Abstract: A V-twin engine having a crankcase and a pair of cylinders defining a V-space therebetween, wherein the V-space is substantially enclosed, and a carburetor is positioned within the V-space. An intake air preheating arrangement supplies heated intake air to the carburetor, and a carburetor heating arrangement heats the V-space and the carburetor which is positioned within the V-space. Each of the foregoing arrangements, used separately or in combination within one another, aids in preventing “freeze-up” of the carburetor during running of the engine in a cold environment.

Abstract: A radial compliance mechanism for a scroll compressor which includes a crankshaft having an eccentric with a substantially rectangular cross section in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the crankshaft. A substantially cylindrical roller is provided with a substantially square central opening and mounted on the eccentric. Opposite axial ends of the roller are substantially similar. The roller can be properly mounted on the eccentric with the eccentric being inserted into either end of the roller and with the roller being at any rotational orientation at which the eccentric can be inserted thereby preventing the roller from being mounted on the eccentric in an incorrect position.

Abstract: A terminal assembly for a hermetic compressor including a metallic disk having an interior side, an opposite exterior side, and a plurality of holes extending therethrough, the interior side of the metallic disk defining a first diameter sized to fit within an aperture of a compressor housing, the metallic disk defining a second diameter adjacent the first diameter and sized larger than the first diameter; and a plurality of terminal pin assemblies, each one of the terminal pin assemblies received in a corresponding one of the plurality of holes. Each of the terminal pin assemblies include an elongate conductive pin; and an annular collar disposed about the conductive pin and having a threaded outer surface, wherein the threaded outer surface threadedly-engages a corresponding one of the threaded holes.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon cooling system including a housing having a substantially rectangular base defining a diagonal, a front wall defining a first air inlet, a back defining a first air outlet, and a pair of side walls. The cooling system includes a condenser mounted within the housing adjacent the first air inlet; a compressor; an evaporator; and a fan mounted within the housing and defining an axis. The fan is positioned such that a vertical plane aligned along the axis defines a first a non-perpendicular angle relative to a second vertical plane aligned perpendicular to the back of the housing. The fan creates a first horizontal airflow path, which enters the housing through the first air inlet and exits the housing through the first air outlet. The first horizontal airflow path induces a second horizontal airflow, which moves around the housing along a line substantially parallel to the diagonal.

Abstract: A method of draining and recharging a hermetic compressor with oil using a drainage assembly mounted in the compressor housing. The assembly includes a tube having a valve mounted at one end thereof with the second end of the tube located in the oil sump of the housing. To drain the compressor oil, refrigerant flowing through the discharge and suction lines is shut off. Refrigerant is purged from the housing to create a vacuum therein and the housing is charged with a gas such as dry air or nitrogen. As the compressor housing is charged with gas, the pressure inside the housing increases, forcing the oil through the drainage assembly and out of the compressor. To recharge the compressor with oil, the gases are purged creating a vacuum in the housing. A predetermined amount of oil is drawn into the housing through a service hose. The compressor is purged and recharged with refrigerant.

Abstract: A transcritical vapor compression system includes a fluid circuit circulating a refrigerant in a closed loop. The fluid circuit has operably disposed therein, in serial order, a compressor, a first heat exchanger, at least one non-variable expansion device and a second heat exchanger. The compressor compresses the refrigerant from a low pressure to a supercritical pressure. The first heat exchanger is positioned in a high pressure side of the fluid circuit. The second heat exchanger is positioned in a low pressure side of the fluid circuit. The at least one non-variable expansion device reduces the pressure of the refrigerant from a supercritical pressure to a relatively lower pressure. A refrigerant storage vessel is in fluid communication with the fluid circuit and contains a variable mass of refrigerant whereby the capacity of the system may be controlled.

Abstract: A compressor having a housing and mutually engaged stationary and orbiting scrolls. A crankcase is disposed between a motor and the orbiting scroll. A shaft is operably connected with the orbiting scroll and extends through the crankcase and the motor. The end of the shaft extending from the motor is rotatably supported by a bearing mounted in a bearing support. A counterweight is rotationally coupled with the shaft proximate the bearing support. An oil sump is disposed within the housing and an oil shield is fixed to the bearing support. The oil shield has a cylindrical portion with an open end which encircles the counterweight and may include a plurality of flexible members having inwardly bent portions which engage a groove on the bearing support.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plurality of left hand control hydrostatic transaxles and a plurality of right hand controlled hydrostatic transaxles.

