Peristaltic pump

Claim 1

In a roller pump of the type comprising: (a) a backing plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening therethrough, (b) a bearing mounted in said opening, (c) a shaft mounted in said bearing, said shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the shaft extending upwardly from the upper surface of the backing plate and having an opening inwardly from the upper end of the shaft, the second end portion of the shaft extending downwardly from the lower surface of the backing plate and being adapted for coupling to a drive means, (d) an upstanding arcuate backing wall on the upper surface of the backing plate, (e) a pump head removably mounted for rotation in a first circumferential direction on the upper portion of the shaft, said pump head comprising a hub portion and at least one roller means mounted for rotation about an axis which is parallel to the axis of said shaft, (f) a handle means comprising an arm being pivotally mounted on said pump head and adapted to be engaged with said opening in said shaft to mechanically couple said pump head to said shaft, the improvement wherein said roller means is mounted for rotation in a combination bearing and overriding clutch assembly which allows rotation of the roller means in the direction which is opposite to said first circumferential direction and prevents rotation of the roller means in said first circumferential direction.