Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2 18 - 13 , 0 1
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BACKGROUND AND S UMMARY OF THE INVENT ION
While the present invention is primarily concerned
with emergency sump pumps, features thereof can be utilized
in pumps for other purpose~.
Two important requirements of emergency sump pumps
are that they be reliable, that is, they perform when required,
and that they have high performance. For example, when storm
water is accumulating in a sump, it is very important that that
water be removed to prevent the damage that would otherwise be
caused by the water overflowing the sump. Since such emergency
pumps are operated only infrequently the existence of a con-
dition which would cause pump failure may not be detected until
the emergency occurs. Thus the feature of reliability is most
significant. When the emergency occurs, water may be entering
the sump quite rapidly, thus the necessity for high performance.
~ nother important attribute for a sump pump is that
of adaptability to a wide variety of installation requirements.
The configuration, size, etc., of the sump will be different
in almost every instance. In fact, in some in~ftances the base-
ment floor drain may be the structure that might be referredto a~ the sump. Also, the pump capacity, the type of electric
power to be employed, etc., will vary from job to jbb. To meet
the varied requirements with a minimum of inventory, it is im-
por~ant to the pump supplier to have pump components which can
;~ be varied to meet the requirements of a particular job. Thus,
ox example, on one job the puxchaser may want to use a 12 volt
. . .
; motor powered by a standby battery while on the next job a
per~on may want to utilize 110 volt house current. If the
supplier can merely interchange basic electric motors, and
render them wat~rproof and utilizable with the other pump
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components, it is not necessary that the supplier stock every
type of pump that might be required. This is only illustrative
and the same applies to other components necessary to satisfy
various installation requirements.
As is almost always the case, the element of cost -
also is an important factor to be considered. The business is
a competitive business and where the manufacturing cost of the
emergency sump pump is high, it may be that the product cannot
be sold in competition with units of other designs. For example,
10many sump pumps utilize special castings for the pump, etc.
Thus, the object of the present invention is to pro-
duce a versatile, relatively low cost emergency sump pump which
will have a high degree of reliability. Various features of
the present invention contribute toward this end. For example,
standard electric motors of diverse electrical characteristics
(voltage, power, etc.) are converted into waterproof motors by
substantially only the addition of a pair of end caps. These
end caps also provide the necessary standard mountings for mating
with the other pump components. This waterproof motor i9 then
mounted inside a length of pipe of a standard size Reducers
.
on each end of that }ength of pipe provide for the adaptability
of the pump to mate with other standard ~izes of pipe utilized
for the intake and discharge connections. At the intake end
provlsion is made for the mounting of a screen when desired,
which screen is formed from a standard length of pipe and also
may serve as the pump support.
An important f~ature of the invention is that the
water ~eing pumped flows about the motor shell. Thu9 when in
use, the motor is constantly being cooled by that water. This
increases the efficiency and permits the motor to be worked at
a capacity that otherwise might cause excessive heating. The
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spacers used to position the pipe through which the water is
flowing serve as cooling fins. This arrangement) in conjunction
with the type of impeller employed, also prevents the downflow
of water which occurs9 in the absence of a check valve, when the
motor is turned off from causing an undesired, and undesirable,
rotation of the motor. Pumping efficiency also is assisted in
one embodiment by providing a readily accessible adjustment by
which the spacing between the inner end of the intake tube and
the impeller may be established after assembly.
Embodimen~s of the invention are relatively small
and lightweight considering their pumping capacity. Their
structure is such that maintenance is easily performed, both
in the shop and in the field.
In one embodiment the pump is mounted externally of
the sump and provision is made for automatically dropping the
pump into the sump when the necessity for water removal occurs.
other features of the invention will be mentioned and
will be apparent from the following description of specific
embodiments.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of
the invention positioned in a sump;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the pump embodiment
of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the em-
bodiment of Figure l;
Figure 4 is an elevational view of the pump of Figure
1 installed in a floor drain or the like;
Figure 5 is a view as seen at line 5-5 of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is an elevational view of an embodiment
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wherein the pump is held outside of the sump until it is neces-
sary that the water removal occur;
Figure 7 is a view as seen at line 7-7 of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a schematic of the electrical control
apparatus for the embodiment of Figure 6;
Figure 9 is an elevational view, with portions broken
away, of another embodiment; and
Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of the lower por-
tion of the embodiment of Figure 9 illustrating an additional
standpipe conne~tion added thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS -
The following disclosure is offered for public dis-
semination in return for the grant of a patent. Although it
is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is -
not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to
cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others
may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or
further improvem~nts.
The pump motor, generally 10, comprises an electric
2Q motor of standard manufacture to which two caps and seals have
been added to produce a waterproof motor. The term "waterproof"
is used herein to signify that under normal operating conditions
water will not enter the motor. Such a standard electric motor
comprises an armature 11 mounted on a shaft 12. For use in
,~connection with the present invention, it is desirable that the
shaft be stainless steel. It has a frame formed by a cylindri-
cal shell 13~ two end plates 14, and threaded rods 15, with nuts
at the upper ends which hold the end plates seated against the
ends of the shell. The end plates form mountings for the shaft
bearings 16. Mounted in the frame is the field coil 17 and,
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where appropriate, the mountings for the brushes (not shown~
supplying the electrical connection to the armature. The motor
shown is purely for the purposes of illustration and in actual
practice it may be one of a variety of known types of electric
motors of diverse electric power supply requirements and output
capacities.
To such a motor I have added two end caps 20 and 21.
These caps are bronze castings and have skirts 22 and 23; res-
pectively, which extend about shell 13 in juxtaposition there-
to. o-rings 24 provide a fluid seal between the end caps and
the motor shell 13 thereby forming a fluid-tight motor housing.
The lower end cap has an integral nose 26 with an opening 27
through which the shaft 12 extends. At the distal end of the
nose are an o-ring 28 and shaft seals 29 and 30 to prevent fluid
from entering about the shaft. The o-ring blocks water from flow-
ing between the outside of the shaft seals and the cap 21. It
; often is preferable to put the o-ring between the two seals to
hold it securely in place.
Cap 20 has a threaded bore 31 in axial alignment with
each of rods 15. At the base of each bore is a wall 32 through
which the rod extends. The rods are screwed into threaded blind
holes 33 in cap 21. Pipe caps 34 are 8 crewed into the threaded
bores 31 to prevent fluid from entering into the motor about the
rod~ 15.
Coaxial with the motor shaft there is a threaded bore
36 in cap 20. An electrical fitting 37 is mounted in this bore.
It has a compression cap 38 about a rubber insert (not shown)
through which the motor wires 39 extend. Whan the cap is
tightened onto the fitting, it compresses the rubber insert
about the wires to prevent any entry of fluid thereabout into
the motor. The upper end of motor shaft 12 has a screwdriver
slot 35 permitting the shaft to be rotated by a screwdriver
B
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inserted through bore 36 after fitting 37 (or the rubber insert
thereof) has been removed.
A plurality of bosses 41 ana 42 project radially outward
frc~ caps 20 and 21, respectively, to contact the interior of a
pipe 43 which defines the motor and pump chamber 44 between the
two reducers S0 and 51 to accommodate the motor 10 and the pump
impeller 73. These bosses serve as spacers to position the motor
from the inside of the pipe walls so that there is a water passage-
way around substantially the circumference of the motor, in that
part of the motor and pump chamber 44 between the motor and the -
pipe. While there are four such bosses on each cap in the illustra-
ted embodiment, the number and positioning will depend upon the de-
sires of the manufacturer. At least some (the number depending up-
on the preferences of the manufacturer) of the bosses have blind,
; tapped openings 45 extending radially inward from the distal end
of the boss. Screws 46 are inserted through openings 47 in pipe
43 and screwed into openings 45 to af~ix th~ motor in the pipe.
; Some manufacturer~ may desire to originally form bosses
41, 42 with a relatively long radial dimension. The bosses of
some caps are thereafter cut off to a length to conform to the
internal radius of one size of pipe and others to conform to the
internal radius of another pipe 8 ize.
one feature of the embod$ment of Figures 1-4 is that
many of the components of the complete pump are formed of stand- `-
ard sizes of plastic pipe. Thus, for example, the main pipe 43
is a length of "four inch" plastic pipe forming a pump shell.
That is, it has a four inch internal diameter and a four and one-
quarter inch e.:ternal diameter. In such instance the distance
from the axis of the motor, as represented by shaft 12, to the
distal ends of the bosses 41 and 42 i5 two inches. The pipe
used is polyvinyl chloride. The smoothness of the pipe and the
finished pump makes it easy to clean and there is little problem
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ECV:ls ~i~39~0
with a buildup of debris thereon.
