Speed control for engine driven fluid compressor

Claim 2

In a fluid compressor drive system including a fluid compressor and an engine coupled therewith for driving the compressor, the engine having a variably positionable throttle valve and an actuating arm by which said valve is displacable in engine speed increasing and decreasing directions, and control means between the compressor and throttle valve for varying the position of the valve and thus the engine speed in accordance with compressor output pressure, said control means including means to sense a compressor pressure, a variably positionable component the position of which is determined by the sensed pressure, and means coupling said component with said actuating arm of said valve for said valve to assume a position determined by the position of said component, the improvement comprising: said coupling mEans including longitudinally flexible actuator means having opposite ends, one of said ends being connected to said component, a coupling element interconnecting the other of said ends to said actuating arm, stop means, means for selectively positioning and supporting said stop means in fixed position relative to said throttle valve for engagement by said coupling element to limit displacement of said throttle valve in said direction which increases engine speed.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said means supporting said stop means includes a rod having opposite ends, one of said opposite ends of said rod being connected to said stop means, and means supporting the other of said opposite ends of said rod for longitudinal movement of said rod relative to said throttle valve to selectively position said stop means relative to said throttle valve.

Claim 4

The improvement according to claim 2, wherein said stop means is a stop wall at one end of a retainer element having spaced apart opposite ends, said coupling element being movable between said opposite ends of said retainer element, spring means between said coupling element and the other of said opposite ends of said retainer element biasing said coupling element toward said stop wall.

Claim 5

The improvement according to claim 2, and fluid pressure actuated motor means adjacent the other of said ends of said rod operable to longitudinally displace said rod to position said stop means relative to said throttle valve.

Claim 6

The improvement according to claim 3, and fluid pressure actuated motor means adjacent the other of said ends of said rod operable to longitudinally displace said rod to position said stop means relative to said throttle valve.

Claim 7

The improvement according to claim 5, and means providing for the extent of longitudinal displacement of said rod by said motor means to be adjustable.

Claim 8

In a fluid compressor drive system including a fluid compressor and an engine coupled therewith for driving the compressor, the engine having variably positionable speed control means displacable in engine speed increasing and decreasing directions, and control means between the compressor and engine speed control means for varying the engine speed in accordance with compressor output pressure, said control means including means to sense a compressor pressure, a variably positionable component the position of which is determined by the sensed pressure, and means coupling said component with said engine speed control means for said engine speed control means to assume a position determined by the position of said component, the improvement comprising: said coupling means including longitudinally flexible actuator means having opposite ends connected one to said component and the other to said speed control means, means for limiting the displacement of said speed control means in the direction thereof which increases engine speed, said speed control means being a throttle valve having a pivotal actuating arm, means including sleeve means interconnecting the other of said ends of said flexible actuator means with said arm, said limiting means including stop means, means supporting said stop means in substantially fixed position relative to said throttle valve, and said stop means being engagable by said sleeve means to limit displacement of said throttle valve in said direction which increases engine speed, said means supporting said stop means including a rod having opposite ends, one of said opposite ends of said rod being connected to said stop means, and means supporting the other of said opposite ends of said rod for longitudinal movement of said rod relative to said throttle valve, said stop means being a stop wall at one end of a retainer element having spaced apart opposite ends, said sleeve means being movable between said opposite ends of said retainer element, spring means between said sleeve means and the other of said opposite ends of said retainer element biasing said sleeve means toward said sTop wall, and said retainer element having a wall at said other end thereof, said wall and stop wall being apertured to receive said one end of said rod, said sleeve means being apertured to receive said rod and being slidable therealong between said wall and stop wall, and said spring means being a coil spring surrounding said rod and between said wall and sleeve means.

Claim 9

In a fluid compressor drive system including a fluid compressor and an engine coupled therewith for driving the compressor, the engine having variably positionable speed control means displacable in engine speed increasing and decreasing directions, and control means between the compressor and engine speed control means for varying the engine speed in accordance with compressor output pressure, said control means including means to sense a compressor pressure, a variably positionable component the position of which is determined by the sensed pressure, and means coupling said component with said engine speed control means for said engine speed control means to assume a position determined by the position of said component, the improvement comprising: said coupling means including longitudinally flexible actuator means having opposite ends connected one to said component and the other to said speed control means, means for limiting the displacement of said speed control means in the direction thereof which increases engine speed, said speed control means being a throttle valve having a pivotal actuating arm, means including sleeve means interconnecting the other of said ends of said flexible actuator means with said arm, said limiting means including stop means, means supporting said stop means in substantially fixed position relative to said throttle valve, and said stop means being engagable by said sleeve means to limit displacement of said throttle valve in said direction which increases engine speed, said means supporting said stop means including a rod having opposite ends, one of said opposite ends of said rod being connected to said stop means, and means supporting the other of said opposite ends of said rod for longitudinal movement of said rod relative to said throttle valve, said stop means being a stop wall at one end of a retainer element having spaced apart opposite ends, said sleeve means being movable between said opposite ends of said retainer element, spring means between said sleeve means and the other of said opposite ends of said retainer element biasing said sleeve means toward said sTop wall, and said retainer element having a wall at said other end thereof, said wall and stop wall being apertured to receive said one end of said rod, said sleeve means being apertured to receive said rod and being slidable therealong between said wall and stop wall, and said spring means being a coil spring surrounding said rod and between said wall and sleeve means.

Claim 10

The improvement according to claim 7, and fluid pressure actuated motor means adjacent the other of said ends of said rod operable to longitudinally displace said rod to position said retainer element relative to said throttle valve, and means providing for the extent of longitudinal displacement of said rod by said motor means to be adjustable.