Title: Fluid pressure amplifier

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Claims: What is claimed is:

1. A fluid pressure amplifier for intensifying fluid pressure, said amplifier comprising: a housing including a gas-hydraulic interface piston; a first chamber having a slave piston mounted for reciprocation therein, a hydraulic fluid path intermediate said interface piston and said first chamber; a second chamber in said path intermediate said first chamber and said interface piston and check means in said path intermediate said second chamber and said first chamber; a third chamber, and a fluid intensifier piston having a head end and aa tail end, said head end being mounted for reciprocation in said third chamber and said tail end being mounted for reciprocation in said second chamber, said head end having a larger diameter than said tail end and being exposed to gas presssure and said tail end being exposed to hydraulic presssure in said second chamber; a gas inlet to said head end and said interface piston, said fluid intensifier piston movable from a first position to a second position by gas pressure on said head end to thereby increase hydraulic pressure in said first chamber; a relief means to effect a decrease of gas pressure upon said head end at least when said fluid intensifier piston reaches said second position whereby said piston moves from said second to said first position.

2. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 1 including check means intermediate said interface piston and said secnd chamber and operative to permit fluid pressure communication therebetween at least when said intensifier piston is moving from said second to said first position.

3. A fluid amplifier in accordance with calim 1 including means to deactivate said relief means at least upon said intensifier piston reaching said first position.

4. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 1 including a fluid by-pass path intermediate said first chamber and said interface piston, and means to inhibit fluid pressure communication from said interface piston to said first chamber when gas pressure is applied to said interface piston.

5. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 4 wherein said fluid pressure inhibiting means comprises check means in said by-pass path.

6. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 5 including a hat piston in said by-pass path abutting said check means, said hat piston having a first face in said by-pass path exposed to hydraulic pressure from said interface pistotn and a second face exposed to a second gas pressure inlet, said second gas pressure inlet being inactive when said first gas inlet is active and vice-versa.

7. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 6 including a valve assembly having a pressurized gas inlet means, and means in said valve assembly to selectively couple said first and second gas inlets to said pressurized gas inlet means.

8. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 1 including valve means in fluid communication with said gas inlet, and operative between a first position coupling a source of gas pressure to said gas inlet and a second position decoupling said source from said gas inlet.

9. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 8 including means coupling said source of said gas pressure to said slave piston to effect motion of said slave piston in a direction opposite to the direction imposed when said valve means is in said first position.

10. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 1 including check means intermediate said third chamber and said gas inlet, and biasing means for permitting gas to flow from said gas inlet to said third chamber when said fluid intensifier piston is moving between its first position and said second position; said check means restricting gas flow from said gas inlet to said third chamber upon movement of said intensifier piston from said second to said first position.

11. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 10 including means carried by said intensifier piston to open said check means at least upon said intensifier piston completing its movement from said second to said first position.

12. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 10 including a fourth chamber intermediate said third chamber and said gas inlet, and wherein said check means is positioned intermediate said third and fourth chamber and said gas inlet.

13. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 1 wherein said relief means comprises a shaft mounted for reciprocation in and extending through said intensifier piston; said head end of said intensifier piston having a first face exposed to said gas inlet and a second face exposed to atmospheric pressure; a passsageway extending from at least said first face of said piston to said second face of said piston, valve means carried by said shaft operative to seal said passageway as said intensifier piston moves from its first position to its second position; and means, at least upon said intensifier piston reaching said second position to open said valve means and unseal said passageway.

14. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 13 wherein said valve means comprises a flexible seal.

15. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 13 including check means intermediate said third chamber and said gas inlet, biasing means for holding said check means open as said intensifier piston moves from said first to said ssecond position, but insufficient to hold said check means open upon said intensifier piston reaching said second position.

16. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 15 including means carried by said intensifier piston for opening said check means at least upon said intensifier piston moving from its second position to its first position.

17. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 13 including means to close said valve means upon said intensifier piston moving at least to said first position.

18. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 1 wherein said relief means is carried by the head end of said intensifier piston and includes a radially expansible circumferentially extending seal, and means to effect radial expansion of said seal in sealing engagement in said third chamber upon said intensifier piston moving from said second to said first position.

19. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 18 including means for disengaging said seal from its sealing engagement in said third chamber when said piston reaches a predetermined position in its movement from said first position to said second position, thereby permitting gas pressure to bypass said head end of said piston.

20. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 19 wherein said seal includes a peripheral, axially extending, flexible wall portion.

21. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 19 including a secondary relief means, said secondary relief means comprising a valve means in said second chamber; outlet means providing fluid communication between said second chamber and said interface piston; said valve means inhibiting such communication through said outlet means, said tail end of said intensifier piston operative to engage said valve means and permit fluid communication from said second chamber through said outlet means to said intensifier piston.

22. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 19 wherein said head end of said intensifier piston includes a first portion fixed to said tail end; and a second portion including a floating portion mounted for limited axial reciprocation with respect to said first portion, said seal being positioned intermediate said first and second portion, and means carried by one of said portions for camming said seal radially outward to effect said sealing engagement.

23. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 22 wherein said camming means comprises a circumferentially extending surface on one of said portions for underlying said seal.

24. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 1 wherein said intensifier piston includes a duplex head end, comprising a first portion fixed to said tail end, and a second portion including a floating head portion mounted for limited axial reciprocation with respect to said first portion; and a radially expansible seal intermediate said first portion and said floating head portion and mounted for sealing engagement in said third chamber as said intensifier piston moves from said first to said second position; and means carried by one of said first and second portions to effect radial expansion of said seal by axial movement of said second portion with respect to said first portion upon said head end moving from said second to said first position.

25. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 24 including means for disengaging said seal wen said piston reaches a predetermined point in its movement from said first to said second position.

26. A fluid amplifier in accordance with claim 25 including a secondary relief means, said secondary relief means comprising a valve means in said second chamber; outlet means providing fluid communication between said second chamber and said interface piston; said valve means inhibiting such communication through said outlet means, said tail end of said intensifier piston operative to engage said valve means and permit fluid communication from said second chamber through said outlet means to said interface piston.

27. A pressure amplifier comprising in combination, a cylinder having a reciprocating slave piston therein, a cylinder head fixed in said cylinder, and forming a first chamber between said slave piston and said cylinder head, said slave piston being movable between a first position adjacent said cylinder head and a second position remote from said cylinder head; aa hydraulic fluid reservoir, and connecting means forming a hydraulic fluid path coupling said cylinder to said reservoir; an air-hydraulic interface piston means in said reservoir having a first face for contact with and for pressurizing fluid therein; an air inlet, and valve means coupling said air inlet to a second face of said interface piston; a reciprocating fluid intensifier piston, said piston having a first diameter portion exposed to said air inlet and a second diameter portion for interrupting said hydraulic fluid path intermediate said hydraulic fluid reservoir and said slave piston, said first idameter being greater than said second diameter; said intensifier piston being reciprocable between said air inlet and said cylinder head to increase pressure in said first chamber; and check means cooperating with said intensifier piston to inhibit flow of hydraulic fluid from said reservoir to said first chamber as said intensifier piston moves from said first to said second position, and relief means, at least upon said piston reaching said second position, to relieve said air pressure on said first diameter and effect movement of said piston from said second position to said first position at least by hydraulic pressure from said reservoir, through said check means against said second diameter.

28. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 27, including check means in said cylinder head to permit hydraulic fluid pressure communication from said hydraulic fluid path to said first chamber, but to inhibit such flow from said first chamber to said hydraulic fluid path.

29. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 28 including a fluid by-pass intermediate said first chamber and said interface piston, and means to inhibit fluid pressure communication from said interface piston to said first chamber when gas pressure is applied to said interface piston.

30. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 27 wherein said valve means is operative between a first position coupling said air inlet to a second face of said interface piston and said intensifier piston, and a second position coupling said air inlet to conduit means, said conduit means extending between said valve assembly and said slave piston to thereby cause said slave piston to move in a direction opposite to the direction imposed when said valve means is in said first position.

31. A pressurue amplifier in accordance with claim 28 wherein said relief means is carried by the first diameter portion of said intensifier piston and includes a radially expansible circumferentially extending seal, a third chamber in which said first portion reciprocates, and means to effect radial expansion of said seal in sealing engagement in said third chamber when said intensifier piston moves from its first position to said second position; and means to disengage said seal from said sealing engagement at least upon said intensifier piston reaching said second position, thereby permitting air to bypass said first portion of said intensifier piston.

32. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 31 wherein said seal includes a peripheral, axially extending, flexible wall portion.

33. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 31 wherein said second diameter portion of said intensifier piston is mounted for reciprocation in a second chamber, said second chamber being in said hydraulic fluid path intermediate said reservoir and said cylinder head.

34. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 33 including secondary relief means, said secondary relief means comprising a second valve means in said second chamber; outlet means providing fluid communication between said second chamber and said reservoir; said second valve means movable between a first position inhibiting fluid communication through said outlet means and a second position allowing such communication; said second portion of said intensifier piston being operative to engage said second valve means and move said second valve means from its first to its second position.

35. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 34 including means to bias said second valve means into said first position.

36. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 31 wherein said first diameter portion of said intensifier piston includes a first portion fixed to said second diameter portion; and a second portion including a floating portion mounted for limited axial reciprocation with respect to said first portion, said seal being positioned intermediate said first and second portion, and means carried by one of said portions for camming said seal radially outward to effect said sealing engagement.

37. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 36 wherein said camming means comprises a circumferentially extending surface on one of said portions for underlying said seal.

38. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 27 wherein said relief means comprises a shaft mounted for reciprocation in said intensifier piston; said first diameter portion of said intensifier piston having a first face exposed to said gas inlet and a second face exposed to atmospheric pressure; a passageway extending from at least said first face of said piston to said second face; valve means carried by said shaft and operative to seal said passageway as said intensifier piston moves from its first position to its second position; and means, at least upon said intensifier piston reaching said second position, to open said valve means and unseal said passageway.

39. A pressure amplifier in accordance with claim 38 wherein said valve means comprises a flexible, cuplike seal.

Other info:

Inventors: Marshall, Don J.

Application Number: 493702
Filing Date: 1974-08-01
Publication_date: 1976-04-06
Assignee:
Primary Class(es): 60/542 60/547.1, 173/200
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

847945	Mar, 1907	Ileh	60/537.
1024395	Apr, 1912	Canty	60/542.
2396897	Mar, 1946	Stelzer	60/537.
3250335	May, 1966	Joelson	60/537.
3292370	Dec, 1966	Foster et al.	60/544.
3306042	Feb, 1967	Crooks	60/537.
3601987	Aug, 1971	Chermensky	60/537.
3601988	Aug, 1971	Chermensky	60/537.
3762160	Oct, 1973	Kramer	60/537.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Schwadron, Martin P.
Assistant Examiner: Burks, Sr., H.
Attorney: Dick; William J.