Abstract: A method of filtering a main fluid using a rotary fluid filter. A 360 degree filtration cycle is initiated by receiving, at an initial position, a first portion of a main fluid at a front end of a first fluid flow passage extending through a filter body rotationally mounted within a housing. The filter body is rotated in a rotation direction and the first portion of the main fluid is discharged from a rear end of the first fluid flow passage, having passed through a filter received in the first fluid flow passage. The filter body is rotated further in the rotation direction and a first portion of a backwash fluid is received through the first fluid flow passage from the rear end to the front end. The rotational cycle is completed by rotating the filter body back to the initial position.

Abstract: A method of filtering a main fluid using a rotary fluid filter. A 360 degree filtration cycle is initiated by receiving, at an initial position, a first portion of a main fluid at a front end of a first fluid flow passage extending through a filter body rotationally mounted within a housing. The filter body is rotated in a rotation direction and the first portion of the main fluid is discharged from a rear end of the first fluid flow passage, having passed through a filter received in the first fluid flow passage. The filter body is rotated further in the rotation direction and a first portion of a backwash fluid is received through the first fluid flow passage from the rear end to the front end. The rotational cycle is completed by rotating the filter body back to the initial position.

Abstract: A rotary fluid filter including a filter body rotationally mounted within a housing. The housing having a front cap having a main fluid inlet and a backwash outlet, a rear cap having a main fluid outlet and a backwash inlet. The filter body having a front face, a rear face, and a plurality of fluid flow passages each extending through the filter body between the front face and the rear face and having a filter received in each fluid flow passage. The filter body operable to rotate with in the housing such that, for each fluid flow passage, as it is aligned with the main fluid inlet a main fluid is received therein, as it is aligned with the main fluid outlet the main fluid is discharged therefrom, and as it is aligned with the backwash inlet and the backwash outlet a backwash fluid is received therethrough.

Abstract: A rotary fluid filter including a filter body rotationally mounted within a housing. The housing having a front cap having a main fluid inlet and a backwash outlet, a rear cap having a main fluid outlet and a backwash inlet. The filter body having a front face, a rear face, and a plurality of fluid flow passages each extending through the filter body between the front face and the rear face and having a filter received in each fluid flow passage. The filter body operable to rotate with in the housing such that, for each fluid flow passage, as it is aligned with the main fluid inlet a main fluid is received therein, as it is aligned with the main fluid outlet the main fluid is discharged therefrom, and as it is aligned with the backwash inlet and the backwash outlet a backwash fluid is received therethrough.

Abstract: A pump includes a shaft to rotate about a longitudinal axis, a rotor, at least two arcuate slots extending continuously into and through the rotor, wherein each of the slots is curved along a longitudinal slot axis, and at least two arcuate vanes, each of the vanes being shaped to be slidably seated in one of the slots, each of the vanes being movable in the corresponding slot between an extended position with the external edge of the vane adjacent the interior sidewall of the housing, and a retracted position wherein the external edge of the vane does not extend beyond the cylindrical surface of the rotor. Each of the vanes is spaced from an adjacent vane about the rotor such that there is always at least one vane positioned between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet ports.

Abstract: A turbine is provided, comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, each in communication with an internal chamber formed within the housing. A rotor is mounted for rotation within the internal chamber. At least one paddle is pivotally mounted to the rotor for pivoting between an extended position in which the paddle extends substantially radially from the rotor for receiving pressure exerted by fluid moving through the housing and causing the rotor to rotate, and a retracted position in which the paddle does not extend from the rotor. A cam is provided in the internal chamber for moving the paddle from the extended position to the retracted position when, during rotation of the rotor, the paddle moves past the cam in the extended position. Magnetic biasing means may be used to bias the paddle in the extended or retracted position.

Abstract: A turbine is provided, comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, each in communication with an internal chamber formed within the housing. A rotor is mounted for rotation within the internal chamber. At least one paddle is pivotally mounted to the rotor for pivoting between an extended position in which the paddle extends substantially radially from the rotor for receiving pressure exerted by fluid moving through the housing and causing the rotor to rotate, and a retracted position in which the paddle does not extend from the rotor. A cam is provided in the internal chamber for moving the paddle from the extended position to the retracted position when, during rotation of the rotor, the paddle moves past the cam in the extended position. Magnetic biasing means may be used to bias the paddle in the extended or retracted position.

Abstract: A rotary, positive displacement pump for fluids, having a pair of diametrically opposed vanes secured to a rotor in equally spaced, similarly contoured pockets, for movement between an extended position with a portion of the vane extending outwardly beyond the cylindrical surface of the rotor and a retracted position wherein the vane is seated entirely within its corresponding pocket. Each vane is formed of a top curved portion and a bottom curved portion, these portions meeting along a longitudinally extending line. The top portion extends from a pivot to the line and is curved so that when the vane is in retracted position it sits in a peripheral depression extending longitudinally along the rotor surface, the outer surface of this top portion of the vane conforming to the cylindrical surface of the rotor. The bottom portion is curved along a radius from that pivot, so that this lower portion is seated in and fills its corresponding pocket when the vane is in retracted position.

Abstract: A rotary piston pump for fluids, wherein the ends of the housing are configured so as to provide reduced pressure differentials between opposite sides of the rotor end disks.

Abstract: A balanced valve for controlling the flow of fluids in conduits, the valve comprising: (a) a casing formed of sidewalls and a casing top and bottom, defining an interior; (b) a fluid inlet in a sidewall of the casing and a fluid outlet in an opposite sidewall of said casing; (c) four similar inner walls positioned in square configuration within the interior and configured to define together with a chamber top and bottom, an enclosed central chamber, each wall having a fluid port of similar size; (d) a fluid channel within the interior of the casing, commencing at the fluid inlet and branching to provide equal flows of fluid to fluid ports in opposite inner walls and a fluid channel extending from the fluid outlet and extending within the interior, branching to provide equal flows of fluid to the fluid ports of a different pair of opposite inner walls; (e) a frame linearly movable within said central chamber between an open and a closed position; and (f) four gates supported in square configuration on said fra

Abstract: A rotary fluid pressure actuator includes a housing having an inner actuator chamber with a cylindrical side wall extending between a pair of end walls. An integral vane rotor assembly, including a shaft and end discs, is positioned in the chamber and is rotationally reciprocated in response to the direction of flow of fluid to and from chamber segments of the housing. A fixed dam is secured between flanges in an elongated opening along the cylindrical side wall of the housing, the dam extending radially into the chamber from the opening to abut against the shaft between the end discs. The dam acts as a stop to limit the reciprocal motion of the vane and shaft in each direction.

Abstract: An impeller-type pump includes a housing with an internal chamber, a rotor within the chamber and a vane mounted to the housing for reciprocating action such that an end of the vane contacts the rotor and effectively divides the chamber between induction and exhaustion rotor chambers. The rotor has a non-circular cross-sectional configuration, such that its outside surface forms a camming surface that drives the vane in a reciprocating fashion upon rototation of the rotor. The rotor may be oval in cross section or have a complex cross-sectional configuration with a substantially flat trailing face forming a stop to prevent reverse direction rotation, and a curved leading face which forms a cam surface to elevate the vane upon rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: A rotary piston for use in pumps or motors, the piston having a radially movable vanes seated within the pumps rotor. The vanes are biased outwardly and forced inwardly by a cam action of the interior wall of the housing of the piston. Operation of the piston may be facilitated by the use of peripherally mounted drive gears. The rotary piston according to the present invention is particularly useful in pumping fluids and provides a system that can operate at both high and low speeds for a wide range of liquid viscosities.

Abstract: A rotary piston pump comprising a rotor mounted within a housing, the rotor having a pair of slidably mounted vanes on opposite surfaces. The inner wall of the housing acts as a cam surface to move the vanes inwardly, and centrifugal force or a combination of centrifugal force and biasing causes the vanes to move outwardly. The rotor is eccentrically mounted within the housing and the housing interior walls are of irregular configuration, whereby fluid from an inlet is moved by the vanes through the housing to an outlet. This rotary piston pump is of economic construction, serves a variety of applications and is easy to service.

Abstract: A rotary pump for fluids which comprises a shaft to rotate about a longitudinal axis and a cylindrical rotor centrally secured to that shaft. A housing encases the shaft and rotor, the housing having interior end walls adjacent to the rotor disks and an interior side wall. Fluid inlet and outlet ports are provided at spaced locations in the housing side wall. Paddles are pivotably secured to the rotor in pockets in the rotor, to pivot about points at rearward sides of the paddles, for movement between extended positions with the paddles extending outwardly beyond the cylindrical surface of the rotor and retracted positions where the paddles are seated entirely within their corresponding pockets.

Abstract: A rotary piston for use in pumps or motors, the piston having a cylindrical rotor with radially movable vanes rotating within a housing, the movement of the vanes controlled by pins of the vanes travelling in races in the housing.

Abstract: An internal combustion rotary engine which includes a housing encased rotor having: cam actuated inwardly and outwardly extending vanes, a combustion chamber communicating with a fluid inlet port to the vanes within the housing, and an exhaust chamber communicating with the fluid outlet port from the vanes of the housing, air and fuel injectors associated with the combustion chamber for delivery of an air and fuel mixture to the combustion chamber, and igniter means associated with the combustion chamber for igniting air and fuel mixture within that chamber. Controls are provided to properly control the sequence of air and fuel injection, fuel ignition and exhaust valve opening and closing during operation of the engine to provide simpler and more economical rotary engine.

Abstract: A rotor device is provided for converting the energy of a flowing fluid, such as air or water, into mechanical energy. The device comprises a rotor mounted within a housing. Two or more vanes having inner and outer ends extend parallel to the axis of the rotor and are movable inwardly and outwardly between retracted and extended positions radially with respect to the cylindrical side wall of the rotor within slots therein The vanes have side shoulders which slide in corresponding guide slots in the end of the rotor body. The outer ends of the vanes are positioned adjacent to the inner wall of the housing and the vanes are spaced preferably equally from adjacent vanes about the rotor such that there is always at least one vane positioned between fluid inlet and outlet ports of the housing.

Abstract: A rotor device is provided for converting the energy of a flowing fluid, such as air or water, into mechanical energy. The device comprises a rotor mounted within a housing. Two or more vanes having inner and outer ends extend parallel to the axis of the rotor and are movable inwardly and outwardly between retracted and extended positions radially with respect to the cylindrical side wall of the rotor within slots therein The vanes have side shoulders which slide in corresponding guide slots in the end of the rotor body. The outer ends of the vanes are positioned adjacent to the inner wall of the housing and the vanes are spaced preferably equally from adjacent vanes about the rotor such that there is always at least one vane positioned between fluid inlet and outlet ports of the housing.

Abstract: A solenoid comprising a first coil positioned within a frame from which a magnetizable armature, having a coil end and a free end, extends, the coil end of the armature having a section of non-magnetizable material secured to it, and a second coil, which coil is energizable in a manner independent from that of the first coil, the second coil being secured to the other end of the non-magnetizable material so as to move with the armature from a position adjacent the first coil when the armature is in extended position to a position spaced therefrom when the armature is in retracted position, whereby when the first coil is energized to move the armature along its throw into retracted position, the second coil is simultaneously energized so as produce a repulsive magnetic force with respect to that of the first coil.