At each end of the main pipe 43 are reducers 50 and
51. In the illustrated embodiment, these are identical, but
this need not necessarily be the case. Reducer 50 comprises
a large cylindrical sleeve 52, a truncated conical section 53
and a small cylindrical sleeve 54, all as a unitary section.
Large sleeve 52 telescopes into the end of main pipe 43, and
thus has an external diameter corresponding to the internal
diameter of the pipe (four inches in the example given). The
internal diameter of the small ~leeve 54 is such as to tele-
scopically receive a piece 56 of pipe of another standard size,
smaller than that from which pipe 43 was formed. In the
example given, pipe 56 is a piece of ione and three-quarter
inch" plastic pipe; i.e., having an internal diameter of one
and three-quarter inches and an external diameter of one and
seven-eighths inches. Thus the internal diameter of sleeve 54
is one and seven-eighths inches.
Reducer 50 is suitably secured to pipe 43. In the
illustrated embodiment this is done by use of an adhesive, but
other faqtening means might be employed. Pipe 56 i~ Q imilarly
affixed to reducer 50. Pipe 56 forms a part of the discharge
passageway for the liquid being pumped. It i9 connected to
another pipe 57 (metal or pla~tic) o~ a similar Qize and lead-
~; ing to a suitable di~charge point. This connection is formed
by a piece of rubber hose 58 which is secured to pipes 56 and
57 by means of hose clamps 59. In the conventional manner the
hose clamps have means, not shown, for tightening the clamps
about the hose.
The distal snd of pipe 56 has a slot 61 formed in
one side thereof, in the illustrated embodiment this slot beingformed by beveling th- end of the pipe. Adjacent this slot are
.
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two holes 62 in hose 58. The wires 39 from the motor extend
through this slot and through the holes 62, the fit of the hose
about the wires being sufficiently tight to prevent water leak-
age at that point. Because of the slot 61 it is not possible
for the installer to pinch wires 39 when connecting pipe 57 to
the pump. Pipe 57 will abut the apex of the tapered end of
pipe 56 and thus prevent the wires from being pinched.
Similarly, reducer 51 i5 a unitary element made up
of a large cylindrical sleeve 64, small cylindrical sleeve 65
and a truncated conical section 66 therebetween. The external
diameter of the large cylindrical sleeve 64 is such as to tele-
scope within main pipe 43. The internal diameter of the small
cylindrical sleeve 65 is such as to telescopically receive a
piece of pipe 67 of another of the standard sizes; in the ex-
ample given, it being a one and three-quarter inch pipe. The
large cylindrical sleeve is removably affixed to the main pipe
43. In the illustrated embodiment this i~ done by means of
screws 68 which extend through openings 69 in main pipe 43 and
, are threaded into opening~ 70 in the reducer 51. An O-ring
71 forming a seal is seated in a groove in sleeve 64 at the end
of main pipe 43.
Pipe 67 serves as the intake conduit ~or the pump.
It extends to within a ~hort distance of the pump impeller 73
and is coaxial therewith. It frictionally engages sleeve 65
,
and thus can be adjusted with respect to the impeller. A
plastic pipe coupling 74 is slipped onto the external end of
. ~,
he pipe 67. In some embodiment~ the small cylindrical sleeve
; ~ 65 would be extended axialIy for a sufficient di~tance to serve
the function of the separate coupling 74, which would then be
eliminated. A draw pipe 75 of the desired length, etc., is
fitted into coupling 74 in the field. The slanting of the bottom
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39~
of the draw pipe ameliorates the problem of accidental blockage
of the intake opening. Were it desired to pump down to a Low
level in the pit the bottom of the draw pipe would be normal
to the axis of the pipe (as is draw pipe 75').
Impeller 73 comprises a flat plate 77 which effec-
tively covers the end of opening 27 in the motor and prevents
water from being forced directly at the seals 28-30. Extend-
ing downwardly from plate 77 are a plurality of vanes 78. Motor
shaft 12 extends into a hub 79 of the impeller. A stainless
steel screw 80 extends through the hub and is threaded into the
motor shaft to hold the impeller onto the shaft. Since the down
flow of water which occurs when the motor is deenergized does
not tend to rotate the impeller there is no danger of the screw
unscrewing by reason of such a reverse rotation.
