US3008421A

US3008421A - Single lobe washing machine pump

Info

Publication number: US3008421A
Application number: US555487A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank C Bayer
Original assignee: Thompson Ramo Wooldridge Inc
Current assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
Priority date: 1955-12-27
Filing date: 1955-12-27
Publication date: 1961-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1978-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1961 F. c. BAYER 08,

SINGLE LOBE WASHING MACHINE PUMP Filed Dec. 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet i Nov. 14, 1961 F. c. BAYER 3,008,421

SINGLE LOBE WASHING MACHINE PUMP Filed Dec. 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q *1 i a F w i i x 0 \k a 3 N a e 3 u w; v k a; x 51% a i- N Q 1- w E 0 S 1 Q s w b 3 Q H m E! J I El k Q n hazzlzzr g g FRFINKEEFIYER Va; \mw, 72m; aw/4,2 22

1951 F. c. BAYER smcus LOBE WASHING MACHINE PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 27, 1955 FRFINK [.PJHYER United States Patent 3,008,421 a SINGLE LOBE WASHING MACHINE PUMP Frank C. Bayer, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Thompson Ramo Wooldridge Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 27, 1955, Ser. No. 555,487 2 Claims. (Cl. 103-83) This invention relates generally to pumps and more particularly to an improved pump capable of pumping both gaseous and liquid fluid as may' be required in use with washing machines and the like, although other uses and purposes of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the field of pumping apparatus, liquid ring type pumps have been heretofore developed wherein separate lobes or displacement chambers are formed and require dual intake ports and dual exhaust ports. In such a case, and where compactness is of the essence, the flow passage area is diminished due to the added material in forming the intake ports and exhaust ports. Moreover, construction of the type pump and the port plug associated therewith is relatively complex and expensive.

In the present invention, a pump is provided which is generally of the liquid ring type but which employs only a single lobe or displacement chamber thereby requiring only one intake and one exhaust port.

More specifically, the pump of the present invention has a projected hollow boss or body portion extending substantially axially from the main pump housing in which the. single lobe or displacement chamberis located. Rotatably mounted in the pumping chamber of the housing is an annular bladed impeller which is drivingly connected'to a drive shaft projecting from one end of the housing An elongated porting plug, being substantially plate-shaped, extends through the hollow section and communicates with intake and exhaust ports formed in the hollow boss" or body projection, thereby to carry fluid from the inlet, through the center of the impeller, through the lobe, and back through the porting plug to the outlet.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved pumping apparatus for displacing fluid which may be either'gaseous, liquid or both.

Another object of this invention is to provide a singlelobe pump of the liquid ring type.

T Still another object of this invention is to provide a single-lobe pump of the liquid ring type, wherein only,

one'intake and one exhaust port is required, and wherein the port plug is constructionally simplified, and more flow passage area is available.

A further object of this invention is in the provision of a pump of simplified construction and having a minimum of parts, wherein. internal losses are substantially diminished thereby improving efficiency.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a pump thatis efficient in handling mixed gas or liquid and can be built at a very low cost, therein making it especially useful in connection with washing machines.-

' Another object 'of this invention is in the provision of a liquid ring pumpwherein noise from pumping action is'considerably reduced by the elimination of the usual double lobe, double port arrangement which results in the reinforcement of wave fronts due to impulses from two exhaust ports meeting in a single outlet pipe and the provision of a single lobe singl'eport pump.

' Stillanother'object of this invention is to lesser accelerations in following the contour of the lobefl.v t i Other objects, features and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the following detailed de- 3,008,421 Patented Nov. 14, 1961 2 scription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying. sheets'of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which: On the drawings: FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view of a pump constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and looking at the end which mounts the intake and exhaust ports;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view with parts in elevation, taken substantially along line IIII in FIGURE 1, and with some parts omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line III--III in FIGURE 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 isa fragmentary and broken axial sectional view taken in FIGURE 1, with some parts in elevation, and taken substantially along lines IVIV;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the drive shaft end of the pump. 7

As shown on the drawings: 7

Referring particularly to FIGURES 2 and 4, the pump of the instant invention comprises a pump of the liquid ring type and includes generally a pump housing 10, a pump cover member 11, an impeller 12, a porting plug 13, and a drive shaft 14. s

