US2034419A - Bore hole pump equipment - Google Patents

Description

March, 1936. A. c. POTTER 2,034,419

BORE HOLE mm? EQUIPMENT Filed Jan.'13, 195ss Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor w 5- 0w Attorney March 17,1936. A Q POTTER BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 13, 1933- 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3.

7/ /7/ n E Q ch 3?, 1936. A. c. POTTER BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT Filed Jar 13, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet I5 Fig.7.

Fig.6.

I Inventor 55 6 first Attorney March 17, 1936. A. c. POTTER 2,034,419

BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT v Filed Jan. 13, 1933 Q'Sheets-Sheet 4 FigJO.

. I nventar w. i. W J

Attorney.

March 17, 1936. A. c. POTTER 2,034,419

BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 13, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor Attorney.

March 17, 1936. A. c. POTTER BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 13, 1933 9 Sheets-Shqet 6 March 17, 1936. A. c. POTTER BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 15, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 1111/ IFF/ 1 Inventor 60'. i- I Attorney.

March 17, 1936. A.- c. POTTER I 2,034,419

BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 13, 1953 9 Sheqts-Sheet 8 I 5 I InZ entQr' 96 60m Attorney.

March 17, 1936. A. c. POTTER BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 13, 1933 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Inventor s4 w. 0012:

lo i M Attorney Patented Mar. 17, 1936 BORE HOLE PUMP EQUIPMENT .Arthur Crawley Potter,Grantham, England Application January 13, 1933, Serial No. 651395 In Great Britain April 19, 1932 I eiciaims. "(ohms-47)] This invention relates to bore hole pump-equipments of the kind in which the pump'and a'motor for driving the pump are arranged in close association for introduction into the 'bore hole, the motor being protected against the action of liquid within the bore hole by provision of an air I chamber or'diving bell whereby the liquid is pre-' vented from encroaching upon the motor.

The invention has among its objects to provide such an equipment that may be readily lowered into and raised out of the bore hole, and that may be either supported in position in the bore to provide means whereby the air isolating the hole within the bore hole casing or the equivalent or suspended within the borehole casing from the ground level.

Theinvention has further among its objects motor may be controlled as to pressure for the determination of the level of water within the air chamber or diving bell and also to provide means whereby the pump may automatically be set into operation when the equipment is lowered 'to the desired position within the bore hole.

' According to theinvention the pump unit,comprising a centrifugal or other pump and an electric motor supported from the pump byanintermediate air chamber, is adapted readily to be lowered into or raised out of the bore hole and to beseatedtherein upon a water-tight seating.

According to theinvention, moreover, the water-tight seating may be mounted within a tube 7 serving as the rising main or within the casing of the bore holeor the equivalent.

According to the invention, moreover,'-'the unit comprised by the pump equipmentmay be' received upon a seating ring provided at the lower end of the tube which serves as a rising main, the pump body or the suction pipe of thepump extending through the seating ring,'*and ports being provided to admit liquid from the exterior of the seatingring to the air chamber, while the pump delivery is provided tube in communica-. tion with the annular space surrounding the. air

chamber within the tube or rising main..

The invention has further among'its objects to provide means for supplementing from the ground level the air in the air chamber of the 7 pump equipment, which means are adapted tothe particular construction of the pump equipment and the manner in which the said pump equipment is carried within the borehole by-the I p enlarged scale of the seating represented in Fig- 8- tube in which the seating ring is positioned.

The invention has also among ts objects to provide a constructionof seating ring which is adapted. for adjustment of position within the,

rising mainat any determined position.

bore hole or shafting, to provide means whereby an electrically driven pump equipment may be supplied with current from'contacts positioned upon the seating ring, to'provide means todetermine the accurate disposition of the pump equipment upon thes'eating' ring for effective closure ofthe said supply contacts, to provide for the use of pump equipments according to theinvention in series within the bore hole, and generally to p'rovidelimproved pump equipments for use in 10 deep well and Shaft pu'mping operations.

"The invention further comprises the features hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings." r I Figure 1 is a viewin elevation of a submersible pumpequipment constructed in accordance with -the inventionadapted for reception upon a seating in the rising main and having awater-tight motor. v

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of a submersible pump according to the invention-adapted for reception upon a seating in the rising main, the

rising main being constructed with'an air annupump accordingto the invention, adapted for reception on a seating'in the rising main, and having a water-tight -motor, provision being made for supplying air from the well head to the lower end of the air chamber by means of hose or other pipe connection. i

Figure 7 represents in side elevation a pump equipment according to the" invention, adapted for reception on a seating in the rising main, 40

; and having the motor enclosed inanair chamber, provision being made for supplying air from the well head to the lower end of the air'chamber by means of a hose or other'pipe connection;

FigureS-is a view in elevation of a'submersible pump equipment according to 'the invention mounted upon a' seating o fa construction adapted to fit within abore hole casing orv within a Figureh9 is a part sectional'side elevationto an Figure 10 is a detail elevation of the lower end of the pumpequipmentmounted in a rising-main main showing two modifications of construction provided with an extension'closed by an automatically operated valve.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a particular construction of rising main incorporating an air passage.

Figure 12 is a sectional elevation corresponding to Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a part sectional view of the rising of the air passage;

Figure 14 is a part sectional elevation of a particular construction of seating ring for the pump equipment.

Figure 15 is a view in elevation and partly in section of a pump equipment provided with a self-contained air compressor magnetically. coupled to the motor shaft. f

Figure 16 illustrates diagrammatically hydraulic control apparatus for regulating the operation of thepump equipment.

Figure 17 shows a portion of the rising main and pump equipment for the purpose of illustrating means for supplying electric current to parts illustrated in Figure 17. r

downwardly through the rising main for transfer.

through passages in the pump equipment to the air chamber or diving bell. I

Figure 23 illustrates the use of a plurality of pumps disposed at different depths and operating in. series, the pumps being suitably provided to operate upon gritty liquid.

Figure-24 is a plan view of the tubing shown in Figure 23 together with the guides.

Figure 25 shows an arrangement of pump equiping or rising main.

Figure 26 shows an arrangement in which a pump equipment is supported by a short length ments provided in series within acommon tubof tubing or risingmain extending downwardly from a staging provided in the well or bore hole.

Figure 27 illustrates a construction of shaft bearing which may be used in pump equipments, such as are represented in Figure l, for the shaft connecting the motor and pump.

- In carrying the invention into effect as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, the equipment comprises the pump l. and an electric motor 2 with water-tight casing, supported from the pump by an air chamber 3. In

mounting the pump and motor equipment a tube t serving as a rising main is lowered down the bore hole and the equipment is lowered down to form, and may, for example, comprise an inwardly directed transversely disposed flange suitably positionedin or at the end of the tube and a packing ring of resilient material provided upon the pump body, or it may, for example, be provided in the manner hereinafter described. The pump I is supported at its upper end upon the seating flange 5, while theelectric motor 2 is supported from the pump by the casing or air uppermost liquid level, as illustrated, for example, in the modifications shown in Figures 8 and 9. Ports 8 are formed in the pump casing immediately below the seating flange or ring at 5-to convey leakage water from the upper pump stuffing box back to the suction side, or to admit a fresh air supply to the air chamber 3, while the delivery of the pump is adapted to communicate with the interior of the tube 4 outside the pump equipment or air chamber 3. The upper end -of the rising main tube 4 is supported by a suitable fitting 9 having the delivery ID, the fitting 9 being closed by aremovable cover II which may be readily removed forraising or. lowering the pump equipment by such means as a hoist. The design of the head fitting 9 is advantageously such that a definite pressure or head may be maintained within the rising under pressure by way-of the delivery l0.

Means, are provided for supplying air or increasing the pressure of air withinthe air chamber 3. For this purpose at .the well head there -is provided a compressor l2 with-reservoirs l3 adapted to supply air by the piping H to the annular space 11, between the bore hole lining and the rising maintube 4. 'Such an arrange- -ment permits the water level in the annular space being lowered by air pressure'until it reaches a level at which the air can enter by way of the ports 8 vintothe air chamber 3. Furthermore, this arrangement permits the equipment .to be submerged to relatively greater depths than would otherwise be thecase-without unduly in- I creasing the capacity of the air chamber or alter- "natively to permit the use of a relatively small air chamber and thus a more compact construction of the pump unit or equipment As hereinbefore described, it is desirablethat means should be available for depressing the surface level of liquid within the bore hole by the introduction of air so'that when the level of liquid has been depressed to a determined degree the-air may freely pass into the air chamber or air bell by which the motor'is protected. Thus, in cases where the air is introduced into the bore hole between the rising main and the bore hole casing, difliculty is experienced if the bore hole casing does not extend to the level to which the-level of liquid must be depressed, since there is a tendency forthe air to escape into the earth or soil surrounding the bore hole. The

same disadvantageous condition exists to a greater extent .in circumstances where the bore hole is unlined. v a water-tight seat within the said tube as at 5. Theseating thus provided may be of any suitable For this purpose the rising main may be provided or constructed in various .ways. Thus, the

rising main may'comprise two concentric tubes forming between them an annulus through which the supply of air may be passed. Again, the

rising main may be formed with conduits orpassages in the walls serving thepurposeof a passagefor the air to the air chamber or air bell. Again, suitable fittings providing a passage or conduit for the air may be applied in one.or more positions upon the inner or outer face of main so that a booster pump may be supplied the rising main; or again, the passage may be provided merely by a length or lengths of tubing, such as copper tubing, which may be carried 'downwardly either within or without the rising main.

