US3183841A - Pump and sealing unit therefor - Google Patents

Description

May 18, 1965 w. c. GAYNOR PUMP AND SEALING UNIT THEREFOR \M 1 W ,2 2 H w 4 Q m 2 S 3 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1963 May 18, 1965 w. c. GAYNOR PUMP AND SEALING UNIT THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1963 .D .0 N 9 .D b 8 m m 7 ,4 0 2 G w H, m w M a h 3 4 w 2 4A 5 a a 13 E m S a ahw aa 3 w x 2 INVENTOR.

WILL/AM C. GAYNOR United States Patent 3,183,841 P SEALING UNIT THEREFOR William C. Gaynor, 1835 N. New England, Chicago, Ill. Filed Sept. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 3tl8,432 4 Claims. (Cl. 103111) This invention relates to pumps and sealing units therefor. More particularly, this invention relates to centrifugal suction pumps used in hydraulic dredging operations, and sealing units therefor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved centrifugal suction pump and a new and improved sealing unit therefor.

One of the problems encountered in centrifugal suction pumps of the type used in hydraulic dredging operations is the fact that the water drawn through the pump contains finely divided clay, sand, and other abrasive materials which tend to wear away the sealing means or units arranged between the front head of the pump housing or casing and the rotary impeller of the pump with the result that a portion of the water and entrained material flowing through the pump leaks between the front head of the pump casing and the rotary impeller with the result that the pump loses part of its operating efficiency.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved centrifugal suction pump which is particularly adapted for use with hydraulic dredging equipment and a new and improved sealing unit therefor which, in use, overcome the foregoing and other difiiculties experienced in those prior centrifugal suction pumps and sealing units therefor.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sealing unit for providing a watertight seal between the front head liner of a centrifugal hydraulic pump and the rotary impeller unit embodied therein.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved centrifugal hydraulic pump embodying a new and improved flexible and resilient and compressible annular sealing unit for providing an effective water-tight seal between thefront head line of the pump and the adjacent lateral wall surface of the rotary impeller unit of the pump, and to provide a novel construction and arrangement for supporting and retaining the flexible and resilient and compressible annular sealing unit under compression so as to urge the sealing surface thereof into sealing engagement with the adjacent lateral surface of the rotary impeller unit of the pump.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved centrifugal pump and a new and improved sealing unit therefor which embodies means for utilizing a stream of clean water supplied from an outside source thereof, which is independent of the stream of water and entrained sand, clay, etc., entering the pump through the suction inlet, for the purpose of lubricating the area of surface contact between the rotary impeller of the pump and the sealing unit embodied therein, and between the rotary impeller and the stationary front head of the pump housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sealing unit for use in connection with centrifugal hydraulic suction pumps.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings: a

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a centrifugal pump embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view of the area indicated by the legend FIG. 2 in FIG. 1

3,133,841 Patented May 18, 1965 and showing the construction of one form of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the sealing unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the new sealing unit, on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating a modification of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modification of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a modification of the sealing unit embodied in the invention.

A centrifugal pump embodying a preferred form of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, where it is generally indicated at 10, and includes a pump housing or casing 11 which includes a front head liner 12 having a flanged portion 13 to which there is detachably attached a flange 42 on the front head 14 of the pump housing 10. The new centrifugal pump includes a suction mouth liner 15 which provides a supporting member for supporting the new flexible, resilient and compressible annular sealing unit and for retaining the same under compression, as will be described hereinafter.

The front head 14 of the pump housing 11 has a suc: tion water inlet opening 16 therein through which water and entrained material flows into thepump housing 11. The pump housing 11 has a water outlet opening 17 and arranged within the pump housing is a rotor or rotary impeller 18, of conventional design, which is adapted to be rotated within the pump housing 11 by means of a suitable motor unit 19 and driving mechanism 20, as is well understood in the art.

A preferred form of the new sealing unit is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, where it is generally indicated at 21, and is preferably made of any suitable synthetic oil and grease-resistant resinous elastomer polymer such, for example, as Buna S or Buna N, and includes an annular hollow resilient body portion 22 with which there is integrally formed an outwardly or laterally extending annular shank attaching portion 23 which is adapted to be adhesively or otherwise suitably secured or anchored in an annular groove or channel 24, which is formed in the suction mouth liner 15 of the new pump.