The pump housing, cover member, impeller and porting plug are molded or cast from thermoplastic or thermoseting synthetic resin, such as polystyrene, resistant to water carried detergents, capable of withstanding temperatures elevated to 200 F. without distortion, and easily shaped and fabricated as pump components within .the limits of operating tolerances withoutrequin'ng machining. I u

The housing 10 includes a main body portion 15 of generally cylindrical shape within which is formed a pump ing chamber 16. This pumping chamber is somewhat to provide a single-lobe liquid 'ring'type pump, wherein lesslvibration is involved because thewater or liquid ring is subjected elliptical in shape and the impeller is placed in an eccentric position with respect to the chamber providing a displacement chamber 16a at the end not occupied by the impeller, as seen most clearly in FIGURE 3, which is crescent shaped and projects from the portion of the chamber 16 which is occupied by the impeller 12. The body section 15 is open at one end, at which end is carried an outstanding flange 17. An end wall 18 closes the other end of the body section 15. In the end wall 18, a circular-shaped recess or bore 19 is formed for receiving in journalling engagement one end of the impeller 12. As seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the center axis of the bore orvrec'ess 19 is eccentrically positioned: with respect to the center axis of the elliptically shaped pumping chamber 16.

Projecting outwardly from the housing'end wall '18 is a cylindrical housing section 20 having a bore 20a registering with an opening of equal size in the end wall18. Thiscylindrical housing section is diametrically reduced from the main housing section 15, and is coaxial with the bore 19 in the end wall 18. An end'wall 20b of disk-shape closes off the outer. end-of the housing section 20a. Extending radially from the housing section 20 is an intakeport 21 and an exhaust port 22. Preferably, the intake port is larger than the exhaust port, and the ports extend fromsubstantially diametrically opposite sides of the housing section. 1

*The cover11 includes a plurality of

stepped counterbores

23, 24, .25 and 26- of progressively decreasing diameter.' A radial flange 27 extends outwardly from the number of hex-head machine screws 29 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) unite the cover 11 and the housing 10, and these screws are extended through the apertures and the flange 27 and threadedly received in the tapped bores of the enlarged portions 28. The center axis of all of the counterbores in the cover member 11 are coaxial with the center axis of the bore 19 and the reducedhousing sec tion 20 thereby eccentrically positions the cover member counterbores with respect to the center axis of the elliptically shaped pumping chamber 16. In fact, the counterbore 23 is of the same size and in coaxial alignment with the bore 19.

The impeller 12 comprises an annular row of circumferentially spaced vanes or blades 30 which are integrally united at their opposite sides with a pair of axially spaced

annular members

31 and 32. As seen in FIG. 3, each of the vanes 30 is, tapered from the outer radial edge to the inner radial edge in such a manner to form passageways 33 between the vanes of substantially uniform cross sectional area.

As above noted, the counterbore 23 of the cover member 11 is of the same, size as the bore 19 in the opposite end wall of the housing 15. These oppositely aligned

bores

19 and 23 receive the opposite end portions of the impeller 12 in journalling. engagement therewith to rotatably support the impeller in the housing. The flange 32a of the annulus 32 is sized to be received by the counterbore 24. It may be noted that the inner face of the impeller annular member '31 is aligned with the ad-- jacent inner face of the housing section 15, while the inner face of the annular member 32 is aligned with the inner vertical face of the covermember 11.

Extending from the inner periphery ofthe impeller annulus 32 and integral therewith is an annular flange 32a that is centrally bored at 32b. However, the center bore carries circumferentially spaced and axially extending serrations or the like which complementally engage serrations on the cylindrical surface of a cylindrical portion 34a of an impeller insert 34. The impeller insert 34 is preferably made of metal, while as already explained, the impeller is preferably made of polystyrene or a plastic. The impeller insert 34 carries a diametrically reduced section 34b projecting inwardly and connected to the section 34a by a radially extending web portion 340.

This reduced rection 34b intimately receives and is drivingly connected to a diametrically reduced portion 14a of the drive shaft 14. The shaft 14 is rotatably mounted by a bearing arrangement 35 that isintimately received in the outermost counterbore 26 in the cover 11. The outermost end of the bearing 35" abuts against a shoulder 26a formed on the very outer end of the counterbore 26 of the cover 11.

A shaft seal 36 encircles the shaft and is received within the counterbore 25 of the cover 11. An annular flange 36a extends radially from the shaft seal 36 to abut against the shoulder formed between the

counterbores

24 and 25. 'To prevent inward axial movement along the shaft 14 of the seal assembly 36, a porous metal ring 37, preferably of sintered brass has one face 37a abutting against a face of the seal assembly. The seal 37 is carried in a flexible cup shaped member 38 of leather or other suitable material that is received within the enlarged end of the impeller insert 34.

To divide the fluid flow between the intake and exhaust ports and the pumping portions of the pumping chamber 16, the porting plug 13 is provided which includes an elongated plate-shaped main body 39 extending substantially diametrically across the cylindrical reduced casing section 20 and the central bore of the impeller 12 and longitudinally from the end wall 20b of the housing section 20' to the annular supporting member 32 of the impeller 12. As seen most clearly in FIG- URE 3, longitudinal knob-shaped portions 40, 40 are integrally formed at the opposite ends of the body section 39. The knob like portions 40 have outer arcuate sur faces 49a which coact with the inner radial edges of the impeller blades 30 and the bore 20a of housing section 20. The porting plug is stationary relative to the housing 11? and carries at the end adjacent the intake and exhaust ports a pair of axially spaced rings 41 and 42 which are received intimately within the housing section 20 in press fitting relationship. The rings-are integrally formed with the knob like portions 40 of the porting plug and the porting plug is ineffect held stationary by engagement of the rings. and reduced housing section 20. The end of the porting plug adjacent the drive shaft is enlarged and center drilled from the outer end to freely receive the cylindrical section 34b of the impeller insert 34.

A radial flange 43 projects outwardly from the outer end of the enlarged section and is freely received in a counterbore 32c formed in the inner face of the impeller annulus 32. The impeller insert 34 is freely rotatable in the end bore of the porting plug. The cylindrical section 3412 of the impeller insert 34 is journalled in the drilled end of the porting plug 13 and thus functionally serves to support the associated end of the porting plug 13. The porting plug 13, serves to provide communication between the intake port and a portion of the impeller and pumping chamber, and the exhaust port and a portion of the impeller and pumping chamber.

In operation, fluid enters the intake port 21, flows along one communicating side of the porting, plug, 13 and is centrifugally impelled radially outwardly into the pumping chamber. The fluid then circulates through the lobe 16a and is forced to return through the impeller to the opposite side of the porting plug 13 from where it is guidedto the exhaust port 22.

The impeller 12 is rotated by transmitting power to the drive shaft 14 from any suitable source of power or prime mover. The porting plug remains stationary, however, while the porting plug 13 is shown in alignment with the major axis of the lobe 16a, it should be understood that slight rotation of the plug in either direction fromthis axis will not impair the eflicient operation of the pump.

Referring now to FIGURES l, 4 and 5, a U-shaped' mounting bracket 44 is provided for supporting the pump and mounting it on, a surface. a longitudinally extending base portion 44a paralleling the axis of the pump and having ears 44b that may be apertured for receiving mounting bolts and the like. Upwardly extending from opposite ends of the base portion 44a are arms 44c and 44d. Near the top of the arm 44d, a circular aperture is provided which receives a rubber grommet or the like 45 which receives therethrough a reduced portion of the cover member 11 of the pump housing which forms with an adjacent and diametrically enlarged section an annular shoulder for seating the grommet 45. To prevent the grommet from sliding off the end of the cover member, a split. retaining or lockingv ring 46 is received in a groove on the. very end of the cover member to abut against the outside of the grommet 45. The other upstanding arm 44c is provided with a substantially square aperture near its top for receiving a substantially square rubber grommet 47. The grommet 47, in turn, receives a substantially squareshaped protrusion 20cextending from the end wall 20b of the-housing section 20, and the grommet is locked in place against the end wall by a split retaining ring 48. Grooves are formed'in the protrusion 20c to receive the retaining or locking ring 48. The square protrusion20c, coacting with the square grommet and aperture in the upstanding leg 440 of the mounting bracket prevents the pump housing from rotating in its mounting.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a simply constructed, etficient, and long lived liquid ring pump has,- been provided of a single-lobe single port: arrangement.

