Variable capacity wobble plate compressor

Claim 1

In an air conditioning apparatus of the type including a condenser, an evaporator and a compressor connected to provide a closed circuit, compression-condensing-evaporation refrigeration system, said compressor comprising means defining a plurality of refrigerant gas working spaces each having a piston cooperating with suction and discharge ports to compress a fluid therein; a drive shaft; a wobble plate driven by said drive shaft in a nutating path about the drive shaft axis; means operably connected between said wobble plate and the individual pistons to impart reciprocating drive to said pistons, the length of stroke being a function of the angle at which said wobble plate is supported relative to the drive axis; means for pivoting said wobble plate at a point spaced from said drive axis so as to permit said wobble plate to be inclined relative to a plane normal to said drive shaft axis, so that when the wobble plate is disposed in said normal plane, the pistons are located at top-dead-center within said gas working spaces; said pistons being enclosed in a fluid tight housing providing a crankcase which is pressurized by fluid bypassing said pistons from said gas working spaces; and means for controlling the pressure within said crankcase including means for sensing pressure of fluid in said evaporator.