Impeller for spherical pumps

Claim 1

Impeller with vanes and a shroud with a spherical eye portion for single stage centrifugal pumps which forms a rotatably mounted unit with a spherical armature of an electric motor, said unit being pivotably supported by a bearing consisting of a ball and a bearing cap permitting swivel movement, the weight of said impeller compensating the weight of said armature, characterized in that the impeller consists of an impeller wheel (11) with vanes (10), a disc (9) stamped out of sheet metal, said disc being centered on the armature (3) by a central hole and acting as a shroud forming radially extending channels (18) together with the impeller wheel (11) and the vanes (10), the weight of said disc (9) compensating the weight of the rotor (5), said disc (9) having a first circle of holes (19) as ports for the liquid conveyed through the channels (18), a second outer circle of holes (24), and an inlet member (12) forming the spherical eye of the impeller, said inlet member (12) forming a unit with a number of protrusions (13) equally distributed over its circumference, penetrating said holes 924) and congruently arranged holes (16) in the impeller wheel (11), said protrusions (13) having noses (14) which are driven into recesses (15) of the impeller (11) by snap action.