US2154458A - Adjustable displacement meter or pump - Google Patents

Description

April 18, 1939. R. T. KNAPP 2,154,458

ADJUSTABLE DISPLACEMENT METER OR PUMP Filed Oct. 12, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Roberf TKnap a BY Mn. M

ATTORNEY April 18, 1939. R. T. KNAPP ADJUSTABLE DISPLACEMENT METER OR PUMP Filed Oct. 12, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Robe/"r T Knapp ATTORNEYS April-'18, 1939.

DISCHARGE R. T. KNAPP 2,154,458 ADJUSTABLE DISPLACEMENT METER OR PUMP Filed Oct. 12, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,0 0 Egg- I I I" I3 R is; 8 '7 '1 41 h- 2 8 2s INVENTOR Robe/"2 T Kna ATI'O R N EYS April 18, 1939.

R. T. KNAPP ADJUSTABLE DIS PLACEMENT METER OR PUMP Filed Oct. 12, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [Q I Z; 59" 12 OR Robert 7. Km: m/

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Robert T. Knapp, Pasadena, Calif., assignor thirty-three'and one-third l0! cent to Indolph A. Rick and thirty-three and one-third pet soles, Calif ,Application October 12, 19:1, Serial no. 1st,: 12 Claims. (Cl. lea-13s) through a narrow range to adjust the machine for accurate metering use. I

The invention is particularly directed to that type of rotary machine which embodies a rotor member mounted within a concentric rotor chamher or stator provided with coactingly shaped end walls disposed at the opposite axial ends I said rotor and defining vane-guiding cams, d vane members mounted on said rotor and extending transversely with respect to a plane of rotation thereofin engagement with both of said guiding cams, said vane members being slidably mounted on said rotor for laterally reciprocating motion, that is, for motion in a direction transverse to a plane of rotation of the rotor. is applicable in general to the structures described in my issued Patent No. 2,020,611 and in my copending applications Serial Nos. 123,237

and 135,246, filed January 30, 1937, and April 6,

1937, respectively, as-well as to structures embodying rectangular vanes, instead of trapezoidal vanes as specifically described in my above-mentioned-patent and patent applications.

The vane members are carried within suitable sl po r gant objects of the invention is to provide secondary displacement or pump .means within suchslots, together with means for varying the displacement thereof to provide for minor variations in the volumetric capacity of the rotary machine per revolution. 2

A further object of the invention is to provide a variable capacity, positive fluid displacement rotary machine adapted primarily for metering Purposes, which may be employed in the role of a metering pump device adapted for operation at relatively high capacities and pressures, which will discharge a measured quantity of fiuid per revolution, andwhich is readily adjustable within a suificient range to provide for accurate metering of different types of fiuid or under different operating conditions.

It will readily be appreciated that any fluid metering device is required to be adjustable within a minor range so'that accurate metering of any particular fiuid under a particular set of operating conditions maybe establishedf This is particularly true in view of the fact that it is commercially impossible to produce meters or] The invention in the rotor member, and one of the imt e ein:

comparable mechanical devices which are so accurately machinedthat they will have a prescribed volumetric capacity per revolution, in

view of manufacturing tolerances which are nec- I essary. Furthermore. due to the difierences in compressibility of various liquids, it is frequently necessary to adjust a metering .device whenever there is" change in operating pressures or where the device is used on-a diflerent-liquid from that for which .it was originally adjusted.

Other objects of the invention will be brought out in the ensuing description of certain embodiments thereof, or will be apparent from such description. The accompanyingdrawings illustrate such embodiments and referring thereto:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a device acmay be employedfor-the device;

2, 3, and 4 represent the two cam plates and .the rotor assembly, the. rotor assembly being shown in plan view and the.cam plates being turned outwardly therefrom and shown in correlated perspective;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a rotor member embodying the present invention, adapted to be incorporated in the rotary machine shown in Fig. 1; u I

Fig. 6 is a transverse partly sectional view thereof, taken on line 0-8 in Fig. 5;

Fig. I is a transverse section taken on line 1-1 in Big. 5; I

Fig. 8 is a view eorresponding to Fig. 5,'showing an alternative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 9 is, a view corresponding to Figs. 5 and 8, showing a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary transverse section thereof, taken on line il-lll in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a transverse section of ameterlng machine to the present invention, embodying a further modification of the device;

Fig. 12 ms longitudinal section of the form of device shown in Fig. 11, taken on line l2l2 Fig. 18 is a large scale face view of one of the vane'members employed in the present device, showing'the manner in which a variation of the slot capacity operates to v'ary the volumetric capacity of the machine per revolution;

Fig. 11; is' a 'vi'ew' corresponding generally to Fig. 13, illustrating the construction and operation of one particular modification of the inven- Flg. i5 .is a partly atic view corre- 'cording to thevpresent invention, showing'the v construction of a form of stator portion which sponding to a transverse section of the form of rotor structure illustrated in Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 is a partly broken away longitudinal section of a single-ended" meter structure, in which the variable displacement feature of this invention is incorporated.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 through 4, the rotary device of the present invention may comprise a-rotor I mounted on a shaft 2 and disposed within a concentric housing 3 provided with end plates 4 and 5 carrying suitable bearings such as shown at 6 and l for support of the shaft 2. The rotor I is provided with a plurality of vanes 8 slidably disposed within suitable longitudinal slots 9 in the rotor I in such manner as to extend transversely with respect to a plane of rotation of said rotor I. The respective end plates 4 and I each carry a cam plate as shown at II and I2. The cams II and I2 are circular in shape and serve as vane guiding cams; the faces II' and I2 of these cams are of such a shape as may be generated by the lateral limits of a plane surface which is rotated about the axis of rotation of the shaft 2, said generating plane being moved longitudinally of the shaft 2 and in its own plane during: its rotation about said axis so that one or more complete reciprocations are eflected in one rotation of 360.

As taught in the above-mentioned issued patent and the copending patent applications, the cam faces may advantageously be substantially of such shape as would be generated by the outwardly converging lateral edges of a plane surface of trapezoidal shape rotated about a line parallel to the axis of rotation of the shaft 2 and reciprocated axially. This particular design of the cams is preferably only, and as described in the above-mentioned issued patent the vanes themselves may be of any one of several diflerent shapes, either in the suggested form of symmetrical trapezoid as specifically illustrated herein, or with the edge portions curved concavely or convexly after the manner shown in Figs. 14 and 15 of the above-mentioned issued patent. principles of the present invention apply equally well to constructions employing any one of the above-described types of vanes, as well as to constructions in which the axial ends of the vanes are parallel with one another. Similarly, the

vanes may be so mounted in the rotor member.

as to have a substantially axial longitudinal movement, as in the specific forms herein delineated, or as to have a longitudinal movement at an angle to the axis of the rotor, as in the form shown in Fig. 13 of Patent No. 2,020,611. Likewise, as in the present described form, the vanes may extend radially outwardly within the rotor, or at an angle to a radius, as shown in Fig. 12 of said issued patent. Furthermore, the invention is applicable to single-ended pump structures employing axially reciprocable vane elements, such as shown in United States Reissue Patent No. 19,783, dated December 3, 1935. Combinations of these constructions are also within the contemplation of this invention, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and this invention is directed primarily to the construction of the slots in the rotor within which the vane is ,vanes 2 may bear.

The

section of the space between them taken upon a plane containing the generating trapezoid is substantially identical in shape with all similarly taken cross-sections, the axial distance between 'and sealing faces for the lateral edges to and 8b of the vanes l, and an outer guiding and sealing face I! is provided on the housing 3 against which the outer or peripheral edges 8c of the The outer face I3 is preferably cylindrical in shape and may be provided by means of an annulus I4 having a press fit within the housing I, and the inner diameter of the annulus I4 is preferably only slightly greater than the outer diameter of the rotor I, so as to provide a minimum clearance between said rotor and the face II, whereby cross-circulation of fluid between the displacement spaces or chambers of the respective axial ends of the rotor is substantially prevented. The sealing and guiding surfaces II, I2 and I3 serve to define and enclose a rotor chamber within which the rotor I is mounted.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 through 4, the rotor I is shown as comprising a main body portion Ia of such diameter as to provide a running fit with the surface I3 of the annulus II, and hub portions Ibof reduced diameter projecting laterally at the respective ends of said bo portion. The main body Ia of the rotor is m ed as two oppositely disposed truncated cones spaced by an intermediate cylindrical portion which constitutes the outside diameter of the rotor and, as above set forth, fits closely within the annulus I4. The angle whichthe conical faces make with the axis of the rotor preferably conforms to the angle of inclination of the cam faces II' and I2 and to the angle which the vane edges 80 and lb make with the edge to as is illustrated in Figs.

1 and 12. This is a structurally preferable but not a necessary feature of the construction, particularly where the device is employed for handling a substantially incompressible fluid. The slots 9 are formed in,the body portion and 'hub portions of the rotor I, and serve to support the vanes in their desired positions and cause the same to rotate with the rotor, while permitting free reciprocation of the vanes under'the influence of the guiding cams. The rotor I cooperates with the guiding and sealing surfaces II, I2, and II to define separate displacement chambers at the respective ends of the rotor body portion la.

The housing 3 is provided with an inlet I5 and an outlet I6 which communicate respectively with inlet passage I1 and outlet passage I 8 arranged of the annulus. The respective passages I1 and I. are provided with portions which extend laterally outwardly of the annulus It for communication with certaininlet and discharge ports in the device, as hereinafter described. The cam plates II and I2 are provided with one or more inlet ports I 9 and II, respectively, which ports.

communicate with the above-mentioned laterally .along the inner periphery of housing I exteriorly J 2,154,458 extending portiom of the inlet passage i! (said proiectingportions being indicated at no and l'lb),and with one or more discharge ports 22 and 23, which communicate with the laterally portions Ila and llb, respectively, of

municate to the interior of the device, that is,

to the fluid displacement chambers at the respective axial sides of the rotor I, through circumferentially elongated passages in the'cam plates, opening throughthe cam faces II and I2, as indicated at 24, 25, 26, and 21, said passages 24 through 21. being preferably inclined in a spiral form so that the lateral edges to and lb of the vanes 8' will be subjected to uniform wear in passing over these passages. The above-described arrangement of ports is given by way of example only, inasmuch as such ports will depend upon the use to 'which the device is to be put.