Abstract: A refrigerating unit including a base, a heat exchanger, and a shroud attached to the base, the shroud provided with integrally formed means for gripping the heat exchanger and mounting the heat exchanger to the base. More particularly, a condensing unit including a base, a heat exchanger having opposite side edges defined by a pair of substantially cylindrical headers, at least one of the headers having an inlet tube or an outlet tube extending from a side surface thereof near one end of the header, and a substantially rectangular shroud attached to the base and being provided with notched corners forming notched corner edges. The shroud has a top surface which is provided with at least one elongate boss, and a plurality of integrally-formed resilient gripping portions which surround and capture the heat exchanger headers.

Abstract: An integrated HVACR control and protection system includes a modular and reprogrammable design providing a plurality of possible combinations of power detection, voltage detection, run current detection, transient current detection, temperature detection, universal thermostat interface, peripheral or remote control, and local display and control. The control and protection system is capable of evaluating the relationship between real power used by an HVACR system compressor and other system operating parameters to detect problems early in the failure cycle, i.e., before a failure has progressed to requiring a system shutdown or causing damage to other components. Additionally, a control system and method provide sensorless detection of various HVACR system faults, such as, for example, loss of refrigerant or a refrigerant flow restriction, that impact the relationship between real power and current, voltage, temperature, or other operating parameters.

Abstract: A compressor assembly including a compressor mechanism, a compression chamber and a discharge chamber. A discharge port provides fluid communication between the compression chamber and the discharge chamber. A valve seat circumscribes the discharge port. A discharge valve member having a valve head, a biasing section and a valve support is provided and may be formed out of a single integral part. The valve head is engageable with the valve seat. A non-threaded coupling member may mount the valve support to the cylinder block of the compressor mechanism. A guide member engageable with the biasing section of the valve member may also be provided. The valve head may include a second concave surface positioned opposite the surface engageable with the valve seat and have an effective area larger than the discharge port area. The valve head and valve seat may each be partially spherical surfaces having a common radius.

Abstract: A compressor assembly having a housing in which a compressor mechanism and discharge chamber are located. A first port communicates compressed gas and oil from the compressor mechanism to the discharge chamber. A one-way valve allows the compressed gas and oil to enter the discharge chamber through the first port. A second port in the discharge chamber defines an outlet in the housing through which compressed gas and oil are discharged from the compressor assembly. The second port is disposed vertically below the first port in the lower half of the discharge chamber to thereby limit the quantity of oil which may collect in the discharge chamber. The second port may be defined by a discharge tube which passes through the housing at a flat portion of the housing which thereby facilitates the welding of the tube to the housing.

Abstract: A compressor assembly including a compression mechanism, a motor including rotor and a laminated stator and a shaft is provided. The shaft is operably coupled to the compression mechanism and the rotor. The shaft extends outwardly from the motor opposite the compression mechanism. A bearing support has a central body that rotatably supports an end of the shaft. The bearing support also includes an outer ring and a support structure connecting the outer ring and central body. The outer ring has a plurality of circumferentially distributed bearing surfaces separated by recesses and bears against the laminated stator. Deformations in the laminations of the stator are received in the recesses in the outer ring. A method of supporting a shaft in a compressor wherein a bearing support member bears against a laminated stator and a stator lamination deformingly protrudes into a recess on the bearing support is also provided.

Abstract: A substantially horizontal compressor including a housing having a main body portion with an open end. An end cap is secured to the main body portion with the end cap being provided with a plurality of apertures. The hermetic terminal body of the compressor is sealably fitted into one of the plurality of apertures located in the end cap. One of the apertures is sealably fitted with a heater well in which a substantially cylindrical heater element is removably received. A third aperture may be provided in the end cap in which a sight glass is sealably secured for checking the oil level in the oil sump. An indentation is formed in the end cap to increase the rigidity of the end cap. The proximity of the terminal assembly and heater well allows the wiring therefor to be part of the same wiring harness.

