US3036527A

US3036527A - Rotary device with access port

Info

Publication number: US3036527A
Application number: US63808A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edwin F Peterson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-10-20
Filing date: 1960-10-20
Publication date: 1962-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-29

Description

May 29, 1962 E. F. PETERSON 3,036,527

ROTARY DEVICE WITH ACCESS PORT Filed Oct. 20, 1960 FIG. I

INVENTOR. E. F. PETERSON ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fiice 3,035,527 Patented May 29, 1962 3,036,527 ROTARY DEVICE WITH ACCESS PORT Edwin F. Peterson, Martin Engineering Co., Neponset, Ill. Filed Get. 20, 1960, Ser. No. 63,808 8 Claims. (CL 103-136) This invention relates to a rotary device, typical of which are fluid pumps, motors, etc., and more particularly to improvements residing in the provision of an access port for inspection and/ or removal of internal parts such as impeller members, vanes and the like.

A conventional device, motor or pump of the general character referred to is normally constructed in such manner as to have a rotor housing including an internal rotor chamber, the housing having an annular wall and a pair of opposite radial side walls respectively presenting an internal circumferential surface and a pair of radial surfaces defining the chamber. A rotor within the chamber is mounted on a shaft for rotation on an axis normal to the radial surfaces and such rotor will carry one or more vanes or equivalent in power members adapted to travel in such manner that their respective end edges operate in contact with the interior chamber surfaces. These surfaces and the respective edges of the vanes are accurately machined, ground and lapped so that substantially a fluid-tight sealing relationship exists among the edges and surfaces so that the pump or motor will operate at its highest degree of efficiency. As part of the precision built into a pump or motor of this character, the rotor shaft is journaled on precision bearings and high-quality seals and gaskets are employed. The assembly is normally of three-piece construction, in which the annular wall is sandwiched between the two side walls and suitable removable securing means are utilized to hold the assembly together.

It is a characteristic of many motors or pumps of this character that at relatively frequent intervals inspection of the internal parts is in order, mainly as a precautionary measure to determine the existing conditions of the vanes. Heretofore, such inspection has required the removal of one of the side walls or plates, and thi necessarily entails disturbing the gaskets and bearings, and great care must be exercised in disassembly and reassembly in order to maintain the precision characteristics of the device. According to the present invention, this disadvantage is eliminated by the provision in one of the side walls or plates of an access port having a removable closure member, and this access port is of such size and location as to be laterally registrable with a position through which the successive vanes will travel as the rotor is rotated. More specifically, the port, which may conveniently be formed as a cylindrical bore, has a diameter slightly larger than the radial dimension of the impeller members or vanes. Hence, when the closure element is removed and the rotor turned by hand, the vanes will successively appear at the port and inspection thereof can be made from outside the housing without removal of any of the basic housing components. Moreover, if it is necessary to remove a vane, the same may be withdrawn endwise from its pocket in the rotor via the access port.

A still further feature resides in the provision on the closure member of an inner face so fashioned as to lie flush with the inner radial face of the side wall in which the port is formed, whereby the inner face of the closure member forms a continuation of this radial wall without interruption, thereby presenting no abrupt edges to interfere with operation of the vanes as their respective end edges travel over this radial surface. In this regard, it is a significant feature of the invention to provide cooperative abutment means limiting inward positioning of the closure element to a condition in which the inner face is flush with the radial surface as aforesaid. In one form of the invention, the port is so arranged that a portion of the annular wall overlaps a segment of the port so that the inner face of the closure element abuts the overlapping portion. In another form of the invention, the port has at an external portion thereof a counterbore forming an annular recess in which seats an annular shoulder on the closure element. In both cases, removable securing means are provided for accurately positioning and holding the closure element in place. In one form of the invention, the securing means includes biasing means for holding the closure member in its normal position with the abutment means in cooperative relationship. In both forms of the invention, the removable means includes an end plate which also provides access to the bearing for the shaft in the proximate side wall.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become apparent as preferred embodiments of the invention are described by way of example in the ensuing description and accompanying sheet of drawings, the figures of which are described below.

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view through a rotary device, such as a pump or motor, employing one form of invention.

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end View of the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, with a portion thereof broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section of a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary end view of the structure shown in FIGURE 4.

In the drawing, the rotary device may be taken as a typical construction representative of a fluid pump or motor, which comprises essentially a rotor housing 10 having an annular or circumferential wall 112 sandwiched between a base member or plate 14 and a radial side wall 16. These three components afford a cylindrical rotor chamber 18 which has a circumferential interior surface 20 and a pair of radial

interior surfaces

22 and 24 afforded respectively by the circumferential and

radial walls

12, 14 and 16. The

radial walls

22 and 24 are of course normal to the cylinder of the wall 20, and the

walls

14 and 16 are appropriately recessed respectively at 26 and 28 to carry

bearings

30 and 32 for journaling a rotor shaft 34 which is rotatable on an axis perpendicular to the radial planes of the

walls

22 and 24 and which is slightly eccentric as respects the true center of the circumferential wall 20. The shaft 24 may be driven by any suitable means, not shown, to cause operation of the pump or motor, which includes the provision of a rotor 36 keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft 34 within the chamber 18.

