Oil supply system, and method of retrofitting, and method of inhibiting oil foaming in, an oil supply system

Claim 2

An improved oil supply system, for an oil-using machine, such as a gas compressor, which machine discharges pressured gas and oil vapor, said system having first means comprising a separator which defines (1) an oil reservoir and (2) a chamber thereabove in which to confine pressured gas; second means comprising an oil supply line communicating at one end thereof with said reservoir for supplying oil from said reservoir to an oil-using and pressured gas and oil vapor-discharging machine via the other end of said supply line; and third means comprising a conduit communicating at one end thereof with said chamber for conducting pressured gas and oil vapor, discharged from a machine such as aforesaid, to said chamber; said conduit having a second end, opposite said one end, defining means for receiving therein pressured gas and oil vapor from such an aforesaid machine; wherein the improvement comprises: control means coupled to one of said first and second means for prohibiting oil flow from said oil supply line to said reservoir; and by-pass means coupled to an intermediate portion of said oil supply line and to said chamber, and responsive to a prescribed gas pressure subsisting in said chamber, for effecting a fluid-flow communication between said intermediate portion of said oil supply line and said chamber; wherein said control means is interposed between said reservoir and said oil supply line; said by-pass means is coupled to said portion of said oil supply line intermediate said control means and said other end of said supply line; and said by-pass means comprises (1) means defining a fluid-flow passageway which communicates, at one end thereof, with said oil supply line and, at the other end thereof, with said chamber, and (2) pilot-pressure-closed, normally-open valving means, interposed in said passageway, operative, in response to said prescribed gas pressure, for opening said passageway to fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 3

An improved oil supply system, according to claim 1, wherein: said valving means comprises a valve having a pilot-pressure-operative means for changing said valve from a mormally-open to a closed disposition; and means communicating and pilot-pressure-operative means with said chamber.

Claim 4

An improved oil supply system, according to claim 1, wherein: said valving means comprises a normally-open, pilot-pressure-closed valve having a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, and a fluid pilot-pressure port; and said valve comprises means, responsive to a prescribed fluid pilot pressure addressed to said pilot-pressure port, for changing said valve from a closed disposition to an open disposition.

Claim 5

An improved oil supply system, according to claim 3, wherein: said valve disposition-changing means comprises pilot means responsive to a pilot pressure which is distinct from a fluid pressure at one of said inlet and outlet ports for changing said valve as aforesaid.

Claim 6

An improved oil supply system, according to claim 4 wherein: said pilot means comprises means responsive, as aforesaid, to a pilot pressure which is one-twelfth of a fluid pressure at said inlet port.

Claim 9

A method, according to claim 6, wherein: said control device coupling step comprises interposing said device between said reservoir and said oil supply line; and said conduit coupling step comprises coupling said conduit to said oil supply line intermediate said device and said other end of said supply line.

Claim 12

An improved oil supply system, for an oil-using machine, such as a gas compressor, which machine discharges pressured gas and oil vapor, said system having first means comprising a separator which defines (1) an oil reservoir and (2) a chamber thereabove in which to confine pressured gas; second means comprising an oil supply line communicating at one end thereof with said reservoir for supplying oil from said reservoir to an oil-using and pressured gas and oil vapor-discharging machine via the other end of said supply line; a pump, in communication with said oil supply line, for supplying oil, as aforesaid, at a given pumped pressure; and third means comprising a conduit communicating at one end thereof with said chamber for conducting pressured gas and oil vapor, discharged from a machine such as aforesaid, to said chamber; said conduit having a second end, opposite said one end, defining means for receiving therein pressured gas and oil vapor from such an aforesaid machine; wherein the improvement comprises: control means coupled to one of said first and second means for prohibiting oil flow from said oil supply line to said reservoir; and by-pass means coupled to an intermediate portion of said oil supply line and to said chamber for effecting a fluid-flow communication between said intermediate portion of said oil supply line and said chamber; wherein said by-pass means includes means (1) responsive to a given pressure differential, between said pumped pressure and said prescribed gas pressure, for opening communication between said intermediate portion and said chamber, (2) responsive to a pressure differential, between the aforesaid pumped and prescribed gas pressures, other than said given pressure differential, for closing communication between said intermediate portion and said chamber, and (3) responsive to an absence of gas pressure in said chamber for opening communication between said intermediate portion and said chamber.

Claim 13

An improved oil supply system, for an oil-using machine, such as a gas compressor, which machine discharges pressured gas and oil vapor, said system having first means comprising a separator which defines (1) an oil reservoir and (2) a chamber thereabove in which to confine pressured gas; second means comprising an oil supply line communicating at one end thereof with said reservoir for supplying oil from said reservoir to an oil-using and pressured gas and oil vapor-discharging machine via the other end of said supply line; a pump, in communication with said oil supply line, for supplying oil, as aforesaid, at a given pumped pressure; and third means comprising a conduit communicating at one end thereof with said chamber for conducting pressured gas and oil vapor, discharged from a machine such as aforesaid, to said chamber; said conduit having a second end, opposite said one end, defining means for receiving therein pressured gas and oil vapor from such an aforesaid machine; wherein the improvement comprises: control means coupled to one of said first and second means for prohibiting oil flow from said oil supply line to said reservoir; and by-pass means coupled to an intermediate portion of said oil supply line and to said chamber for effecting a fluid-flow communication between said intermediate portion of said oil supply line and said chamber; wherein said by-pass means includes means (1) responsive to a given pressure differential, between said pumped pressure and said prescribed gas pressure, for opening communication between said intermediate portion and said chamber, (2) responsive to a pressure differential, between the aforesaid pumped and prescribed gas pressures, other than said given pressure differential, for closing communication between said intermediate portion and said chamber, and (3) responsive to an absence of gas pressure in said chamber for opening communication between said intermediate portion and said chamber.