Rotary compressor

Abstract

A rotary compressor having mating rotary impellers defined by lobes and well spaces therebetween, a discharge port sealed by the peripheral surface of one of the lobes and passages for communicating one impeller well space with a well space of the other impeller as the discharge port is sealed by the one impeller peripheral surface. According to one form, the passages are defined by conduits in the compressor housing; whereas according to a second form the passages are defined by a recess in one impeller and the interior of the compressor housing.

I claim: .[.9.]. 
     
       1. A rotary expansible chamber apparatus, comprising: A. a casing defining first and second working chambers,   B. a first gas passage communicating with each of said working chambers,   C. a second gas passage communicating directly with only said second working chamber,   D. a first impeller rotatably mounted in said first working chamber and having two lobes with the space therebetween defining two wells,   E. a second impeller rotatably mounted in said second working chamber and having two lobes in mating engagement within the wells of said first impeller, each lobe having a leading edge and a trailing edge,   F. said second gas passage and said first and second impellers being so constructed and arranged that the gas occupying the space between said first impeller and said first working chamber is blocked from any prior communication with said second gas passage until the trailing edge of said second impeller exposes said space to said second passage at which time said space has undergone a reduction in volume with a resultant increase in pressure between that existing in said first and second gas passage,   G. additional passage means for placing a closed well of said first impeller in communication with a closed well of said second impeller as said second passage is closed whereby the pressure of gas in said wells .[.in.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.increased by continued rotation of said impellers.   
     
     
       2. The .[.compressor.]. .Iadd.expansible chamber apparatus .Iaddend.according to claim 1, wherein; H. said additional passage means are located in a plane spaced from that which contains said second gas passage.   
     
     
       3. The .[.compressor.]. .Iadd.expansible chamber apparatus .Iaddend.according to claim 2, wherein; I. said additional passage means are defined by peripheral surface portions of said impellers and interior surface portions of said working chambers.   
     
     
       4. The .[.compressor.]. .Iadd.expansible chamber apparatus .Iaddend.according to claim 3, wherein; J. said peripheral surface portion of one impeller comprises a recess and   K. said second impeller has a peripheral surface portion which is adapted to compliment and project into said recess.   
     
     
       5. The .[.compressor.]. .Iadd.expansible chamber apparatus .Iaddend.according to claim 1, wherein; H. said additional passage means comprise a conduit in said casing the ends of which communicate with each of said working chambers.   
     
     
       6. The .[.compressor.]. .Iadd.expansible chamber apparatus .Iaddend.according to claim 1, wherein; H. said additional passage means comprise a conduit the ends of which communicate with each of said working chambers .[.of.]. .Iadd.on .Iaddend.opposite sides of said .Iadd.second .Iaddend.gas .[.discharge port.]. .Iadd.passage. .Iaddend. .[.   
     
     
       7.  A rotary expansible chamber apparatus, comprising; A. a casing defining first and second winding chambers   B. a first gas passage communicating with said working chambers,   C. a second gas passage communicating with at least one of said working chambers,   D. a first impeller rotatably mounted in said first working chamber and having two lobes with the space therebetween defining two wells,   E. a second impeller rotatably mounted in said second working chamber and having two lobes in mating engagement within the wells of said first impeller,   F. sealing means rotating in timed relation with at least one of said impellers for cyclically sealing said secong gas passage whereby communication between said second gas passage and said working chambers is at least partially restricted, and   G. said sealing means comprises third and fourth coacting two-lobed impellers located, respectively in third and fourth working chambers with which said secong gas passage communicates..]. .[.8. The expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 7, wherein;   H. said first and second impellers are so synchronized in movement with respect to said third and fourth impellers that substantially half of the gas in one of said first or second impeller wells is captured in one well space between one pair of lobes of said third or fourth impeller, whereas only half of said gas is returned to a well of the other of said first or second impellers..]. .[.9. The expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 7, wherein;   H. said first and second impellers are mounted on first and second parallel shafts and define with said first and second working chambers a first compressor stage,   I. said third and fourth impellers are mounted on third and fourth parallel shafts and define with said third and fourth working chambers a second compressor stage, and there is further provided;   J. a third compressor stage similar to said first compressor stage, and having impellers which are mounted respectively on said first and second shafts, and   K. a fourth compressor stage similar to said second compressor stage and having impellers which are mounted respectively on said third and fourth shafts..]. .[.10. The expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 9, wherein;   L. said first and second impellers are so synchronized in movement with respect to said third and fourth impellers that substantially half of the gas in one of said first or second impeller wells is captured in the well space between one pair of lobes of said third or fourth impeller, whereas only half of said gas is returned to a well of the other of said first or second impellers, and   M. wherein the impellers of said third stage are similarly synchronized   
     
