AU606534B2 - Automatic pump priming device - Google Patents

Description

2 P/00/01 1 ri MW 'g 06334 Form PATENTS ACT 1952-1973 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Class: nt Cl: Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art:

IA

Name of Applicant: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT MONO PUMPS (AUSTRALIA) PROPRIETARY LIMITED OF 338-348 Lower Dandenong Road, Mordialloc, 3195 Victoria, Australia.

t Address of Applicant: K. 1 7 2 8 7 8 Actual Inventor: GORDON ANTHONY MILLER of 35 IHenty Street, Culcairn New South Wales 2660, Australia.

Care of: Address for Service: CWE, CARTER1 HENEY PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 71 QUEENS ROAD, MELBOURNE, 3004, AUSTRALIA Complete Specification, for the inventon entitled: AUTOMATIC PUMP PRIMING DEVICE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to n. 'Note:The description isto be typed in double spacing, pica type face, in an area not exceeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in width, on tough white paper of good quality and it is to be inserted inside this form.

11710/76-L 1170/7-I.C.J. Ttiosfrso4. Commnealcth Govcimment Puinter. Cinbeerr -1 I -2- THIS INVENTION relates to an automatic pump priming device and in particular relates to a priming chamber associated with a source of water supply and a pump which can be a positive displacement pump or a centrifugal pump.

The priming device operates in similar fashion to a conventional foot valve in holding a volume of water up to the pump when the pump is not operating, as with a solar powered pump which is subject to cycles of stopping and starting according to the sunshine available at any particular time.

Unlike the conventional foot valve, the priming device of the invention does not have any moving parts and is therefor not subject to material being caught up in the moving parts of a foot valve and thus preventing sealing of the inlet to the pump with consequent loss of priming water at the pump.

The invention ensures that the pump does not become "dry" during non use and thus obviates the 4 requirement of more power at start-up of the pump, obviates damage to shaft seals and like parts, and obviates the loss of suction which occurs with a "dry" pump.

According to the invention there is provided an automatic priming device for a punp comprising a closed Spriming chamber adapted to be located a!Dove the pump inlet, said chamber having an inlet or suction pipe extending upwardly and inwardly thereof to a location below the closed top of the chamber, an outlet pipe within the chamber open at its upper end at the same level as the inlet pipe and extending through the lower part of the chamber to the pump inlet, said chamber further comprising a priming bleed pipe connected between the lower part of the chamber and the inlet of the pump.

In the installations where the pump outlet is directed to a location below the priming chamber, the pump outlet pipe is directed up to the level of the top of the chamber to prevent gravity siphon draining of the chamber through the pump.

-3 In order that the invention and its manner of performance may be more fully described, reference will now be made to an embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing there is provided a closed chamber 5 having an inlet/suction pipe 6 extending upwardly therein with its open end terminating below the closed top 7 of the chamber. An outlet pipe 8 extends from the level of the open end of the inlet/suction pipe 6 downwardly in and through the lower part of chamber to the inlet side of a pump 9 which can be a positive displacement pump or a centrifugal pump.

Leading from the lower part of chamber 5 Is a o priming line 10 connected to the inlet of pump 9 and Go 0 15 operating to bleed water from chamber 5 to the pump to oe O keep it primed when it is not operating.

In an installation where the pump outlet is 0 directed below the chamber 5, the outlet pipe 11 is brought upwards to the level of the top of the chamber 5 and then downwardly to the location being supplied. This configuration of the outlet pipe 11 prevents gravity 0 siphoning of the priming water through :he pump.

In operation, water enters the chamber 5 from o a supply tank or like source through inlet pipe 6 and fills 0 25 chamber 5 to a level above the open ends of inlet pipe o 6 and outlet pipe 8, to allow the pumping of water to the required location.

oO0s Priming line 10 is at all times connected to i ID the inlet side of pump 9, continuously bleeding water to 00 0 o 30 keep the pump primed when not in operation. When the level of water in chamber 5 falls below the open ends of the inlet and outlet pipes, the volume of air trapped at the upper end of chamber 5 prevents siphoning of water from the chamber and ensures that priming water through line 10 will always be directed to the inlet of pump 9.

It will be appreciated that there my be made many modifications in details of design and configuration of the above-described embodiment within the broad scope _i 4 of the invention and all such modifications are deemed to be within the ambit of the invention.

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Claims (6)

1. 2. An automatic priming device according to Claim 1 wherein the pump outlet pipe is directed up to the level Sof the top of the chamber to prevent gravity siphon draining of the chamber through the pump in installations wherein the pump outlet is directed to a location below the priming t C chamber.
2. 3. An automatic priming device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.
3. 4. An automatic priming device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the pump is a centrifugal pump. An automatic priming device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said priming bleed pipe is at all times connected between a source of water supply in the priming chamber and the inlet of the pump to keep the pump primed when not in operation.
4. 6. A method of automatically priming a pump utilising the device of anyone of Claims 1 to
5. 7. An automatic priming device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Li -6
6. 8. A method of automatically priming a pump substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 25th day of July, 1989. MONO PUMPS (AUSTRALIA) PROPRIETARY LIMITED 04 0 *,boo 0 0 ID0 CP7. 0 0 o 9