Water pump with air lock breaking means

Claim 1

In a water pumping system having a sump, and a pump in the sump automatically controlled in response to the sensing of a condition of the system which is independent of the water level at the pump in the sump and in which successive charges of water are circulated for a period of time and then caused to be drained, an improved pump construction comprising: a pump housing defining a lower, horizontal water inlet opening, a water outlet and an impeller chamber above said inlet opening; means for causing a water supply level in the pump housing to rise above the level of said inlet opening on sensing of a low water level condition such as upon draining of the pump; a rotatable impeller; and means supporting said impeller in said chamber superjacent said inlet opening for rotation about a vertical axis, said impeller having a series of vanes spaced annularly concentrically about said axis, and a pin having a circular cross section depending vertically from said impeller through said inlet opening, said vertically extending pin preventing air lock of the pump by breaking up large air bubbles that form across the inlet opening upon a rising of the water level in the sump to said inlet opening upon delivering of a successive charge of water to the system and the rotation of the impeller.