Pump basket strainer and assembly

In a pump volute housing and strainer assembly,

• a. a housing forming a downwardly extending primary chamber having an upper level fluid inlet port and a lower level fluid outlet port, said ports located at opposite sides of the chamber, the housing having an internal support ledge, and
• b. a fluid strainer basket received downwardly in said chamber and supported on said ledge, the basket having a side inlet in registration with said primary chamber inlet port, the basket having exteriorly and interiorly presented ribs that intersect to form perforations to pass fluid from the basket interior to said primary chamber outlet port,
• c. said internal support ledge being located above the level of said primary chamber inlet port, the ledge extending about the basket but being interrupted by an upward extension of said primary chamber inlet port, the basket having an external flange engaging said ledge, the flange extending generally circularly over the basket side inlet to thereby define a handle adapted to be grasped from the basket upper interior to remove the basket upwardly from the primary chamber, the basket and housing having generally vertically extending guide means proximate said inlet port and cooperating to locate the handle generally above said inlet port when the basket is received downwardly into said chamber.