Bilge Pump

Abstract

The specification discloses a bilge pump for boats or the like, made up of a motor, a motor housing, with an impeller connected to the motor, a float compartment on said housing, a float in the housing in the float compartment, and a reed switch supported in a separate compartment. A permanent magnet is supported on the float in such a way that when the float rises, the magnet moves into proximity with the reed switch. The current through the reed switch energizes a thermostat. When the float is held up for a period of time or closed and opened intermittently by waves, the thermostat is heated and the thermostat switch closed for intervals of time sufficient to drive the motor to empty the bilge.

Description

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved bilge pump.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bilge pump which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bilge pump and control combination.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bilge pump with a reed switch and thermostat switch combination in a compartment separate from the float and motor, which is actuated by a magnet on the float.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the machine partly in cross section.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the lower housing.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the bottom housing removed from the upper housing.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the support showing the motor thereon.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the impeller and motor.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the lower housing.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the pump.

FIG. 8 is a wiring diagram of the pump.

FIG. 9 is a wiring diagram of another embodiment of the pump.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Now with more particular reference to the drawings, the pump body 10 is made up of an upper housing 20 and a lower housing 21, with the motor mount 24 forming a partition therebetween. The housings may be molded of plastic and be attached together by screw 40. The lower housing 21 has slots 25 through which water can enter.

The motor 12 is fixed to the motor mount and extends above and below it. The end of the motor is engaged by point 26 which extends into a boss 27 and is attached to the upper housing. The resiliency of the plastic body 20 urges the point against motor 12 and holds it firmly in position. The motor has the impeller 30 fixed to its shaft and the impeller extends into the impeller housing 31. The impeller housing 31 is integrally fixed to the lower housing and the line 23 communicates with the inside of the impeller housing 31 and directs water to a suitable hose to be discharged. The float 13 is swingably connected to the lower housing at 14 and the float has a permanent magnet 15 snapped into it. When water enters the lower housing, it causes the float 13 to rise, bringing the float into close proximity with the reed switch 18 which causes the reed switch to close in a conventional manner. The reed switch is supported in the bosses 32 on the upper housing 20. The wires can enter the opening 36 in the upper housing.

The motor 12 is connected to the battery by means of the thermostat switch 21 which has a heater 22. The heater 22 is connected to the battery by the reed switch 18.

If there is water present in the bilge area of a boat wherein the pump is installed, wave action of the water in the bilge will cause this water in the bilge of the boat to buoy the float which carries the magnet 15 upward to close the reed switch 18. A trickle of electricity begins to heat up the bi-metallic switch heater 22. This trickle of electricity is approximately 10 percent of the current that would be required to run the motor and it occurs when the reed switch is closed. Eventually the reed switch is closed often enough to elevate the temperature of the bi-metallic thermostatic switch to finally switch on the motor of the bilge pump. The bi-metallic thermostatic switch retains the heat it has accumulated for two to three minutes, thus allowing the pump to discharge a sufficient amount of water so that the float no longer floats at a critical water level in the bilge. Thus this time delay action provides a very desirable effect to cancel wave action which otherwise would cause any type of water sensing float switch to fluctuate on and off erratically, thus draining the battery unnecessarily.

The circuit shown in FIG. 9 shows a motor M connected to the direct current source of electricity 119. The motor M can be started either by reed switch 118 when the water level rises or manually by switch 121. Reed switch 118 has a limited current capacity. Therefore the motor M has the diode 150 connected in parallel with it so that when either switch 121 or 118 are opened, back EMF will not cause an arc at reed switch 118 but will be shorted by diode 150. The motor is connected to the source of power through reed switch 118 which is connected in series with the diode 119. The diode 120 is connected in series with the switch 121 and the switch 121 and the diode 120 are connected in parallel with switch 118 and the diode 119. The function of the diode 150 is to protect the reed switch against transient currents when the reed switch is opened. Thus arcing of the reed switch is prevented by diode 150 when the reed switch 118 is opened. This makes it possible to use a reed switch which has a very low current capacity.

If the polarity of the source 119 were inadvertently reversed, as by a wiring mistake during installation, when the pump is connected in a circuit during installation and the wrong polarity of the wiring is provided without the diodes 119 and 120, the diode 150 would perform a direct short across the line and burn it out. Thus, the diode 119 protects the diode 150 against reverse polarity. The diode 120 provides the same function in the case of the manual starting switch 121.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A pump comprising an upper housing having an open lower side,

a lower housing open at its upper side,

a motor mount disposed between said open side and said sides of said housings and forming a partition therebetween,

a motor fixed to said motor mount and extending into said upper housing,

a point on said upper housing engaging said motor urging it toward said lower housing,

an impeller housing in said lower housing integrally fixed to the closed side of said lower housing,

an impeller on said motor disposed in said impeller housing, and

means communicating with outside of said pump and said impeller housing for connecting a discharge tube thereto,

said impeller housing integrally attached to said lower housing,

said motor support having a reed switch supported thereon,

said reed switch including circuit means for controlling said motor,

a float swingably supported in said lower housing, and

a permanent magnet supported on said float and adapted to swing with said float into closer proximity to said reed switch whereby said reed switch is closed and said motor is started when the water around said lower housing rises to a predetermined depth whereby said pump pumps said water through said pump discharge.

2. The pump recited in claim 1 wherein a hole is formed in said lower housing connecting the outside of said pump housing with said impeller housing.

3. The pump recited in claim 1 wherein said lower housing has slots in the side edges thereof whereby water can enter said float member.

4. The pump recited in claim 3 wherein said pump is connected through a circuit comprising a diode connected in parallel with said pump,

said reed switch being connected in series with said pump, and

a second diode connected in series with said reed switch and having a polarity opposed to the polarity of said first mentioned diode whereby short circuit is prevented through said first mentioned diode when the wires connecting said motor to a power line are inadvertently reversed.

5. The pump recited in claim 4 wherein a manual switch and a second diode are connected in series with each other and in parallel with said first mentioned diode and said reed switch.

6. The pump recited in claim 5 wherein said reed switch is disposed inside said motor housing and three wires pass through said motor housing to the outside and said wires are adapted to be connected to a power supply.

7. The pump recited in claim 8 wherein said circuit means comprises a thermostatic switch having a heater element,

said heater element being connected to a power source by means of said reed switch,

said float being adapted to intermittently close due to wave action, a wave progressively heating said heater whereby when water is present around said float, said thermostatic switch having a time delay whereby said switch when closed remains closed for a period of time.

8. The pump recited in claim 7 wherein said motor is disposed in a motor chamber in fluid sealed isolation from said impeller chamber.