Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of servicing a centrifugal pump unit of the type having a motor driven impeller shaft which is supported in a bearing bracket and extends into an open end of a pump body with an impeller being attached thereto and with a seal unit carried by the shaft being in sealing engagement with a surface on an end wall of said bearing bracket, said method comprises, separating said pump body from said bearing bracket and removing said seal unit from said shaft, placing a shield plate over said end wall of the bearing bracket; said shield plate having an opening therein through which said impeller shaft extends and having an annular section extending around said opening shaped to define retainer means for a base section of an assembled seal device, fitting a nonmetallic seat member of said seal device in said retainer means and mounting a seal ring of said seal device in said seat member with an annular sealing face of said ring in opposing relation to a rotatable sealing member of said seal device; and sealably clamping said shield plate at its outer edges between said bearing bracket end wall and said pump housing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of servicing a centrifugal pump unit of the type having a motor driven impeller shaft which is supported in a bearing bracket and extends into an open end of a pump body with an impeller being attached thereto and with a seal unit carried by the shaft being in sealing engagement with a surface on an end wall of said bearing bracket, said method comprises, separating said pump body from said bearing bracket and removing said seal unit from said shaft, placing a shield plate over said end wall of the bearing bracket; said shield plate having an opening therein through which said impeller shaft extends and having an annular section extending around said opening shaped to define retainer means for a base section of an assembled seal device, fitting a nonmetallic seat member of said seal device in said retainer means and mounting a seal ring of said seal device in said seat member with an annular sealing face of said ring in opposing relation to a rotatable sealing member of said seal device; and sealably clamping said shield plate at its outer edges between said bearing bracket end wall and said pump housing.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
269 words
The method of servicing a pump unit having a centrifugal pump with a pump shaft, an impeller, and a pump body housing said impeller and open at one end, a cast iron bearing bracket for said shaft detachably connected to said pump body and having a solid end wall closing the open end of said pump body and provided with an opening to permit said pump shaft to pass therethrough from the interior of said bearing bracket to the interior of said pump body, said end bracket wall having a hub portion around the opening thereof with an outer metal surface serving as a seal face, and a seal device spring-pressed directly against said seal face for sealing said shaft against leakage of liquid through said opening from said pump body to said bearing bracket, said method comprising separating said pump body and said bearing bracket, removing said seal device, covering said end bracket wall with a shield plate of noncorrosive material having an opening through which said pump shaft extends and having an annular section around said opening shaped to define retainer means for the base section of an assembled seal device, sealably fitting an annular nonmetallic seat member with an outer seal face in said seal retainer means, mounting the remainder of seal device having a seal ring encircling said shaft and haVing annular seating contact with the seal face of said seat member, and peripherally and sealably clamping said pump body and said bearing bracket together and against the rim of said shield plate, whereby said seal face on said bearing bracket wall is rendered inoperative.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
269 words
The method of servicing a pump unit having a centrifugal pump with a pump shaft, an impeller, and a pump body housing said impeller and open at one end, a cast iron bearing bracket for said shaft detachably connected to said pump body and having a solid end wall closing the open end of said pump body and provided with an opening to permit said pump shaft to pass therethrough from the interior of said bearing bracket to the interior of said pump body, said end bracket wall having a hub portion around the opening thereof with an outer metal surface serving as a seal face, and a seal device spring-pressed directly against said seal face for sealing said shaft against leakage of liquid through said opening from said pump body to said bearing bracket, said method comprising separating said pump body and said bearing bracket, removing said seal device, covering said end bracket wall with a shield plate of noncorrosive material having an opening through which said pump shaft extends and having an annular section around said opening shaped to define retainer means for the base section of an assembled seal device, sealably fitting an annular nonmetallic seat member with an outer seal face in said seal retainer means, mounting the remainder of seal device having a seal ring encircling said shaft and haVing annular seating contact with the seal face of said seat member, and peripherally and sealably clamping said pump body and said bearing bracket together and against the rim of said shield plate, whereby said seal face on said bearing bracket wall is rendered inoperative.