Gear pump for viscous media

Abstract

A gear pump for moving elastomeric material includes a housing, a first beveled gear, a second beveled gear, and a drive mechanism. The housing has first and second side plates, an internal gear chamber, a material inlet communicating with the chamber, and a material outlet communicating with the chamber. The first beveled gear is disposed within the chamber. The first beveled gear is rotatably mounted about a first axis of rotation to the housing. The second beveled gear is disposed within the chamber. The second beveled gear is rotatably mounted about a second axis of rotation to the housing. The second beveled gear engages the first beveled gear such that rotation of the first beveled gear in a first direction affects rotation of the second beveled gear in a second opposite direction. The first axis of rotation is parallel to the second axis of rotation. The drive mechanism directly drives rotation of the first beveled gear and simultaneously and indirectly drives rotation of the second beveled gear. The rotation of the first and second beveled gears transports the elastomeric material from the material inlet to the material outlet.

1 . A gear pump for moving elastomeric material comprising:
 a housing having first and second side plates, an internal gear chamber, a material inlet communicating with the chamber, and a material outlet communicating with the chamber;   a first beveled gear disposed within the chamber, the first beveled gear being rotatably mounted about a first axis of rotation to the housing;   a second beveled gear disposed within the chamber, the second beveled gear being rotatably mounted about a second axis of rotation to the housing, the second beveled gear engaging the first beveled gear such that rotation of the first beveled gear in a first direction affects rotation of the second beveled gear in a second opposite direction, the first axis of rotation being parallel to the second axis of rotation;   a mechanism for directly driving rotation of the first beveled gear and simultaneously and indirectly driving rotation of the second beveled gear,   the rotation of the first and second beveled gears transporting the elastomeric material from the material inlet to the material outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The gear pump as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising first and second bearing assemblies secured to the first and second side plates of the housing for rotatably mounting the first and second beveled gears within the chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The gear pump as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a fluid pressure cylinder mounted to the housing for allowing external access to the chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The gear pump as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the first beveled gear rotates about a first shaft and the second beveled gear rotates about a second shaft, the first shaft being rotatably mounted to the first side plate of the housing, the second shaft being rotatably mounted to the second side plate of the housing, the first side plate being disposed on an opposite side of the housing from the second side plate. 
     
     
         5 . The gear pump as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the first shaft is a drive shaft operatively connected to the mechanism for positively rotating the first shaft, the second shaft being an idler shaft driven by the first shaft through the meshing of the first and second beveled gears.