Abstract: A vertical barrel pump wherein the barrel casing is not provided with an integral flange. The flange is a separately produced part whose upper side is engaged by an external shoulder of the barrel before the pump housing is mounted in and is attached to the barrel by way of the flange. The flange can constitute a base plate which is made of reinforced concrete and is embedded in the foundation of the barrel pump.

Abstract: The bearing shell of a multiple-face hydrodynamic radial plain bearing has an internal surface which is composed of several identical arcuate sections whose radii of curvature slightly exceed the radius of curvature of the rotary component within the shell. The central portion of each section is nearer to the external surface of the rotary component than the other portions, and each such central portion has a hydrostatic pressure chamber receiving the liquid which is conveyed by a fluid flow machine wherein the bearing shell is used or a different liquid, such as a lubricant. The axial length of each chamber is between 40 and 80 percent of the length of the bearing shell, and the width of each chamber is between 20 and 80 percent of the length of the respective section, as considered in the circumferential direction of the shell.

Abstract: A casing which admits the fluid medium into the range of the impeller or first impeller in a fluid flow machine, particularly in a centrifugal pump, is made of several sections which have abutting surfaces. At least one such surface has a recess forming part of a fluid flow passage, and the recess is machined into the respective surface by a material removing tool. This simplifies the making of the casing and enables the latter to optimally conform to the conditions of flow between the supply conduit and the impeller or first impeller of the machine to thus reduce noise and stray movements and enhance the efficiency of the machine.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump wherein the back shroud of a brittle impeller of ceramic or glass is coupled to the radially outwardly extending disc of a metallic adapter whose hub receives torque from the pump shaft. The adapter has a flange which surrounds the peripheral surface of the impeller or it has a collar which surrounds a complementary collar of the back shroud. The arrangement is such that the coupling between the adapter and the impeller does not subject the impeller to any tensional or other stresses which would be likely to affect the integrity of the brittle impeller. The disc of the adapter is adjacent the rear side of the back shroud so that the adapter does not interfere with the flow of conveyed material to, in and from the impeller.

Abstract: A fluid flow machine, particularly a centrifugal pump, wherein the casing has a tubular first portion serving to convey a stream of fluid radially toward a pump shaft which drives one or more impellers. The casing has a second portion with an arcuate band-like wall which spacedly surrounds the shaft and defines a passage having an oval cross-sectional outline and receiving fluid from the outlet of the first portion. A cylindrical outlet of the passage is adjacent the foremost impeller or the only impeller of the pump. One or more guides are provided in the passage to control the flow of fluid from the outlet of the first portion of the casing toward and into the range of the foremost impeller.

Abstract: A valve wherein the housing has an internal seat having a sealing face which surrounds a seat area that is inclined with reference to the axis of a stem for the valving element. The sealing face is tapered and forms part of a conical surface. In order to ensure that the valving element is pressed against the sealing face, the line of action of the force which is applied by the stem is eccentric to the axis of the conical surface.

Abstract: A method of machining an axially parallel groove in the periphery of a shaft includes fixedly mounting the shaft in the main spindle of a CNC turning machine, moving a rotating milling tool (whose diameter decreases in a direction from its free end and whose maximum diameter is less than the desired width of the groove) radially and axially of the shaft so as to form a first portion of the groove and to finish one of the lateral surfaces which bound the groove, extracting the tool and changing the angular position of the shaft through an angle which equals or approximates the taper of the tool), and again moving the tool axially of the shaft to complete the machining of the groove and to simulaneously form the other lateral surface. The tool can be reground a substantial number of times so that its useful life is a multiple of that of cylindrical milling tools having a diameter which matches the desired width of the groove.

Abstract: The vane of the impeller in a high-speed or mixed-flow centrifugal pump for the conveying of liquids which contain high or low concentrations of strands or strips of vegetable, plastic or other material has a convex inlet edge whose curvature increases gradually in a direction radially outwardly from the axis of rotation at such a rate that the resultant of the centrifugal force and the resistance encountered by a strip or strand at a particular point of the inlet edge is invariably tangential to the respective point of the inlet edge. This ensures that the strips or strands do not overlie and circulate with the inlet edge but are entrained by the resultant force to become separated from the vane. The stagnation paint of the vane in a region which is remote from the axis of rotation is disposed at the suction side of the vane; this also contributes to prevention of accumulation of strips or strands along the inlet edge.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a casing jacket for centrifugal pumps in which the suction side connecting flange is integrated in the casing jacket and the actual suction nozzle is located inside the casing jacket. A high degree of pressure resistance is obtained by embossed, corrugation-like spaces for the suction side flange connecting means and a corresponding curved or spherical outer contour of the casing jacket.

Abstract: A liquefied gas pump wherein a vessel contains a supply of liquefied gas which is pumped from its inlet to its outlet by a multi-stage upright centrifugal pump whose first stage is immersed in the supply of liquefied gas in the vessel. The shaft seal at the upper end of the pump housing is held out of contact with liquefied gas by a first flow restrictor above the last stage of the pump, an expansion chamber which is filled with liquefied gas and is located above the first flow restrictor, a gas collecting chamber between the expansion chamber and the seal, and a second flow restrictor which is disposed between the two chambers and prevents penetration of liquefied gas from the expansion chamber into the collecting chamber. The latter is connected with the vessel and/or with a gas collecting tank. The expansion chamber is connected with the second and/or third stage of the pump in order to ensure that it is filled with liquefied gas.

Abstract: A radial impeller for use in centrifugal pumps wherein a reduction of the outer diameter entails a change in the total head but does not affect the capacity because the front coverplate of the impeller is inclined with reference to a plane that is normal to the impeller axis. The inclination of the outer marginal portion of the front coverplate with reference to such plane increases in response to decreasing outer diameter of the impeller. The specific speed of the impeller can be increased from approximately 11 to approximately 35 min.sup.-1 by reducing the outer diameters of the coverplates. The exit angles of the vanes are selected in such a way that they remain constant irrespective of the selected outer diameters of the coverplates within the range which is required to change the specific speed from 11 to 35.

Abstract: A thermal barrier which is interposed between the casing of a pump and the housing of a motor has a first section which resembles a spool and includes a first flange sealingly connected to the casing, a second flange sealingly connected to the housing and a hollow cylindrical core spacedly surrounding the pump shaft between the two flanges. The first section serves primarily or exclusively to establish a seal between the pump casing and the motor housing, and the thermal barrier has a second section which takes up stresses and further serves as a heat insulating and/or heat dissipating device. The second section is removably installed in the space between the two flanges of the first section and spacedly surrounds the core. The second section may be constituted by hollow cylindrical walls, one or more stacks of washers or rings, one or more annuli of parallel tubes, bars, rods, ribs or a combination of such elements.

Abstract: The valving element of a valve has an axially projecting tubular extension with an open-ended socket for one end section of a shank which has a larger-diameter cylindrical portion in the deepmost portion of the socket, a smaller diameter cylindrical portion adjacent the open end of the socket, and a concave annular surface between the two cylindrical portions. The concave surface abuts a split ring which has a circular cross-sectional outline and is held in the socket as a result of deformation of the extension close to the open end of the socket. The annular surface abuts the adjacent portion of the external surface of the split ring, the same as the adjacent portion of the internal surface of the extension.

Abstract: A shaft seal assembly wherein the end portions of two coaxial shafts carry two components of a torque transmitting unit. One component is a disc which is eccentrically secured to the end portion of the respective shaft and extends into an eccentric circular recess of the other component which is coaxially affixed to the end portion of the associated shaft. A cup-shaped sealing element is installed in the recess to separate the two components from each other, and its annular portion is sealingly affixed to one end portion of a bellows whose other end portion is sealingly secured to one end wall of a housing. The shaft which carries the one component is rotatably journalled in the one end wall and the other shaft is rotatably journalled in a second end wall of the housing.

Abstract: The rotor of a thrust bearing for the horizontal shaft of a centrifugal pump is installed in a housing which is mounted in an oil-containing vessel and has an inlet below and an outlet above the oil level. The peripheral surface of the rotor has a groove which receives a portion of an annular stator to form a suction channel which draws oil from the vessel through the inlet when the shaft is driven. The oil fills the housing and is returned into the supply of oil in the vessel by way of the outlet, a cooling unit and a filtering cartridge.

Abstract: A submersible motor pump wherein the thermal barrier between the pump housing and the motor housing contains at least one bellows or at least one cylinder and piston unit storing a supply of liquid for admission into the motor housing so as to maintain the motor housing in filled condition. The contents of the motor housing are circulated and cooled by a high-pressure cooler, and the liquid which is to be conveyed from the pressure equalizing device into the motor housing when the pressure of liquid in the pump housing rises is admitted into the motor housing by way of the cooler so that it is cooled prior to entering the motor housing.

Abstract: Two components of the housing of a centrifugal pump have adjoining surfaces and define an opening for an annular insert which surrounds a rotary shaft. The insert is surrounded by a sealing ring which is biased into sealing engagement with the peripheral surface of the insert and against the adjacent internal stops of the two components by a two-piece ring under the action of screws which mate with the insert and are caused to urge the two-piece ring against the sealing ring. The adjoining surfaces of the two components are grooved at the opposite sides of the insert and receive rope-like sealing members which are in sealing contact with the adjoining surfaces of the two components under the action of bolts which urge the two components toward each other. The sealing ring has recesses which sealingly receive the adjacent end portions of the sealing members.

Abstract: A gland which is installed in the hole of a wall between two different atmospheres to prevent the leakage of a fluid from the one side to the other side of the wall along the outer sheath of an electric cable has a tubular metallic housing which is sealingly installed in the hole and into which the cable extends. The interior of the housing is filled with a hardened filler material which completely surrounds bare portions of conductors. Beads are formed on such bare portions. Sleeves are shrunk onto the bare portions of the conductors between the respective beads and insulators for the conductors. A tension reducing clamp surrounds the outer sheath of the cable in the housing. The aperture at one end of the housing contains an O-ring which is biased against the external surface of the outer sheath of the cable and against the surface surrounding the aperture by a second ring.

Abstract: A machine for pumping liquid chlorine employs an upright shaft sump pump which is confined in a hermetically sealed housing and has a tubular supporting element surrounding the pump shaft. The latter is mounted in overhung position and is adjacent to a pressure pipe which conveys the pressurized liquid. The shaft seal is kept out of contact with the liquid by the housing as well as by a body of inert gas which is supplied to the interior of the housing and to the space between the shaft and the tubular element at a pressure depending on the pressure of inflowing liquid chlorine and being sufficiently high to prevent the inflow of liquid chlorine into the housing and/or tubular element when the pump is idle. The main impeller on the pump shaft is made integral with an auxiliary impeller which constitutes a hydrodynamic shaft seal and prevents the flow of conveyed liquid chlorine into the tubular element from below.

Abstract: The thrust bearing for the shaft of a boiler feed pump in a nuclear reactor plant is cooled by a first stream of lubricant which is drawn from a sump by an impeller receiving motion from the shaft. The first stream constitutes one branch of a larger second stream which flows from the discharge end of the impeller. A third stream constituting another branch of the second stream is sprayed against and is cooled by the housing of the feed pump. The first and third streams are caused to reenter the sump by gravity flow. The exterior of the housing is provided with heat dissipating ribs.