Abstract: A grinder accessory is useful for a pump in a wastewater application. The grinder accessory has a cutter plate and a cutting body that co-act on solids, especially fibriform solids. The cutter plate has first and second planar faces, mounted in an inlet of the pump, with a plurality of through holes and a central aperture. The cutting body is poised atop the first planar face and extends through the central aperture to rotationally couple with a drive shaft of the pump. A central hub of the cutting body has a plurality of arms that extend radially proximate to the first planar face, so that a leading edge of the arms interacts with the through holes on solids passing therethrough. A housing defines a cutting chamber around the cutter plate and the cutting body to protect them and to induce swirling action.

Abstract: A break-away fitting facilitates installation and removal of a pump in wet well system, along at least one guide rail. When installed, the fitting mates an outlet of the pump to an outlet pipe of the wet well. The fitting has a body with a first and a second surface, the surfaces arranged to be substantially perpendicular to each other. A flanged opening in the first surface is sized and adapted for attaching the body to the outlet flange of the pump. The second surface has indentations for engaging the at least one guide rail, so that the body slides in the vertical channel. To minimize the dangers from static electricity in the wet well, the body may be formed from a non-sparking material, such as brass or bronze, or a surface of the indentations may be covered by a non-sparking material, including high-density polyethylene or poly(tetrafluoroethylene).

Abstract: A break-away fitting facilitates installation and removal of a pump in wet well system, along at least one guide rail. When installed, the fitting mates an outlet of the pump to an outlet pipe of to wet well. The fitting has a body with a first and a second surface, the surfaces arranged to be substantially perpendicular to each other. A flanged opening in the first surface is sized and adapted for attaching the body to the outlet flange of the pump. The second surface has indentations for engaging the at least one guide rail, so that the body slides in the vertical channel. To minimize the dangers from static electricity in the wet well, the body may be formed from a non-sparking material, such as brass or bronze, or a surface of the indentations may be covered by a non-sparking material, including high-density polyethylene or poly(tetrafluoroethylene).

Abstract: A turbine pump that permits an impeller to stay compliant with a raceway by the use of a preloaded floating raceway that operates by utilizing fluid floating on both side of the raceway within the pump.

Abstract: An assembly controls the liquid level in a vessel in which a submersible pump is disposed. The assembly has a switch housing and a float housing, arranged proximate to each other. A switch in the switch housing selectively energizes a motor associated with the pump. When a float disposed in the float housing moves in response to a change in the liquid level of the vessel, the movement is coupled to the switch by a pair of magnets arranged in attractive relationship to each other. One of the magnets is in the switch housing and the other is in the float housing. The magnets interact by providing force fields that acts through a wall that separates the switch housing and the float housing. A lever on which the switch housing magnet is positioned tilts the magnets away from alignment as they approach each other, reducing the increase in attractive force therebetween.

Abstract: A vortex pump impeller utilizes primary blades in combination with splitter blades. An increase in total head is observed through exemplary impellers in a vortex pump, compared to an impeller lacking the splitter blades. Single stage and dual stage pumps utilizing the exemplary impellers are also disclosed. Exemplary pumps may also contain a grinder assembly.

Abstract: A device for interfacing power from an electrical supply having power terminals, that permits implementation of a wide range of power cord lengths and voltage connection combinations. The device includes a body having a cord side and an appliance side. The body has four or more terminals located on the cord side of the body, with one terminal being a ground terminal. At least one electrical connecting device is adapted to connect terminals. In a first configuration, the device is used at a lower voltage. In a second configuration, the device is used at a higher voltage.

Abstract: A device for interfacing power from an electrical supply having power terminals, that permits implementation of a wide range of power cord lengths and voltage connection combinations. The device includes a body having a cord side and an appliance side. The body has four or more terminals located on the cord side of the body, with one terminal being a ground terminal. At least one electrical connecting device is adapted to connect terminals. In a first configuration, the device is used at a lower voltage. In a second configuration, the device is used at a higher voltage.

