Site News  |   Monitor Keywords  |   Monitor Archive  |   Organizer  |   Account Info  |

Floating pump

Floating pump description/claims

The invention relates in general to pumps and, more particularly, to pumps that can float during operation.

Pumping devices are well known and used in a variety of environments. Further known are floating pumps which can be used for a variety of different purposes such as drainage, dredging, irrigation, and the like.

Contemporary floating pumps are typically connected to a power source which includes a drive motor. The drive motor is connected to a drive shaft and a propeller which creates flow from an inlet to an outlet of the pump. Floatation devices are provided for buoyancy.

Depending upon the pumping capacity of the floating pump, the power source and resulting torque can be very large. Such a large torque can provide instability to the floating pump, especially during start up and through acceleration to steady state operation. Stability is of great concern for large floating pumps where workers need access to the components of the pump. Contemporary floating pumps have sought to provide stability by positioning the engine and drive assembly on opposing sides of the structure with an elongated, submerged drive shaft connecting them. However, such configurations reduce power transmission efficiency and reduce pumping torque.

Typically, the floating pump is positioned in an environment containing debris and the like. Filtering of such debris is often employed so that the various components of the floating pump can be protected from the debris and/or the debris is not pumped through to the dispensing point. The type and amount of filtering can have an effect on the efficiency of the pumping. Where a high degree of filtering is used, the majority of debris will be isolated from the pump components and/or the dispensing point. Of course, such a high degree of filtering can impede flow to the inlet of the pump and reduce the volume of flow. Where a low degree of filtering is used, a large amount of debris can gain access to the pump components and/or the dispensing point. Such a low degree of filtering can increase the risk of failure through debris damage to the pump components, as well as increase the risk of blockage.

The type of debris can impact the effectiveness of the filtering being employed. For example, cages and the like, which surround moving parts of the pump assembly, can be effective against large, rigid debris, such as wood but are ineffective against smaller, flexible debris, such as rope or other discarded flexible material. Where moveable parts, especially submerged rotating drive shafts, are not protected from this type of flexible debris, the result can be failure of the pump. Such flexible material can penetrate the cage and wrap about the submerged rotating drive shaft resulting in transmission and/or engine failure.

Thus, there is a need for a floating pump that addresses the above-described drawbacks. There is a further need for such a floating pump that protects the pump components from debris, while maintaining pumping efficiency. There is yet a further need for such a floating pump that provides stability even during start up and through acceleration to steady state operation.

The present disclosure provides a stable device for pumping fluids while floating in a pool or reservoir of the fluid. The exemplary embodiment protects the pump components from debris, while maintaining pumping efficiency. The exemplary embodiment provides stability even during start up and through acceleration to steady state operation.

In one aspect, a floating pump is provided comprising: a power system having a power source and a drive shaft; a pumping system having a pumping conduit and a drive member; a filtering system in fluid communication with the inlet; a floatation system having at least one float; and a support structure for supporting the power, pumping, filtering and floatation systems. The pumping conduit has an inlet and an outlet. The drive member is operably connected to the drive shaft for inducing fluid flow through the pumping conduit. The at least one float has sufficient buoyancy to maintain the drive shaft above a water line.

In another aspect, a floating pump is provided comprising: a power system having a power source and a drive shaft; a pumping system having a pumping conduit, at least one gear and a drive member; a filtering system in fluid communication with the inlet; a floatation system having at least one float with sufficient buoyancy to maintain the power source above a water line; and a support structure for supporting the power, pumping, filtering and floatation systems. The power source, the drive shaft and the at least one gear are positioned along a center portion of the support structure. The pumping conduit has an inlet and an outlet. The drive member is operably connected to the drive shaft via the at least one gear for inducing fluid flow through the pumping conduit.

In another aspect, a floating pump is provided comprising: a power system having an engine and a drive shaft; a pumping system having a pumping conduit, at least one gear and a propeller; a floatation system having at least one float with sufficient buoyancy to maintain the engine and drive shaft above a water line; and a support structure for supporting the power, pumping, filtering and floatation systems. The engine, drive shaft and at least one gear are positioned along a center portion of the support structure. The pumping conduit has an inlet and an outlet. The propeller is operably connected to the drive shaft via the at least one gear for inducing fluid flow through the pumping conduit

The drive member can be a propeller in the pumping conduit. The at least one float can be first and second floats positioned along a substantial length of the support structure on opposing sides of the support structure. The power source may be an internal combustion engine. The filtering system can be a box-like structure having an open upper end and comprising a plurality of walls made from screen. The drive shaft can be substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the support structure. The pumping system may also have a right angle gear operably connected to the drive shaft and being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support structure. The pumping system may also have a diffuser downstream of the propeller. The power source and the drive shaft can be positioned along a center portion of the support structure.

The distance from a center point of the power source to a center point of the at least one gear can be less than 0.75 of a length of the support structure. The distance from a center point of the power source to a center point of the at least one gear may also be less than 0.5 of a length of the support structure. The distance from a center point of the power source to a center point of the at least one gear can be less that 0.4 of a length of the support structure. The drive member may be a propeller positioned in the pumping conduit and the at least one float can maintain the drive shaft above the water line.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pump according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a another perspective view of the pump of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the pump of FIG. 1;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

• What Is a Patent?
• What Is a Trademark or Servicemark?
• What Is a Copyright?
• Patent Laws