It is necessary that, whatever the construction adopted, means shall be provided whereby at the junction between the succeeding lengths of rising main an effective joint between the air conduits or passages, fittings, tubes or the like may be made.

In Figure .2 of the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a construction of the rising main 4 such as that now described. It will be observed that the seating 5 forthe pumping unit is carried from the inner of theconcentrictubes forming the rising main and that the outer of the tubes extends below the said seating to ensure the passage of air which is passed into the annu'-.

the rising main is formed of concentric tubes l5,-

Hi, the succeeding sections of the two tubes being connected by suitable ring connectors in which are provided communicating passages for connecting the annular space I! between the upper concentric tube lengths with that of the succeeding concentric tube lengths The ring connectors may bevaried in construction according to requirements. Thus, they may comprise rings l8 of internal and external diameters corresponding respectively to the internal diameter of the,

. inner tube I5 and the external diameter of the outer tube l6. Such ring-connector is provided on the upper and lower surfaces with cylindrical walls IQ, of suitable length which are screwthreaded on the inner and outer faces to engage respectively with screw threads provided upon the outer periphery of the inner tube l5 and the inner periphery of the outer tube I6. By such a construction a substantially uniform wall surface,

is given to the rising main on the outer and inner faces. ing between the annular spaces ll of the upper and lower tube lengths are formed as passages or conduits extending from the upper to the lower faces of the opposed cylindrical walls of the ring connector. 7

In the construction of ring connector represented in Figure 5, this is formed as a short cylinder 2! having an internal diameter approximating to that of the external diameter of the outer tube l6 and with a flange-like body 22 extending at the, middle of the length and of a cross-section which is of considerable length in comparison with its thickness. The inner face 23 of the said flange is of a diameter to approximate to the exteriorv diameter of the inner tube l5 and is screw-threaded to engage screw threads provided upon the adjacent ends ofthe two-lengths of the inner tube I5. The inner surfaces 24 of the cylinder which extend above and below the flangelike body 22 are also screw-threaded to engage screw threads provided upon the adjacent ends of the succeeding lengths of the outer tube [6.

The communicating passages 20 extend The necessarypassages 25 for communication be-- tween the uppergand, lower annular spaces ll of the rising mainare formedfthrough the flange like body.

I At the head ,ofgthe bore hole, means are provided whereby a convenient connection}v of a source of air under pressure with. theannular space [1- between the tubes of the rising main may be made. Thus, the tubes may at this position be connected to a connector 26 substantially as hereinbefore described,,but provided with an outwardly extending flangell, for its support from the casing 28 at theheadof the borehole,

such connectorbeing provided with no passages other than a single supply passage 29 which may conveniently pass either directly through tothe upper surface or-may be. diverted through the flange 21 for connection to the supplypipelextendingfrom a compressor or'compressed air reservoirs. Other means may alternatively be I employedsuch as a connection made to the annular space I! between the tubesof the rising main through a boss 30 provided upon the wall of the outer tube l5. I

While the construction.hereinbefore described is preferred, other means may be'adopted of forming the air supply conduit or. passages for the purposes of the invention. Thus, there may beprovided upon'the inner or outer surface of the tube forming the rising main, as illustrated in Figures 11, 12 and 1?, fittings lid in which the necessary passages I! are integrally formed or are formed between the said fittings and the surface of the rising main and such fittings may be applied by welding or other means of mounting means of communication with the corresponding groove or channel of the succeeding length of rising main, Alternatively, tubing or piping l'ld (Figure 13) may be provided to form the air pas sage, and in such case the tube maybe continuous or provided with joints corresponding to the joints in the rising main or otherwise disposed.

Communication may be made at the desired position between the air passages andthe air chamber. or air bell in any suitable manner. Thus, in the case of the concentric tubular formation of the rising main, this may be effected either by ports provided in the inner tube or by shortening of the inner tube in relation to the outer tube. Similarly,lin thecase of the use of fittings or tubing as hereinbefore described,"ports l'le (Figure 12) may be provided in communication with thesaid fittings or tubes'or the latter may be .diverted to the inner side of the rising main.

Inthe construction represented in Figure 6 e the arrangement is as hereinbefore described in Figure 1, but air is led from the compressor or reservoirs by way of hose pipe3l within the rising main 4 to a fitting 32 at the lower end of the air chamber 3.

g In the construction represented in Figure I .the arrangement is as hereinbefore described in Figure 6, but the motor 2 is enclosed in an extension of the air. chamber 3,

In pumping water having solid matter in suspension it is desirable that the passagewaysfor the flow of the water from the impellerof the pump to the head of the rising main should be substantially of similar cross-section to ensure an approximately uniform velocity of fiow whereby the settlement of the solid matter'may be avoided.

Figure 8 illustrates an equipment such as hereinbefore described mounted within the bore hole casing by the use of a seating ring adapted to be fitted in a determined position within the borehole casing.

In order that the pump may be so mounted, as shown in Figure 9, atany desired position in the bore hole casing 35 according to the construction represented in Figure 8 a tubular ring 36 is provided with means to permit the engagement orgripping of the surface of the casing which is formed of lengths of tubing 35 connected together by coupling sleeves 31. For this purpose the tubular ring 36 is provided on its outer periphery at the lower end with a plurality of dogs or wedge members 38 having a substantially dove-tail cross-section and disposed in circularinto engagement with the said tool when the tubular ring 36 is lowered into the casing and the dogs'or wedge members are thus moved upwardly along their respective slides to function as wedges and by engagement of their serrated or roughened surfaces with the wall'of the easing tightly to hold the tubular ring within the casing.

The upper ends of the wedge members 38 are adapted to contact with the under side of a metal ring 48 mounted around the tubular ring 36 in position beneath an externally applied massive packing ring 4! of rubber or other similar elastic material, above which a similar metal ring 42 is mounted around the'tubular ring. The massive packing ring 4| is thus confined within an annular space so that on the wedge member 38 being displaced on the tubular ring 36 being set in position and the equipment being lowered into position upon it; the massive packing ring is so compressed and deformed as to make contact with pressure against the inner face of the "easing 35.

, Above the upper metal ring 42 a number of rings or turns of packing 43 advantageously of India rubber and of a substantially square, rectangular or other cross-section are set one above the other, the upper ring or turnlying beneath an overhanging flange '44 on a metal ring 45 upon which is supported the flange 46 of the pump equipment with the interposition of an elastic packing ring 41. By such or similar means the rings 01' turns of packing referred to are maintained under axial pressure and are pressed outwards to maintain a joint between the upper part of the tubular ring 36 and the casing 35 in position above the massive elastic packing ring 4!. The pumping equipment may be lowered into position from the well head by means of nontwisting rope or chain. it being understood that the tubular ring may be similarly lowered into position by means of a non-twisting rope or chain from a suitable hoist. It will beunderstood. that so mounting the equipment leakage from thedelivery side back to the suction side is precluded.

.It may in certain cases be desirable suitably to form the inner wall of the casing for the support of the tubular ring at a determined position. For this purpose one of the coupling sleeves (Figure 14) may be provided on its inner face with an'annular recess 31a of substantially sawtooth cross-section so thatan annular seating of shallow conical formation is provided that is adapted for the reception of a' circular series of downwardly extending spring arms 38a respectively mounted upon the dogs or wedge members 38 andsoformed that when their ends pass into the annular recess and the tubular ring continues to fall, the dogs or wedge members are caused to movealong their slideways to-engage the wall or the casing.

Ducts or ports 10 (Figure 8) are provided in the pump casing I to convey high pressure leakage water from the upper pump stuffing box back to the suction side.

In the use of a rising main such as 4, in' order to facilitate the raising .of the pump equipment from the bore hole, the rising main may be provided with an automatically operated valve opened when the pump equipment reaches its seating and closed when the pump equipment is withdrawn from the seating. Thus, as repre-' sented in Figure 10, the rising main 4 may be provided wth an extension 48, which at the lower end, below the suctionorifices of the pump I, is

provided with a closure fitting 49 having one or more openings 50 adapted to be closed by a valve 5|. The valve 5| is supported'by a stem or rod 52 which extends axially into the interior of the extension 48 and has mounted thereon a coiled spring 53' adapted to maintain the valve closed. The spindle or rod 52 extends inwardly sufficiently to be engaged by the suction fitting of the pump or a member carried thereby when the pump reaches the seating at 5. The arrangement is such that, ion the pump equipment beinglowere'd into' position, the suction or inlet fitting of the pump engages the upper end of the valve rod or spindle 52 whereby under the weight of the pump the valve opens, while similarly when the pump equipment is raised the valve returns to its seat under the action of the spring 53.

