Diaphragm pump

A diaphragm pump with a pumping component composed of a paint stage and propulsion stage; a hydraulic component; and an engine component such as a motor, fashioned such that, in a first predefined position or orientation the hydraulic component and the motor are mounted to each other in side-by-side arrangement, and the pumping component sits on top of the hydraulic component, whereby it is possible to cant the diaphragm pump by 90.degree. and thus bring it into a second operable position for orientation. Unguided paint valves are thereby applied such that, in both positions of the pump, they enclose the same angle with the horizontal line. A measuring stick and an intake line are strategically arranged to be useable in both positions of the pump. A stationary support frame and a mobile support frame are presented to facilitate the flexible positioning or orientation of the pump.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a diaphragm pump with a pumping component which is 
divided by a diaphragm into two stages: a paint stage with a paint inlet 
valve and an unguided paint outlet valve, and a propulsion stage with a 
piston or ram oscillating normally to the diaphragm plane and a propulsion 
chamber located between the diaphragm and a leading front of the piston; 
and a hydraulic component representing a propulsion liquid supply 
container, which is connected via an intake line with the propulsion 
chamber of the propulsion stage. The container comprises a charging hole 
with a measuring stick for supplying and measuring the propulsion liquid, 
and in which an eccentric or cam, mounted on a shaft, for driving the 
piston of the propulsion stage, rotates. A motor is provided as engine 
component for the drive of the shaft holding the eccentric. Diaphragm 
pumps of this type have been known and have been available on the market 
for a long time in various embodiments. 
Constructively, these known diaphragm pumps are respectively designed for a 
certain operating position. Thus, diaphragm pumps which are to be operated 
with a mountable paint container have a paint inlet valve vertically 
sticking out towards a top of the pump in order to be able to place the 
paint container on the pump and to directly connect it thereto. Diaphragm 
pumps, however, which are to be fed from a paint container to be placed 
beside the pump, are mostly provided with an inlet valve projecting out in 
laterally horizontal fashion in order to be able to insert a suction hose 
directly from the inlet valve into the paint container. If the first 
mentioned diaphragm pump is to be fed from a paint reservoir standing next 
to it, or if a mountable paint reservoir is to be placed upon the secondly 
mentioned diaphragm pump, suction hoses or tubes are necessary, bent 
double by 180.degree., which makes drawing the paint difficult or at least 
its start difficult. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to fashion a diaphragm pump of the 
initially mentioned type such that it is fully suitable for two operating 
positions: a first position wherein a paint can or reservoir is mounted on 
top of the pump component and a second position wherein a paint can or 
reservoir is located laterally adjacent to the diaphragm pump. 
Consequently, the pump of the invention can be arranged in two positions: 
the first position for the mounting of a mountable paint reservoir, the 
second position for the connection of a floor type paint reservoir, 
whereby the change from the one into the other position is achieved by a 
simple canting of the pump by 90.degree.. Despite the fact that two 
positions can be achieved, no additional expenditure regarding the 
construction results compared to the conventional diaphragm pumps.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIGS. 1 and 2 are abbreviated representations of the diaphragm pump, 
whereby the elements that are in direct connection with the invention are 
shown. For a better understanding, a brief description of the known basic 
structure of such a diaphragm pump will follow. 
The diaphragm pump is composed of three parts, namely a motor part 10, a 
hydraulic part 11 and a pumping part 12. The motor part 10 is an 
electro-motor of suitable power. The hydraulic part 11 is fashioned as 
supply tank for the hydraulic fluid and has a rotating shaft with an 
eccentric or cam 13 mounted thereon, a charging hole with integrated 
measuring stick 14 for the determination of the level of the hydraulic 
fluid, and a suction line 15 for the hydraulic fluid. The pumping part 12 
is divided by a diaphragm 12a into a propulsion stage and a paint stage. 
In the propulsion stage, a ram or piston 12b oscillates in a direction 
normal to the diaphragm plane, whereby between an end of the ram and the 
diaphragm, a propulsion chamber 12c is located, filled with hydraulic 
fluid via the suction line 15 or the hydraulic stage. The paint stage is 
composed of paint chamber 12d bordering the diaphragm, as well as a paint 
inlet valve 16 and a paint outlet valve 17, whereby the paint inlet valve 
is generally fashioned as a guided valve. 
An unguided valve is a valve wherein performance of the valve is 
significantly affected by the axial orientation of the valve with respect 
to the force of gravity. The orientation of the unguided valve must be 
considered in selection and design. A guided valve is axially guided for 
movement and thus is relatively immune to variations in orientation to the 
horizontal. An example of a guided valve would be a spring closable stem 
supported valve, with the stem guided for axial movement to open and close 
the guided valve, such as is commonly used in an automobile engine. An 
example of an unguided valve is a valve having a poppet ball located in a 
compartment of the valve in unguided fashion with respect to axial 
movement to open and close the valve, and sitting by gravity, covering a 
valve seat. Hydraulic forces thus must overcome gravity to lift the ball 
to pass liquid through the valve seat. 
During the operation of the diaphragm pump, the motor shaft of the 
electromotor drives the shaft holding the eccentric of the hydraulic part, 
and the thus rotating eccentric 13 indirectly or directly drives the ram 
of the propulsion stage of the pumping part. The hydraulic fluid in the 
propulsion chamber which is supplied via the suction line 15 transmits the 
ram movement to the diaphragm which, in turn, impacts the desired pressure 
on the paint located in the paint chamber and supplied via the paint inlet 
valve 16, whereby then the paint under pressure is discharged through the 
outlet valve 17. 
It is worth noting that the allocation performed here of the cited 
components to the three parts 10, 11, 12 serves to simplify the 
understanding of the invention, functionally this particular allocation is 
not necessary or exclusive; thus, the ram and the propulsion chamber could 
also be allocated to the hydraulic component for example. It is relevant 
for explanation that the components are spatially arranged and fashioned 
in the manner as described in the following description. 
In the position or orientation of the diaphragm pump according to FIG. 1, 
the motor component 10 and the hydraulic component 11 are connected with 
one another in a side-by-side arrangement such a motor shaft 10a of the 
electromotor 10 and a shaft 10b holding the eccentric 13 of the hydraulic 
component 11 are arranged in horizontal fashion, whereby the shaft holding 
the eccentric 13 proceeds in axial extension of the motor shaft. The two 
shafts are connected with each other or fashioned as one piece which is 
very simple in the case of electromotors. The pumping component 12 is 
fastened on the hydraulic component 11 such that the diaphragm 12a of the 
pumping component 12 extends itself in a horizonal plane, with the 
propulsion stage beneath the diaphragm, and the paint stage above the 
diaphragm. The ram 12b of the propulsion stage extends vertically from the 
eccentric, eccentric bearing or cam 13 of the hydraulic stage, upward into 
the propulsion stage. The measuring stick 14 is inserted into the charging 
hole of the hydraulic component 11 such that, relative to a vertical line, 
it has an oblique adjustment, approximately parallel to the diagonal or 
body diagonal of the hydraulic component 11. The intake opening 15a of the 
suction line 15 is located far below the fluid level indicated at 18. The 
paint inlet valve 16 projects, as usual, from a top side of the pumping 
component 12 vertically upward; the valve 16 is a guided valve. The paint 
outlet valve 17 is fashioned as an unguided valve and its longitudinal 
axis has a angle of inclination of 45.degree. relative to the horizontal 
line. This position of the diaphragm pump is particularly suitable for the 
mounting of a paint-supply container on the upper side of the paint stage 
of the pumping component 12, as indicated in FIG. 3A, where a paint 
container 19 is put on the diaphragm pump. 
FIG. 2 shows the second position or orientation of the diaphragm pump which 
results from the first position of FIG. 1 by a 90.degree. canting. Here, 
the hydraulic component 11 is located above the motor component 10, 
whereby the motor shaft and the eccentric shaft extend in vertical 
fashion. The pumping component 12, however, is now arranged next to the 
hydraulic component 11, whereby the ram 12b oscillates in horizontal 
direction and the diaphragm 12a extends itself in a vertical plane. By the 
suitable dimensioning of the height and width of the hydraulic component 
11 it is achieved that the level of the hydraulic fluid is again at a 
proper level, without taking out or filling in hydraulic fluid, as is 
desired for the operation, for example to barely cover the eccentric 
bearing 13. The inclination of the axis of the measuring stick as 
described above is approximately parallel to the diagonal of the hydraulic 
component 11. The guided inlet valve 16 now proceeds horizontally, whereas 
the outlet valve 17 has again an adjustment of 45.degree. relative to the 
horizontal line, i.e., an oblique inclination equal to that of the 
position of FIG. 1. In both positions of the diaphragm pump, the unguided 
outlet valve 17 is thus subjected to gravity in the same manner so that, 
in both the first and the second positions, the valve 17 operates in the 
same way and no adjustment is necessary when the diaphragm pump is brought 
from the one into the respective other position. Although the inlet valve 
16 extends itself in different directions in the two positions, the 
directions being perpendicular to each other, this is without significance 
since this valve, as mentioned, is a guided valve. The position of FIG. 2 
is particularly suitable for the case whereby the paint is taken out of a 
floor container, as for example the paint reservoir or container 20 shown 
in FIG. 3B. 
In order to enable operation of the diaphragm pump in a horizontal or 
vertical position with the assistance of simple means, the diaphragm pump 
can be provided with a housing-like casing 21 at which, for each of the 
first and second position, feet to place the pump on the floor are 
located. The casing 21 is shown schematically in FIG. 1. Support feet 22a 
are used in the first position, alternate support feet 22b are used in the 
second position. Four support feet 22a and four support feet 22b are 
preferred, spaced in a typical rectangular arrangement. For an easier 
carrying of the diaphragm pump, handles can be additionally attached at 
the housing as for example, two pipe handles bent in U-shaped fashion. 
