Pump

Abstract

A pump, including a pump housing, defining an impeller chamber in fluid communication with a pump inlet and pump outlet. An impeller is rotatable within the impeller chamber and is attached to an adaptor shaft. The adaptor shaft is rotatably held in an intermediate housing that also serves as a mount for a drive source, such as an electric drive motor. A bearing held within the intermediate housing supports the adaptor shaft in both radial and axial directions and includes socket structure directly engageable with an output shaft of the drive motor. The socket structure includes clamping sections that are urged into frictional engagement with the output shaft of the drive source by a clamping device. The socket structure may include one or more slots for receiving a key carried by the drive shaft in order to provide a positive mechanical coupling between the drive source and the drive shaft. The shaft also includes tool engagement structure by which the shaft can be immobilized during an impeller removal procedure.

1 . A pump, comprising: 
 a) a pump housing defining an impeller chamber;    b) an impeller rotatable within said chamber and operative to pump fluid from a pump inlet to a pump outlet;    c) an impeller drive shaft to which said impeller is attached and defining an axis of rotation for said impeller;    d) a bearing rotatably supporting said drive shaft in both radial and axial directions, said bearing mounted within associated housing structure and held in said associated housing structure by a locking member which inhibits relative axial movement between said bearing and said associated housing structure; and,    e) a distal end of said drive shaft including structure for engaging a rotatable output member of a drive source, whereby rotation of said drive source produces rotation in said impeller.    
   
   
       2 . The pump of  claim 1  further including a clamping device for generating clamping forces between said distal end and said output member.  
   
   
       3 . The pump of  claim 1  wherein said distal end defines a socket structure for receiving an end of said drive source output member.  
   
   
       4 . The pump of  claim 3  wherein said socket further defines a plurality of clamping sections for frictionally engaging said end of said output member.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further including a clamping device for urging said clamping sections inwardly in order to engage an outer surface of said end of said output member.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said associated housing structure is defined by a separable intermediate housing, said intermediate housing mounting said drive source.  
   
   
       7 . The pump of  claim 6  wherein said intermediate housing defines an oil bath chamber.  
   
   
       8 . The pump of  claim 7  further including a seal sealingly engaging said impeller drive shaft and operative to inhibit fluid leakage out of said oil bath chamber.  
   
   
       9 . The pump of  claim 1  wherein said drive shaft includes engagement structure engageable by a maintenance tool whereby engagement of said structure by said tool resists rotation of said shaft during an impeller removal procedure.  
   
   
       10 . A centrifugal pump, comprising: 
 a) a pump housing defining an impeller chamber in fluid communication with a pump inlet and a pump outlet;    b) an impeller rotatable within said impeller chamber which upon rotation is operative to convey fluid from said pump inlet to said pump outlet;    c) said impeller attached to an adaptor shaft and rotatable thereby;    d) a seal having rotating and non-rotating portions for inhibiting fluid leakage out of said impeller chamber;    e) said adaptor shaft rotatably supported by a bearing carried in an intermediate housing that is attached to said pump housing;    f) said adaptor shaft defining a socket structure adapted to receive a drive shaft forming part of a drive source for the pump;    g) said socket structure including clamping sections for frictionally engaging said drive source drive shaft; and,    h) a clamping device for urging said clamping sections radially inwardly in order to frictionally engage said drive shaft.    
   
   
       11 . The pump of  claim 6  wherein said an intermediate housing provides a mounting surface for said drive source.  
   
   
       12 . The pump of  claim 11  wherein said intermediate housing provides access openings by which said tool engaging structure on said shaft can be engaged by a suitable tool.  
   
   
       13 . The pump of  claim 10  wherein said bearing is held within a recess defined by said intermediate housing by a locking member and is secured to said adaptor shaft by a pair of shaft locking members which engage said shaft and which inhibit relative axial movement between said shaft and said bearing.  
   
   
       14 . The pump of  claim 10  wherein said impeller is held to an impeller end of said adaptor shaft by a threaded fastener.  
   
   
       15 . The pump of  claim 10  wherein said intermediate housing at least partially defines an oil chamber which provides an oil bath for at least portions of said impeller seal.  
   
   
       16 . The pump of  claim 9  wherein said engagement structure comprises a pair of flats.  
   
   
       17 . The pump of  claim 9  wherein said engagement structure comprises a recess.  
   
   
       18 . The pump of  claim 3  wherein said socket structure defines a slot for receiving a key carried by said output member.  
   
   
       19 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 10  wherein said socket structure defines a slot adapted to receive a key carried by said drive source drive shaft, such that said drive shaft is mechanically coupled to said adaptor shaft.  
   
   
       20 . A pump, comprising: 
 a) a pump housing defining an impeller chamber;    b) an impeller rotatable within said impeller chamber;    c) an intermediate housing having one portion attached to said pump housing and another portion mounting a drive source for producing rotation in said impeller;    d) an impeller drive shaft rotatably carried by said intermediate housing and operatively connected to said impeller, such that rotation of said drive shaft produces rotation in said impeller;    e) a bearing rotatably supporting said adaptor shaft and mounted within said intermediate housing; and,    f) said drive shaft defining drive source coupling structure at an end that is opposite the end to which said impeller is mounted, said coupling structure at least frictionally engaging an output member of said drive source.    
   
   
       21 . The pump of  claim 20  wherein said coupling structure includes means for providing a keyed coupling between said drive shaft and said drive source.