United States Patent [19]
`Speck et al.
`
`[54] PUMP WITH PLASTIC HOUSING
`. [75]
`Inventors: Walter Speck, Heuberg; Oskar
`Schmidt, Hilpolstein, both of
`Germany
`[73] Assignee: Speck-Pumpen Daniel Speck &
`Soehne, Hilpoltstein, Germany
`[22] Filed:
`Apr. 24, 1974
`[ 21 ] Appl. No.: 463,661
`
`[30]
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Apr. 26, 1973 Germany ............................ 2321165
`
`[52] U.S. Cl ............... 415/200; 415/214; 415/219 C
`Int. Cl.2
`•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• F04D 29/44
`[51]
`[58] Field of Search .......... 415/219 C, 213, 214, 53,
`415/121 G, 200
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`UNITED STATES PATENTS
`11/1934 Bird ................................ 415/121 G
`1,981,025
`7/1935
`Jacobsen ............................... 415/53
`2,008,308
`8/1946 LaBour ........................... 415/121 G
`2,405,836
`4/1953 Rupp .................................. 415/214
`2,635,549
`Smith et al... ................... 415/121 G
`1/1972
`3,637,331
`8/1972 Speck et al. ........................ 415/214
`3,685,919
`FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS
`188,287
`1/1957 Austria ............................ 415/219 C
`
`3,920,352
`[II]
`[45] Nov. 18, 1975
`
`Primary Examiner-Henry F. Raduazo
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Steinberg & Blake
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A pump which has a plastic one-piece housing pro(cid:173)
`vided with a suction portion which defines a suction
`chamber and a pressure portion which defines a pres(cid:173)
`sure chamber, the housing also having a separation
`portion integral with the suction and pressure portions
`and separating the suction chamber from the pressure
`chamber. This separation portion of the housing is
`formed with a suction opening through which the suc(cid:173)
`tion chamber communicates with the pressure cham(cid:173)
`ber. The suction portion of the housing is preferably
`of a cylindrical configuration and is circular in cross
`section, the suction portion being formed with an
`opening at the top of the housing and the suction
`chamber tapering inwardly from the top of the hous(cid:173)
`ing and being free of any undercuts. The pressure por(cid:173)
`tion is formed with an opening at a location other than
`the sides of the housing and also defines a pressure
`chamber which is free of undercuts. The separation
`portion tangentially intersects the suction portion
`where these portions are integral with each other.
`
`10 Oaims, 4 Drawing Figures
`
`PAGE 1 OF 8
`
`PETITIONERS' EXHIBIT 1127
`
`

`

`.U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975
`57w010,
`
`Sheet 1 of 4
`Sheet 1 of 4
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`3,920,352
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`U.S .. Patent Nov. 18, 1975
`US. Patent
`Nov. 18, 1975
`
`Sheet 2 of4
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`3,920,352
`3,920,352
`
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`PAGE 3 OF 8
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`

`

`U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975
`1V.ON
`
`5791
`
`cm,
`
`Sheet 3 of 4
`Sheet 3 of 4
`
`3,920,352
`3,920,352
`
`_ US. Patent
`
`--------, L------------
`
`FIG. 3
`
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`PAGE 4 OF 8
`
`

`

`Sheet 4 of4
`Sheet 4 of 4
`
`3,920,352
`3,920,352
`
`FIG.4
`
`16
`
`U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975
`US. Patent
`Nov. 18, 1975
`
`
`
`18
`
`17
`
`18
`
`PAGE 5 OF 8
`
`

`

`1
`
`3,920,352
`
`PUMP WITH PLASTIC HOUSING
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention relates to pumps.
`In particular, the present invention relates to pump
`housings which are made of plastic material and which
`are particularly suitable for circulating pumps to be
`used in swimming pools, such pumps having a suction
`chamber, a pressure chamber, and a separation wall sit(cid:173)
`uated between and separating these chambers from
`each other, with the pressure chamber communicating
`through a suction opening with the suction chamber.
`Pump housings of the above type have up to the pres(cid:173)
`ent time required at least two and most often three
`parts which are connected with each other with a suit(cid:173)
`able adhesive or by welding. The manufacture of such
`adhered or welded pump housing is expensive and bur(cid:173)
`dened by high labor costs. Moreover, sealing problems
`are always encountered with these conventional pump
`housings. Also, the stability or accuracy of pump hous(cid:173)
`ings having components which are adhered or welded
`to each other are frequently inadequate, and this latter
`inadequacy is a particular serious disadvantage in that
`the.· pump housing is subjected during operation to
`strong pressure pulses resulting from, for example, the
`rapid closing of valves or swingable flaps which form
`non-return valves.
`A further advantage of conventional pump housings
`having ·components which are adhered to each other
`resides in the fact that such adhered connections often
`are inadequate to withstand temperature fluctuations, a
`factor·which is of considerable importance in circulat(cid:173)
`ing pumps. Finally, pump housings composed of parts
`which are adhered or welded to each other suffer from
`the further serious disadvantage that as a result of the
`connection of the individual housing components by
`adhesive or welding, the use of reinforced plastic, par(cid:173)
`ticularly plastic reinforced with glass fibers, is excluded
`since such reinforced plastic, if it is used at all, can be
`adhered or welded only with extremely high cost and
`with poor results.
`It is also known to provide pump housings of the
`above type where the individual housing components
`are assembled together and united by fasteners such as
`bolts and nuts. However, such pump housings require
`an extremely large number of such fasteners, which un(cid:173)
`desirably increases the cost of manufacture and renders
`the construction undesirably complex, so that to this
`extent these constructions are disadvantageous. More(cid:173)
`over, pump housings having components bolted to(cid:173)
`gether, or held together by screws, present sealing
`problems.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`It is accordingly a primary object of the present in(cid:173)
`vention to provide a pump housing of the above general
`type which avoids the above drawbacks.
`In addition it is an object of the present invention to
`provide a pump housing of the above general type
`which is of an exceedingly. compact construction.
`Thus, it is an object of the present invention to pro(cid:173)
`vide a pump housing of the above general type which
`does not require separate components of the housing to
`be welded, adhered, or bolted to each other.
`In addition it is an object of the present invention to
`provide a pump housing which will have an exceedingly
`accurate construction while having a high degree of
`
`2
`stability and capable of withstanding wide temperature
`fluctuations.
`In particular, it is an object of the present invention
`to provide a pump housing of the above general type
`5 which is capable of being formed of a one-piece body.
`Thus, it is an object of the present invention to pro(cid:173)
`vide a pump housing which can readily be injection
`molded, for example.
`Also it is an object of the present invention to provide
`10 a pump housing which can be made of a plastic which
`is reinforced with glass fibers.
`·
`According to the present invention the pump in(cid:173)
`cludes a one-piece plastic pump housing having a suc(cid:173)
`tion wall means which defines a suction chamber, a
`15 pressure wall means which defines a pressure chamber,
`and a separation wall means separating the suction
`chamber and pressure chamber from each other and
`being integral with the suction wall means and the pres(cid:173)
`sure wall means, this separation wall means being
`20 formed with a suction opening through which the pres(cid:173)
`sure chamber communicates with the suction chamber.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF D~A WINGS
`The invention is illustrated by way of example in the
`25 accompanying drawings which form part of this appli(cid:173)
`cation and in which:
`FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a pump according to
`the present invention, the pump housing being shown
`in FIG. 1 assembled with other elements of the pump
`30 and the plane of FIG. 1 containing the axis of the impel(cid:173)
`ler;
`FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation taken in the same plane
`as FIG. 1 but showing only the pump housing of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the housing of FIG. 2,
`FIG. 3 also showing fragmentarily parts of a filter; and
`FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the housing of FIG. 2 as
`seen from the left of FIG. 2.
`40 DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`The embodiment of the present invention which is
`illustrated in the drawings includes a suction wall
`means 2 which defines a suction chamber 1. This suc(cid:173)
`tion chamber 1 is of a substantially cylindrical configu-
`45 ration, being circular in section. As is apparent particu(cid:173)
`larly from FIGS. 2 and 3, the suction wall means 2 de(cid:173)
`fines a suction chamber 1 which is formed with an
`opening at the top of the housing which is shown by it(cid:173)
`self in FIGS. 2-4.
`50 The one-piece plastic body which forms the pump
`housing shown in FIGS. 2-4 includes also a pressure
`wall means 4a defining a pressure chamber 4 which is
`formed with an opening at the rear of the pump hous(cid:173)
`ing, and it will be noted particularly from FIG. 4 that
`55 the pressure chamber 4 does not open at the opposed
`sides of the pump housing with the pressure chamber 4
`having in cross section the configuration clearly appar(cid:173)
`ent from FIG. 4, namely a cross section according to
`which the pressure chamber 4 has opposed concave
`60 substantially vertically extending inner surfaces merg(cid:173)
`ing into a top surface and merging into an upwardly di(cid:173)
`rected concave bottom surface.
`The suction chamber 1 and the pressure chamber 4
`are separated from each other by a separation wall
`65 means 3 which is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, the
`separation wall means 3 is in the form of a vertical sub(cid:173)
`stantially flat wall having its left surface, as viewed in
`FIG. 3, defining part of the pressure chamber 4, this left
`
`35
`
`PAGE 6 OF 8
`
`

