US1603983A - Compressor - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 19,1926. 1,603,983 w. G. E. ROLAFF COMPRESSOR Filed ust 7. "1925 s Sheets-Sh-et 1 INVENTOR Wm. 1-52? 6. 5. Fob/1H;

ATTORNEY Oct- 19 1926. 1,603,983

- w. G. E. ROLAFF COMPRESSOR I Filed August '7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A/Au'me 6. 6. ZOLAFF.

A TTORNE Y W. G. E. ROLAFF Oct. 19 1926.

COMPRESSOR Filed August '7. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 l' INVENTOR WAL. To? 6. PoL/1FF A TTORNE Y Patented Oct. 19, 1926.-

UNITED STATES warren e. E. Blomrr, or am LOUIS, urssounr.

cournnsson.

Application filed August 7, 1925. Serial No. 48,725.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary compressors, designed more particularly for use in the art of mechanical refrigeration, but, in principle, equally applicable for use in the general art of displacing liquids and gases.

Certain broad principles of the invention are described and claimed in my prior applications Serial Nos. 33,951 and 33,952, filed June 1st, 1925, the first showing the embodiment of the invention in a rotary pum in which the rotor engages directly with the end walls of the cylinder, and the second showing the invention embodied in a rotary "compressor in which the rotor is provided with a unitary head, preferably formed integral therewith, the end of the rotor and the inner wall of the head engaging opposite ends of the cylinder, respectively, to

form sealing contact therewith.

The object of the present invention is to provide a floating head in place of the unitary head shown in my application Serial No. 33,952, above referred to, and to provide means for actuating this floating head at a definite speed from the shaft which actuates the rotor. .In the preferred'embodiment of the invention, as shown in the drawings, this is accomplished by an eccentric mounted on the shaft, on which the rotating head has a sliding fit. The invention contemplates the use of two floating heads instead of a single floating head at oneend ofthe rotor, and it is within the scope of the, invention to givethe floating head, or the floating heads if two be employed, a sliding fit on the shaft of the rotor, and to hold the head or the heads to the end or ends of the cylinder by developed pressure, Without employing an eccentric connection between the shaft and the floating head or heads.

, of two floating heads; and

Figure 3 is a view partly in cross-section and partly in elevation of either of the machines shown in Figures 1 or 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1 (Figure 1) indicates a casinglcom prising end sections 2 and 3 bolted to a central annular section 4, the inner surface 5 of which constitutes the working surface of a cylinder. having a working chamber 6. The inner face 7 of the end section 2 of the casing forms one wall of'this c linder, and the other wall is formed by a oating head 8 which bears against and forms sealing contact with one end of a hollow rotor 9, the other end of which bears against the flat face 7 of the end section 2 to form a sealing contact therewith for the chamber 6. The inner side of the head 8, beyond the rotor 9, bears against an annular flange 10 on the annular section 4 to form a sealing contact atthis end of the cylinder for the chamber 6. Each of the sections 2 and 3 is recessed, as indicated at 11 and 12, respectively, to provide space for anti-friction bearings 13 and 14, in which bearings is mounted a drive shaft 15. This drive shaft, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is provided with an eccentric 16 on which the sliding :head 8 is centrally and rotatably mounted.

As the shaft rotates, the eccentric 16 imparts an eccentric movement to the head 8,

so that the latter is actuated at a definite speed, and i ts inner face is caused to continuously wipe over the face of the annular flange 10, which insures a smooth clean bearing between the two surfaces to preservethe air-tight contact between them in the operation of the compressor. between the floating head, the flange 10 and one end of the rotor 9 (that at the right shown in Figure 1), and between the other end of the rotor and the wall 7 of the cylinder, is'ma-intained by developed pressure in the operation of the machine. The annular rotor 9 is mounted on the. shaft 15 in such manner as to' provide for, automatically producing and maintaining a sealing contact with the wall 5 of the cylinder, and also to be self-alining therewith.

Sealing contact To this end, I provide on the shaft 15 a I second eccentric 17 which-is circular in cross section, and mount on this eccentric an eccentric sleeve 18.. That is to sayfthe sleeve 18 has an eccentric bore which flts. on the eccentric 17 so as to be capable of rotating thereon, the construction providing a double eccentric, which functions automatically as a take-up for the space between the rotor and the cylinder- Mounted on the eccentric "sleeve 18 to extend between the same and the inner wall-of rotor 9 is asingle self-'alining Y bearing 19 which supports the rotor, This bearing in combination with the eccentrlc sleeve 18, allows universal alinement of the rotor to the cylinder wall, both as to par- I allelism and plane. The stuffing box for the with a shaft opening 23 of larger diameter inafter appear;

than the shaft, through which-the medium being compressed can pass into the bellows 20, which will, accordingly expand and force its other end, which is in the form of a packing ring 24, firmly against the outer side of the wall 22 to make sealing contact therewith and prevent the escape of the compressed medium. The bellows 20 is located in a chamber 25 cast in the casing section 3, which chamber is closed by a plate 26, operated to permit the driving end of the shaft to pass through it.

In the modification shown in Figure 2, instead of having one end of the rotor engage the wall'of the cylinder, as just described, I employ a second floating head, indicated at 27, which ismou'nted upon an eccentric 28 in the same manner as the head 8 is mounted on the eccentric 16. The end section of the cylinder corresponding to the end section 2 of Figure 1, is indicated by the numeral 29 and, as shown, 1s provided withan annular space or chamber 30 for containmgdubricant under pressure, as W111 here- Referring now to Figure 3, the numeral 31 indicates an inlet or suction port, through which the mediunr to be compressed may pass or be sucked'in in the operation of the compressor. To this port is connected a. pipe 31 leading from the low side or expansion chamber of the refrigerating system; and

through which the refrigerant is returned for compression, as will be understood. The

numeral 32 indicates an outlet from the cylinder, which is provided With any suitable form of chuck valve 33. The ports 31 and 32 are preferably provided .in a casting formed integral with the cylinder,.and intermediate these ports, a portion 34 of this casting is provided with a slot 35, which is of the length of the cylinder 6, and in this slot is located a blade 36 which is preferably of the self-packing type of my prior Patent No. 1,280,306, dated October 1st, 1918/ This plication Serial No. 33,951, above'referred to; but I prefer to use a fluid,-and, specifically, utilize the lubricant employed in the system for this purpose.

To this end, the outer end of the slot 35 terminates in a small chamber 42 with which communicates one end of a pipe 43, which is screwed into the annular section 4, the other end of said pipe being screwed intoth'e wall of the casing section 3 near the bottom thereof to communicate with. an annular chamber 46, vwhich surrounds a central inwardly-projecting cylindrical casting 45, in which is housed the bearing 14 and bellows 20, previously described; This casing'is an integral part of the casingsection 3. Ac;- cording to this construction, when the rotor is placed in operation, the medium being compressed passes through the pipe 43 into the chamber 42 and forces the inner edge of the blade 37 into sealing contact with the surface of the rotor, and, of course, maintains such contact. s

In order to facilitate the direct pressure of the fluid upon the central Wedge-plate 41, an opening 44 may beprovided in theshoulder 38 to permit access of the fluid to the wedge-plate, which,vaccordingly, operates to force the, packing plates 39 and 40 into engagement with the end'walls of the cylinder to form sealing contact therewith, which contact is automatically maintained during the operation of the compressor.

The bearing 14 and the bellows 20 are housed within the casting 45. The chambers 30 and 46 are supplied with a suitable lubricant, such as oil or glycerine, the level of which in the chambers is maintained at about the height indicated by the dotted line 47. Mounted on top of the casing section 3 is an oil-separating chamber 48, which communicates with the chamber 46 by meansof a pipe 49. Leading from the upper end of this chamber is a pipe 50 which, when the compressor is combined with a refrigerating system, conducts the compressed gaseous refrigerant from the chamber 48 to the ordinary condenser. Connected with the outlet port 32 is a pipe 51 (Figure 3) which conducts the compressed gas andoil from the compressor to,the o l-separatingcbamber 48. In this chamber. the oil separates from the refrigerant and flows back into the chamber 46, while the gaseous refrigerant passes out through pipe 50 to the condenser, as stated. From the condenser,

the refrigerant would pass to the expansioncoils or chamber of a refrigerating system and thence be drawn back into the compressor through the pipe 31.

moaese In the operation of the device, as the shaft rotates, the combined operation ofv the wall of the cylinder chamber 6. In this operation, the medium to be compressed, which in connection with the art of refrigeration, would be a suitable gas, such as methyl chloride, will be drawn in through port 31', compressed in the chamber 6,.and forced out through port 32. A certain amount of lubricant in the chamber46 will pass out with the gas, and gas and lubricant will be forced through pipe 51 into chamber 48 in the mannerpreviously stated,

The lubricant in the chamber 46 will be under pressure, as chamber 46 communicates with chamber 48 into which the compressed gas is delivered, which causes the lubricant to be forced through pipe 43 into the small chamber above the blade 37, upon which it exerts its pressure, and forces the lower edge of the blade into sealing contact with the surface of the rotor O. Ordinarily, the oil can leak past the shoulder 38 to exert its pressure upon the wedge-plate 41, but the provision of the small aperture 44 in the shoulder will be found desirable in the interest of permitting the pressure of the oil to be exerted directly upon the wedge-plate. In either event, the packing plates 34- and 35 will be forced into sealing contact with the end wall 7 of the cylinder and with the inner face of the floating head 8 of Figure 1 or with the inner faces of the floating heads 8 and 27 of Figure 2.

As in the case of the device of my prior application Serial No. 33,952, suitable springs 52 may be located in the chamber 46 to exert pressure upon the floating head 8, so that the operation of compression may start simultaneously'with the re tation of the shaft 15. Similar springs 53 may be employed in the chambers 30 and 46 of the device of Figure 2 to act on the floating heads 8 and 27 for the same purpose. It

is not absolutely essential, however, that any means should be employed for forcing these floating heads into sealing contact with the wall of the cylinder, as, after a few moments of operation, sufficient pressure will be developed on the oil in the chamber 46, or in the chambers 30 and 46, to

cause the latter to 'force the heads into sealing contact with the cylinder.

The action of the double eccentric, com-' prising the shaft eccentric 17 and eccentric sleeve 18, has been fully set forth in my prior application'Serial No. 33,951, referredv to, and it need only be said here, in the interest of a complete understanding of the invention, that 7 these eccentrics operate through the medium of the self-alining bearing 19 to force the'rotor outward into engagement with the wall of the chamber 6, and to maintain a constant automatic adjustment of the rotor to compensate for wear. Furthermore, the contact pressure of the rotor with the wall of the cylinder will be in direct proportion to the resistance offered to the movement of the rotor by the degree of pressure within the chamber 6,

due to the resistance offered by the medium being compressed. This isdue to the fact that with increased resistance. to the movement of the rotor, the latter is automatical- 1y forced into firmer contact with the wall of the cylinder by the action of the eccentrics. Sealing contact of the rotor with the wall of the cylinder is therefore always maintained.

A highly important feature of the invention is the fact'that, in the device of Figure 1, I employ a floating head 8 which is in dependent of the rotor, which may move away from the flange 10 of the cylinder to permit the escape of compressed gas from the chamber 6 under a condition of excessive pressure in said chamber, .and which is positively actuated by the eccentric 16 on the shaft to have imparted to it a corresponding eccentric movement, so ,that its inner surface and the surface of the flange 10 and of the ends of the rotor engaged by it will be maintained bright and clean in thearea of contact, thus preventing any tendency to leakage. Furthermore, the wear caused by the frictional enga ement of the head with the ends of the cy inder and of the rotor will be uniform and over a defined area, so that no unevenness between the engaging surfaces can well develop, and sealing contact between such surfaces will be maintained under conditions of wear during the life of the machine. The ability of the floating head to move away from the flange 10 to permit the escape of gas is, of course, due to the fact that it is not fixed to the rotor or to the shaft, but is slidably 'ble to the floating heads 8 and 27 f Figure 2.

I have 'shown no definite passage connecting the chamber 46 with the chamber 30 to permit the passage of oil from one to the other as, under the very high pressure developed in the operationof the machine, the oil would readily pass through the bearings from one chamber to the other.

The provision of a floating head,'or float- 1 ing heads, capable of longitudinalmovement is of very great advantage, as it provides for the release of pressure within the chamber 6 in the simplest possible way, avoids the use of check' valves and the like, and hence permits of the employment of the minimum skilled in this art.

I'claimz.

1. A machine of the class described, comprising a cylinder, closed at one end, a rotor mounted for gyratory movement within the cylinder in co-operative relation with the wall thereof, a floating head releasably engaging one end of said rotor and the other end of said cylinder to close the latter, and means for holding said head in fluid-tight contact with the end of the rotor and said other end of the cylinder.

2. A machine of the class described, comprising a cylinder closed at one end, a rotor mounted for gyratory movement within the cylinder in co-operative relation with the wall thereof, a floating head releasably engaging one end of said rotor and the other end of said cylinder to close the latter, means for continuously moving said head in the operation of the compressor, and means for holding said head in fluid-tight contact with the end of the rotor and said other end of the cylinder.

3. A machine of the class described, comprising a cylinder closed at one end, a rotor mounted for gyratory movement within the cylinder in co-operative relation with the wall thereof, a floating head releasably engaging one end of said rotor and the other end of said cylinder to close the latter, means for continuously imparting a gyra-tory movement to said head in the operation of the compressor, and means for holding said head in fluid-tight contact with the end of the rotor and said other end of the cylinder.

4. A machine of the classdescribed, comprising a cylinder closed at one end, a rotor mounted for gyratory movement within the cylinder in co-operative relation with the wall thereof, a rotary shaft for actuating said rotor, an eccentric on said shaft, a floating head slidably mounted on said eccentric and engaging one end of said rotor and the other end of said cylinder to close a the latter, and means. for holding'said head in fluid-tight contact with the end of the rotor and said other end of the.cyl1nder.

5. A machine of the class described, com

prisinga stationary cylinder closed-at one end, a rotor mounted for gyratory movement with the wall thereof, a floating head re-' leasably engaging oneend of said rotor and .the other end of said cylinder to close the latter, and means for holding said head in.

fluid-tight contact with the end of the rotor and said other end of the cylinder.

6. A machine of the class described, comprising a cylinder closed at one end, a rotor mounted for gyratory movement within the cylinder in co-operative relation with the wall thereof, and a floating head releasably engaging one end of said rotor and the other end of said cylinder to close the latter and adapted to be held in fluid-tight contact with the end of the rotor and the said other end of the cylinder by the developed pressure of the compressor.

' 7. A machine of the class described, compris ng; a stationary cylinder closed at one 5 end, a drive shaft mounted therein, an eccentric mounted on said shaft, a rotor rotatably mounted on said eccentric, a floating head releasably engaging one end of said rotor and the other end of said cylinder to close the latter and slidably and eccentricallymounted on said drive shaft, and means for maintaining said floating head in fluid-tight contact with the end of the rotor and said other end of the cylinder.

8. A machine of the class described, coirpris'ing' a stationary cylinder .elosedat one end, a drive shaft mounted therein, a double compensating eccentric mounted on said shaft, a rotor rotatably mounted on said double eccentric in co-operative relation with the wall of said cylinder, a floating head 'engaging one end of said rotor and the other end of said cylinder to close the latter and slidably and eccent-rically mounted on said shaft, and means for holding said head in fluid-tight contact with the end of the rotor and said other end of the cylinder.

9. A machine of the class described, com-- prising a cylinder, a rotor mounted for gyratory movement within the cylinder in cooperative relation with the wall thereof, said rotor having an end releasably engaging one Y end of the cylinder, a floating head releasably engaging the other end' of said rotor and the other end of said cylinder to close the latter. and means for holding said head in fluid-tight contact-with said other ends of'the rotor and cylinder.

10. A machine "of the class dgescribed, comprising a stationary cylinder, a drive shaft mounted therein, an eccentric mountedon said shaft, a rotor ,slidably and rotatably mounted on said eccentric and having an end releasably engaging one end of said cylinder, a floating head releasabl engaging theother end of said rotor and t e other end of'said cylinder to close the latter, said head being subject to pressure developed within the compressor, whereby it will be maintained in fluid-tight contact with the ends of the rotor and cylinder which it engages, and said rotor will be maintained 1 at its other end in fluid-tight contact with themylinder.

11. A machine of the class described, comprising a stationary cylinder, a drive shaft mounted therein, an eccentric mounted on said shaft, a rotor slidably and rotatably mountedon said eccentric and having an end releasably engaging one end of said'cylinder, a floating head releasably engaging the other end of said rotor and the other end of saidcylinder to close the latter and being slidably and e'ccentric'ally mounted on said shaft, said head being subject to pressure developed within the compressor, whereby it will be maintained in fluid-tight contact with the ends of the rotor and cylinder which it engages. and said rotor will be maintained at its other end in fluid-tight contact with the cylinder. v

12. A- machine of the class described, comrisin a casin rovidin a chamber for re- P r: H

ceiving a lubricant, acylinder mounted in said casing and having one of its ends suitably closed, a rotor mounted for gyratory movement within the cylinder in co-operative relation with the wall thereof. a floating head releasably engaging the other end of said cylinder to close the same and exposed to the lubricant within said chamber, and a separating chamber adapted to receive the compressed medium audlubricant from the cylinder and communicating with the chamber of said casing, whereby said floating head will be maintained in contact with said other end of the cylinder by pressure developed within the machine.

13. A machine of the class described, comprising a casing providing a chamber for receiving a lubricant, a stationary cylinder mounted in said casing and having one of its ends suitably closed, a rotor mounted for gy'ratory movement withid the cylinder in co-operative relation with the wall thereof, a floating head releasably enga ing one end of said rotor and the other en of said cylinder to close the latter and exposed to the lubricant within said chamber, and a separating chamber adapted to receive the compressed medium and lubricant'from the cylinder and communicating with the chamber of said casing, whereby said floating head will be maintained in fluid-ti ht contact with the end of the rotor andsaid other end of the cylinder. I

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER e. E. ROLAFF.

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