Patent ID: 8152443

Claim:
A self-priming centrifugal pump apparatus for removing flowable material which pumps forward or in reverse and can run dry comprising: a) an external housing comprising a vacuum box with a suction inlet to receive said flowable material, b) a split pump housing having a front wall and a rear wall, a discharge outlet opening in a top portion and opposing inlet means on opposite sides of the pump housing which creates equal pressure from both sides on an impeller, said pump housing mounted in said external housing, c) said impeller being mounted on a driveshaft within and in spaced relationship with said pump housing, said impeller having outwardly extending blades for movement of flowable material outward to the discharge outlet, d) said drive shaft being mounted on sealed bearing means in said external housing and connectable to a motor means, said drive shaft contains left and right hand rotary screw augers to feed fluidized material into the pump housing from opposite sides, said augers extending from within to without the pump housing, said impeller and pump housing cooperating to discharge flowable material through said discharge outlet opening in response to rotation of said impeller, said pump being free of internal mechanical seals and wear plates integral to said pump.