US3169696A

US3169696A - Compressor lubrication means

Info

Publication number: US3169696A
Application number: US250627A
Authority: US
Inventors: Milton Y Warner
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 1963-01-10
Filing date: 1963-01-10
Publication date: 1965-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 1982-02-16
Also published as: ES295152A1

Description

Feb. 16, 1965 M. Y. WARNER COMPRESSOR LUBRICATION MEANS Original Filed Nov. 4. 1960 2 SheetsSheet 1 Feb. 16, 1965 M. Y. WARNER 3,169,696

COMPRESSGR LUBRICATIN MEANS Original Filed Nov. 4, 1960 2 SheetsSheet 2 United Stats Patent O 3,169,696 COMPRESSOR LUBRCAIIN MEANS Milton Y. Warner, Evansvifle, Ind., assigner to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation cf Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 67,361, Nov. 4, 1960. This application Jan. 10, 1963, Sen. No. 250,627 9 Claims. (Cl. 230-207) This invention relates to a rotary compressor.

This application comprises a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 67,361, filed November 4, 1960 for a Home Appliance, now abandoned.

In rotary compressors of the type used for gascons refrigerant in a refrigeration system it is customary to provide a cylinder having a cavity of circular cross section and a rotor of circular cross section retained Within this cylinder eccentrically thereof so that the rotor is internally tangent to the cylinder at one point. Generally slidable blades are provided in the rotor having outer edges contacting the surface of the cylinder so that the gas Will be compressed by trapping it between the moving blades and the cylinder.

One of the features of this invention is the provision of a rotary compresser including means defining a cylindrical cavity having end surfaces and a side surface, a rotor eccentrically in the cavity having end surfaces engaging the end surfaces of the cavity, the rotor having a side surface eccentric to the side surface of the cavity defining a compression chamber for fluid therebetween, the rotor further having a lubrication passage provided with an opening through one of the end surfaces thereof and first pump means for centrifugally pumping lubricant in the passage to the opening, means for rotating the rotor in a preselected direction, a supply of lubricant in communication with the lubricant centn'fugal pumping means during only a first preselected portion of the rotation of the rotor whereby lubricant is centrifugally pumped through the luorcation passage to between the rotor and cavity end surfaces, and second pump means for forcibly pumping the lubricant from the lubrication passage during a second, subsequent preselected portion of rotation of the rotor for delivering lubricant under pressure to between the rotor and cavity end surfaces.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a compressor including means defining a cylindrical cavity having end surfaces and a side surface, a rotor positioned eccentrically in the cavity having end surfaces engaging the end surfaces of the cavity, the rotor having a side surface eccentric to the side surface of the cavity and defining therewith a compression chamber for fluid, means forming a suction inlet to the chamber, means forming an exit from the chamber, means operatively associated with the rotor for rotating the rotor in a preselected direction, a blade mounted in the rotor for radially inward and outward movement, the blade having end edges engaging the cavity end surfaces, a radially inner portion, and a radially outer portion slidably engaging the cavity side surface, and lubricant delivery means including a first lubrication passage opening through one of the rotor end surfaces radially inwardly of the blade to receive the radially inner blade portion during its inward travel to forcibly pump lubricant from the passage to between the one rotor end surface and the confronting cavity end surface, a second lubrication passage in the rotor radially outwardly of the first lubrication passage and opening through one of the rotor end surfaces for delivering lubricant to between that rotor end surface and the confronting cavity end surface, a lubricant sump in communication with the first and second passages during only a first preselected portion of the rotation of the rotor whereby lubricant is centrifugally supplied to the 3,l59,6% Patenteel Feb. 16, 1965 ice first and second passages, and means connecting the first and second lubrication passages, the blade pumping lubricant through the connecting means from the first passage to the second passage during a second, subsequent preselected portion of rotation for delivery of lubricant under pressure to between the rotor and cavity end surfaces.

Other features and advantages of the invention Wiil ne apparent from the following description of one embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a compressor embodying the invention with the outer casing shown in longitudinal section;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the compressor with the outer casing shown in longitudinal section;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of FIGURE 3 and taken online 44 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 in FIGURE 4.

Referring to the draWings, the compressor 10 includes a housing 11 having a top housing 12 and a bottom housing 13 joined together by a fiuid-tight joint 14 which may be permanently sealed as by a weld 15.

Mounted within the housing 11 is a compressor subassembly including a front head 21, a cylinder plate 22, a rear head 23, and a rear head cover 24, tightly sealed by bolts passing through aligned holes in the members and threadedly received in a threaded hole in front head 21.

The cylinder plate 22 is initially assembled to the front head 21 by a plurality of bolts 25a each passing through a hole in the cylinder plate and threadedly received in a threaded hole in the front head. The cylinder plate 22 includes a cylinder side wall within which is received a rotor 31. The rotor 31 is fixed to a rotor shaft 32 passing vertically upwardly and received in a bearing portion 33 of front head 21. A lubricating passage 34 in front head 21 is alongside shaft 32. The front head 21 has a lower surface 36, and the rear head 23 has an upper surface 37, which together with the cylinder side wall 39 defines a cylinder cavity 38. The rotor 31 has an upper end surface 40 and a lower end surface 41 which closely engage

end surfaces

36 and 37, respectively, with a sliding fit, and a cylindrical side surface 42. Rotor 31 is provided with a pair of outwardly extending slots 45, each slidably receiving a blade 46. Each slot 45 terminates at its inner end in an under blade passage 47. The slots 45 and passages 47 open through the rotor end surfaces 40 and 41, and the blades 46 engage the

end surfaces

36 and 37 with a sliding fit.

An inlet opening 50 and an outlet opening 51 both communicate with the cylinder 38. A compression chamber 53 is defined by the blades 46, the rotor side surfaces 42, and the cylinder side surfaces 30. As the rotor 31 rotates opposite portions of side surfaces 42 alternately define a side of the compression chamber 53.

The rotor has a centrifugal lubricating system with diametrically opposed openings 55 in the rotor bottom 41, and vertical passages 56 with opposite ends opening through the rotor surfaces 49 and 41. Each pair of openings 55 and passages 56 are interconnected by a sloped passage 57;

A portion of the bottom housing 13 serves as an oil reservoir in whieh the oil bas a level 6). An oil pickup tube 61 has an open bottom end communicating With the oil in the reservoir and an open upper end communicafing With a passage 62 through the rear head 23. The upper end of the passage 62 opens through the rear head end surface'37 and is eccentric with the eylindr side surface 39. The inner portion of rotor end surface 41 and cylinder end surface 37 is lubricated front passage 62. During a portion of each revolution, as blade 45 is free to rnbve outwardly in slot 45 the'opening 62 communicates With under blade passages 47, and also with an opening' in the bottom of rotor 31 thereby lubricating the outer portions of the rotorand cylinder end surfaces through passages 56. r

The'compressor further includes a motorhaving a stator assembly 65, including stator 66 and a top bumper 67 all fixed with respect to the front head 2 by a plurality of bolts 63 each passingthrough an aligned hole in the top bumper 67, a slot in stator 66, and threaddly re-' ceivedin a threaded hole in front head 21. The motor' further includes an armature 79 and a fan 71 both fixed to rotor shaft 32. The field windirigs of the stator are connected by lines 72 to a terminal block 73 which is sealed to the top housing 12.

The motor. and compresser suo-assembly 23 are mounted between the top and the bottom of the housing 11. At' the bottom of the housing a compression spring 75 is received in a socket 76 in the rear lasad 23 and engages a fiange on the oil pick-up' tiJne 61 to retain the tube in the socket. The other end of the spring 75 is received by a sound damperrer'77 Which isin turn received in a socket 78 in the housing bottom 13. At the upper end of the'housing a coil spring 30 rcceives a protrusion 81 in the housing top assembly 12, and at its lower end is received by a sound dampener 82 whichin turn is received in a socket 83,1n the top bumper 67.

An inlet nipple 85 opens 'through and*is fixed to the top housing assembly 12 for the passageof refrigerant gas into the housing. A generally L-shaped suction tube 85 has a free open upper end for draWing in refrigerant gas, and a lower open end received in a tapered copper sleeve 87. The tube 86 receives a steel washer 88 and is secured to the front head 21 by a spring clip 39 having a portion engagingthe washer 88 to maintain the suction tube in fiuidtight engagement With the front head. Tne loWer open end of the suction tube communicates with an inlet chamber 953 in the front head 21. The inlet chamber 90 communicates With the cylinder inlet 5.

Within the cylinder plate 22, the cylinder outlet 51 communicates through a passage With achamber 96. Secured in the chamber by a boit 97 is check valve 98 and a muffler 99. Tire chambrer 96 is closed by a plate 1019 which is secured to the cylindr plate by bolrs MP1. The chambrer 96 communicates through au opening 193 and other passages in the rear head With an outlet fitting 1534 in the rear head. T he fitting 134 communicates with tuoing 1G5 which extends one and three quarters turns about the compressor sub-assembly 26 and terminates in a nipple 1% sealed to the bottom housing assembly 13:. The tubing 165 is seeured to bottom housing 13 by. a spring clip 197. Thus, very littlevioration is transmitted from the compressor sub-assembly through the tubing to the housing 11.

The oil openings 55 and back blade openings 47 communicate with each other, as may best be seen in FIGURE 7. In additionto the lubrication of

adjacent surfaces

36 and 4, and adjacent surfaces 37and H, by the centrifugal lubricating function of passages 5557, oil under pressure in the back blade openings 47 is transmitted into vertical passage 56 as each blade 46 moves inwardly in slot 45. With particular reference to FIGURES 4 and 6, the rotor shaft 34 is provided With diametrically' opposed arcuate notches immediately above and adjacent the rotor 31. Notches 110 each communicate with the back blade opening 47. In the front head 21 the rotor shaft bearing surface 33 provided With anarcuate'notch 111 opening through end surface 36 and communicating with lubricant passage 34. Once each revolution, as blade 46 is forced into slot 45,1helubricant behind the blad forces the blade into tight sealing engagement. With cylinder side surface 30 to retain the compressed gas, and adjacent 'notch 11? in rotor shaft 32 communicates With uotch 111 in front head 22 for the passage of lubricant from the back blade opening 47 into the lubricaing slot 34 for lubricating the rotor shaft 32 and bearing surface 33. An auxiliary passage fl2 in front head- 21 Communicates With the lubricting passage 34 and with the outside of the front head for the passage of a portlon.of the lubricating oil in passage 34 directly back to the oil reservoir in the bottom hbusing 13.

The

circular grooves

115 and 118 on the faces 'of the front and

rear heads

21 and 23 serve t0 iritercept and collect the highi3ressure gas which tends to lea k radially inwardly through the clearance spaces between the top and bottom faces of the rotor 31 and the corresponding 7 faces of the heads' 2]; and 23 that contain the grooves This leaking gas after being collectd by the grooves 1115 and 118 is then vented directly to the suctiorl inlet. This prevents theleaking gas from removing lubricant from the spaces. -It also prevents the high pressure gas from reaching the low pressure oi1 inlet 62 Where the gas could shut off entirely or at least materially rednc the supply of oil to the compresser. An lubricant picked up by the escaping high pressure gas is similarly returned to. the refrigerant gas inlet area from Which it returns to the cylinder ,38 and where it continues to lubricate the moving parts of the rotor and rotor bla'desand aso tends to seal against high pressure gas leakage around the various surfaces of the blades.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanving drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but

set out in the accompanving claims.

Ihe embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or priVilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A fluid compresser, comprising: means defiiring, a cylindrical cavity having end surfaces and a side surface; a rotor positioned eccentricafly in said cavity having end surfaces engagirig said end surfaces of said cavity, said rotor having a side surface eccentric to the side surface of said cavity anddefining'therewifila compression chamber for fiuid; means fotming a suction inlet to said chamber;

means forming an exit from said chamber; means operatively associated With said rotor for rotating said*rotor in a preselected direction; a blade mounted in said rotor for radially inward and outward movement, said blade having end*edges engaging said cavity end surfaces, a radiall'y iriner portion, and a radiallybuter portion slidably engaging said cavity side surface; and lubricant delivery means including a first dubrication 7 passage opeuing through one of said rotor end surfaces radially inwardl of said blade to receive said rdially inner blade portiondun ing its inward travel to forcibly pump lubricant from said passageto betWeen said one rotor end surface and the,con fronting cavity, end surface, a second luorcaon passage in said rotor radially outwardly of said firstl ubrication passage and opening through one of said rotorend surfaces for delivering lubricant to between that rotor end surface and the confronting cavity end surface, a lubricant sump in Communication With saidfirst passage during only a first preseected portion of the rotaton of said rotor, and means connecting said first and second lubrication passages including an outwardly eX tending third passage arranger! to pump the lubricaut centrifugally during said first preselected portion of the rotatien of said rotor, said blade pumping lubricant through said connecting means from said first passage ro said second passage during a second, subsequent preselectcd portion of rotation for delivery of lubricant under pressure to between said rotor and cavity end surfaces.

2. The fluid compressor of claim 1 including means for collecting fluid escaping from said chamber to between said end surfaces of the cavity and rotor, and conveying said collected fluid therefrom to -thereby preciude interference of said escaping fluid With the luorcant deiivery means.

3. The fluid compressor of claim 1 Wherein said second lubricant passage is positioned circumferentiafly behind said rotor blade in said preseiected direction of rotation.

4. A fluid compressor, comprising: means defining a cylindrical cavity having end surfaces and a side surface, a rotor cccentricaliy in said cavity haw'ng end surfaces engaging said end surfaces of said cavity, said rotor having a side surface eccentric to tire side surface of said cavity defining a compression chamber for fluid therebetween, said rotor further having a lubrication passage provided With an opening through one of said end surfaces thereof and first pump means for centrifugally pumping lubricant in said passage to said opening; means for rotating said rotor in a preselected direction; a supply of lubricant in communication With said lubricant centrifugal pumping means during only a first preselected portion of the rotation of said rotor whereby lubricant is centrifugally pumped through said lubrication passage -to between said rotor and cavity end surfaces; second pump means for forcibiy pumping the iubricant from said lubrication passage during a second, subsequent preseiected portion of rotation of said rotor for deiivering iubricant under pressure to between said rotor and cavity end surfaces.

5. A fluid compresser, comprising: means defining a rotor cavity having end surfaces and a side surface, a rotor eccentrically in said cavity having end surfaces engaging said end surfaces of said cavity, said rotor having a side surface eccentric to the side surface of said cavity defining a compression chamber for fluid therebetween,

said rotor further having a Iubrication passage opening through one of said end surfaces thereof; means for rotating said rotor in a preselected direction about an axis; first pump means in said rotor defining a delivery passage extending anguiarly to the rotor axis and communicating between said supply and said lubrication passage during only a first preselected portion of the rotation of said rotor, said first pump means centrifugally pumping lubricant from said supply to said lubrication passage and from said lubrication passage to between said rotor and cavity end surfaces during said first portion of the rotation; and second pump means for forcibily pumping the lubricanc from said lubrication passage during a second, subsequent preselected portion of rotation of said rotor for delivering lubricant under pressure to betweeu said rotor and cavity end surfaces.

6. The fluid compresser of claim 5 wherein said cavity is axiaily vertical and said end surfaces comprise top and bottom surfaces.

7. The fluid compressor of claim 5 wherein said second pumping means comprises a b lade carried by said rotor and slidingly engaging said cavity means.

8. The fluid compresser of claim 5 wherein said delivery passage extends at an angle less than to the axis of the rotor.

9. The fluid compresser of claim 5 wherein said rotor axis is vertical and said delivery passage extends upwardly from its radially innermost portion.

Refereuces Cied in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,967,033 Lipman July 17, 1934 2,152,056 Kenney Max. 28, 1939 3,049,285 Doeg Aug. 14, 1962 3,075,686 Steinhagen Jan. 29, 1963 3,082,937 Tucker Mar. 26, 1963

Claims

1. A FLUID COMPRESSOR, COMPRISING: MEANS DEFINING A CYLINDRICAL CAVITY HAVING END SURFACES AND A SIDE SURFACE; A ROTOR POSITIONED ECCENTRICALLY IN SAID CAVITY HAVING END SURFACES ENGAGING SAID END SURFACES OF SAID CAVITY, SAID ROTOR HAVING A SIDE SURFACE ECCENTRIC TO THE SIDE SURFACE OF SAID CAVITY AND DEFINING THEREWITH A COMPRESSION CHAMBER FOR FLUID; MEANS FORMING A SUCTION INLET TO SAID CHAMBER; MEANS FORMING AN EXIT FROM SAID CHAMBER; MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ROTOR FOR ROTATING SAID ROTOR IN A PRESELECTED DIRECTION; A BLADE MOUNTED IN SAID ROTOR FOR RADIALLY INWARD AND OUTWARD MOVEMENT, SAID BLADE HAVING END EDGES ENGAGING SAID CAVITY END SURFACES, A RADIALLY INNER PORTION, AND A RADIALLY OUTER PORTION SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID CAVITY SIDE SURFACE; AND LUBRICANT DELIVERY MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST LUBRICATION PASSAGE OPENING THROUGH ONE OF SAID ROTOR END SURFACES RADIALLY INWARDLY OF SAID BLADE TO RECEIVE SAID RADIALLY INNER BLADE PORTION DURING ITS INWARD TRAVEL TO FORCIBLY PUMP LUBRICANT FROM SAID PASSAGE TO BETWEEN SAID ONE ROTOR END SURFACE AND THE CONFRONTING CAVITY END SURFACE, A SECOND LUBRICATION PASSAGE IN SAID ROTOR RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID FIRST LIBRICATION PASSAGE AND OPENING THROUGH ONE OF SAID ROTOR END SURFACES FOR DELIVERING LUBRICANT TO BETWEEN THAT ROTOR END SURFACE AND THE CONFRONTING CAVITY END SURFACE, A LUBRICANT SUMP IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FIRST PASSAGE DURING ONLY A FIRST PRESELECTED PORTION OF THE ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND LUBRICATION PASSAGES INCLUDING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING THIRD PASSAGE ARRANGED TO PUMP THE LUBRICANT CENTRIFUGALLY DURING SAID FIRST PRESELECTED PORTION OF THE ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR, SAID BLADE PUMPING LUBRICANT THROUGH SAID CONNECTING MEANS FROM SAID FIRST PASSAGE TO SAID SECOND PASSAGE DURING A SECOND, SUBSEQUENT PRESELECTED PORTION OF ROTATION FOR DELIVERY OF LUBRICANT UNDER PRESSURE TO BETWEEN SAID ROTOR AND CAVITY END SURFACES.