Reversible radial vane air motor

A reversible air motor comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a motor cylinder within the motor housing having a rotor cavity and passages for admitting air to and exhausting air from the rotor cavity;
• a rotor positioned within the rotor cavity, said rotor having radial slots;
• radial vanes slidably engaged in said radial slots;
• forward air inlet means having a main air passage within the housing and connections to the rotor cavity for conducting pressurized air from an external source to the rotor cavity such that the pressurized air turns the rotor in a forward direction during forward operation of the motor;
• forward exhaust means for conducting exhaust air from the rotor cavity to the atmosphere during forward operation of the motor, said forward exhaust means having a forward exhaust passage connecting the rotor cavity with a forward exhaust port located on the housing;
• forward air control means for controlling the flow of air through the forward air inlet means, said forward air control means located within said main air passage;
• a bypass air passage contained within the motor housing for conducting pressurized air from an external source to the rotor cavity such that the air turns the rotor in a reverse direction, said bypass passage conducting the air such that it bypasses the forward air inlet means and the forward air control means;
• reverse air control means for controlling the flow of air through the bypass air passage, said reverse control means having a first means located within the bypass air passage and a second means located partially external to the motor housing, said first means operably engaged with said second means, and said reverse air control means closing the bypass passage during forward operation and variably opening the passage during reverse operation;
• an exhaust deflector slidably mounted on the motor housing and positioned such that it is capable of sliding into a position to close off the forward exhaust port during reverse operation of the motor;
• reverse exhaust means for conducting exhaust air from the rotor cavity to the atmosphere during reverse operation of the motor, said reverse exhaust means having an exhaust passage and a reverse exhaust port being closed during forward operation;
• and
• a reverse control lever that has a forward mode position and variable reverse mode positions, said control lever located partially external to the housing and being operably engaged with the reverse air control means and the reverse exhaust means to allow for variable control of the reverse air control means and the reverse exhaust means.

A reversible air motor comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a motor cylinder within the motor housing having a rotor cavity, a forward inlet port for admitting pressurized air into the rotor cavity during forward operation of the motor, and forward exhaust ports for exhausting air from the rotor cavity during forward operation of the motor;
• a rotor with radial vanes within the rotor cavity;
• a main air passage contained within the motor housing for conducting pressurized air from an external source to the forward inlet port of the cylinder during forward operation;
• a tiltable throttle valve located within the main air passage for controlling the flow of air through the main air passage, said throttle valve being closed during reverse operation of the motor;
• a centrifugal governor positioned in said main air passage so as to govern the flow of air to the motor during forward operation of the motor;
• a forward exhaust passage for conducting air from the forward exhaust ports of the cylinder to the atmosphere during forward operation of the motor;
• a bypass air passage contained within the motor housing for conducting pressurized air from an external source to the forward exhaust ports of the cylinder during reverse operation of the motor, bypassing the throttle valve, the main air passage and the centrifugal governor;
• a ball valve located in the bypass air passage that controls the flow of air through the bypass air passage, said ball valve being held closed by a spring during forward operation thereby closing said bypass passage to the flow of air during forward operation of the motor;
• a lift pin located within the housing and positioned so as to force the ball against said spring and open the bypass passage to the flow of air during reverse operation of the motor;
• a pressure-actuated exhaust deflector slidably engaged with the motor housing and positioned partially within the bypass air passage such that air pressure within said bypass passage forces the exhaust deflector against a spring for moving the exhaust deflector to a position such that the deflector closes off the forward exhaust passage to the atmosphere and routes the air in the bypass passage into the rotor cavity;
• a reverse exhaust passage contained within the motor housing for conducting air from the rotor cavity to the atmosphere during reverse operation of the motor;
• a rotary valve positioned within the reverse exhaust passage so as to control the flow of air through the passage;
• and
• a reverse control lever operably engaged with the rotary valve and positioned such that a portion of the reverse control lever is external to the motor housing, said control lever also being operably engaged with the lift pin such that variable movement of the control lever forces the lift pin against the ball valve thereby variably controlling the flow of air in the bypass passage, such variable movement of said control lever also variably opens the rotary valve allowing air to flow through the reverse exhaust passage.