Abstract: A casing 10 of a pump has first and second casing elements 20, 30. Each of the casing elements has a mating face and these mating faces are sealingly joined. An interior of the first casing element defines a portion of a chamber 50 in which the impeller is mounted. A first interior portion of the second casing element defines the remaining portion of the impeller chamber, and a second interior portion defines a diffusion chamber 60 that is in fluid communication with the impeller chamber. Fluid entering the casing at a fluid inlet 34 passes into the impeller chamber, where velocity is imparted to the fluid. The velocity-enhanced fluid passes axially into the diffusion chamber, which has an expanding cross-sectional area along its length, to convert the velocity into pressure head, which is achieved increasing by at least one of: the radially-inward width and the axial height.

Abstract: An arrangement (10) for controlling the liquid level in a basin (60) by selectively actuating a pump (64) has an environmentally-sealed enclosure (22) with an internal volume subject to thermal and pressure effects. A first (14) and a second (16) pressure sensing means are positioned in the enclosure and a barrier fluid (18) fills a balance of the internal volume. The first sensing means (14) is in a first chamber (22a) of the enclosure (22) and the second sensing means (16) is in a second chamber (22b). The barrier fluid (18) has a first portion (18a) in the first chamber (22a) and a second portion in the second chamber (22b). The first pressure sensing means (14) communicates an “on/off” signal to the pump (64). Diaphragms (26, 40) in the respective chambers (22a, 22b) allow the device to adjust to changes in atmospheric pressures. The barrier fluid (18) is electrically non-conductive, chemically non-reactive with any materials comprising the pressure sensing means and, preferably, an oil.

Abstract: A vortex pump impeller utilizes primary blades in combination with splitter blades. An increase in total head is observed through exemplary impellers in a vortex pump, compared to an impeller lacking the splitter blades. Single stage and dual stage pumps utilizing the exemplary impellers are also disclosed. Exemplary pumps may also contain a grinder assembly.

Abstract: A two-stage sewage grinder pump (10) having two impellers (30, 32) and a grinder (60) attached to the motor shaft (24). Preferably, both impellers are vortex impellers and are positioned between the grinder and the motor. The motor housing includes a discharge conduit (70) that is monolithic with the motor housing (20). An anti-siphon valve (71) is integral with the discharge conduit. An integral discharge flange (75) and check valve (78) are attached to the discharge conduit to connect the sewage grinder pump to a sewage outlet.

Abstract: A two-stage sewage grinder pump (10) having two impellers (30, 32) and a grinder (60) attached to the motor shaft (24). Preferably, both impellers are vortex impellers and are positioned between the grinder and the motor. The motor housing includes a discharge conduit (70) that is monolithic with the motor housing (20). An anti-siphon valve (71) is integral with the discharge conduit. An integral discharge flange (75) and check valve (78) are attached to the discharge conduit to connect the sewage grinder pump to a sewage outlet.

Abstract: A spray cleaner (10) is provided for rotatingly cleaning an interior of a vessel or the like. The spray cleaner has a main body (12) and a rotating spray body (14). The main body is at a proximal end of the spray cleaner, and the rotating spray body is at a distal end of the spray cleaner. An internal flow conduit (22) in the main body of the rotating spray body communicates a fluid inlet in the main body to a plurality of spray nozzles (18) in at least one spray head which is a part of the rotating spray body. A drive train (30) for rotating the spray body is positioned in the main body, such that the flow conduit passes around the drive train in an annular passage coaxial with the drive train, providing cooling thereto. A vaned rotor (26) in the flow conduit is connected to an input shaft (28) of the drive train, which transfers torque to an output drive system (42) that is fixedly connected to the rotating spray body.

Abstract: A sewer basin has a tube mounted longitudinally in the basin to isolate the level sensing elements from particulate and non-soluble materials present in the basin which could contaminate the elements, which are used for selectively activating a pump in the basin. The liquid level in the tube is kept in equilibrium with the liquid outside of the tube by an aperture below the normal low liquid level. A filter is provided in the tube between the aperture and the level sensing elements. The filter is formed by a stack of filter elements mounted on an axial post extending into the tube from a bottom end cap. The elements are limited in their axial mobility on the axial post.

Abstract: A cover for a sewer basin with a pump is provided with upper and lower members. The bowl-like lower member has a central cavity which may be closed in a water-tight fashion by placement of the upper member onto the lower member in a frictional fit. A flanged surface on the lower member allows it to be sealed in water-tight relationship over a maintenance entry into the basin. A control panel for the pump is mounted in the central cavity. Access may be had to the control panel without a need to open the basin, and access may be had to the basin interior without a need for opening the central cavity or the control panel housed therein.