Pumping device

Claim 1

A SINGLE LOBE LIQUID RING PUMP COMPRISING A STATIONARY HOLLOW CASING MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST ONE CYLINDRICAL INSIDE PORTION, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID CASING MEMBER SO THAT THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID INSIDE PORTION IS SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL, A SHAFT EXTENDING INTO SAID CASING MEMBER, A ROTOR HAVING MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING DISPLACEMENT CHAMBERS MOUNTED UPON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH WITH THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID DISPLACEMENT CHAMBERS IN NON-CONTACTING ECCENTRIC CLERANCE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID CASING MEMBER CYLINDRICAL INSIDE PORTION, CENTRAL PORT MEANS AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID SHAFT AND EXTENDING AXIALLY WITHIN SAID ROTOR AND HAVING INLET AND DISCHARGE PORTIONS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ROTOR DISPLACEMENT CHAMBERS, SAID PORT MEANS HAVING A MEAN OUTSIDE DIAMETER LESS THAN ONE-HALF THE DIAMETER OF SAID ROTOR, HEAD MEANS HAVING INLET AND DISCHARGE PASSAGEWAYS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PORT MEANS INLET AND DISCHARGE PORTIONS, AND BEARING MEMBERS ROTATIONALLY SUPPORTING THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT AND ROTOR BELOW THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID CASING MEMBER INSIDE PORTION AND HORIZONTALLY OFFSET FROM SAID CENTRAL AXIS IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR SO THAT THE DYNAMIC FORCES ACTING UPON SAID SHAFT AND ROTOR ARE ORIENTED UPWARDLY IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE TO GRAVITY TO THEREBY PERMIT CLOSER OPERATING CLEARANCE DIMENSIONS BETWEEN THE CENTRAL PORT MEANS AND THE INNER ENDS OF THE MEANS DEFINING THE RADIALLY EXTENDING DISPLACEMENT CHAMBERS OF SAID ROTOR.