Reversible refrigeration system rotary compressor

Claim 1

A reversible rotary refrigerant compressor comprising: a hermetic casing containing a high pressure refrigerant gas; a compressor unit positioned in said casing, including a cylinder having an annular chamber, spaced upper and lower end walls connecting with said cylinder and enclosing said annular cylinder, a rotor eccentrically rotatable within said cylinder with the peripheral surface of said rotor arranged to move progressively into sealing relation with successive portions of said annular cylinder; a reversible motor in said casing having a shaft thereon extending into said unit for driving said rotor; a radial slot in said cylinder communicating with said chamber; a blade slidably positioned in said radial slot; means biasing said blade against said rotor for following said rotor, thereby to divide said cylinder into interchangeable high and low pressure sides; a valve chamber in said cylinder communicating with at least portions of said high and low pressure sides of said annular cylinder; a first fluid passageway communicating between a first opening in said casing and said valve chamber; a second fluid passageway communicating between a second opening in said casing and said valve chamber; a switch-over member movable between end walls of said valve chamber, said switch-over member having a first low pressure cavity and a second low pressure cavity, means responsive to rotor rotation in one direction for moving said switch-over member to a first position during rotation of said rotor in said one direction wherein a passageway is established through said first cavity between said first fluid passageway and one side of said cylinder functioning as the low pressure side, and means responsive to rotor rotation in the other direction for moving said switch-over member to a second position during rotation of said rotor in said other direction wherein a passageway is established through said second cavity between said second fluid passageway and the other side of said cylinder functioning as the low pressure side; a first high pressure port in said switch-over member communicating with said first fluid passageway when said switch-over member is in its first position; a second high pressure port in said switch-over member communicating with said second fluid passageway when said switch over member is in its second position; and a high pressure valved opening in said switch-over member being in communication with said other side of said cylinder functioning as the high pressure side when said switch-over member is in its first position to establish a high pressure passageway between said other side of said cylinder and said second fluid passageway during rotation of said rotor in said one direction, and being in communication with said one side of said cylinder functioning as the high pressure side when said switch-over member is in its second position to establish a passageway between said one side of said cylinder and said first fluid pasageway during rotation of said rotor in said other direction.