Abstract: Low flow centrifugal pump that develops more than 25 percent greater pressure than equivalent standard type spiral impellers with circular casings.

Abstract: A product lubricated thrust bearing includes an annular bearing disc made from a hard bearing material such as silicon carbide and having a plurality of radial lubrication grooves in at least one of a front and rear face thereof to define a plurality of bearing segments. A polymeric layer is bonded to the rear face of the annular bearing disc, and provision is made for preventing the bearing disc from slipping relative to the bore of the bearing carrier in which the thrust bearing is mounted. The bearing disc may be cracked along the radial lubrication grooves to allow the bearing segments to axially float. A metal disc may also be bonded to the polymeric layer opposite the bearing disc to reinforce the polymeric layer and to facilitate prevention of slippage of the bearing disc.

Abstract: An integral axial-field motor pump, includes a housing assembly having a working fluid inlet, a working fluid discharge, and a stationary shaft mounted therein. A motor stator is mounted in the housing assembly radially surrounding the stationary shaft and having a seal to prevent exposure to the working fluid; and a motor rotor is axially spaced from the stator and fixed to an impeller having a hub and journaled, by a bearing fixed in the hub, on the stationary shaft within the housing assembly. The rotor also has a seal to prevent exposure to the working fluid. The stationary shaft has an axial passageway formed within it; and there is a provision for conducting working fluid from the working fluid discharge, along sealed surfaces of the rotor and the stator, through the axial passageway within the stationary shaft, to the working fluid inlet to extract heat from the rotor and the stator and to cool the bearing.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing an encapsulated magnet carrier by forming a wax pattern of the magnet carrier with an annular conducting ring annular chamber section, placing the conducting ring over the wax pattern in the annular chamber section, and forming an investment casting shell mold around the wax pattern and conducting ring. The magnet carrier is then cast with the conductor ring in place by pouring molten casting material into the mold, solidifying the casting material, and then separating the cast magnet carrier with the cast in place conductor ring from the surrounding mold.

Abstract: A diaphragm system is provided for isolating a motor stator from pumped fluid in a seal-less integral-motor pump, the pump having a non-rotating shaft fixed to a motor housing containing the motor stator, the shaft extending into a pump casing within which an impeller is integrated with a motor rotor. The diaphragm system includes a non-metallic diaphragm having a periphery, which conforms to and is clamped between mating surfaces of the housing and the pump casing, and a central circular hole, which surrounds the shaft and is clamped thereby against the housing. Clamping pressure on the diaphragm is limited, and static and dynamic bearing forces are passed directly from the shaft to the housing to minimize creep distortion of the diaphragm which could cause early failure of the pump.

Abstract: A thrust bearing, for axially supporting a rotating member, includes a flat circular disk-shaped bearing body having a central axial bore and a plurality of axial cavities surrounding the central axial bore and a plurality of bearing elements releasably retained, one in each cavity, and axially projecting from the axial surface of the bearing body. The bearing elements are axially reversible and may be provided for rotationally handed or unhanded use.

Abstract: A magnet carrier includes a single piece integrally cast cage with a cast in place ferrous conducting ring circumferentially extending about a carrier axis where the cast cage has a generally U shape. The magnet carrier includes an annular axially extending base wall, an annular aft wall, or annular forward and aft end walls extending radially from the base wall, a conducting ring annular chamber that is bound by the base wall and the end walls, and a plurality of circumferentially located compartments that are bound by the annular chamber and the end walls. The ferrous conducting ring is disposed in the chamber within the cage was cast around the ring. Magnet means are disposed in each of the compartments and an annular sheathing is positioned over the compartments and bonded to the carrier such that the chamber and the compartments are hermetically sealed.

Abstract: A coupling for transferring power from a drive shaft to a driven shaft includes a first coupling member, having a substantially cylindrical body, with a cylindrical bore at a first end, longitudinal key arrangement within the bore for being rotatably driven by a keyed motor drive shaft, and a solid cylindrical portion at a second end having a distal face with an alternating plurality of longitudinally projecting drive lugs and longitudinally recessed pockets; and a second coupling member for installation on a driven shaft having a substantially cylindrical body with a first proximal face, providing a non-cylindrical socket means for receiving and for drivably engaging the driven shaft, and a second distal face with an alternating plurality of longitudinally recessed pockets and longitudinally projecting drive lugs, the longitudinally projecting drive lugs of the first coupling member fitting into the longitudinally recessed pockets of the second coupling member, and vice versa, to complete the coupling.

Abstract: A bearing retainer system includes a hollow cylindrical bearing casing having a casing bore with a first axis for holding a bearing sleeve; an annular outer element rotationally secured to the casing, disposed within the casing bore, and having a circumferential first periphery circumscribed about a second axis which substantially coincides with the first axis; a bearing sleeve mounted in the casing bore and having a cylindrical sleeve periphery circumscribed about a third axis which substantially coincides with the first axis; and an eccentric cylindrical locking apparatus for locking the bearing sleeve to the outer element. The locking apparatus includes cylindrical male and female eccentric annular elements that are eccentric annular in shape and axially disposed at opposite ends of an annular outer element. The male element has an eccentric cylindrical male outer surface which mates with an eccentric cylindrical female inner surface.

