Patent Publication Number: US-6988874-B2

Title: Tile flood pump

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference prior filed U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/389,151, filed Jun. 17, 2002 now abandoned. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to pumping devices for pumping water from flooded fields to drainage ditches, catch basins and canals. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable or fixed tile flood pump that can be quickly and efficiently moved, installed and operated in a selected location by the power take-off from a tractor or directly from a diesel, gasoline-powered or electric motor. The pump includes a horizontal pump housing, flanged or otherwise attached to an existing tile or drain pipe extending through a dam, levee or dike from the field to the drainage ditch. An impeller housing joins the pump housing in angular relationship and is immersed in the water covering the field and the impeller housing encloses one or more impellers fixed to an impeller shaft or shafts to pump the water from the field through the impeller housing and the pump housing and through the existing tile or drain pipe, into the drainage ditch. A shaft housing joins the pump housing in angular relationship and is disposed in linear alignment with the impeller housing and typically includes an upper load bearing and an upper marine bearing or bushing for stabilizing one end of the rotating shaft or shafts, the other end of which shaft or shafts are attached to the impeller or impellers and extends through a lower marine bearing and a lower load bearing or bushing located in the impeller housing, for stabilizing the opposite end of the shaft(s). The shaft or shafts are rotated by a tractor power take-off or other driving mechanism to rotate the impeller or impellers, each of which typically consists of two or more flights or screws, fixedly mounted on the shaft or shafts, for pumping the water from the field to the drainage ditch. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment and typical installation of the tile flood pump, illustrating an existing permanent tile or drainage pipe buried in a levee or dike separating a flooded field from a drainage ditch, with the tile flood pump of this invention disposed on the field side of the levee, flanged to the tile or drainage pipe and driven by the power take-off shaft of a tractor; 
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the tile flood pump illustrated in  FIG. 1 , more particularly illustrating the pump housing, shaft housing and corresponding impeller housing; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view, partially in section, of the tile flood pump illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , illustrating the intake end of the pump housing and the flapper valve therein, along with the intake end of the impeller housing; 
       FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the pump housing, shaft housing and impeller housing of the tile flood pump, illustrated in  FIG. 2 , more particularly illustrating a typical flapper valve control and the power drive coupling to the impeller shaft in the shaft housing; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of the tile flood pump illustrated in  FIG. 2 , more particularly illustrating first preferred single impeller shaft and impeller pump components; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a portable tile flood pump illustrated in  FIGS. 1–5 , located on a trailer pulled by a tractor for transportation of the tile flood pump; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the respective housings of the tile flood pump illustrated in  FIGS. 1–4 , more particularly illustrating a preferred end-shaft location of the impeller; 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the single impeller shaft and impeller assembly illustrated in  FIGS. 1–7 , more particularly illustrating an alternative center-shaft location of the impeller; 
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view of the drive end of the shaft housing of the file flood pump illustrated in  FIG. 7 , illustrating the drive bearing, upper flange bearing and the interior of the shaft housing; 
       FIG. 10  is an exploded view of a spaced-apart, single-shaft, dual impeller configuration of the file flood pump illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 11  is an exploded view of an alternative dual impeller configuration of the tile flood pump illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view partially in section, of the tile flood pump having an alternate drive end design; and 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective exploded view of the tile flood pump illustrated in  FIG. 12 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1  of the drawings a preferred embodiment of the tile flood pump of this invention is generally illustrated in a preferred embodiment as reference numeral  1 . The tile flood pump  1  is illustrated in functional position attached to the field end of an existing tile or drain pipe  30 , embedded substantially horizontally in a levee or dike  38 , with the discharge end of the tile  30  extending over a drainage ditch  40  and typically fitted with a tile flapper valve  31 , for preventing water from backing up from the drainage ditch  40 , through the tile  30  and back into the field  39 . The tile flood pump  1  is oriented such that the cylindrical pump housing  2  is substantially horizontally disposed and is typically flanged to the tile flange  33  on the flanged intake end  30   a  of the tile  30 , at the field  39 . An impeller housing  10  extends in angular relationship downwardly and outwardly of the pump housing  2  and terminates in an intake grid  12 , which serves as a water inflow or intake  42 , as indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 1 . Accordingly, water is typically pumped from the field  39  as indicated by the water inflow or intake arrow  42 , through the intake grid  12 , into the impeller housing  10  and through the pump housing  2  from the discharge end of the tile  30  at the flapper valve  31 , into the drainage ditch  40 , as further illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In a typical embodiment of the invention a tractor  36 , fitted with a power take-off  37 , is oriented on the levee  38  such that the power take-off  37  can be connected to the impeller shaft  15 , illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , of the tile flood pump  1 , through a universal joint  34 , to operate the power take-off  37 , the impeller shaft  15  and the internal impeller  13  and pump water from the field  39  to the drainage ditch  40 , as hereinafter further described. The tile flood pump  1  is typically portable and can be transported to the field  39  on a trailer  35 , pulled by the tractor  36 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2–5  of the drawings, the tile flood pump  1  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  includes a cylindrical pump housing  2  of selected length and diameter, having a pump housing bore  3  ( FIG. 5 ) of corresponding size and a pump housing flapper valve  4 , pivoted to the intake end of the pump housing  2  by means of a flapper valve pin  5  ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ) for controlling the flow of water through the pump housing  2 . This flow control is effected by means of a flapper valve control  24  that includes a flapper valve control rod  25 , slidably extending through a brace ring  26   a,  mounted to a corresponding control handle brace  26 , which is attached to a shaft housing  17  and is connected at the extending end to a flapper valve connecting rod  28  by means of a control handle pivot  27 . The flapper valve connecting rod  28  is, in turn, attached to the flapper valve pin  5  of the pump housing flapper valve  4 , such that the flapper valve control rod  25  can be grasped at the control rod grip  25   a  and pulled to open the pump housing flapper valve  4 . In like manner, the flapper valve control rod  25  can be pushed to close the pump housing flapper valve  4  and prevent water from flowing through the pump housing  2  and the tile  30 , from the field  39  to the drainage ditch  40 . 
   As further illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  5  and  9  a cylindrical shaft housing  17  joins the pump housing  2  in angular relationship at a shaft housing opening  18  ( FIG. 5 ) and the shaft housing  17  is aligned with the impeller housing  10 , which joins the pump housing  2  at the impeller housing discharge opening  16  ( FIG. 5 ). Accordingly, it will be appreciated from a consideration of  FIGS. 5 and 7  that the shaft housing  17  and the impeller housing  10  are aligned with each other in order to accommodate the impeller shaft  15 , one end of which extends through an upper flange bearing  19 , mounted in a bearing flange  19   a,  which is secured to facing shaft housing flanges  17   a  ( FIG. 9 ) by bearing flange bolts  19   b  and nuts  19   c,  near one end of the shaft housing  17 . The impeller shaft  15  extends further into an upper load bearing  23 , mounted on the shaft housing  17  by means of bearing mount bolts  23   a,  and through a spacer plate  32 , to the universal joint  34 . The impeller shaft  34  projects downwardly through the shaft housing  17  and the pump housing  2 , where the extending end terminates in the impeller housing  10  in a lower load bearing  20  ( FIG. 5 ). An impeller  13  is rigidly attached by any convenient technique to the impeller shaft  15  in the impeller housing bore  11  near the intake end of the impeller housing  10  at the intake grid  12 , and typically includes one or more impeller flights  14 , which rotate with the impeller shaft  15  and operate to pump water through the intake grid  12 , located on the extending end of the impeller housing  10 , as it is immersed in the flooded field  39 . Water is thus pumped through the intake grid  12 , the impeller housing  10 , the pump housing  2  and through the tile  30 , into the drainage ditch  40 , by rotation of the impeller shaft  15  and the impeller  13 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In a preferred embodiment, the impeller shaft  15  is further stabilized inside the shaft housing  17  by means of a marine bearing  21 , mounted inside the pump housing  2  by means of marine bearing mounts  22 , deployed as further illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 7 . Furthermore, the control handle braces  26  extend from fixed attachment to the shaft housing  17  to welded or otherwise fixed attachment to the pump housing  2 , for securing the shaft housing  17  to the pump housing  2  in alignment with the impeller housing  10  and stabilizing the flapper valve control rod  25 , by means of the brace ring  26   a.    FIG. 8  details an alternative center-shaft mounted impeller  13 , stabilized by a pair of marine bearings  21 , while  FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate other variations in number and mounting locations of the impeller  13 . As further illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 9 , the spacer plate  32  is spaced from the upper load bearing  23  in the upper end of the shaft housing  17  to define a weep space  32   a  in the spacer plate  32 . A weep hole or slot  32   b  in the shaft housing  17  allows water forced upwardly into the shaft housing  17  from the pump housing  2 , to seep along the impeller shaft  15 , past the spacer plate  32  and from the shaft housing  17 , to indicate the pumping efficiency of the tile flood pump  1 . 
   Referring again to  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  7  of the drawings, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the pump housing flapper valve  4  is pivotally secured to the intake end of the pump housing  2  by means of the flapper valve pin  5 , that extends through the end of the pump housing  2  across a diameter thereof, to facilitate opening and closing of the pump housing flapper valve  4  responsive to slidable manipulation of the flapper valve control  24 , as hereinafter further described. Furthermore, the pump housing  2  is most preferably fitted with a pump housing flange  6 , having pump housing flange openings  7 , for securing the pump housing  2  to the tile flange  33  on the flanged intake end  30   a  of the tile  30 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Flange bolts  8  illustrated in  FIG. 1  serve to removably connect the pump housing flange  6  of the pump housing  2  to the tile flange  33 , on the flanged intake end  30   a  tile flange of the tile  30 . 
   In operation, and referring again to the drawings, the tile flood pump  1  is typically portable and can be transported by means of a tractor and trailer  35  ( FIG. 6 ) or a pickup truck or other vehicle to and from a specific location ( FIG. 6 ), where a tile  30  is embedded in a levee  38  for draining a field  39  ( FIG. 1 ) during high water or flood conditions. Accordingly, the tile flood pump  1  can be transported to the desired location, lowered into the flooded field  39  and secured to the flanged intake end  30   a  of the existing tile  30 , by connecting the tile flange  33  of the tile  30  to the corresponding pump housing flange  6  of the pump housing  2 , using the flange bolts  8  and flange bolt nuts  9 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . When the tile flood pump  1  is in the position illustrated in  FIG. 1 , connected to the tile  30 , the pump housing flapper valve  4  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  7  can be opened by grasping the control rod grip  25   a  of the flapper valve control rod  25  and pulling the flapper valve control rod  25 , which action exerts pressure on the flapper rod connecting rod  28  at the control handle pivot pin  27   a  and causes the pump housing flapper valve  4  to pivot into the open position on the flapper valve pin  5 , as further illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The tractor  36  or alternative power supply unit can then be operated to rotate the power take-off  37 , turn the impeller shaft  15  and the impeller or impellers  13  inside the impeller housing  10 , and cause water to flow through the intake grid  12 , as indicated by the water inflow arrow  42  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Accordingly, the water is caused to flow from the field  39 , through the impeller housing  10  and the pump housing  2  by rotation of the impeller flights  14  on the impeller  13 . The water is further caused to flow from the pump housing  2  through the tile  30  and from the tile  30  at the tile flapper valve  31 , as indicated by the water discharge  41 , into the drainage ditch  40 , illustrated in  FIG. 1 . This pumping action forces the tile flapper valve  31  to pivot into the open configuration and pumping may be continued until the water level in the field  39  is sufficiently low to minimize the damage to crops or other adverse conditions resulting from high water in the field  39 , at which time the power to the power take-off  37  is terminated. The operation of the tile flood pump  1  is then stopped and the control rod grip  25   a  is grasped to push the flapper valve control rod  25  toward the field  39 , along with the flapper valve connecting rod  28  and pivot the pump housing flapper valve  4  on the flapper valve pin  5 , to close the pump housing flapper valve  4 , if reverse gravity drain of water from the drainage ditch  40 , through the pump housing  2  and the tile  30 , back into the field  39  is undesirable. This action thus prevents water from flowing through the pump housing  2  by gravity and into or from the tile  30  into or from the drainage ditch  40 . Alternatively, if additional gravity drainage from the field  39  to the drainage ditch  40  is desired without pumping action, and if the water level in field  39  is above that in the drainage ditch  40 , the pump housing flapper valve  4  may be pivoted to the open position as described above, to facilitate gravity drainage of the water into the drainage ditch  40 , without the necessity of operating the tile flood pump  1 . However, under circumstances where the water in the drainage ditch  40  is higher than the water in the field  39  and water still must be pumped from the field  39  into the drainage ditch  40 , the tile flood pump  1  can be operated as described above to achieve this result, although the discharge end of the tile  30  may be immersed and submerged in the water of the drainage ditch  40 . 
   In another preferred embodiment of the invention the tile flood pump  1  is characterized as illustrated in  FIGS. 12 and 13  of the drawings, wherein the shaft housing  17  includes a corresponding bushing flange  52 , having bushing flange openings  53  aligned with the corresponding bearing flange openings  17   b  in the mating shaft housing flanges  17   a.  Suitable mounting bolts such as the bearing flange bolts  19   b  and bearing flange nuts  19   c  are used to secure the bushing flange  52  tightly against the shaft housing flanges  17   a  of the shaft housing  17 , in the same manner as illustrated in  FIG. 1  of the drawings in joining the pump housing  2  to the tile  30 . The bushing flange  52  is fitted with a bushing  47 , which may be constructed of any suitable material, but is typically shaped from polyethylene plastic. The bushing flange  52  receives a top impeller shaft  44 , that extends through the shaft housing  17  and is threadably seated in the impeller  13 , as further illustrated in  FIG. 13 . The top end of the top impeller shaft  44  is provided with top impeller shaft threads  44   a  that threadably seat in a threaded union  43 . In like manner, the bottom end of a drive shaft  46  projects into the top end of the shaft housing  17  and is fitted with drive shaft threads  46   a,  that also seat in the threaded union  43 . Accordingly, it will be appreciated from a consideration of  FIG. 13  of the drawings that the drive shaft  46  is connected to the top impeller shaft  44  by means of the threaded union  43  and the impeller  13  is threadably seated on the bottom end of the top impeller shaft  44 , for rotation responsive to driving operation of the drive shaft  46 , as hereinafter further described. A bottom impeller shaft  45  is fitted with bottom impeller shaft threads  45   a  that are threaded into the bottom end of the impeller  13  and the bottom impeller shaft  45  extends through an impeller shaft bushing mount  50 , fitted with a bottom mount bushing  51 . Accordingly, the bottom impeller shaft  45  is journalled for rotation in the impeller shaft bushing mount  50  in the bottom mount bushing  51 . Similarly, as further illustrated in  FIG. 13 , the top impeller shaft  44  extends through a second impeller shaft bushing mount  50 , fitted with a corresponding bottom mount bushing  51  for journalling the top impeller shaft  44  for rotation in the impeller shaft bushing mount  50  and corresponding bottom mount bushing  51 . It will be appreciated from further consideration of  FIG. 13  of the drawings that the two, spaced-apart propeller shaft bushing mounts  50 , each fitted with a bottom mount bushing  51 , serve to stabilize rotation of the drive shaft  46 , the top impeller shaft  44  and the bottom impeller shaft  45  in the shaft housing  17  and the impeller housing  10  ( FIG. 5 ), responsive to driving operation of the drive shaft  46 . 
   Referring again to  FIGS. 12 and 13  of the drawings, the drive shaft  46  is fitted with a drive shaft neck  46   b  for receiving a pair of load couplers  48 , which load couplers  48  are mounted on the drive shaft  46  at the drive shaft neck  46   b  by means of load coupler bolts  49 . Accordingly, the load couplers  48 , when mounted on the drive shaft  46  as indicated above, prevent the drive shaft  46  from moving linearly under driving loads and water pressure exerted against the impeller  13 , to further stabilize the drive shaft  46 , the top impeller shaft  44  and the bottom impeller shaft  45 , as well as the impeller  13 , in the shaft housing  17  and the impeller housing  10 . It will be further appreciated from a consideration of  FIGS. 12 and 13  of the drawings that the upper load bearing  23  may be fitted with a coupling flange  54 , that may be either square or round, and is fitted with coupling flange openings  55  ( FIG. 13 ) for receiving coupling flange bolts  56  ( FIG. 12 ) and corresponding nuts (not illustrated) for securing the upper load bearing  23  on the shaft housing  17 , as illustrated. A bearing access opening or window  57  is also typically provided in the shaft housing  17  adjacent to the upper load bearing  23 , and serves both to access the upper load bearing  23  and as a weep space, in the same manner and for the purpose heretofore described with respect to the weep space  32   a  and weep slot  32   b,  illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 9  of the drawings. 
   Referring again to  FIGS. 1 and 12  of the drawings in a preferred embodiment of the invention the flapper valve control rod  25  of the flapper valve control  24  is fitted with a rod stop  29 , to facilitate extension of the flapper valve control rod  25  in the direction of the arrow to a pre-selected degree for opening the pump housing flapper valve  4 , illustrated in  FIG. 1 , to a desired degree. It will be further appreciated from a consideration of  FIG. 12  of the drawings that the drive shaft  46  is coupled to the power take-off  37  of the tractor  36  as further illustrated in  FIG. 1 , using the universal joint  34  provided in the power take-off  37 , as heretofore described with respect to  FIGS. 1–5  of the drawings. 
   It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the tile flood pump of this invention is characterized by convenience, portability and flexibility, in that it can be quickly and easily transported to a pumping site, attached to substantially any existing tile or drain pipe at any specific location in a levee or dike which separates a flooded field from a drainage ditch and used to drain the field. Furthermore, the tile flood pump can be powered by substantially any desired means, including the power take-off from the tractor or by coupling the drive shaft of a diesel, or gasoline engine or an electric motor to the impeller shaft  15 , typically at a universal joint  34 , in conventional fashion. Moreover, the tile flood pump  1  can be left in place as illustrated in  FIG. 1  to facilitate normal gravity drainage of water from the field  39  to the drainage ditch  40  under circumstances where the water in the field  39  is above that of the drainage ditch  40 , or it can be used to pump against high water located in the drainage ditch  40 , although the water level in the field  39  may be well below that of the drainage ditch  40 , as described above. 
   While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Having described my invention with the particularity set forth above, what is claimed is: