US 5,322,418 AGranted

High pressure liquid pump apparatus and pumping method

AssigneeThe Toro Company

InventorRobert C. Comer

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Abstract

A liquid pumping apparatus and pump method is provided in which a reciprocal drive piston is carried in a pump body and is reciprocated back and forth by a mechanical power source such as a crankshaft. The pump body has a pump chamber which receives the liquid to be pumped. A pump piston which is separate from the drive piston is operatively connected to the pump chamber to expand and contract the volume of the pump chamber to first fill the pump chamber with liquid and then expel the liquid from the pump chamber in a pumping action. The pump piston is coupled to the drive piston for movement therewith during a portion of a pump cycle such that the drive piston is effective to move the pump piston in its volume expanding direction relative to the pump chamber at a first speed. Then, the connection between the pump piston and drive piston is broken and the pump piston is accelerated in its volume contracting direction to a second substantially faster speed to pump the liquid out of the pump chamber.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A liquid pump apparatus for pumping a liquid at an increased pressure, wherein the apparatus is driven by a motive means that provides a source of power for the liquid pumping action, which comprises:

(a) a pump body having a pump chamber which is suited to be filled with the liquid that is to be pumped, the pump chamber having inlet means for admitting the liquid to the pump chamber and outlet means for allowing the liquid to exit from the pump chamber;
(b) a movable pump means operatively connected to the pump chamber for expanding and contracting the volume of the pump chamber as the pump means is moved;
(c) valve means associated with the inlet means and the outlet means for allowing the liquid to flow into the pump chamber through the inlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is expanded and for allowing the liquid to be pumped out of the pump chamber through the outlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is contracted;
(d) a drive means operatively connected to the motive means for operation over a plurality of pump cycles with each pump cycle comprising a single filling of the pump chamber with liquid and a subsequent expelling of the liquid from the pump chamber, wherein the drive means is separate from the pump means such that the pump means can move independently from the drive means over at least a portion of the movement of the pump means;
(e) means for operatively transmitting the movement of the drive means to the pump means during a portion of each pump cycle such that the transmitted motion moves the pump means at a first speed in the direction in which the pump chamber volume is expanded to fill the pump chamber with liquid;
and
(f) means for uncoupling the motion transmitting means between the pump means and the drive means after the pump chamber volume has been expanded and filled with liquid and for then accelerating the pump means to a second speed which is faster than the first speed in a direction in which the pump chamber volume is contracted to pump the liquid out of the pump chamber at the increased pressure, wherein the uncoupling and accelerating means comprises:
(i) means operatively connected to the pump means for storing energy and for supplying such energy against the pump means at a location which is suitable to drive the pump means in the direction in which the pump chamber volume is contracted;
and
(ii) valve means, carried on the drive means, for periodically allowing at least some of the energy stored in the energy storing means to be applied to the pump means.

7 more elements

(a) a pump body having a pump chamber which is suited to be filled with the liquid that is to be pumped, the pump chamber having inlet means for admitting the liquid to the pump chamber and outlet means for allowing the liquid to exit from the pump chamber;
(b) a movable pump means operatively connected to the pump chamber for expanding and contracting the volume of the pump chamber as the pump means is moved, wherein the pump means comprises a pump piston which is reciprocally contained in an elongated pump bore in the pump body;
(c) valve means associated with the inlet means and the outlet means for allowing the liquid to flow into the pump chamber through the inlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is expanded and for allowing the liquid to be pumped out of the pump chamber through the outlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is contracted;
(d) a drive means operatively connected to the motive means for operation over a plurality of pump cycles with each pump cycle comprising a single filling of the pump chamber with liquid and a subsequent expelling of the liquid from the pump chamber, wherein the drive means is separate from the pump means such that the pump means can move independently from the drive means over at least a portion of the movement of the pump means, wherein the drive means comprises a drive piston that is reciprocally contained in an elongated drive bore in the pump body, and wherein the pump bore and the drive bore are separate from one another such that the pump piston and the drive piston reciprocate along different axes;
(e) means for operatively transmitting the movement of the drive means to the pump means during a portion of each pump cycle such that the transmitted motion moves the pump means at a first speed in the direction in which the pump chamber volume is expanded to fill the pump chamber with liquid;
and
(f) means for uncoupling the motion transmitting means between the pump means and the drive means after the pump chamber volume has been expanded and filled with liquid and for then accelerating the pump means to a second speed which is faster than the first speed in a direction in which the pump chamber volume is contracted to pump the liquid out of the pump chamber at the increased pressure.