Abstract: A percolator system for providing fluid flow to bearings and seals supporting a shaft, on which is mounted an impeller having pumping vanes, disposed within a housing of a centrifugal pump, during intermittent dry running periods, the pump having a vertical upwardly directed discharge nozzle, includes a chamber having a lower end attached to the discharge nozzle and an upper end attached to a discharge pipe, the chamber having an inside diameter greater than an outside diameter of the discharge nozzle, and the chamber further having an internal percolator pipe at least equal in diameter to the discharge nozzle and extending from the nozzle to a height less than the height of the chamber such that fluid coming from the nozzle overflows into the chamber. A fluid return port near the lower end of the chamber has one end of a return tube attached.

Abstract: A corrosion detector for use with a sealless centrifugal pump. The corrosion detector having a corrosion coupon at one end of the detector. The corrosion coupon being formed of the same material as the pump containment shell and having a thickness approximately two thirds the thickness of the containment shell. The corrosion detector is preferably installed in a bore in the pump discharge flange such that the corrosion coupon is exposed to the velocity of the pumped fluid. A detector is mounted within the corrosion detector to detect any leakage of the pumped fluid through the corrosion coupon. The corrosion coupon is designed so that this leakage will occur before the containment shell has failed or begun leaking due to corrosion.

Abstract: A single stage end suction centrifugal pump with a close coupled motor radial magnetic drive. The pump is comprised of a pump housing with a pumping chamber and having an inlet and an outlet. A sealing diaphragm is removably mounted to the pumping chamber to seal the pump from the exterior and prevent pumped fluid from leaking from the pumping chamber. A separate support housing for attaching a motor to the pump housing. The sealing diaphragm and the support housing each being separately attached to the pump housing. Therefor, the support housing and motor can be removed from the pump housing without removing the sealing diaphragm.

Abstract: A cooling system for centrifugal pump bearings and seals for use with a centrifugal pump having a housing containing a pumping chamber and a rotating impeller within the pumping chamber, a passage being formed in the housing, the passage receiving fluid from the pumping chamber and directing the fluid thereby providing cooling fluid flow, and an arcuate groove formed in the housing in fluid communication with the passage, a first end of the groove being adjacent the passage, a second end of the groove being distal of said passage, the groove having a depth which varies from the first end to the second end, the depth at the first end being greater than the depth at the second end.

Abstract: A bearing system including a pair of axially spaced bearing sleeves supporting a shaft extending through the sleeves with the bearing sleeves located and retained in the bore of a bearing holder. Each bearing sleeve contains a flat extending across its periphery and a Woodruff key is seated in an undercut slot formed in the bore of the holder. The Woodruff key contains a flat top engaging the flat on the periphery of the bearing sleeve to lock the bearing sleeve against rotating in the bore in the holder and the side of the Woodruff key prevents the bearing sleeve from moving axially toward the Woodruff key.

Abstract: A sealless pump including a casing carrying an inner rotor that carries magnets mounted on a shaft connected to the pump impeller. A thin can-shaped shell is mounted over the inner rotor and an outer frame is mounted over the shell. The outer frame includes an outer rotor carrying magnets adapted to couple magnetically with the inner rotor to drive the pump through the shell. A pair of guide posts are anchored to the casing and extend through holes in the outer frame for guiding the outer frame into and from an assembled position. Bolts are threaded into the guide posts and have suitable abutments for engaging and moving the outer frame between assembled and disassembled positions.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump of the "sealless" type including a casing containing a pumping chamber, inlet and outlet, and an impeller mounted on a shaft supported by an independent bearing system. The impeller shaft is driven by a motor located outside of the casing through a set of magnets located on the opposite sides of the wall of the casing and magnetically interconnected together with the motor driving the magnets located on the outside of the casing and with magnets located on the inside of the casing being connected to and driving the pump impeller. The bearing system includes a lubricating system which in some cases will use the pumped fluid as a lubricant and coolant.

Abstract: A seal gland for a pump shaft made of plastic material and adapted to retain a ceramic seal seat and having an annular groove for circulating cooling fluid around the periphery of the seal seat. The seal gland has an internal cavity part with an inlet and outlet for cooling fluid to be circulated through the gland. Another outlet provides cooling water for flowing around the seal seat through a hole in the supporting groove of the seal gland.

Abstract: A multi-plunger reciprocating pump comprising a generally horizontally extending crankshaft and a plurality of generally horizontally extending cylinders alternately disposed at least generally above and below the centerline of the crankshaft. An oil pan is detachably mounted in the crankshaft housing below the crankshaft, whereby the oil pan is readily removable to facilitate axial removal of the crankshaft; and the crossheads connecting the crankshaft driven connecting rods to the piston rods are slidably mounted by bearing shoes adapted to be rotated 90.degree. for facilitating access thereto. Also, the suction and discharge valves for the cylinders are readily accessible without disconnection of any of the piping or manifolds of the pump.