US 4,087,204 AGranted

Enclosed sump pump

OwnerKarl O. Niedermeyerinventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

All of the components of a sump pump apparatus necessary to be in the sump are enclosed in a common case. In one embodiment, this case is of plastic and holds the motor means, the pump impeller and at least part of the water level sensors. The motor means is in a bell holding trapped air so that the water cannot reach the motor means. In one such embodiment the motor means is a single D.C. motor and in another embodiment it consists of a D.C. motor coupled by a one-way clutch to an A.C. motor which in turn is connected to the pump impeller. In each of these two embodiments, the water level sensor includes a tube having an open end in the bell to sample the air pressure in the bell and an end externally of the sump connected to a pressure actuated switch which turns on the motor means at a particular air pressure above ambient. Also within the bell is a float operated switch serving as a back-up to the air actuated switch. Using two motors, as mentioned above, the A.C. motor is turned on by an air pressure actuator at a lower air pressure above ambient than is the D.C. motor. In another embodiment the case is cylindrical and elongated in the direction of its axis. The lower end of the case extends into the sump while the upper end stands above the sump. On the upper end are two motors, two pumps and the related controls. The intake lines for the pump extend down within the case into the sump, as do air pressure sampling tubes. One motor is turned on by a pressure actuated switch at a relatively low pressure above ambient while the other motor is turned on by a pressure actuated switch at a comparatively higher pressure over ambient.

Claims12

Dependent claims

In a submersible sump pump apparatus comprising electric motor means, a vertically positioned shaft rotated by said motor means, an impeller secured to the lower end of the shaft, an enclosure about the impeller through which liquid is pumped from the sump, and control means including a liquid level sensor device for controlling the starting and stopping of said motor means in response to the level of liquid in said sump, the improvement comprising:

a housing having an upper and a lower end, said housing having an opening therethrough for the entry of said liquid, said housing being fluid tight above said opening whereby air will be trapped in the housing and said liquid will not rise significantly above a given level in the housing no matter how high the liquid rises in the sump outside the housing;
said motor means being positioned in said housing above said given level whereby said liquid cannot reach said motor means thereby eliminating the necessity of a seal about the shaft and other measures to protect the motor means from the liquid;
said motor means comprising an alternating current motor forming the primary source of power for rotating the impeller, and a direct current motor forming an alternative source of power as for example during periods when alternating current is not available;
and
said sensor device including two pressure sensitive actuator means positioned at a location outside said sump, and fluid conduit means having an open end through which fluid can enter so that the fluid pressure in the conduit means corresponds to the fluid pressure at said open end, said conduit means having another end communicating with said actuator means so that the fluid pressure in said actuator means corresponds to the fluid pressure at said open end, said open end being within said housing, one of said actuator means initiating the energization of the alternating current motor when the liquid in said sump reaches a first level, the other of said actuator means initiating the energization of the direct current motor when the liquid in said pump reaches a second level, said second level being above said first level.

2 more elements

In a sump pump apparatus comprising electric motor means, pump means connected to the motor means to be operated thereby, conduit means connected to said pump means and having a first portion with an intake adapted to be positioned in said sump so that the pump means can draw liquid from the sump and a second portion adapted to extend externally of the sump for the discharge of the liquid from the sump, and control means including a liquid level sensing device for controlling the starting and stopping of the motor means in response to the level of liquid in the sump, the improvement comprising:

said motor means comprising two electric motors;
said sensor device including pressure sensitive actuator means positioned at a location outside said sump, fluid conduit means having an open end through which fluid can enter so that the fluid pressure in the conduit means corresponds to the fluid pressure at said open end, said conduit means having another end communicating with said actuator means so that the fluid pressure in said actuator means corresponds to the fluid pressure at said open end, bell means communicating with said open end having a bottom opening and positioned within said sump for trapping air in the bell means as the liquid rises above the bottom opening of the bell means, which trapped air will have a pressure indicative of the extent to which the liquid level rises above the bottom opening of the bell means, said actuator means having two active states corresponding respectively to two levels of liquid in said sump which two levels are sufficiently high to trap air in the bell means for initiating the energization of the one motor when the liquid in said sump reaches a first of said two levels and the energization of the other motor when the liquid in said sump reaches the second of said two levels, said second level being above said first level.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/712,546Filed 9 Aug 1976 · division
Priority: 12 Apr 1974
Granted: 2 May 1978
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F04D 15/0218
Responsive to a condition of the working fluid: the condition being a liquid level or a lack of liquid supply
F04B 49/025
Stopping, starting, unloading or idling control: by means of floats
F04B 49/10
Control , e.g. of pump delivery, or pump pressure of, or safety measures for, machines, pumps, or pumping installations, not otherwise provided…:…
F04D 13/068
The pump being electrically driven: battery powered

Family

Serial460,423Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Apr 1974
Serial534,468Parent of this division · filed 19 Dec 1974
US 3,999,890 AParent of this division
US 3,941,507 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 4,087,204 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.