`

`3,920,352
`
`3
`surface of the wall 3 of FIG .. 3 being visible in FIG. 4.
`It will be noted that the flat vertical separation wall
`means 3 extends tangentially with respect to the cylin(cid:173)
`drical wall means 2 which defines the suction chamber
`1, with the walls 2 and 3 being integral with each other
`at the location where the wall 3 tangentially intersects
`the . wall 2. At the place where the separation wall
`means 3 and the suction wall means 2 are integral with
`each other, the common wall structure is formed with a
`suction opening 5 through which the pressure chamber
`4 communicates with the suction chamber 1 so as to be
`supplied with liquid through the suction opening 5.
`At its upper front region the suction wall means 2 is
`formed with a suction inlet 15 through which liquid en(cid:173)
`ters into the pump. The wall means 2 carries in the inte(cid:173)
`rior of the suction chamber 1 a pair of diametrically op(cid:173)
`posed vertically extending ribs 6 which are integral
`with the wall means 2. These ribs 6 serve to guide an
`apertured receptacle 7 which forms a filter which pre(cid:173)
`vents foreign matter of a size greater than the apertures
`of the receptacle 7, from reaching the suction opening
`5. The filter receptacle 7 has at its top end an outwardly
`directed flange 7a formed with notches 7b (FIG. 3)
`which receive the ribs 6 so that the latter serve not only
`to guide the receptacle 7 but also to prevent turning
`thereof.
`The receptacle 7 is provided with a substantially U(cid:173)
`shaped bail 7c (FIG. I), to facilitate introduction and
`removal of the receptacle 7. The top opening of the
`suction chamber 1 can be fluid-tightly closed by a re(cid:173)
`movable cover la provided with a sealing ring lb, as il(cid:173)
`lustrated in FIG. 1. Moreover, outwardly beyond the
`suction chamber I, the top wall of the housing is
`formed with suitable openings 20, shown in phantom
`lines in FIG. 3, for receiving fastener elements such as
`mounting bolts 22 or the like for mounting the pump on
`a suitable supporting bracket or the like.
`When the cover Ia is removed the operator can grasp
`the bail 7c so as to remove the receptacle 7 from the
`suction chamber 1, and after the receptacle 7 is
`cleaned it can be returned to the suction chamber I,
`after which the cover Ia is replaced.
`As is shown in FIG. 1, the pressure chamber 4 re(cid:173)
`ceives a pair a components 24 and 26 which define a
`chamber in which the rotary impeller 28 is located, this
`impeller being driven from a drive sha.ft 30 which ex(cid:173)
`tends through a rear closure wall 32 fastened to the
`rear end of the housing of the invention in any suitable
`way and mounted on a suitable support.
`It will be noted that both the suction chamber I and
`the pressure chamber 4 have openings which are not
`situated at the sides of the housing and in addition the
`suction chamber I and the pressure chamber 4 are
`formed without any undercuts. In this latter connection
`it is to be noted that the suction chamber 1 tapers
`slightly from its top open end inwardly toward the bot(cid:173)
`tom thereof.
`Furthermore it will be noted that the pressure cham(cid:173)
`ber 4 is formed at its upper wall with a pressure outlet
`16, and the pressure chamber 4 is fully open at the rear
`of the housing where the pressure chamber opening ex(cid:173)
`tends throughout the interior height of the housing. Be(cid:173)
`cause the chambers I and 4 are completely free of any
`undercuts, a simple one-piece manufacture of the hous(cid:173)
`ing is possible, for example by injection molding.
`In the particular example of the invention which is
`illustrated in the drawings, the pressure wall means 4a
`which defines the pressure chamber 4 is formed at a
`
`4
`lower region with an opening 8 through which the pres(cid:173)
`sure chamber can .be emptied. Also, a lower region of
`the suction wall means 2, which defines the suction
`chamber 1,is formed with an opening 9 through which
`the suction chamber can be emptied. The opening 8 is
`situated at the left end of an elongated emptying pas(cid:173)
`sage 10 (FIG . .1) which is·formed in the suction wall
`·means 2. This passage 10 is provided with an outlet 11
`formed with inner threads, and it will be noted that the
`1.0 opening 9 is situated at the region of the outlet 11 so as
`to communicate therewith. As a result of this arrange(cid:173)
`ment it is possible to,close both the outlet 11 of the pas(cid:173)
`sage 10 and the opening .9 by way of the single closure
`means 12. This closure means 12 may take the form of
`15 a plug which is threaded into the passage 10 at the
`inner threads formed at the outlet 11 thereof, and the
`length of the plug 12 is sufficiently great to enable the
`plug 12 to extend completely across the opening 9,
`closing the latter with a side surface of the plug 12
`20 while the plug 12 also completely closes the passage 10.
`Thus, because the plug 12 closes the opening 9 the suc(cid:173)
`tion chamber 1 is maintained sealed from the pressure
`chamber 4. Such a sealing is required during operation
`of the pump. The plug 12 is removed for emptying the
`25 chambers 1 and 4 through the openings 8 and 9 when
`the pump is not used, during the winter months, for ex(cid:173)
`ample.
`According to a further feature of the invention, as is
`shown in FIG. 4, the housing of the invention carries at
`to
`30 its exterior reinforcing ribs 17 which serve
`strengthen and stiffen the housing. These ribs 17 are
`integrally formed at their outer ends with an exterior
`false housing wall 18 which serves to further strengthen
`the pump housing and which in addition enables the
`35 pump housing to be provided with an esthetically pleas(cid:173)
`ing appearance. The walliS is a false wall in the sense
`that the true housing wall is situated at the inner ends of
`the ribs 17.
`The pump housing of the invention can be used, for
`40 example, both for self-priming and non-self-priming
`circulating pumps. Thus, to this extent there is no limi(cid:173)
`tation on the structure of the invention.
`The above-described pump housing structure of the
`present invention has the advantage that as a result of
`45 the integration of the suction wall means and the sepa(cid:173)
`ration wall means between the suction chamber and the
`pressure chamber, where the separation wall means
`forms a wall of the pressure chamber, an extremely
`compact construction is provided. A further extremely
`50 important advantage of the present invention resides in
`the fact that the illustrated pump housing, because of
`its compact construction and because of the configura(cid:173)
`tion of the suction chamber and pressure chamber pro(cid:173)
`vided by the invention, enables the pump housing to be
`55 manufactured in one piece preferably by extrusion or
`injection molding, so that on the one hand all problems
`encountered with the present state of the art in connec(cid:173)
`tion with the assembly of housing components are
`avoided and on the other hand an exceedingly inexpen-
`60 sive housing of exceedingly high quality can be manu(cid:173)
`factured. The fact that the pump housing of the inven(cid:173)
`tion can be manufactured in one piece out of a plastic
`material, for example by injection molding, so that sub(cid:173)
`sequent adhering or welding of components to each
`65 other are not required, provides the further extremely
`great advantage that it is possible to use in the manu(cid:173)
`facture of the pump housing of the invention plastic
`materials which are reinforced, particularly by glass fi-
`
`PAGE 7 OF 8
`
`

