US3816039A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary air pump with rotating and oscillating center piston
Assignee: Commercial Metals Co
•
Filing: 1972-12-26
•
Granted: 1974-06-11
•
Expires: 1992-12-26
Abstract
Abstract The present invention pertains to a low pressure rotary spherical air pump for supplying fresh air to an internal combustion exhaust stream to complete combustion of unburned fuel in the exhaust manifold prior to discharge of the exhaust gases in the atmosphere. The spherical air pump comprises front, center and rear pistons rotatably mounted in a spherical chamber with the front and rear pistons pivotally connected to the edges of the center piston by radially extending pins which are mounted in suitable bearing supports on the pistons. The axes of the pins are perpendicular to each other and converge at the center of the sphere and the axes of the forward and rear pistons also converge at the center of the sphere and are disposed at an angle other than 180* with respect to each other so as to cause the center piston to oscillate as it rotates with the front and rear pistons. The spherical housing is provided with improved inlet and discharge ports which enable the spherical air pump to draw in, compress and discharge substantially the total displaceable volume of the pump of each revolution. Also, the front and rear pistons are provided with cylindrical seal areas to seal between such pistons and the surrounding housing.
Inventors
- 👤 S Berry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 07:04
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04C; F04C18/00; F04C18/48; F04C18/54
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
In a rotary spherical air pump comprising: a. a housing having a concave inner wall forming a partially spherical chamber in said housing; b. inlet and discharge ports in said housing for communicating air to and from said partially spherical chamber; c. front and rear wedge-shaped end pistons disposed in said partially spherical chamber; d. each of said wedge-shaped end pistons having a pair of inclined faces in a partially spherical back of substantially the same radius as the radius of said partially spherical chamber and rotatable therein with a recess formed adjacent the intersection of said inclined face and said spherical back to provide a passage for communicating air into and out of said partially spherical chamber; e. shaft means for rotatably mounting said end pistons in said chamber with the longitudinal axis of each of said shafts being disposed in angular relationship to the other and intersecting at the center of said partially spherical chamber; f. a center piston disposed in said partially spherical chamber between said end pistons; and g. substantially triangular inlet ports in said housing communicating said partially spherical chamber with the base of said triangular inlet port substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said end piston and parallel to and disposed adjacent the arc described by the rotation of the point on the intersection of said recess and said partially spherical back nearest the axis of rotation of said end piston.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
In a rotary spherical air pump comprising: a. a housing having a concave inner wall forming a partially spherical chamber in said housing; b. inlet and discharge ports in said housing for communicating air to and from said partially spherical chamber; c. front and rear wedge-shaped end pistons disposed in said partially spherical chamber; d. each of said wedge-shaped end pistons having a pair of inclined faces in a partially spherical back of substantially the same radius as the radius of said partially spherical chamber and rotatable therein with a recess formed adjacent the intersection of said inclined face and said spherical back to provide a passage for communicating air into and out of said partially spherical chamber; e. shaft means for rotatably mounting said end pistons in said chamber with the longitudinal axis of each of said shafts being disposed in angular relationship to the other and intersecting at the center of said partially spherical chamber; f. a center piston disposed in said partially spherical chamber between said end pistons; and g. substantially triangular inlet ports in said housing communicating said partially spherical chamber with the base of said triangular inlet port substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said end piston and parallel to and disposed adjacent the arc described by the rotation of the point on the intersection of said recess and said partially spherical back nearest the axis of rotation of said end piston.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
111 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said substantially trianGular inlet ports include first and second sides, and wherein said first side is first valved open by rotation of said end piston and wherein said first side is disposed in non-parallel relationship to the adjacent edge of the inclined face of said end piston when said end piston is rotated away from Top Dead Center position, and wherein said second side is valved closed by rotation of said end piston and wherein said second side is disposed in non-parallel relationship to the adjacent edge of the inclined face of said end piston when said end piston is rotated to Bottom Dead Center.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said inlet ports for said front and rear end pistons are interconnected so as to communicate incoming fluid into the chamber adjacent each of said end pistons from the inlet port adjacent the other of said end pistons.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said inlet ports are valved open and closed by said end pistons and said center piston and said inlet port begins opening between 0* and 10* of rotation of said end piston past top dead center and remains open to substantially 180* past top dead center.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said shaft means for mounting said end pistons are steel and include a hollow tubular end portion press fit into a bore in said end piston and wherein each of said end pistons is aluminum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
The invention of claim 1 including a seal means comprising a cylindrical skirt extending circumferentially of such end pistons and said cylindrical skirt being coaxial with the axis of rotation of said pistons and wherein said housing has a cylindrical bore which is coaxial of said axis of rotation of each of said end pistons for receiving said cylindrical skirt portion to form a seal therebetween.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
The invention of claim 1, including: discharge ports in said partially spherical housing and having a generally circular configuration with a rectangular extension therewith, the longer side of such rectangle being substantially tangential to the circular opening and substantially parallel to the plane of the inclined face of the adjacent end piston when such piston is at top dead center.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 7 wherein said discharge port is positioned so as to be opened by rotation of the adjacent piston after it has rotated at least 30* through the discharge stroke.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 7 wherein said discharge ports are angularly spaced so as not to begin opening at intervals of 90* of rotation of said center piston.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-10 | 1977-12-10 | 1978-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-10 | 1981-12-10 | 1982-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-10 | 1985-12-10 | 1986-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |