Back to results
US 4,734,019 AGranted
Pumping system
AssigneeHale Fire Pump Company
InventorH. Alfred Eberhardt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pumping system employing a main pump and a high pressure centrifugal pump both of which are driven by an engine through a suitable drive is provided with an air clutch device whereby air is selectively introduced into the inlet of the high pressure centrifugal pump to cause air binding of the impellers, this action causing a de-clutching of the high pressure pump by a simple hydraulic action.
Claims14
In a liquid pumping system including
- an engine,
- a main pump having a plurality of discharges,
- a high pressure centrifugal pump having a drive shaft and an impeller means mounted on said drive shaft,
- drive means for driving both said main pump and said high pressure pump from said engine at the same time,
- main conduit means connecting a discharge of said main pump to the inlet of said high pressure pump, and
- valve means controlling the flow through the discharge of said high pressure pump,
- the improvement comprising
- flow control means including
- a main control valve for controlling the flow through said main conduit means and being movable between an open flow control condition and a closed flow control position, and
- means for selectively introducing air into the inlet of said high pressure pump for air binding said impeller means thereof when said main control valve is in said closed flow control position, said air binding rendering said high pressure pump incapable of pumping any liquid thereby eliminating the hydraulic horsepower requirement for said high pressure pump,
- said means for selectively introducing air into the inlet of said high pressure pump comprising a second conduit means having its one end open to atmosphere and its other end communicating with the inlet of said high pressure pump, said flow control means including a second control valve for controlling flow through said second conduit means and being movable between an open flow control position in which air at atmospheric pressure is introduced into the inlet of said high pressure pump and a closed flow control position.
8 more elements
In a liquid pumping system including
- an engine,
- a main pump having a plurality of discharges,
- a high pressure centrifugal pump having a drive shaft and an impeller means mounted on said drive shaft,
- drive means for driving both said main pump and said high pressure pump from said engine at the same time,
- main conduit means connecting a discharge of said main pump to the inlet of said high pressure pump, and
- valve means controlling the flow through the discharge of said high pressure pump,
- the improvement comprising
- flow control means including
- a main control valve for controlling the flow through said main conduit means and being movable between an open flow control condition and a closed flow control position, and
- means for introducing air into the inlet of said high pressure pump for air binding said impeller means thereof when said main control valve is in said closed flow control position thereby eliminating the hydraulic horsepower requirement for said high pressure pump,
- said means for introducing air into the inlet of said high pressure pump comprising a second conduit means having its one end open to atmosphere and its other end communicating with the inlet of said high pressure pump, said flow control means including a second control valve for controlling flow through said second conduit means and being movable between an open flow control position and a closed flow control position, said flow control means including a manually operable control handle movable between an engaged and disengaged control position, valve actuating means responsive to the positioning of said handle in said engaged control position to actuate said main control valve to its open flow control condition and said second control valve to its closed flow control condition and responsive to the positioning of said handle in said disengaged control position for actuating said main control valve to its closed flow control position and said second control valve to its open flow control position whereby air is permitted to flow into the inlet of said high pressure pump for air binding said impeller means thereof.
8 more elements
In a liquid pumping system including
- an engine,
- a main pump having a plurality of discharges,
- a high pressure centrifugal pump having a drive shaft and an impeller means mounted on said drive shaft,
- drive means for driving both said main pump and said high pressure pump from said engine at the same time,
- main conduit means connecting a discharge of said main pump to the inlet of said high pressure pump, and
- valve means controlling the flow through the discharge of said high pressure pump,
- the improvement comprising
- flow control means including
- a main control valve for controlling the flow through said main conduit means and being movable between an open flow control condition and a closed flow control position, and
- means for introducing air into the inlet of said high pressure pump for air binding said impeller means thereof when said main control valve is in said closed flow control position thereby eliminating the hydraulic horsepower requirement for said high pressure pump
- said high pressure pump including a pump body and said drive means includes a drive gear means engaged with said drive shaft of said high pressure pump, and including a seal means for sealing said drive shaft located between said impeller means and said drive gear means, and means for causing liquid to flow across said seal when said main control valve is in said closed flow control position including first passage means in said body of said high pressure pump connected between the exterior of said body and said seal means, second passage means in said pump body connected between said seal and the internal flow passages of said pump body, and means for draining liquid from the internal flow passages of said pump body.
8 more elements
In a liquid pumping system including
- an engine,
- a main pump having a plurality of discharges,
- a high pressure centrifugal pump having a drive shaft and an impeller means mounted on said drive shaft,
- drive means for driving both said main pump and said high pressure pump from said engine at the same time,
- main conduit means connecting a discharge of said main pump to the inlet of said high pressure pump, and
- valve means controlling the flow through the discharge of said high pressure pump,
- the improvement comprising
- flow control means including
- a main control valve for controlling the flow through said main conduit means and being movable between an open flow control condition and a closed flow control position, and
- means for introducing air into the inlet of said high pressure pump for air binding said impeller means thereof when said main control valve is in said closed flow control position thereby eliminating the hydraulic horsepower requirement for said high pressure pump,
- bearing means for supporting the outboard end of said drive shaft of said high pressure pump and means for causing liquid to flow through said bearing means for cooling and lubricating said bearing means when said main control valve is in said closed flow control position thereof including passage means in said pump body connected between the exterior of said pump body and said bearing means and conduit means for delivering liquid from a discharge connection of said main pump to said passage means, and means for draining liquid from the internal passages of said pump body.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.