Swash-plate compressor

Claim 1

In a swash-plate type compressor of the type having a pair of horizontal axially aligned cylinder blocks forming a combined block which is provided with an inlet port in each block for introducing a refrigerant gas having oil particles suspended therein from the exterior of the compressor into each block, a pair of oil separating passageways communicating with each port respectively and extending in opposite axial directions of the combined block for separating the oil particles from the introduced refrigerant gas, means defining a lubricating oil reservoir and a swash-plate chamber in the middle portion of said combined block for rotatably supporting a swash-plate which is mounted on a drive shaft and causes reciprocal motions of compressor pistons slidably retained in aligned cylinder bores of said combined block, a pair of cylinder heads positioned at opposite ends of said combined block, each said head having a suction chamber connected to each of said oil passageways and valve plates interposed between said cylinder heads and said cylinder blocks, the improvement comprising a single fluid conduit for communicating each of said inlet ports with said lubricating oil reservoir, one end of said fluid conduit opening into the top of said reservoir above the level of lubrication oil stored in said reservoir and the other end of said fluid conduit is provided with oppositely directed ports each of which meets at right angles with the flow of refrigerant gas from each inlet port respectively whereby foaming lubricating oil generated in said reservoir upon starting said compressor is sucked into said refrigerant gas passing through said inlet ports, said fluid conduit being a groove located at the joining surface of said cylinder blocks.