Title of Invention

"VERTICAL ALTERNATING PUMP WITH FLAT PISTONS"

Abstract

A pump consisting of a rod [4] with several pistons [5] , making an alternating movement in order to force the head of fluid to rise. The piston consists of a carrier [51] with a top side supporting the valve and a bottom side: which is free. The carrier has several seta [El, E2] of peripheral Blots [513, 514, 515, 516]. Each consists of two peripheral slots in a crescent shape, each extending over half the periphery, defined by an outer wall and an inner wall, both circular [520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525] and, at each end, an arm [530, 331, 532, 533] connecting the inner wall to the outer wall.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a vertical alternating pump for drawing fluids from the ground, as described in cla.im 1. There are various methods of construction for these pumps depending on the purpose for which they are to be used, i.e. the depth at which the water table is located and the output required. Thug, document PR 88 09 575 describee a piston pump consisting of a circular, cylindrical outer casing, the bottom of which has apertures within radial partitions, together with a flexible flap valve. This is fitted to the pump rod and secured by screws. This piston has the disadvantage of being very susceptible to damage by sand and solid particles in general, which are in suspension in the water during pumping operaticns, and which can get between the outer wall of the sleeve of the piston and the inner wall of the tube in which the piston slides. Furthermore, particles can be deposited on the radial elements on the bottom of the sleeve, under the piston. These deposits cause leaks and increase friction. Both of these phenomena can significantly impair performance, Furthermore, this pump is not only relatively fragile, but also requires careful maintenance. A pump is described in document US-A-1 477 381 PALM, which is also fitted with a piston consisting of an outer guide sleeve and a flap valve fitted to the rod- The outer guide sleeve, cylindrical and circular in shape, has peripheral seals to provide support against the wall of the tube. This very complex type of piston is particularly fragile and is not suitable for pumping particle-laden water, as is almost always the case for drawing pumps of the type described above. The aim of this invention is to remedy these disadvantages and to create a pump of an extremely simple and robust construction, which can tolerate particles in suspension in the fluids pumped, and for which maintenance procedures and any repair work are very easy. To this end, the invention relates to a pump of the type defined above and having the characteristics described in claim 1. Accordingly, there is provided a vertical alternating pump for drawing fluids from the ground, comprising: - a collecting tube connecting the outlet level of the pump to the table of fluid to be pumped, which flunges into this table; - a flap valve at the bottom of the collecting tube, allowing the fluid to enter the tube and retaining the head of fluid in the tube; - a rod with one or more pistons, making an alternating movement in order to force the head of fluid to rise; - control mechanisms connected to the rod and controlling its movement up and down inside the tube, - each piston is formed by a carrier, through which the rod runs, fitted firmly to the rod, and a flap valve over the carrier in order to close off the piston under the weight of the head of fluid above or to allow the fluid to move when the piston goes down into the head of water in the collecting tube, characterised in that the piston comprises a carrier with a top surface facing upwards, acting as a support for the valve and a bottom surface facing downwards, which is free, with several sets of peripheral slots, each set consisting of two peripheral slots in a crescent shape, each extending over half the periphery, and defined by an outer wall and an inner wall, both circular and, at each end of the slots, an arm connects the inner wall to the outer wall of the slot. According to the invention, the piston has the advantage of being flat and having a very strong, but very light, carrier, with a very small section allowing water to pass. The design of the top of the walls prevents the accumulation or build up of particles on the top of the carrier, under the flap valve. The crescent shape of the peripheral slots ensures -relative control between the carrier and the head of water, without causing turbulence, which promotes movement and reduces the power required to drive the pump, and thus increases output. The replacement of a piston using the invention is very simple, since it is necessary merely to fit the carrier and/or valve to the rod and then secure. According to the invention, the pumps are particularly suitable for small diameters, i.e. pumps installed in general in relatively isolated spots. Any increase in output allows, on the other hand, a reduction in the drive power required. Another characteristic is that the arms have rounded lateral surfaces, in the arc of a circle, the diameter being equal to the width of the slots. This ,shape of arm makes it possible to transmit loads on the walls very efficiently, particularly the outer wall towards the inner