# US 5,346,369 A · Bilge pump actuated by wave motion

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- Number: US 5,346,369 A
- Document ID: US5346369A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/167,175
- Filed: 1993-12-16
- Granted: 1994-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 1993-12-16
- Inventors: William L. Miller, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5346369A

## CPC

- F04B 43/086: {with two or more tubular flexible members in parallel (F04B43/1136 takes precedence)}
- B63B 13/00: Conduits for emptying or ballasting; Self-bailing equipment; Scuppers (draining means for hatches B63B19/26; centrifugal bilge-water separators B04; {arrangements of installations for treating ballast water B63J4/002; } pipes in general F16L)
- F03B 13/20: wherein both members {, i.e. wom and rem} are movable relative to the sea bed or shore
- F04B 9/06: the means including spring- or weight-loaded lost-motion devices
- F04B 17/00: Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
- F05B 2250/44: one element moving inside another one, e.g. wave-operated member (wom) moving inside another member (rem)
- F05B 2260/406: through hydraulic systems
- Y02E 10/30: Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06)
- F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00)
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A pump actuated by a reciprocal oscillating motion, the pump including a casing member enclosing an elongated substantially cylindrical chamber therewithin, a pair of flexible bellows disposed at the opposing distal ends of the chamber, each of the bellows, in a normal unflexed state, extending inward into the chamber, and each of the bellows enclosing a pumping chamber, each of the pumping-chambers having a one way intake port and a one way output port, a piston positioned within the chamber for reciprocation therewithin under the influence of gravity in response to the reciprocal oscillating motion, the piston including a substantially spheroid member, the piston having a reciprocal stroke such that, at the extremes of the reciprocal stroke, the piston alternately compresses each of the flexible bellows, thereby alternately decreasing the volume of each of the pumping, and a cap member disposed at each of the distal ends of the casing member, each of the cap members abutting one of the flexible bellows to thereby enclose the pumping chambers between the cap members and the flexible bellows.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pump actuated by reciprocal oscillating motion, said pump comprising:
a casing member enclosing an elongated chamber therewithin;
a pair of flexible bellows disposed at the opposing distal ends of said chamber, each of said bellows, in a normal unflexed state, extending inward into said chamber, and each of said bellows enclosing a pumping chamber;
each of said pumping chambers having a one way intake port and a one way output port; and
a piston positioned within said chamber for reciprocation therewithin under the influence of gravity in response to the reciprocal oscillating motion;
said piston having a reciprocal stroke such that, at the extremes of said reciprocal stroke, said piston alternately compresses each of said flexible bellows, thereby alternately decreasing the volume of each of said pumping chambers;
said elongated chamber comprising a substantially cylindrical chamber, and said piston comprising a substantially spheroid member.

### Claim 2

A pump actuated by a reciprocal oscillating motion, said pump comprising:
a casing member enclosing an elongated substantially cylindrical chamber therewithin;
a pair of flexible bellows disposed at the opposing distal ends of said chamber, each of said bellows, in a normal unflexed state, extending inward into said chamber, and each of said bellows enclosing a pumping chamber;
each of said pumping chambers having a one way intake port and a one way output port;
a piston positioned within said chamber for reciprocation therewithin under the influence of gravity in response to the reciprocal oscillating motion;
said piston comprising a substantially spheroid member;
said piston having a reciprocal stroke such that, at the extremes of said reciprocal stroke, said piston alternately compresses each of said flexible bellows, thereby alternately decreasing the volume of each of said pumping chambers; and
a cap member disposed at each of said distal ends of said casing member, each of said cap members abutting one of said flexible bellows to thereby enclose said pumping chambers between said cap members and said flexible bellows.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A pump according to claim 2, wherein said pump additionally comprises first and second conduits extending from each of said pumping chambers, said one way intake port being disposed in said first conduit, and said one way output port being disposed in said second conduit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A pump according to claim 3, wherein each of said flexible bellows comprises a substantially convexly shaped member having a plurality of radially outstanding ridges protruding therefrom.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A pump according to claim 4, wherein each of said flexible bellows additionally comprises a substantially conically shaped member comprising an elastomeric material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A pump according to claim 5, wherein each of said one way intake port and said one way output port comprises a one way check valve.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A pump according to claim 6, wherein each of said pair of flexible bellows additionally comprises an annular flange projecting radially outward from the base of said conically shaped member, each of said annular flanges being disposed between one of said distal ends of said casing member and one of said cap members.

### Claim 8

A pump actuated by a reciprocal oscillating motion, said pump comprising:
a substantially cylindrically shaped casing member enclosing an elongated substantially cylindrical chamber therewithin;
a pair of flexible bellows disposed at the opposing distal ends of said chamber, each of said bellows in a normal unflexed state, extending inward into said chamber, and each of said bellows enclosing a pumping chamber;
each of said flexible bellows comprising a substantially conically shaped member comprising an elastomeric material and having a plurality of radially outstanding ridges protruding therefrom;
each of said pumping chambers having a one way intake port and a one way output port;
each of said one way intake port and said one way output port comprising a one way check valve;
a piston positioned within said substantially cylindrical chamber for reciprocation therewithin under the influence of gravity in response to the reciprocal oscillating motion;
said piston comprising a substantially spheroid member;
said piston having a reciprocal stroke such that, at the extremes of said reciprocal stroke, said piston alternately compresses each of said flexible bellows thereby alternately decreasing the volume of each of said pumping chambers;
a cap member disposed at each of said distal ends of said casing member, each of said cap members abutting one of said flexible bellows to thereby enclose said pumping chambers between said cap members and said flexible bellows; and
first and second conduits extending from each of said pumping chambers, said one way intake port being disposed in said first conduit, and said one way output port being disposed in said second conduit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A pump according to claim 8, wherein the diameter of said substantially cylindrical chamber is substantially equal to about four inches.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A pump according to claim 9, wherein the weight of said substantially spheroid member is substantially equal to about eight pounds.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A pump according to claim 10, wherein said elastomeric material comprises neoprene.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A pump according to claim 11, said pump additionally comprising filter means provided on each of said first conduits for filtering fluid entering said first conduits.