US1775375A - Hydropump - Google Patents

Description

.L. w. SPRINGSTEEN Sept. 9, 1930.

mnaornur' Filed May 1'1, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 9, 1930. -'L. w. SPIRINGSITEEN n'wnortmr Filed May 17. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elwin/Mica I i lul'llerW s vrfnyilee Sebtf9; 11930. L. w. SPRINGSTEEN nYnnoPUuP- Filed May 17. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES :"PATENT OFFICE LUTHER W. SPRINGSTEEN, OF AITON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL HYDRO- DBIV COMPANY, OF BINGHAK'ION, NEW YORK, A COMPANY OF NEW YORK nxmaorvmr Application inea lay 17,1927. Serial no; 191,953.

This invention relates to rotary pumps or motors, the object of the invention being to provide an improved rotary pump or motor which may be used for various purposes and a which is simple in construction, eflicient in operation and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and so constructed that it may be of comparatively small size and yet the power and efliciency thereof materially increased. v

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved rotary pump or motor which may be driven in either direction at the same or varying speeds, and in which a tight frictional contact will always be maintained between the rotary and stationary parts and the wear of the several parts will be automatically taken up, and in which also the pressure back of the moving parts, which :10 would otherwise prevent the efficient operation of the pump, is relieved. Another ob'ect of this invention is to pro vide a rotary fluid pump or motor having one or more resiliently pressed propeller vanes .5 capable of reciprocation and having ample and suflicient provision for preventing interference with the proper and eflicient operation of'the pump or motor from fluid pressure or rarefaction beneath the propeller vanes. 0 A still further object thereof isto provide a rotary fluid pump or motor having one or more abutments or bridges secured to the stationary part of the device, preferably though not necessarily, in such a way as, to yield to some extent under excessive pressure exerted by the rotary member and provided with am 1e and suificient means for preventing inte'rference with said yieldingmovement by fluid pressure or rarefaction between the o '40 abutments and the member to which they are secured.

A further object of this i vention is to provide a rotary fluid pump 0 motor havin an outer casing member and an inner dis member, one of which is adapted to rotate and the other remain fixed, the fixed member being provided with a pair of oppositely disposed abutments or bridges and the rotary member being provided with two pairs of oppositely disposed propeller vanes. One,

advantage of this arrangement is the balancing of the fluid pressures at opposite points within the pump or motor, so as to minimize vibrations andeccentricity, and prevent the rotating member binding against the fixed member.

By providing the stationary part of the pum or motor with a pair of oppositely dispose abutments or bridges and the rotary portion with two or more pairs of symmetrically and oppositely dis osed vanes forming an even number of chain ers, a double intake and discharge of each chamber in each revolution is obtained.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a rotary fluid pump or motor a which has a plurality of pairs of chambers,

the chambers of each pair bein oppositely disposed relative to the axis 0 the rotary member.

Another object thereof is to provide a rotary fluid ump or motor having a plurality of pairs 0 oppositely disposed chambers and having the inlets and 'outletsarranged so that both, chambers of a air of chambers receive or discharge the fluid simultaneously.

A still further object thereof is to provide a fluid pump or motor which when used as a pump, will force a'continuous stream of fluid to flow without pulsations, and which, when 0 used as a motor, will provide a continuous and even motion. I y

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved rotary pum which in one form thereof may be attache to the crank shaft of the motor of a vehicle and connected with driving means of somewhat similar form attached to the wheels of the 'vehicle thereby to propel the same either forward or backward.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a partof this specification, Fig. 1 is a side view partly. broken away of an improved rotary pump illustratingthis invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view partly broken away. of the pump shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top view partly broken away of the pump shown in Fig. 1; Fi 4,: is a perspective new of a part of one o the face or capplates'; Fig. 5 1s a perspective view of a part of the disk or w rotator; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the casing in section; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one form of the wear-take-up members or abutments; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the propeller vanes; Fi 9 is a side view part1 broken away 3B5 in section of another form of this improved pump; Fig. 10 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 9 with parts thereof in section; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of another form of wear-take-up member or abutment; Fig. 12 is a side view of another form of this improved pump or motor with the face or cap plate removed; Fig. 13 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 12, with parts thereof broken away and in section; Fig. 14 is a plan view of a motor vehicle chassis with this improved pump applied thereto; Fig. 15 is a side view thereof; and Fig. 16 illustrates one of the steering wheels of the vehicle.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is ca able of other embodiments, and that the p raseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the form of pump shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the casing of the pump is shown as the stationary member with the rotator rotating relatively thereto and driven by any suitable source of power, as for instance a. pulley wheel 2 mounted on the shaft 3 of the rotator and which pulley may be connected by a belt with a motor or any other suitablesource of energy. In this form the inlet and outlet openings are located throiwh the face plate.