4 more elements

(a) a pump body having a pump chamber which is suited to be filled with the liquid that is to be pumped, the pump chamber having inlet means for admitting the liquid to the pump chamber and outlet means for allowing the liquid to exit from the pump chamber;
(b) a movable pump means operatively connected to the pump chamber for expanding and contracting the volume of the pump chamber as the pump means is moved;
(c) valve means associated with the inlet means and the outlet means for allowing the liquid to flow into the pump chamber through the inlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is expanded and for allowing the liquid to be pumped out of the pump chamber through the outlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is contracted;
(d) a drive means operatively connected to the motive means for operation over a plurality of pump cycles with each pump cycle comprising a single filling of the pump chamber with liquid and a subsequent expelling of the liquid from the pump chamber, wherein the drive means is separate from the pump means such that the pump means can move independently from the drive means over at least a portion of the movement of the pump means;
(e) means for operatively transmitting the movement of the drive means to the pump means during a portion of each pump cycle such that the transmitted motion moves the pump means at a first speed in the direction in which the pump chamber volume is expanded to fill the pump chamber with liquid;
and
(f) means for uncoupling the motion transmitting means between the pump means and the drive means after the pump chamber volume has been expanded and filled with liquid and for then accelerating the pump means to a second speed which is faster than the first speed in a direction in which the pump chamber volume is contracted to pump the liquid out of the pump chamber at the increased pressure, wherein the uncoupling and accelerating means comprises:
(i) means operatively connected to the pump means for storing energy and for supplying such energy against the pump means at a location which is suitable to drive the pump means in the direction in which the pump chamber volume is contracted, wherein the energy storing means comprises a closed gas reservoir filled with a gas;
and
(ii) control means for periodically allowing at least some of the energy stored in the energy storing means to be applied to the pump means.

7 more elements

(a) a pump body having a pump chamber which is suited to be filled with the liquid that is to be pumped, the pump chamber having inlet means for admitting the liquid to the pump chamber and outlet means for allowing the liquid to exit from the pump chamber;
(b) a movable pump means operatively connected to the pump chamber for expanding and contracting the volume of the pump chamber as the pump means is moved, wherein the pump means comprises a reciprocal pump piston;
(c) valve means associated with the inlet means and the outlet means for allowing the liquid to flow into the pump chamber through the inlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is expanded and for allowing the liquid to be pumped out of the pump chamber through the outlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is contracted;
(d) a drive means operatively connected to the motive means for operation over a plurality of pump cycles with each pump cycle comprising a single filling of the pump chamber with liquid and a subsequent expelling of the liquid from the pump chamber, wherein the drive means is separate from the pump means such that the pump means can move independently from the drive means over at least a portion of the movement of the pump means, wherein the drive means comprises a reciprocal drive piston which is coaxial with the pump piston;
(e) means for operatively transmitting the movement of the drive means to the pump means during a portion of each pump cycle such that the transmitted motion moves the pump means at a first speed in the direction in which the pump chamber volume is expanded to fill the pump chamber with liquid, wherein the motion transmitting means comprises a seal formed of a relatively incompressible fluid trapped between the drive piston and the pump piston such that movement of the drive piston pulls the pump piston with it to operatively couple the pump piston to the drive piston;
and
(f) means for uncoupling the motion transmitting means between the pump means and the drive means after the pump chamber volume has been expanded and filled with liquid and for then accelerating the pump means to a second speed which is faster than the first speed in a direction in which the pump chamber volume is contracted to pump the liquid out of the pump chamber at the increased pressure.

4 more elements

A liquid pump apparatus for pumping an incompressible liquid, which comprises:

(a) a reciprocal piston assembly which is operatively connected to a motive means for reciprocating the piston assembly over a plurality of pump cycles with a single pump cycle comprising an upstroke and a downstroke of the piston assembly;
(b) a pump body having a pump chamber in which one end of the piston assembly is received for reciprocal movement towards and away from one end of the pump chamber;
(c) liquid inlet means leading to the pump chamber for allowing liquid to enter and fill the pump chamber as the one end of the piston assembly is moved away from the one end of the pump chamber and liquid outlet means leading from the pump chamber for allowing liquid to exit the pump chamber as the one end of the piston assembly is moved towards the one end of the pump chamber to pump the liquid out of the pump chamber;
(d) wherein the one end of the piston assembly is formed of two parts comprising a drive piston and a coaxial pump piston, wherein the drive piston is connected to the motive means and the pump piston is separate from the drive piston and is not directly coupled to the motive means, wherein the drive piston and the pump piston are spaced apart by a fluid receiving volume;
(e) means for coupling the pump piston to the drive piston during that stroke of the piston assembly in which the one end of the piston assembly is moved away from the one end of the pump chamber to fill the pump chamber with liquid, wherein the coupling means comprises a seal formed by a relatively incompressible fluid trapped in the fluid receiving volume between the pump piston and the drive piston;
and
(f) means for releasing the pump piston from the drive piston after the pump chamber has been filled with liquid to allow the pump piston to be accelerated away from the drive piston back towards the one end of the pump chamber to pump the liquid contained in the pump chamber out of the pump chamber, whereby only the mass of the pump piston has to be accelerated to pump the liquid out of the pump chamber.

4 more elements

(a) a pump body having a pump chamber which is suited to be filled with the liquid that is to be pumped, the pump chamber having inlet means for admitting the liquid to the pump chamber and outlet means for allowing the liquid to exit from the pump chamber;
(b) a movable pump means operatively connected to the pump chamber for expanding and contracting the volume of the pump chamber as the pump means is moved;
(c) valve means associated with the inlet means and the outlet means for allowing the liquid to flow into the pump chamber through the inlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is expanded and for allowing the liquid to be pumped out of the pump chamber through the outlet means when the pump means is moved in a direction in which the pump chamber is contracted;
(d) a drive means operatively connected to the motive means for operation over a plurality of pump cycles with each pump cycle comprising a single filling of the pump chamber with liquid and a subsequent expelling of the liquid from the pump chamber, wherein the drive means is separate from the pump means such that the pump means can move independently from the drive means over at least a portion of the movement of the pump means;
(e) means for operatively transmitting the movement of the drive means to the pump means during a portion of each pump cycle such that the transmitted motion moves the pump means at a first speed in the direction in which the pump chamber volume is expanded to fill the pump chamber with liquid;
and
(f) means for uncoupling the motion transmitting means between the pump means and the drive means after the pump chamber volume has been expanded and filled with liquid and for then accelerating the pump means to a second speed which is faster than the first speed in a direction in which the pump chamber volume is contracted to pump the liquid out of the pump chamber at the increased pressure.

4 more elements

A method of turf cultivation, which comprises:

(a) providing an implement which can travel over a turf area;
(b) providing on the implement a plurality of nozzle jets pointed downwardly towards the turf;
(c) providing on the implement a liquid pumping apparatus of the type comprising a pump piston reciprocally received in a bore for movement back and forth in the bore between the ends thereof, wherein a pump chamber comprises the volume of the bore located between the pump piston and the first end of the bore, and wherein the pump chamber is provided with liquid inlet means for admitting liquid into the pump chamber when the pump piston is moved away from the first end of the bore to expand the volume of the pump chamber and to fill it with a charge of the liquid, and the pump chamber is further provided with liquid outlet means for allowing liquid contained in the pump chamber to be expelled from the pump chamber when the pump piston is moved back towards the first end of the bore to contract the volume of the pump chamber and thereby force the liquid out of the pump chamber;
(d) connecting the liquid outlet means of the pumping apparatus to the nozzle jets so that the nozzle jets are supplied with liquid from the pumping apparatus;
(e) reciprocating the pump piston back and forth in the pump over a plurality of pump cycles, wherein the reciprocating step for a single pump cycle comprises:
(i) moving the pump piston at a first speed when the pump piston is moved away from the first end of the bore in its volume expanding direction;
and
(ii) moving the pump piston at a second speed which is substantially greater than the first speed when the pump piston is moved back towards the first end of the bore in its volume contracting direction, wherein the second speed is sufficiently high such that the liquid is pumped at sufficient pressure to allow the nozzle jets to form the liquid into liquid jets which can penetrate the surface of the turf and create holes in the turf extending below the surface of the turf to thereby condition the turf;
and
(f) moving the implement over the ground while the pump piston is reciprocated over a plurality of pump cycles to cause an array of spaced holes to be created in the turf by the nozzle jets.

7 more elements

A method of pumping a liquid out of a pump chamber in a pump body, wherein the pump body includes a movable pump means the motion of which cyclically expands and contracts a fluid receiving volume of the pump chamber to first fill the pump chamber with liquid and then expel the liquid from the pump chamber at an increased pressure, which comprises:

(a) providing a drive means that furnishes power for the pump means;
(b) operating the drive means such that the pump means is cyclically operated over a plurality of pump cycles with each pump cycle comprising a single filling of the pump chamber with liquid and a subsequent expelling of the liquid from the pump chamber;
(c) providing a pump means which is separate from the drive means to be capable of motion independent of the drive means;
(d) operatively coupling the pump means to the drive means over a first portion of the pump cycle such that the motion of the drive means is transmitted to the pump means during said pump cycle portion for causing the pump means to move at a first speed in its volume expanding direction in the pump chamber to fill the pump chamber with the liquid to be pumped;
(e) uncoupling the pump means from the drive means over a later portion of the pump cycle occurring after the pump means has been moved by the drive means in its volume expanding direction and the pump chamber has filled with liquid;
and
(f) accelerating the pump means in its volume contracting direction independently of the drive means to a second speed faster than that of the first speed to allow the pump means to quickly contract the volume of the pump chamber and pump the liquid therein out an increased pressure.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/978,851Filed 19 Nov 1992
Granted: 21 Jun 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B05B 9/0413
With pumps for liquids or other fluent material: with reciprocating pumps, e.g. membrane pump, piston pump, bellow pump
A01C 23/028
Other methods for delivering fertiliser into the soil: contactless injection into the soil
F04B 9/042
The means being cams, eccentrics or pin-and-slot mechanisms: the means being cams
F04B 9/127
Having only one pumping chamber: rectilinear movement of the pumping member in the working direction being obtained by a single-acting…