In this type, the axial reciprocating motion of the pistons is obtained by a swash plate that is either fixed or variable in its degree of angle. As the piston barrel assembly rotates, the pistons rotate around the shaft, with the piston shoes in contact with and sliding along the swash plate surface. Since there is no reciprocating motion when the swash plate is in vertical position, no displacement occurs. As there is an increase in the swash plate angle, the pistons move in and out of the barrel as they follow the angle of the swash plate surface. The pistons move out of the cylinder barrel during one half of the cycle of rotation thereby generating an increasing volume, while during the other half of the rotating cycle, the pistons move into the cylinder barrel generating a decreasing volume. This reciprocating motion results in the drawing in and pumping out of the fluid. Pump capacity can easily be controlled by altering the swash plate angle, larger the angle, greater being the pump capacity. The swash plate angle can easily be controlled remotely with the help of a separate hydraulic cylinder. A cross-sectional view of this pump is shown in Figure 3.16.
The cylinder block and the drive shaft in this pump are located on the same centerline. The pistons are connected through shoes and a shoe plate that bears against the swash plate. As the cylinder rotates, the pistons reciprocate due to the piston shoes following the angled surface of the swash plate. This operation of drawing in and drawing out of the fluid is illustrated in the Figure 3.17.
The outlet and the inlet ports are located in the valve plate so that the pistons pass the inlet as they are being pulled out and pass the outlet as they are being forced back in.
These types of pumps can also be designed to have a variable displacement capability. In such a design, the swash plate is mounted in a movable yoke. The swash plate angle can be changed by pivoting the yoke on pintles.
The positioning of the yoke can be accomplished by manual operation, servo control or a compressor control and the maximum swash plate angle is usually limited to 17.5° (Figure 3.18).
