US 4,301,826 AGranted

Combination siphon and positive action pump

OwnerFrank S. Beckererinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A combination vacuum lift pump and siphon for handling liquids, comprising a pump cylinder having an inlet disposed near one end and an outlet adjacent to but spaced from the other end, a piston reciprocatable in the cylinder, and a plunger and handle connected therewith, and a pair of check valves, one of which is associated with the piston and is operable to be closed when the plunger is lifted in the cylinder, and the other of which is disposed at the cylinder inlet and is operable to be closed when the plunger is lowered in the cylinder. The outlet of the cylinder is spaced a short distance from the upper end thereof, such that for siphon operation the piston and its check valve can be moved to a position in the cylinder which is beyond the location of the outlet. Accordingly, the flow of liquid by-passes the piston check valve completely, and the latter thus does not act in such a manner as to restrict the siphon flow, as was the case in many other constructions. In addition, the present device can operate, without modification, as either a siphon, or a complete positive-action hand pump in the event that gravity-type siphoning is not possible.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A combination vacuum lift pump and siphon for handling liquids, comprising in combination:

(a) a pump cylinder having an inlet adjacent its bottom, and an outlet spaced downward from its top,
(b) a discharge line connected to said outlet and depending therefrom,
(c) a plunger reciprocatable in the cylinder, including a piston movable from a location low in the cylinder to a location above the said outlet,
(d) said piston having a check valve operable to be closed when the plunger is lifted to raise the piston,
(e) an additional check valve connected with said inlet to restrain movement of liquid out of the cylinder through said inlet,
(f) reciprocative movements of said piston in portions of said cylinder below said outlet being operative to vacuum lift liquid into the cylinder through said inlet, and to force said liquid out of said outlet,
(g) said piston when raised in the cylinder above said outlet enabling a siphon action to occur whereby gravity flow of liquid through said discharge line will suck liquid into the cylinder through said inlet and past said inlet check valve,
(h) said additional check valve comprising an apertured valve plate disposed at the bottom of the cylinder and in the path of liquid flow,
(i) a valve membrane adjacent said plate and adapted to close off the apertures therein in response to the tendency for liquid to flow in one direction,
(j) said apertured valve plate and said membrane having central openings adapted to be aligned with one another,
(k) a securement thimble extending through said aligned openings and retaining the membrane against permanent dislodgement from the apertured valve plate,
(l) said thimble having spaced-apart annular shoulder means, one of said shoulder means being engageable with said plate and the other of said shoulder means being engageable with the membrane to enable the latter to occupy a position completely spaced from the plate under the action of liquid flowing into the inlet,
(m) the distance between said shoulder means being substantially in excess of the combined thicknesses of the plate and membrane in order to permit the latter to occupy said spaced position with respect to said plate, so as to present minimal impedement to the flow of liquid through said apertures when the membrane is spaced from the plate,
(n) said thimble being loosely carried by both the apertured valve plate and the membrane, so as not to interfere with movement of the latter away from the apertures under the action of liquid flowing therethrough.

11 more elements

A combination vacuum lift pump and siphon for handling liquids, comprising in combination:

(a) a pump cylinder having an inlet adjacent its bottom, and an outlet spaced downward from its top,
(b) a discharge line connected to said outlet and depending therefrom,
(c) a plunger reciprocatable in the cylinder, including a piston movable from a location low in the cylinder to a location above the said outlet,
(d) said piston having a check valve operable to be closed when the plunger is lifted to raise the piston,
(e) an additional check valve connected with said inlet to restrain movement of liquid out of the cylinder through said inlet,
(f) reciprocative movements of said piston in portions of said cylinder below said outlet being operative to vacuum lift liquid into the cylinder through said inlet, and to force said liquid out of said outlet,
(g) said piston when raised in the cylinder above said outlet enabling a siphon action to occur whereby gravity flow of liquid through said discharge line will suck liquid into the cylinder through said inlet and past said inlet check valve,
(h) said additional check valve comprising an apertured valve plate disposed at the bottom of the cylinder and in the path of liquid flow,
(i) a valve membrane adjacent said plate and adapted to close off the apertures therein in response to the tendency for liquid to flow in one direction,
(j) said apertured valve plate and said membrane having central openings adapted to be aligned with one another,
(k) a securement thimble extending through said aligned openings and retaining the membrane against permanent dislodgement from the apertured valve plate,
(l) said thimble having spaced-apart annular shoulder means, one of said shoulder means being engageable with said plate and the other of said shoulder means being engageable with the membrane to enable the latter to occupy a position completely spaced from the plate under the action of liquid flowing into the inlet,
(m) the distance between said shoulder means being substantially in excess of the combined thicknesses of the plate and membrane in order to permit the latter to occupy said spaced position with respect to said plate, so as to present minimal impedement to the flow of liquid through said apertures when the membrane is spaced from the plate,
(n) said thimble being axially split at one end, to facilitate insertion of the one end through the aligned openings in the plate and membrane.

