Abstract:
A submersible pump for removing liquids from an enclosure having at least one outlet socket for discharging liquid from the enclosure, an electric actuator with a rotary output shaft, a bladed wheel within the enclosure and driven by the actuator and rotating about an axis of the output shaft and wherein a wall of the enclosure is defined by a base having at least one inlet orifice for drawing liquids into the enclosure, and a plate mounted in a reversible manner within the enclosure and close to the base in two distinct configurations, and wherein in one mounting configuration a first cavity of a first dimension is created adjacent the base for the passage of a liquid laden with solid particles and in the other mounting configuration a second cavity of a second dimension is created adjacent the base for the passage of a clear liquid.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a submersible pump having a reversible plate having intake openings that allow the pump to be used for pumping both liquids laden with solid particles and clear liquids that are generally free of solid particles depending on the orientation of the plate relative to a base of the pump. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A submersible pump for clearing away a liquid laden with solid particles is usually designed for clearing away particles from the volume to be treated. The solid particles to be cleared away may have a generally spherical shape whose diameter may reach 30 mm. To clear them away, the pump is submerged in the volume to be treated. The submerged pump clears away the liquid with the particles that it contains. Such a pump therefore makes it possible also to clear away a clear liquid. 
     However, after the particles and the liquid have been cleared away by a pump for laden liquid, the depth of residual liquid in the volume to be dried out is relatively large, because the level of the inlet orifice of the pump relative to the floor must be greater than the maximum size of the particles to be cleared away. 
     Conversely, a submersible pump for clearing away a clear liquid has an inlet orifice submerged closer to the floor than that of a pump for laden liquid, which makes it possible to reduce the depth of residual liquid in the volume to be dried out. However, a pump for clear liquid does not make it possible to clear away solid particles of significant size. 
     Depending on its structural features, a submersible pump of the prior art is intended either for clearing away, or evacuating, a liquid laden with solid particles, or for the virtually complete clearing, or evacuating, of a clear liquid, but not for both of these uses. The user must therefor choose, at a time of purchase, between these two types of submersible pumps, depending on the desired use. 
     The chosen pump allows him to achieve only one of the two uses. To achieve both, the user must buy the two different submersible pumps, which increases the expenditure and space requirement necessary for these two pumps. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is in particular to remedy these disadvantages, by proposing a submersible and reversible pump for clearing away laden liquids or clear liquids. 
     Accordingly, the invention relates to a submersible pump, for removing liquids, comprising:
         an enclosure having at least one socket for the outlet of liquid communicating with the outside of the enclosure,   an electric actuator with a rotary output shaft,   a bladed wheel placed in the enclosure, driven by the actuator and capable of rotating about the axis of the output shaft.       

     According to the invention, a wall of the enclosure is defined by a base having at least one inlet orifice communicating with the outside of the enclosure, and the pump comprises a plate capable of being mounted in a reversible manner close to the base in two distinct configurations, a first mounting configuration being designed for the passage of a liquid laden with solid particles, the other mounting configuration being designed for the passage of a clear liquid, the enclosure having a volume that is cleared between the inlet orifice and the outlet socket, so as to allow the liquid laden with solid particles to flow away. 
     In addition, the plate has at least one first opening and the plate is capable of forming with the base at least one first cavity, the dimensions of the or each first opening and of the or each first cavity being suitable for the passage of the liquid laden with solid particles. The plate has at least one second opening and the plate is capable of forming with the base at least one second cavity, the dimensions of the or each second opening and of the or each second cavity being suitable for the passage of the clear liquid. 
     The pump that is the subject of the invention therefore makes it possible on the one hand to remove a liquid laden with particles of significant size and, on the other hand, to minimize the depth of residual liquid in a volume to be dried out. The conversion of the pump between its two configurations is carried out by simple operations. 
     According to advantageous but optional features, taken in isolation or in any technically possible combination:
         the plate has a portion common to the first cavity and to the second cavity, said common portion being drilled with at least one hole for the passage of laden or clear liquid;   abutment means are provided on the base and/or on the plate in order to position the plate relative to the base, so as to form the first cavity or the second cavity;   said wall defines the bottom of the enclosure and the outlet socket is on the upper portion of the enclosure, when the pump is in the position of use;   the axis of the output shaft is vertical when the pump is in the position of use, and the bladed wheel comprises centrifugal-action blades;   the inlet orifice is level with the axis of the output shaft and the plate has several holes distributed for the passage of liquid, the holes being placed in a symmetrical manner relative to the axis of the output shaft;   the respective discharging cross sections of the first cavity, of the inlet orifice and of the volume each have a minimal dimension of more than 30 mm;   the dimensions of the or each first opening are smaller than the dimensions of the respective discharging cross sections of the first cavity, of the inlet orifice and of the volume, in order to prevent the solid particles that must be removed from being jammed in the pump;   the plate comprises at least one item of information on its mounting configuration, preferably on one and/or on the other of its faces, depending on the nature of the liquid to be removed;   the plate is fastened to the base by means of fastening elements that can be accessed from the outside of the enclosure;   at least one face of the plate has a flat bearing surface designed to support the pump in a stable manner on a flat floor.       

    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be well understood and other advantages of the latter will also appear in the light of the following description of an embodiment of the invention made with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a pump according to the invention configured for removing a clear liquid; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the pump of  FIG. 1  configured for removing a laden liquid; 
         FIG. 3  is a section on a larger scale of the bottom portion of the pump of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a section similar to  FIG. 3  of the bottom portion of the pump of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a view in perspective and on a larger scale of the plate of the pump of  FIGS. 1 to 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a view in perspective of the plate of  FIG. 5  at a different angle; 
         FIG. 7  is a section, along the plane VII in  FIG. 5 , of the plate of  FIGS. 5 and 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a section, on a smaller scale and along the plane VIII of  FIG. 5 , of the plate of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a view in perspective of the base of the pump of  FIGS. 1 to 4 , on a larger scale and at the angle of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a view in perspective of the base of  FIG. 9  at the angle of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a section of the base of  FIGS. 9 and 10  along the plane XI in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a submersible pump P formed by a top half-casing  1  and a bottom half-casing  2 . The half-casing  1  is used for protecting the electric components and for picking up the pump P by means of a handle  15 . The half-casing  2  comprises an enclosure  21  designed to contain the liquid to be removed or to be cleared away. The top half-casing  1  and bottom half-casing  2  are formed by solid walls, so as to render the enclosure  21  sealed from the liquids to be cleared away. The enclosure  21  may be partially or totally submerged in a liquid. The terms top, bottom, upper and lower relate to the position of service of the pump, as illustrated by  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The pump P comprises a base  3  and a plate  4  at which the liquid to be cleared away is aspirated. In the configuration illustrated by  FIG. 1 , for removing away a clear liquid, the pump P rests on the base  3  and on the plate  4 . In this configuration, the plate  4  is housed in the free volume inside the base  3 , so that the plate is not visible in  FIG. 1  in front view, but is visible in  FIG. 3 . In the configuration illustrated by  FIG. 2 , for removing of a liquid laden with solid particles, the pump P rests only on the plate  4  which forms a protrusion beneath the base  3 . 
     The top half-casing  1  is fitted with an outlet socket  13  through which the liquid L can be cleared away. A pipe  14  may be connected to this socket  13  in order to carry the liquid L at a distance from the site to be treated. In the example of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the socket  13  is placed on the upper face of the half-casing  1 . According to a variant not shown, the socket  13  may be fitted to a side face of the pump P. 
     Furthermore, the enclosure  21  is fitted with glands stuffing boxes  10  and  11  designed to receive respectively a cable  7  for providing the pump P with electric power and a cable not shown for controlling the pump P. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the base  3  is placed next to the bottom of the bottom half-casing  2 . The enclosure  21  defines a main volume  20 , in which an electric motor  22  supplied by the cable  7  is housed. The motor  22  comprises an output shaft  225  that rotates and extends along an axis Z 22 . The axis Z 22  is vertical in  FIG. 2  and when the pump P rests on a horizontal floor. 
     A bladed wheel  5  is secured to the output shaft  225  by means of a nut not shown. The bladed wheel  5  rotates about the axis Z 22  when the output shaft  225  is rotated by the motor  22 . The bladed wheel  5  is in this instance of the centrifugal type and it makes it possible to move the liquid to be cleared away along flow lines symbolized by the arrows L in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     Irrespective of the nature of the liquid L, laden or clear, it flows from the bottom of the pump P, where it is aspirated at the plate  4  and the base  3 , to the top of the pump P, where it is cleared away through the socket  13 . The socket  13  therefore places the enclosure  21  in communication with the outside of the enclosure  21 . 
