Pumping system with air vent

• US 3,867,071 A
• Filed: 09/22/1972
• Issued: 02/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ezra D. Hartley
• Original Assignee: Ezra D. Hartley
• Inventors: Hartley, Ezra D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, C. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gluck, Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US05/291,284
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 417/211.5,306,435 55/170 137/202
• US Class Current: 417/211.5
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/025 by means of floats
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/06 Venting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3099 Float responsive

Abstract

A pumping system for pumping a liquid comprising a pump, a check valve on the discharge side of the pump, a vent in communication with the discharge side of the pump and with the upstream side of the check valve, and a valve for opening and closing the vent.

Claims

1. A pumping system for pumping liquid comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being connectible to a source of liquid;

a pump having a suction opening and a discharge opening, said pump being mounted in said housing for pumping liquid through said housing from said inlet to said outlet;

wall means on said housing defining a float chamber in communication with the discharge opening of said pump, said wall means having a vent opening therein in communication with the exterior of said housing;

means for blocking said float chamber from direct communication with the suction opening of said pump whereby the only flow path between said float chamber and the suction opening is through the discharge opening;

a float in said float chamber movable in response to the liquid level in said float chamber;

a valve including a valve element movable between a closed position in which the valve element closes the vent opening and an open position in which the valve element allows flow through the vent opening;

said valve element being drivable toward at least one of said positions thereof by said float, said valve element closing said vent opening in response to a relatively high liquid level in said chamber and opening said vent opening in response to a lower liquid level in said chamber; and

said vent opening being a first vent opening, said valve including a first valve element and a stem, said stem projecting through said first vent opening in both the open and closed positions, means defining a second vent opening in series with the first vent opening, a second valve element disconnected from said stem for closing the second vent opening, said second valve element including a disc.

2. A pumping system for pumping liquid comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being connectible to a source of liquid;

a pump having a suction opening and a discharge opening, said pump being mounted in said housing for pumping liquid through said housing from said inlet to said outlet;

means defining a discharge chamber in said housing communicating with said discharge opening whereby said discharge chamber receives fluid from said pump;

means defining a float chamber in said housing, said chambers having a common wall with an aperture therein to provide communication between said chambers;

said float chamber having a vent opening;

a float in said float chamber movable in response to the liquid level in said float chamber;

a valve including a valve element movable between a closed position in which the valve element closes the vent opening and an open position in which the valve element allows flow through the vent opening;

said valve element being drivable toward at least one of said positions thereof by said float, said valve element closing said vent opening in response to a relatively high liquid level in said chamber and opening said vent opening in response to a lower liquid level in said chamber;

a check valve in said housing in communication with said discharge chamber; and

said float chamber and said discharge chamber being above and below said common wall, respectively.

3. A pumping system as defined in claim 2 wherein said discharge chamber has a Second wall, said check valve including means on said second wall defining a valve seat and a valve element engageable with said valve seat.

4. A pumping system as defined in claim 3 wherein said vent opening is a first vent opening, said first mention valve includes a first valve element and a stem, said stem projecting through said first vent opening in both the open and closed positions, means defining a second vent opening in series with the first vent opening, a second valve element disconnected from said stem for closing the second vent opening, said second valve element including a disc, said aperture being in a lower portion of said common wall, and means for blocking said float chamber from direct communication with the suction opening of said pump whereby the only flow path between said float chamber and the suction opening is through the discharge opening.