11 more elements

A combination vacuum lift pump and siphon for handling liquids, comprising in combination:

(a) a pump cylinder having an inlet adjacent its bottom, and an outlet spaced downward from its top,
(b) a discharge line connected to said outlet and depending therefrom,
(c) a plunger reciprocatable in the cylinder, including a piston movable from a location low in the cylinder to a location above the said outlet,
(d) said piston having a check valve operable to be closed when the plunger is lifted to raise the piston,
(e) an additional check valve connected with said inlet to restrain movement of liquid out of the cylinder through said inlet,
(f) reciprocative movements of said piston in portions of said cylinder below said outlet being operative to vacuum lift liquid into the cylinder through said inlet, and to force said liquid out of said outlet,
(g) said piston when raised in the cylinder above said outlet enabling a siphon action to occur whereby gravity flow of liquid through said discharge line will suck liquid into the cylinder through said inlet and past said inlet check valve,
(h) said additional check valve comprising an apertured valve plate disposed at the bottom of the cylinder and in the path of liquid flow,
(i) a valve membrane adjacent said plate and adapted to close off the apertures therein in response to the tendency for liquid to flow in one direction,
(j) said apertured valve plate and said membrane having central openings adapted to be aligned with one another,
(k) a securement thimble extending through said aligned openings and retaining the membrane against permanent dislodgement from the apertured valve plate,
(l) said thimble having spaced-apart annular shoulder means, one of said shoulder means being engageable with said plate and the other of said shoulder means being engageable with the membrane to enable the latter to occupy a position completely spaced from the plate under the action of liquid flowing into the inlet,
(m) the distance between said shoulder means being substantially in excess of the combined thicknesses of the plate and membrane in order to permit the latter to occupy said spaced position with respect to said plate, so as to present minimal impedement to the flow of liquid through said apertures when the membrane is spaced from the plate,
(n) the said membrane being resilient, to enable it to assume a convex-concave configuration under the action of liquid flow.

11 more elements

A combination vacuum lift pump and siphon for handling liquids, comprising in combination:

(a) a pump cylinder having an inlet adjacent its bottom, and an outlet spaced downward from its top,
(b) a discharge line connected to said outlet and depending therefrom,
(c) a plunger reciprocatable in the cylinder, including a piston movable from a location low in the cylinder to a location above the said outlet,
(d) said piston having a check valve operable to be closed when the plunger is lifted to raise the piston,
(e) an additional check valve connected with said inlet to restrain movement of liquid out of the cylinder through said inlet,
(f) reciprocative movements of said piston in portions of said cylinder below said outlet being operative to vacuum lift liquid into the cylinder through said inlet, and to force said liquid out of said outlet,
(g) said pisto when raised in the cylinder above said outlet enabling a siphon action to occur whereby gravity flow of liquid through said discharge line will suck liquid into the cylinder through said inlet and past said inlet check valve,
(h) said additional check valve comprising an apertured valve plate disposed at the bottom of the cylinder and in the path of liquid flow,
(i) a valve membrane adjacent said plate and adapted to close off the apertures therein in response to the tendency for liquid to flow in one direction,
(j) said apertured valve plate and said membrane having central openings adapted to be aligned with one another,
(k) a securement thimble extending through said aligned openings and retaining the membrane against permanent dislodgement from the apertured valve plate,
(l) said thimble having spaced-apart annular shoulder means, one of said shoulder means being engageable with said plate and the other of said shoulder means being engageable with the membrane to enable the latter to occupy a position completely spaced from the plate under the action of liquid flowing into the inlet,
(m) the distance between said shoulder means being substantially in excess of the combined thicknesses of the plate and membrane in order to permit the latter to occupy said spaced position with respect to said plate, so as to present minimal impedement to the flow of liquid through said apertures when the membrane is spaced from the plate,
(n) said thimble being loosely carried on said valve plate.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.