In the form shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the casing is likewise stationary, the rotator being driven in a manner similar to that just described, but the inlet and outlet openings are located at the top and bottom of the easing. In both these forms the rotator may be otherwise driven, as b having its shaft connected directly with t e motor shaft, if preferred.

In Figs. 12 and 13 the casing forms the retary member, and in this case it may be rotated by means of a belt applied to the casing and connected with a motor or other suitable source of energy. In this form the inlets and outlets extend through the shaft of the disk, which is stationary.

In the application of this improved pump to a motor vehicle, that form of pump is used for application to the crank shaft of the motor in which the rotator is located interiorly of the casing which is fixed against rotation, while the form shown in Figs. 12 and 13 in which the casing rotates is applied to each wheel, the casing being suitably attached to the hub of the wheel so that on the rotation of the casing the wheels will rotate therewith. Thus the pump acts as a motor for driving the wheels of the vehicle. a

This improved pump in its preferred form comprises a. casing l of cylindrical form, forming a pump chamber 5, and suitable means for closing the ends of the cylinder comprising a pair of caps or face plates 6 and 7 bolted to the cylinder in such a way as to form a fluid-tight chamber. Located within the chamber is a cylindrical disk forming a rotator 8, concentrically fixed on the end of the shaft 3 mounted in the cap plates and projecting through one of them. The diameter of the rotator disk 8 is less than the inner diameter of cylindrical casing 4:, so that an annular space is formed between the casing and the rotator. The shaft 3 is usually supported by suitable ball bearings (not shown), and a suitable stufiing box or packing ring is provided to insure a fluid-tight connection between the shaft and the casing.

Located at even intervals around the rotator is a plurality of recesses or slots 10, four in number being shown, for the reception of shiftable propeller vanes 11, maintained in projected position by suitable springs 12. The vanes are of the same width as the rotator. Each of the vanes is provided with openings 13 extending therethrough, which serve to relieve the pressure of the fluid when it percolates or passes to the rear of the vanes. Without these openings, or other equivalent means, the backing up of the fluid in the rear of the vanes would maintainthem in their n projected positions and interfere with the proper operation of the pump. In fact, the pressure at times would be so great as entirely to stop the rotation of the rotator. In a corresponding Way the openings 13 allow liquid to pass into the recesses when the vanes 11 are pushed outwardly by their springs 12 thereby preventing any vacuum or rarefaction within the recesses which might interfere with a close contact between the vanes and the inner wall of easing 4:. The rotator disk is circular and concentric with the axis of the shaft and easing so that the periphery thereof is at the same distance all around from the axis of the shaft. The casing is pro vided on the interior thereof with oppositely located suitably formed recesses 14, see Fig. 6, in each of which is partly located a weartake-up member or abutment 15 comprising a cross bar or bridge 16 having segmentally formed or crescent-shaped wing extensions 17, the tapered ends of which are received within recessed portions of the wall of the casing so as not to catch or interfere with the rotation of the vanes. The wings 17 of this abutment rest within the recess 14 of the casing, while the bridge 16 of the abutment is received within ofiset recesses 18 of the castor.

ing. The central part of the abutment conforms to the exterior face of the rotator and each abutment is provided with springs 19 located at its rear, thereby to insure a tight frictional engagement of the central part or bridge portion of the abutment with the rotavided with openings J therethrough for relieving the pressure of the fluid which may .penetrate into the abutment recess. The spring-pressed resilient mounting of the abutments or bridges automatically takes up any wear of the disk rotator 8 and of the face of the bridge portion of the abutment, and also prevents any binding of the rotator against-- the bridge-which might otherwise result from irregularities in the face of the rotator.

The combined force of the springs 19 be-,

' hind each of the abutment members 15 is considerably greater than the combined force of the springs 12 behind each of the vanes 11.

bers 15 with the crescent-shaped wing extensions 17, is to provide cam tracks which will engage the vanes 11 as the vanes come near the abutment bridges as the rotator rotates.

Acting as cam tracks, the wing extensions force the vanes into their recesses so as to be completely retracted as they come adjacent the abutment bridges and are able to pass by the bridges without interference.

The maximum angular extent of any pair of wing extensions is preferably an appreciable amount less than When this is so the angular extent of the supplementary angles is necessarily greater than 90. In the preferred embodiments the propeller vanes 11 are spaced 90 apart and it will therefore be readily apparent that as the rotator moves about there will be a eriod in each half revolution of each cylin er when the cylinder will be completely closed from both the in-.

lets and outlets. As soon as the forward or leading vane of a cylinder engages with a wing extension cam and is retracted, the cylinder is open to the outlet and the burden of forcing the fluid through the outlet devolves upon the rear vane of said cylinder. Thus, it is essential that at the instant the leading vane of a cylinder engages a wing extension cam the rear vane shall have cleared the last cam. This cooperative timed relation mater ally contributes to efliciency of the mecha- Each of these abutments is also pro bridge to, or ormed integral with they stationary nism. By reason of the vanes being s ring pressed outwardly and vented as prev1ously referred to, when a vane has cleared one of t the cams there is no delay in the vane moving into close contact with the cooperating surface of the stationary member.

By means of this construction a constant and continuous flow of fluid may be obtained when the device is used as a pump and when used as a motor a regular and unvarying motion is produced. It is readily apparent that the opposite chambers simultaneously receive or discharge the fluid and that the pressures in opposite chambers or cylinders are equal at all times regardless of what the pressure may be. vHence the machine is balanced 'at all times and there is no tendency for the machine to vibrate. I

The fluid passages hereinafter referred to open adjacent. to each side of the bridge of the abutment in the manner hereinafter described. In the form shown in Fig. 7 the abutment is provided with a pair of wings, while in the form shown in Fig. 11 the abut ment is provided with two pairs of wings, otherwise the structures are substantially similar. In the latter form, however, the

wings fit into a pair of recesses in the wall of the casing, Figs. 9 and 10.

In each of the embodiments illustrating this invention the abutment members are composed of 'a central or bridge portion and one or more pairs of wing members formed inte ral with the bridge portion. However,

it is y no means essential that the wing members shall be integral with the bridge portions, but may be entirely separate from the ortions and may be fixedly secured in, the rotator may be rotated right or left,

thatv is, clockwise or anticlockwise, so that i.

the inlet at one time will be the outlet at another, and therefore both will. be simply referred to as inlets.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4: each inlet 21 communicates with the interior of the casing by means of a pair of passageways 22 and 23 each opening at one side'of an abutment so that when the rotator is moving in one direction, the fluid is drawn in through one inlet and one pair of passageways and forced out through the other pair of passageways to the other inlet, which at this time forms an outlet.. These inlets are, of course, suitably piped to the source of'supply and discharge.

In the form of pump shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the structure is substantially similar except that'- the inlets 22 and outlets 23' are at ment 15 is used in place of a single wing abutment.

In Figs. 12 and 13 a reversal of the foregoing structure is shown in which the vanes 11' of similar form are carried in recesses 24 of the casing wall, which is shown of skeleton formation, while the abutments 15'' are carried by the disk 8, which in this form is stationary while the casing 4' rotates, the inlet and outlet passages 22" and 23 in this form being through a shaft projecting through the side of the casing and to which the concentrically located disk is secured, a suitable stuffing box being provided to insure a fluid tight joint between the shaft and the casing. The passageways open through this disk at each side of the abutments in a manner which will readily be seen in Figs. 12 and 13.

The form of device shown in Figs. 12 and 13 is particularly suitable to form the inner part of the wheels and the driving means of a motor vehicle. \Vhen the inner disk portion is held against rotation, and fluid is forced through one or the other of the inlet passageways, the outer portion or casing will be caused to rotate, the direction of rotation depending upon which inlet passage receives In operation, when the rotator of either form of pump shown in Figs. 1 to 7 or 9 and 10 is rotated, the fluid will be drawn in through one set of openings by suction created by the vanes and forced out through the other set of openings, and in Figs. 12 and 13 when the casing is rotated the same action takes place.

In practice these pumps may also be used as vacuum pumps as well as pressure pumps.

In Figs. 14 and 15, I have shown the application of this improvement to a motor vehicle in which that form of pump shown in Figs. 1 to 9 is suitablysupported in position with the rotator' secured to the crank shaft of the motor, one inlet opening being in communication with a tank 30, .while the other is in communication with a companion tank 31, suitably connected for drainage purposes. Secured to each of the wheels of the vehicle is one of the devices shown in Figs. 12 and 13, which thus forms a driving means for the wheels. Each tank is connected by suitable pipes 32 with all four of the driving devices, the connections to the steering wheels being of flexible form.

It will be observed that when .the motor of the vehicle is running, the pump connected with the crank shaft thereof not only acts as a fly wheel but as a pump to drawfluid, as for instance oil, from one of the tanks and force it to the other tank from which it flows under pressure to all four of the driving means,thercby rotating the same and thereby the wheels of the vehicle.

By the manipulation of a suitable valve controlled by a foot or a hand lever 33, the

inlet opening to the pump becomes the outlet opening in consequence of which fluid is then drawn from the other tank to the pump and forced out through the other tank which is likewise in communication by suitable pipes 34 with the driving means connected with the wheels. Thus the vehicle ma be driven in either direction.

I rom the foregoing it will be seen that this improved drivin means, when applied to a motor vehicle, ta es the place of differential and transmission gearing and their accessories. I

It will also be observed that I have provided a very simple, compact and comparatively inexpensive pump, the successful operation of which is due not only to the manner in which the parts are constructed and assembled, but also to the openings through the vanes, for without these to relieve the pressure and suction, the pump would not as efficiently operate, since the cam-faced weartake-up members or abutments could not raise or shift the vanes against the action of their springs, as the fluid passing to the rear of these vanes would hold them out and con sequently the vanes could not pass over the eccentrically located abutments, but by means of these openings the pressure which occurs back of the vanes is relieved.

When the bridge portions 16 have the wing extension cams 17 formed integral therewith, the wing extensions may reciprocate with the bridge portion whenexcessive pressure is exerted thereon. The wing extension cams are set in recesses 14 in the stationary member, the ends of extensions being below the surface of the stationary member so as to prevent the vanes from catching, against the ends of the-.wing extensions as the vanes pass b It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described a cylindrical casing having fluid inlets and outlets therethrough, a pair of end plates closing the ends of said casing, one of said plates being provided with a central opening, a shaft extending through said opening, a rotor cylinder secured on said shaft and con centric with the casing, the length of said cylinder being substantially equal to the distance between the end plates, two or more pairs of equally spaced recesses in the peripheral surface of the rotor cylinder and exccsses behind the vanes, at least two sym tending the entire length thereof, the ends of said recesses being closed by the end plates, a propeller vane equal in length to the rotor cylinder reciprocatorily mounted in each of the recesses, springs in said recesses for pressing the propeller vanes outwardly into contact with the inner surface of the casing, means for relieving fluidpressure in the remetrically disposed abutments in the casing and in contact with the rotor, and means adjacent said abutments for forcing the vanes to retract within their recesses to permit them to pass by the abutments as the rotor rotates.

2. In a device of the character described, a cylindrical casing-end plates closing the ends of said casing. a cylinder within said casing equal in length to the distance between said end plates, said casing'and cylinder being relatively rotatable, the rotary member having a plurality of of pairs of symmetrically and oppositely disposed radial recesses extending the entire length of said member,

the end plates forming closures for the ends of said recesses, a propeller vane equal in length to said cylinder slidably mounted within each of said recesses, a spring within each recess tending to press said vanes out of said recesses, means for equalizing fluid pressure within and without said recesses, a pair of oppositely disposed abutments on the stationary member and in fluid-tight contact with the rotary member, means adjacent said abutments for forcing the vanes into their recesses, and inlet and outlet ports through the stationary member and opening adjacent said abutments.

3. In a device of the character described, a casing provided with spaced inlet and outlet passages and embodying side walls and end walls, two oppositely disposed abutments in the casing. a rotor mounted in. the casing, the length of the rotor being substantially equal to the length of the casing between the end walls thereof, four equally spaced vanes mounted for transverse movement in recesses in the rotor and adapted to engage the side walls of the casing, means for relieving compression in the recesses adjacent the inner ends of the propellers and a coiled spring at each end of each vane adjacent the end walls of the casing to maintain the tips of the vanes in intimate contact with the side walls of the casing.

41. In a machine of the character described a casing embodying side walls and end walls, one of said end walls being provided with a central opening, a shaft projecting into the casing through said opening, a cylinder secured on said shaft within the casing, the casing and cylinder being relatively rotatable, the rotary member having a plurality of pairs of symmetrically and oppoentire length of the cylinder, the end walls of said casing forming closures for the ends of sand recesses, a ropeller vane equal in length to the cylinc er slidably mounted in each recess, a spring within each recess tendmg to press said vanes out of said recesses, each of said vanes belng provlded wlth pas sages opening through the inner and outer faces thereof to permit equalization of fluid pressures acting on said faces, a pair of oppositely disposed abutments on the stationary member and in fluid tight sliding contact with Signed at Binghamton, Broome County,

New York, this 14th day of May, 1927.

LUTHER V. SPRINGSTEEN.

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