GB2172686A - Pump assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Pump 10 and motor 11 are enclosed within a rectangular framework 13, 14, 15 to improve the appearance of the assembly and to allow for stacking and for sound- proofing. Preferably, the motor 11 is mounted above the pump 10 on a plate 21 which extends therebetween as a shelf. To adjust the tension of drive belts 28 and plate 21 may be pivotally adjustable, or the belt may be formed of removable links. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pump assembly This invention relates to a pump assembly, particularly but not exclusively designed for use with a hot and cold water system, a central heating system or an air conditioning system.

Pump assemblies for use with such systems are well known and hitherto they have been free-standing, each pump being driven by its respective motor in conventional manner by way of a belt. Where a standby pump is required this is also mounted alongside the main pump with its own motor, appropriate pipework being provided to enable switching from one pump to the other when necessary.

Obviously, this sort of arrangement takes up considerable floor space and is unsightly.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pump assembly which is of improved appearance and is more readily adjustable compared to known pump assemblies.

According to the present invention, a pump assembly comprises a pump and a motor mounted within a rectangular framework consisting of four uprights connected by cross members, the motor being connected to the pump by a belt drive which is covered by a front panel mounted on the framework, and means being provided to facilitate adjustment of the belt tension. For example, the motor may be mounted upon a pivotally adjustable plate, or else the belt may be formed from a plurality of readily removable links so that its length can be altered.

The arrangement of the pump and the motor inside a rectangular framework means that one such assembly can be stacked on top of another. For example, a standby assembly can be stacked on top of a main assembly thereby saving a considerable amount of floor space.

In many cases, having one pump above another also simplifies the necessary pipework because the inelts and outlets are in register and the pipes from one pump do not have to be diverted around the other, as is often the case when pumps are side by side on the same level.

Advantageously, the pump and the motor may be substantially enclosed by provision of side panels and possibly a top panel in addition to the front panel. The enclosure of the pump and its motor in this way serves to improve the external appearance of the assembly, which may be improtant where the room in which it is located has to be used for other purposes. Also insulating material can be affixed to the panels to deaden the sound of the motor and pump in operation.

As mentioned, the mounting of the motor on a pivotally adjustable plate will, facilitate tensioning of the belt (or belts) which connect the motor to the pump.

In accordance with the invention, the motor is preferably mounted above the pump and the pivotally adjustable plate extends between the pump and the motor in the manner of a shelf inside the framework.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a preferred practical embodiment of the pump assembly of the invention with the front panel removed; Figure 2 is a front view of the same assembly as in Fig. 1 with the front panel in place; Figure 3 is a side view of the pump assembly shown in Fig. 1 but with the discharge port of the pump rotated through 1800 and with the side panel removed and the front panel detached; and Figure 4 is a side view of two pump assemblies as shown in Fig. 3 stacked one on top of the other, the lower assembly having its side wall panel broken away partially.

As illustrated in the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the pump assembly of the invention comprises a pump 10 and a motor 11 arranged within a rectangular box-like housing 12. The housing 12 is made up of a support frame, consisting of four uprights, provided by two inverted U-shaped members 13 of rightangled cross-section which are joined together by a base palte 14 at their lower ends and by support bars 15 at their upper ends, and of three wall panels 16, 36 and a top panel (not shown).

The base plate 14 is supported upon feet 34. The front panel 16 is rectangular and has a rim and it fits onto the front of the support frame. The side panels 36 (see Fig. 4) fit onto each side of the framework and they have cut outs 37 towards the base plate 14 to avoid the pump support or delivery port. The top panel fits onto the top of the framework.

There is not panel at the rear of the support frame, which, it is envisaged, will abut a wall or the like.

Both of the side panels 36 are made of metal and are painted as required on their exterior surfaces. The front panel 16 is made of resin impregnated fibreglass and acts as a belt guard. Sound-insulating material in sheet form is advantageously affixed to the interior surface of each panel.