From the above description it will be seen that the cam faces II and i2 may be formed upon the end plates 4 ands, but it will also be apparent that where important wear-resisting qualities are desired in the cam faces under particularly severe operating conditions, for example, the structure may alternatively be formed separate ring-shapedelements ii and I2 hav-'" ing inner ends of small diameter such that they may set within the annulus l4, and outer ends of somewhat increased diameter so as to abut against the lateral ends of said annulus I l. The

respective end plates 4 and I may thus be caused to bear directly against the separate members I I and I2 which carry the cam faces II and I2, firmly holding said members in fixed relation with respect to the housing 3. Suitable dowel members may be provided, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art, whereby the respective-cam faces are placed in the desired orientationwithrespect to one another and with'respect to the inlet and outlet passages l1 and II. The inner diameter of the members II and I2 which provide the faces II and I2 is preferably such as to have a relatively small clearance with the hub portions lb of the rotor I. The enlarged outer ends of the end plates 4 and 8 are preferably recessed as at 20 adjacent the inlet and dis charge ports, so that free flow of fluid between said ports and the respective inlet and outlet passages is provid d I In the above description, the casing or housing 3 is set'forth as provided with respective inlet or outlet passage means such as shown at I! through. II. It will be realized that the respective passages may be reversed in function so that the inlet l serves as an outlet, depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft or rotor l. I have, however, illustrated for conveniencein description a specific direction of rotation by arrows in Figs. 1. 3, 6, 11, and 12.

While the specific design of the cam faces Ii pertinent hereto).

and I2 is not of particular moment in connection with the .present disclosed features of the device, and is obviously subject to wide ,variation, it may be said that in one common form these cam faces may, roughly be divided into 90 quadrants, as may be visualized from Figs. 2 and 4 (these quadrants actually depart from 90 in the actual construction, as set forth in Serial No. 135,246, for certain reasons which are not Referring more particularly to Fig. 2; for the purpose of description, these quadrants may be visualized as extending respectively between the four points indicated at A, B, C, and D. The quadrant A-B' will illustrate an inlet quadrant for the displacement chamber defined between the cam face II and the adjacent inclined face or side wall of the rotor l (assuming the delineated direction of rotation). The. axial separation between the cam face II and the adjacent inclined face of the rotor thus increases from the point A to the point B, and the incoming fluid will flow freely into-the displacement chambers defined between the-vanes E and F (see Fig. 3) through the slot 24. The vane F is in sealing engagement with the surface between the points B and C, and the pressure of the incoming fluid will be applied against the exposed face of said vane, causing a rotation of the rotor. The displacement chamber between the vane E and the point A will also be filled with the incoming fiuid, and when the vane E reaches the point B, sealing oi! the end of the slot 24, the fluid pressure will be applied to the vane E, and the vane F will have reached.

the point C, whereupon the fiuid between the vanes E and P will start to discharge from the device through the slot 28. The quadrant C-D is reversed inslope to the quadrant A-B, and the axial separation of the face II from the rotor gradually diminishes to the clearance value at the point D. The discharge of fluid from the displacement chamber between the vanes E and F continues until the vane E has reached the point D, at which time the vane F is substantially in position to pass the point A, whereupon the volume of the space between the vanes E and I" will again begin to increase and allow inflow of a further quantity of fluid. It will be appreciated that the same operations as above described will take place between each pair of vanes, during rotation of the device, and that the operation of the opposite end of the device is entirely comparable, the fluid flowing into the right hand side of the device through the slot 25, and discharged through the slot'2'l.

Suitable passages 18 are provided in the hub portion lb of the rotor l, preferably at positions closely adjacent the intersection of the conical side walls of the body portion la or the rotor with said hub portion lb, said passages opening at their outer ends through the periphery of the respective hub portions and communicating at their inner ends with the slots 9 inwardly of the vanes I. The passages 3b are provided at each sideor end of the rotor body In (in a doubleended construction), and may be disposed adjacent the entering or leading face of the respective vanes, so as to place the respective end portions of a particular slot in fiuid communication with the fluid displacement chamber which is in advance of the position of a particular vane so that the volumetric capacity of the respective ends of the slot is included in the volumetric capacity of the respective adjacent displacement chamber. The passages 35 may alternatively be if desired, with equal results. In general, I find it desirable to be consistent in the placement thereof,sothatallthepassageswillbeadja cent either the entering or trailing face of each blade or vane. I

As an alternative to the provision of passages 38 in the rotor itself, I may provide cut-away corner portions for the vanes, as shown at 80 inFigs. and 13 in the aforementioned copending application Serial No. 123,237, or provide passages within the vane structure, as shown'at I! in Fig. 13in said application.

' centrifugal force.

vrotor.

above described is considered desirable only where.