Such a construction may be applied to any of the arrangements according to the invention provided with the rising main tube 4. It will be understood that in operation when the pump equipment is lowered and the valve opened, liquid enters the extension from the bore hole and the pump unit'is ready for pumping. When the unit is raised from the rising main the valve closes, leaving the extension andv the rising main charged with liquid. To "expel the liquid compressed air may be admitted-at the well head casing and the liquid thus forced out of the extension through the valve. When the supply of compressed'air is cut off the valve again closes and is maintained closednot only by the spring 53, but also by the external water pressure.

Where desirable an air compressor with corresponding motor may be provided within the pump equipment at a suitable position and the operation of the compressor may be effected automatically in response to the variations in level of the float of a float-operated switch.

The air compressor may be operated, as indicated in Figure 15, from the main motor 2 through I the compressor motor;

a magnetic clutch 59a and controlled by automatic switch gear such as 69, as hereinbefore described.

It will further be understood that the operation of the air compremor, whether situated at ground level or contained within the pumping unit may be controlled automatically by a time switch opv erated by a hydraulic control device or by a clock. Where a supply of alternating current is available a clock of the type operated by a synchronous motor, the regulation of which is dependent upon the frequency of supply, may be used so that the control may continue so long as the supply of electric current is continued. Where it is desired to employ a hydraulic control device, a controlled or adjustable leakage or flow of liquid a (Figure 16) may be delivered by a pivoted oscillatable chute b to' a suspended receptacle to fill the latter and cause downward movement under gravity, which receptacle in its movement may effect the operation of the control switch dof A second or similar receptacle e may serve in a similar manner to open the control switch d, such receptacle receiving the leakage or flow of liquid by way of the pivoted oscillatable chute b, which is now thrown over to a second position. Thus, the plant may be left unattended and controlled from a power station at some distance, the air in the air chamber 3 beingautomati'cally renewed at regular intervals.

According to Figures 17 to 19 the electric supply cable 1| comprising three leads is carried downwardly on the exterior, oralternatively on the interior, of the rising main'd tovwhich it is attached by such means as clips 12 welded to the rising main and is extended below the seating ring where it is looped for connection to a terminal box 13 carried upon the lower surface of the seating ring 5. The three leadsare separated and disposed within a groove or channel 14 formed within the lower surface of the seating ring 5 and are by such means adapted to be con- 4 nected respectively to three contacts 15 disposed symmetrically in the seating ring 5 and extending upwardly through the upper surface. The said contacts may take any suitable form, but advantageously have their operative portions of wedge shape, the apex of the wedge being directed upwardly from the seating ring, the thickness lying in the radial direction and the width in the circumferential direction with respect to the seating'ring, and the width being of the order of two or three inches. A packing ring of rubber 16 or other flexible and resilient material having the upper surface convex in the transverse direction may be provided upon the seating ring 5 with the contacts before referred to disposed in suitable recesses or slots therein.

The pump equipment is provided at the seating with a resilient packing ring 11 corresponding in form to the ring 16 of the seating ring 5, and in corresponding positions to those occupied by the contacts the. pump equipment is provided with spring fork-like contacts l8 disposed in recesses in the packing ring 11 in such manner that when the pump equipment comes to rest in the operative position with the packing ring Tl thereon lying upon the packing ring I6 of the seating ring 5, the spring contacts I8 engage the wedge contacts 15 to form an efi'ective electrical connection. The contacts on the pump equipment are directly connected to the motor by insulated leads 19 extending upwardly through the pump and the air chamber to the motor.

the ribs meet in a. point at the lower part of thecasing and after extending around thecasing-on opposite sides for a distance approximating to 180 continue parallelwith the axis of the equipment at a determined distance apart. Such ribs are adapted to co-operate with an element or elements 8| provided upon the interior of the rising main at asuitable position and of a form which extends in the radial direction to the degree necessary to'ensure contact with one or other of the said ribs and-finally to pass between the said ribs where these extend parallel with the axis. The said element or elementsmay be in the form of a pin, stud or plate and may have a cross-sectional form presenting an-upwardly directed point or inclined faces for suitable engagement with the rib or ribs uponthe pump equipment. The motor casing may be provided at the upper end with one or more series .ofradially extending projections, plates, studs or pins 82, by which the pump equipment may be centered in the rising main 4. 1

It will be understood, however, that the ribs 80 may be alternatively provided, as illustrated in Figures 20 and 21, upon the interior oftherising main, and the co-operating element or-elements *8|' upon the pump equipment, theribs 88 being advantageously disposed in a position immediately above the motor when the pump equipment is on the seating. The ribs may alternat'vely be disposed as a doublehelix 83,- 84 (Figure 25) in which one rib is of quicker pitch than the other so that the ribs, approach one another at those portions which are effective to guide the pump equipment immediately on to the seating ring, at which position the uppermostrib 83 may end in suchmanner as to del'ver the cooperating element 8| to the rib 84, the element 8| being constrained to follow the rib 8 l by arib or the like 85.

Itwill be-understoodthat thewidth of the pins or the like 8| corresponds substantially to the distance between the ribs 88 or 84, 85 at the position occupied by the pins or the like 8| when the pump equipment is uponor adjacent the seating ring so that by the engagement of the said co-operating elements 8| with the ribs the pump equipment is guided downwardly in the direction necessary to bring the contacts 18 thereon effectively into engagement with those upon the seating ring 5. The concentricityof the pump with the seating ring, is conveniently secured by the ribs or plates 82 upon the interior of the rising main or upon the pump equipment.

The rising main may be-provided on the ex terior adjacent the seating ring with a shield or casing 86 (Figure 17) for theprotection-of the downwardly looping cable 1| leading to the terminal box 13. r

In an alternative construction of the packing between the seating ring and the pump equipment, as illustrated in Figure 20, the packing may be formed by a single ring 81 carried by-the pump equipment, the lower surface of which ring is convex in the transverse direction and is adapted to rest upon the ground or machined face of the seating ring 5. Thus, as the pump equipment descends on to the seating, the middle of the section of the packing ring first makes contact with the seating ring and water is pressed outwardly on each side so that an effective joint and seating is secured upon-the seating ring.

In order to permit the air in the air casing or diving bell to be supplemented the rising main 4 may be extended downwardly below the seating ring-5 (Figure 22) to surround the greater part of the pump equipment. Air passages 88 may be provided in the pump casing extending from the suction side of the pump at a position below the seating ring to the air casing. Thus, when it is required to introduce air into the air casing or diving bell, the operation of the pump is arrested and air is forced downwardly under pressure in the rising main. The level of water is in this manner caused first to fall to the suction level and then to be depressed below the seating ring until the openings to'the air passages in the pump casing are exposed, when the air passes freely into the air casing. This feature of the invention may be applied in connection with pump equipments which are not provided with the means for the supply of current in the manner hereinbefore described.

In the application of the invention to pump equipments for use in mines and for like purposes, where liquid charged with grit or sediment is present, as. illustrated,- for example, in Figure 23, the tubing 4 providedas hereinbefore described with a seating ring 5 upon which the pump equipment rests is also provided with an auxiliary seating ring 89 disposed at a distance above the main seating ring for co-operation with a seating flange 90, lined with packing, provided upon the pump equipment at a suitable position above the main seating, the auxiliary seating ring having an opening larger than that of the main seating ring to permit the portion of the pump equipment which is received upon the main seating ring to pass through it. The tubing 4 at a position intermediate the main and auxiliary seating rings is provided with a delivery opening 9| making communication with a delivery tube 92 of relatively small diameter which extends upwardly in a position adjacent the tubing. Where desirable the delivery tube may be multipled (as shown to the right of Figure 23) and the delivery from the pump may be effected into an annulus corresponding to the opening 9|, surrounding the tubing with which the tubes 92 are connected.

According to the depth of the main it may be advantageous to employ a plurality of pump equipments operating in series: In this case, as illustrated in Figure 23, at the lowest section of the shaft there may be arranged upon a suitable supporting platform 93 and extending along the shaft a plurality of longitudinal members 94 (Figure 24) serving as slides or fitted with rails 95 for supporting, through runners 96, the downwardly extending tubing 4 provided with the main and auxiliary seatings 5 and 89 for the pump equipment and the delivery tube 92 of small diameter extending upwardly along the tubing 4 and provided with several delivery branches 9'! having flanged connections,. suitably closed when not in use by closure plates 98, screwed coupling sockets adapted to receive screwed closure caps, or being otherwise provided to afford delivery outlets at suitable positions. The tubing 4, with the pump equipment therein, is suitably slung in such manner that it may be lowered in the shaft as required upon the members 94. The pump equipment disposed next above is supported upon the platform 93 or another platform or from the ground level but in a position which is out of line with the axis of the tubing 4 supporting the lowermost pump equipment. The second pump equipment is similarly supported in its tubing upon main and auxiliary seatings which form the delivery chamber of the pump equipment for communication with a delivery tube ofsmall diameter, but in this case the tubing is extended below the main seating 5 to connect with a suction fitting 99 comprising a casing of cylindrical. or other form fitted at the lower end and formed or fitted with a valve I00 and couplings IM and I02 for connection on the one hand to the suction of the second pump equipment and on the other hand for connection to the delivery branch 91 of the delivery tube 92 of the lowermost pump equipment which is most conveniently positioned, advantageously by means of a flexible tubing I03 or other tubing of adjustable length permitting of the lowering of the first pump equipment and its supporting tube upon the rails 95 as the well or shaft is deepened. The same arrangement of pump equipments may be provided for use in pumping liquids which are not gritty. In this case, however, the duplex seatings are not required and the delivery from the rising main of the lowermost pump equipment will be effected to the suction fitting of the succeeding pump equipment. Alternatively, as illustrated in Figure 25, a plurality of pump equipments may be arranged in series within the same tubing or rising main, on seating rings 5 in the manner before described and the tubing within which they are carried may serve as the rising main for each pump equipment. The supply of electric current may-be effected by means of cables II extending downwardly along or upon the rising main and adapted to make electrical connection at the seating rings 5 with the respective pump equipments in the manner before described. It will be understood that in the case of the mounting of a series of pump equipments in the same tube the seating rings of the upper pump equipments must have a diameter of opening sufcient to permit the passage of the lower pump equipments, and that where it is desired to adjust, inspect or repair the lowermost pump equipment it is necessary to remove the upper pump equipments before the lowermost pump equipment can be withdrawn, the latter being the first to be replaced in position. It will be obvious that in this series arrangement of the pump equipment, again, the duplex seating and delivery tubes may be provided and the upper pump equipment may have suction fittings which may form part of the pump equipment and be provided to be received on a seating in the tubing in such position as to make the necessary connection with the delivery tubing of the lower pump equipment.

Where the conditions of use of the pump equipment are such that it is possible to support the pump equipment from a staging or platform dis-' posed at a level below the ground surface, as represented in Figure 26, the rising main or tubing 4 supporting the pump equipment may be shortdownwardly from the staging only through a comparatively short distance. The delivery ill from the head fitting isthen carried upwardly within the shaft or well.

Those arrangements of the pump equipment, in which the delivery is effected by way of a delivery tube of small diameter from a delivery chamber formed between two seatings and in which the tubing supporting the pump equipment serves merely for that purpose, are specially advantageous for use in such situations as in mines where it is desired frequently or periodically to inspect the pump equipment or the motors driving the pumps without'the necessity for lift ng the equipments to the surface, since the tubing within which the pump equipment is supported may, as shown in Figure 23, be provided with in spection doors I by which access may be had through inspection openings to the pump equipment while it is in position whereby, for example, the adjustment of the brushes of a direct current motor or the slip rings of an alternating current motor may receive attention by way of a manhole or manholes provided in the casing of the motor.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction that are hereinbefore set forth. For example, the supply cables may be carried on the interior of the rising main instead of on the exterior. Again, the bearing which is formed in the coupling members 6 of the air casing 3 for the sha-fting between the pump l and the motor 2, as described with reference to Figure 1, may be provided as a water lubricated bearing. For this purpose,.water may be supplied to the bearing in the manner that is indicated'in Figure 27. Acopper or like tube I06 is mounted within the air casing to extend from the pump delivery to I01 to a position above the bearing where'it is bent or diverted to give a downward discharge of the water forced through it by the pump into a trough I08 above the bearing and around the shaft, whereby the water is permitted to travel through the bearing and finally to pass away by the leakage passages 8 that are already present and which are large enough to deal with the small quantity of high.

pressure water that is introduced from the pump delivery.

The pump may be provided with an upright laterally disposed pump delivery or trunk represented by the cross-sectional passage at the one side and extending to the motor jacket and communicating with a corresponding vertical passage in the air casing or bell and with a central upwardly extending rising main upon or above the bell while an upright laterally disposed air trunk,

as represented by the second of the cross-sec tional passages, may be provided opposite to the upright laterally disposed delivery or trunk.

These respective trunks may serve as the support for the air casing or hell. The air trunk may be so formed as to communicate with the central space in the air casing or bell which for the purpose may be closed at its lower end, there being free communication between the air trunk and the chamber in the bell casing above and also through the casing of the pump in communication with the space in the bore of the downwardly extended part of the special tube or of the extension. Or the pump casing, the bell casing and the intermediate chamber between the pump casing and the bell casing for the motor may be provided of a double wall, and one part may be adapted by means of integral partitions to serve for the pump delivery and the other as the air trunk communicating with the chamber within the top of the bell casing; Or again, the pump delivery may be accommodated at one side of the air chamber and bell casing.

