Apparatus for pumping objects to higher levels

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PUMPING OBJECTS IN WATER TO A HIGHER LEVEL FROM A HOLDER WITHOUT THE OBJECTS MOVING THROUGH THE IMPELLER OF A POWER-OPERATED PUMP, COMPRISING A CONTAINER, SUCTION PIPE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE CONTAINER, AND ADAPTED TO DIRECT OJBECTS THERETO FROM SAID HOLDER, A CHECK VALVE AT SAID SUCTION PIPE MEANS FOR THE CONTAINER OPENING TOWARDS THE LATTER, A POWER-OPERATED PUMP, AN ELEVATING PIPE HAVING A DISCHARGE AT AN UPPER END THEREOF, AN OUTLET PIPE CONNECTED TO THE SAID CONTAINER AT A POINT LOWER THAN THE POINT AT WHICH THE SUCTION PIPE IS CONNECTED TO THE CONTAINER AND EXTENDING FROM THE CONTAINER TO THE ELEVATING PIPE, SAID CONTAINER DEFINING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING FLOW PATH FOR THE OBJECTS FROM THE SUCTION PIPE MEANS TO THE OUTLET PIPE, A CHECK VALVE AT THE OUTLET PIPE FOR THE CONTAINER AND OPENING AWAY FROM THE LATTER, PIPING MEANS INTERCONNECTINTG THE PUMP AND CONTAINER, SAID PIPING MEANS INCLUDING A PUMP SUCTION PIPE AND A PUMP PRESSURE PIPE, SAID PUMP SUCTION PIPE CONNECTED TO THE CONTAINER AT A POINT SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT THE CONNECTION OF THE SID OUTLET PIPE TO THE CONTAINER, AND SAID PUMP PRESSURE PIPE CONNECTED TO THE CONTAINER AT A POINT SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT THE CONNECTION OF THE SAID SUCTION PIPE TO THE CONTAINER, AND VALVE MEANS IN SAID PIPING MEANS OPERABLE TO CAUSE THE PUMP ALTERNATELY TO FIRST SUCK WATER OUT OF THE CONTAINER AND THEREBY SUCK OBJECT THROUGH THE SUCTION PIPE MEANS INTO SAID CONTAINER AND THEN TO FORCE WATER INTO SID CONTAINER TO FORCE OBJECTS OUT OF SAID CONTAINER THROUGH THE OUTLET PIPE TO AND UP THE ELEVATING PIPE AND OUT THROUGH THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF.