Apparatus capable of use as a pump or a motor

Claim 2

Apparatus capable of use as a pump or as a motor comprising: a housing having a cylindrical inner surface; a rotary shaft journalled in said housing axially of said inner surface; eccentric means rotatable with said shaft; a cylindrical compression member mounted on said eccentric means within said housing; restraining means secured to said housing and engaged with said compression member to prevent said member from rotating with said eccentric means but to allow said compression member, by the rotary action of said eccentric means, to oscillate relative to the rotational axis of said shaft; a closed-ended tubular member having a flexible supporting part and a flexible diaphragm of thinner section than said supporting part, which said supporting part and diaphragm together define an arcuate closed fluid-receiving chamber which extends through an arc of substantially less than 360*, said supporting part having a fluid entry therein which opens into said chamber radially through said supporting part at one end thereof and a fluid outlet which opens into said chamber radially through said supporting part at the opposite end thereof, and said tubular member being mounted by said supporting part on said inner surface circumferentially thereof and directly opposite the periphery of said compression member with said chamber extending arcuately adjacent part of the periphery of said compression member and said diaphragm being towards, and lying on a circle centered on, the rotational axis of said rotary shaft, said circle being of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said compression member; and a normally closed pulse valve at said fluid outlet adapted to open when subjected to fluid pressure above a predetermined value, the construction and arrangement being such that in use as said compression member oscillates its periphery bears intermittently on said diaphragm and urges said diaphragm resiliently towards said supporting part to cause said chamber to be compressed progressively from said fluid entry to said fluid outlet, and thereby to cause the pressure of fluid in said chamber to be increased to a level which opens said pulse valve and the fluid flows under pressure out of said chamber, and such that during each cycle of oscillating motion of said compression member there is a phase in which said chamber is not compressed by said member and said pulse valve is closed, the flow of fluid out of said chamber in consequence being intermittent and pulse-like.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tubular member comprises an arcuate pad of flexible material which forms said supporting part and is provided with said fluid entry and outlet, and on an inner circumferential surface of said pad a thin-walled, hollow protruberance which extends along a substantial part of the length of said inner circumferential surface and which forms said diaphragm, the inteRior of said protruberance forming said chamber.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tubular member comprises an annular pad of flexible material which forms said supporting part and is provided with said fluid entry and outlet, and on an inner circumferential surface of said pad a thin-walled, hollow protruberance which extends along said inner circumferential surface and which forms said diaphragm, the interior of said protruberance forming said chamber.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said diaphragm, and hence said chamber, tapers towards one end.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of said diaphragms, and hence a plurality of said chambers, disposed at angularly spaced intervals around said compression member which as it oscillates bears in turn on said diaphragms to compress their associated chambers.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of said diaphragms, and hence a plurality of said chambers, and a plurality of said compression members, there being at least one of said diaphragms positioned adjacent the periphery of each said compression member.

Claim 8

Apparatus capable of use as a pump or as a motor comprising: a housing having a cylindrical inner surface; a rotary shaft journalled in said housing axially of said inner surface; eccentric means rotatable with said shaft; a cylindrical compression member mounted on said eccentric means within said housing; restraining means secured to said housing and engaged with said compression member to prevent said member from rotating with said eccentric means but to allow said compression member, by the rotary action of said eccentric means, to oscillate relative to the rotational axis of said shaft; a closed-ended tubular member having a flexible supporting part and a flexible diaphragm of thinner section than said supporting part, which said supporting part and diaphragm together define an arcuate, closed fluid-receiving chamber which extends through an arc of substantially less than 360*, said supporting part having a fluid entry therein which opens into said chamber radially through said supporting part at one end thereof and a fluid outlet which opens into said chamber radially through said supporting part at the opposite end thereof; a normally closed pulse valve at said fluid outlet adapted to open when subjected to fluid pressure above a predetermined value; a movable member mounted in said housing opposite the periphery of said compression member for movement towards and away from the rotational axis of said rotary shaft, which said movable member forms part of said inner surface and on which said movable member said tubular member is mounted by said supporting part directly opposite the periphery of said compression member, with said chamber extending arcuately adjacent part of the periphery of said compression member and said diaphragm being towards, and lying on a circle centred on, the rotational axis of said rotary shaft, said circle being of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said compression member, and means for moving said movable member towards and away from the rotational axis of said rotary shaft thereby to cause said tubular member to be moved towards and away from said compression member, the construction and arrangement being such that in use as said compression member oscillates its periphery bears intermittently on said diaphragm and urges said diaphragm resiliently towards said supporting part to cause said chamber to be compressed progressively from said fluid entry to said fluid outlet, and thereby to cause the pressure of fluid in said chamber to be increased to a level which opens said pulse valve and the fluid flows under pressure out of said chamber, and such that during each cycle of oscillatory motion of said compression member there is a phase in which said chamber is not compressed by said member and said pulse valve is closed, the flow of liquid out of said chamber in consequence being intermittent and pulse-like, the extent by which said chamber is compressed being adjustable by varying the position of said movable member, and thus of said tubular member, relative to the rotational axis of said rotary shaft.

Claim 9

Apparatus capable of use as a pump or as a motor comprising: a housing having a cylindrical inner surface; a rotary shaft journalled in said housing axially of said inner surface; eccentric means rotatable with said shaft; a cylindrical compression member mounted on said eccentric means within said housing; restraining means secured to said housing and engaged with said compression member to prevent said member from rotating with said eccentric means but to allow said compression member, by the rotary action of said eccentric means, to oscillate relative to the rotational axis of said shaft; a closed-ended tubular member having a flexible supporting part and a flexible diaphragm of thinner section than said supporting part, which said supporting part and diaphragm together define an arcuate, closed fluid-receiving chamber which extends through an arc of substantially less than 360*, said supporting part having a fluid entry therein which opens into said chamber radially through said supporting part at one end thereof and a fluid outlet which opens into said chamber radially through said supporting part at the opposite end thereof; a normally closed pulse valve at said fluid outlet adapted to open when subjected to fluid pressure above a predetermined value; a movable member mounted in said housing opposite the periphery of said compression member for movement towards and away from the rotational axis of said rotary shaft, which said movable member forms part of said inner surface and on which said movable member said tubular member is mounted by said supporting part directly opposite the periphery of said compression member, with said chamber extending arcuately adjacent part of the periphery of said compression member and said diaphragm being towards, and lying on a circle centred on, the rotational axis of said rotary shaft, said circle being of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said compression member, and means for moving said movable member towards and away from the rotational axis of said rotary shaft thereby to cause said tubular member to be moved towards and away from said compression member, the construction and arrangement being such that in use as said compression member oscillates its periphery bears intermittently on said diaphragm and urges said diaphragm resiliently towards said supporting part to cause said chamber to be compressed progressively from said fluid entry to said fluid outlet, and thereby to cause the pressure of fluid in said chamber to be increased to a level which opens said pulse valve and the fluid flows under pressure out of said chamber, and such that during each cycle of oscillatory motion of said compression member there is a phase in which said chamber is not compressed by said member and said pulse valve is closed, the flow of liquid out of said chamber in consequence being intermittent and pulse-like, the extent by which said chamber is compressed being adjustable by varying the position of said movable member, and thus of said tubular member, relative to the rotational axis of said rotary shaft.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said movable member is an arcuate shoe pivoted to said housing adjacent one end of said shoe for angular movement towards and away from said rotational axis of said rotary shaft, and said means for moving said movable member comprising a cam engageable with said movable member.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said movable member is an arcuate shoe having integral therewith parallel tubular bosses, and wherein fixed parallel pegs are engaged in said bosses, and said bosses are slidable along said pegs such that said movable member can be moved linearly towards and away from said rotational axis of said rotary shaft.