COMPRESSEUR

COMPRESSOR

Abrégé anglais

ABSTRACT
A linear type of compressor wherein a housing section, for enclosing
a crankshaft and pinions of a counterbalancing synchronizer, has axially
extending support means for the pinions formed integrally therewith
through an inner flange also integral with the housing section, so that
the holes for the pinion shafts may be formed in the support means when
the hole in the housing for the crankshaft is formed. This assures the
making of all of the holes exactly parallel and avoids time-consuming
assembly work, experienced in prior art compressor manufacturing,
when the housing sections are put together. By providing a large open-
ing through the upper portion of the support means or through the bottom
of the housing an axial bore may be made to receive a piston type of
crosshead. By cutting down on the number of compressor parts and the
manufacturing tolerances involved in the manufacture of the parts and
the use of U-shaped members as guides for gear racks and as retainers
for the pinion shafts, a further saving in manufacturing cost is obtained.

Revendications

I Claim:
1. A piston type of compressor comprising a first housing
section With a piston therein, a second housing section with
spaced walls and driving means for the piston therein, said
driving means including a crankshaft extending through a hole
in said second housing, a piston-type of crosshead reciproable
in an axially extending bore in said second housing section and
connected to said crankshaft by a connecting rod and operably
connected to a piston rod extending from said piston by a bal-
ancing mechanism, said balancing mechanism having a portion
thereof which moves in the opposite direction to that of said
piston and which is constructed and arranged to equalize the
masses of the oppositely moving parts of the compressor, said
second housing section including 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 said bore and
arranged to enable transversely extending shaft receiving holes
to be formed therein when said hole for said crankshaft is formed
in a side wall of said second housing section to assure exact
parallel arrangement of said shafts and said crankshaft when
said compressor is assembled and means connecting said first
and second housing sections together.
2. A compressor as defined in claim 1 wherein said pinion sup-
port means are on opposite sides of the axis of said piston rod,
said piston rod has a double rack portion positioned between and
operably engaging said pinions, and said mechanism also includes
a pair of racks extending generally parallel to the double racks
with one each thereon on the opposite side of one each of said
pinions and operably engaging the pinion, said pair of racks
being rigidly connected by means extending therebetween and gen-
erally parallel to the sides of said pinions.

3. A compressor as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said
pinion support means has a channel-shaped member straddling each
of said support means and serving as a shaft retainer and bearing
surface for the racks connector means to slide upon.
4. A compressor as defined in claim 3 wherein said channel-
shaped members have a flat portion of one leg thereof that ex-
tends between the adjacent pinion support means and the adjacent
side of a pinion and the adjacent side of the double rack for
each to slide thereon.
5. A compressor as defined in claim 1 wherein said bore for said
crosshead is in a sleeve having a flange that is detachably se-
cured to a flange portion of the pinion shaft support means.
6. A compressor as defined in claim 1 wherein said second
housing section has a hole in the end thereof through which the
axially extending bore for the crosshead may be made.
7. A compressor as defined in claim 1 wherein the shaft support
means has an axially extending opening through a portion thereof
coaxial with the bore for said crosshead and larger in diameter
than the diameter of the bore.
8. A compressor as defined in claim 1 wherein said shaft support
means has a transversely extending portion that is integral with
at least the portion of the second housing section in which the
crankshaft is mounted.
9. A compressor as defined in claim 8 wherein said generally
parallel pinion supporting means are on the opposite side of said
transversely extending portion from said crankshaft.

Description

" 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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WS/~r~

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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
. ~ ~
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

~2~93
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.