GB372242A - Improvements in or relating to centrifugal pumps - Google Patents

Abstract

372,242. Bearings ; lubricating. SULZER FRERES SOC. ANON., Winterthur, Switzerland. Nov. 21, 1931, No. 32298. Convention date, Dec. 24, 1930. [Classes 12 (i), 12 (ii), and 12 (iii).] In a centrifugal pump the liquid passed through the relief device to balance the axial thrust of the impeller, is discharged through the shaft bearing to lubricate it, and to obviate the necessity for a stuffing-box. The end of the impeller shaft 3 is supported in the bearing 6, and mounted adjacent the last impeller stage 2 is a relief disc 4 arranged with a small clearance 14 from a fixed annular surface 5. Liquid from the pump is discharged through the conduit 8, but some liquid passes from the rim of the impeller through the spaces 11, 12, 13 and the clearance 14 to the chamber 15, so that the axial thrust on the shaft is relieved by the pressure on the disc 4. The width of the clearance 14 varies with the variation of pressures. The inner surface of the bearing 6 has longitudinal grooves 19, 20, 21 ; the grooves 19 run the full length of the bearing, while the grooves 20, 21 are closed at alternate ends as shown in Fig. 3. Liquid passes from the chamber 15 to the discharge chamber 17 and forms a film of lubricant between the shaft and the bearing.