EP0043877A1

EP0043877A1 - Method and apparatus for displacing fluids by means of an oscillating blade

Info

Publication number: EP0043877A1
Application number: EP80302373A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Russell Richard Ferrers Wakelin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-07-14
Filing date: 1980-07-14
Publication date: 1982-01-20

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for displacing fluids in which a housing (1) is provided which has an end wall (43) and an opening (38) opposite the end wall (43). A blade (5) is positioned in the housing (1) and rectilinear motion is imparted cyclically to the blade (5) by moving means (A, B) so that one end (10) of the blade (5) is moved while the other end (11) dwells and the said other end (11) is moved while said one end (10) dwells so that fluid is drawn in to one side of the blade and expelled by the reducing volume on the other side of the blade.

Description

This invention relates to method of and/or apparatus for displacing fluids.
Displacing fluids by oscillating a blade in a tube is known for instance from U.S. Patent Specification No.230160 Von Leicht in relation to ship propulsion, that specification describing how substantially clean water is displaced to propel a ship.
However where the fluid contains debris or other solid matter such a construction has the disadvantage that the solid matter may be trapped between the blade and the walls of the tube and cause damage to either or both.
The advantages offered by the invention are mainly that because of recesses in the walls and because a dwell period at the end of each stroke is provided fluid containing debris or other solids can be displaced efficiently and without the same liability to cause damage as with the Vcr,. Leicht proposal.
It is therefore an'object of the present invention to provide methods of and/or apparatus for displacing fluids which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Accordingly in one aspect the invention consists in a method of displacing fluids said method comprising the steps of imparting rectilinear motion to a blade positioned in a housing which housing includes or mounts an end wall and has an opening or openings opposite said end wall, said movement being by means of at least two moving means disposed at each end of said blade, said rectilinear motion being such that the end of said blade adjacent said opeing is moved from a position adjacent to one side of the housing to a position adjacent the opposite side of said housing while the other end of the blade dwells, the other end of said blade then moving across the end wall from a position closer to said one side to a position closer to said other side while said first end dwells, each movement of said blade being such that material is displaced from said housing in a desired direction.
In a further aspect the invention consists in apparatus for displacing fluids said apparatus comprising a housing having or mounting an end wall and an opening or openings opposite said end wall, a blade movable in said housing so that the end of said blade adjacent said opening moves from a position adjacent one side of said housing to a position adjacent the other side of said housing while the other end of said blade dwells, the other end of said blade then moving across said end wall from a position closer to said one side to a position closer to said other side while said first end dwells, and at least two moving means positioned at least one towards each end of the blade, the construction and arrangement being such that said blade is actuated by said moving means to displace fluids from said housing in a desired direction.
To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.
One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional side view of apparatus according to one form of the invention,
Figure 2 is a view as in figure 1 of an alternative form of the invention,
Figures 3 to 6 are cross sectional side elevations of apparatus according to the invention showing'various dispositions of the blade for material movement in a first direction,
Figures 7 to 10 are views of construction as in figures 3 to 6 with material flow being in the reverse direction,
Figure 11 is a cross section of apparatus as in figures 3 to 10.
Figure 12 shows a side elevation of one method of joining a blade to a preferred form of moving means,
Figure 13 is a plan view of a blade or part of a blade as used in figure 12, and
Figure 14 shows an alternative means of connecting the blade.

The term fluids as used herein means liquids and gases and fluids containing solids and/or semi-solids.
Referring to the drawings a housing 1 is provided which may be a rectangular tube or otherwise, thus referring to figure 11 the tube may have upper side la lower side 2 and sides joined between the upper and lower sides 1 and 2 being sides 3 and 4. referring to figure 1 sides 1 and 2 are bulbous and the sides 3 and 4 are substantially parallel. Moving within the housing is a plate or blade 5 which is a movable fit within the housing, and is movable as shown in the drawings. The plate 5 is moved by at least two moving means, and in the embodiment shown in the drawings a moving means A is positioned near one end of the blade 5 and the moving means B is positioned near the opposite end of the plate. As shown in the drawings such moving means each comprise piston and cylinder assemblies 6 and 7 each having respectively pistons 8 and 9. The pistons 8 and 9 are pivotally and slidably attached to the plate 5 at 10 and 11 and figures 12,13 and 14 show two possible methods by which this may be achieved. Figure 11 shows two moving means at each end of the housing, this arrangement provides minimum disturbance to fluid flow. The piston or the lifting rods can be positioned inside the housing or alternatively could run in channels within the housing walls.
Referring to figure 12 the piston 8 terminates in an axle 12 which mounts a ring or loop member 13 having a pair of substantially parallel but spaced apart arms 14 and 15.. The plate 5 is positioned between the arms 14 and 15 and includes apertures 16 and 17 through which pin 18 passes. Bearers or slipping pads 19 and 20 may be provided between the upper and lower surfaces of the blade 5 and the arms 14 and 15 respectively.
Figure 14 shows an alternative arrangement wherein the piston 8 terminates in a channel member 20, the mouth 21 of which is somewhat narrower than the internal part 22. The blade 5 terminates in an enlargement such as a bulbous rib 23 which moves within the space 22 so that the blade 5 extends through the mouth 21. A sealing or friction pad can be provided between enlargement 23 and channel member 20.
Thus the blade may slide or the enlargement of the blade may slide in the part 22 of the channel 20 allowing also a pivotal movement as required. To enable sealing of the blade to the upper and lower surfaces of the tube in use, seals may be provided either on the upper and lower surfaces 1 and 2 or more preferably on the parts 13 or 20 or both if required. The seals may take the form of rubber seals such as a ring of rubber ring material 24 or a rubber pad 25 affixed to the members 13 and 20 respectively.
The sliding arrangement is required to compensate for increasing lengths between the lower end of the pistons 8 and 9 during use but alternative methods of overcoming this change in length may be used, for example, the piston and cylinder assembles 6 and 7 may be pivotally mounted in the top of the tube or alternatively the blade 5 may be made flexible or semi-flexible and of substantially of the longest required length. Thus when the length shortens for example as pistons 8 and 9 are both in the retracted position or both in an extended position, the blade will to some extent become loose. This looseness may be taken up by providing the upper and lower surfaces 1 and 2 in a convex shape when considered from the inner part of the tube so that the flexible blade will be laid over the convex surface to take up the slack. Thus assuming the moving means are 760mm apart and the distance apart between the walls is say 200mm when the one moving means is fully extended then the other fully retracted, the distance between the point of connection of the moving means to the blades will be about 790mm. Accordingly the curved surface of the walls will be adjusted in length so that the curved surface is 790mm between the points of entry through such curved surface of the moving means.
In a further embodiment this difficulty can be overcome by providing a blade which is elastic so that as the length between the lower ends of the pistons 8 and 9 varies the blade 5 will be stretched elastically or allowed to contract elastically tc take account of these varying lenaths.
In any event the blade 5 may have stiffening ribs (not shown).
Although the plate can be moved so that it is against the upper surface 1 and against the upper surface 2 in use, it is desirable particularly where solids, such as coal are to be pumped, that the extent of the movement of the blade is not from surface 1 to surface 2 at least over the major part of the stroke.
Thus referring to figure 1 pecked position 30 shows a desirable upper limit and.pecked position 31 shows a desirable lower limit so that space 32 and space 33 are left between the position 30 and the upper surface 1 and the position 31 and the lower surface 2. The spaces 32 and 33 may be achieved by providing an enlarged bore to the housing over the areas 34 and 35 so that at positions 36 and 37 the sealing members such as 24 and 25 may seal against the tube at those-positions on the upper and lower sides thereof but so that at the ends of the blade attached to piston 9 movement particularly in figure 1 does not extend fully to the upper surface 1 or the lower surface 2.
Figures 3 to 6 and 7 to 10 also show other arrangements whereby the enlarged bore may be achieved.
Referring to figure 1 it is also desirable to increase the efficiency by means of valving and to this end valves 40 and 41 may be provided at end 42 (figure 1) of the tube. The valve may be pivotally affixed to a dividing member 43 mounted within the tube between the side walls 3 and 4.
A similar dividing member 44 may be provided at the inlet end adjacent the inlet opening 38.
The flap valve 40 is preferably pivotally attached to the upper surface 1 by pivot 45 and the flap valve 41 is preferably pivotally attached to the dividing member 43 for example by pivot 46.
Thus in use a stream of fluids moving from left to right in figure 1 will be divided to pass between valves 40 and 41. A stop 47 may be provided against which valve 41 may rest and the valve 40 may be prevented from moving too far in a clockwise position by engagement against the stop member 43.
It is desirable that stop such as 47 may be withdrawn so that if desired the valve flap 41 may operate to open in the other direction a further stop being extended as required, or the same stop may be used. A similar arrangement may be provided to enable the valve flap 40 to operate in the reversed direction.
Referring to figure 2 flaps 50 and 51 are provided at the inlet end to the tube. Abuttments 52 and 53 are . provided on the upper and lower surfaces 1 and 2 and one or other of the flaps will be opened during operation or each flap may be opened to some extent as will be described later.
Reversible valves in the form of rotatable ball sockets containing flaps may be used for the valves in figure 1 and figure 2 if desired.
At the other end of the tube outlet extensions 53 and 54 are provided.
The use of the invention is as follows:

Referring initially to figures 3 to 6 and with the blade initially in the position shown in figure 3, movement of the blade 5 to the position shown in figure 4 will cause material, i.e. fluid, solids or semi-solids, or mixtures thereof, to be drawn into the space 60 above the blade 5 and to be expelled from the space 61 below the blade causing flap 41 to open. Flap 40 will be closed because of the tendency to draw material into the space 60.

If blade 5 is then moved to the position shown in figure 5 flap 41 will close and flap 40 will open as fluid is drawn into the space 61 and expelled from space 60. Further movement to the position shown in figure 6 will cause further expulsion of fluid past flap 40 and further indrawing of material into space 61.
The next movement will return the blade to the position shown in figure 3 where fluid will be drawn into the space 60 and expelled from the space 61.
Timing means are provided so that each end of blade 5 dwells at the end of its movement for the time required by the other end of the blade 5 to move the whole length of its stroke. Movement of the piston and cylinder assemblies 6 and 7 may be initiated by mechanical contact between the other piston or other end of the blade 5 and a suitable switch, such as micro-switches which in turn activate solenoid valves. Mechanically the required dwell can be introduced by cams having part of the periphery in the form of an arc or part circle, which cams in use bear on the operating rods.
Referring to figures 7 to 10 the flaps 40 and 41 open in the opposite direction and therefore movement from the position of figure 7 to the position of figure 8 will reduce the volume of space 60 expelling material in the direction of arrow 62. Flap 40 will open admitting fluid to the space 60.
The movement to the position shown in figure 9 will expell fluid from space 60 allowing valve 41 to open to admit fluid to space 61.
Further movements to the position of figure 10 further expells fluid from the space 60 and further fluid will enter the space 61.
Where gaps 32 and 33 are provided the blade 5 seal against the partition member 43 and this may be achieved in substantially the same manner as shown in either figure 13 or figure 14, sealing is in general required over the full stroke of that end of blade 5.
Where an enlarged bore is to be used, it is clear that the convex surfaces suggested for use with a flexible blade, cannot be employed as the blade 5 is arranged not to bear on the sides 1 and 2.
The constructions of figures 2 and 3 to 10 showing double inlets or outlets such as 53 and 54 (figure 2) can of course be brought to a single opening substantially as shown in figure 1 as required.
Referring to figure 2 the valving arrangement by flaps 50 and 51 are such that movement of the piston 8 will cause the piston or parts associated therewith or parts associated with the blade 5 to trap one flap or other between the point of connection of the blade 5 and the piston 8 and the appropriate abutment 52 or 53, thus allowing fluid to be admitted to either the space 60 or the space 61 as appropriate and substantially preventing reverse fluid flow.
The angle (X) through which the blade may be moved may vary from about 5° to about 50° in the preferred embodiment. The optimum angle is from about 12° to about 17°.
For low volume low head application the flap valve described herein would in general not be required but where a higher efficiency or higher head operation is required the valving will aid the achievement of in particular the high head.
The piston and cylinder assemblies 6 and 7 may be hydraulic, pneumatic or steam piston and cylinder assemblies or could comprise internal combustion systems or mechanical arrangements in which translational movement is'given by rotation of the shaft, using for example a connecting rod and crank or a scotch mechanism or any other mechanism for converting rotary to translational movement.
The valving arrangement shown in figure 2 comprising flap valve 50 and 51 may be replaced by a three piece valve having a centre abutment with flap 50 and 51 mounted at the upper and lower ends thereof.
Thus it can be seen that a method of displacing of fluid and/or apparatus for displacing fluids are provided which at least in the preferred form of the invention have some advantages. The apparatus is simple to construct and therefore is capable of being built in a robust manner to withstand lengthy service. If a fluid is being transmitted which contains solid material then a blockage in the apparatus may have the effect only of reducing efficiency temporarily until the plate is lifted off the solid object which prevents the plate reaching the end of its stroke. The efficiency of apparatus in the propulsion of a vessel will be increased by the fact that the movement of the vessel will increase the water into the housing giving a similar effect as the admission of air into a jet engine to give good efficiency at all speeds of the vessel through the water in either direction. The pump herein described , it is envisaged, will be mounted within the vessel therebeing suitable conduits between the external surface of the vessel and the pump so that fluid may be moved from the external surface through the pump and discharged to give the forward movement.
Where solids are to be pumped the enlargement of the bore to form spaces 32 and 33 has the advantage that damage by the blade 5 to particles of for example solid or semi-solids is substantially reduced and in particular crushing of solids is substantially prevented. Damage to the blade 5 is also substantially prevented.
The recesses should be of a size which is able to accommodate at least the general maximum particle size that will be passed through the pump so that solids such as coal receive a minimum of crushing in use.
The frequency of strokes can vary from slow rates such as 1 per minute to high rates such as 3 or 4 per second, however, each stroke delivers the same torque, depending on pressure used, whatever the cycle rate.
If desired cutters and coating anvils are fitted on the blade and the casing respectively to cut fibrous, e.g. begetable matter which may be positioned along the walls of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of displacing fluid, said method comprising the steps of imparting rectilinear motion to a blade (5) positioned in a housing (1) which housing includes or mounts an end wall (43) and has an opening or openings (38) opposite said end wall, said movement being by means of at least two moving means (A,B) disposed one at each end of said blade, said rectilinear motion being such that the end (10) of said blade (5) adjacent said opening is moved from a position adjacent to one side (la) of said housing (1) to a position adjacent the opposite side (2) of said housing (1) while the other end (11) of the blade (5) dwells, the other end (11) of said blade (5) then moving across the end wall (43) from a position closer to said one side (la) to a position closer to said other side (2) while said first end (10) dwells, each movmeent of said blade (5) being such that material is displaced from said housing in a desired direction.

2. A method of displacing fluids as claimed in claim 1 further including the step of moving said blade (5) by fluid actuated pistons and cylinder arrangements (6,7) or by internal combustion or by mechanical means.

3. A method of displacing fluids as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising the step of providing valves or gates, (40,41) said valves or gates being operable to substantially allow fluid flow in the desired direction but to substantially prevent fluid flow in direction other than the desired direction.

4. Apparatus for displacing fluids apparatus comprising a housing (1) having or mounting an end wall (43) and also an opening or openings (38) opposite said end wall (43), a blade (5) movable in said housing (1) so that the end (10) of said blade (5) adjacent said opening (38) moves from a position adjacent one side (la) of said housing to a position adjacent the opposite side (2) of said housing while the othere end (11) of said blade (5) dwells, the other end (11) of said blade then moving across said end wall (43) from a position closer to said one side (la) to a position closer to said opposite side (2) while said first end (10) dwells, and at least two moving means (A,B) positioned at least one towards each end (10,11) of the blade, (5) the construction and arrangement being such that said blade (5) is actuated by said moving means (A,B) to displace material from said housing (1) in a desired direction.

5. Apparatus for displacing fluids as claimed in claim 4 wherein said moving means (A,B) are selected from fluid actuated piston and cylinder arrangements (6,7), internal combustion means and mechanically actuated reciprocating means.

6. Apparatus for displacing fluids as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said blade (5) is provided with curved parts adjacent the ends thereof, the centre of curvature of each curve being above the blade (5) and inwardly of the extreme end blade.

7. Apparatus for displacing fluids as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein said blade (5) comprises a flexible or an elastic blade.

8. Apparatus for displacing fluids as claimed in either one of claims 4 or 5 wherein the walls (lA,2) of said housing are shaped so that a gap (32) is provided between the first side (la) of said housing and said first position of said blade (5) and a further gap (33) is provided between said opposite side (2) of said housing and said blade (5) when in said second position.

9. Apparatus for displacing fluids as claimed in claim 8 wherein said gaps 32, 33 are provided by enlarging the bore of said housing over a substantial length of said blade (5).

10. Apparatus for displacing fluids as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 9 wherein sealing pads (24,25) or the like are provided at the ends (10,11) of said blade, (5) said sealing pads (24,25) being adapted to bear against a side (la,2) of said housing or end wall (43) particularly when said blade (5) and ends (10,11) of the blade (5) are in said blades (5) first or second position.

11. Apparatus for displacing fluids as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 10 wherein flow dividing means (43,44) are provided at or adjacent at least one end of said housing (1) so that said fluid flow is divided into at least two streams, fluid being displaced from said housing along one stream when said blade moves in one direction and through the other stream when said blade moves in the other direction.

12. Apparatus for displacing fluid as claimed in claim 11 wherein said flow dividing means (43,44) comprise or are associated with a valve (40,41), said valve (40,41) substantially closing the pathway of one stream when fluid is being admitted or displaced by virtue of the other stream.

13. Apparatus for displacing fluid as claimed in claim 12 wherein said valve (40,41) comprises valves in either an inlet (38) or outlet end (42) of said housing (1).

14. Apparatus for displacing fluid as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 13 including a timing mechanism to cause dwell of each end of said blade after movement of that end while movement of the other end of the blade occurs.