It will be understood that modifications andvariations novel concepts of the present invention.

The bracket 44 includes I claim as my invention:

1. A pump including a substantially cylindrical housing having an integral end wall on one end thereof, a removable cover on the other end, a reduced hollow section with a cylindrical inner support surface extending axially from said end wall and having diametrically opposed inlet and outlet ports extending transversely thereof, a pumping chamber in said housing, an annular impeller rotatably supported in said chamber and having a central bore communicating between impeller blades with said pumping chamber, said impeller positioned in said chamber in eccentric relation to an axial center line extending through said chamber, with the area not occupied by the impeller providing a displacement chamber, a drive shaft bearingly supported by said cover and connected to said impeller, a porting plug extending into the impeller bore and said reduced cylindrical section, and having an elongated plate-shaped main body extending substantially diametrically across said impeller bore and said reduced section, means defining inlet and outlet passageways from the inlet and outlet ports to said impeller and pumping chamber with said porting plug providing one wall of the passageways, said inlet passageway intercommunicating with a first portion of said impeller and pumping chamber and said outlet passageway intercommunicating With a second portion of said impeller and pumping chamber, said portions being substantially diametrically opposed, said plug having a ring on the end supportingly fitted into said inner cylindrical surface of said reduced section for supporting the plug end, and rotatable bearing means at the other end of the plug connected to the shaft and at least partially supporting said other end. i

2. A pump including a generally cylindrical housing having a pumping chamber therein and having a body section with end Walls attached thereto, means for removably attaching at least one of said end Walls to said body section, a reduced section extending from one of said end Walls with an axially extending bore opening into said pumping chamber, means defining an inlet port opening through said reduced section and communicating with said bore, means defining an outlet port opening through said reduced section and communicating with said bore, an annular impeller rotatably supported in said pumping chamber and having a central bore, one of said end walls being sufiiciently large for withdrawal of the impeller from the housing, said impeller positioned in said chamber to rotate about an axis positioned eccentn'cally with respect to the center line of the chamber, the center line of said bore in said reduced section being coaxial with the impeller axis, a drive shaft connected to the end of said impeller opposite the position of said reduced section of said housing, a bearing in an end Wall of the housing opposite said reduced section rotatably supporting said drive shaft, a stationary porting plug extending into the center of said impeller and removably supported at one end by the inner surface formed by said bore of said reduced section, rotatable bearing means at the other end of said plug connected to the shaft and at least partially supporting said other end of the plug on said shaft, said plug having an elongated plate-shaped main body extending substantially diametrically across said impeller bore and said bore in said reduced section, and means defining passageways intercommunicating the. inlet passageway with a first portion of said impeller and pumping cham' her and intercommunicating said outlet passageway with a second portion of said impeller and pumping chamber with said porting plug main body providing one wall of the passageways, said impeller portions being substantially diametrically opposed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,503,776 Weil Aug. 5, 1924 2,098,244 Hopfensberger Nov. 9, 1937 2,165,808 Murphy July 11, 1939 2,201,575 Corneil et a1. May 21, 1940 2,260,600 Boeckeler Oct. 28, 1941 2,362,954 Adams Nov. 14, 1944 2,364,370 Jennings Dec. 5, 1944 2,381,700 Smith Aug. 7, 1945 2,419,411 Mayne Apr. 22, 1947 2,599,149 Allen June 3, 1952 2,609,139 Kollsman Sept. 2, 1952 2,626,741 Osborne Jan. 27, 1953 2,658,456 Wahlmark Nov. 10, 1953 2,672,277 Adams Mar. 16, 1954 2,714,485 Goettl Aug. 2, 1955 2,724,547 Abbott et al Nov. 22, 1955 2,785,637 Nubling Mar. 19, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,768 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1911 648,731 Germany Aug. 7, 1937 734,587 Germany Apr. 19, 1943 735,626 Germany May 20, 1943 804,064 Germany Apr. 16, 1951