Power plants – Pressure fluid source and motor – Cyclically operable reciprocating or oscillating motor or...
Patent
1996-03-05
1998-06-16
Lopez, F. Daniel
Power plants
Pressure fluid source and motor
Cyclically operable reciprocating or oscillating motor or...
91248, 91249, 91277, F16D 3102
Patent
active
057653747
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
THIS INVENTION relates to a gas driven mechanical oscillator and method for converting the energy of an expanding gas into mechanical work using the oscillator and in particular, but not limited to, a gas driven dynamic linear oscillator using an oscillating mass to accelerate a heavier load against an air cushion.
BACKGROUND ART
Many engines utilise and operate on the principal whereby the energy of an expanding gas during a combustion process is used to produce mechanical work typically driving a piston. This process is utilised in an internal combustion engine.
The present invention has been devised to offer a useful alternative to present gas driven mechanical oscillators of this general kind by utilising physical principals in a different way to the customarily accepted techniques and methods for converting the energy of an expanding gas into mechanical work.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect the present invention resides in a method for converting the energy of an expanding gas into mechanical work comprising the steps of: complementary expansion chambers of a variable amplitude mechanical oscillator to cause an oscillating member thereof to oscillate in order for the expanding gas to perform work under load; increasing the amplitude of oscillation of said oscillating member until a desired amplitude is reached; and said desired amplitude
The method typically includes the further step of progressively increasing the inertia of said oscillating member while continuing to apply aid pulses to said chambers.
The method typically further includes the step of using the said oscillating member to directly or indirectly drive a compressor to compress gas.
In a further and alternative method step said oscillating member is used to directly or indirectly generate electricity.
In a further and alternative step said oscillating member is directly or indirectly used to liquefy air.
In a further and alternative step said oscillating member is used to directly or indirectly drive a combined compressor and electricty generator.
In a further aspect there is provided a gas driven mechanical oscillator comprising a casing, a plurality of expansion chambers within the casing, an oscillating member including moveable walls of said chambers, the oscillating member being adapted to oscillate in response to complementary expansion of gas within and exhaustion of gas from the chambers and there being provided control means operable to vary the amplitude of said oscillating member from an initial low amplitude to a higher amplitude.
Typically the control means comprises variable inertia means for increasing the inertia of said oscillating member during oscillation thereof. In another form where gas is delivered to the chambers as a sequence of gas pulses said control means preferably includes valve means to control the sequencing of said pulses delivered to the chambers in order to increase the amplitude.
In a particularly preferred form the expansion chambers are respective opposed chambers of a double acting pneumatic cylinder assembly having a cylinder and piston within the cylinder, the oscillating member including said piston and being provided with a reciprocable load mounted externally of said cylinder assembly, said piston and said load being mounted for movement together and preferably on a common elongate piston rod, said piston rod having spaced transverse slots and axially shiftable and positionable valve means movable along said piston rod, said valve means having passage means communicating with a source of compressed gas and at the same time with said chambers, said slots being alternately aligned with the respective spaced passages in said valve means to supply pulses of gas to the expansion chambers of the double acting pneumatic cylinder assembly to cause the oscillating member to oscillate.
In a still further aspect there is provided an AC power supply comprising a double acting pneumatic cylinder assembly including a cylinder and a piston assembly comprising a p
REFERENCES:
patent: 3185040 (1965-05-01), Ligon
patent: 3782246 (1974-01-01), Hilbrands
patent: 4016941 (1977-04-01), Sanders
Linear Energy Corporation Limited
Lopez F. Daniel
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