Hydraulic machine
OwnerNorman Mathersinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydraulic pump or motor includes a body having a chamber and a rotor rotatably mounted within the chamber. The chamber and rotor are shaped to define one or more rise regions, fall regions, major dwell regions and minor dwell regions between walls of the chamber and the rotor. The rotor has a plurality of slots and vanes located in each slot. Each vane is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position, the vanes are unable to work the hydraulic fluid introduced into the chamber whereas they are able to work the hydraulic fluid introduced into the chamber in the extended position. A vane retaining member that is selectively actuable enables the vanes to be retained in the retracted position.
Claims33
A hydraulic machine having:
- a body having a chamber,
- an inlet for introducing hydraulic fluid into the chamber,
- an outlet through which hydraulic fluid leaves the chamber,
- a rotor rotatably mounted within the chamber,
- the chamber and the rotor being shaped to define one or more rise regions, fall regions and dwell regions between walls of the chamber and the rotor,
- a shaft extending from the rotor,
- the rotor having a plurality of slots,
- a plurality of vanes located such that each slot of the rotor has a vane located therein,
- each vane being movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein in the retracted position, the vane is unable to work the hydraulic fluid introduced into the chamber and in the extended position the vane is able to work the hydraulic fluid introduced into the chamber,
- vane retaining means being selectively actuable such that, when actuated, the vane retaining means retains the vanes in the retracted position, said vane retaining means being arranged such that pressurised hydraulic fluid actuates the vane retaining means to retain the vanes in the retracted position or pressurised hydraulic fluid deactivates the vane retaining means such that the vanes can move from the retracted position to the extended position, and
- venting means for venting hydraulic fluid from under the vanes when the vane retaining means are operated to retain the vanes in the retracted position and the vanes each move into and are retained in the retracted position.
A method for retaining vanes of a hydraulic vane pump or motor in a retracted position within a slotted rotor of the pump or motor, the pump or motor including a chamber and a rotor mounted for rotation within the chamber, the chamber and the rotor being shaped to define one or more dwell regions between walls of the chamber and the rotor, the rotor having a plurality of slots and a plurality of vanes located such that each slot of the rotor has a vane located therein, each vane being movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein in the retracted position, the vane is unable to work the hydraulic fluid introduced into the chamber and in the extended position the vane is able to work the hydraulic fluid introduced into the chamber wherein the method includes the steps of:
- operating the pump or motor such that the vanes move to the extended position when passing through the dwell regions and the vanes move towards or into the retracted position when passing out of the dwell regions, selectively actuating vane retaining means to retain the vanes in the retracted position and placing venting means for venting hydraulic fluid in fluid communication with a region of low pressure hydraulic fluid when the vane retaining means are actuated to vent hydraulic fluid from underneath the vanes as the vanes are retained in the retracted position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.