The pump 10 is typically a centrifugal pump with a capacity up to 50 litres/second. It is located in the lower half of the housing 1 2 and is attached to the base plate 14 by way of brackets 17, 18. The pump has its outlet at right angles to its inlet and is mounted so that its outlet flange 19 and its inlet flange 20 are in substantially the same horizontal plane.

In use these flanges 19, 20 are obviously connected to pipework of a fluid circulation system, such as a central heating system.

It should be noted with reference to Fig. 3 that the pump outlet 19 may be rotated through 1800 to facilitate outlet at whichever side is appropriate in the cirumstances.

A generally horizontal mounting plate 21 is located above the pump 10, rather like a shelf dividing the interior of the housing 12 into upper and lower halves. The motor 11 is mounted upon this plate 21 with anti-vibration pads 22 therebetween. One edge of the mounting plate 21 is pivotally attached to the support frame of the housing 12 by means of pivot shaft 23 (see Fig. 1). The opposing edge of the mounting plate 21 is supported upon blocks 25, which are mounted on a transverse bar 24 extending between the two inverted U-shaped members 13 of the support frame, as shown in the Fig. 3. However, by means of adjustable screws 26, the said opposing edge can be raised and lowered relative to the transverse bar 24. In other words the plate 21 is pivotally adjustable through a small arc.

The motor 11 is connected to the pump 10 by means of two drive belts 27, 28 which extend around a motor pulley 29 and a pump pulley 30 at one side of the housing 12, as shown in Fig. 3. Pivotal adjustment of the plate 21 on which the motor 22 is mounted enables the tension of these belts 27, 28 to be adjusted as required, access to the adjustable screws 26 being achieved simply by lifting one of the side panels 36.

The two belts 27, 28 are provided as a fail safe measure in that if one should fail the pump 10 will continue to operate. Access to the belts 27, 28 may be had simply by removing the front panel 16 from the housing 12, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Finally, Fig. 4 shows how two such housings 12, each enclosing a pump 10 and a motor 11 may be stacked one ontop of the other, the base plate 14 of the upper housing 12 being bolted directly onto the top of the inverted U-shaped member 13 of the lower housing frame.

The illustrated pump assembly has all the advantages enumerated hereinabove in that it is compact, aesthetically pleasing (since the pump 10 and the motor 11 are concealed inside the housing 12) and can be sound proofed by using insulated wall panels. Moreover stacking of such assemblies saves floor space where a reserve or standby assembly is required as well as a main assembly. The simple method of adjusting belt tension by mounting the motor upon a pivotal plate is also important in saving time and labour costs. However, a pivotal mounting plate is not absolutely essential since if the belt is formed from a plurality of removable links, the tension thereof may be adjusted by insertion or removable of. a suitable number of such links.

It should of course be understood that the foregoing is illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention. Many variations are possible. For example, the pump and the motor may be mounted side by side within a rectangular framework which is wider than it is high, rather than the motor above the pump as in the preferred embodiment. Also the pivotally adjustable plate on which the motor is mounted need not be located between the motor and the pump and it could form part of the housing wall panelling. Moreover, of course, the type of pump used in the assembly may vary from that given as an example in the foregoing.

Claims (8)

1. A pump assembly comprising a pump and a motor mounted within a rectangular framework consisting of four uprights connected by cross members, the motor being connected to the pump by a belt drive which is covered by a front panel mounted on the framework, and means being provided to facilitate adjustment of the belt tension.

2. A pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the motor is mounted upon a pivotally adjustable plate so that the belt tension can be adjusted by movement of the plate.

3. A pump assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the motor is mounted above the pump and the pivotally adjustable plate extends between the pump and the motor in the maner of a shelf inside the framework.

4. A pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the belt is formed from a plurality of readily removable links so that its length can be altered.

5. A pump assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the motor is mounted above the pump on a plate which extends between the pump and the motor in the manner of a shelf inside the framework.

6. A pump assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pump and the motor are substantially enclosed by provision of side panels and a top panel fitted to the framework in addition to the front panel to form a box-like housing.

7. A pump assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein sound insulating material is affixed inside the wall panels of the box-like housing.

8. A pump assembly as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.