Axial piston high pressure compressor/pump

Abstract

An axial machine having a wedge that drives a plurality of pistons and a retainer plate for maintaining the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge. A center positioning mechanism for the retainer plate in which the slipper shoes placed on the wedge have a portion extending through a respective hole in the retainer plate, with each of the slipper shoes engaging a point on the side of its respective hole to restrain the retainer plate from movement parallel to the planar angular surface of the wedge. Also described is an oil separation system for removing oil from the gas to be compressed such that the removed oil drains into the oil sump. An oil lubrication system has a cavity around the drive shaft to receive oil from the sump, and disburse the oil through a passageway to discharge ports in the wedge to disburse oil on the planar angular surface of the wedge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In an axial machine having a wedge with a planar angular surface with respect to a plurality of pistons in the axial machine, the wedge in driving engagement with the pistons, a center positioning mechanism for a retainer plate comprising:
 a plurality of slipper shoes placed on the planar angular surface of the wedge;   each of the plurality of pistons having one end operatively connected to the slipper shoe and the other end slidably received in a cylinder;   a retainer plate engaging the slipper shoes for maintaining the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge;
 a plurality of holes in the retainer plate with one hole in alignment with and receiving one of the slipper shoes so that each slipper shoe is received in a complementary hole; 
   each of the slipper shoes engaging a point on the side of the respective hole in which the slipper shoe is received with the point of engagement moving around its respective hole as the wedge drives the pistons, the points of engagement on the slipper shoes in their respective holes restraining the retainer plate from movement parallel to the planar angular surface of the wedge.   
     
     
         2 . The axial machine of  claim 1  wherein the slipper shoes are equally radially disposed with respect to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The axial machine of  claim 1  and further comprising drive means connected to the wedge for rotating the wedge causing the pistons to reciprocate as the angular surface of the wedge is driven across the slipper shoes. 
     
     
         4 . The axial machine of  claim 1  and further comprising a barrel in which the cylinders are disposed in the barrel and a barrel drive means connected to the barrel for rotating the barrel causing the pistons to reciprocate as the slipper shoes are driven across the angular surface of the wedge. 
     
     
         5 . The axial machine of  claim 1  and further comprising a drive shaft mounted in the center of the axial machine for providing rotative power to the axial machine, a retainer sleeve mounted in axial parallel alignment with the drive shaft, the sleeve having a top and bottom, the bottom of the retainer sleeve engaging the retainer plate and restraining the retainer plate from movement parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, the retainer plate securing the slipper shoes beneath the retainer plate to maintain the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge angular surface. 
     
     
         6 . The axial machine of  claim 5  and further comprising spring means engaging the sleeve to maintain the bottom of the sleeve in contact with the retainer plate. 
     
     
         7 . The axial machine of  claim 5  and further comprising a beveled surface on the bottom of the sleeve, and a complementary beveled surface on the retainer plate engaging the beveled surface on the bottom of the sleeve whereby the two beveled surfaces engage each other in continuous rotating engagement as the retainer plate changes its angular orientation with respect to the pistons during operation of the axial machine. 
     
     
         8 . The axial machine of  claim 5  and further comprising a beveled surface on one of the bottom of the sleeve or retainer plate, the beveled surface engaging the non beveled surface of the other of the bottom of the sleeve or retainer plate whereby the two surfaces engage each other in continuous rotating engagement as the retainer plate changes its angular orientation with respect to the pistons during operation of the axial machine. 
     
     
         9 . The axial machine of  claim 1  wherein the axial machine has top and bottom ends and the shaft extends completely through the top and bottom ends of the axial machine. 
     
     
         10 . An axial machine comprising:
 an axial machine housing;   a centrally mounted drive shaft;   a wedge mounted in the axial machine housing, the wedge having a planar angular surface;   a plurality of slipper shoes placed on the planar angular surface of the wedge;   a plurality of cylinders disposed in a cylinder barrel;   a piston disposed in each of the cylinders, each piston having one end operatively connected to the slipper shoe and the other end slidably received in the cylinder;   drive means for causing the wedge to drivingly engage the pistons thereby causing the pistons to reciprocate;   a retainer plate engaging the slipper shoes for maintaining the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge;   a plurality of holes in the retainer plate with one hole in alignment with and receiving one of the slipper shoes so that each slipper shoe is received in a complementary hole;   each of the slipper shoes engaging a point on the side of the respective hole in which the slipper shoe is received with the point of engagement moving around the respective hole as the wedge wobbles, the points of engagement on the slipper shoes in their respective holes restraining the retainer plate from movement parallel to the planar angular surface of the wedge.   
     
     
         11 . The axial machine of  claim 10  wherein the drive means for causing the wedge to drivingly engage the pistons comprises a drive shaft mounted in the center of the axial machine, the drive shaft providing rotative power to drive the wedge with respect to the pistons, a retainer sleeve mounted in alignment with the drive shaft, the retainer sleeve having a top and bottom, the bottom of the retainer sleeve engaging the retainer plate and restraining the retainer plate from movement parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, the retainer plate securing the slipper shoes beneath the retainer plate to maintain the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge angular surface. 
     
     
         12 . The axial machine of  claim 10  wherein the drive means for causing the wedge to drivingly engage the pistons comprises a drive shaft mounted in the center of the axial machine for providing rotative power to cylinder barrel, a retainer sleeve mounted in parallel alignment with the drive shaft, the retainer sleeve having a top and bottom, the bottom of the retainer sleeve engaging the retainer plate and restraining the retainer plate from movement parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, the retainer plate securing the slipper shoes beneath the retainer plate to maintain the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge angular surface. 
     
     
         13 . An axial compressor comprising:
 a compressor housing having a compressor head;   an oil sump in the compressor housing for containing oil for lubricating the axial compressor;   a gas intake port in the housing for receiving a gas to be compressed;   at least one compressor cylinder for receiving and compressing the gas;   a manifold in the compressor housing in fluid communication with the gas intake port through which the gas to be compressed must pass, the manifold in fluid communication with the compressor cylinder; the manifold having walls and a floor that contact the gas as it passes through the manifold before entering the compressor head;   at least one hole in the manifold floor in fluid communication with the oil sump for allowing oil removed from the gas to drain into the oil sump;   the manifold allowing oil to separate from the gas as the gas travels through the manifold on its way to the cylinder.   
     
     
         14 . The axial compressor of  claim 13  and further comprising thermal warming means for transferring heat from the axial compressor to the gas to heat the gas as it passes through the manifold. 
     
     
         15 . The axial compressor of  claim 13  and further comprising:
 a centrally mounted drive shaft; 
 a wedge mounted in the axial compressor, the wedge having a planar angular surface; 
 a plurality of slipper shoes placed on the planar angular surface of the wedge; 
 a plurality of cylinders disposed in a cylinder barrel; 
 a piston disposed in each of the cylinders, each piston having one end operatively connected to the slipper shoe and the other end slidably received in the cylinder; 
 drive means for causing the wedge to drivingly engage the pistons thereby causing the pistons to reciprocate; 
 a retainer plate engaging the slipper shoes for maintaining the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge; 
 a plurality of holes in the retainer plate with one hole in alignment with and receiving one of the slipper shoes so that each slipper shoe is received in a complementary hole; 
 each of the slipper shoes engaging a point on the side of the respective hole in which the slipper shoe is received with the point of engagement moving around the respective hole as the wedge wobbles, the points of engagement on the slipper shoes in their respective holes restraining the retainer plate from movement parallel to the planar angular surface of the wedge. 
 
     
     
         16 . The axial compressor of  claim 15  and further comprising a retainer sleeve mounted in axial parallel alignment with the drive shaft, the sleeve having a top and bottom, the bottom of the retainer sleeve engaging the retainer plate and restraining the retainer plate from movement parallel to the axis of the drive shaft, the retainer plate securing the slipper shoes beneath the retainer plate to maintain the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge angular surface. 
     
     
         17 . An axial machine comprising:
 an axial machine housing;   a central, vertically mounted drive shaft;   a wedge mounted in the axial machine housing, the wedge having a planar angular surface;   a plurality of slipper shoes placed on the planar angular surface of the wedge;   a plurality of cylinders disposed in a cylinder barrel;   a piston slidably received in each of the cylinders,   drive means for causing the wedge to drivingly engage the pistons thereby causing the pistons to reciprocate;   an oil sump in the compressor housing for containing oil for lubricating the axial machine;   a retainer plate engaging the slipper shoes for maintaining the slipper shoes in contact with the wedge;   a cavity around the drive shaft in fluid communication with the oil sump;   at least one oil passageway in the wedge in fluid communication with the cavity, the oil passageway having discharge ports in the wedge to disburse oil on the planar angular surface.   
     
     
         18 . The axial machine of  claim 17  wherein the cavity is formed around a reduction in the drive shaft diameter at a location along the drive shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The axial machine of  claim 17  and further comprising centrifugal drive means along the drive shaft to centrifugally spin the oil upward from the oil sump to the cavity and then to the wedge discharge ports to lubricate the surface of the wedge. 
     
     
         20 . The axial machine of  claim 17  and at least one additional oil retention cavity in the wedge to store an oil reserve to be used on initial start up of the axial machine.