Air Compressor

Abstract

Disclosed is a portable air compressor accessory connectable to the chuck-end of a hand held electric drill via a shaft mount capable of rotating in the same axis of rotation as the chuck. The shaft passes through a housing via bearing mounts. Within the housing is a plurality of radially oriented piston-containing cylinders connected at their respective check valve governed air discharge outlets to a manifold. The manifold discharges to a suitable outlet connection to provide compressed air. Each cylinder has a check valve governed air inlet. Within the housing, the shaft attaches to a cam having a spindle, offset from the axis of rotation, swivel connected to a hub. Piston rods are connected at one end to hub and at the other end swivel connected to the respective pistons. One rod is fixedly connected to the hub, the other rods are swivel connected to the hub as articulating rods.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A portable air compressor accessory connectable to the chuck-end of a hand held electric drill, the drill capable of being operated to rotate its chuck-end about an axis of rotation, the compressor accessory comprising:
 a. an outer housing;   b. a bearing penetrating the outer housing;   c. a shaft passing through the bearing, the shaft comprising a first end external to the outer housing connectable to the chuck-end of the drill, and a second end connected to a cam device, the shaft capable of rotating along the axis of rotation, the cam device comprising a disc member having a first side connected to the shaft second end and a second side opposite the first side, and a spindle member connected to the disc member second side offset from the axis of rotation;   d. a manifold having an internal manifold chamber for receiving compressed air;   e. a plurality of cylinders lying substantially in the same plane within the housing evenly and radially spaced apart from each other about the axis of rotation, each cylinder capable of receiving a piston, each cylinder comprising
 i. an upper cylinder end and a lower cylinder end, 
 ii. a piston capable of moving up and down within the cylinder, the piston having an upper piston end and a lower piston end, 
 iii. a compression chamber formed by the space between the cylinder upper end and the piston upper end, 
 iv. an air inlet conduit comprising an first inlet end external to the outer housing and a second inlet end in fluid communication with the compression chamber, 
 v. an air exhaust conduit comprising a first exhaust end in fluid communication with the compression chamber and a second exhaust end in fluid communication with the internal manifold chamber, 
   f. a hub having a center connected to the spindle member;   g. a plurality of rod members corresponding to the number of pistons, each rod member having a rod upper end and rod lower end, the lower end of each piston being swivel connected to the upper end of its respective rod, the lower ends rod members being mounted radially about the hub in equal spaced apart relationship, wherein one such rod serves as a master rod and has its lower end fixedly mounted to the hub, wherein the remain rods serve as articulating rods and have their lower ends swivel mounted to the hub; and   h. a nozzle attached to the manifold to permit the controlled release of compressed air from the internal manifold chamber to a desired location external to the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The air compressor accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cylinders ranges between 3 and 9 cylinders. 
     
     
         3 . The air compressor accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cylinders comprises 5 cylinders. 
     
     
         4 . The air compressor accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold is located within the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The air compressor accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the outside of the housing comprises a hand hold.