It will also be understood that the well head may be provided with a head fitting I I such that the electric cables and other parts may pass through thetight glands, or be otherwise held within the head fitting. The closure may be provided to break the circuit to the motor by operation of a suitable switch when it' is moved into the open position.

It will furthermore be understood that the construction represented in Figures 9 and 14 may be variously modified as, for example, with respect to the means employed to secure tight joints between the tubular ring and the casing and between the tubular ring- (or the seating ring 5 when employed) and the lower part of the pump equipment, and for locating the tubular ring within the casing or within the special tube when employed.

I claim:

1. Bore hole pump equipments, comprising a pump and submersible driving motor, the said meter being supported from the pump by-an intermediate air chamber, with tubing for reception into the bore hole and into which the equipment may be lowered, a seating member carried by and within said tubing and upon which said equipmert may be removably positioned, and passages in the pump equipment opening below the level of the seating member and connecting with the air chamber for the passage to the air chamber of air passed downwardly from the ground level.

2. Bore hole pump equipments, comprising a pump and submersible driving motor, the motor being supported from the pump by an intermediate air chamber, with tubing adapted to be received into the bore hole and to receive the pump equipment, a seating member carried by and extending into the saidtubing, upon which the pump equipment is removably positioned, and means for supplementing the air within the air chamber from the ground level by way of the tubing, the latter being formed of two concentric tubes the annular space between which serves as a longitudinal passage for the air supplied from" for said motor, with tubing for insertion into the bore hole for the reception of said pump equipment, a seating for said pump equipment at a determined position within said tubing, electric suppfy cables extending down said tubing to said seating, contacts in electrical communication with said cables and supported in proximity to said seating, and corresponding contacts upon the pump equipment in electrical connection with the motor, which contacts are adapted to engage the contacts connected to the supply cables when the pump equipment rests upon the seating.

4. Bore hole pump equipments according to claim -3, having co-operating means provided respectively upon the pump equipment and upon the tubing carrying the seating for the pump equipment, whereby the pump equipment is lowcred on to the seating with the electrical contacts in determined engagement.

( 5. Bore hole pump equipments, comprising a pump and associated motor with an air chamber for said motor, with tubing for insertion into a shaft, spaced seatings at a determined position within said tubing to receive said pump equipment, said spaced seatings providing a delivery chamber for the pump, and tubing by which the liquid from the said delivery chamber is discharged upwardly.

ate and upper supporting tubings for connecting the suction of the corresponding pump equipments with the delivery tubing of the lower pump equipment. l

7. Bore hole pump equipments according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of pump equipments and supporting tubes disposed out of alignment within a shaft, each supporting tube being provided with upwardly directed delivery tubing, a suction fitting upon the intermediate and upper supporting tubings for connecting the suction of the corresponding pump equipments with the delivery tubing of the lower pump equipment, longitudinal guides for the supporting tube of the lower pump equipment, whereby it may be moved axially, and means for connecting the suction fitting of the supporting tube of the succeeding pump equipment at determined positions to the delivery tubing of the lowermost pump equipment.

8. Bore hole pump equipments, comprising a pump and submersible driving motor, said motor being supported from said pump by an intermediate air chamber, with tubing for insertion into the bore hole within which the said pump equipment is adapted to be, received, an annular seating member carried by and extending inwardly of said tubing, said seating member removably supporting the pump equipment by engagement with a seating upon the pump equipment intermediate the length thereof without mechanical connection with the ground level,

said tubing being extended downwardly below the seating for the pump equipment, a closure at the lower end of the said extension, said closure comprising a valve seating afiording communication between the bore hole and the interior of the saidextension, and a valve for interrupting such communication, said valve being normally in'the closed position under spring action and being moved from the seating by the pump equipment when the latter is disposed upon the seatingmember, and means at the ground level for the supply of air under pressure for supplementing the air within the air chamber to maintain said air chamber fullof air, the supplementary air being delivered to the air chamber through the medium ,of the tubing,

9. Bore hole pump equipments, comprising a pump and submersible driving motor, said motor being supported from said pump by an intermediate air chamber, with tubing for insertion into the bore hole within which said pump equipment is adapted to be received, an annular seating member carried by and extending inwardly of the said tubing, said seating member removably supporting the pump equipment by engagement with a seating upon the pump equipment intermediate the length thereof, without mechanical connection with the ground level, means at the ground level for the supply of compressed air, the said air being passed downwardly at the exterior of the tubing, and passages in the pump equipment extending from below the seating of the air chamber, said passages serving to permit the compressed air to pass to the air chamber.

ARTHUR CRAWLEY POTTER;

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