The rotor 36 has therein a plurality of uniformly circumferentially spaced pockets or slots 38, each of which opens radially outwardly to the interior circumferential wall 20 and each of which also opens endwise respectively to the interior

radial walls

22 and 24. Each slot carries therein a vane or equivalent impeller member 40, each of which has its radially outermost edge 42 adapted to travel over and in close contact with the circumferential wall 20 and each of which has

opposite end edges

44 and 46 adapted to travel over and in close contact respectively with the interior

radial walls

22 and 24. It is at this point that the parts are precision formed so that an effective fluid seal is provided between each surface and its respective cooperating edge of the vane. As is conventional, the vanes are urged outwardly by centrifugal force or otherwise as the rotor rotates and the transfer of fluid under pressure is accomplished via fluid inlet and

outlet passages

48 and 50 formed in the housing.

s a es? Because of the aforesaid desirability of inspecting the internal part of the motor or pump without requiring disassembly, as by removal of the several cap screws 52, for example, that hold the parts together, there is provided in the radial wall 16 an access port or bore 54, which is here shown as having a diameter slightly in excess of the radial dimension of a vane 40. This port is of course eccentric to the axis of the shaft 34 and opens to the chamber 18 in such location that it is in lateral register with a position past which the vanes 40 successively pass as the rotor turns. This is best illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, wherein it will be seen that the lower vane 40 is in register with the port 54. Since this vane is relatively loosely carried in its slot or pocket 38, it may be removed endwise from the rotor slot via the port 54 for inspection 'and/ or replacement.

The port 54 normally carries a closure element in the form of a cylindrical plug 56 which has a cylindrical outer surface precision-formed to fit the cylindrical bore or port, and which further has an inner radial face 58 likewise precision-formed so that when it is normally in position the face 58 lies perfectly flush with the interior radial face 24, leaving no interruptions to interfere with smooth travel of the end edges of the vanes over that surface. To insure that installation of the plug 56 always presents the inner face 58 thereof exactly in the plane of the interior radial surface 24, cooperative abutment means is provided, in this form of the invention comprising cooperating

parts

60 and 62 respectively on the wall 12 and on the plug 56-. The part 60 of the wall 12 comprises a portion of the wall that overlaps a segmental portion of the port 54. The diameter of the port and plug are sufiiciently in excess of the radial dimension of the vanes 40 as to permit the relationship just described. Accordingly, when the plug 58 is installed, the

portions

60 and 62 will cooperate in the manner just described. In original machining, the plug may be installed and the surfaces 24 and '58 accurately machined at the same time. As the edges of the vanes and the surface 2458 wear during use of the pump or motor, it is expected that the wear will be evenly distributed and the coplanar relationship will continue to exist. Because of the precision machining of the plug and port, an effective fluid-tight relationship is established.

The plug 56 is normally maintained in position by securing means, here taking the form of an end plate 64 having releasable securing means in the form of screws 66 and additional cap screws 68 for securing the plate removably to the outer face of the radial wall 16. This plate has one portion 70 thereof radially overlapping the bore 28 in which the bearing 32 is carried and it further has another portion 72 overlapping the area in which the port 54 is formed. The interior part of the plate in its portion 70 has an annular integral portion 74 which abuts the outer radial face of the bearing 32.

The plate portion 72 has on its interior portion a pilot stud 76 against which seats one end of biasing means in the form of a compression spring 78. The outer portion of the plug 56 is coaxially recessed to receive the other end of the spring 78. Thus, the spring acts against the plug and reacts against the wall portion 74 to normally maintain the plug 56 in its normal condition in which the face 58 is coplanar with the radial surface 24. The outer end of the plug 56 is counterbored and tapped at 80 so that a threaded tool may be inserted into the plug for facilitating withdrawal thereof after the plate 70 and spring 78 are removed. When the plate is removed, access is also available to the bearing 32, as well as to the interior of the rotor housing when the plug is withdrawn, and the rotor may be turned by hand so that successive vanes occur in register with the port 54, through which port these vanes may be individually drawn for inspection and/or replacement. The access port and its

associated components

56 and 70 thus enable inspection and replacement of the vanes without requiring a major assembly of the device. Consequently, the basic components of the device may remain in place and cooperating sealing surf-aces and bearing alignment will not be disturbed.

