Foot valve for submergible pumps
AssigneeTaylor-Wharton Cryogenics LLC
InventorsCLAUS EMMER, MATTHEW D. SASSE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A foot valve assembly for a submergible pump including a substantially open-ended submergible pump housing having an interior volume is disclosed. The foot valve assembly also includes an actuator configured to be operated by pressurized fluid. The foot valve assembly also includes a sealing mechanism positioned at the open end of the submergible pump housing and configured to alter fluid flow into the pump housing. The sealing mechanism is attached to the actuator. The actuator is configured to move the sealing mechanism between a first position and a second position, the first position being a closed position and the second position being an open position.
Claims20
A foot valve assembly for a submergible housing comprising:
- a substantially open-ended submergible housing having an interior volume;
- an actuator configured to be operated by pressurized fluid;
- and
- a sealing mechanism positioned at the open end of the submergible housing, the sealing mechanism being configured to alter fluid flow into the housing, the sealing mechanism also being attached to the actuator,
- wherein the actuator is configured to move the sealing mechanism between a first position and a second position, the first position being a closed position and the second position being an open position.
A cryogenic tank assembly comprising:
- a storage container configured to be pressurized and store fluid;
- a substantially open-ended submergible pump housing located within the storage container;
- a pump removably located within the submergible pump housing;
- and
- a foot valve assembly mounted to the submergible pump housing including at least one actuator and a sealing mechanism, the actuator being configured to move the sealing mechanism between a closed position and an open position,
- wherein, when the sealing mechanism is in the closed position, the pump may be removed from the submergible pump housing without altering the pressure of the storage container or draining the fluid stored within the storage container.
A foot valve assembly for a submergible pump or other pressurizing device comprising:
- a substantially open-ended submergible pump housing;
- a pump removably positioned within the pump housing;
- a sealing mechanism mounted at the open end of the submergible pump housing for sealing the pump housing, wherein the sealing mechanism is operated by the weight of the pump;
- and
- an actuator movable by pressurized fluid wherein the actuator is connected to the pump and wherein the sealing mechanism is in the closed position when the actuator is not pressurized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.