US 4,049,364 A · Removable impeller assembly for printing press centrifugal pump

Abstract

A centrifugal pump assembly, having a removable impeller assembly for use in conjunction with ink reservoirs of printing press apparatuses. There is provided a centrifugal pump assembly comprising motor mounting means for mounting the motor with respect to the cover member of an ink reservoir. The shaft of the motor extends downwardly into the reservoir and has secured thereto a coupling sleeve. The coupling sleeve includes means for securing the same to the motor shaft and means for releasably engaging the impeller shaft of the pump assembly. The impeller shaft is provided with a positive drive pin adapted to fit into a slot formed in the coupling sleeve to thereby properly align said impeller shaft with respect to the impeller housing and to insure proper positive connection of the impeller shaft with respect to the motor shaft for corresponding rotational movement therewith. An alternate embodiment utilizes a hollow barrier sleeve to prevent ink from traveling upwardly into the motor. The impeller engages the portion of the shaft of the motor which extends below the barrier sleeve utilizing a flat on the shaft of the motor engaged within a semi-circular opening in the impeller. The releasable engagement of the impeller wth respect to the motor shaft permits disengagement of the motor from the centrifugal pump assembly prior to washing and cleansing operations of the impeller assembly and ink reservoir.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A centrifugal pump apparatus comprising

a motor assembly, and
an impeller assembly,
said motor assembly comprising
an extended motor shaft, and
motor shaft extending means
for extending the length of said motor shaft,
said extended motor shaft being rotationally coupled to said motor shaft and in coaxial alignment therewith,
said impeller assembly comprising
a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, and
an impeller,
coupling means disposed within said upper housing portion for releasably securing said impeller to said extended motor shaft and for providing concomitant rotational movement of said impeller with said extended motor shaft,
said motor shaft and said extended motor shaft extending into said upper housing portion,
said coupling means including alignment means for longitudinally and laterally aligning said impeller within said lower housing portion and for positioning said extended motor shaft and said impeller in coaxial alignment,
ink barrier means for preventing the flow of ink along part of the length of said extended motor shaft and along an adjacent void within said upper housing portion,
said coupling means comprising a flattened surface on said extended motor shaft,
said flattened surface being disposed in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of said extended motor shaft,
said impeller having a hub portion with an opening therein,
said flattened surface being engageable within said opening,
said opening having a mating flattened surface therein, and
said mating flattened surface being capable of engaging said flattened surface.

17 more elements

A centrifugal pump apparatus comprising

a motor assembly, and
an impeller assembly,
said motor assembly comprising
an extended motor shaft, and
motor shaft extending means for extending the length of said motor shaft,
said extended motor shaft being rotationally coupled to said motor shaft and in coaxial alignment therewith,
said impeller assembly comprising
a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, and
an impeller,
coupling means disposed within said upper housing portion for releasably securing said impeller to said extended motor shaft and for providing concomitant rotational movement of said impeller with said extended motor shaft,
said motor shaft and said extended motor shaft extending into said upper housing portion,
said coupling means including alignment means for longitudinally and laterally aligning said impeller within said lower housing portion and for positioning said extended motor shaft and said impeller in coaxial alignment,
ink barrier means for preventing the flow of ink along part of the length of said extended motor shaft and along an adjacent void within said upper housing portion,
said motor shaft extending means comprising
a sleeve,
said sleeve engaging said motor shaft at one end thereof and engaging the upper end of said extended motor shaft at the other end thereof,
said sleeve being in coaxial alignment with said motor shaft and said extended motor shaft,
said ink barrier means comprises
a barrier sleeve member,
said barrier sleeve member having an opening extending therethrough,
said part of said extended motor shaft being located intermediate said other end of said sleeve and said groove and passing through said opening in said barrier sleeve member,
said upper portion of said housing having internal walls adjacent said part of said extended motor shaft,
said barrier sleeve member having the external surfaces thereof disposed in touching engagement with said internal walls of said upper portion of said housing,
means for securing said external surfaces of said barrier sleeve member to said internal walls of said upper housing portion, and
seal means for preventing the flow of ink along said part of said extended motor shaft and said opening extending through said barrier sleeve member.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Removable impeller assembly for printing press centrifugal pump

Life of this patent

Removable impeller assembly for printing press centrifugal pump

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8