Multi-stage axial flow high pressure pump

Claim 1

A MULTI-STAGE AXIAL FLOW HIGH PRESSURE PUMP COMPRISING A BASE, AN ELONGATED TUBULAR HOUSING MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, A SHAFT EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID HOUSING IN CONCENTRIC RELATIONSHIP, AN INTAKE CASING SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID HOUSING AND SURROUNDING SAID SHAFT, A THRUST BEARING HAVING ONE PART FIXED TO SAID CASING AND A RELATIVELY ROTATING PART FIXED TO SAID SHAFT, AN INTAKE FITTING ON SAID CASING COMMUNICATING WITH THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SHAFT, A DRIVE MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND COUPLED TO SAID SHAFT EXTERIORLY OF SAID CASING, A DISCHARGE FITTING SECURED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID HOUSING AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SPACED PUMP STAGES DISPOSED IN THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SHAFT, EACH STAGE COMPRISING AN IMPELLER INCLUDING AN ELONGATED BUSHING SLIDABLY AND NON-ROTATABLY RECEIVED ON SAID SHAFT, AN IMPELLER BODY RING FIXED TO SAID BUSHING ADJACENT ONE END, A PERIPHERAL BEARING SURFACE ON SAID BUSHING BETWEEN SAID RING AND THE OPPOSITE END AND A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RADIALLY PROJECTING BLADES ON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID RING, SAID BLADES BEING ELONGATED AND HAVING A GENERALLY AIRFOIL CROSS SECTION AND BEING DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT, A GUIDE VANE STRUCTURE SPACED DOWNSTREAM FROM SAID IMPELLER AND COMPRISING AN OUTER SLEEVE SLIDABLY AND NON-ROTATABLY RECEIVED IN SAID HOUSING WITH A PORTION OF SAID OUTER SLEEVE SURROUNDING SAID IMPELLER, A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED GUIDE VANES PROJECTING RADIALLY INWARDLY FROM SAID OUTER SLEEVE, SAID VANES BEING ELONGATED AND HAVING A CURVED GENERALLY CURVED AIRFOIL CROSS SECTION AND BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY AXIALLY OF SAID HOUSING, AN INNER RING ON THE INNER SIDE OF SAID VANES AND A NON-METALLIC BEARING RING FIXED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID INNER RING AND ENGAGING SAID BEARING SURFACE, WHEREBY A SHAFT SUPPORTING BEARING IS PROVIDED FOR EACH STAGE, A NUT THREADEDLY RECEIVED ON THE END OF SAID SHAFT ADJACENT SAID DISCHARGE FITTING FOR CLAMPING SAID BUSHINGS ON SAID SHAFT AND A NUT THREADEDLY RECEIVED IN SAID HOUSING ADJACENT SAID DISCHARGE FITTING FOR CLAMPING SAID OUTER SLEEVE IN SAID HOUSING.