Patent Publication Number: US-8529228-B1

Title: Sump pump cover

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a non-provisional application claiming the benefits of provisional application No. 61/221,633 filed Jun. 30, 2009. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to protecting the float switch of a submersible pump from getting tangled with the pump or the vertical discharge pipe. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Liquid disposal systems are generally used for the evacuation of drainage liquids, usually non-potable wastewater, in a large number of applications. Examples of such applications are found in residence and business building sites that are subject to drainage liquid collection, such as where shallow underground water levels cause wall seepage or where ground water runoff accumulates. Whatever the source of liquid collection, liquid disposal systems find application to pump the collected liquid, which is often non-potable water, to acceptable drainage lines, usually return sewer lines or storm water drainage systems. 
     Over the past several years, the overall design of pump assemblies for liquid disposal applications has experienced little change. Typically, liquid disposal assemblies can utilize upright, pedestal or fully submersible pumps. Operational pump control has relied upon some form of switch arrangement to detect the presence and level of liquid collected, such as, for example, the level of wastewater in a collection basin. Such switch arrangements have included float rod and ball switches for pedestal pumps; mercury float switches; mechanical float switches; and diaphragm pressure switches. These switch designs have changed little over the past several years and continue to incur well known deficiencies. 
     Float switch designs are prone to failure due to such factors as wear of mechanical parts; wedging debris entanglement that prevents effective operation; and operational disconnect or maladjustment. With each of these one can expel failure of the pump to maintain a desired liquid level in a collection vessel. 
     Diaphragm pressure switches rely on the differential movement of a diaphragm having one side exposed to atmospheric pressure and a head pressure on the other side. It is known that such switches can vary in reliability depending on the elevation of the installation, and the breather tubes commonly used to sense atmospheric pressure are often subject to obstruction. 
     Submersible pumps used in liquid disposal systems are susceptible to failure when the pumping elements become clogged or otherwise frozen. Wastewater reservoirs usually contain debris that is drawn into the pump, and poor pump performance and pump damage follows. 
     There is a continuing need for a protective hood to cover the submerged pump and prevent the float switch from tangling with the discharge pipe and prevent debris from tangling with the float switch. The present invention answers these needs with a plastic hood that clamps to the vertical discharge pipe and supports the tether for the standard float switch. Below follows a brief description of the known related art. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,206 (1953) to Schaefer discloses a submersible electric motor sump pump. The pump enclosure includes a buoyant member, thus when water surrounds the pump, the buoyant member floats and turns on the pump. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,730 (1972) to Humphrey and French 945417 discloses a flexible plastic cover going over a sump hole, wherein the motor is not submersible but mounted above the cover. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,984 (1978) to Klein discloses a cylindrical sump cover that fits in the sump hole, covers the pump and has a top with a hole for the conduit output line. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,432 (1984) to Mannino discloses a wire tie on a sump pump discharge pipe, the wire tie holds a float switch to power a battery backup sump pump. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,425 (1990) to Mamula discloses a circular cover for a sump hole. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,449 (2007) to Harned et al. discloses a sump pump with its submersible container having a built in electronic level sensor. The container has a transparent lid. 
     Design Pat. No. 385,944 discloses a septic tank cover. 
     Pub. No. U.S. 2004/0231247 discloses a two piece cover plate for a sump hole. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An aspect of the present invention is to provide a hood for a submersible sump pump that prevents the float switch and/or debris from tangling with the discharge pipe and pump. 
     Other aspects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views. 
     The prior art sump pump is removed from the sump. A neck of the hood is placed around the discharge pipe and secured with a tie wrap or hose clamp. The hood extends over the pump. The float tether is secured to the hood with a clamp. The float switch cannot wedge between the pump and the discharge pipe. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a float switch wedged between the pump and the discharge pipe. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the preferred embodiment mounted on the discharge pipe over a sump pump. 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the preferred embodiment alone. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the preferred embodiment alone. 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment showing the exploded clamp. 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the float switch floating free of the preferred embodiment installed on a sump pump. 
     
    
    
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a sump  1  having a low water level  2 . The submersible sump pump  3  feeds a vertical discharge pipe  4 . A float switch  5  has a tether  6  which contains electric control wiring, wherein an electric switch inside the float switch  5  closes when the float switch is horizontal as shown in  FIG. 1 . Thus, in  FIG. 1  the sump pump is running with a low water level  2 , and it will burn out. The float switch  5  is tangled between the discharge pipe  4  and the sump pump  3 . 
     Referring next to  FIG. 2  the pump cover  7  is a one piece plastic hood with a neck  8 . The hood portion  70  covers the sump pump  3 . The distance from the neck  8  to the periphery P is equal to the width of the sump pump so that the hood  70  covers the top of the sump pump as well as straddles the gap G between the discharge pipe  4  and the sump pump  3 . The height does not allow the float switch  51  to enter the gap G. 
     The tether  6  is secured to the discharge pipe  4  with a sheath  11  and wire tie  10 . The neck  8  is secured to the discharge pipe  4  with a wire tie  9 . The clamp  12  of the hood  70  secures the tether  6  below the wire tie  10 . Thus, the float switch  5  rests vertically with the low water level  2  as shown. This vertical orientation keeps the sump pump off. A U bracket  60  is screwed into the sump pump  3  to help secure the cover  7 . 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  three clamp mounting holes  30 ,  31 ,  32  allow the clamp  12  to be mounted at any hole  30 ,  31 ,  32 . The mounting hole  31  has a threaded plug  34  inserted into it. The handle  38  has a threaded bolt  37  which passes through hole  36  of anchor  35  and then tightens the anchor  35  against the tether  6  as the bolt  37  is threaded into plug  34 . The neck  8  has a cylindrical opening  80  to clasp the discharge pipe  4 . 
     In  FIG. 6  the dotted float switch  5  is floating horizontally on high water level  200 , thus turning on the sump pump  3 . The solid lined float switch  5  is at the same position shown in  FIG. 2 . Float switch  5  has a diameter DF. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. Each apparatus embodiment described herein has numerous equivalents.