Patent ID: 8100627

Claim:
A method for handling a pump in a pump handling procedure, comprising: providing a pump comprising: an outer casing having an inlet and a discharge outlet, a pumping chamber within the outer casing, an impeller mounted within the pumping chamber for rotation about an axis of rotation when in use, the impeller having a surface extending radially from an outer circumferential edge of the impeller toward the axis of rotation of the impeller, a fixing mechanism further comprising a fixing element having a radially-extending surface positioned to hold and engage said radially-extending surface of the impeller and having loosening bolts immovably secured to said fixing element and extending from the fixing element through holes formed in the outer casing, each loosening bolt having a tightening nut operatively associated therewith, and tightening bolts threadedly positioned through said outer casing and positioned to effect contact with said fixing element; and activating the fixing mechanism by operatively turning said tightening nut on each said loosening bolt to effect axial movement, by said loosening bolt, of said fixing element from either a holding position, where the radially-extending portion of the fixing element holds and engages the radially-extending surface of the impeller, or a release position, where the fixing element does not engage the impeller; and maintaining the fixing element in either a holding position or a release position by activating said tightening bolts to provide contact between each said tightening bolt and said fixing element to stabilize the fixing element.