US3108737A - Air compressor - Google Patents

Description

1963 D. R. KING 3,108,737

AIR COMPRESSOR Filed March 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l 62 60 I2 52 FIG. I z I INVENTOR.

DENVER R. KING D. R.KIING Oct. 29, 1963 AIR' COMPRESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1962 FIG.3

INVENTOR. DENVER R. KING United States Patent 3,108,737 AIR COMPRESSOR Denver R. King, National City, Calif. (3318 Rio Vista Drive, Bonita, Calif.) Filed Mar. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 182,275 Claims. (Cl. 230-72) The present invention relates generally to compressors and more particularly to an air compressor in which air is compressed explosively.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an air compressor which compresses air by repetitive explosions in an air chamber, opening through a one way valve into a storage chamber.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air compressor having multiple air chambers, some of which are open for recharging with air while explosions are occuring in the other chambers.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air compressor having a reciprocal head containing the explosion producing means and actuated entirely by a simple reciprocating mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to provide an air compressor in which the reciprocal head contains means for introducing an explosive charge into each air chamber and igniting the charge, the actions being performed and synchronized by the reciprocation of the head.

Finally, it is an object to provide an air compressor of the aforementioned character which is simple and convenient to construct and operate and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings which form a material part of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the air compressor;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Structure The compressor is basically composed of a rigid block fixed to a large air storage tank 12 of any suitable size and configuration, the block containing a plurality of cylindrical compression chambers 14 extending completely through the block. Mounted on top of the blocklt) is a reciprocal head 16 carrying the explosion producing means. Although a reciprocating head is illustrated, this is conceived that rotary or other shiftable heads can be employed.

Only two compression chambers 14 are required for proper operation, but for practical purposes four pairs of chambers are illustrated, any even number being usable according to the desired production rate of compressed air. At the lower end of each compression chamber 14 is a non-return valve 18 opening into the storage tank 12, the valves being illustrated as simple spring returned, axially movable valves, but other types being suitable.

The head 16 has flanges 20 extending from the lower longitudinal edges thereof, the flanges being held in guide rails 22 on the block 10, so that the head is longitudinally slidable on the block. In the head 16 are four explosion chambers 24 open at their lower ends and spaced for axial alignment with two separated pairs of the compression chambers 14, the central portion of the head having a pair of open barrels 26 which align with the pair of compression chambers between those closed by said explosion chambers, as in FIGURE 2. The length of head 16 is such that the remaining compression chambers 14 are exposed and open to atmosphere. Thus at any one time half of the compression chambers 14 are open to atmosphere, while the other half are covered by explosion chambers 24. In basic principle, with only two compres sion chambers as previously noted, the head would contain only one explosion chamber and could be shifted to cover the compression chambers alternately. Motion of the head 16 is limited by fixed stops 28 in the guide rails 22, so that at each end of its reciprocal motion the head is stopped with the explosion chambers properly aligned with the appropriate compression chambers. At one end of block 10 is an upright end plate 30 on which is mounted a reciprocating actuator 32 having a piston rod 33 coupled to the head 16 for longitudinal reciprocation thereof. The actuator 32 is indicated as a cylindrical ram type device hydraulically, electrically, or otherwise operated from a suitable power source, not shown. However, various types of actuators may be used including mechanical movements and the specific mechanism is not critical.

Each explosion chamber 24 has a fuel inlet 34 and an oxidizer inlet 36, both fitted with check valves 38 to prevent blow-back, and an igniter 40 which may be a spark plug or similar ignition means. The fuel inlets 34 are all connected by supply pipes 42, through a timing valve 44, to a fuel supply source 46. The oxidizer inlets 36 are similarly connected by supply pipes 48, through a timing valve 50, to an oxidizer supply source 52. Timing valves 44 and 50 are mounted on end plate 30 and may be incorporated into a single unit, each having an elongated cylinder 54 in which is an axially slida-ble piston 56 coupled to the head 16, the pistons comprising the valve ele ments. The pistons 56 have tranverse ports 58 adjacent opposite ends thereof, as in FIGURE 2, the ports being spaced so that just before the end of each reciprocation stroke of head 16, charges of fuel and oxidizer are injected into all the explosion chambers 24 simultaneously. Other types of valves may be utilized, but are preferably coupled for operation by reciprocation of head 16, in order to avoid the necessity for special timing mechanism.

The igniters 40 are coupled by a wiring harness 60 to a suitable powersupply 62 actuated by a switch 64. Fixed to the head 16 is an actuating bar 66 having cam portions 68 spaced to close switch 64 at the end of each reciprooation stroke of said head, as in FIGURE 1.

Operation The only driving power needed to operate the compressoris that of the actuator 32 which reciprocates the head 16, all other actions being accomplished by the reciprocation. As the head 16 nears the end of a stroke, fuel and oxidizer are delivered to all of the explosion chambers 24 and, on completion of the stroke, the switch 64 energizes the igniters 40 to fire the explosive mixture. The resultant explosion in each explosion chamber 24 rams the air in the connected compression chamber 14 through the valve 28 and into storage tank 12. The air is highly compressed by the explosion, expanded by the heat of the explosion which adds to the compression and also carries with it the explosion products which are of considerable volume. To avoid contamination of the compressed air, the fuel is preferably hydrogen and the oxidizer oxygen, although other mixtures can be used if the gases produced by the explosion can be tolerated.

