US 4,541,243 A · Internal combustion driven pumping system and variable torque transmission

Abstract

An internal combustion driven fluid pumping apparatus for accumulating fluid pressure to be applied against a load includes a two-stroke combustion cylinder having a piston drivingly connected to a piston of a linearly disposed compression cylinder, which is in turn connected by a fluid conduit to a pressure accumulator. The accumulator is operatively connected to the compression cylinder such that the frequency of cycles of the combustion cylinder varies with the changes in the demand of the load upon the fluid pressure stored in the accumulator, and such that the speed of the pistons in each individual stroke is substantially constant. To begin each cycle, fluid is forced into the compression cylinder at a pressure less than the pressure of fluid in the accumulator, but sufficient to compress and ignite combustible gases in the combustion cylinder. A fluid-driven power plant is disclosed including a motor and a combustion energy input device combined in a closed, pressurized system. A transmission system is also provided wherein a variable volume hydraulic pump including a pump shaft drivingly connected to the load is driven by the shaft of a hydraulic motor, which is in turn driven by a high pressure fluid source. The displacement of the pump can be varied to vary the torque transmitted to the load, while maintaining the torque of the motor at a substantially constant rate.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A fluid-driven power plant, comprising:

fluid handling means containing a substantially constant system volume of fluid under pressure, said fluid handling means comprising:
an output cylinder capable of a fill stroke and an output stroke;
a balance cylinder in fluid communication with said output cylinder;
means for operating said balance cylinder to deliver fluid to said output cylinder during said fill stroke;
means for operating said output cylinder to deliver fluid therefrom;
an accumulator in fluid communication with said output cylinder, the operating pressure level of said accumulator being variable;
and
a fluid-driven drive motor having a first port in fluid communication with said accumulator;
said balance cylinder being responsive to increases and decreases in said operating pressure level for increasing and decreasing, respectively, the amount of said system volume of fluid available to said accumulator.

6 more elements

A fluid-driven power plant, comprising:

fluid handling means containing a substantially constant system volume of fluid under pressure, said fluid handling means comprising:
an output cylinder;
means for operating said output cylinder to deliver fluid therefrom;
an accumulator in fluid communication with said output cylinder, the operating pressure level of said accumulator being variable;
a fluid-driven drive motor having a first port in fluid communication with said accumulator;
and
balance cylinder means responsive to increases and decreases in said operating pressure level for increasing and decreasing, respectively, the amount of said system volume of fluid available to said accumulator;
said balance cylinder means comprising a balance cylinder in fluid communication with a second port of said drive motor, with said accumulator and with said output cylinder;
output valve means for preventing fluid flow from said accumulator to said balance cylinder and said output cylinder;
and input valve means for preventing fluid flow from said output cylinder to said balance cylinder.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Internal combustion driven pumping system and variable torque transmission

Life of this patent

Internal combustion driven pumping system and variable torque transmission

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15