US3744635A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pump for aquarium filter tanks
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-03-28
•
Granted: 1973-07-10
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Expires: 1992-03-28
Abstract
Abstract An aquarium filter pump which draws water from below filter material in a filter tank and returns it to an aquarium has a vertical pump casing conforming to an elongated impeller having a smaller lower end and a larger upper end above the top of the filter tank, the smaller lower end priming the upper end for more efficient pumping action. The pump motor is mounted on top of the casing and has a shaft extending down into it on which the impeller is mounted. The upper end of the impeller is formed as an inverted conical boss containing blades which throw water away from the shaft entrance. The shaft entrance into the casing has an adjustable seal admitting air for selective aeration. The casing has relatively rotatable inner and outer casings closed at the top and open at the bottom with a clearance therebetween. The outlet tube on the outer casing slides over an outlet opening in the inner casing so that relative rotation of the casings directs selected proportions of pumped water through the outlet tube and between the casings for recirculation back into the filter tank.
Inventors
- 👤 T Horvath
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:36
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K63/00; A01K63/04; A01K63/047; F; F04; F04D; F04D29/00; F04D29/18; F04D29/22; F04D29/2261; F04D29/2277
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A pump for an aquarium filter tank, said filter tank having filter material, means supporting said filter material, and a suction outlet drawing from below said filter material, said pump comprising, in combination, a vertical casing containing a cylindrical cavity disposed at least partly above the top of said filter tank, a tangential outlet from said cylindrical cavity extending out over the top of said filter tank, said casing being smaller below said cavity and extending downward to connect with said suction outlet, a motor fixed on top of said casing and having a vertical shaft entering said casing, and an impeller on said shaft within said casing, said impeller having a large upper portion within said cavity and a smaller lower portion extending downward within said cavity below the level of water in said filter tank, said smaller lower portion priming said upper portion by raising water into said cavity where efficient pumping action takes place.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A pump for an aquarium filter tank, said filter tank having filter material, means supporting said filter material, and a suction outlet drawing from below said filter material, said pump comprising, in combination, a vertical casing containing a cylindrical cavity disposed at least partly above the top of said filter tank, a tangential outlet from said cylindrical cavity extending out over the top of said filter tank, said casing being smaller below said cavity and extending downward to connect with said suction outlet, a motor fixed on top of said casing and having a vertical shaft entering said casing, and an impeller on said shaft within said casing, said impeller having a large upper portion within said cavity and a smaller lower portion extending downward within said cavity below the level of water in said filter tank, said smaller lower portion priming said upper portion by raising water into said cavity where efficient pumping action takes place.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said casing is constricted below said cavity and tapers downward thereafter, said impeller having an upper rim and a plurality of vertical lower vanes extending downward from said upper rim disposed at the top of said cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said impeller has an outward flaring central boss extending upward to said rim, said boss containing upper vanes and a central hub mounted on said shaft, said casing having a top plate containing an aperture through which said shaft extends entering said casing, said upper vanes throwing water away from said aperture in said top plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination according to claim 3 with the addition of a soft resilient seal disposed about said shaft above the opening in said top plate, and with the addition of means adjustably compressing said seal against said top plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
89 words
The combination according to claim 4 wherein said means compressing said seal comprises a compression member containing an opening disposed over said top plate and an aeration wheel containing an opening disposed between said motor and said compression member, and means preventing rotation of said compression member, said aeration wheel and said compression member having interacting cams so that rotation of said aeration wheel forces said compression member against said seal adjustably compressing said seal, the compression of said seal regulating air flow past said seal into said casing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination according to claim 1 with the addition of adjustable means associated with outlet directing a selected proportion of the water pumped through said outlet down into said filter tank.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
134 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said casing is formed from inner and outer casings, said inner casing containing said impeller and having a tangential outlet aperture communicating with said cavity, said outer casing being disposed about said Inner casing with a clearance therebetween, said inner and outer casings being rotatably joined and their upper ends and one of said casings containing apertures draining the bottom of said clearance, said outer casing having a tangential outlet tube terminating with an inner surface adjacent to the outlet aperture of said inner casing so that relative rotation of said casings moves said inner surface of said outlet tube relative to said outlet aperture to adjustably direct a portion of the water pumped through said outlet aperture into said clearance to return into said filter tank.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination according to claim 7 wherein one of said casings has an indicator formed thereon and the other of said casings has flow rate markings formed thereon, the relative rotation of said casings causing said indicator to indicate said flow markings according to the flow rate through said outlet tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tangential outlet comprises a shank, an outlet tube slipped over said shank, and means locking said outlet tube to said shank.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
The combination according to claim 1 with the addition of a member extending across said filter tank, said member having a downward extending cup containing a large central opening, and a resilient tube disposed in said cup, said casing of said pump extending through the opening in said cup and resting on said tube, said tube shock mounting said pump and allowing the direction of said pump outlet to be changed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-09 | 1977-01-08 | 1977-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-09 | 1981-01-08 | 1981-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-09 | 1985-01-08 | 1985-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |