Pump apparatus

Claim 2

A pump apparatus for moving material, as liquid manure, comprising: a housing having an inlet opening, first means connected to the housing having a first material discharge passage, second means connected to the housing having a second material discharge passage, first valve means for selectively stopping and permitting the flow of material through the first passage, second valve means for selectively stopping and permitting the flow of material through the second passage, means cooperating with the housing for moving material from the inlet through the housing and into the first passage and second passage, and control means operably connected to the first valve means and second valve means for operating said first and second valve means whereby both the first and second valve means cannot be in flow stopping positions at the same time.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the first means is an elongated tubular member having an inlet end connected to the housing, said first valve means including a movable gate operable to close the tubular member.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the second means is a tubular member having a laterally directed discharge section, said second valve means comprising a movable gate operable to close the tubular member.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the first means is an elongated tubular member having an inlet end and an outlet end, said first valve means being mounted on an outlet end section of the tubular member and including a first movable gate, said control means including a first actuator having a first member connected to the first gate and second member, and a second actuator for operating the second valve means, said second member of the first actuator engageable with the second actuator when the first valve is open to prevent movement of the first actuator to close the first gatE of the first valve means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein: the second valve means has a second movable gate, said second actuator being a rod secured to the second gate, said second member engaging said rod when the first valve means is open and the second valve means is closed to prevent the first valve means from being actuated to the flow stopping position.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: the rod has a hole accommodating the second member when the first valve means is closed, said second member in the hole holding the second valve means in the open position.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the first valve means has a first gate movable to open and closed positions, said second valve means has a gate movable to open and closed positions, said control means including a first actuator connected to the first gate operable to move the first gate, and a second actuator connected to the second gate operable to move the second gate, said first actuator having means engageable with the second actuator to hold the second actuator in a position wherein the second gate is in the open position when the first gate is in the closed position.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: the second actuator is a movable member having a hole, said first actuator having a portion extended through said hole when the second gate is in the open position and the first gate is in the closed position.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: the first actuator has an elongated leg, said second actuator has a rod, said rod having a transverse hole accommodating the leg when the second gate is in the open position and the first gate is in the closed position.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the leg is normally located relative to the rod.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1 including: means to movably support the first means, said first means comprising a tubular member, elongated V-shaped rails secured to the tubular member, said means to support the first means including rollers with V-shaped grooves engageable with the V-shaped rails, and winch means operable to move the first means relative to said rollers.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: the means to movably support the first means includes spaced plate members, said winch means having means rotatably mounting the winch means on the plate members and locating the winch means between said plate members.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein: the winch means includes a drum rotatably mounted on the plate members and cable means wrapped around the drum, said cable means having a first end secured to one end of the first means and a second end secured to the housing whereby operation of the winch means will selectively and positively move the first means in opposite directions.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: the V-shaped rails are angle members having flanges secured to the sides of the tubular member, said angle members extended longitudinally along the tubular member and on diametrically opposite sides of the tubular member.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: a plurality of rollers engage each angle member.

Claim 17

A pump apparatus for moving material from a pit comprising: an impeller having a housing and rotating member located in the housing for moving material from the impeller, a first outlet pipe secured to the housing, means for driving the rotating member to move material from the impeller to the outlet pipe, transport means for movably supporting said pipe and impeller, said transport means including a wheel and axle assembly, a pair of generally triangular plates mounted on said wheel and axle assembly, rollers rotatably mounted on said plates, said pipe having elongated rails secured to opposite portions of the pipe, said rollers engageable with said rails to guide the movement of the pipe and impeller, winch means rotatably mounted on the plates for moving the pipe and impeller relative to the plates, said winch means including a drum, and cable means wound about said drum, said Cable means having a first end attached to the upper end of the pipe and a second end attached to said impeller whereby rotation of said drum moves the pipe relative to the rollers.

Claim 18

A pump apparatus for moving material from a pit comprising: an impeller having a housing and rotating member located in the housing for moving material from the impeller, a first outlet pipe secured to the housing, means for driving the rotating member to move material from the impeller to the outlet pipe, transport means for movably supporting said pipe and impeller, said transport means including a wheel and axle assembly, a pair of generally triangular plates mounted on said wheel and axle assembly, rollers rotatably mounted on said plates, said pipe having elongated rails secured to opposite portions of the pipe, said rollers engageable with said rails to guide the movement of the pipe and impeller, winch means rotatably mounted on the plates for moving the pipe and impeller relative to the plates, said winch means including a drum, and cable means wound about said drum, said Cable means having a first end attached to the upper end of the pipe and a second end attached to said impeller whereby rotation of said drum moves the pipe relative to the rollers.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein: the rails on the outlet pipe comprise elongated generally V-shaped rails, said rollers having V-grooves engageable with said V-shaped rails.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein: the V-shaped rails are angle members having flanges secured to the sides of the outlet pipe, said angle members extended longitudinally along the outlet pipe and on diametrically opposite sides of the outlet pipe.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein: a plurality of rollers engage each angle member.

Claim 22

The pump apparatus of claim 16 including: a second discharge pipe secured to said impeller, a first valve mounted on the first pipe for controlling the flow of material through the first pipe and a second valve associated with the second outlet pipe to control the flow of material through the second pipe, and control means operably connected to the first valve and second valve for operating said valve means whereby both of said valves cannot be simultaneously in closed positions.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein: the control means includes a first actuator having a first member connected to the first valve and a second member, and a second actuator for operating the second valve, said second member of the first actuator engageable with the second actuator when the first valve is open to prevent movement of the first actuator to close the first valve.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein: the second valve has a movable gate, said second actuator being a rod secured to said gate, the second member engaging said rod when the first valve means is open and the second valve means is closed to prevent movement of the first valve to the closed position.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein: the rod has a hole accommodating the second member when the first valve is closed and holding the second valve in the open position.