US1563144A - Air compressor and valve - Google Patents

Description

Nev.` 24, 1925.

Y BAKER AIR COMPRESSOR AND VALVE w 42, F A z 8. Z 5. J. Lm

Patented Nov. 24, 1925.,

UNITED sfrATEs PAT-leur` OFFICE.

DEXTER C. BAKER, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 BAKER-HANSEN MANU- FAC'.I."U'RI1\T 11l CO., OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, CORPORATION 0F CALIFORNIA.

am ooMrEEssoa'ANn VALVE.

Application filed May f8,

To all 'whom' it may concern:

Be it known that l, DEXTER C. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Air Compressor and Valve, of which the following is a specilication.

rlhis invention relates to an air compressor, and more particularly to the con-` trol of the air ports in a reciprocating type compressor.

In such compressors, itv is of course neoessary to permit air to enter the compression cylinder on the intake stroke of the piston, and to permit the piston to discharge the compressed air on its compression stroke. llt has been customary to provide various forms of valves which seat by spring pressure and in which this pressure is tempovkrarily overcome during the proper changes in the cycle of the compressor'. 'llhus dur'- ing the intake or suction stroke, the intake valve spring is overcome by the suction and permits entry of air to the cylinder. Upon a reversal of movement of thepiston, the pressure of the air within the cylinder closes this valve and serves to open the discharge valve leading to an air tank;

lin such constructions it has been found that much energy is used up in operating the valves, and it is therefore one of the objects of my inventionto make it `possible to move the valve parts with little eort, while still insuring accurate seating` and proper operation., f

It is another object of my invention to improve in general the operation of reciprocating air compressors.

, llt is still another object of my invention to provide an intake valve construction. that ensures a large and quick opening upon the beginning of the suction stroke, and a rapid closure when the piston startsto compress the air drawn in.v lin this wa there is greater certainty that no wirerawng of the vincolningvair can result, and theV compressor may operate mosty leciently and vutilize the cylinder volume to its greatest extent l t 'f p f lin order that the compressor operate most successfully, it is' advantageous to `rmit 1923. Serial No. 637,437.

the piston, inA its reciprocations, to travel substantially the full length of the cylinder, so that on compression substantially all of the compressed air may he forced through the discharge valve. l accomplish this highly desiraloleV result by arranging the valves in such a way that they do not occupy any material space within the cylinder.

My invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description, Where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have'selected for illustration in the drawings accompanyingv and forming part of the present specification. Although l have shown in the drawings but one embodiment of my invention, l do not desire to be limited thereto, since the invention as set forth in the claims vmay be embodied in other forms also. 1

Referring to the drawings: 1 Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the end of a compressor cylinder, in which valves embodying my invention are used;

Fig. 2 is a plan kview of the valve plate used in the compressor illustrated in Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the plate shown in Fig..2;

Fig. 4c is a plan View of one form of member adapted to exert a resilient closing force for the intake valve shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a member which is associated kwith the intake valve;

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the intake valve, which is arranged to be seated by the memher illustrated in Fig. 4; and n Fig.. 7 is an enlarged sectional view through the intake valve illustrated [in Fi l. compressor cylinder 1l has a piston 12 which is arranged to be reciprocated therein in any appropriate manner. Since the details of the cylinder, piston, and the source of mechanical power for reciprocating the piston form no part of 'my present invention, it is considered unnecessary to describe these elementsfurther. llt is also evident that as man cylinders and as many stages vmay be use 4in a complete air compressor as may he desired. rlhe cylinder head 13 in the present instance serves to provide an v y A valve supporting plate 18may convenientlypbe utilized for supporting the valve structure. This valve plate is interposed between the end of cylinder 11 and the head 13, the three parts being securely fastened together as by a plurality of screws 19 which extend through these parts. This plate covers the cylinder end completely, except for a pair of sets eof annularly arranged apertures 20 and 2,1.. The set 20 serves to connect the cylinder with the annular intake passageway 14; whenever the f,

intake valve is opened. This valve may comprise a ring 22, shown in greater detail in Fig. 6, which ring serves when it is seated,lto cover up all of the apertures 2O and prevent communication between the cylinder 11 and the passageway 14. This valve ring 22 is arranged in an annular groove 23 cut in the plate 1.8'on the side of the plate nearest the cylinder 11.V Furthermore a second narrow groove 24 vis out in the bottom of the groove 23, which narrow groove con-I nects all of the apertures 20. The ring 22 is wide enough to cover up this narrow groove -as illustrated mostclearly inFig. 7.

In order that the lcompressor function properly, it is essential to keep the ring 22 seated over the groove 24 until lthe suction or intake stroke begins. In order to ac-v complish this purpose in a highly satisfactory manner and without taking up an appreciable amount of space in the cylinder 11,

-I provide a very shallow spring cup 25,-

shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 7. This cup is made of resilient material, such as phosphor bronze, and its edge 26 is arranged to contact with the ring 22 at or near its outer edge, on a surface substantially coextensive with the series of intake apertures 20. In order to hold this spring'mernber 25 in proper operative position, a bolt V27 passing through the cup and the plate 18 near their center may be used. The. spring cup 25 takes up hardly any useful cylinder volume; atthe same time it ensures a substantially even pressure on the ring 22 at ally points. This latter feature cannot be too strongly emphasized. Due to this fea` ture, when the suction stroke is started, the valve ring 22 leaves its seat at once, in rey `sponseto the vacuum thus created, and uncgvers all of the apertures 20 substantially simultaneously. There can be no tilting of the rmg 22, with attendant danger of wirev drawing of the air as it is suckedY in. Furthermore it is. possible to drive thepiston 12 up close to the cup 23, asV shown 1n Fig.

v1, `and thus most eliciently to utilize the cylinder volume.,

In order to provide a proper support for the cup 25, as lwell as a stop to limit-. the opening movement of the valve 22, I prefer t'o interpose a disc-like member 28 between the spring you 25 and the plate 18. The edge of this disc extends over the valve 22, and thus prevents it from opening too far. pertures 29 and 30 are provided in both the cup 25 and disc 28 to leave the discharge passageways 21 unimpeded. Furthermore another series of apertures 31 may be provided in the spring cup 25 in order to ensure against the "trapping of any air between the cup 25 and the disc 28, as the cup 1s exed. and unfiexed in the course of its operation.

The .series of discharge apertures 21, which are adapted to connect thecylinder 11 with the discharge passageway 15, may be controlled by a spring pressed valve ring 32, on that side of thevalve plate 18 which is farthest from the cylinder chamber. This valve ring 32, bein directly exposed to the ynientary spring pressure on the valve ring 32. Acoiled spring 33 may be utilized for providing this weak pressure. A guide post 34, fastened to the plate 18, as by aid of the bolt 27 before mentioned. provides a flange vabutment 35 for the stationary end of the spring. Furthermore a shoulder 36 on the post 34' serves as a stopl for preventing the valve 32 from opening too far. The Spring 33 is adjusted so that it is just strong enough to keep the valve seated when there is equal pressure on both sides of the valve. ln this way, as soon as sufficient preponderance of pressure exists in the cylinder'll, there is a certainty that the valve 32-will be lifted, and the discharge properly accomplished.

The mechanical arrangement of the' valves is of importance also. lAll of lthe valvey parts for both the intake and the discharge, are supported ona common member, such as the plate 18, and by loosening arelatively few bolts 19, theI entire .valve structure may easily` be removed, repaired, and replaced should occasion demand.

Due to the great centainty of action ofd 4both the intake and discharge valves, their degree of efficiency which materiali exceeds that of other types. There is su stantally no dead ,volumel in the cylinder chamber, because of the extremely compact intake` valve arrangement, and this feature contributes materially to the desirable re-v sults which have been obtained.`

I claim L v 1. In a fluid compressor, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating within the cylinder, a discharge valve structure, 4and an intake valve structure, comprising a member at the cylinder end and yhaving discharge apertures, a closure within the cylinder for all of the apertures, aflat spring having a cupped vedge engaging the closure, and

.means for fastening the spring near its center, whereby its edge may be free to urge the closure to close the apertures.

2. In a fluid compressor, a cylinderfa pisy tn reciprocating within the cylinder, a

l plate forming the end wall of the cylinder,

` piston reciprocating within the cylinder, a

said plate having a series of intake apertures, a common closure for all of the apertures, said closure being disposed 'within the cylinder, andmeans for urging the closure in a direction to keep the apertures closed, comprising a spring' resiliently engaging the closure on a continuous surface which is substantially coextensive with the vseries of intake apertures.

3. In a Huid compressor, a cylinder, a piston reciprocating within the cylinder, a

plate forming the end wall of the cylinder, said plate providing an annularly arranged intake for the piston, a ring-like closure for the intake disposed within the cylinder, and

a shallow cup spring urging the closure to' closed position, the spring en aging the closure nearthe edge of the cosure, and fastened near its center to the plate.

4. In a fluid compressor, a cylinder, a

plate forming the end wall of the cylinder,

-said plate having a series of intake apertures annularly arranged, a valve closure of ring form for the. apertures, means for limiting the opening movementof the closure, anda cup spring urging the closure to closed position, the edge of said cup engaging the ring closure near its outside edge along a substantially continuous'annular surface. y

5. A valve structure comprising a member having apertures, a common closure for all the apertures, a flat sprin having a cupped edge engaging the c o sure, and means for fastening the spring near its center, whereby its edge may be free to urge the closure to close the apertures.Y

`6. In a valve structure, a member having a series of apertures, a common lclosure for all of the apertures, and means for urging i.

vthe closure in a direction to keep Ythe apertures closed, comprising a spring resiliently engaging the closure on a continuous surfacev which is substantially coex'tensive withthe series of intake apertures.

7. In a vvalve structure, a member pro-l viding an annularlyT arranged valve opening, a ring-like closure for the intake, and

a shallow cup spring urging the closure to closed position; the spring engaging the closure near `the edge of the closure, and fastened near its center to the member.

8. In a valve structure, a member having a series of Aapertures annularly arranged,

a valve closure of ring form for the apertures, means for limiting the opening move-v ment of the closure, and a cup spring urging the closure to closed position, the edge of urge it to closed position, a guide post ex-` tending from the wall and around which the closure is disposed, and 'a `helical spring guided by said post for .urging the closure to closed position, said spring exerting only a weak force against thel closure. v

10. Ina valve structure for a Huid compressor cylinder, a plate having apair of series of annular apertures, said series `be ing concentric, ring shaped closures for both series, said closures being disposed on opposite sides of the plate, a, cup-like spring engaging one of the ring closures, a guide ostaround which the other ring closure is disposed, means for fastening the guide post, plate, and cup spring together, and a helical spring guided'by the post and having its end turn engaging sai-d other ring closure. y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto s et m hand. e

'y DEXTER C. BAKER.

Images