As an alternative to the protective housing, the diaphragm pump can also be 
placed in a frame which has feet or feet-like shapings for positioning the 
pump in both the first and second positions. The frame itself can be 
fashioned such that it can accept the complete pump, and has applied 
handles as well, whereby regarding the arrangement of the handles the 
respective gravity position of the pump-frame-unit must be observed. In 
FIGS. 4A and 4B, such a frame 40 is fastened at the pump. The frame 40 is 
composed of one single piece of pipe, which is bent correspondingly, 
whereupon its meeting ends are connected with each other so that a endless 
pipe configuration results. With reference to FIG. 4A and 4C a first bent 
42 is described as the pipe 40 proceeds from a point 40a vertically to a 
bottom or support surface, to a first bend 40d, then proceeds horizontally 
to a second bend 40b at which the pipe proceeds obliquely to a top 
elevation to a third bend 40c. At the third bend 40c the pipe is bent by 
90.degree. to a horizontal orientation to a back position on an opposite 
side of the diaphragm pump, the pipe thereupon bends to form a second bent 
44 identical to the first bent, in a plane parallel to the plane of a 
projection on the page of FIG. 4A. The pipe 40 proceeds correspondingly to 
the visible first bent via a fourth bend 40c', to a fifth bend 40b', to a 
sixth bend 40d', to a seventh bend 40a, where it is bent in a horizontal 
orientation such that its proceeds horizontally to the front of the plane 
of projection of FIG. 4a to the visible location of the point 40a. The 
bends 40a, 40b and 40a', 40c' form open ends of the U-shaped bents 42, 44 
facing upwardly. Closed segments 40f, 40f' act together as a first support 
surface. The first U-shaped bent 42 has a first upstanding leg 40g and a 
second upstanding leg 40h. Similarly, the second U-shaped bent 44 has a 
third upstanding leg 40g' and a fourth upstanding leg 40h'. The first 
upstanding leg 40g is connected to the third upstanding leg 40g' by 
horizontally arranged cross member 40i. The second upstanding leg 40h is 
connected to the fourth upstanding leg 40h' by the horizontally arranged 
cross member 40e . This simple but effective pipe frame 40 guarantees an 
excellent position of the pump in both the first and second positions as 
shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In the position of FIG. 4A, the pump-frame-unit 
can be carried by a user at a cross tube 40e originating at 40c to 40c', 
and in the second position of FIG. 4B can be carried at the second bend 
40b, and the parallel fifth bend 40b', which also can be connected with 
each other by a horizontal pipe piece (not shown). 
Another possible embodiment of a diaphragm pump-frame-unit is shown in the 
FIGS. 5A and 5D, whereby a mobile frame is involved. A tubular chassis 
frame 50 in the shape of an elongated rectangle, which has been bent a 
number of times is, looking at it from a side showing its length (FIGS. 5A 
and 5D) angled in an L shape having a first U shaped bending 50D and a 
second U shaped bending 50e, open ends of said U shaped bendings connected 
together at 50e. At the intersection 50f of the two bendings a wheel axle 
51, which holds two wheels 52, is mounted, spanning a width of the 
elongated rectangle of the frame 50. Outer end portions 50a and 50b of the 
tubular chassis frame 50 are bent again, namely towards an outside of the 
L shape. Furthermore, a handle bar 53 is rotatably mounted at a lower end 
54 to the wheel axle 51 and can be fixed at the end portion 50a as well as 
at the end portion 50b near a top end of the handle bar 53. In the 
position shown in FIG. 5A, the handle bar 53 is captured at the end 
portion 50b using releasable fixing locks 53a, 53b, and the end portion 
50a represents a foot. In the second position shown in FIGS. 5B and 5D the 
handle bar 53 is captured at the end portion 50a with locks 53a, 53b, and 
the end portion 50b represents an alternate foot. By simply pivoting the 
handle bar 53 and capturing the same at one of two end portions, the 
diaphragm pump can be moved and/or put up in the desired position. An 
eighth pipe bend 50c shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, merely represents a 
protection for the diaphragm pump if it is in the position of FIG. 5A. A 
gripping handle 53c is located at a free end of the handle bar 53. 
Naturally, the invention can be modified in numerous ways without leaving 
the field of the invention. Thus, it is possible, for example, to provide 
the paint inlet valve with a 45.degree.-adjustment which is generally only 
useful, however, if the paint inlet valve is an unguided valve as well. 
That is, the valve identified with reference numeral 17 in the figures 
could represent the inlet valve rather than the outlet valve. Furthermore, 
it is understood that may embodiments are conceivable and applicable for 
the hand carrier or the undercarriage as well as for the casing provided 
with feet. 
Although the present invention has been described with reference to a 
specific embodiment, those of skill in the art will recognize that changes 
may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the 
invention as set forth in the appended claims.