural partitions on opposite sides of said plane extending generally longitudinally of said elongated crankshaft thereby dividing the space within the concave side of said head into an elongated central dis; charge gas chamber interposed between a pair of suction gas chambers; said elongated discharge gas chamber overlying said first and second cylinders; said valve plate deliri'- ing first and second discharge valve ports adjacent said.

plane coextensive respectively with said first and second cylinders for communicating said first and second cylinders with the discharge side of said compressor; first and second elongated discharge valves disposed in end-to-end relationship within said compressor head and overlying said first and second discharge valve ports respectively on the side of said valve plate opposite from the cylinder side thereof; the longitudinal axes of said elongated discharge valves being generally parallel to said elongated crankshaft; said valve plate defining therein first and second suction valve ports coextensive with said first cylinder and located on opposite sides of said -plane for communicating said first cylinder with the suction side of said compressor; said valve plate defining therein third and fourth suction valve ports coextensive with said second cylinder and located on oppostie sides of said plane for communicating said second cylinder with the suction side of said compressor; a first resilient annular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of said valve plate overlying said first and second suction valve ports; and a second resilient annular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of said valve plate overlying said third and fourth suction valve ports.

2. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein one of said suction gas chambers within said head communicates with and overlies said first and third suction valve ports associated with said first and second cylinders and the other of said suction gas chambers within said head communicates with and overlies said second and fourth suction valve ports associated with said first and second cylinders.

3. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said first and second discharge ports are disposed on one side of said plane; said valve plate further defining third and fourth discharge valve ports disposed on the side of said plane opposite from said first and second discharge valve ports and being coextensive respectively with said first and second cylinders for communicating said first and second cylinders with the discharge side of said compressor; said first and second discharge valves overlying said third and fourth discharge valve ports respectively.

4. A compressor comprising: a compressor body; an elongated crankshaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation; said compressor body defining first and second cylinders having respectively first and second central axes; said first and second central axes being spaced in substantially parallel relation to each other and contained in a plane which is substantially parallel to` said axis of rotation; piston means `drivingly connected to said crankshaft for compressing gas in said cylinders; a valve plate overlying one end of said cylinders; said valve plate defining a first discharge valve -port adjacent said plane coextensive with said first cylinder communicating said first cylinder with the discharge side of said compressor; said valve plate defining a second discharge valve port communicating said second cylinder with the discharge side of said compressor; a first elongated reed discharge valve overlying said first discharge valve port on the side of said valve plate opposite from the cylinder side thereof; means for controlling the flow of gas through said second discharge valve port; said valve yplate defining first and second suction valve ports communicating said first and second cylinders respectively with the suction side of the compressor; first and second suction valves disposed to control the flow of gas through said first and second suction valve ports respectively; the longitudinally axis of said rst elongated reed discharge valve being generally parallel to said plane; and a pin eX- tending through said elongated reed discharge valve of said first cylinder and through said second suction valve of said second cylinder whereby said pin locates the discharge valve of one cylinder and the suction valve of an adjacent cylinder.

5. A compressor comprising: a compressor body; an elongated crankshaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation; said compressor body defining first and second cylinders having respectively first and second central axes; said first and second central axes beingsubstantially parallel, spaced one from the other, and contained in a plane which is substantially parallel to said axis of rotation; piston means drivingly connected to said crankshaft for compressing gas in said cylinders; a valve plate overlying one end of said cylinders; said valve plate defining first and second discharge valve ports adjacent said plane coextensive respectively with said first and second cylinders for communicating said first and second cylinders with the discharge side of said compressor; rst and second elongated reed discharge valves overlying said first and second discharge valve ports respectively on the side of said valve plate opposite from the cylinder side thereof; the longitudinal axes of said elongated reed discharge valves being generally parallel to said plane; said valve plate defining therein first and second suction valve ports coextensive with said first cylinder and located on opposite sides of said plane for communicating said first cylinder With the suction side of said compressor; said valve plate defining therein third and fourth suction valve ports coextensive with said second cylinder and located ou opposite sides of said plane for communicating said second cylinder with the suction side of said compressor; a first resilient annular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of said valve plate overlying said first and second suction valve ports; a second resilient annular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of said valve plate overlying said third and fourth suction valve ports; a head overlying said valve plate and having partitions therein separating said suction valve ports from said discharge valve ports.

6. The apparatus as defined by claim 5` including a tab at opposite ends of each annular suction valve; a tab guide for each of said tabs; said tabs and said tab guides being aligned along said plane.

7. The apparatus as defined by claim 6 wherein at least one of said tab guides is a pin disposed in guiding engagement with one of said reed discharge valves.

8. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein said pin guides a tab of a suction valve and a reed discharge valve operatively associated with the same cylinder.

9. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein said pin guides a tab of a suction valve and a reed discharge valve operatively associated with different cylinders.

10. The apparatus as defined by claim 5 wherein said partitions define an inverted U-shaped channel extending from said first discharge valve port to said second discharge valve port; the open bottom portion of said channel receiving both of said first and second elongated reed discharge valves .disposed in end-to-end relation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,476,794 12/ 1923 Berry 230-231 2,628,765 2/ 1953 Anderson 230-58 2,846,140 8/ 1958 Kemper ZBO-184 XR 3,120,338 2/ 1964 Rhodes 230-58 ROBERT M. WALKER, -Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 230-231

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