wall or walls and the hub, and therefore the rod. On the other hand, this makes it possible to have juat two arms per set of slots, and therefore to have a very large section for fluid transfer purposes. The choice of arm layout, aligned or not aligned, for the two units or the different units can be significant depending on the shape of the flap valve over the carrier, and depending on whether this flap valve is in one or more parts or in plates. In the case of a valve made up of plates, it is beneficial to have a 90° difference in the arms, and for the valve to have, for example, four plates. Thus, each plate will correspond to at least one supporting arm. The piston carrier is fitted to the pump rod via the hub formed by the internal wall of the slots of the internal set. This carrier can be fixed to the rod by means of two screws fitted to each side of the carrier. This is a particularly simple solution. In the initial method of construction, the carrier is made by drilling and machining a metal element, primarily a circular disk, and in particular an aluminium element. The carrier can also be moulded or cut from extruded profile of the same section as the carrier. The carrier is thus made from a section of profile. Recesses on the edges of the walls to promote water flow are made by finish machining. These recesses are made on the bottom side of the carrier, it being preferable for the top aide to be flat to offer the best support to the flap valve holding up the head of water when the piston moves up. This invention will be described below in more detail using the drawings attached, in which: - figure 1 is a diagram of the pump unit according to the invention, - figure 2 is & partial section of the collecting tube and of a piston according to the invention, - figure 3 is a view similar to that in figure 2 for a piston variant according to the invention, - figure 4 is a view from the top of the carrier using one construction method according to the invention, - figure 5 is a top view similar to that in figure 4 for another method of construction. As shown i.n figure 1, the invention relates to a vertical alternating pump, i.e. a pump working with a forward and backwards movement to pump fluids such as water found, in the ground. This pump [1] has a motor [2] or a crank with an inertia wheel, connected by a mechanism [3] , not shown, to a rod [4] bearing the pistons [5] . Using an alternating movement [arrows C, D] , this rod slides inside a tube [6] which goes down into the table of fluid. The lower end of this tube is fitted with a flap valve, opening in the direction of pumping and holding the head of fluid in the tube. This flap valve is not shown. At the top, the tube [6] is shown with a discharge nozzle [7] which discharges into a tank [3] . With the first method of construction (figure 2), the piston [S] consists of a flat carrier [51] fitted with slots such as those shown in figures 4 and 5. This "slice" carrier [51] has a top surface [511] and a bottom surface [512] which should preferably be parallel. The top surface [511] accommodates a valve [52] , which consists of a flexible membrane in one or more parts. Where there are several parts, these should overlap or at least abut. This membrane can be pushed against the carrier [51] due to the effect of the mass of fluid [L] which is over the piston [5] (return movement D) to make the piston airtight and to retain the head of fluid above. On the other hand, when the piston [5] moves down into the head of fluid, the valve [52] is raised and takes up position 52 shown on the left of figure 2. The water can then go through the slots in 1;he carrier [51] . The piston [5] incorporating the carrier [51] and valve [52] is fixed to the rod [4] by means of two screws [S3, 54], which are against the top and bottom sides of the piston [5]. The rod 1.4] is in several parts to facilitate assembly and removal operations. Figure ;Z shows a threaded sleeve [41] into which the two threaded ends [42, 43] of the parts of the rod [4] are screwed. In figure 4, the carrier [51] comprises several sets of peripheral slots. In the case of figure 4, these are two sets [El, B2] of peripheral slots. Each set [El, 52] consists of two slots [513, 514 (El) and 515, 516 (E2)] , which are crescent shaped, i.e. segments of a circle extending' in practice over half of the periphery. The slots [513, 514] have an outer wall [520] and an inner wall {521 or 522 and 523] . At the end of the slots [513, 514], the walls [520, 521 or 522, S23] are connected by an arm [530, 531]. This applies to the internal slots [515, 516] which are crescent shaped and extend over half the periphery, the outer and inner walls of which are made up respectively by the inner walls [520, 523] of the slots of the outer unit [El] , and by the walls [524, 525] forming the hub of the carrier, The slot [526] for the hub accommodates! the rod [4] (figure 2). The slots [515, 51S] are also defined at the end by arms [532, 533] connecting the inner and ouzer walls. These arms [532, 533] are aligned to the arras [530, 531] of the slots of the outer set [El]. The lateral surfaces [S301, 5302; 5311, 5312 and 5321, 5322; 5331, 5332] are rounded, for example in the arc of a circle of a diameter equal t:o the width of slots 513, 514, 515, 516. These rounded shapes promote the transmission of loads (load of the head of water) received by the walls to the hub. The carrier variant shown in figure 5 differs from that in figure 4 inasmuch as the internal arms [532A, 533A] are not aligned in relation to the outside arms [53OA, 531A] of the outer slots [513A, 514A] and inner Slots [51SA, 516A1. As with the first method of construction, the surfaces adjacent to the arms are rounded. The carrier as described and shown in ficures 4 and 5 can be produced either by machining from a plate the thickness of the carrier, in which the slots [513. 514, 515, 516 and 526] are drilled and out. It is alao possible to produce such carriers by moulding or from a profile with the same section ae the carrier as in figures 4 and 5, from which a section is cut of the thickness required for the carrier. Figure 3 shows a construction variant fcr a piston [5B]. This piston consists of a carrier [51B], identical or similar to those described above, and shown in plan view in figures 4 and 5. But this carrier [51B], the top Side of which takes a valve [52B] is fitted with a threaded sleeve [55B] to take the threaded ends [42, 43] of the parts of the rod [4] - In this exaimple, a screwed or crimped ring [56B] is shown in order to secure the valve [52B]. According to the variant in figure 3, the sleeve [55B] extends either aide of the two sides of the carrier [51B] It is also possible to produce a carrier with a threaded sleeve which only extends upwards or downwards. The length of the threaded sleeve is defined by the length of thread necessary between the aleeve and each threaded end [42, 43] of the rod [4] in order to transmit the load which has to be lifted by each of the pistons and the total load according to position, in terms of depth of the piston in the tube [6]. WE CLAIM:- 1. A vertical alternating pump (1) for drawing fluids from the ground, comprising: - a collecting tube (6) connecting the outlet level (7) of the pump (1) to the table of fluid to be pumped, which flunges into this table; - a flap valve at the bottom of the collecting tube (6), allowing the fluid to enter the tube and retaining the head of fluid in the tube; - a rod (4) with one or more pistons (5), making an alternating movement (C, D) in order to force the head of fluid to rise; - control mechanisms (2, 10) connected to the rod (7) and controlling its movement up and down inside the tube (6), - each piston is formed by a carrier, through which the rod (4) runs, fitted firmly to the rod, and a flap valve over the carrier in order to close off the piston (5) under the weight of the head of fluid above or to allow the fluid to move when the piston (5) goes down into the head of water in the collecting tube (6), characterised in that the piston comprises a carrier (51) with a top surface (511) facing upwards, acting as a support for the valve (52) and a bottom surface (512) facing downwards, which is free, with several sets (El, E2) of peripheral slots (513, 514, 515, 516), each set consisting of two peripheral slots in a crescent shape, each extending over half the periphery, and defined by an outer wall and an inner wall, both circular (520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525) and, at each end of the slots, an arm (530, 531, 532, 533) connects the inner wall to the outer wall of the slot. 2. Pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arms (530, 531, 532, 533) have rounded lateral surfaces (5301, 5302; 5311, 5312 and 5321, 5322, 5331, 5332), in the arc of the circle, the diameter being equal to the width of the slots (513, 514, 515, 516). 3. Pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the piston carrier (51) has two sets of slots (El, E2), an outer set and an inner set. 4. Pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting arms (530, 531) of the outer set (El) are aligned with the arms (532, 533) of the inner set (E2). 5. Pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting arms (530A, 531 A) of the outer set are offset by 90° in relation to those (532A, 533A) of the inner set. 6. Pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the slots of the inner set forms a hub (525) accommodating the rod (4) of the pump. 7. Pump as claimed in claims 1 and 6, wherein the hub is extended by a threaded sleeve (55B) to accommodate, from each side of the carrier, a threaded end (42, 43) of a section of the rod (4). 8. Pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier is made from a section of extruded profile with the same section of the piston to be made. 9. Pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the edge of the inner walls and outer walls and connecting arms have a recess, in particular a sharp edge, on the lower side of the piston. 10. A vertical alternating pump substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

171-del-1999-abstract.pdf

171-del-1999-claims.pdf

171-del-1999-correspondence-others.pdf

171-del-1999-correspondence-po.pdf

171-del-1999-description (complete).pdf

171-del-1999-drawings.pdf

171-del-1999-form-1.pdf

171-del-1999-form-13.pdf

171-del-1999-form-19.pdf

171-del-1999-form-2.pdf

171-del-1999-form-3.pdf

171-del-1999-form-4.pdf

171-del-1999-form-6.pdf

171-del-1999-gpa.pdf

171-del-1999-pct-210.pdf

171-del-1999-petition-138.pdf

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