Valve-less pump for liquid manure

Claim 2

In an apparatus for transferring a liquid slurry from a storage pit, in combination, a unitary frame structure adapted to be moved from pit to pit comprising a discharge pipe carried by said frame and adapted to have one end extending into said pit for discharge of the slurry, an impeller supported by said frame and submerged in the slurry and located adjacent to the bottom of the pit, a conduit extending from the impeller, said conduit having a substantial vertical component and a generally horizontally directed free end adapted to be rotated in a generally horizontal plane, without rotation of the pump, for emitting said slurry from said free end a substantial distance above the bottom of the pit, means on said frame including a shaft extending out of said pit for moving the free end of said conduit into registry with said discharge pipe for transferring said liquid slurry from the pit, and for moving it out of registry therewith for agitating said slurry in the pit by recirculation through said impeller.

Claim 3

In an apparatus for agitating or transferring a liquid slurry from a storage pit, the combination comprising: a. an impeller means adapted to be submerged in the liquid slurry; b. a discharge pipe adapted to have one end extending into said pit and the other end extending above the pit for transfer to a receptacle, the lower end of said pipe being adapted to receive a conduit in registry therewith; and c. a rotatably mounted conduit connected to and receiving the output of said impeller means and having a free end disposed generally horizontally at a level above said impeller means, said conduit being adapted to direct the output of said impeller means into said discharge pipe when its free end is rotated in a generally horizontal plane into registry with said discharge pipe and when out of registry with said discharge pipe to agitate said slurry in said pit by recirculation through the impeller means; said discharge pipe and said impeller means being supported by a frame in fixed relation to each other, and said conduit being rotatably joined to said impeller means, whereby the free end of said conduit may be brought into registry with said discharge pipe by rotating it in a generally horizontal plane.

Claim 4

In an apparatus for agitating or transferring a liquid slurry from a storage pit, the combination comprising: a. an impeller means adapted to be submerged in the liquid slurry; b. a discharge pipe adapted to have one end extending into said pit and the other end extending above the pit for transfer to a receptacle, the lower end of said pipe being adapted to receive a conduit in registry therewith; and c. a rotatably mounted conduit connected to and receiving the output of said impeller means and having a free end disposed generally horizontally at a level above said impeller means, said conduit being adapted to direct the output of said impeller means into said discharge pipe when its free end is rotated in a generally horizontal plane into registry with said discharge pipe and when out of registry with said discharge pipe to agitate said slurry in said pit by recirculation through the impeller means; said discharge pipe and said impeller means being supported by a frame in fixed relation to each other, and said conduit being rotatably joined to said impeller means, whereby the free end of said conduit may be brought into registry with said discharge pipe by rotating it in a generally horizontal plane.

Claim 5

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame structure is fastened to the discharge pipe at points adapted to be located well above the liquid level in the pit, an electric motor fastened to and supported by said frame, a second frame fastened to the discharge pipe at points adapted to be positioned below the liquid level in the pit, said impeller being fastened to and supported by said second frame, and a drive shaft connected at its upper end to said motor and at its lower end with the impeller so as to drive the impeller.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said impeller means includes a central drive shaft connected to a collar to which impeller blades are fastened, adapted to revolve in a generally horizontal plane within an impeller housing, an inlet port in the lower side of said housing in generally concentric relation to the said shaft and collar, and knives fastened to said collar and extending downwardly through said inlet port, said knives being generally parallel to the axis of said shaft and collar and extending in the same direction at their point of attachment but curved toward each other at their ends, said knives serving to cut up fibrous and other solid material in said slurry and to force-feed said impeller means.