Centrifugal gas compressor unit

Claim 2

A centrifugal gas compressor unit, comprising: a plurality of separate, elongate, gas compressor housings; a plurality of successive gas compressing stages within each of said housings; means for admitting gas to a first of said housings; means for discharging compressed gas from a last of said housings; means for communicating gas between each of said housings for successive gas compression; said stages each comprising a bladed gas compressor impeller and a vaned diffusor; a shaft confined within each of said housings; rotatably supporting said impellers; bearing means interposed between each of said shafts and housings for supporting said shafts for rotation; a gear housing, having parallel spaced apart walls, integral with said compressor housings; said compressor housings extending in parallel axes from, and perpendicular to one of said walls of said gear hOusing; each of said shafts extending through both of said walls, and having a shallow gear shaft concentrically engaged therewith; each of said gear shafts carries gear means intermediate said walls; an idler gear rotatably supported by and between said walls, drivingly engaged with a plurality of said gear means; a driving gear rotatably supported by and between said walls, drivingly engaged with said idler gear and at least one of said gear means; and means replaceably coupled to said compressor housings for retaining said stages and impeller shafts in said compressor housings; wherein said stages and impeller shafts are slidably supported within said compressor housings by said bearing means, gear means, and said retaining means, and are slidably removable therefrom, via ends of said compressor housings opposite said one wall, upon removal of said bearing means, gear means, and said retaining means; wherein each of said compressor housings has a plurality of impellers carried on respective ones of said impeller shafts, said impellers and impeller shafts defining rotor assemblies within each of said compressor housings; and a plurality of said rotor assemblies are of common weight; and wherein said impellers of one of said common-weight rotor assemblies have a first diameter, and said impellers of another of said common-weight rotor assemblies have a second diameter, and all impellers of said one and another rotor assemblies are of one, common axial length.

Claim 3

A gas compressor unit, according to claim 1, wherein: said gear housing has an arcuate-shaped lubricant reservoir; said reservoir having a plurality of lubricant outlet ports formed therein; and further including lubricant conduits coupled to and communicating with said ports and having ends thereof opening onto locations within said gear housing whereat said idler and driving gears and said gear means engage.

Claim 4

A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: said driving gear is supported by a stub shaft which is rotatably mounted in said walls; said stub shaft having a portion which is in penetration of the other of said parallel walls for coupling thereof to a prime mover.

Claim 5

A gas compressor, according to claim 1, wherein: all impellers of said common-weight assemblies are of uniform axial length.

Claim 6

A gas compressor unit, according to claim 1, wherein: each of said impeller shafts is secured in said gear housing by locking means disposed outside of said gear housing.

Claim 7

A gas compressor unit, according to claim 5, wherein: said shaft locking means is enclosed within a separate cover, which cover is replaceably secured to the other of said walls.

Claim 8

A gas compressor unit, according to claim 6, wherein: said other of said walls comprises a gear housing cover plate; said cover plate is replaceably secured to said one wall; said cover plate has apertures formed therein; and further including separate covers replaceably secured over said apertures to provide access to, and to accommodate removal of, said hollow gear shafts through said apertures, upon removal of said separate covers from said cover plate.

Claim 9

A gas compressor unit, according to claim 1, wherein: said gear housing has means therewithin for suppressing sound emission therefrom.

Claim 10

A centrifugal gas compressor unit, comprising: a plurality of separate, elongate, gas compressor housings; a plurality of successive gas compressing stages within each of said housings; means for admitting gas to a first of said housings; means for discharging compressed gas from a last of said housings; means for communicating gas between each of said housings for successive gas compression; said stages each comprising a bladed gas compressor impeller and a vaned diffusor; a shaft confined within each of said housings; rotatably supporting said impellers; bearing means interposed betWeen each of said shafts and housings for supporting said shafts for rotation; a gear housing, having parallel spaced apart walls, integral with said compressor housings; said compressor housings extending in parallel axes from, and perpendicular to one of said walls of said gear housings; each of said shafts extending through both of said walls, and having a hollow gear shaft concentrically engaged therewith; each of said gear shafts carries gear means intermediate said walls; an idler gear rotatably supported by and between said walls, drivingly engaged with a plurality of said gear means; a driving gear rotatably supported by and between said walls, drivingly engaged with said idler gear and at least one of said gear means; and means replaceably coupled to said compressor housings for retaining said stages and impeller shafts in said compressor housings; wherein said stages and impeller shafts are slidably supported within said compressor housings by said bearing means, gear means, and said retaining means and are slidably removable therefrom, via ends of said compressor housings opposite said one wall, upon removal of said bearing means, gear means, and said retaining means; wherein each of said compressor housings has a plurality of impellers carried on respective ones of said impeller shafts, said impellers and impeller shafts defining rotor assemblies within each of said compressor housings; and a plurality of said rotor assemblies are of common weight; and wherein said gear housing has means therewithin for suppressing sound emission therefrom; said sound suppressing means comprising an arcuate, substantially closed chamber which extends fully across the width of said gear housing, and substantially envelops said gears and said gear means.

Claim 11

A centrifugal gas compressor unit, comprising: a plurality of separate, elongate, gas compressor housings; a plurality of successive gas compressing stages within each of said housings; means for admitting gas to a first of said housings; means for discharging compressed gas from a last of said housings; means for communicating gas between each of said housings for successive gas compression; said stages each comprising a bladed gas compressor impeller and a vaned diffusor; a shaft confined within each of said housings; rotatably supporting said impellers; bearing means interposed betWeen each of said shafts and housings for supporting said shafts for rotation; a gear housing, having parallel spaced apart walls, integral with said compressor housings; said compressor housings extending in parallel axes from, and perpendicular to one of said walls of said gear housings; each of said shafts extending through both of said walls, and having a hollow gear shaft concentrically engaged therewith; each of said gear shafts carries gear means intermediate said walls; an idler gear rotatably supported by and between said walls, drivingly engaged with a plurality of said gear means; a driving gear rotatably supported by and between said walls, drivingly engaged with said idler gear and at least one of said gear means; and means replaceably coupled to said compressor housings for retaining said stages and impeller shafts in said compressor housings; wherein said stages and impeller shafts are slidably supported within said compressor housings by said bearing means, gear means, and said retaining means and are slidably removable therefrom, via ends of said compressor housings opposite said one wall, upon removal of said bearing means, gear means, and said retaining means; wherein each of said compressor housings has a plurality of impellers carried on respective ones of said impeller shafts, said impellers and impeller shafts defining rotor assemblies within each of said compressor housings; and a plurality of said rotor assemblies are of common weight; and wherein said gear housing has means therewithin for suppressing sound emission therefrom; said sound suppressing means comprising an arcuate, substantially closed chamber which extends fully across the width of said gear housing, and substantially envelops said gears and said gear means.

Claim 12

A gas compressor unit, according to claim 9, further including: means for admitting fluid into said chamber.