Centrifugal pump with self-cleaning wear plate

Abstract

A centrifugal pump having an impeller assembly within a pump housing and a wear plate positioned in confronting relationship with the impeller assembly. The wear plate includes an annular wear plate portion defining an impeller side that confronts the impeller and further defines an annular portion defining an eye formed generally centrally and has a center point that is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of the impeller. The eye includes a plurality of peripheral notches separated by tooth-like spacer gaps. At least one protrusion extends from the eye towards the impeller at a predetermined angle. Inner and outer radial grooves are formed in the wear plate surface that confronts the impeller.

1 . A centrifugal pump, comprising
 a) a pump housing;   b) an impeller assembly mounted to said pump housing;   c) a wear plate mounted within said housing in a confronting relationship with an impeller forming part of said impeller assembly, said wear plate comprising:
 i) an annular wear plate portion defining an impeller side that confronts said impeller when said wear plate is mounted within said pump housing; 
 ii) said annular portion defining an eye formed generally centrally in said portion and is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of said impeller; and 
 iii) at least one protrusion extending from said eye toward said impeller. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pump of  claim 1  wherein said notches are wider in dimension than said tooth-like gaps. 
     
     
         3 . The centrifugal pump of said  claim 1  wherein said protrusion includes a prong extending at an angle from a mounting segment formed on said wear plate portion. 
     
     
         4 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 3  wherein said prong extends at an angle of substantially 45° with respect to a plane defined by said wear plate portion. 
     
     
         5 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 3  wherein said prong is welded to said mounting segment. 
     
     
         6 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 3  wherein said prong and mounting segment are integrally formed with said wear plate portion. 
     
     
         7 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 1  wherein said wear plate is attached to a wear plate cover which forms an assembly that is removably attached to said pump housing. 
     
     
         8 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 1  wherein said wear plate portion includes at least one radial groove. 
     
     
         9 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 8  wherein said wear plate portion includes a second radial groove, said one radial groove extending inwardly from an outer diameter of said wear plate and said second groove extends outwardly from said eye. 
     
     
         10 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 9  wherein said grooves have a predetermined depth but do not extend through said wear plate portion. 
     
     
         11 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 9  wherein said grooves extend through said wear plate portion. 
     
     
         12 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 1  wherein said protrusion includes an aperture to facilitate bending of said protrusion during its manufacturing process. 
     
     
         13 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 7  wherein said wear plate includes at least one stand-off by which said wear plate is attached to said wear plate cover. 
     
     
         14 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 1  wherein said annular wear plate portion defines a substantially planar wear plate surface confronting said impeller. 
     
     
         15 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 9  wherein said one radial groove has an inner end that is in a radial, overlapping relationship with an outer end of said second radial groove. 
     
     
         16 . A wear plate for a centrifugal pump having a rotatable impeller located in a confronting relationship with said wear plate, said wear plate comprising:
 a) an annular portion defining a wear plate surface that is in a confronting relationship with respect to said impeller when said wear plate is mounted within said centrifugal pump;   b) said annular portion defining an aperture that is axially aligned with an axis of rotation of said impeller when said wear plate is operatively positioned in said centrifugal pump; and   c) at least one protrusion extending toward said impeller from said annular portion, said protrusion extending at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane defined by said annular portion.   
     
     
         17 . The wear plate of  claim 6  wherein said notches are substantially wider in dimension than said tooth-like gaps. 
     
     
         18 . The wear plate of  claim 16  wherein said protrusion includes a prong that extends at a predetermined angle from said annular wear plate portion. 
     
     
         19 . The wear plate of  claim 18  wherein said angle is substantially 45° with respect to a plane defined by said wear plate portion. 
     
     
         20 . The wear plate of  claim 16  wherein said annular wear plate portion includes at least one groove that interrupts said wear plate surface. 
     
     
         21 . The wear plate of  claim 20  wherein said wear plate portion includes a second groove that interrupts said wear plate surface, said one groove extending inwardly from an outer diameter of said wear plate and said second groove extending outwardly from said aperture. 
     
     
         22 . The wear plate of  claim 21  wherein said grooves define recesses that are below said wear plate surface but do not extend through said wear plate. 
     
     
         23 . The wear plate of  claim 21  wherein said grooves extend through said annular wear plate portion. 
     
     
         24 . The wear plate of  claim 23  wherein said wear plate forms part of a wear plate assembly that can be removable mounted to said centrifugal pump. 
     
     
         25 . The wear plate of  claim 21  wherein said grooves extend in substantially the radial direction. 
     
     
         26 . The wear plate of  claim 16  wherein a periphery of said aperture is defined by at least one outwardly extending notch. 
     
     
         27 . The wear plate of  claim 16  wherein said periphery of said aperture is defined by a plurality of outwardly extending notches separated by tooth-like spacer gaps. 
     
     
         28 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 1  wherein said wear plate eye includes at least one peripheral notch. 
     
     
         29 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 1  wherein said wear plate eye includes a plurality of peripheral notches separate by tooth-like gaps. 
     
     
         30 . The centrifugal pump of  claim 1  wherein said centrifugal pump is of the self-priming variety. 
     
     
         31 . The centrifugal pump of claim wherein said centrifugal pump is of the submersible variety.