Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
" 11~24~93
~ COMPRESSOR
.
This invention relates to a gas compressor and, more
particularly to improvements in the mounting of a synchronizing-
balancing mechanism in the compressor. The invention is
illustrated as having a motor operating an axially reciprocable
piston in a co~pressor but could be used to operate other
types of energy-absorbing devices. The invention may be used
in a reverse arrangement with the power means located where
the piston is located and the energy absorbing device
located where the motor is shown.
Compressors similar to the one of this invention are
illustrated in my U.S.A patents numbers 3,944,29~, 3,861,222 and
3,861,223, but they, like other prior art compressors, have
transversely extending supports for the pinions of the
synchroniæing-balancing mechanism formed integrally with the
engine's housing, which requires that slots be provided in
the outer racks' connecting plates for the pinion shafts
to extend through, and the surface of each of the supports must
~ be carefully machined to provide a guide surface for the
outer racks unit.
The present invention obviates the above-mentioned costly
construction and additionally reduces the overall manufacturing
cost by providing a piston-type o compressor comprising a
flrst housing section with a piston therein, a second housing
section with spaced walls and driving means for the piston
therein, the driving means including a crankshaft extending
through a hole in the second housing, a piston-type of
crosshead reciprocable in an axially extending bore in the
- second housing section and connected to the crankshaft by a
connecting rod and operably connected to a piston rod extending
from the piston to a balancing mechanism. The balancing
mechanism has a portion which moves in the opposite direction
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o that of the piston and which is constructed and arranged
to equali~e the masses of the oppositely moving parts of the
compressor. The second housing section includes a pair of
pinions on shafts extending between a pair of generally
parallel shaft support means spaced inwardly from side walls
of the compressor and substantially equally spaced from the
axis of the bore and arranged to enable transversely extending
shaft receiving holes to be formed therein when the hole
for the crankshaft is formed in a side wall of the second
housing section so as to assure exact parallel arrangment of
the shafts and the crankshaft when the compressor is assembled.
Means is provided for connecting the first and second housing
sections together.
Figure 1 of the drawing is a schematic and vertical
sectional view of one embodiment of the invention;
Eigure 2 is a similar fragmentary view taken along line 2-2
of E'i~. l;
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of
Fig. 2;
Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary and sectional view of
a modified form of support means for pinion shafts;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along
line 5-5 of Fig. 4;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view, similar to
that of Fig. 2, of a modification of the crankcase housing
section; and
Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line
7-7 of Fig. 6.
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, the compressor
has a lower crankcase housing section 11 with a base
extension lla on which an electric
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motor 12 is mounted. Intermediate the ends of section 11 is an inwardly
extendin~ inte~ral flange 13 with an axially extendins sleeve-like support
14. Slots extendinq downwardly from the top are formed in the support 14
to provide spaced extensions 15 and 16 (see Fig. 2) to receive pinions 17
therebetween. The pinions are supported on shafts 18 extendins throu~h
holes 19 and 20.
A double rack member 21 extends between the pinions 17 and has a
piston rod upper extension 21a that extends throu~h a seal 22 in a par-
tition wall 23, throu~h a compressor piston 24 and throush a bearin~
,~ 10 sealin~ 25 in the end wall 26 of cylindeF 27. If desired, the piston rod
may extend further into additional compressor cylinders, not shown.
The double rack also has a lower extension 21b, in the form of a piston,
that serves as a crosshead. It is guided by a sleeve-like bearing member
28 with an external annular flange 28a tha~ is bolted to the under side of
support member 13. A guide bore 28b in the bearing member is adapted to
be formed either through an openins llb throush the base of section 11, if
the guide member 28 is attached to section 11 before the suide bore is
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formed, or is integral with the section as shown in Fig. 6, or may be
formed throu~h the upper end of the section 11 and throu9h the enlar~ed
20 opening l5a and 16a in the pinion support portions 14, 15 and 16 (see also
Fig. ~). When opening llb is provided, however, the enlar~ements 15a
and 16a could be eliminated and vice-versa.
A crankshaft extends throush a bearing 30 secured in an openins 31
formed in a side wall of section 11, while the section is in a machine
which drills holes 19 and 20, throu~h a window llc. This assures that the
hole 31 will be exactly parallel to the holes l9 and 20 for quick and accu-
rate assembly, The crankshaft carries a pair of counterbalanced crank
arms 32 connected to a connectins rod 33 by a pivot pin 34. The connectin~
rod is pivotally connected to crosshead 21b by pin 35. The outer end of
30 crankshaft 29 carries a pulley 36 which is connected to a smaller pulley
37 on motor 12 by a V-belt 38.
Positioned in en~a9ement with the outer teeth of pinions 17 are a pair
of parallel racks 39 risidly connected to9ether by plates 40. It is deemed
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apparent that as the motor drives the crankshaft, the double rack will
move up and down to operate the piston 24. In so movin~, the pinions
will drive the racks 39 and connectins plates 40 in the opposite direction.
The total mass of members 39 and 40 is made equal to the total mass of
the opposltely movin~ members, includin~ approximately the upper third
of connectin~ rod 33, so as to practically elimlnate vibration.
The modification of Fi~s. 4 and 5 is the same as that of Fi~s. 1-3
except that the upper ends of support portions 115 (not shown3 and 116
have cast recesses at 116a and 116b and are square or round at the top
10 side portions thereof to receive self-lubricating U-shaped clips 141
havin~ smooth surfaces, at least on the outer sides thereof, to provide
bearin~ surfaces for the pinions 17 and plates 40. The clips may be held
in place by bolts 142. The clips also serve as retainers for the shafts 18.
The modification of Fig. 6 is the same as that of Fiss. 1-3 except that
the crosshead suide portion 228 is cast intesrally with the pinion support
214 and section 211. Also no openin~ is provided in the base of the sec-
tion as the bore 228b is drilled from the top and through the enlar~ed
opening 215a-216a.
In the assemblin~ of the compressor, the an~ular relationship of the
20 member 28 is not critical as the guide 28 fits snusly in a bore through
flange 13, that also has a machined pad to be en~ased by the flan~e 28a.
As the bores 19, 20, 31, 13a, 15a and 16a are all formed at the same time,
when in a drillins machine, there is no time-consumin~ alisnment diffi-
culties.
The operation of the compressor is the same as disclosed in my above-
mentioned patents. Suffice it to say that as the motor rotates, the crank
drives the crosshead, inner rack and piston back and forth to operate the
compressor in a conventional manner. The pinions will obviously cause
the outer rack member to move in the opposite direction to the piston, to
30 counterbalance the movement the oppositely movins masses, as set forth
in detail in said patents.
