US2116456A - Air governor - Google Patents

Description

May 3, 1938.

C. WAINWRIGHT AIR GOVERNOR Filed March 25, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR May 3, 1938. c. WAINWRIGHT AIR GOVERNOR Filed March 25,. 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR can lht

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May 3, 1938. c. wAmwRleH'i' AIR GOVERNOR Filed March 25, 1936 v 3 Sheets-Shet 5 kwiwum INVENTOR Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR GOVERNOR Charles Wainwright, Erie, Pa.

Application March 25, 1936, Serial No. 70,902

' 1 Claim. (01. 2s0 25) The invention relates to governor mechanism Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line EP-El and more especially to governors for air and gas of Figure 10. compressors. Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line F-F of The primary object of the invention is the Figure 9. provision of a governor of this character, wherein Figure 9 is a side elevation of a structure shown 5 the same when equipped with an air or gas comin Figure '7. pressor will enable through sequence of steps Figure 10 is an end elevation thereof. the unloading and loading of such compressor, Figure 11 is a top plan view partly in section the governor being of novel construction and of the governor and a three-cylinder, two-stage 10 automatic in its working. air compressor in association with each other. 10

Another object of the invention is the provision Similar reference characters indicate correof a governor of this character, wherein a drop sponding parts throughout the several views in in pressure of a compressor in the complete cycle the drawings. of unloading and loading can be varied at the Referring to the drawings in detail, A desig- 15 will of an operator and thus in this manner nates generally a housing having at one end a 1'5 the compressor can be rendered inoperative or shelf or support EU which may be integral or restored to normal working condition for deliverseparate therefrom and upon which is mounted ing maximum output. an electric motor ll, its driving shaft l2 through A further object of the invention is the proa coupling 93 having connection with a power vision of a governor of this character, wherein shaft hi which is journaled in the housing A and the compressor is constantly under the control extends therethrough. This power shaft I4 is of the governor so that unloading thereof can be operatively connected with a crank shaft l5 effected in steps and likewise loading thereof had. through the medium of reducing gears l6 and I1,

A still further object of the invention is the respectively, the shaft l5 being at right angles provision of a governor of this character, which to the shaft I i and is journaled in the housing 25 is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable A with one end carrying a crank it without said and effective in its operation, automatic in the housing. working thereof, strong, durable, easy of adjust- At one side of the housing is a feed bracket l9 ment, and inexpensive to manufacture and inwhich is in the form of a curved arm and is slidstall. ably sleeved at 2|] on a lower guide 2! and at 22 30 Wit these d other Objects in V ew, the inon an upper guide 23, respectively, for horizontal vention consists in the features of construction, shifting motion. The bracket is formed with an combination and arrangement of parts as will elongated slot 24 in which fits the crank I8 so be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in that this crank will effect the shifting of said the accompanying drawings, which disclose the bracket 119 on the operation of the motor ll. 35 preferred embodiment of the invention and At the upper portion or top of the housing A pointed out in the claim hereunto appended. is a bed or table 25 carrying a cylinder 26 in In the accompanying drawings: which works a piston valve 21, the cylinder be- Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of the ing provided with suitable ports and ducts. On

governor mechanism constructed in accordance the top of the cylinder 26 is arranged a bellows 40 with the invention. Z8 confined within a shell 29 built upon a support Figure 2 is a sectional view looking from the 30. The bellows 28 operates a fulcrum pin 3| line A-A in Figure 1 showing a part thereof constituting a part thereof and suitably fitting in plan. in a seat 32 provided in a vertically movable arm Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the 33 adjustably pivoted at 34 to the support 3E! and 45 bracket of the governor for the step action of extended through a limit yoke 35 which is also on the same. the support 36 and carries an adjustable weight Figure 3A is an enlarged end elevation of the 36. The yoke 35 is a limit stop to the swing of upper portion of the bracket of the governor. the arm 33. The arm 33 at the end remote from Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line B-B the pivot 34 has pivoted thereto a hanger 31 50 of Figure '7. from which depends a rod 38 equipped with a Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line C--C bearing 39 and this rod is slidable through a guide of Figure 6. 40 carried by the housing A while operating Figure 6 is a sectional View on the line D-D of against the guide is a coiled spring ll surround- Figure 10. ing the said rod 38 and seated at 42 thereon. The 55 bearing 39 embraces an extension 43 of a feed rack 44 which is pivoted at 45 to a cross head slide 46 within a guide block 41 constituting a part of the bed 25. The block 41 has arranged therein a ball spring tensioned friction latch 48 for engagement in a series of seats 49 in the slide 46.

The slide 46 through coupling 58 with a stem 5| has connection with the piston valve 21. The stem 5| carries a pointer or indicator finger 52 coacting with a scale 53 on a scale plate 54 carried by the bed 25 between the cylinder 26 and the block 41 for full visibility.

The rack 44 has the upper and lower series of stepped feed teeth 55 and 56, respectively, for alternate engagement by reversely acting upper and lower feed dogs 51 and 58, respectively, which are pivoted at 59 upon the feed bracket l8 and have coacting therewith adjustable limit stops 60, and tensioning springs 6|, respectively. The feed dogs 51 and 58 are interfitted with limit stops in the form of pawls 62 which act counter to the stops 60 and function to have the feed dogs 51 and 58 positively engage with the step teeth on the rack 44 and eliminate the riding of these dogs over such teeth in their attack on the said teeth for the positive locking engagement of such dogs alternatively in their order.

