Pumps

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED CENTRIFUGAL PUMP FOR HANDLING CORROSIVE CHEMICAL FLUIDS AND THE LIKE ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO FLUID SUPPLY AN DISCHARGE LINES, COMPRISING A CASING DEFINING A PUMP CHAMBER AND HAVING A FORWARD INLET PORTION INCLUDING AN INTERNAL CYLINDRICAL SURFACE FORMED THEREIN, A COVER MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE REAR OF SAID CASING AND INCLUDING A CENTRAL HUB PORTION FOR SUPPORTING A STUFFING BOX AND A FLAT INNER SURFACE DEFINING THE REAR WALL OF SAID PUMPING CHAMBER, A DRIVE SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HUB AND SAID STUFFING BOX, BEARING MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID SHAFT, A HOUSING ENCLOSING AND RETAINING AND BEARING MEANS AND CONNECTED TO SAID CASING WITH SAID COVER MEMBER SPACED THEREBETWEEN, A CENTRIFUGAL IMPELLER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF VANES DEFINING PASSAGEWAYS THEREBETWEEN AND SPACED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT, SAID IMPELLER INCLUDING AN INLET HUB DEFINING AN OUTER CYLINDRICAL SURFACE SPACED IN CLOSE SEALING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID INTERNAL CYLINDRICAL SURFACE OF SAID CASING TO PROVIDE FOR AXIAL ADJUSTMENT AND EXPANSION OF SAID IMPELLER WITHOUT CHANGING THE SEALING CLEARANCE BETWEEN SAID INLET HUB AND SAID CASING, SAID IMPELLER INCLUDING A PARTIAL FRONT SHROUD COVERING A PORTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS TO MINIMIZE WEAR ON SAID CASING IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING STRENGTH TO SAID VANES AND REDUCING THE HYDRAULIC THRUST ON THE FORWARD SIDE OF SAID IMPELLER, SAID IMPELLER ALSO INCLUDING A REAR SHROUD COVERING ONLY A PORTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAYS FOR REDUCING THE HYDRAULIC THRUST ON THE REAR SIDE OF SAID IMPELLER, MEANS FOR AXIALLY ADJUSTING SAID DRIVE SHAFT FOR SPACING SAID REAR SHROUD AND VANES OF SAID IMPELLER IN CLOSE SEALING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FLAT INNER SURFACE OF SAID COVER TO MAINTAIN MAXIMUM PRESSURE, AND MEANS FOR REMOVING AS A UNIT SAID HOUSING, COVER, SHAFT AND IMPELLER FROM SAID CASING TO ENABLE VISUAL SETTING AND ADJUSTMENT OF THE CLOSELY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAID IMPELLER AND SAID COVER.