For some installation~ it is de~irable to have a
screen about the pump draw pipe to prevent floating debris
from entering the draw pipe. Such a screen i5 formed by a
second length 81 of a pipe of the same size as that of main
pipe 43; in the example given, it being four inch pipe. This
second length of pipe has a plurality of openings 82 in the
lower part thereof. These openings are sufficiently small to
prevent the normal debriq from entering the screen pipe 81. A
suitable size is ~even-sixteenths inch in diameter. The screen
pipe 81 slips onto the exposed portion of sleeve 64 of the
`~ bottom reducer and is held in place by friction. The holes are
.i
; adjacent one end of the screen pipe. Thus by reversing the
screen pipe end-for-end, the ~creen may be positioned high or
low in the sump to accommodate different installation require-
ments.
; 30 By way of illustrating the various ways in which
embodiments of the invention may be employed, reference may
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be first made to Figure 1 which shows a sump 85 in which water
86 may accumulate from time to time. This sump is, for example,
a pit in a basement floor 87 and has a bottom 88. If it is
de~ired to have the pump be self-~upporting on the bottom of
the sump, a plurality (e.g., three) of ru~ber feet 90 may be
affixed to the bottom of the screen pipe 81. These feet are
items such as crutch tips or chair leg tipq in which there is
a slot 9l. The slot is of such a width that the upper part of
the feet will slip over the screen pipe 81 and be frictionally
secured thereto. Thus the pump is supported on the pit bottom
88 with the screen pipe 81 spaced a short distance from the
bottom of the Qump. The discharge pipe 57 connected to the top
of the pump will ensure that the pump does not upset within the
sump.
Alternatively, the pump may extend through a floor
plate 93 covering the top of the sump. A ring 94 secured to
the main pipe 43 and resting upon the floor plate 93 may be
used to su~pend the pump within the aump. In that event, it is
;~ not necessary for the bottom of the pump (or the feet 90) to
~20 bear against the bottom of the sump. The ring 94 may be of
elastomeric material, frictionally engaging the main pipe 43.
The connection to pipe 57 will also bear ~ome of the weight of
; the pump in addition to the ~upport provided by ring 94.
Figure 4 illustrates the manner in which the pump may
~ be employed much in the form of a standpipe to prevent a back
,~ flow in a floor drain 96 or the like in a basement floor 87. In
this instance a d~raw pipe 75' having a straight bottom is in-
serted into coupling 74. It projects through an opening in an
elastomeric gasket 97 which is placed in the cavity intended to
. .
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hold the floor plate of the floor drain, If water begins to
back up into the floor drain 96 the pump may be turned on
~manually or automatically) to remove that water to another
location for discharge.
Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the manner in which the
pump is employed, when it i9 desired that the pump normally be
out of the water except when it is in use, thereby preventing
any deleterious action to the pump as a result of its standing
in the water. A vertical track lO0 defining a vertical way i8
mounted adjacent the sump 85. In the illustrated embodiment
this track is formed by a pipe secured to a floor plate lOl.
The floor plate is suitably attached to the floor 87 as by
means of bolts 102. A carriage 103 is vertically movable along
the track 100. This carriage comprises a ring 104 which en-
circles pipe 100, an arm 105 extending out from the ring and a
8 addle I06 on the end of the arm. Screws 107 extend through
openings in the saddle and are threaded into the main pipe 43
to support the pump in the saddle. The ring 104 is free to
slide up and down the pipe 100. In some embodiments vertical
; 20 guides may be employed to prevent the rotation of the ring about
the pipe, and ball bearings or other antifriction means may be
employed to ensure that the carriage move~ easily along its
track.
An electric latch llO i9 secured to a mounting ring
lll. Ring lll has thumbscrew~ 112 to engage track lO0 to fix
the ring's position on the track. The electric latch 110 is
imilar to the electric latches commonly uQed to prevent a door
from opening except when the latch is energi~ed. It includes a
tongue 113 which i~ outwardly spring bia~ed and iq retracted
inwardly when a solenoid in the latch is energized. A support
114 is secured to arm 105 of the carriage and has a finger 115
- 12
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~i~399(~
which hooks over tongue 113 to normally support the carriage,
and thus the pump3 in the full line position illustrated in
Figure 6. When the solenoid of latch 110 i5 energized, thereby
retracting tongue 113 from below the finger 115, the carriage
103 is released to descend along track 100. A rubbex bumper
116 is placed about track 100 at the bottom thereof to cushion
the descent of the carriage. Counterweights may be employed
if desired to slow the descent of the carriage and pump along
the track. A flexible hose 117 serves as the discharge conduit
for the pump and i5 sufficiently long to permit movement of the
pump between the raised and lowered positions. It is affixed
by being clamped within hose 58 (or it may be clamped directly
to pipe 56 in place of hose 58). Wires 39 to the motor also
are sufficiently long to permit the vertical movement of the
pump.
The controls for the pump are in a control box 119 at
a suitable location, aq for example atop the pipe track 100.
These controls include a sensor for determining when the water
86 rises to a level within the sump such that the pumping should
commence. A part of this sensor is positioned in the sump. In
the illustrated embodiment, the sensor i8 pneumatically operated
and the part thereof within the QUmp COmpriQes a bsll 120 having
an open bottom. The interior of the bell communicateQ with a
tube 121. This tube is used to suspend the bell within the
sump. Thus, a portion of the mounting plate 101 extends over
the sump and the tube 121 passes through that portion.
A clamp 122 is placed about the tube at a location at
which the bell 120 will be suspended at a height such that a
`i sensor will signal the controls when the water has risen to a
level such that pumping should commence. Thus assume that the
line 123 repre~ents the elevation selected for the commencement
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of the pumping operation. The bell 120 is suspended so that its
bottom open end is below the level 123. As the water rises
ahove the bottom end of the bell, air is trapped in the bell
and as the watex level continues to rise, the air pressure in
the bell correspondingly increa~e~. This air pressure i~ trans-
mitted through tube 121 to a pneumatic pressure detector.
The control apparatus is schematically illustrated in
Figure 8. The pneumatic detector compriseC a housing 125 across
which is a diaphragm 126, the two defining a pre~sure chamber
127. Tube 121 communicates with this chamber. As the pressure
in the bell 120 increases the diaphragm 126 is moved outwardly,
first closing switch 128 and with a further increase in water
level then closing switch 129. Such an air pressure detector
apparatus which will actuate different switches at different
pressures is disclosed in my pending U. S. patent application
S.N. 751,476, filed Decen~ber 16, 1976, and entitled Air Pressure
Switch Signaling Two Different Pressure conditions, the disclo~ure
of which is included by reference.
In the illustrated embodiment, both the controls and
the pump motor are operated from a 12 volt battery 131. One
; wire 132 from the battery connects to a pair of fuses 133 and
134. I~he other wire 135 from the battery connects to a signal
light 136, a horn 137, the solenoid 138 of latch 110, a relay
~ coil 139 and one of wires 39 going to the pump motor. A wire
"~ 142 connects fuse 133 to switches 128 and 12g. A wire 143
connects switch 128 to light 136, horn switch 144 and solenoid
138 of latch 110. A wire 145 connects horn switch 144 and the
horn. A wire 146 connects switch 129 and relay coil 139. A
wire 147 connects fuse 134 and relay switch 148. The other of
motor wires 39 i9 connected to the relay switch 148.
` As previously mentioned~ switches 128 and 129 are
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1~3S~
closed sequentially when the water in the sump rises to, or
above, the level 123 at which pumping should commence. The
closing of switch 128 completes the circuit to signal light
136, horn 137 and latch 110. The energizing of the latch
solenoid retracts the tongue 113 of the latch permitting the
carriage 103 and the pump suspended thereby to descend to the
dot-dash line position illustrated in Figure 6. The subsequent
closing of switch 129 energizes relay coil 139. This closes
relay switch 148 and energizes the pump motor through wires 39.
Since the motor is not energized until after the pump is dropped
into the water the possibility of the pump becoming air locked
is avoided. In some embodiments relay 139, 148 may have another,
normally-closed switch which is in series with solenoid 138 of
the latch. That normally-closed switch will open when the relay
is energized to shut off the power to the latch and thus reduce
the drain on the battery.
The signals given by light 136 and horn 137 will alert
the occupants to the problem so that they can observe the oper-
ation of the pump and make sure that everything will go well.
The continued operation of the horn 137 may be distracting and
the occupant can open switch 144 to silence the horn. when the
emergency is over and the water level has dropped below the level
indicated by line 123, switches 128 and 129 again open. This
shuts off the pump motor and the various signaling devices. The
occupant then manually raises carriage 103 to the full line
position of Figure 6. When this is done, the finger 115 again
~ hooks over the tongue 113 of the latch to suspend the carriage
`~ and pump in the elevated position.
Figures 9 and 10 illustrate alternative constructions
for the pump shell, the upper reducer, the lower reducer, etc.,
plus improvements in the intake conduit with respect to the
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218-13. 01
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impeller. It should be recognized that substantially any one
of these can be employed with the remaining structure of the
Figure 1-3 embodiment without necessarily using them all, and
vice versa.
In the en~odiment of Figures 9 and 10, the motor 10
and the impeller 73 employed therein are identical to those
previously described. However, the shell 151 is a length of
four inch I.D. copper pipe. One end of this length of pipe has
been spun down to form reducer 152 with an upper neck 153. This
neck substantially corresponds to a standard pipe size and is
intended to receive a flexible hose 154. So that the hose will
be securely attached to the neck, the neck is spun with a groove
or depression 156. Thus as a hose clamp 157 is tightened about
the hose, the hose i9 forced into the groove 156 so that a
secure attachment is obtained.
While a length of hose so affixed to the shell can
serve alone as the discharge conduit, the illustrated embodi-
ment includes an additional connector having pipe threads 158
~: on the distal end, a neck 159 on the proximal end and an inter-
mediate hexagonal portion 160 adapted for engagement by a wrench.
Preferably, the neck 159 also includes a groove 161 so that hose
clamp 157 will securely affix the hose 154 to the neck. A sup-
port plate 163 has a central opening sufficiently large to per-
mit neck 159 to pass therethrough, but ~ufficiently small so
`
that the upper side of the support plate will bear against the
underside of the hexagonal portion 160 of the connector. At
one side~ the support plate has an opening to receive an end
: ~ :
fitting 164 of an electrical cable 165. The fitting 164 has a
mesh cable gripper 166 which securely holds the cable to the
~30 fltting when tension is put on the cable as by way of support-
ing the pump unit thereby. At the opposite side of the support
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218-13.01
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i~39~
p;Late is an opening 167 which may be used to anchor a support
rope or cable so that such strain on the electrical cable will
not normally occur.
This embodiment is particularly suited for use in
pumping out manholes or the like. For such an application,
the end fitting of a discharge hose would ~e screwed onto the
threads 158. The unit is then lowered through a manhole open-
ing to the bottom of the manhole to pump out the manhole. When
used in a permanent installation, a pipe fitting having a dis-
charge pipe coupled thereto might be screwed onto threads 158.
In this embodiment, the reducer, generally 170, at
the intake end of the shell 151 includes an expansion fitting
171 which frictionally engages the interior of the shell in a
watertight manner and forms the large end of the reducer. This
fitting comprises an upper disc 172 and a lower disc 173. The
peripheral face~ of the discs are somewhat smaller than the
internal diameter of the pipe which they are to fit. Each disc
has an annular cam face 172a and 173a, respectively, in the form
of a frustum of a cone. Between the two discs are two semi-
cylindrical pressure plates 174 having axial end faces which are
complementary to and abut the cam faces 172a and 173_. The discs
and the pressure plates are formed of a relatively rigid plastic.
Externally of the pres~ure plate is an annular, elastomeric seal
~ ring 176. ThiH seal ring normally has an external diameter
`~ ~ slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the shell 151,
~` however, when it is expanded as hereinafter described, it securely
:
engages the inner wall of the shell. The periphery of the seal
; ring has a plurality of small, annular ribs 177 to improve its
engaging and sealing function.
The upper disc 172 has a smooth axial opening 178
while the lower disc hao a threaded axial opening 179. The
,
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ECV: ls
11~3990
upper disc has four, internally threaded bosses 181 and the
lower disc has four, smooth bosses 182. The four bosses are
positioned ninety degrees apart in the azimuth about the axis.
Stud bolts 183 slide through bosses 182 and are screwed into
bosses 181.
A tube 185 having external threads 186 extends through
the axial openings 178 and 179, which serves as an intake con-
duit means and the lower or external part of which serves as
what may be referred to as the small end of the reducer. The
upper end of the tube has a plate 187 normal to the axis of the
tube. This plate is only slightly smaller in external diameter
than is the internal diameter of the ~hell 151. The lower end
of the tube has a coupling 188 to receive a pipe which is sub-
stantially smaller in diameter than is the internal diameter of
the shell 151. In the illustrated embodiment, a pipe 189 form-
iny the draw pipe is received in coupling 188 and secured there-
in by means of an adhesive. In the illustrated embodiment the
tube 185 and pipe 189 have an internal diameter of one and three-
quarter inches. Both are formed of relatively rigid plastic.
The lower end of the draw pipe is tapered as seen at 190 as an
aid toward avoiding blocking of the draw pipe.
The support pipe and screen 192 is formed of a length
of metal or plaAtic pipe of the same nominal size as that of
shell 151. This length has a small longitudinal segment cut
~ : .
out to define a slot 193. This permits the pipe to be diametric-
ally squeezed to a sufficiently small size so that it will 51ip
; within the shell to a position at which it abuts the undexside
of lower disc 173. The pipe has sufficient resiliency so as to
expand, when the squeezing force is removed, to engage the inner
wall of the shell. By reacon of its abutting the disc 173 of
the reducer 170, it can be used to support the weight of the
--18--
.
218-13.01
ECV:ls
g~
pump. Support pipe 192 has openings 194 corresponding to open-
ings 82 of the previously described embodiment.
After the motor 10 with the impeller 73 mounted thereon
has been secured in position in the shell 151, the reducer 170
is put into the shell. Before the reducer is inserted, the
bolts 183 are loose and the tube 185 is rotated in a manner such
as to cause the threads to draw the tube downwardly so that the
plate 187 is relatively close to the upper disc 172. By having
bolts 183 loose, the seal ring 176 is not deformed and is smaller
than the internal diameter of the shell. The reducer 170 i9
then slipped into the shell and positioned so that the plate 187
is adjacent the impeller 73. Bolts 183 are then tightened. The
1;ightening of these bolts draws the two discs 172 and 173 to-
gether. As they are drawn together, the cam faces 172a and 173a
force the two pressure plates 174 radially outward. In turn,
the pressure plates 174 expand the seal ring 176 and forces it
tightly against the inner face of the shell. Thus by tightening
the bolts 183 the reducer 170 securely engage~ the shell. In
addition to obtaining this secure engagement, the seal ring pro-
~ 20 vides a watertight seal between the discs and the shell.
; After expansion fitting has thus been secured in place,
the tube 185 is rotated in a direction such that it, and plate
L87, are moved axially toward the impeller 73. For best pumping
efficiency the plate 187 is positioned as close as possible to
the impeller, without actual contact between the two.
In electric motors of the type described, there will
,:
~ be some axial end play in the motor shaft. The am~unt of such
r~ ~ play, particularly in moderately priced motors, will not be
identical in every motor aven though each motor is presumably
the same as the others. Since that end play will affect the
axial position of the impeller 73, it will affect the spacing
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218-13. 01
ECV: ls ~1~39911)
betwe~n the impeller and the inner end of the intake conduit
and, with an arrangement such as that of ~igures 1-3, that
spacing must be sufficient to accommodate the motor with the
greatest end play. Thus with motors having lesser end play the
spacing will be greater than the optimum. This problem is
avoided by the use of the adjustment just described. The plate
187 at the inner end of the intake conduit improves the pumping
efficiency.
Some manufacturers or users will desire to wind several
layers of plastic tape (commonly referred to as Polytetrafluoro-
ethylene Tape for pipe thread sealing) about tube 185 and in
abutment with the bottom of disc 173, a portion o~ those tape
windings being seen at 197 to provide a water seal betwe~n the
tube 185 and the disc 173.
If it is desired to use the embodiment of Figures g
and 10 in a standpipe type installation, such as is illustrated
in Figure 4, the support pipe and screen 192 normaLly would not
be used, but would be removed. A piece of pipe 200 of the same
nominal pipe size as that of draw pipe 189 would be used and
provided with a tapered end 201 corresponding to the taper 190.
Pipe 200 would be aligned so that the two tapers 190 and 201
were mated and a hose 202 would be positioned over the two pipes.
Hose clamps 203 would secure the hose to each o~ the two pipes.
of course~ the pipe 200 could be of any desired length.
With hose 202 down over draw pipe 189 to just above
screen 192 (but without extension pipe 200) it will act as a
draw pipe and there can be manual pump down of flat areas to
within one-half inch of a flat surface before the air intake
breaks the pumping action. The bottom of the hose in such an
arrangement may be at various levels above the bottom of taper
190 which permits an adjustment in the level to which the in-
stallation will pump down. After the desired level is selected
the hose is clamped into position to retain the setting.
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