Patent ID: 6769886
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: F01C,F04C

Abstract:
A rotary vane pump, comprising:(a) a housing within which is rotatably mounted a rotor having a plurality of slots therein with a vane positioned for sliding movement within each of the slots; (b) an access port in the housing communicating with the rotor at a reference position in relation to the slots, the access port being sized to: (i) permit alignment of any one of the slots with the access port by rotating the rotor; (ii) maintain the vane within the aligned one slot and at a datum within the slot; and (iii) permit entry into the access port and an aligned vane of a stylus having a predetermined length in relation to the datum for determining the length of the vane wherein the stylus includes a first portion that indicates that vane wear is within an acceptable limit for continued use, and a second portion thereon that indicates that vane wear has reached or exceeded an acceptable limit and that replacement is required; whereby a determination of whether wear to the vane has met or exceeded a predetermined amount can be determined by reference to a portion of the stylus exterior to the access port.