US2826154A - Diaphragm type pump - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1958 A. c. SAXE 2,826,154

DIAPHRAGM TYPE PUMP Filed pct. 28, 1955 2 She'ets-Shet'l IN VEN TOR.

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March 11, 1958" c. s xE 2,826,154

DIAPHRAGM TYPE PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1955 INVENTOR. file-mun (134x:

United States Patent DIAPHRAGM TYPE PUMP Arthur C. Saxe, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jaeger glfiiichine Company, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Application October 28, 1955, Serial No. 543,534

1 Claim. (Cl. 103-150) My invention relates to a diaphragm type pump. It has to do, more particularly, with a heavy duty diaphragm pump of the type used in construction work, etc.

With a pump of this type when handling water which contains sediment-forming materials, there is a tendency for the material to deposit on the bottom of the pressure chamber. For example, if the pump is handling water which carries sand and clay along with cement, which may drain away from concrete forms in the bottom of an excavation, there is a tendency to form a deposit which will build up in successive layers on the bottom of the pressure chamber. This deposit will eventually build up to such an extent that such excessive pressure will be exerted on the downward stroke of the pump that breakage of the driving mechanism, frame or housing of the pump might occur. The same type of breakage might occur when a solid object enters between the diaphragm and the bottom of the pressure chamber. It has been proposed to overcome this disadvantage by providing a yieldable connection in the connecting rod of the pump driving mechanism but although the rod yields to prevent breakage, the offending deposit or object will still be present in the chamber and must be removed manually before resuming operation of the pump.

It is the main object of my invention to provide a simple inexpensive structure in a diaphragm pump of the type indicated which will prevent damage to pump parts when excessive resistance to downward movement of the diaphragm is encountered due to a deposit or solid object on the bottom of the pressure chamber and which will further act to break up the deposit or displace the object to facilitate removal by passage on through the outlet of the pump.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a diaphragm pump in which my invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the pump showing my invention applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a detail in plan of the pressure chamber of the pump.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view in vertical section showing how my invention will break up a deposit on the bottom of the pressure chamber.

With reference to the drawings, in Figures 1 and 2 I have illustrated a diaphragm pump of the type to which my invention may be applied. This pump consists of the usual power unit which reciprocates a connecting rod 11 that is connected to a diaphragm 12. The diaphragm 12 forms the upper flexible wall of a pressure chamber 13 in the usual way. The pump shown is in such a position that the axis of the pressure chamber is vertical which is its normal operating position. The connection of the lower end of the rod 11 to the diaphragm 12 includes a depending serrated skirt 14 which will move downwardly into the pressure chamber upon downward flexing of the diaphragm 12.

Instead of the pressure chamber 13 being provided with the usual rigid bottom, it is provided with a yieldable wall in the form of a second diaphragm 15 which is suitably clamped to the lower edge of the chamber 13 by means of an annular fitting 16. This fitting is provided with a spider structure which supports a central inverted cup 17. Passing upwardly through this cup is an adjusting bolt 18 which extends upwardly through metal discs 19 clamped to the central part of the diaphragm 15. The inner end of the bolt 18 is threaded into a nut 20. Between the lower disc 19 and the upper end of the cup 17, I provide a compression spring 21. This spring is adapted to be preloaded to a desired extent by proper adjustment of the bolt 18 relative to the nut 20.

In the operation of my structure, assuming that the pump is pumping water in which there is material that tends to form a deposit D on the bottom of the chamber 13 as shown in Figure 5, due to the fact that the spring 21 is preloaded, the initial formation of the deposit will have no eiiect on operation of the pump, since the spring is designed to resist normal pumping pressure. However, if the deposit D builds up to such an extent that excessive pressure is created in the chamber 13 upon the downward movement of the diaphragm 12, the diaphragm 15 at the bottom of the chamber will yield. This yielding, as indicated in Figure 5, will break up the deposit and the particles of the deposit will pass on out through the outlet of the pump. The yielding of the bottom will permit the continued downward movement of the pump diaphragm 12 so that the skirt 14 may eventually contact the deposit of material and aid in breaking it up. A similar action will occur if a solid object enters between the skirt 14 and the flexible bottom diaphragm 15, the flexing of the bottom aiding in displacing the object so that it will pass on through the pump. The annular fitting 16 will be preferably attached to the lower edge of the pressure chamber by suitable removable bolts 22 which will permit removal of the fitting and the associated diaphragm 15 along with the bolt and spring structure 18 and 21 which the fitting 16 carries. The inner end of the bolt 18 may be battered or otherwise formed to prevent displacement of the nut 20. Since the bottom wall diaphragm 15 is clamped at its peripheral edge and since the clamping discs 19 are provided at the central area of this diaphragm, there remains a flexible annular unsupported area which will flutter as a result of the pressure and suction strokes of the pumping diaphragm 12 so as to tend to prevent the formation of a deposit on the bottom wall diaphragm.

It will be apparent from the above description that the flexible or yieldable wall structure need not be the bottom of the pressure chamber but is preferably the wall directly opposite the main diaphragm of the pump. The yieldable wall structure prevents damage to the pump when excessive pressures occur on the pressure stroke of the pump diaphragm and aids in eliminating the material creating the excessive pressure.

Various other objects will be apparent.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

A heavy duty diaphragm pump for pumping water or other liquids which contain sediment-forming materials or solid objects comprising a substantially vertically disposed pump chamber, a flexible pumping diaphragm forming the upper wall of said chamber, mechanical means connected to said diaphragm for positively flexing it to produce a pumping action, a flexible diaphragm forming the bottom wall of said chamber having a central connecting area, a peripheral clamping edge and an annular area therebetween, means for clamping said diaphragm at its peripheral edge to the bottom of said pump chamber, and means connected to said connecting area of said bottom wall diaphragm to prevent bodily yielding downwardly of said diaphragm until a predetermined pressure is developed in said chamber on the pressure stroke of said pumping diaphragm due to the formation of a heavy deposit on said bottom Wall diaphragm or the positioning of a solid object thereon and for preventing bodily yielding upwardly on the suction stroke of said pumping diaphragm, said last-named means comprising connecting means engaging the central area of said bottom Wall diaphragm leaving the unsupported flexible an nular area which will flutter as a result of the pressure and suction strokes of the pumping diaphragm so as to References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,938,403 Rockwell Dec. 5, 1933 2,434,802 Jacobs Ian. 20, 1948 2,466,618 Stocks Apr. 5, 1949 2,619,907 Paterson Dec. 2, 1952

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