Submersible molten metal pump

A pipe coupling system for connecting between a discharge pipe and a standard pipe flange, said system comprising:

• the discharge pipe formed of a refractory material, said discharge pipe for carrying molten metal;
• the standard pipe flange connected to a standard, refractorylined pipe elbow;
• and
• an adaptor for connecting between said discharge pipe and said standard pipe flange, said adaptor comprising two symmetrical half units having lower flange members for connecting to a superstructure of a pump, each half unit having one half of a standard pipe flange at a top thereof, and a pair of plate flanges along vertical edges thereof, with bolts in said plate flanges,
• wherein said adaptor provides a transition from the refractory discharge pipe to the refractory-lined pipe elbow in an environment of a metal bath, said adaptor also supporting said discharge pipe without needing additional cementing when assembled.

A coupling device for vertically coupling one shaft substantially axially aligned to a second shaft comprising:

• a flexible coupling unit attached to an end of one shaft and having a coaxial flange, the end of the second shaft having a concentric locating bore and a diameter,
• a split coupling provided to the second shaft and including two half flanges each having a depending half cylindrical member attached thereto,
• a bolt extending through a diametrical through bolt hole provided in the end of the second shaft and a pair of bolt holes in said depending half cylindrical members positioned such that the upper faces of the half flanges of the split coupling are substantially aligned with the upper end of the second shaft,
• a pilot flange provided between the co-axial flange of the flexible coupling unit and said half flanges of the split coupling, said pilot flange having a center cylinder extending co-axially from it sized to match and be received in the concentric locating bore of the second shaft, said flange portion of the pilot flange having tapped holes for each half flange of the split coupling to be mounted to the pilot flange and for the co-axial flange of the flexible coupling unit to be matched from the other side to the pilot flange,
• appropriately sized shoulder bolts threadingly engaged in said tapped holes and joining said half flanges of said split coupling and said co-axial flange of the flexible coupling unit to said pilot flange, and
• pins fitted into matching bores in the pilot flange, said half flanges and said co-axial flange complementing the shear strength of the bolts.