     
        with respect to the impellers of said fourth stage..]. 11. A rotary expansible chamber apparatus comprising; A. a casing defining first and second working chambers,   B. a gas inlet communicating with said working chambers,   C. a gas discharge port communicating with said first working chamber,   D. a first impeller having lobes and wells therebetween rotatably mounted in said first working chamber,   E. a second impeller having lobes and wells therebetween rotatably mounted in said second working chamber in mating engagement with said first impeller,   F. said first impeller having a peripheral surface means for cyclically sealing said gas discharge port, and   G. passage means for placing a closed well of said first impeller in communication with a closed well of said second impeller as said gas discharge port is closed whereby the pressure of gas in said wells is   
     
     
        increased by continued rotation of said impellers. 12. The expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 11, wherein; H. said passage means are located in a plane spaced from that which   
     
     
        contains said gas discharge port. 13. The expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 12, wherein; I. said passage means are defined by peripheral surface portions of said   
     
     
        impellers and interior surface portions of said working chambers. 14. The expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 13, wherein; J. said peripheral surface portion of one impeller comprises a recess and   K. said second impeller has a peripheral suface portion which is adapted to   
     
     
        compliment and project into said recess. 15. The expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 11, wherein; H. said passage means comprise a conduit in said casing the ends of which   
     
     
        communicate with each of said working chambers. 16. A .Iadd.rotary .Iaddend.expansible chamber apparatus, comprising; A. a casing defining first and second working chambers,   B. a gas inlet communicating with said working chambers,   C. a gas discharge port communicating with said first working chamber,   D. a first impeller having lobes and wells therebetween rotatably mounted in said first working chamber,   E. a second impeller having lobes and wells therebetween rotatably mounted in said second working chamber in mating engagement with said first impeller,   F. said first impeller having a peripheral surface means for cyclically sealing said gas discharge port, and   G. relief passage means placing the space between said impellers in communication with the adjacent well of said second impeller upon closure of said gas discharge port by said peripheral surface of said first   
     
     
        impeller. 17. The rotary expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 16, wherein; H. said relief passage means comprises a protruding portion of said casing   
     
     
        intermediate said gas discharge port and said second working chamber. 18. The rotary expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising; H. passage means for placing a closed well of said first impeller in communication with a closed well of said second impeller as said gas discharge port is closed whereby the pressure of gas in said wells is   
     
     
        increased upon continued rotation of said impellers. 19. The rotary expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 18, wherein; I. said passage means are located in a plane spaced from that which   
     
     
        contains said gas discharge port. 20. The rotary expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 19, wherein; J. said passage means are defined by peripheral surface portions of said   
     
     
        impellers and interior surface portions of said working chambers. 21. The rotary expansible chamber apparatus according to claim 20, wherein; K. said peripheral surface portion of one impeller comprises a recess and   L. said second impeller has a peripheral surface portion which is adapted   
     
     
        to compliment and project into said recess. 22. A rotary expansible chamber apparatus, comprising; A. a casing defining first and second working chambers having interior walls   B. a gas inlet communicating with said working chambers,   C. a gas discharge port communicating with at least said first working chamber,   D. a first impeller having lobes and wells therebetween rotatably mounted in said first working chamber, said first impeller having at least two different constant cross-sectional profiles only one of which is in the plane of said discharge port,   E. a second inpeller having lobes and wells therebetween rotatably mounted in said second working chamber having at least two different constant cross-sectional profiles which compliment and are in mating engagement with respective profiles of said first impeller   F. said wells spaced from said interior walls of said working chambers, and   G. at least one of said impeller profiles blocking communication between said discharge port and the space between the wells of at least one of said, other profiles and the interior well of its working chamber for a portion of its cycle.