Abstract: A refrigerating unit including a base, a heat exchanger, and a shroud attached to the base The heat exchanger may have opposite side edges defined by a pair of substantially cylindrical headers, at least one of the headers having an inlet tube or an outlet tube extending, and a substantially rectangular shroud attached to the base and being provided with notched corners. The shroud has a top surface with at least one elongate boss, and integrally-formed resilient gripping portions which capture the heat exchanger headers. The heat exchanger is mounted to the base through engagement with the shroud, clearance is provided between a shroud notched corner and the inlet or outlet tube, and the boss provides a means for supporting the shroud when placed upside down.

Abstract: An evaporative emissions control system for small internal combustion engines. A control valve assembly includes a pair of control valves which are respectively associated with a fuel line and with a vent line which each connect the fuel tank and the carburetor of the engine. The control valve assembly is automatically operable responsive to the rotation of a rotatable member of the engine drive train, such as the crankshaft, camshaft, flywheel, governor assembly, or other rotatable member. In one embodiment, for example, the control valve assembly is driven from the flywheel. When the engine is not running, the flywheel is stationary and does not rotate, and the control valves automatically closes the vent line and the fuel line, thereby trapping fuel vapors within the fuel tank and blocking the supply of liquid fuel to the carburetor.

Abstract: A hermetic compressor which uses carbon dioxide as the working fluid. The compressor includes a motor and a compression mechanism operatively coupled by a drive shaft supported by a bearing. The drive shaft includes a radially extending bore in fluid communication with an oil supply passageway in the drive shaft and the outer periphery of the drive shaft. An oil accumulating cavity is located beneath the radially extending bore in which oil is stored during compressor shutdown to provide oil to bearing surfaces upon compressor startup. An oil return system includes a chamber located at one end of the drive shaft and an oil return passageway extending from the chamber to an annulus formed between the bearing and the drive shaft. The oil in the annulus lubricates the bearing and drive shaft interface. A discharge tube is provided having means for aspirating oil from an oil containing sump when the oil in the oil sump reaches a particular level.

Abstract: A motor control system for a brushless and sensorless DC motor for driving a compressor, pump or other application, includes a protection and fault detection circuit for detecting a locked rotor and a rotor which has stopped because of lost rotor phase lock. The motor control system also includes an off-the-shelf motor control integrated circuit having an input for disabling power outputs to the motor phase coils. The protection and fault detection circuit uses a back EMF sampling circuit coupled to the motor phase coils and momentarily disables power to the motor phase coils, via the motor control integrated circuit input, to determine if the motor rotor is rotating. The system also monitors supply voltage, supply current, temperature, and motor speed limits to detect faults and protect system components.

Abstract: A compressor including a housing defining an interior plenum; a refrigerant received within the interior plenum and having a resonant wavelength; a motor disposed within the housing; a compression mechanism disposed within the housing and operably connected to the motor; and a tuner. The tuner has an open end and a closed end, and defines a resonating cavity, which is in direct communication with the interior plenum via the open end. The resonating cavity defines a length extending from open end to closed end that measures one-fourth of the resonant wavelength of the compressor assembly or of a noise frequency for which attenuation is desired. The tuner may be curved or straight and may extend vertically or horizontally. A suction inlet tube extends through the housing and communicates refrigerant to the interior plenum. The open end of the tuner indirectly communicates with the suction inlet tube through the interior plenum.

Abstract: A compressor assembly having a first compression mechanism operatively coupled to a first motor and a second compression mechanism operatively coupled to a second motor. The first compression mechanism compresses the vapor from a low pressure to an intermediate pressure and the second compression mechanism compresses the vapor from the intermediate pressure to a discharge pressure. An electrical circuit supplies electrical current to the first and second motors during operation of the compressor assembly. The electrical circuit includes means for, during start-up of the compressor assembly, initiating the supply of electrical current to the first motor at a first time and initiating the supply of electrical current to the second motor at a second time wherein the first time precedes the second time by a time lapse.