The annular hollow body portion 22 of the sealing unit 21 includes a radially inner or bottom wall 25 which is provided with an annular row of spaced openings 26 therein arranged at spaced intervals radially therearound.

The annular hollow body 22 of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21 includes a front sealing wall portion 27 and this front sealing wall portion 27 has an annular row of radially arranged outlet openings 28 formed therein and arranged at spaced intervals radially therearound.

The front sealing wall 27 of the annular hollow body 22 of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21 has a radially arranged row of compressible and deformable undulated sealing portions or protuberances 29 formed thereon, it being noted that the openings 28 are spaced radially inwardly of the sealing protuberances 29, for a purpose which will be described presently.

The annular hollow body 22 of the new flexible and resilient sealing unit 21 has an annular internal cavity 34 therein and the annular hollow body 22 of the sealing unit is disposed in an annular recess 35 which is provided between and by the inner wall of the suction mouth liner 15, the radially outer wall of the front head liner 12, and the adjacent outer wall of the body of the rotary impeller unit 20 (FIG. 2).

In the practice of the present invention, the front head 14 of the new centrifugal pump has a series of radially arranged auxiliary water inlet openings 30 formed therein which communicate at their outer sides with an independent source or supply of clean water under pressure (not shown), as is customary in the art, and these auxiliary water inlets 30 communicate at their inner end with a passage 31 which is provided between the front head 14 and the front head liner .12 of the new pump 1% The passage 311 communicates with a row of radially arrange-d passages 32 which are formed in and are spaced at radial intervals around the front head liner 12 and these passages 32 communicate at their inner ends with a relatively narrow and restricted area 33 which is provided between the inner surface of the front head liner 12 and the body of the rotor or rotary impeller 20 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

The annular hollow body 22 of the new sealing unit 21 may be inserted into position of use in the annular pa-ssage 35 in the centrifugal pump 10 by inserting the rearwardly extending attaching shank portion 23 thereof into the mounting channel 24 of the suction mouth liner and adhesively or otherwise securing it therein, and when the parts of the new pump are assembled in position of use the annular hollow body 22 of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21 is placed under compression with the result that the forwardly projecting front wall 27 thereof and the sealing portions or pro-tuberances 29 thereon bear Iaterally against and contact the adjacent lateral face or surface of the body of the rotary impeller unit 26.

In the use of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, the annular ho1 low body 22 of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21 is supported and retained under compression by the suction mouth liner 15 of the pump housing 11 so as to force the undulated sealing protuberances 29 into sealing engagement with the adjacent outer lateral wall surface of the rotary impeller 20. Accordingly, when the rotor or rotary impeller unit 20 is rota-ted by the motor unit 19 and driving mechanism 20 water and entrained material enters the pump housing 11 through the suction water inlet 16 and flows therethrough into the pump housing 11 from which it is forced by the rotary impeller 20 out through the outlet opening 17 of the pump housing 11. At the same, time clean Water from an independent supply or source thereof (not shown) flows through the inlet openings 30 in the front head 14 of the new pump and thence by way of the passage 31 and the passage 32, in the front head liner 12, into the restricted area 33 and thence into the area 35 from which a portion of the water flows through the inlet openings 26 into the interior 3 4 of the annular hollow body of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21. The clean water then flows by way of the outlet openings 28 from the interior of the annular hollow body 22 of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21 into the restricted area 33 between the front head liner 12 and the body of the rotary impeller 20, thereby effectively lubricating the area of contact between the flexible and deformable undulated sealing protuberances 29' and the adjacent lateral surface of the rotary impeller 20 and preventing undue abrasion of the sealing unit 21 which would occur if water and entrained abrasive sand, and clay, etc., entering the suction inlet opening 16 were allowed to flow into the restricted area 33 between the front head liner 12 and the body of the rotary impeller 20.

During the operation of the new centrifugal pump, with the water flowing as described above, the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21 effectively seals the area 33 between the front head liner 12 and adjacent lateral face of the body of the rotary impeller 20', due to the sealing engagement of the inwardly projecting undulated sealing protuberances 29 thereon with the laterally outer face of the body of'the rotary impeller unit 20 and thus an effective seal is provided preventing the clean water from escaping out of the pump housing 11 between the laterally outer face of the rotary impeller 20 and the new sealing unit 21. At the same time, the laterally inner face 36 of the inner Wall 27 of the annular body 22 of the flexible and resilient unit 21, being spaced slightly outwardly of the laterally outer face or surface of the body of the rotary impeller 24 provides an extension of the restricted area 33 between the front head liner 12 and the laterally outer face of the rotary impeller 20 upwardly past the laterally inner sunface 36 of the annular body 22 of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21 and up to the undulated flexible sealing protuberances 29 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

A modification of one feature of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings and in this form of the invention those parts thereof which are similar to or comparable to corresponding parts in the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, have been giving similar reference numerals followed by the addi tional and distinguishing reference character a.

The form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings is substantially the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, except that in this form of the invention a radially arranged row of angularly extending passages 37 is formed in the front head liner 12a of the pump housing 1111 so that a supply of clean water from a source (not shown) may enter through the opening 32a in the front head 14a of the pump and flow up through the passage 31a and through the angular passages 37 in the front head liner 12a into the area-35a and thence by way of the inlet openings-26a into the interior of the annular hollow body 34a of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21a, and thence into the restricted area 33a between the laterally outer face of the rotary impeller 20a and the front head 12a, so as to lubricate the area between the laterally outer surface of the rotary impeller 20a and the inner surface of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21a while, at the same time, an effective seal is provided between the laterally outer surface of the rotary impeller 20 and the undulated sealing protuberances 294 on the annular body 22a of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21a, with the same results and advantages as are described above in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive.

A further modification of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings and in this form of the invention those parts thereof which are similar or comparable to corresponding parts in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, have been given the same reference numerals followed by the additional and distinguishing reference character b.

The centrifugal pump 10b illustrated in FIG. 7 is somewhat ditferent in design and construction than the centrifugal pump 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, and from the form shown in FIG. 6, and in this form of the invention the annular side wall 38 of the pump housing 11b, which surrounds the suction inlet 16b, has a series of radially arranged and angularly extending passages 39 therein which extend inwardly from the outer surface of the wall 38 of the pump housing 11b so as to conduct a supply of clean water from a source thereof (not shown) into the space 40 provided between the suction mouth liner 15b and the hub 41 of the rotary impeller Ztlb and associated parts and thence into the body of the flexible and resilient sealing unit 21b, in the manner and for the purposes described in connection with the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, and the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6.

A modification of the new sealing unit feature of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings, and this form of the new sealingunit is substantially the same as that illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, and hence these parts thereof which are similar to or comparable to the sealing unit embodied in the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, and that embodiedin the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, have been given the same reference numerals followed by the additional and distinguishing reference character c.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings the undulated sealing protuberances 29 formed on the laterally inner surface of the annular hollow body 22 of the sealing unit 21 have been eliminated and in place thereof the entire lateral surface 360 of the body 220 of the sealing unit 210 serves as a sealing surface and contacts the adjacent outer lateral wall surface of the rotary impeller 200 to provide the desired sealing engagement between these parts.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a new and improved centrifugal pump and sealing unit therefor having the desirable advantages and characteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

I claim:

1. A pump comprising a pump housing having a suction water inlet and a water outlet, a rotary impeller in the said pump housing and including a lateral wall surface facing toward the said water inlet opening, a flexible and resilient annular sealing unit including an annular hollow body having a lateral sealing surface facing toward and engaging the said lateral wall surface of the said rotary impeller, and means carried by the said housing for supporting the said flexible annular sealing unit and retaining the said annular hollow body thereof under compression and for urging the said lateral sealing surface thereof into sealing engagement with the said lateral surface of the said rotary impeller, the said means for supporting the said flexible and resilient sealing unit including a suction mouth liner arranged about the said inlet opening of the said pump, the said suction mouth liner having an annular groove formed therein, and the said flexible and resilient sealing unit including an annular anchoring flange mounted under compression in the said annular groove in the said suction mouth liner.

2. A pump comprising a pump housing having a suction water inlet and a water outlet, a rotary impeller in the said pump housing and including a lateral Wall surface facing toward the said water inlet opening, a flexible and resilient annular sealing unit including an annular hollow body having a lateral sealing surface facing toward and engaging the said lateral wall surface of the said rotary impeller, means carried by the said housing for supporting the said flexible annular sealing unit and retaining the said annular hollow body thereof under compression and for urging the said lateral sealing surface thereof into sealing engagement with the said lateral surface of the said rotary impeller, the said annular body of the said flexible and resilient sealing unit being hollow and compressible and having an annular anchoring flange portion formed integrally therewith and projecting laterally therefrom at the side of the said.

7 in the said annular groove in the said supporting memher, the said annular hollow body of the said flexible and resilient sealing unit having a series of sealing protuberances formed integrally therein in the said lateral sealing surface thereof and arranged radially therearound, the said sealing protuberances being mounted under compression and being urged into sealing engagement with the said lateral surface of the said rotary impeller by the mounting of the said annular anchoring flange portion of the said annular body of the said flexible and resilient sealing unit in the said annular groove in the said supporting member, the said annular hollow body of the said flexible and resilient sealing unit including a bottom wall having an annular row of water inlet openings therein communicating with the interior of the said annular hollow body of the said sealing unit, the said lateral sealing surface of the said annular hollow body of the said flexible and resilient sealing unit having an annular row of spaced water outlet openings formed therein radially inwardly of the said sealing protuberanees and communicating with the interior of the said annular hollow body of the said sealing unit, and the said pump including passageway means for conducting a stream of clean water into the said water inlet openings in the said annular hollow body of the said flexible and resilient sealing unit whereby the said stream of clean water will flow through the said annular hollow body of the said sealing unit and out of the latter through the said water outlet openings therein against the said lateral surface of the said rotary impeller radially inwardly of the said sealing protuberances on the said sealing surface of the said annular hollow body of the said flexible and resilient sealing unit.

3. A pump as defined in claim 1 in which the said annular hollow body of said sealing unit has an annular row of radially arranged circumferentially spaced compressible sealing protuberances thereon having sealing engagement with the said lateral wall surface of said rotary impeller. I

4. A pump as defined in claim 1 in which the said annular hollow body of the said sealing unit has a relatively flat, smooth uninterrupted surface facing toward and having sealing engagement with the said lateral wall surface of said rotary impeller.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,525,884 2/25 Plummer 253-77 .3 1,990,618 2/35 Schoene 277- 2,109,679 3/38 Neveling 103-l1 2,736,265 2/56 Higgins 103-114 2,779,611 1/57 Wernert 103111 3,063,727 11/62 Schenck 103-111 3,081,975 3/63 Sproule et al. 25377.3

FOREIGN PATENTS 165,365 7/53 Australia.

907,416 6/ 45 France. 1,081,749 6/54 France.

688,624 2/ 40 Germany.

KARL I. ALBRECHT, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH H. BRANSON, JR., Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A PUMP COMPRISING A PUMP HOUSING HAVING A SUCTION WATER INLET AND A WATER OUTLET, A ROTARY IMPELLER IN THE SAID PUMP HOUSING AND INCLUDING A LATERAL WALL SURFACE FACING TOWARD THE SAID WATER INLET OPENING, A FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT ANNULAR SEALING UNIT INCLUDING AN ANNULAR HOLLOW BODY HAVING A LATERAL SEALING SURFACE FACING TOWARD AND ENGAGING THE SAID LATERAL WALL SURFACE OF THE SAID ROTARY IMPELLER, AND MEANS CARRIED BY THE SAID HOUSING FOR SUPPORTING THE SAID FLEXIBLE ANNULAR SEALING UNIT AND RETAINING THE SAID ANNULAR HOLLOW BODY THEREOF UNDER COMPRESSION AND FOR URGING THE SAID LATERAL SEALING SURFACE THEREOF INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SAID LATERAL SURFACE OF THE SAID ROTARY IMPELLER, THE SAID MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE SAID FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT SEALING UNIT INCLUDING A SUCTION MOUTH LINER ARRANGED ABOUT THE SAID INLET OPENING OF THE SAID PUMP, THE SAID SUCTION MOUTH LINER HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVE FORMED THEREIN, AND THE SAID FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT SEALING UNIT INCLUDING AN ANNULAR ANCHORING FLANGE MOUNTED UNDER COMPRESSION IN THE SAID ANNULAR GROOVE IN THE SAID SUCTION MOUTH LINER.

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