US1376291A - Fluid-compressor - Google Patents

Description

R. ROLKERR. FLUID COMPRESSOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 191B- Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

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ZeZZoZaJZoZZ: @2 2 A TTORNE Y R. ROLKERR.

FLUID COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. 1918.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

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Elll wyu I Z I R. ROLKERR.

FLUID COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1918.

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IIYVVENTOR. fiea zowioZ/fer e ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RETLOW ROLKERE, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FLUID-COMPRESSOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rn'rLow ROLKERR, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, the county of Alameda and 5 P. e of California, have invented new and us 'ul Improvements in Fluid-Compressors, or" which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fluid com.- pressor of the rotary type.

it is the principal object of this invention to provide a machine for compressing fluids and liquids, which is compact in its de may be ado. ted for compressing a iiuid to a desired number of atmospheres, and which is composed of but two movable parts adapted to rotate within the case of he compressor and to continuously operate gradually raise the pressure of the fluid casing therethrough.

.nother object of this invention is to provide a rotary fluid compressor composed of few parts which may be readily interchanged 5111C. repaired, when desired, and winch are assembled and driven in a manner to eliminate the major portion of wear, due to the movement of its rotors.

Further objects will appear hereinafter.

The present invention contemplates the use of a fixed outer casing and a pair of inter-meshing runners having convolute walls. one of said runners rotating concenwith the horizontal axis of the case e other rotating eccentrically thereto, relative movement between the will be eilected and a fluid protranst'erred from the outer an chamber of the casing and corned to pass around a central eduction 40 The invention is illustrated by way of 1 ale in the accompanying drawings, in W 1 ll the machine as seen on the line 8-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view of the compressor in horizontal section as seen on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation illustrating the eccentrically moving runner as disasseciated from the case.

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation illustrating the concentrically moving runner as disassociated from the compressor.

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective further illustrating the detailed construction or" the runner disclosed in Fig. 5.

10 indicates the casing of the compressor and is here shown as being formed of end plates 11 and 12 which are bolted to an annular wall 13, interposed therebetween. The end plates are formed with outwardly extending feet which provide a base by which the compressor may be fixed as de sired. Preferably the plates have an upper semicircular portion concentric with the annular wall 13 for which they form opposite ends. Bearings l i are formed upon the outer sides of the two plates and are concentrically disposed in relation to the inclosing wall 13. These bearings are concentricauy threaded to receive stur'ling boxes 15 by which eduction pipes 16 are secured at the opposite sides of the casing.

Central, annular bores 17 are formed through the bearings and concentric there with. The hubs 18 of disks 19 and 20 are rotatably disposed within the bearings and are tinrther supported by antifriction bearings 2-1. The disks 19 and 20 are circular and concentric with their hubs which, as shown in the drawings, are shown as tubular. Upon the smooth parallel adjacent faces of the disks are formed convolute grooves 22. These grooves are of the configuration shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings where it will be seen that they form a continuous convolute spiral extending from a point adjacent to the rotatable axis or" the disks to a point near their outer circumfen ence. These grooves are adapted to receive a convolutely wound vane 23 which corresponds in configuration to the grooves and rests with its opposite edges seated within the grooves. This vane is comparatively vanes 23 of the concentric runner.

thin in thickness and is fixed between the two disks 19 and 20 and within the grooves by means of disk bolts 24: distributed at intervals around the circumference of the two disks.

It is to be noted that the disks 19 and 20 are adapted to rotate concentrically of the horizontal aXiS of the casing. The rotation of the unit comprising the disks 19-and 20 and the vane 23 is effected by gears 25 and 26 secured upon a drive shaft 27 and par ticularly shown in Fig. a of the drawing. This shaft is journaled within the opposite end walls of the casing and is disposed on a line below the horizontal axis of the case. The gears 25-and 26 are in constant mesh with gear teeth formed around the periphery of each of the disks 19 and 20 and the floating member.

Mounted between the end disks 19 and 20 isan eccentrically moving runner which is supported in a floating manner in relation to the concentrically moving runner comprising the two disks and the vane 23. This eccentric runner is particularly disclosed in Figs. 5 and T of the drawings, where it will be seen to comprise a pair of circular end walls 28 and 29 cast integral with a convolute vane 30. The wall of this vane is of greater thickness than the wall of the vane 23, as shown by comparison in Fig. 3. This vane is inclosed by a cylindrical wall 31, with which it is united at its outer end. The outer diameter of the wall 31 is considerably less than the outer diameters of the side flanges 28 and 29 formed integral therewith. This provides an annular air space between the two flanges and around the wall.

Transversely extending cooling fins are formed integral with the flanges 28 and 29 and are distributed around the annular wall 31, being arranged radially in relation thereto. A series of large perforations 33 is formed through the walls of the flanges to accommodate the clamping bolts 24: of the disks 19 and 20 and also to allow these disks to have relative movement in relation to the flanges without limitation thereby. An examination of Figs. 1 and 2 will disclose the utility of the enlarged perforations 33 and the manner in which the bolts 24: are allowed free movement within the perforations.

Referring more particularly to Figs. .1 and 2, it will be seen that the cylindrical wall 31 of the eccentric runner not only circumscribes the vane 30 but also incloses the This forms a cylindrical compression chamber within which two convolute runners are disposed'and are arranged in eccentric intermeshing relation to each other. As previously stated, the concentric runner A is driven by gears 25 and 26 and a drive shaft 27. This same thing is true oi the eccentric runner, although this runner is permit- .ted to float within the casing, being held ment of the runner B to a vertical plane.

while allowing it to continuously rotate in synchronism with the runner is; it being understood that the relative movement n; tween the two runners is effected by the eccentric disposition of the vane 30 in relation to the concentrically arranged vane An induction port- 38 is formed through the cylindrical wall 13 of the case and communicates with an annular chamber formed by the case and the cylindrical wall or" the runner B. This wall of the runner is formed with openings at equal intervals around its circumference and thus allows the air to pass into the cylindrical chamber within the runner l3. l hen the runner B receives the fluid through its cylindrical wall it immediately proceeds to advance this volume of fluid between the vanes of the two runners as they rotate and thus progressively compress the fluid as it is carried to the center of the runner A and allowed to pass out through the oduction pipes 16 in communication with the tubular hubs of the runner disks 19 and 20.

In operation, the machine is assembled, as particularly disclosed in the drawings and its drive shaft 27 provided with suitable power for rotation. As this shaft rotates in the direction of the arrow 4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will cause the runners A and B to. rotate in the direction oi the arrow 6 in the same figures. Due to the fact that the runner ii is provided with fixed hubs, it will rotate continuously upon a single horizontal axis. as driven by the drive shaft 27 and its gears. At the same time that the runner A is rotating concentrically, the drive shaft ant gears will retate the runner B eccentrically.

An examination of Figs. 1 and 2 will disclose the fact that the pitch of the convolute vanes is equal and that the extreme space between these vanes in their overlapping position is equal to the combined thickness of the vane 23 and the vane 30. Furthermore, due to the eccentric disposition of the vane 30 in relation to the vane 23, a series or" crescent shaped pockets will be formed between the vanes at all times.

T he two vanes thus form a series of pockets of reduced capacity as they approach the axis of the runners and reach the central compartment where they are in communication with the eduction pipes.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a termination pocket C is formed by the cylindrical outer wall of the runner B and a portion of the first convolution of its vane 30. The pocket thus formed is closed by the outer end of the vane 23 which continuously moves concentric with the axis of the machine. .Vhen the vane 23 is in contact with the inner surface of the wall 31 a second crescent-shaped compartment D will be formed by portions of the two vanes. This compartment will be terminated by contact of the two vanes at a point along the vertical axis of the cas ing. After reaching this point the two vanes will again separate to form a compartment E of reduced volume. This compartment is followed by a compartment F, after which a smaller compartment G occurs. In the present instance a compartment H, of smaller volume than any of the preceding ones, is formed and this in turn communicates with a central chamber I in direct communication with the eduction pipes 16 extending through the opposite hubs of the disks 19 and 20.

Assuming that the compartment 0 is filled with a fluid and that the two runners are rotating at constant speed, it will be evident that the half rotation of the two runners will transfer the fluid progressively from the position of the compartment 0 into that occupied by the compartment 1).. The relation of the two vanes, after the runners have rotated a half of a revolution, is particularly shown in Fig. 2. A comparison of this View with the preceding one will disclose the fact that due to the eccentricity of the two convolute runners the vane 30 will have moved vertically and downwardly until it has encountered the upper face of the vane 23. This movement will separate the outer end of the vane 23 from the inn-er surface of the cylindrical wall 31 of the runner B and allow direct communication between the compartment C and the compartment D. This change in. relation between the two vanes will cause the fluid to be forced from between the portion of the compartments at the left-hand side of the ver tical axis of the machine and into the adjacent compartment which is of reduced capacity.

Continuous operation of the machines will eventually transfer the fluid originally in the compartment C through the compartments D, E, F, G and H successively and into the central compartment I. In the event of each transfer the fluid will be forced into a compartment of smaller capacity and compressed. It will thus be seen that with the device here disclosed a gradual compression will be effected which might be termed a six-stage compression. It will be manifest that continuous rotation of the two runners will cause them to rotate at the same rate of speed and will effect a relative movement of the two vanes which will continuously compress a fluid passing therebetween.

It will thus be seen that the compressor here disclosed is composed of few elements, simple in construction, which are not subjected to excessive wear, and which will operate in a continuous manner and without objectionable vibration to continuously and progressively compress a fluid.

lVhile I have shown the preferred construction of my fluid compressor as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departin 1 from the spirit of my invention.

%onsideration of the device here shown will disclose the fact that the structure embodied in the present invention may be readily adapted for use as a pump, in which case the fluid or liquid passing therethrough will not be confined in its course of travel but will be forced along the volute channel by the action of the volute vane operating therein.

Having thus described'my invention, what- I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a fluid compressor, a pair of volute vanes disposed about a single shaft, a means for rotating one of said vanes concentric with the shaft and the other of said vanes eccentric thereto, whereby the two vanes will cooperate to force a volume of fluid along and between their convolutions and to the center thereof.

2. In a fluid compressor, a rotatable runner having a fixed axis, a second rotatable runner having a floating axis, and means whereby relative change of position of the two runners during their rotation will cause a fluid passing thcrebetween to be' compressed.

'3. In a fluid compressor, an outer casing. bearings in the opposite ends thereof, a runner supported to rotate by said bearings and upon a single axis, a second runner disposed within the case and adapted to rotate upon a floating axis, and mean for constantly rotating both of said runners irrespective of the change of position therebetween.

l. A fluid compressor comprising a circular casing, a runner supported therein to constantly rotate upon the axis of the easing, a volute vane forming a part of said runner and disposed with its axis concentric thereto, a second runner having a floating axis, and means whereby relative movement may be effected between the two runners to cause a fluid to be progressively forced along and between the convolutions of the vane, whereby it will be compressed and. will be allowed to escape at the axis thereof;

5. A fluid compressor comprising an in closing case, a runner therein and rotatably supported thereby, a volute vane having a plurality of convolutions and forming part of said runner, the spaces at the sides of said vane being closed, floating runner having a cylindrical "u all CllCUl11SC1lling the volute vane, means for simultaneously rotating the two runners in asinglc direction, and means whereby relative transverse movem nt may be eilected between the runners to force a fluid along and be tween the convolutions of said volute vane and thereby compress it to l e emitted from an eduction port at the center of the first named runner V 6. A fluid compressor comprising a casing having an induction port through the wall thereof, a concentrically rotating run ner inclosed within said casing and supported by bearings at the opposite ends thereof, said runner comprising a pair of spaced circular dislzs, a volute vane having aplurality oiconvolutions and secured between the dislzs and concentric with the an thereof, a floating runner having a c cal wall inclosing the vane of the fir runner and disposed between the one thereof, induction ports through sai floating runner and extending with its convolutions between the convolutions oi the first named runner, and means whereby rotation of the two runners at a single speed and in a single direction will effect relative movement between the two volute vanes and thereby progressively transmit volumes of a fluid from the casing along and between the vanes to the center thereof, and eduction concentrically rotating runner i'or allowing the escape of the fluid compressed between the runner vanes.

7. In a fluid compressor, a pair of rotatable runners, a casing inclosing said runners, means whereby one runner will be adapted to rotate concentrically with the axis of the casing, means for supporting the other runner in a floating position in relation to said concentrically rotating runner, means 7 for simultaneously driving the runners in a continuous direction and at sin respective of the change of position of the floating runner to the concentric runner, and means whereby the two runners will have relative movement in relation to each other and will thereby compress a fluid passing therebetween.

le speed in 8. In a fluid compressor, a casing, sets of gear pinions rotatably secured within said casing and upon diametrically opposite sides thereof, a pair of intermeshing runners disposed within the casing and between the pinions, gears formed around the periphcries of said runners and in mesh with said pinions, and means whereby one of said runners will be provided with a vertical floating movement while rotated continuously with the otherrunner and at the same soeed.

9. A fluid compressor comprising a case, a concentrically rotating runner tierein, said runner consisting ofa pair of circular d s spaced in relation to each other and journaled in the opposite ends of the case, a volute vane positioned between the disks and concentric with the axis thereof, bolts clamping the said disks together to bind the vane, a floating runner circumscribing the volute vane and disposed between the disks, means whereby said runner may have movement in relation to the concentrically rotating runner without obstruction from the clamping bolts thereof, and means whereby continuous rotation of the two runners at a single speed will efiect a mov ment of the floating runner and cause air to be forced inwardly along the volute vane to be compressed thereby.

10. ln a device of the character described, an outer case comprising a cylindrical wall, end plates bolted to the opposite sides of said wall forming an inclosed compartment, and circular recesses formed by the wall and upon diametrically opposite sides of toe axis thereof for receiving operating gears.

11. In a device of the character described,

a runner comprising a pair of separate cirular end plates, tubular hubs extending opiositely from said plates and concentric therewith, volute grooves formed in the adjacent faces of the plates, a volute vane adapted to seat within said grooves to form a continuous volute compression chamber having a series of convolutions, a series of gear teeth formec around the peripheries of said plates, and driving gears adapted to produce rotation of the runner so formed.

12. in a device of the character described, a floating runner comprising a cylindrical wall having ports formed through it and distributed therearound, a volute vane inclosed by said wall and extending throughout a series of convolutions, parallel spaced flanges extending from the wall, and gear teeth formed around the peripheries of said flanges to afford driving means for the runner. a

13. in a device of the character described, a floating runner comprising a cylindrical wall having ports formed through it and distributed therearound, a volute vane inclosed by said wall and extending through out series of convolutions, parallel spaced flanges extending the wall, and radially extending cooling fins disposed between the flanges and spaced at intervals around the wall of the runner.

14. In a device of the character described, a floating runner comprising a cylindrical wall having ports formed through it and distributed therearound, a volute vane inclosed by said wall and extending throughout a series of convolutions, and parallel spaced flanges extending from the wall having enlarged openings through which bolts may extend in relation to which the runner is movable.

15. An air compressor comprising a circular case, a concentrically rotating runner inclosed within said case and wi'hin which a volute passageway is formed, floatable runner having a circumferential wall cireumscribing the volute portion of the concentric runner, and a volute vane forming a part of the floatable runner and extending along the volute passa eway of the concentric runner.

16. An air compressor comprising a circular case, a concentrically rotating runner inclosed within said case and within which a volute passageway is formed, a floatable runner having a circumferential wall circum cribing the volute portion of the concentric runner, a volute vane forming a part of the floatable runner and extending along the volute passageway of the concentric runner, means for simultaneously rotating both of said runners, and means whereby the volute vane of the floating runner will be caused to move radially back and forth across the volute passageway of the concentric runner whereby a series of alternately occurring compression chambers will be formed within the volute passageway.

17. An air compressor comprising a circular case, a concentrically rotating runner inclosed within said case and within which a volute passageway is formed, a floatable runner having a circumferential wall circumscribing the volute portion of the concentric runner, avolute vane f rming a part of the floatable runner and extending along the volute passageway of the concentric runner, means for simultaneously rotating bothof said runners, and means whereby the volute vane of the floating runner will continuously change position in relation to the walls of the volute passageway along which it extends to progressively force volumes of a fluid therealong to be emitted from the inner end of the passageway.

18. A fluid compressor, comprising a stationary casing having an induction port through the wall thereof, a concentrically rotating runner within the casing having a plurality of disks supporting a volute vane, a volute floating vane intersticed with the first named vane, a cylindrical wall inclosing both of said vanes and formed integral with the terminating end of the floating vane, means for driving said vanes in synchronism, and means for maintaining the floating vane in eccentric relation to the concentric vane.

19. A fluid compressor, comprising a sta tionary casing having an induction port through the wall thereof, a concentrically rotating runner within the casing having a plurality of disks supporting a volute vane, a volute floating vane intersticed with the first named vane, a cylindrical wall inclcsing both of said vanes and formed integral with the terminating end of the floating vane, flanges about the periphery of said wall, connecting means between said flanges and disks whereby radial movement of said floating member in relation to said concentric member is permitted, means for rotating said members in synchronism, and means for maintaining said floating member eccentrically of the concentric member.

20. A fluid compressor, comprising a stationary casing having an induction port through the wall thereof, a concentrically rotating runner within the casing having a plurality of disks supporting a volute vane, volute floating vane intersticed with the first named vane, a cylindrical wall inclosing both of said vanes and formed integral with the terminating end of the floating vane, flanges about the periphery of said wall, connecting means be tween said flanges and disks whereby radial movement of said floating member in relation to said concentric member is permitted, gear teeth about the peripheries of said disks and flanges, driving gears mounted on the inner wall of said stationary casing and adapted to mesh with said gear teeth, and means for limiting the radial movement of said floating member within a vertical plane.

21. A fluid compressor, comprising a stationary casing having an induction port through the wall thereof. a concentrically rotating runner within the casing having a plurality of disks supporting a volute vane, a volute floating vane intersticed with the first named vane, a cylindrical wall in closing both of said vanes and formed integral with the terminating end of the floating vane, flanges about the periphery of said wall, connecting means between said flanges and disks whereby radial movement of said floating member in relation to said concentric member is permitted, gear teeth about the peripheries of said disks and flanges, driving gears mounted on the inner wall of said stationary casing and adapted to mesh with said gear teeth, and

idler gears mounted similar to the driving set my hand in the presence of two subgeiars andh disposed diametricaflly ctihereof scribing Witnesses.

w ereby t e eccentric re ation 0 sai floating member with relation to the concentric RETLOW ROLKERR' member is maintained Within a vertical Witnesses:

plane. 7 JOHN H. HERBING, In testimony whereof I have hereunto W. W. HEALEY.

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