The piston valve 2'! may be built for two or more step regulations in the working of the governor and its cylinder 26 has an internal bushing 63 throughout the length of the latter, the piston valve being adapted to work within this. bushing and at the port 64 is connected a compressed air supply which is usually the receiver of the air or gas. compressor while at the port 65 is connected one of the unloading valves of a cylinder of the compressor while the ports 66, 67 and 68 are likewise connected to the unload- .ing valves of other cylinders. of the compressor and the port 69 is connected to the atmosphere or intake to the compressor. There is provided the ports 16 in the cylinder 26 and either of these is for connection II with the air receiver ll of the compressor, the port 18 not connected being suitably plugged. The several ports 10 are arranged for convenience in the hook-up of the air receiver of the compressor according to location of the latter. The ports 65, 66, '61, and 68 are spaced in conformity with the disposition of the teeth 55 and 56 on the rack 44 and consistent with the travel of the crank l8 on the shaft l5. Now when the piston valve 21 is moved a distance of one tooth in one direction the port 65 is shut off from the port 64 while the port 69 will be brought into communication with the said port '65 and the lead 12 from the port 65 allows the compressor valve 13 to operate for unloading of the compressor cylinder 14 with which it is associated and on further movement of the valve 21 in the same direction for the extent of a single tooth' of the rack 44 the port 66 is shut off from the port 64 and communication of this port 56 is had with the port 69 so that the lead 15 to the said port 66 permits the unloading valve 16 associated with the cylinder 14 to operate for a second step of the unloading of the compressor, the lead 15 being fitted with a branch 11 which extends to the valve 18 for a compressor cylinder 19 which is. the high pressure cylinder of the compressor. Similarly the ports 61 and 68 are brought into communication with the port 68 and these ports have the leads and 8| connected with the valves 82 of the compressor cylinder 83 and the valves 84, respectively, one

being for the cylinder 19 and the other for the cylinder 83 for further unloading in sequence of these compressor cylinders for the complete unloading of said compressor. It has been stated that the cylinder 19 is the high pressure cylinder while the cylinders 14 and 83 are the low pressure cylinders of the compressor.

The receiver H is connected to the discharge of the high pressure cylinder 19 and this connection 85 is diagrammatically indicated as a line connected with line 85. The line 85 which is connected with the high pressure cylinder 19 at the discharge side thereof in connection with the port 64 in the cylinder 26 has fitted therein a three-way cock 86 and this cock may be operated electrically through the circuit of an automatic electric starting apparatus on the switch board 81 for the motor driving the compressor so that said cock will be actuated at the time of the starting of the motor for a complete unloading of the compressor until the motor will have been brought to the proper speed to have the compressor within control of the governor. In starting the compressor with compressed air in the receiver H if the cock 86 is turned to the proper position the source of compressed air to the governor is cut off and all compressed air in unloading valves l3, I6, 18, 82, and 84 on the cylinders 14 and 18 will be vented to the atmosphere thereby making the compressor completely inoperative as to delivery of compressed air or in other words the said compressor will be completely unloaded.

In the operation of the governor the compressed air from the receiver 1| through connection H enters the port 10 and thence flows into the bellows 28 which balances the arm 33 as opposed to the combined force of the weight 36 and the spring 4 I. This opposed force is regulated to suit the terminal air pressure of the com pressor. If the terminal air pressure increases the arm 33 moves upward causing the lifting of the rack 44 in that direction so that the dog 51 and pawl 62 will engage with a tooth 55 of the rack 44 and movement of the bracket l9 causes the valve 21 to be moved a definite distance for cutting oil the port 65 from the source of supply of compressed air which is conveyed to the unloading valve 13 of the cylinder 14 and thereby exhausting this compressed air through the port 69 to the atmosphere which causes the said valve 13 to be inoperative and thereby cutting oil? onefourth of the capacity of the compressor. If the terminal air pressure still increases after this reduction in capacity, a similar occurrence takes place and the valve 21 moves another definite distance and thereby causing the unloading valves 16 and 18 to go into action and thereby cutting off another quarter of the capacity of the compressor. Under this the compressor unit is onehalf unloaded. If the terminal air pressure still increases a similar action takes place and the valve 21 again moves a definite distance for controlling the unloading valve 82 and thus cutting off another one-fourth of the capacity of the unit. Now if the terminal air pressure still increases the valve 21 again moves another definite distance and thereby makes inoperative the unloading valves 18 and 84 and at this time cutting off another one-fourth of the capacity of the compressor so that the compressor will be completely unloaded and cannot deliver compressed air. When the terminal air pressure of the compressor unit begins to fall a reversal of operation just previously described takes place. That is to say, the arm 33 drops causing the rack 44 to come into engagement with the dog 58 and pawl 62 coacting therewith whereby through a step by step movement of this rack 44 the valve 21 correspondingly moves and in sequence all of the unloading valves are closed whereupon the compressor is delivering its complete output of compressed air. Thus the governor will control the output of a compressor step by step by the rising and falling of its predetermined terminal air pressure.

The governor is automatic in its working when the motor II is operating and the drop in pres sure in the complete cycle in loading and unloading can. be varied at the will of an operator. Each step of unloading of the compressor follows in a definite sequence and these steps are controllable by the teeth 55 and 56 of the rack 44 coacting through dogs 51 and 58 and the movement of the bracket I9 operated from the motor H.

What is claimed is:'

The combination with a fluid compressor, including a plurality of cylinders each having a bypass valve, of a governor for effecting the loading and unloading of said compressor bypass valves in a sequence of steps, including a reciprocable member movable in steps in accordance with the steps of the sequence of the loading or unloading of the compressor, a continuously operated reciprocating member adapted to engage said reciprocable member and move it a step at a time in either the loading or unloading sequence, and pressure controlled operating means for effecting the engagement between said reciprocable member and said continuously operated reciprocating member or disengagement thereof in accordance with the pressure of fluid compressed by the compressor.

CHARLES WAINWRIGHT.

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