GB2224777A

GB2224777A - Apparatus for pumping liquids from containers

Info

Publication number: GB2224777A
Application number: GB8923321A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoff Greenoff; Arthur Cochrane
Original assignee: J W SWAIN
Current assignee: J W SWAIN
Priority date: 1988-10-22
Filing date: 1989-10-17
Publication date: 1990-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-17
Also published as: GB8923321D0; GB8824813D0; GB2224777B

Abstract

A pump arrangement for pumping waste water away from a domestic shower sump 12 into which water from a shower base 10 runs comprises a tube 14 incorporating a non-return valve 18 leading from the sump 12 to a reservoir 22 in which an electrically driven submersible impeller pump 24 with outlets 28 is located. The pump 24 is connected to a liquid level sensing probe 34 in the sump 12 so as to be actuated when the water reaches a predetermined level. A further probe (not shown) is connected to cut off the water supply to the shower if the water level in the sump 12 reaches an unacceptably high level, eg if the pump malfunctions. A waste pipe 32 leads from the reservoir 22 at a point above the outlets 28 and a narrow filler tube 36 extends between the pipe 14 and the reservoir 22 to allow displacement of any air entrapped in the pipe 14. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in or relatitig to pumping arrangements The present invention collcerns improvements in or relating to pumpiiig arrangements, especially but not exclusively pumping arrangemeilts for disposing of waste water from a domestic shower.

There are many liostances where it is desired to itostal a shower cabinet in a room where the removal of waste water from the shower by gravity is not possib]e.

In these circumstances waste water is pumped away from the shower tray. Often the electric pump employed is located within the shower tray and in view of the nature of the operation it has to carry out it is sometimes necessary to employ a self priming pump fitted directly to the waste outlet of the shower tray.

This arrarogemetot has proved to be disadvantageous as some self priming pumps are noisy and expelisive atod are found to be utoreliable ill operation, mainly as a result of the valves, which are necessary for the efficient operation of the pump, failing as a result of the entrapment of grit, hair or other debris.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a pumping arrarigemerot including a chamber having an inlet and an outlet a submersible pump located in arid discharging into the chamber with its discharge located below the outlet from the chamber, a fluid connection between the chamber inlet and a sump to be emptied and means for controlling the operating of the pump.

Preferably the submersible pump incorporates a centrifugal impeller driven by a sealed electric motor.

Preferably the chamber is arranged above the sump to be emptied.

Preferably the fluid connection between the sump and the chamber inlet incorporates a orie way valve permitting flow of fluid into the chamber only.

Preferably a liquid level probe is provided ill the sump and is operable to actuate the pump when the level of liquid in the sump is above a pre-determiried level.

Preferably a by-pass tube is incorporated in the arrangement, extending between the fluid coririecti oro from a point below the inlet and the interior of the chamber.

Preferably a level sensor is provided in the sump and is operable to control the supply of fluid to the sump on failure of the pump arrangemellt.

Preferably the sump is provided at the periphery of a shower tray and the chamber is arranged on the wall of a shower cabinet interroally or externally thereof.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows diagrammatically a pump srrangement for a domestic shower. A pump arrangemellt is intellded to pump away waste water from a domestic shower cabinet, only a part of the tray 10 of which is shown in the drawing. At the periphery of the shower tray 10 there is provided a sump 12 into which water from the base runs under the action of gravity.

A liquid removal tube 14 has its lower end 16 located in the sump 12, and a non-return valve 18, allowing the flow of fluid into but not out of the tube 14, is located at said end 16.

At its upper end the tube 14 passes through to an inlet 20 in the base of a chamber or reservoir 22 in which is mounted an electrically driven submersible impeller pump 24, the pump inlet corlveiently being arranged above the outlet 26 from the tube 14. The outlets 28 from the submersible pump discharge fluid pumped from the sump 12 through the tube 14 into the reservoir 22 until the liquid level within the reservoir reaches the level of an outlet 30 to which is connected a waste pipe 32, the outlet being positioned above the level of the pump outlets 28.

A filler tube 36 extends between the inlet pipe 14 and the interior of the reservoir 22 near its base. The filler tube is of narrow bore and certainly of smaller bore than the inlet pipe 14.

A liquid level serisirig probe 34 is mounted in the sump 12 and its electrical contlectiorls are interposed in the electrical supply to the pump whereby the pump is caused to operate for as long as the liquid level in the sump 12 is at or above a predetermined value sensed by the probe.

A further level seiisor (not shown) may be provided in the sump, this sensor being connected to the water supply to the shower so that if the pump arrangement mal furctions arid the water level in the sump reaches ari unacceptably high level the flow of water to the shower is discontinued before waste water overflows from the tray.

It will be realised that the reservoir with the submersible pump therein can be readily mounted to the walls of the shower either iriterrially or externally thereof. Generally speakilig it is converlierlt to mount the reservoir above the sump.

In operation, after irstallatiori, the reservoir 22 is filled to the level of the outlet 30. Wheri the shower is operated the liquid level in the sump will rise until it reaches and exceeds the predetermiried value sensed by the sensor 34. At this point the supply of electric current to the pump is commenced and the pump begins to operate, discharging water pumped from the sump into the reservoir so that the liquid level therein rises above the outlet port 30, eiiabljrig liquid to escape from the reservoir through the waste pipe 32.

To ensure that a pumping operation is not disrupted by air locks ill the pipe 14 caused, for example, by the release of gases eritrapped in the shower liquid arid, furthermore, to erasure that the inlet pipe is at least partially filled on priming the reservoir, the narrow bore filler tube 36 allows fluid from the reservoir to displace ariy air entrapped in the pipe 14.

When the pump has reduced the liquid level in the sump below the predetermined value sensed by the sensor 34 pumping discontinues until the liquid level rises again.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example, the pumping arranging incorporating the reservoir and submersible pump can be located at a point remote from the shower unit.

Alteriiative means can be employed for detecting the liquid level in the sump for example a float switch, and alternative forms of pumps may be employed. The inlet 20 to the reservoir 22 may be located iri its side below the level of the outlet rather than in its base.

Claims

1. A pumping arrangement iricludirig a chamber having an inlet arid ari outlet a submersible pump located in and discharging into the chamber with its discharge located below the outlet from the chamber, a fluid connection between the chamber inlet and a sump to be emptied and means for controlling the operating of the pump.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, iri which the submersible pump incorporates a centrifugal impeller driven by a sealed electric motor.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, ir which the chamber is arranged above the sump to be emptied.

4. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the fluid coririecti on between the sump arid the chamber inlet iiicorporates a one way valve permitting flow of fluid irito the chamber only.

5. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which a liquid level probe is provided iri the sump and is operable to actuate the pump when the level of liquid iri the sump is above a pre-determiried level.

6. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which a by-pass tube is incorporated in the arrangement, extending between the fluid corinecti on from a point below the inlet and the' interior of the chamber.

7. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 6, in which a level sensor is provided in the sump and is operable to control the supply of fluid to the sump on failure of the pump arrangement.

8. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 7, in which the sump is provided at the periphery of a shower tray.

9. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 8, in which the chamber is arranged on the wall of a shower cabinet internally or externally thereof.

10. A pumping arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accomparoyi ng drawing.

11. Any novel subject matter or combination includirog novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing specification or claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or root within the scope of or relating to the same i roverition as any of the preceding claims.