US2618223A - Centrifugal pump housing - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 18, 1952 N. RANsoHOFF 2,618,223

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP HOUSING Filed OC'C. 2l, 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET l NOV. 18, 1952 N, RANSOHQFF 2,618,223

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP HOUSING Filed oct. 21, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Nov. 18, 1952 2,618,223 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP HOUSING Nathan Ransohoi, Cincinnati, Ohio, assigner to N. Ransohoi, Incorporated, Cincinnati, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application October 21, 1948, Serial No. 55,655

Claims.

This invention relates to centrifugal pumps. It is directed particularly to improvements` in the fabrication of centrifugal pump housings such that they may be produced at less expense than by the methods which are now conventional.

Briefly, this invention is predicated upon the concept of fabricating centrifugal pump housings from sheet lmetal pieces joined togethery by welding. More specically, a centrifugal pump housing is contemplated in which end plates 'of substantial duplicate configuration are employed in spaced relationship to one another, to delineate a cavity or recess for the pump impeller. These end plates may be formed in a simple stamping, die, or torch cutting operation, one die or template serving to provide both end plates since they 'are of similar configuration. The end plates in their spaced, parallel relationship to one another are joined together by a peripheral band of metal to complete the impeller closure. An opening in one of the end plates constitutes an inlet orifice, while the other end plate has a suitable opening through which the pump impeller drive shaft may pass.

To provide a discharge outlet through which pumped uid may be delivered from the housing, each of the end plates is provided with a tail piece which extends, in generally involute relationship, from the peripheries of the end plates. These tail pieces thus dene two side walls of an outlet or a discharge pipe and these side walls are interconnected with one another by Webs of sheet metal through seam Welds at the meeting edges to complete the discharge pipe configuration.

In the preferred construction, the invention contemplates housings for centrifugal pumps which are adapted particularly for service in sumps, wells ortanks. that apparatus of this type be driven from a vertically disposed drive shaft in order that inlet piping and the attendant head loss may be eliminated. The pump, when submerged, receives uid through the opening in one of the end plates, and piping connections to the discharge are facilitated by directing the discharge vertically. vFor these reasons, the invention contemplates end plates in which the discharge pipe tail portions are bent laterally to the plane of configuration of the end plates. Now, by disposing the end plates in spaced parallel relationship and also offsetting them circumferentially in respect to one another, the desired spacing of the tail pieces is maintained to provide two spacedside walls of a verticallyextending dis- It is usually desirable- (Cl. S-111) 2 charge nozzle which is integral with the housing. In such construction, a peripheral band may be utilized to extend around the endl plates and the band may be bent, or shaped, to extend upwardly along the edges of the tail pieces at one side thereof, while a web of sheet metal similarly may be welded along the edges of the tail pieces at the opposite side thereof to complete the pipe conguration.

A discharge pipe fabricated in` the manner just described will, of course, be essentially oi rectangular or polygonal shape in cross section.

However, the transition from this form to circular configuration, to adapt the discharge nozzle for connection to a round pipe, conveniently is facilitated by welding a round nipple to the square nozzle, the latter, if necessary, being swaged toward the round form to facilitate interconnection between the two.

It is appreciated that the efficiency of many modern centrifugal pumps is dependent upon relatively concise shaping of the impeller cavity as Well as the discharge passageway extending from it. However, for many purposes, maximum efciency in pump operation is a less important consideration than the cost of fabrication of the housing'unit; and, in fact in many instances, extreme eiciency does not warrant the extra expense required in the fabrication to provide it. In compliance with these considerations, the pumps of this vinvention are intended for general service purposes where neither high deliv ery pressure nor maximum output are of vital importance.. Typical instances in which such pumps'are particularly well suited to use are thev handling of substantially large volumes of chemical or detergent solutions, as in modern metal cleaning equipment, in sumps or tanks containing solutions for electroplating, and the like. Also in this respect, the invention is predicated upon the concept that metals and alloys which are resistant to corrosive attack by acids, alkalies, and chemicals frequently are very expensive to use in the form of castings or forgings, but are generally available, at reasonable cost, in the form of sheets from which the end plates andinterconnecting webs of the present housing readily may be cut` or stamped. The housings, therefore, conveniently are fabricated at low cost from .metal particularly suited to meet the service conditions underV which the pumps are intended to operate.

A typical pump constructed in accordance with the present invention is disclosedin the drawings .in'WhichL 2 Figure is a View looking up at the bottom of the housing.

Figure 6 is an exploded view illustrating in perspective the several parts of the assembly.

Figure 7 is a top plan View of the assembled pump housing.

The pump illustrated in the drawings comprises top and bottom end plates, indicated generally at I and 2, and a discharge nozzle indicated generally at 3. The uid is pumped by means of an impeller indicated generally at 4', which is disposed within the housing, the impeller being rotated by means of a drive shaft 5 which is rotatably supported in pillow blocks 6 6.

The end plates I and 2 of the housing are substantially flat sheet metal pieces, generally of involute configuration in the preferred form, and each plate has a tail portion 8 extending Vas a continuation of the periphery thereof; the tail portion is separable from the central portion` of the plate along a slit or cut parting line 9. The tail portion 8 of each plate is bent to a position lateral, or at right angles, to the plane of coniiguration of the plate, the bend preferably being generated upon a curvature of substantial radius.

The end plates I and 2 are spaced apart and from one another and their planes of configuration are parallel, the spacing corresponding to the width of the impeller 4 which is intended to g operate between the plates. However, it is also to be noted that the plates are oiset circumferentially with respect to one another, such that the upper parts of the laterally vbent portions 8 of each plate are spaced apart from one another. These tail pieces 8, as bent to this shape, constitute two of the Walls forming the discharge pipe of the housing which is indicated generally at 3` in Figure 1. As illustrated, the tail Ypieces 8 are formed integral with the involute plates I and 2 but it willl be apparent that these pieces may be formed as separate parts and joined to the plates by welding.

To hold the plates 'in this spaced relationship to one yanother vand to close the recess within which the impeller operates, a band of sheet metal I0 is welded to the end plates along the edges thereof. This band starts approximately at the end oi the parting line 9 and continues peripherally around the plates approximately vto the lpoint at whichv the tail -portions diverge from the plane ofv configuration of .the plates. In'additi'on, webs of sheet vmetal are welded 'across the edges of the bent-'up tail pieces to constitute theremaining walls ofthe dischargenozzle. One of4 these webs, II, at the outside, extends .downwardly along edges .of the bent-up pieces and joins the peripheral band I0., while theother, I2, extends along the bent-up tail pieces .at the opposite side thereof and joins the peripheral band.

I2 at a point spaced outwardly from the start of the parting line 9. In the alternative, Athe peripheral band I2 and the outlet pipe Aface -II may be formed as a single stripk appropriatelyv cut and congurated to extend from the Vvstart 'of the parting line 9 all the way around the end plates and upwardly along the outer edges of the discharge pipe.

It will be noted that as the end plates are of duplicate coniguration, one of the tail pieces will extend upwardly above the other a distance corresponding to the spacing of the end plates as indicated by the dot-dash line in Figure 2. However, in fabrication, this excess portion is trimmed away, or cut off with a torch, so that the discharge pipe is substantially square at its end. All of the pieces may be joined together readily by seam or fillet Welding in conventional welding fabrication methods.

The upper end plate in the construction shown in the drawings is provided with a shaft opening'r I Il. A larger opening, I5, is cut in the bottom endy inlet opening may be located in the top endV plate of the housing, around the drive shaft, in which event the bottom end platel of the housing may be devoid of openings.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A housing for a centrifugal pump comprising sheet metal end plates in spaced parallel re-V lationship to one another, said end plates being of similar conguration, generally involute in outline, with each having a tail portion extend` ing substantially involutely from a portion of the periphery, the said tail portions being bent laterally from the plane of coniiguration of the plates, and the said plates being oiiset circumferentially in respect to one another, and means joining the edgewise portions of the said end plates and laterally bent portions wherebyl theassembled parts delineate a housing having an impeller recess between the end plates and lateral discharge pipe extending therefrom, oney o'f the said end plates having an inlet opening and the other of said end plates having an opening for an impeller shaft.

2. A housing for a pump `comprising substantially flat sheet metal end plates having tail` pieces extending substantially involutely from the periphery thereof, the said tail pieces being bent laterally from the plane of coniiguration of the end plates, the said end plates being of substantially identical configuration and residing iny spaced parallel but circum-ferentially oiset vrelationship to one another, the laterally 'bent pertions defining two side walls of an outlet pipe,

and closure pieces welded vto the said side 4walls of the outlet, one of said closure pieces extending peripherally around the said end plates r'to -complete the housing enclosure.

3. A centrifugal pump housing of weldedV sheetmetal construction comprising, a pair of end plates disposed in spaced parallel relationshipto delineate a cavity for a pump impeller, -saidend plates being of substantially duplicate invol'ute conguration, an integral tail piece extending generally involutely from the periphery of' each end plate and bent laterally from the planeof coniiguration of each end plate Aupon va curvature of substantial radius.' said end plates being offset circumferentially 'with 'respect to. one another such that the outer parts of the laterally bent tail pieces are spaced apart to define two opposite walls of a discharge pipe, a band of sheet metal welded to the end plates along the respective edges thereof and enclosing the sides of the pump impeller cavity, and a pair of webs, one of which is welded to the inner side edges of the respective tail pieces and to the band near the inner end thereof, the other of said Webs being welded to the outer side edges of the respective tail pieces and to the band at the outer end thereof.

4. A centrifugal pump housing of welded sheet metal construction comprising, a, substantially flat plate of involute conguration having an integral tail piece diverging laterally from the plane of configuration thereof, a second end plate of substantially identical configuration and construction residing in spaced parallel but circumferentially oifset relationship to the rst, whereby the outer parts of the laterally bent tail p-ieces of the respective end plates are spaced apart from one another to define two opposite walls of an outlet pipe, sheet metal banding extending, in welded connection, peripherally around the sidewise edges of the end plates to enclose the space between the end plates and continuing along the tWo outer edges of the respective tail pieces to provide a third Wall of the outlet pipe, and a web, constituting a fourth Wall of the outlet pipe, welded to the inner edges of the respective tail pieces to complete the enclosure of the pipe and housing.

5. A centrifugal pump housing of Welded sheet metal construction comprising, a pair of end plates disposed in spaced parallel relationship to delineate a cavity for a pump impeller, said end plates being of substantially duplicate involute conguration and each having an integral tail piece bent laterally from the plane of configuration of the plate, the tail pieces of the respective plates being positioned in offset relation to one another such that the opposed faces thereof are spaced apart to dene two opposite walls of a rectangular discharge pipe, sheet metal banding welded to the end plates along the respective edges thereof enclosing the sides of the pump impeller cavity, a web forming a continuation of said banding welded to and extending from the outer` end of the banding in welded connection with the outer side edges of the respective tail pieces, and a second web welded to the inner side edges of the respective tail pieces and to the banding near the inner end thereof.

NATHAN RANSOHOFF.

CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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