Swash plate compressor

Abstract

A swash plate compressor of light weight construction having a cylinder block defining weight reducing tubular cylinder bore portions which form, with its outer shell, a low pressure gas upper inlet channel and a pair of low pressure gas lower exit channels. Aperture means are provided in one of the heads and its associated valve plate to allow direct axial flow communication from the compressor suction inlet to the upper inlet channel for receiving a mixture of low pressure gas and oil. Aperture means are formed in the compressor heads and their associated valve plates providing communication from the upper inlet channel to the compressor low pressure gas suction chambers via a weight reducing swash plate space that completely exposed the swash plate and each of the lower exit channels. The result is that compressor weight is reduced while lubrication is achieved by the low pressure gas and oil mixture entering the upper inlet channel and flowing in heat exchange relation with the upper tubular portions separating a portion of the oil from gas for deposit on the upper tubular portions for subsequent gravitational flow to the operation portions of the compressor and with the low pressure gas and oil mixture directly exposed to and enveloping the swash plate to ensure that sufficient entrained oil is caused to separate out as a film on the swash plate sides.