Multi-stage compressor

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH A COMPRESSOR INCLUDING A CASING HAVING COMPRESSION CHAMBERS CONNECTED TO COMPRESS A FLUID THROUGH A SINGLE STAGE OF COMPRESSION TO A LOW PRESSURE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS BEING OPERABLE AT A SECOND PRESSURE HIGHER THAN THE PRESSURE IN SAID REMAINDER OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS AND FORMING A HIGH PRESSURE STAGE, EACH OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS HAVING A PISTON RECIPROCABLY GUIDED THEREIN: (A) SAID REMAINDER OF THE COMPRESSION CHAMBERS INCLUDING: (A) INLET MEANS COMMUNICATED WITH A SOURCE OF THE FLUID, (B) A LOW PRESSURE MANIFOLD, (C) DISCHARGE MEANS COMMUNICATING SAID REMAINDER OF SAID COMPRESSION CHAMBERS TO SAID LOW PRESSURE MANIFOLD, (B) A CONVERSION ASSEMBLY CARRIED ON THE CASING AND COOPERATIVE WITH SAID AT LEAST ONE COMPRESSION CHAMBER, AND BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOW PRESSURE MANIFOLD TO RECEIVE FLUID FROM THE LATTER, SAID CONVERSION ASSEMBLY INCLUDING: (A) MEANS FORMING A COOLING COMPARTMENT HAVING AN INLET AND OUTLET, (B) MEANS FORMING A PASSAGE COMMUNICATING SAID INLET IN SAID MEANS FORMING THE COOLING COMPARTMENT WITH THE LOW PRESSURE MANIFOLD FOR DIRECTING COMPRESSED FLUID INTO SAID COOLING COMPARTMENT PRIOR TO INTRODUCTION THEREOF TO SAID AT LEAST ONE COMPRESSION CHAMBER, (C) MEANS IN THE CONVERSION ASSEMBLY FORMING AN OPENING DISPOSED COOPERATIVELY WITH THE RECIPROCABLY GUIDED PISTON IN SAID AT LEAST ONE COMPRESSION CHAMBER, (D) SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS FORMING AN OPENING INCLUDING, MEANS FORMING A PASSAGE HAVING A VALVED INLET AND A VALVED DISCHARGE PORT COMMUNICATING THEREWITH, AND (C) UNLOADER MEANS POSITIONED IN THE CONVERSION ASSEMBLY COOPERATIVE WITH SAID VALVED DISCHARGE PORT TO REGULATE PASSAGE OF COMPRESSED FLUID PASSING THERETHROUGH.