Patent US3746471A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3746471A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Water pressure booster system using auxiliary pump to super charge pressurized reservoir
Assignee: LIQUI TROL SYST Inc
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Filing: 1971-11-08
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Granted: 1973-07-17
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Expires: 1991-11-08
Abstract
Abstract A water pressure booster system includes a plurality of main pumps which are sequenced according to system demands to maintain the pressure in a discharge conduit at a constant level for all flow rates. An auxiliary pump having a small capacity but capable of developing a high pressure head at low flow rates is connected to the output of one of the main pumps to feed a pressurized reservoir. Control circuitry sensing both the flow rate in the input conduit and the gas pressure in the pressurized reservoir de-energizes all pumps only when the flow is below a predetermined minimum level and the gas pressure within the pressurized reservoir is above a predetermined level sufficient to maintain the desired discharge or system pressure. When all pumps are off, the reservoir supplies system demand until the pressure in the reservoir falls below a predetermined level. The auxiliary pump, by drawing suction from one of the main pump'' s output, increases the pressure in the reservoir to a much higher level, thereby permitting the use of a smaller reservoir for the same usable volume of water and also permitting the use of split case pumps as the main pumps.
Inventors
- 👤 J Gray
- 👤 G Anderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 13:01
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04B; F04B49/00; F04B49/007; G; G05; G05D; G05D16/00; G05D16/20; G05D16/2006; G05D16/2066; G05D16/2073
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A water-pressure booster system for taking water from an inlet conduit and forcing it under pressure to a discharge conduit comprising a plurality of main pump means each including a drive motor; control circuit means including flow responsive means sensing flow through said system for sequencing said main pump means in a predetermined order responsive to flow levels in said system when system flow is above a predetermined minimum flow level; pressurized reservoir means coupled to the output of at least one of said main pump means and adapted to discharge into said discharge conduit; pressure responsive switch means sensing pressure in said reservoir means and connected in circuit with said control circuit means for de-energizing all of said main pump means only when the pressure in said tank is above a predetermined high pressure value above system design pressure and the flow in said system is below said predetermined minimum flow level; and an auxiliary pump means including a drive motor and having a high head characteristic connected to charge said tank to a pressure higher than said predetermined high pressure, said control circuit means energizing both said main pump means and said auxiliary pump pump means in response to said flow responsive means sensing flow between said predetermined minimum flow level and a second predetermined flow level higher than said minimum flow level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A water-pressure booster system for taking water from an inlet conduit and forcing it under pressure to a discharge conduit comprising a plurality of main pump means each including a drive motor; control circuit means including flow responsive means sensing flow through said system for sequencing said main pump means in a predetermined order responsive to flow levels in said system when system flow is above a predetermined minimum flow level; pressurized reservoir means coupled to the output of at least one of said main pump means and adapted to discharge into said discharge conduit; pressure responsive switch means sensing pressure in said reservoir means and connected in circuit with said control circuit means for de-energizing all of said main pump means only when the pressure in said tank is above a predetermined high pressure value above system design pressure and the flow in said system is below said predetermined minimum flow level; and an auxiliary pump means including a drive motor and having a high head characteristic connected to charge said tank to a pressure higher than said predetermined high pressure, said control circuit means energizing both said main pump means and said auxiliary pump pump means in response to said flow responsive means sensing flow between said predetermined minimum flow level and a second predetermined flow level higher than said minimum flow level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said main pump means comprises a first main pump and a second main pump, each including an associated drive motor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising pressure regulating means interposed between the discharge conduit and the outlet of said pumps for maintaining constant system pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said auxiliary pump means has its suction inlet connected to the outlet of said main pump means and its outlet connected to the inlet of said reservoir, and wherein said system further includes a check valve between the outlet of said main pump means and said pressure regulating means whereby all of said main pump means, said auxiliary pump means and said tank all feed said pressure regulating means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said control circuit means energizes said second pump in parallel with said first pump when said system flow exceeds said second predetermined flow level; said control circuit means also de-energizing said auxiliary pump when said system demand is above said sEcond flow level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
148 words
A water-pressure booster system comprising main pump means including a drive motor for taking water from an inlet conduit and pumping said water to a discharge conduit; pressure regulating means interposed between said discharge conduit and the outlet of said main pump means to maintain the pressure in said discharge conduit at a predetermined discharge pressure level; a pressurized water reservoir connected to discharge through said pressure regulating means; wherein the improvement comprises: auxiliary pump means including a drive motor and having a steep head characteristic at low volume and connected to charge said pressurized water reservoir; and control circuit means including a pressure responsive switch sensing the pressure in said reservoir for energizing said auxiliary pump means when the pressure in said reservoir is below a predetermined pressure level, said predetermined pressure level being higher than the discharge pressure level which said system is designed to provide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
148 words
A water-pressure booster system comprising main pump means including a drive motor for taking water from an inlet conduit and pumping said water to a discharge conduit; pressure regulating means interposed between said discharge conduit and the outlet of said main pump means to maintain the pressure in said discharge conduit at a predetermined discharge pressure level; a pressurized water reservoir connected to discharge through said pressure regulating means; wherein the improvement comprises: auxiliary pump means including a drive motor and having a steep head characteristic at low volume and connected to charge said pressurized water reservoir; and control circuit means including a pressure responsive switch sensing the pressure in said reservoir for energizing said auxiliary pump means when the pressure in said reservoir is below a predetermined pressure level, said predetermined pressure level being higher than the discharge pressure level which said system is designed to provide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said pressure responsive switch further generates a high pressure signal when the pressure in said reservoir is above a predetermined high pressure level; and wherein said control circuit means further comprises flow means sensing flow into said main pump means and connected in circuit with said pressure responsive switch to de-energize said main pump means and said auxiliary pump means when the flow through said system falls below a predetermined minimum flow level and the pressure in said tank exceeds said predetermined high pressure level.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 7 further comprising timer means for delaying the shutting off of said main pump means and said auxiliary pump means in response to the aforementioned conditions for a predetermined time, thereby to charge said reservoir to a higher pressure for supplying additional capacity to said system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
220 words
A pressure booster system comprising: at least a first and a second main pump; each having an associated drive motor; a pressurized water reservoir having an inlet/outlet communicating with the outputs of both of said main pumps; pressure regulating means communicating the outputs of said pumps and the inlet/outlet of said reservoir with a discharge conduit; an auxiliary pump having a steep head characteristic at low flow rates and having its outlet connected to the inlet/outlet of said reservoir upstream of said pressure regulating means; a pressure responsive switch sensing the pressure in said reservoir for generating a first signal when said pressure exceeds a predetermined high pressure level above the design pressure for said discharge conduit and for generating a second signal when the pressure in said tank falls below a predetermined low pressure level above said design pressure; flow means sensing to the flow in an inlet conduit and responsive to a predetermined minimum flow condition therein; and control circuit means for energizing said first main pump in response to said second signal generated by said pressure responsive means in said reservoir, said control circuit means de-energizing all of said pumps in response to said second signal generated by said flow responsive means and in further response to the predetermined minimum flow conditions sensed by said flow means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
220 words
A pressure booster system comprising: at least a first and a second main pump; each having an associated drive motor; a pressurized water reservoir having an inlet/outlet communicating with the outputs of both of said main pumps; pressure regulating means communicating the outputs of said pumps and the inlet/outlet of said reservoir with a discharge conduit; an auxiliary pump having a steep head characteristic at low flow rates and having its outlet connected to the inlet/outlet of said reservoir upstream of said pressure regulating means; a pressure responsive switch sensing the pressure in said reservoir for generating a first signal when said pressure exceeds a predetermined high pressure level above the design pressure for said discharge conduit and for generating a second signal when the pressure in said tank falls below a predetermined low pressure level above said design pressure; flow means sensing to the flow in an inlet conduit and responsive to a predetermined minimum flow condition therein; and control circuit means for energizing said first main pump in response to said second signal generated by said pressure responsive means in said reservoir, said control circuit means de-energizing all of said pumps in response to said second signal generated by said flow responsive means and in further response to the predetermined minimum flow conditions sensed by said flow means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-16 | 1977-01-15 | 1977-07-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-16 | 1981-01-15 | 1981-07-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-16 | 1985-01-15 | 1985-07-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |