Tecumseh Products Company

Robert B Weatherwax, Iii

Otto K Riegger

John S Kosco

A rotating type machine including a first moving member having a first surface and a second member having a second surface slidably interfacing with the first surface. The first and second surfaces have relative movement therebetween, and one of the first and second members is supported by the other member through the interface of their respective first and second surfaces. At least one of the first and second surfaces is provided with at least one recess therein. A liquid lubricant is provided between the first and second surfaces, and the lubricant is received in the recess. Relative to the surface in which the recess is provided, the recess has a maximum depth which ranges between about 0.00125 and 0.0060 inches, and a surface area which ranges between about 1.767&times;10 and 1.963&times;10 square inches, whereby, during operation of the machine, a pressure spike is created in the lubricant above the recess, and first and second surfaces are hydrodynamically separated from each other by the pressure spike.

Rotating machine having lubricant-containing recesses on a bearing surface

Vane for use in a rotary vane compressor or other rotary expansible chamber device and process for making the vane in which the vane comprises a vane body having a first tip, a second tip, and a vane body interconnecting the tips. At least one of the first and second tips comprises a metal alloy and a lubricating agent provided in admixture with the metal alloy. The vane body comprises a metal alloy and a plurality of inorganic particles provided in admixture with the metal alloy. The inorganic particles have a coefficient of thermal expansion which is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal alloy.

Vane for a rotary compressor

A process of making a vane for a rotary expansible chamber device, comprising the steps of: providing an open vane die having a die cavity, wherein said die cavity comprises a body cavity section corresponding to a body of the vane, a first tip cavity section corresponding to a first tip of the vane, and a second tip cavity section corresponding to a second tip of the vane; providing a preheated, porous carbon preform in the first tip cavity section of the vane die, the preform having a shape corresponding to at least a portion of the first tip cavity section; closing the vane die; injecting a castable admixture comprising a metal alloy and a plurality of inorganic particles into the die cavity and filling the vane die cavity with the injected admixture; impregnating the preform with the metal alloy of the injected admixture, substantially all of the inorganic particles from the injected admixture being filtered out by the preform as the admixture flows into the preform; allowing the castable admixture to solidify, whereby a vane is formed in the die cavity; and removing the vane from the die.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Robert B Weatherwax, Iii