While explosions are occuring in one set of chambers, the exposed compression chambers 14 are refilling With air from atmosphere. On the next stroke of head 16, the air in these chambers is explosively compressed, while the previously fired chambers refill with air, the speed of reciprocation of the head determining the rate of compression within the operating limitations of the mechanism.

Very little power is required to move the head 16, which is the only driven component. If hydrogen and oxygen are used from pressurized tanks for the explosive mixture, no pumps or special fuel system parts are needed. Using multiple chambers with a single reciprocating head, large quantities of air can be compressed rapidly.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. An air compressor, comprising:

a block having at least one pair of compression chambers therein;

an air storage tank coupled to said compression chambers and having valve means to pass compressed air in one direction from the compression chambers to said tank; a head shiftably mounted on said block; said head having an explosion chamber for communication with one of said compression chambers;

means to shift said head to align said explosion chamber with each of said compression chambers selectively;

means timed by the movement of said head to inject an explosive charge into said explosion chamber as the chamber comes into alignment with each of said compression chambers;

and further means timed with said head movement to ignite the explosive charge when said explosion chamber is fully aligned with each compression chamber, whereby the air therein is compressed and discharged into said storage tank.

2. An air compressor according to claim 1 wherein said explosive charge injection means comprises:

a source of fuel and a source of oxidizer connected to said explosion chamber;

timing valves between said sources of fuel and said explosion chamber;

said timing valves being coupled to and actuated by said head to open and deliver charges of fuel and oxidizer to said explosion chamber near the end of each head movement.

3. An air compressor according to claim 1 wherein said explosive charge igniting means comprises:

an igniter in said explosion chamber;

a power supply connected to said igniter and having an actuating switch coupled thereto;

and means connected to said head to actuate said switch at the end of each head movement.

4. An air compressor, comprising:

a block having a plurality of pairs of compression chambers therein;

an air storage tank coupled to said compression chambers and having valve means to pass compressed air in one direction from the compression chambers to said tank;

a head reciprocally slida'ble on said block;

said head having a plurality of explosion chambers spaced for alignment and communication with one of each of said pairs of compression chambers simultaneously;

means to reciprocate said head to align said explosion chambers with the other of each of said pairs of compression chambers;

said head having open portions to expose the compression chambers not covered by said explosion chambers;

means to inject explosive charges simultaneously into all of said explosion chambers;

and means to ignite said explosive charges when said,

explosion chambers are aligned with each of said compression chambers.

5. An air compressor, comprising:

a block having a plurality of pairs of compression chambers therein;

an air storage tank coupled to said compression chambers and having valve means to pass compressed air in one direction from the compression chambers to said tank;

a head reciprocally sl-idable on said block;

said head having a plurality of explosion chambers spaced for alignment and communication with one of each of said pairs of compresion chambers simultaneously;

means to reciprocate said head to align said explosion chambers with the other of each of said pairs of compression chambers;

said head having open portions to expose the compression chambers not covered by said explosion chambers;

means actuated by reciprocation of said head to inject explosive charges simultaneously into all of said explosion chambers substantially at the end of each reciprocation stroke of the head;

and further means actuated by reciprocation of said head to ignite said explosive charges at the end. of each reciprocation stroke of the head when said explosion chambers are aligned with each of said com,- pression chambers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,384,898 Joy July 19, 1921 1,515,101 Fowler Nov. 11, 1924 1,520,960 Nagelmann Dec. 30 1924

Claims (1)

1. AN AIR COMPRESSOR, COMPRISING: A BLOCK HAVING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF COMPRESSION CHAMBERS THEREIN; AN AIR STORAGE TANK COUPLED TO SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS AND HAVING VALVE MEANS TO PASS COMPRESSED AIR IN ONE DIRECTION FROM THE COMPRESSION CHAMBERS TO SAID TANK; A HEAD SHIFTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BLOCK; SAID HEAD HAVING AN EXPLOSION CHAMBER FOR COMMUNICATION WITH ONE OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS; MEANS TO SHIFT SAID HEAD TO ALIGN SAID EXPLOSION CHAMBER WITH EACH OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS SELECTIVELY; MEANS TIMED BY THE MOVEMENT OF SAID HEAD TO INJECT AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE INTO SAID EXPLOSION CHAMBER AS THE CHAMBER COMES INTO ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS; AND FURTHER MEANS TIMED WITH SAID HEAD MOVEMENT TO IGNITE THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGE WHEN SAID EXPLOSION CHAMBER IS FULLY ALIGNED WITH EACH COMPRESSION CHAMBER, WHEREBY THE AIR THEREIN IS COMPRESSED AND DISCHARGED INTO SAID STORAGE TANK.

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