`

`3,920,352
`
`5
`bers, achieving in this way important advantages with
`respect to the accuracy of the structure, the stability
`thereof, and its lack of sensitivity to temperature fluc(cid:173)
`tuations. In practice, polyamides reinforced with glass
`fibers have proved to be most suitable as the plastic rna- 5
`:terial for the housing of the invention.
`As is apparent from the above description, it is pre(cid:173)
`ferred to provide a suction chamber which is tangen(cid:173)
`tially rendered integral with the separation wall, with
`this suction chamber being cylindrical and circular in
`section while tapering so that it becomes of a gradually
`smaller diameter from the top toward . the bottom.
`However, it is to be understood that the invention is not
`limited to a cylindrical suction chamber of circular sec(cid:173)
`tion. It is also possible to u:;e other sectional configura(cid:173)
`tions such as cylindrical chambers which have a polyg(cid:173)
`onal or square cross section, for example.
`Moreover, it will be noted that the receptacle 7 sim(cid:173)
`ply rests on the bottom surface of the suction chamber
`for the purpose of filtering the liquid before it reaches
`the opening 5.
`A further important feature of the invention resides
`in the capability of using the single closure means 12
`for closing not only the opening 9 but also the passage
`10 as described above.
`In addition it is to be noted that the ribs 17 and exte(cid:173)
`rior false wall 18 not only provide the housing with an
`acceptable appearance but also contribute to the
`strength thereof.
`What is claimed is:
`1. In a pump, a one-piece plastic housing having suc(cid:173)
`tion wall means defining a suction chamber, pressure
`wall means defining a pressure chamber, and separa(cid:173)
`tion wall means integral with said suction wall means
`and pressure wall means and separating said suction
`chamber from said pressure chamber, said separation
`wall means being formed with a suction opening
`through which said pressure chamber communicates
`with said suction chamber, said housing having a top
`and opposed sides, said suction wall ·means being
`formed with an opening at said top of said housing and
`defining a suCtion chamber which is free of undercuts,
`. and said pressure wall means being formed with an
`opening situated at a location other than said opposed
`sides of said housing and also defining a pressure cham(cid:173)
`ber which is free of undercuts, said suction wall means
`having· an inner surface surrounding a central axis of
`said suction chamber and providing the latter with a
`predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and said
`separation wall means extending tangentially with re(cid:173)
`spect to said suction wall means at a location where
`said separation wall means is integral with and inter(cid:173)
`sects said suction wall means.
`
`6
`2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said sur(cid:173)
`face of said suction wall means defines a cylindrical
`suction chamber of circular cross section at a location
`where said separation wall means is integral with and
`intersects said suction wall means.
`3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said suc(cid:173)
`tion wall means defines a suction chamber which tapers
`inwardly from said opening at said top of said housing.
`4. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said suc-
`10 tion wall means carries at least one rib situated in the
`interior of said suction chamber, and an apertured re(cid:173)
`. ceptacle situated in said suction chamber for filtering
`liquid flowing therethrough to said suction opening,
`said receptacle being formed with a cutout which re(cid:173)
`ceives said rib.
`5. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said suc(cid:173)
`tion wall means carries at least one vertically extending
`rib situated in the interior of said suction chamber, and
`20 an apertured receptacle situated in said suction cham(cid:173)
`ber for filtering liquid flowing therethrough to said suc(cid:173)
`tion opening, said receptacle being formed with a cut(cid:173)
`out which receives said rib.
`6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said suc-
`25 tion wall means and pressure wall means respectively
`have lower regions formed with openings through
`which said suction chamber and pressure chamber can
`be emptied.
`7. The combination of claim 6 and wherein said suc-
`30 tion wall means is formed with an emptying passage ex(cid:173)
`tending from said opening at said lower region of said
`pressure chamber, said opening at said lower region of
`said suction chamber communicating with said passage
`and said passage having an outlet at the exterior of said
`35 housing, said opening at said lower region of said suc(cid:173)
`tion chamber being situated adjacent said outlet, and
`closure means carried by said housing at said outlet for
`closing both said passage and said opening at said lower
`region of said suction chamber.
`8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein said pas(cid:173)
`sage is formed with an internal thread at said outlet and
`said closure means including an externally threaded
`plug received by said internal thread and extending lon(cid:173)
`gitudinally across said opening at said lower region of
`45 said suction chamber for closing both the latter open-
`ing and said passage.
`·
`9. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said hous(cid:173)
`ing is made of a one-piece plastic body reinforced with
`glass fibers.
`10. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said
`housing has exterior reinforcing ribs and an exterior
`false wall integral with said ribs.
`* * * * *
`
`15
`
`40
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`PAGE 8 OF 8
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