Adjustable pump assembly with single motor and multiple pumps
AssigneeVector Corporation
InventorNigel Patrick Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pump assembly includes a base plate upon which a drive motor is mounted and pump plate upon which first and second pumps are mounted. The pump plate is adjustably mounted on the base plate so as to be moveable between first and second positions relative to the base plate. In the first position, the first pump is operatively engaged with the motor and the second pump is disengaged from the motor. In the second position, the second pump is operatively engaged with the motor and the first pump is disengaged from the motor. An operator can quickly and easily change from one pump to the other simply by loosening thumbnuts, repositioning the pump plate on the base plate, and tightening the nuts.
Claims20
A pump assembly, comprising:
- a base plate;
- a motor mounted on the base plate and having a single drive gear thereon;
- a pump plate connected to the base plate and being movable while attached to the base plate between first and second positions relative to the base plate;
- a first pump mounted on the pump plate and having a gear in mesh with the drive gear when the pump plate is in the first position;
- a second pump mounted on the pump plate and having a gear in mesh with the drive gear when the pump plate is in the second position;
- and
- the single drive gear alternatingly engaging the gears of the first and second pumps when the pump plate is in the first and second positions, respectively.
A method of changing a pump assembly from a first pump to a second pump, comprising:
- mounting the first and second pumps to a common pump plate for simultaneous support by the plate;
- mounting the pump plate to a base plate;
- sliding the pump plate laterally in a first direction while attached to the base plate to a first position relative to the base plate whereby the first pump is engaged with a drive gear on the base plate;
- and
- sliding the pump plate laterally in a second direction opposite the first direction while attached to the base plate to a second position relative to the base plate whereby the second pump is engaged with the drive gear on the base plate.
A pump assembly, comprising:
- a motor with a drive gear;
- first and second pumps having gears at a common end;
- a pump plate for simultaneously supporting both the pumps, and being slidably positioned for movement in opposite first and second lateral directions;
- and
- whereby sliding movement of the pump plate moves the pumps so that the gear of one of the pumps is meshed with the drive gear and the gear of the other one of the pumps is disengaged from the drive gear in each position.
A pump assembly, comprising:
- a base plate for mounting a motor thereon and passing a drive gear of the motor there through;
- a pump plate connected to the base plate by one or more slots to direct sliding movement of the pump plate relative to the base plate between a first position and a second position;
- a first pump mounted on the pump plate and having a gear in mesh with the drive gear when the pump plate is moved to the first position;
- and
- a second pump mounted on the pump plate and having a gear in mesh with the drive gear when the pump plate is moved to the second position
- the base plate and pump plate being parallel to one another;
- and
- the motor drive gear and first and second pump gears all having parallel axes of rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.