Vertical centrifugal pump

Claim 2

A vertical centrifugal pump comprising a normally horizontally disposed pump support means, normally vertically disposed pump shaft means extending through an opening in said pump support means and supported relative thereto, pump case means supported by said pump support means in spaced relation thereto, impeller means secured to said shaft means for rotation therewith, said impeller means being disposed within said case means, expeller means adjacent said impeller means and connected for rotation with said shaft means, stationary means disposed adjacent said expeller means, said expeller means cooperating with said stationary means to form a labyrinth seal therebetween, and adjustment means for adjusting the clearance between the impeller means and pump case.

Claim 3

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 1, wherein said shaft means includes a stationary shaft and a rotating shaft coaxially arranged therewith.

Claim 4

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 2, wherein said stationary shaft is disposed coaxially within said rotating shaft.

Claim 5

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 3, wherein said rotating shaft includes a lower end and an upper end, an impeller hub on the lower end of said rotating shaft, said impeller means being secured to said impeller hub.

Claim 6

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 4, wherein bearing means are disposed between said rotating shaft and said stationary shaft foR rotatably supporting said rotating shaft relative to said stationary shaft.

Claim 7

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 5, wherein the upper end of said stationary shaft extends upwardly beyond said pump support means, and a stationary shaft support sleeve is engaged in supporting relationship with the upper end of said stationary shaft for supporting said stationary shaft relative to said pump support means.

Claim 8

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 1, wherein said stationary means comprises die ring means supported in operative position relative to said expeller means by means of a die ring cylinder disposed in coaxial surrounding relationship to said shaft means.

Claim 9

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 7, having means wherein said die ring cylinder is longitudinally adjustable relative to said shaft means to thereby adjust the position of said die ring means relative to said expeller means.

Claim 10

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 8, wherein said pump case means is supported relative to said pump support means by a guide means connected at one end to the pump support means and at the other end to the pump case means, said guide means including means engaged with said die ring cylinder to maintain the shaft means and impeller means in proper operative alignment with the pump case means.

Claim 11

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 5, wherein said bearing means includes upper bearing means disposed between said rotating shaft and said stationary shaft and lower bearing means disposed between the lower end of said stationary shaft and said rotating shaft.

Claim 12

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 10, wherein said rotating shaft is comprised of three portions, including an upper bearing ring disposed in surrounding relationship to said upper bearing means, a lower bearing ring disposed in surrounding relationship to said lower bearing means, and a rotating bearing housing connected at its opposite ends to said upper bearing ring and said lower bearing ring, respectively.

Claim 13

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 10, wherein said rotating shaft is of substantially one-piece construction and includes an upper end disposed in surrounding relation to said upper bearing means and a lower end disposed in surrounding relation to said lower bearing means.

Claim 14

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 1, wherein said adjustment means includes means operatively connected to said shaft means for adjusting the position of the shaft means relative to the pump support means and the impeller relative to the pump case means for adjusting the clearance between the impeller means and the pump case means.

Claim 15

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 13, wherein said adjustment means further includes means operatively connected with said pump case means for adjusting the position of said pump case means relative to said pump support means and to said impeller means for adjusting the clearance between said impeller means and said pump case means.

Claim 16

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 6, wherein said adjustment means includes means operatively associated with sad stationary shaft means and with said pump support means for adjusting the stationary shaft means, rotating shaft means and impeller means in an axial direction relative to said pump case means for adjusting the clearance between said impeller means and said pump case means.

Claim 17

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 15, wherein the upper end of said stationary shaft means extends upwardly beyond said stationary shaft support sleeve and has external thread means thereon, said adjustment means comprising an adjustment nut means threaded on said externa1 thread means so that when said nut is turned, said stationary shaft is longitudinally adjusted relative to said sleeve.

Claim 18

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 16, wherein said adjustment means includes means operatively connected with said means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said stationary shaft and said impeller for simultaneously adjusting the position of said die ring means commensurate with adjustment of said impeller means to maintain the clearance between the expeller means and die ring means constant as the clearance between said impeller means and said pump case means is adjusted.

Claim 19

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 17, wherein said externally threaded portion of said stationary shaft means includes a diametrically reduces portion defining an upwardly facing shoulder means, said means for adjusting the position of said die ring means including a support plate means clamped between said shoulder means and a nut means threadably engaged on said reduced diameter portion so that said support plate means is secured to said stationary shaft for movement therewith, and support rod means connected with said support plate means and said die ring means for moving said die ring means along with said support plate means as said stationary shaft means is moved to maintain the clearance between the expeller means and die ring means constant as the clearance between said impeller means and said pump case means is adjusted.

Claim 20

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 18, wherein a die ring adjustment cylinder is disposed in coaxial surrounding relationship to said rotating shaft means and includes a lower end connected with said die ring means and an upper end connected with said support rod means.

Claim 21

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 19, wherein the upper end of said stationary shaft means includes a diametrically enlarged, externally threaded portion and a nut means is threadably engaged with said diametrically enlarged portion and is in operative engagement with said stationary shaft support sleeve means for supporting the stationary shaft in predetermined axial position relative to said stationary shaft support sleeve means.

Claim 22

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 16, wherein said adjustment means further includes separate adjustment means operatively connected with said pump case for adjusting the position of said pump case relative to said impeller means.

Claim 23

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 21, wherein said separate adjustment means comprises a plurality of rod means operatively connected at one end to said pump case means and adjustably connected at the other end to said main pump support means.

Claim 24

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 22, wherein said rod means comprises a plurality of elongate rods, said other end of each of said rods extending through a hole in said main pump support, external thread means on sad other end of each said rod means, and nut means threadably engaged with said external threads on said rod means above and below said main pump support means for adjustably positioning said rod means relative to said pump support means and said pump case means relative to said impeller means.

Claim 25

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 1, wherein intake reservoir means is operatively connected to said pump case and forms an inlet to said pump case for fluid to be pumped, said intake reservoir having a plurality of inlet openings therein.

Claim 26

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 24, wherein anti-vortexing means are provided in said intake reservoir adjacent said inlet openings for substantially reducing vortical movement of fluid in said reservoir.

Claim 27

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 25, wherein inlet means is provided on said intake reservoir for introducing a priming or purging fluid to said pump casing.

Claim 28

A vertical centrifugal pump as in claim 24, wherein said inlet openings into said intake reservoir are in replaceable abrasion resistant liners.

Claim 29

A vertical centrifugal pump comprising a pump support means, a pump shaft means supported by said pump support means, pump case means supported by said pump support means in spaced relation thereto, impeller means and expeller means secured to said shaft means for rotation therewith, said impeller means being disposed within said case means, statIonary means disposed adjacent said expeller means, said expeller means cooperating with said stationary means to form a labyrinth seal therebetween, and adjustment means for adjusting the clearance between the impeller and pump case.

Claim 30

A vertical centrifugal pump comprising a pump support means, a pump shaft means supported by said pump support means, pump case means supported by said pump support means in spaced relation thereto, impeller means and expeller means secured to said shaft means for rotation therewith, said impeller means being disposed within said case means, statIonary means disposed adjacent said expeller means, said expeller means cooperating with said stationary means to form a labyrinth seal therebetween, and adjustment means for adjusting the clearance between the impeller and pump case.

Claim 31

A vertical centrifugal pump comprising: a pump casing; inlet means and outlet means in said pump casing; impeller means and expeller means disposed within said pump casing; elongate pump shaft means connected with the impeller means and expeller means and extending outwardly beyond the pump casing; means connected to the shaft remote from the casing for rotating the shaft and the impeller and expeller means; adjustment means adjacent the end of the shaft and including means carried thereby to adjust clearance between the said means carried by the adjustment means and the expeller; and further adjustment means adjacent the end of said shaft for adjusting clearance between the impeller means and pump casing.

Claim 32

A vertical centrifugal pump comprising: a pump casing; inlet means and outlet means in said pump casing; impeller means and expeller means disposed within said pump casing; elongate pump shaft means connected with the impeller means and expeller means and extending outwardly beyond the pump casing; means connected to the shaft remote from the casing for rotating the shaft and the impeller and expeller means; adjustment means adjacent the end of the shaft and including means carried thereby to adjust clearance between the said means carried by the adjustment means and the expeller; and further adjustment means adjacent the end of said shaft for adjusting clearance between the impeller means and pump casing.

Claim 33

A vertical centrifugal pump comprising: a pump casing; inlet means and outlet means in said pump casing; impeller means and expeller means disposed within said pump casing; elongate pump shaft means connected with the impeller means and expeller means and extending outwardly beyond the pump casing; means connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the impeller and expeller means; means cooperating with said expeller means to form a labyrinth seal therebetween; and adjustment means for adjusting clearance between said expeller means and said cooperating means and between said impeller means and said casing.

Claim 34

A vertical centrifugal pump comprising: a pump casing; inlet means and outlet means in said pump casing; impeller means and expeller means disposed within said pump casing; elongate pump shaft means connected with the impeller means and expeller means and extending outwardly beyond the pump casing; means connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft and the impeller and expeller means; means cooperating with said expeller means to form a labyrinth seal therebetween; and adjustment means for adjusting clearance between said expeller means and said cooperating means and between said impeller means and said casing.