In view of the fact that during rotation the vanes will be forced outwardly against the surfaces ll', l2", and it, thus providing a clearance between the inner edge 4d of the vane and the' the vane body and is of such thickness as to have a minimum side clearance within the slot 9. The member 42 is preferably maintained in place within and in engagement with the bottom of the slot 8 through the agency of one or more spring members 43 positioned to bear against the outer edge of the member 42 and against the inner edge of the slot 4i in order to overcome the effect of Suitable guide pins or the like may be provided as at 44 for the purpose of ltliialntaining the springs 43in their desired posi- For the purpose of providing an outward pressure against the central portion of the inward edge of the vanes 8 to counterbalance the radially inward pressure on the central portion of the outward edge 4c of said vanes, and for producing a radially inward pressure on the member 42 against the bottom of the slot 9 and to oppose any outward pressure which may be communicated thereto through the slot 9 beneath the edge 8d of the vanes from one side or the other,

I may provide means for applying the same pressure to the space between the outer edge of the member 42 and the outer edge of the notch 4i as is present at the periphery of the body portion la of the rotor I. For this purpose I may provide a passage 46 within the rotor extending from the periphery of said rotor body portion and communicating with the aforesaid space. The position of the passages 45 with respect to the rotor and the vanes is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 13, wherein it will be seen that the passages open at the periphery of the rotor at the medial plane of the rotor. It will be appreciated that this position of the passage corresponds to the averat the opposite sides of the rotor, which is preferable for the proper operation of the device where the counterbalancing passage is provided in the The provision of passage means 45 as the device is to be operated in the role of a metering" pump, where significant differences 'in pressure exist between the inlet and outlet. In

8,154,458 disposed adjacent the trailing face oi the vanes.

wherefore such pressure counterbalancing means are superfluous.

Each slot 8 is of sufficient length to accommoother, even though the vane undergoes considerable outward movement due to wear on the edges 8a., 8b, and 8c. The cam plates II and i2 overlap the end portions of these slots to varying degrees at one or both ends (according to the rotative position of any particular slot with respect to the cam faces). The clearance spaces thus formed at the ends of the slots (as shown for example at to in Fig. 13) will expand or contract, dependent upon whether the vane is moving away from or toward the respective end wall of the particular slot. It willbe observed that in the construction herein shown the passages 35 permit free interflow of fluid between the displacement chambers and the aforesaid clearance spaces at a position inwardly of the inward edge 8d of the vanes 8, thus eliminating the trapping of fluid in these spaces and thereby eliminating mechanical drag on the device from this source,

without detracting from the volumetric efllciency thereof.

According to the present invention the desired adjustment of the volumetric capacity of the device is secured through a quantitative control of the interflow of fluid between the displacement chambers and the aforesaid clearance spaces, as by the provision of means for forcing a greater or lesser quantity of fluid from such clearance spaces into the associated displacement chamber, whereby a controlled contribution to the effective volumetric capacity ofthe principal displacement chambers by certain secondary displace- !iient chambers provided by means of said clearstroke thereof at a constant value, instead of the customary provision of means for varying the pumping stroke, as employed in the conventional variable displacement reciprocating pump.

The desired adjustment of the volumetric capacity of the device per revolution may be .ob-

tained by varying the effective depth of one ormore of the slots 8. Referring particularly to Fig. 13, a vane I is shown at its ultimate lefthand position, and as the vane moves toward the right in the direction of the arrow R the space 9a at the right-hand end of the slot 9 becomes, in effect, a small displacement chamber with the portion of the vane from the inner edge 8d to the outer edge of the slot plus the portion of the member 42 (which functionsas a piston, and will be hereinafter referred to as a piston member") from the bottom of the slot to said inner edge of the vane constituting a piston head which will force a portion of the fluid entrapped within the space so outwardly thereof through the passage 35'. In this particular flgure, the vane has just passed to its left -hand position so that the lefthand end of the vane plus the left-hand exposed end of the piston member 42 has forced the maximum amount of fluid out of the left-hand end ad of the slot 8 into the space 48 in advance of said vane. At this position, the space 46 is at its maximum volume, at the termination of an intake" movement of the device at its left side, and the total volume of the fluid under treatment is that of the space 4| plus that of the end of the slot 5. As that particular portion of the device is moved around the device to cause a discharge of the fluid, the vane will move in the direction of the arrow R, increasingthe volume of the space is at the left end of the slot, and thus causing a decrease in the amount of fluid which would be discharged from the device through the discharge ports. It will be seen that where it is desired to increase the capacity of the device, it is merely necessary to decrease the depth of the slot 9;

- so that less fluid will be drawn into the slot space so during the discharge of fluid from the corresponding displacement chamber, and, similarly,

pacity of the device, it is merely necessary to increase the depth of the slot. The springs 43 serve to keep the piston member 42 in contact with the bottom of the slot 9, as above brought out, and the members 42 are preferably made of somewhat greater outward length than the maximum depth of the slots, so that the desired pumping action will be maintained at the maximum inward position of the bottom of theJslot, even though the vanes should wear to the extent that the inner edges 8d thereof practically reach the outer edges of the slots.

Inasmuch as the eifective area of the pumping piston operating in each clearancespace is made up of the area of the end of that portion of the vane which projects inwardly of the slot plus the area of the exposed or inwardly projecting portion of the end of the member 42 which moves with such vane, such 'efl'ective area will remain constant (with one setting" of the device) independent of the wear of the vanes and the consequent outward movement thereof, for the simple reason that as the piston eifect of the vane decreases, the piston effect of the member 42 increases and therefore the proportion of the effective area provided byeach element is immaterial.

An. alternative method of securing the desired adjustment is illustrated in Fig. 14, in which the rotor member is'provided with a slot of flxed depth, and the desired adjustment in the effective pumping action.is secured through the agency of a modified form of piston member 42' slidably disposed within asuitable notch 4| in a vane 8', said piston member being biased inwardly bymeans of a spring member 43" against a sealing member 48 threadedly secured within a col actinglythreaded bore sum the rotor body lb.

. eross-circulation of fluid within the slot as far inwardly as the surface 50, and the sealing portion 480 of the member 48 is of a diameter equal to or greater than'the diameter of the slot, pre-' venting cross-circulation of fluid from. the surface 50 to the bottom of the slot. The operation of this form of the invention is entirely comparahle-tothe form shown'in Fig. .13, the portion 01' the vane 8' and the projecting portion of the member 42' between the outer edge of the slot 9 andthesurfacell ccnstitutingapistonhead which will force a portion of the fluid entrapped within the ends of the slot 9' outwardly into the adjacent t chamber through one of the respective openings 3!. Inward and outward adjustment of the member 48 will eflect a corresponding movement of the member 42' as between the positions indicated, varyin the effective piston area between such values as are indicated at p; and p It will be appreciated that the member 48 actually defines the "bottom" or eifective inner limit of the slot 9, as far as the size of the small pumping chambers is concerned, inasmuch as the portions of the slot inwardly of the position of the sealing surface it of the member 42' are' wholly without function.

The desired inward and outward adjustment of the member 4! may advantageously be secured by employing an odd number of vanes, flve, for example, disposed as indicated at L, M, N, O, and .P in Fig. 15, and extending the threaded bore 49 diametrically through the rotor as indicated at L, M',-N', 0', and P In order to eifect axi adjustment of the position of the member 48 without necessitating a suitable opening 49' may be provided'in the annulus l4 at one point in the periphery thereof, in alinement with the bore 49, and another suitable opening 49" maybeprovided in the casing 13' in alinement with the opening 4!. The opening 4!" may be provided with a threadedplug member, not shown, which may be removed when it is desired to adjust the device,-the rotor being rotated so that a particular bore 4! is in alinement with the bores49' and 49", a long-shanked screwdriver being inserted in the alined openings into engagement with a screw slot in the inner end of the member 44, for rotation of the member 48 in the direction which will provide the desired adjustment. I

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, and. 'Lthe capacity adjustment is secured through an inward and outward movement of the bottom of the slot 1 within which the vanes I reciprocate, through the agency of movable follower members Il' deflning the bottom or inner surfaces of arch slots and comprising sealing members corresponding in function to the sealing members 48 above. The sealing follower members ll may be provided with sloping inner faces at the respective ends thereof, as at 52 and II, and suitable supporting or spacing means are provided in engagement with such sloping portions in order to secure the desired outward spacing of,the followers II with respect to the axis ofrotationofthedcvice. Accordingtothispar- 'tlcular form of the invention such spacing means is provided by two opposed spider elements 54 threadedlymountedonarightandleft-handcoactingly threaded screw member ll mounted for rotation along the axis of the rotor member and positioned against axial movement through the agency of a suitable lock screw 56. The member SI preferably extends through a suitable amal bore 81 in the shaft 2 in position for external access, as by means of a screw-driver or the like which may be brought into engagement with a screw slot 58 in the end of said member. In order to facilitate assembly, the rotor may be formed as three separate elements intersecured through the agency of suitable bolt means, such as a driving shaft end 59, a rotor body portion 8| constituting the hub portion in and the prinauly of the device, a

' as at 94, for association of the device with a suitable counting element or the like such as shown at 99 in Fig. l.

The form of device shown in Fig.9 is comparabletothatshowninFigs.5to7,withthe exception that the followers 99, corresponding in function tothe sealing ower .members If above, are provided with an inner surface taper-f ing in one direction along the axis of rotation of the device and an axially movable conical spacing member 91, is provided in place of the spiders 94. The conical spacing member I is conveniently mounted on an axially disposed pin member 99 threadedly mounted within the shaft portion -99. This form of device may also be formed as three separate sections Ii, 12, and .19, the respective end members Ii and I9 being secured to the central or hub' member 12 through the agency of short screws extending inwardly from each end of the rotor asshown at 14.

The form of invention shown in Figs. :9 and 10 provides the inward and outward spacing of the bottom of the slots 9 by means of sealing follower members li slidably disposed for inward and outward movement within the slot 9 and provided-with inwardly directed pin members adiacent the respective ends thereof as at 9! and II, the innerends of which are in engagement withan'axially movable adjuament member 94 provided with two conical adjustment surfaces 99 and 99 adapted tocnaage the inner ends of said pins 92 and 99 to move the foilowersliin-- wardly or outwardly upon axial movement of the member 94 such as may be attained by rotation of a threaded shaft, portion 91 threadedly disposed within the shaft In each of the forms described in Figs. 5 through 10 the inward movement of the followers ill, 86, and Si is caused by the compression springs 49 which bear inwardly against the sealing member 42 which in turn bears inwardly against the outer edge or face of the follower. It will be appreciated that where the device is to be used at excessively high speeds it may be desirable to provide relatively strong spring structures at 49 in order to overcome or counterbalance the tendency for the sealing member and the follower member to move outwardly under the influence of the rotative motion thereof,

which may result in some cases in producing a' rather high outward pressure of the vanes 9 follower member due to centrifugal action, I may employ a construction of the type shown in Figs.

- 11 and 12 in which a plurality of sealing or fol- 'drill presses, and any suitable means for securing the desired relative rotation of the hub portionaz with respect to themain-rotor body may be provided, as through the agency of a spur gear 92' secured to said hub 92 and adapted for engagement by a suitable removable key 94 which may extend through a suitable opening 99 in the hub member upon alinement thereof with a suitable opening 99 in an end wall to of the casing 9. A suitable plug may be provided as shown -in dot-dash lines at 91 whereby the opening 96 may be kept closed during operation of the device.

It will be appreciated that the amount of inward and outward adjustment which is required for the regulation of the depth of a vane-carrying slot in the rotor is dependent wholly upon the particular operating requirements of the device. Where relatively narrow slots and vanes are employed (as measured in a circumferential vdirection) it may be necessary to provide for a. relatively large inward and outward adjustment of the bottom of the slots in order to obtain an adequate variation inthe capacity of the device, and where relatively thick vanes and wide. slots are employed, it may only be necessary to provide a minor variation in the whole number of slots, or, as an alternative, a 'major variation in but one of the slots. Similarly, a device provided with four vanes, for example, may have three thin vanes and one thick vane, the bottoms of the slots carrying the thin vanes being fixed and the bottom of the slot carrying the thick vane being adjustable K In general, where the device is to be employed purely as a metering means, there will be little difference in the inlet and outlet pressures, and the only work which the device will have to perform is that of overcoming the friction of the parts, including the associated counting element; For this reason the parts may be made relatively light in construction. The device may advantageously be employed as a metering pump, or the like, by appropriately increasing the strength of the parts, dependent upon the operating conditions to be encountered. It will be appreciated that the proportions of the parts shown are illustrative only, and while a rather heavy shaft and bearing structure is shown in Figs. 1 through 10 and 16, such a construction is necessary only where the device is to be employed as a metering pump, inasmuch as where the device is employed simply as a meter, the strength of the shaftneed be only such as to drive the associated countin or registering mechanism. t

Whilethe invention as described is directed primarily to the rotary machine as a whole, it will be appreciated that the construction of the housing portion of the device is quite equivalent to the structures described and claimed in the above-mentioned patent and patent applications, the principal differences in the present construction residing in the construction of the rotor member per se. The rotor'member is subject to sale as a separate unit, either alone or in association with appropriate vane members, and for this reason is separately claimed herein.

Numerous modifications of the device, within the spirit and contemplationiof the invention, will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and I do not choose to be restricted to the speciflc forms herein delineated and described, but rather to the scope of the subioined claims. For example, I have herein shown and described but two forms of piston member which may be employed to cooperate with the sealing member at the inner limit of the slots and seal the respective slots against cross-circulation of fluid, but it will be appreciated that any desired type .of piston means which will move along the slot with the blade or vane member will have the desired pumping or piston action withinthe slot, and will serve to force fluid into and out of the adjacent displacement chambers.

As mentioned above, the present invention is adapted to incorporation in structures such as shown in United States Reissue Patent No. 19,783 to Roberts, dated December 3, 1935, and such an adaptation is shown in Fig. l6. Referring to.

opposite axial ends of the vanes to cause the same to persist in engagement with the cam surface, performing the function of the opposed cam member shown in the other forms of the device. a suitable radial extension I06 of the rotor I being provided against which the rearward ends of the springs I08 'may bear. Intercommunication of the rearward ends of each of the slots I06 is provided, in order to prevent a hydrostatic trap upon axial movement of the respective vanes. as by cutting'the rotor away adjacent the outer rearward edge thereof, as shown at IIO. A sealabove.

ing member III, corresponding in function and position to the sealing members 42 above, is provided for each of the vanes I06, in position to bear against the upper surface of a follower H2 which is adapted for radial movement inwardly and outwardly of the hub portion of the rbtor I04 through the agency of any suitable actuating means such as an axially movable conical spacing member II3 corresponding in position and function to the member 61 shown in Fig. 8. A

, portions of the structure which are directed towards andaway from the axis of the rotor member, respectively. In the specific delineations of'structure herein made, such "inward and outward" portions of the device may be considered as radially inward and "radially outward portions, but as brought out hereinbefore, it is not essential that the vanes, for example,

-' extend in 'a truly radial direction.

I claim: I 1. In a rotary machine of the laterally" sliding vane type,. a rotor construction which comprises:

a hub member provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending transversely with respect to a plane of rotation of said rotor and each adapted to receive a vane member provided with an inwardly directed piston member of the same eflfective width as said slot; an inwardly and outwardly movable sealing member disposed within one of said slots and extending across the width thereof in position to engage the inward edge of said piston member; and

In the particular form shown, the

means for positioning said sealing member with respect to its outward position within said slot.

2. A rotary machine which comprises: a housing provided with a rotor chamber having fluid inlet and fluid outlet'passages and an annular sealing and guiding surface; a rotor concentrically mounted within said chamber and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said annular surface, and provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending transversely with respect to a plane of rotation thereof; a plurality of laterally reciprocable vanes disposed within the respective slots, constrained to rotate with said rotor, and having their outward edges in sealing engagement with said annular surface; a guiding and sealing cam member mounted on said housing at one axial side of said rotor in position to engage the adjacent lateral ends of said vanes; means engaging'the opposite lateral ends of said vanes to maintain said vanes in engagement with said guiding and sealing cam member, said cam member and said last-named means cooperating to effect lateral reciprocation of said vanes within said slots upon. rotation of said rotor; a piston member extending within each of said slots adjacent the inner edge of the respective vane, said piston member being slidably movable-with respect to said vane in a direction transverse to the direction of lateral reciprocation of said vaneand constrained to move' with said vane during the reciprocating movement thereof; means biasing said piston member toward the bottom of said slot; means for varying the. efl'ective working area of said piston member and including sealing means adapted to engage the inwardlydirected surface of said piston member and limit the extent to which said piston member projects inwardly of the respective slot and to cooperate with said piston member to provide a seal across said slot and define a displacement chamber at the end of said slot which is adjacent said cam member; and passage means establishing fluid communication between said displacement chamber and said rotor chamber at said one axial side of said rotor.

3. A rotary machine which comprises: a housing provided with a rotor chamber having fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages and an annular sealing and guiding surface; a rotor concentrically mounted within said chamber and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said annular surface, and provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending t'ransversely with respect to a plane of rotation thereof and in fluid communication with said chamber; a plurality of laterally reciprocable vanes disposed within the respective slots, constrained to rotate with said rotor, and having their outward edges in sealing engagement with said annular surface; two opposed guiding and sealing cam members mounted on said housing at the respective axial sides of said rotor and adapted to engage the respective lateral ends of said vanes and eiIect lateral reciprocation thereof upon roton member being adapted to move with the re-" t spective vanes in the lateral reciprocation thereof and movable with respect to the respective vane inwardly and outwardly of said slot; means biasing said piston member inwardly of said slot;

and adjustable sealing means within said slot and extending outwardly into sealing engagement with the inner surface of saidpiston member for varying the extent of penetration of said piston member inwardly of the respective slot.

4. A rotary machine which comprises: a housing provided with a rotor chamber having fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages and an annular sealing and guiding surface; a rotor concentrically mounted within said chamber and having a 10 peripheral portion closely spaced from said an- 15 a plurality of laterally reciprocable vanes disposed within the respective slots, constrained to rotate with said rotor, and having their outward edges in sealing engagement with said annular surface; two'opposed guiding and sealing cam 20 members mounted on said housing at the respective axial sides of said rotor and adapted to engage the respective lateral ends of said vanes and effect lateral reciprocation thereof upon rotation of said rotor; an inwardly biased piston member extending within each of said slots adjacent the inner edge of the respective vane and cooperating with said vaneiand the walls of said slot to establish a fluid seal intermediate the ends of said slot, and constrained to move with said i) respective vane during the lateral reciprocation thereof; and means for varying the depth of at least one of said slots.

5. A rotary machine which comprises: a housing provided with a rotor chamber having fluid 35 inlet and fluid outlet passages and an annular sealing and guiding surface; a rotor concentrically mounted within said chamber and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said annular surface, and provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending: transversely with respect to a-plane of rotation thereof; a plurality of laterally reciprocable vanes disposed within the respective slots, constrained to rotate with said rotor, and having their out- 5 ward edges in sealing-engagement with said annular surface; two opposed guiding and sealing cam members mounted on said housing at the respective axial; sides of said rotor and adapted to engage the respective lateral ends of said vanes and effect lateral reciprocation thereof upon rotation of said rotor; a piston member 'secured to each of said vanes at the inner-edge thereof and extending within the respective slots at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said 55 vanes being spaced from the bottom of the reing provided with a rotor chamber havingufluid' spective slots at positions laterally removed from said piston members, and said piston members defining two separate displacement chambers within said slots; passage means providingfluid 60 communication between said displacement chambers and said rotor chamber at ,the respective axial sides of said rotor; and means for'varying the effective inward extension of at least oneof said piston members within the respective slots. 6. A rotary machine which comprises: a hous-L inlet and fluid outlet passages and an annular sealing and guiding surface; a rotor concentrically mounted within said chamber and having a'pe-.

70 ripheral portion closely spaced from said annular posed within the respective slots, constrained to rotate with said rotor, and having their outward edges in sealing engagement with said annular surface; a follower member slidably disposed at the radially inward portion of at least one of said slots, defining the bottom wall thereof and movable inwardly and outwardly therein to provide a variation in the effective depth thereof; adjustable spacing means cooperating with said follower member to position the same to establish said slot at the desired depth; a piston member extending within said one slot adjacent the inner edge of 'the respective vane and constrained to move therewith, said piston cooperating with said vane, the walls of said slot and said follower member to establish a fluid seal intermediate the ends of said slot; and two opposed guiding and sealing cam members mounted on said housing at the respective axial sides of said rotor and adapted to engage the respective lateral'ends of said vanes and effect lateral reciprocation thereof upon rotation of said rotor.-' v

7. The device as set forth in claim 6, each of said slots being provided with a follower member and a piston member, and said adjustable spacing means being adapted to engage each of said follower members for adjustment of the position the several follower members as a unit.

8. A rotary machine which comprises: a housing provided with a rotor chamber having fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages and an annular cally mounted, within said chamber and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said ber; a plurality of laterally reciprocable vanes v disposed within the respective slots, constrained to rotate with said rotor, and having their outward edges insealing engagement with said annular surface; cam means engaging the respective lateral ends ofsaid vanes and adapted to effect lateral reciprocation thereof upon rotation of said rotor; a piston member securedto each of said vanes at the inner edge thereof and constrained to lateral reciprocating movement with said vanes, said sealing members extending within the respective slots at a position intermediate the ends thereof and-movable with reference to the respective vanes in a direction transverse to the lateral reciprocating movement of said vanes; means biasing said piston members inwardly of the respective slots toward engagement with the inner surface of said slots; a sealing member extending within one of said slots and in engagement with the inner edge of the corresponding piston member, said sealing member cooperating vwith the walls of said slot and the inner edge of said piston member to define two separate displacement chambers within said slot at the respective ends of said slot, and said sealing member being adapted for movement inwardly and outwardly of said slot to determine the extent to which said piston member extends within said slot; and passage means providing fluid communication between said displacement chambers and said rotor chamber. Y

9. A rotary machine which comprises: a housing provided with a rotor chamber having fluid inlet and fluid-outlet passages and an annular sealing and guiding surface; a vrotor concentrically mounted within said chamber and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said annular surface, and provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending transversely with respect to a plane of rotation thereof Y a plurality of laterally reciprocable vanes disposed 6 within the respective slots, constrained to rotate with said rotor, and having their outward edges in sealing engagement with said annular surface;

a guiding and sealing cam member mounted on said housing at one axial side of said rotor in 10 position to engage the adjacent lateral ends of said vanes; ,means engaging the opposite lateral ends of said vanes to maintain said vanes in en- Easement with said guiding and sealing cam member, said cam member and said last-named means cooperating to eifect lateral reciprocation of said vanes within said slots upon rotation of said rotor; -a piston member extending within each of said slots adjacent the inner edge of the respective vane, said piston member being slidably movable with respect to said vane in a direction transverseto the direction of lateral reciprocation of said vane and constrained to move with said vane during the reciprocating movement thereof; means biasing said piston member toward the bottom of said slot; means for varying the effective working area of said piston member and including sealing means adapted to engage the inwardly directed surface of said piston member and limit the extent to I 80 which said piston member projects inwardly of the respective slot and to cooperate with said piston member to provide a seal across said slot and define a. displacement chamber at the end of said slot which is adjacent said cam member,

said slots being open to communication with one another at the side of said piston member away from said cam member; and passage means establishing fluid communication between said displacement chamber and said rotor chamber 40 at said one axial side of said'rotor.

o plurality of laterally reciprocable vanes disposed within the respective slots, constrained to rotate with said rotor, and having their outward-edges in sealing engagement with said annular surface;

means cooperating to effect lateral reciprocation of said vanes within said slots upon rotation of said rotor; a piston member extending within each of said slots adjacent the inner edge of the respective vane, said piston member being slidably movable with respect to said vane in a direction transverse to the direction of lateral reciprocation of said vane and constrained to move with said vane during the reciprocating movement thereof; means biasing said piston member toward the bottom of said slot; sealing means adapted to engage the inwardly directed surface of said piston member to cooperate with said piston member to provide a seal across said slot and define a displacement chamber at the endof said slot which is adjacent said cam member, said slots being open to communication with one another at the side of said piston member away from said cam member; and passage means establishing fluid communication between said displacement chamber and said rotor chamber at said one axial side of said rotor.

11. A rotor for use in a rotary machine of'the sliding vane type, which comprises: a hub member provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending transversely with respect to a plane of rotation of-said rotor and each adapted to receive a vane member provided with an inwardly directed-piston member having an efiective width in a. circumferential direction equal to the width of said slot; an inwardly. and outwardly movable sealing member disposed within one of said slots, extending across the. width thereof in sealing relation to the side walls of said slot, and in position to engage the inward edge of said piston member; and means for positioning said sealing member with respect to its outward position within said slot.

12. The construction set.forth in claim 11, in which a sealing member is provided in each of said plurality of slots, and in which said lastnamed means comprises means for coincidentally positioning all of said sealing members as a unit.

ROBERT T. KNAPP.

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