Pump

Claim 1

A PUMP COMPRISING A HOLLOW ROTARY MEMBER INCLUDING A FUNNEL-LIKE CASING SHELL HAVING AN UPSTREAM PASSAGE AT ONE END CONCENTRIC WITH ITS AXIS OF ROTATION AND A CASING HEAD CLOSING THE OPPOSITE END, SAID CASING HEAD HAVING A COUPLING MEMBER FOR RECEIVING THE SHAFT OF A DRIVE MOTOR AND AN IMPELLER PORTION COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF HELICAL BLADES FORMED ON ITS INNER SURFACE, A STATIONARY MEMBER HAVING AN INCLINED SURFACE FACING THE IMPELLER PORTION OF THE CASING SHELL AND DEFINING THEREWITH A RADIALLY EXTENDING PASSAGE INTERIORLY OF THE ROTARY MEMBER NARROWING TOWARD ITS DISCHARGE END FOR RECEIVING FLOW FROM SAID UPSTREAM PASSAGE, SAID STATIONARY MEMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND STATIONARY DISC-LIKE PORTIONS INTERCONNECTED IN SPACED ARRANGEMENT TO DEFINE A DISCHARGE PASSAGE INCLUSIVE OF AN INTAKE PORTION FOR RECEIVING THE OUTPUT OF THE SAID RADIALLY EXTENDING PASSAGE, AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION EXTENDING RADIALLY AND WIDENING TOWARD ITS DISCHARGE END AND A DISCHARGE PORTION CONCENTRIC WITH SAID AXIS OF ROTATION SO THE FLUENT MATERIAL DELIVERED INTO SAID UPSTREAM PASSAGE IS DIRECTED THROUGH SAID RADIALLY EXTENDING PASSAGE UNDER CENTRIFUGAL INFLUENCE OF THE IMPELLER PORTION DURING ROTATION OF THE ROTARY MEMBER AND IS DIRECTED INTO THE DISCHARGE PASSAGE OF THE STATIONARY MEMBER AND OUT ITS DISCHARGE PORTION IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITELY OF ITS ENTRY INTO THE ROTARY MEMBER, SAID STATIONARY MEMBER INCLUDING MANIFOLD MEANS HAVING AN INLET PASSAGE WITH AN INTAKE OPENING FOR PASSING FLOW INTO THE UPSTREAM PASSAGE OF THE CASING SHELL, AND AN OUTLET PASSAGE WITH AN OUTLET OPENING FOR PASSING FLOW FROM SAID DISCHARGE PASSAGE, THE INLET OPENING DISPOSED IN A PLANE DIFFERENT FROM THE OUTLET OPENING, SAID MANIFOLD MEANS INCLUDING A FLANGED PORTION EXTENDING OVER THE UPSTREAM END OF THE CASING SHELL, A FLUID PRESSURE SEAL DISPOSED BETWEEN A SURFACE OF SAID CASING SHELL AND A SURFACE OF SAID FLANGED PORTION WITH SAID UPSTREAM PASSAGE AN INTAKE FLOW PATH INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE ROTARY MEMBER, SAID SEAL COMPRISING THE SOLE EXTERNAL SEAL FOR THE PUMP, AND A BASE MOUNT HAVING UPRIGHT PORTIONS SUPPORTING THE MANIFOLD MEANS AND DRIVE MOTOR HAVING A SHAFT COUPLED TO SAID COUPLING MEMBER OF THE CASING HEAD FOR SUPPORTING SAID STATIONARY, ROTARY AND DRIVE MOTOR AS AN INTEGRAL ASSEMBLY.