That form of the invention shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 partakes of the advantages of the form just described, but employs a different form of port and closure construction. Accordingly, basic components of the device that are the same as those illustrated in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 will bear the same reference characters. These are employed to designate the circumferential wall 12 having the circumferential interior surface 20, the radial wall 16 having the interior radial surface 24, shaft 30, bearing 32 and vanes 40. In this case, the radial wall has an access port 154 normally closed by a closure element or plug 156, the inner radial face 158 of which is fashioned to lie exactly coplanar with the interior radial wall surface 24. There is in this case no radial offset or overlap between the interior circumferential surface 2%) and the circumference of the port 54, in which case a different form of cooperative abutment means is relied upon. Here, the wall 16, in its area at the outer end of the port 154, has therein an annular recess 160 and the plug 156 has thereon an accurately machined annular shoulder 162 which fits within this recess so that the inward position of the plug 156 is correctly established to maintain the perfect coplanar relationship between the surface 24 and face 156, for the same purpose as that described in connection with FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

The end plate or cover which corresponds to the cover 64 in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 is here designated by the numeral 164 and is shown as having portions 179 and 172 respectively overlapping the bearing 32 and the area of the outer end of the plug 156. Here again, securing means such as cap screws and additional screws may be employed, as at 68. As means for securing the inward position of the plug 156, the plate portion 172 is coaxially drilled and tapped at 176 to carry a threaded element in the form of a set screw :178 which coaxially seats against the outer end of the plug 156. Except for the difference just described, the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 performs the same functions as that described in connection with FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, and repetition is deemed unnecessary.

Features and advantages of both forms of the invention, other than those categorically pointed out, will readily occur to those versed in the art, as will many modifications and alterations in these forms, all of which will occur to those versed in the art, all without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A rotary device, comprising a housing having a rotor chamber including a circumferential wall having an interior circumferential surface and a radial wall having an interior radial surface normal to said circumferential surface, and said chamber being closed at the side opposite said radial wall; a rotor shaft extending through the chamber generally centrally thereof on an axis normal to said radial wall; means journaling the shaft in the housing; a rotor fixed to the shaft within the chamber and having therein a pocket opening radially to the circumferential surface and laterally to the radial surface; an impeller member carried in the pocket and having an outer edge portion and a radial edge portion adapted to travel respectively over said circumferential and radial surfaces as the rotor rotates; said radial wall having therein an access port on an axis parallel to the rotor axis and of such size and location as to be laterally registrable with the impeller member at a predetermined angular position of said member in the chamber, and said member being removably carried in said pocket for endwise withdrawal thereof through said port, said radial wall having a substantial thickness in its axial dimension in the area of said port so as to give said port a comparable substantial length; a plug element, of substantial axial length having a close sliding fit with the port and inwardly and outwardly slidably carried by and normally closing the port and having an inner end face precision-fashioned to lie flush with said radial surface, said element having an outer end portion; cooperating abutment means precision-fashioned respectively on said element and one wall and so dimensioned relative to said inner end face to limit inward positioning of said element to a condition in which said end face and radial surface are flush as aforesaid; and securing means for releasably retaining said element in place with the abutment means in cooperative relationship, including an end member separate from said element and abutment means and rigidly but removably secured to the radial Wall in outwardly spaced radially overlapping relation to said element outer end portion, and force-exerting means within the port and cooperative between said end member and said outer end portion to act on one and react on the other substantially at their axial centers to cause engagement of said abutment means with each other.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: yielding said force-exerting means comprises biasing means acting on the element to normally hold same in position with its abutment means cooperating with the wall abutment means.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: said force-exerting means includes screw-threaded means carried by said member and adjustable inwardly for urging the element into position with its abutment means cooperating with the wall abutment means.

4. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the abutment means includes as one part thereof a portion of the circumferential wall disposed in overlapping relation to the port to partially obstruct said port at the radial face of said first wall, and, as a second part thereof, a portion of the inner face of said elment normally abutting said one part.

5. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the abutment means includes as one part thereof shoulder means comprising an enlargement of the port in said radial wall adjacent to the outer end thereof, and as a second part thereof, shoulder means on the element normally abutting said first mentioned shoulder means.

6. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the port is cylindrical and the first wall has at an outer portion thereof an enlarged counterbore forming with said port an annular shoulder, and the element is correspondingly cylindrical and has thereon an annular shoulder fitting said counterbore in normally abutting relationship, said counterbore and said shoulder comprising the aforesaid abutment means.

7. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the shaftjournaling means includes a bearing in said radial wall; and the outer end member includes a portion radially overlapping the bearing so that removal of said member exposes said bearing simultaneously with exposure of said element.

8. The invention defined in claim 7, in which: the outer end member is in the form of a plate, and said force-exerting means includes a portion accessible from outside said plate for adjustment thereof to vary its action axially inwardly on the element.

Dale et a1. June 16, 1953 Thomas et al. Feb. 12, 1957