Replaceable bearing assembly for a pump apparatus

Claim 2

A pump apparatus having a housing within which a pump impeller is rotatably mounted, a shaft sealingly extending from said housing and connected to rotate said impeller; the combination with said pump apparatus of a replaceable bearing assembly; said replaceable bearing assembly includes a pump body connected to and extending from said housing with said shaft being received within said pump body; said pump body having a shoulder formed at an outboard and an inboard location, a liner for said pump body, said liner is in the form of a hollow cylinder having an outwardly directed flange at an outboard end and a marginal threaded outer surface at the inboard end, a nut which threadedly engages said threads; means forming a counterbore through said pump body in axial alignment with said shaft for receiving said liner in close tolerance relationship therewithin; means forming a counterbore through said liner to provide the inside diameter of the liner with an annulus between said shaft and said liner; spaced bearing means located within said annulus and attached for providing low frictional support between said shaft and liner; said flange of said liner abuttingly engages the outboard shoulder of the pump body, the threaded end of the liner extends inboard of said inboard shoulder, so that said nut can engage said threads to secure the liner within the body with the nut and flange of the liner placing the liner in tension due to the compression of the nut and flange against the body.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said bearings are ball bearings which are removably secured to the shaft by a fastener means, and secured to the inside wall surface of the liner by a close tolerance fit.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 and further including means for preventing rotation of the liner, including a fastener means received through a marginal edge portion of the flange in attached relationship to the outboard shoulder of the body.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein said body is detachable from the pump housing so that the body, liner, and bearings can be removed as a unit from the remainder of the pump apparatus.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 wherein said liner and said bearings can be removed from said body by removing said nut and sliding the liner in an outboard direction away from said body.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 wherein said bearings are ball bearings removably secured to the shaft by a fastener means and secured to the inside peripheral wall surface of the liner by a close tolerance fit therebetween; said means preventing rotation of the liner is a fastener means received through an aperture formed in the flange and threadedly attached to the outboard shoulder of the body.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 6 including means by which said body is detachable from the pump housing so that the body, liner, and bearings can be removed as a unit from the pump housing and shaft; and thereafter, said liner and said bearings can be removed from said body by removing said nut and sliding the liner in an outboard direction away from said body.

Claim 9

A centrifugal pump assembly having a housing within which there is disposed an impeller, a shaft attached to and extending from said impeller and away from said housing, a body member attached to said housing and extending away therefrom, an axial bore formed through said body member with said shaft being received therethrough in spaced relationship to the axial bore to thereby leave an annulus therebetween; said body member having an outboard shoulder and an inboard shoulder arranged normal to the shaft; a liner received within said axial bore, said liner includes an outwardly directed flange at one end thereof which abuttingly engages said outboard shoulder, means providing said liner with an outside diameter which is telescopingly received within said axial bore in close tolerance relationship therewith, and a fastener means at the inboard marginal end of said liner for securing said other end to said inborad shoulder; bearing means at opposed marginal ends of the liner by which the shaft is supported in aligned relationship respective to the impeller and to the axial centerline of the body; said bearings are ball bearings which are removably secured to the shaft by a fastener means, and secured to the inside wall surface of the liner by a close tolerance fit; means for preventing rotation of the liner, including a fastener means received through a marginal edge portion of the flange in attached relationship to the outboard shoulder of the body; said body is detachable from the pump housing so that the body, liner, and bearings can be removed as a unit from the remainder of the pump apparatus.

Claim 10

A centrifugal pump assembly having a housing within which there is disposed an impeller, a shaft attached to and extending from said impeller and away from said housing, a body member attached to said housing and extending away therefrom, an axial bore formed through said body member with said shaft being received therethrough in spaced relationship to the axial bore to thereby leave an annulus therebetween; said body member having an outboard shoulder and an inboard shoulder arranged normal to the shaft; a liner received within said axial bore, said liner includes an outwardly directed flange at one end thereof which abuttingly engages said outboard shoulder, means providing said liner with an outside diameter which is telescopingly received within said axial bore in close tolerance relationship therewith, and a fastener means at the inboard marginal end of said liner for securing said other end to said inborad shoulder; bearing means at opposed marginal ends of the liner by which the shaft is supported in aligned relationship respective to the impeller and to the axial centerline of the body; said bearings are ball bearings which are removably secured to the shaft by a fastener means, and secured to the inside wall surface of the liner by a close tolerance fit; means for preventing rotation of the liner, including a fastener means received through a marginal edge portion of the flange in attached relationship to the outboard shoulder of the body; said body is detachable from the pump housing so that the body, liner, and bearings can be removed as a unit from the remainder of the pump apparatus.

Claim 11

The pump assembly of claim 8 wherein said liner and said bearings can be removed from said body by removing said nut and sliding the liner in an outboard direction away from said body.