US2281733A - Gravel pump - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAVEL PUMP llvor '0. 'Wallberg, San LuisObispo, Calif.

Application April 20, 1939, Serial No. 269,037

6 Claims.

This invention relates to gravel pumps and has for an object to provide a pump having runners provided with extensions or tips of flexiblezmaterial whereby the tips, upon encountering rock particles, will flex and pass over the particles thus preventing excessive wear or breakage.

Afurther object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed on the few strong, simple, and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufactureand which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details ofcon- 'struction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanyingdrawing forming part of .this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a gravel pump constructed in accordance with the invention, with portions broken away.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the pump shown in Figure 1 with portions in section.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional View showing the metal runners and rubber tips thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, there is disclosed a circular cylindrical outer wall 8 which with a planar bottom wall 9 is included in a circular cup-shaped housing ID. The housing has a central inlet opening II in the bottom wall 9 and an outlet opening I 2 in the side or outer wall 8. The inlet opening communicates with a water and gravel inlet pipe l3 and the outlet opening communicates with a discharge pipe M which is inclined in the direction of rotation of the hereinafter described rotor to facilitate free discharge of water and gravel. Adjacent the pipe I4 is the only part of the wall 8 which is not circular cylindrical. The housing is closed by a generally planar cover plate or top wall l5 which is secured in place by bolts IS.

The cover plate I5 is provided with a central shaft bearing l1, and a second shaft bearing I8 is spaced above the bearing I! and supported by diagonally extending arms H) which are fastened by bolts 20 to the cover plate.

Mounted within the housing is a rotor or runner comprising a pair of axially spaced, planar, metal discs 20 and 2|, which extend substantially to the inside of the outer wall 8 to form shrouds disposed adjacent the wall 9 and the wall [-5 respectively. A plurality of arcuate radially extending arms forming impellers 22 are secured to a hub '23 which is made fast to an axially disposed drive shaft 24 which extends through the bearings l1 and 18 into the housing 18.

The impellers are integral with the hub 23 and with the metal shroud discs 20 and 2|. The impellers 22 terminate short of the edges of the discs2fl and 2| and are provided with extensions, vanes or tips .24 of flexible material such as rubber, whereby the tips, upon encountering ro'ck particles, will flex and pass over thesame, thus preventing excessive wear or breakage. The tips or rubber vanes 24 are secured to the impellers 22 by means of bolts 25 at the radially inner ends of the vanes, so as to be readily replaceable when worn or broken, but are otherwise 'free and ordinarily extend axially to the shroud discs 20' and 2| and radially to the wall 8.

"Each impeller and its flexible extension form one continuous blade, the'irnpeller and the extension forming each about one-half of the linear or radial length of the blade to permit the blade yielding for about one-half its length to prevent breakage upon encountering rock particles.

The inner ends 25' of the impellers 22 terminate short of the inlet opening I4 in the housing and short of a similar, adjacent opening 3| in the disc 2|, and the hub 23 is relatively short, so that water and gravel may pass without obstruction to the spaces between the impellers during the rotation of the rotor and be freely discharged through the outlet pipe 14.

A plurality of openings 26 are formed in the bottom wall of the housing and may receive respective water pipes 21 through the medium of which additional water may be drawn into the pump housing to make the mass more liquid.

The inner wall of the pump housing I 0 is lined with rubber 28. The cover plate and bottom wall of the housing are respectively lined with rubber 29 and 30.

What is claimed is:

1. A gravel pump comprising a housing including a circular cylindrical outer wall having an outlet opening and including a pair of planar side walls one of which has a central inlet opening, a shaft extending axially into said housing, a runner disposed within said housing and fast on said shaft, said runner including a pair of axially spaced planar shroud discs disposed adjacent said side walls and extending substantially to said outer wall, one of said shroud discs having an opening therein adjacent said inlet opening, a

radial impeller extending from one to the other of said shroud discs but terminating radially short of said outer wall by an amount about equal to the axial space between said discs, a bendable rubber vane extending axially from one of said shroud discs to the other and radially from said impeller to said outer wall, and means for fastening the radially inner end of said vane to said impeller leaving the remaining portion of said vane free.

2. A gravel pump comprising a housing including an outer wall having an outlet opening and including a pair of side walls one of which has a central inlet opening, a shaft extending axially into said housing, a runner disposed within said housing and fast on said shaft, said runner including a pair of axially spaced planar shroud discs disposed adjacent said side walls and extending substantially to said outer wall, one of said shroud discs having an opening therein adjacent said inlet opening, a radial impeller extending from one to the other of said shroud discs, a yieldable rubber vane extending radially from said impeller to said outer Wall, and means for fastening the radially inner end of said vane to said impeller leaving the remaining portion of said vane free.

3. A gravel pump comprising a housing having an outlet opening and an inlet opening, a shaft extending axially into said housing, a runner disposed within said housing and fast on said shaft, said runner including a pair of axially spaced planar shroud discs, one of said shroud discs having an opening therein adjacent said inlet opening, a radial impeller extending from one to the other of said shroud discs but terminating radially short of the edge of said discs, a bendable rubber vane extending axially from one of said shroud discs to the other and radially from said impeller to the edge of said discs, and means for fastening the radially inner portion of said vane to said impeller leaving the remaining portion of said vane free.

4. A gravel pump runner for mounting upon a shaft comprising a pair of axially spaced shroud discs, one of said discs having an opening therein, a radial impeller extending from one to the other of said shroud discs but terminating radially short of the edge of said discs, a bendable vane normally extending axially from one of said shroud discs to the other and radially from said impeller to the edge of said discs, and means for fastening the radially inner portion of said vane to said impeller leaving the remaining portion of said vane free to bend radially inward and to twist away from said shroud discs to pass obstructions.

5. A gravel pump comprising a housing including an outer wall which is circular except for a non-tangential outlet opening and including side walls one of which has a central inlet opening, a shaft extending axially into said housing, a runner disposed within said housing and fast on said shaft, said runner including a pair of axially spaced shroud members disposed adjacent said side walls and having their edges substantially at said outer wall, one of said shroud members having an opening therein adjacent said inlet opening, a bendable vane extending axially from one of said shroud members to the other and radially to said outer wall, and means for fastening the radially inner end of said vane for rotation with said runner leaving the remaining portion of said vane free to bend away from said outer wall and away from said shroud members.

6. A gravel pump runner for mounting upon a rotary shaft comprising a pair of axially spaced shroud discs, means for uniting said shroud discs for rotation in unison with said shaft, a rubber vane disposed between said shroud discs, and means for mounting the radially inner portion of said vane for rotation in unison With said shaft leaving the remaining portions of said vane free.

IVOR O. WALLBERG.

Images