     As shown by the comparison between  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the plate  4  is capable of being mounted in a reversible manner on the base  3 . The mounting configuration illustrated by  FIG. 4  is designed for the passage of a liquid laden with solid particles, whereas the other mounting configuration, illustrated by  FIG. 3 , is designed for the passage of a clear liquid. The main difference between the configurations of the pump P for clearing away a laden liquid or a clear liquid lies in the dimensions of the respective discharging cross sections delimited by the geometry of each face of the plate  4 . 
     As shown by  FIGS. 5 to 8 , the plate  4  comprises a central, generally elliptical tray  40  having a first face  41  and a second face  42  that are generally flat and parallel with one another. The tray  40  is pierced with four holes  43 , two of which are visible in section in  FIG. 8 , designed for the passage of a clear liquid or of a laden liquid. This is why each of the holes  43  has a circular shape of diameter D 43  that is greater than the maximum size of the particles to be removed. 
     Six feet  45  extend from the second face  42  around the tray  40  and perpendicularly to the latter. The soles  451  of the six feet  45 , which extend substantially parallel to the tray  40 , are coplanar and they allow the pump P to rest in a stable manner on a flat floor in the configuration of  FIGS. 2 and 4 . 
     Drill holes  452  are made in the soles  451  in order to connect the inner recess of each foot  45  to the outside of the pump P, which allows the flow of the liquid outside the feet  45  and therefore prevents this liquid from stagnating. 
     The six feet  45  define between them, in twos, six similar notches  47  each having a width L 47  and a height H 47 . Each notch  47  defines a first opening limiting the size of the particles capable of being aspirated during the pumping of a laden liquid in the configuration of  FIGS. 2 and 4 . Therefore, when the plate  4  is mounted on the base  3  with the second face  42  turned toward the floor, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the pump P is configured for clearing away a laden liquid. 
     Similarly, in the configuration of  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the plate  4  comprises abutments  46  which extend above the first face  41  and which are separated in twos by cuts or cracks  48 . The outer surfaces of the abutments  46  define coplanar soles  461 , such that they allow the pump P to rest in a stable manner on a flat floor. In addition, in this configuration, the plate  4  coincides perfectly with the plane defined by the soles  361  of abutments  36  belonging to the base  3 . 
     Each cut  48  has an elongated curvilinear shape and a height H 48  that is small compared with the height H 47 . The height H 48  strongly limits the size of the solid particles capable of being aspirated during pumping in the configuration of  FIGS. 1 and 3 . In this configuration, the cuts  48  of the plate  4  coincide with cut  38  of the base  3 , which prevents generating a restriction of the flow at the passage of liquid, while maximizing the bearing surface area of the pump P on the floor. Therefore, when the plate  4  is mounted on the base  3  with the first face  41  turned towards the floor, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the pump P is configured for removing a clear liquid or, at least, a liquid laden with particles having a size less than the height H 48 . 
     Since the feet  45  and the abutments  46  protrude on either side of the tray  40 , the latter is capable of forming with the base  3  a first cavity  31 , that can be seen in  FIG. 4 , and a second cavity  32 , that can be seen in  FIG. 3 . The tray  40  is common with the first cavity  31  and second cavity  32 . Along the axis Z 22 , the first cavity  31  is higher than the second cavity  32 , and higher than the maximum size of the particles to be cleared away. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 to 11 , the base  3  consists substantially of two bells, a top bell  30  and a bottom bell  39 , nested in one another. The wall of the bottom bell  39  defines a housing of cylindrical shape with an elliptical base designed to receive the plate  4 . The shape of the top bell  30  is made substantially of the juxtaposition of a cylinder with a circular base and a prism with a triangular base with axes parallel to one another and to the axis of the bottom bell  39 . The cylindrical portion of the bell  30  is designed to receive the bladed wheel  5 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , while the prismatic portion of the bell  30  forms a cleared volume  23  which allows the flow of a liquid L, if necessary laden with relatively large particles. 
     The upper contours of the bottom bell  39  and top bell  30  each have a ring  35  for the positioning of the bottom half-casing  2  on the base  3 . The connection thus formed is supplemented by a seal not shown placed in a groove  351  of the ring  35 , in order to render this connection sealed from the liquid to be cleared away. 
     The base  3  comprises a flat partition  37  which separates the volumes defined by the bells  30  and  39 . The partition  37  has an inlet orifice  33 , through which the aspirated liquid L can enter the enclosure  21 . The inlet orifice  33  in this instance has a circular shape with a diameter D 33  greater than the maximum size of the particles to be cleared away. The inlet orifice  33  is level with the axis Z 22  and the four holes  43  made in the tray  40  are distributed in a symmetrical manner relative to the axis Z 22 . The location of the holes  43  is defined so as to prevent the user having direct access to the bladed wheel  5 , when the pump P is operating. This makes it possible to secure the pump P and preserve the wheel  5  and the motor  22 . In this instance, none of the holes  43  faces the inlet orifice  33  of the pump P. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the orifice  33  places the enclosure  21  in communication with the first cavity  31  or with the second cavity  32 , respectively depending on whether the pump P is configured for a laden liquid or for a clear liquid. 
     Several sets of ribs  391  are placed at regular intervals over the periphery of the inner wall of the bottom bell  39 . The ribs  391  each have a flat rectangular shape placed with their upper edge secured to the inner wall of the bottom bell  39 . 
     The bottom edge  392  of the ribs  391 , that is to say the edge opposite to the top bell  30 , serves as an abutment means for positioning the tray  40 , therefore the plate  4 , relative to the base  3 , which makes it possible to form the first cavity  31  or the second cavity  32  and to cause the respective planes of the soles  361  and  461  to coincide in the configuration for clear liquids. In other words, the ribs  391  play the role of spacers between the inlet orifice  33  and the plate  4 . The position of each set of ribs  391  is defined so that the ribs  391  fit into the notches  47  when the plate  4  is mounted in the configuration for clear liquid. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the enclosure  21 , including the volume delimited by the top bell  30  of the base  3 , has a volume  23  that is cleared of any obstacle between the inlet orifice  33  and the outlet socket  13 . It is essentially through the volume  23  that the liquids L to be cleared away flow. 
     The movement of the particles in the pump P must not be hampered by any obstacle, since it is desired to clear them away through the pipe  14 . That is why the respective discharging cross sections of the first cavity  31  of the inlet orifice  33  and of the volume  23  each have a minimal dimension of more than the maximal size of the particles to be cleared away. 
     In this instance, the pump P is designed to treat the consequences of flooding and of river overflow, so it is designed to remove, or clear away, water laden with stones that may reach 30 mm in their largest dimension. In practice, the minimal dimension of the discharging cross sections specified above may be greater than 32 mm. The bladed wheel  5  and the motor  22  are designed to pump a liquid thus laden. Similarly, the diameter D 43  of the holes  43  is planned to be greater than 30 mm. Furthermore, the width L 47  and the height H 47  of the notches  47  are planned to be slightly larger than the maximum size of the particles to be cleared away but slightly smaller than the dimensions of the discharging cross sections situated downstream. The notches  47  therefore fulfil the function of a sieve preventing the particles that are too large from entering the pump P, where they might remain jammed. In addition, once the notches are passed, the particles are sure to be cleared away. 
     The bladed wheel  5  is made of a fibre-filled polymer, capable of withstanding the abrasion and impacts by the particles, such as stones, transported by the liquid to be cleared away. The other parts that are likely to come into contact with these particles may also be made of a fibre-filled polymer. 
     The plate  4  is fastened to the base  3  by means of fastening elements which in this instance consist of two screws  6  screwed through holes  44  of the plate  4  and into tappings arranged in two fastening sockets  34  secured to the base  3 . The screws  6  are arranged so as to be accessible from the outside of the enclosure  21  and of the pump P. Therefore, the user may rapidly remove the plate  4 , turn it over, then reinstall it on the base  3  in order to change the configuration of the pump P. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the first face  41  and the second face  42  each comprise an item of information  49  on the mounting configuration of the plate  4 , in order to guide the user when installing and/or removing the pump P. These items of information  49 , respectively “clear water” and “laden water” correspond to the nature of the liquid L to be cleared away and must be visible beneath the pump. 
     Furthermore, the faces  41  and  42  also comprise information, not shown, explaining what must be done to change configuration. 
     The pump that is the subject of the invention therefore makes it possible to clear away either a clear liquid or a laden liquid, the conversion between these two uses being particularly simple to carry out. Therefore, the user is not obliged to choose the type of pump to purchase, nor to buy both types of pump. The invention also has the advantage of increasing production runs, and therefore to reduce the unit costs thereof, since all the parts of a pump according to the invention are common to both uses of such a pump, namely for clearing away a clear liquid or a laden liquid.