Bottom draw pump

Abstract

A submersible bottom draw pump having prefilter screen and impeller intake structure oriented at the bottom surfaces of the pump so as to minimize the required depth within which the pump operates, and having integral horizontal and vertical outlets so as to provide a submersible bottom draw pump that may be selectably configured as either a horizontal outlet bottom draw pump or a vertical outlet bottom draw pump.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of drawing and pumping fluid in a reservoir or container comprising:
 (a) filling a space between a prefilter screen and fins of an impeller of a pump with a fluid to be moved by the impeller;   (b) filling a space surrounding at least a portion of the axial width of the impeller's fins with the fluid so that rotation of the impeller fins causes the fins to contact and move the fluid;   (c) drawing the fluid comprising water or nutrient infused liquid or other liquid solution through the prefilter screen and into the fins of the rotating impeller;   (d) accelerating the fluid radially across the fins of the impeller causing the fluid to flow radially outward away from the rotational axis of the impeller in a direction perpendicular to the impeller axis; and   (e) the fluid then caused to selectably flow in either one of two selectable directions, the selectable directions comprising a first direction through an outlet fitting affixed to a first outlet integral to the pump housing, or, alternatively and convertibly by way of moving a plug from a second outlet integral to the pump housing to the first outlet and moving the outlet fitting from the first outlet to the second outlet, a second direction through the outlet fitting affixed to the second outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising placing the pump on the bottom of the reservoir or container so that the prefilter is between the bottom of the reservoir and the pump impeller fins, and so that the impeller axis of rotation is substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein pumping fluid from the first outlet comprises pumping fluid in a first direction that is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the impeller axis, and wherein pumping fluid from the second outlet comprises pumping fluid in a second direction that is substantially vertical and parallel to the impeller axis. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the pump is operable in fluid having no more depth than enough to fill the space between the bottom of the reservoir upon which the pump rests and the space surrounding enough of the axial width of the impeller's fins so that rotation of the impeller fins causes the fins to contact and move the fluid one of the two selectable directions. 
     
     
         5 . A convertible submersible bottom draw pump capable of performing the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The pump in  claim 5  further capable of performing the method of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The pump in  claim 5  further capable of performing the method of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The pump in  claim 5  further capable of performing the method of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         9 . A bottom draw pump comprising:
 (a) a unitary motor housing having sealed therewithin an electric motor for rotating an impeller;   (b) impeller fins of the impeller extending radially outward from an impeller axis and having an axial width, the impeller axis oriented substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface of the bottom draw pump with the impeller fins;   (c) an impeller cover retaining the impeller within the motor assembly and having an aperture forming an intake into which fluid is drawn in an axial direction into the rotating impeller fins and accelerated radially outward along the impeller fins in a direction perpendicular to the impeller axis;   (d) a prefilter screen covering the impeller cover and forming at least a portion of the bottom surface of the bottom draw pump;   (e) a first outlet integral to the motor housing oriented to direct fluid drawn axially into the impeller fins and then accelerated by the impeller fins in a direction substantially perpendicular to the impeller axis;   (f) a second outlet integral to the motor housing oriented to direct fluid drawn axially into the impeller fins and then accelerated by the impeller fins in a direction substantially parallel to the impeller axis;   (g) a plug selectably and repeatably fastenable in either the first outlet or the second outlet to prevent fluid flow from the plugged outlet; and   (h) an outlet fitting selectably and repeatably fastenable in either the second outlet or the first outlet to allow fluid flow from the unplugged outlet.   
     
     
         10 . The pump of  claim 9  wherein when the outlet fitting is fastened in the first outlet and the plug is fastened in the second outlet the first outlet is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the bottom draw pump. 
     
     
         11 . The pump of  claim 9  wherein when the outlet fitting is fastened in the second outlet and the plug is fastened in the first outlet the second outlet is substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the bottom draw pump.