US 12,448,966 B2
End plates and inner plate bushings for pumps
Rachel Robinson, Consort (CA); Brad Kelts, Consort (CA); and Rory Berg, Consort (CA)
Assigned to T & E Pumps Ltd., Consort (CA)
Filed by T & E Pumps Ltd., Consort (CA)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/394,018.
Application 18/394,018 is a division of application No. 17/301,093, filed on Mar. 24, 2021, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/018,858, filed on May 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0125358 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. F04C 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC F04C 15/00 (2013.01) [F04C 2230/21 (2013.01); F04C 2240/30 (2013.01); F04C 2240/56 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
17. A pump assembly comprising:
a pump housing configured to house a plurality of pump components and permit rotation of a drive shaft and an idler shaft therein during operation;
a front end plate and a rear end plate configured to align and receive the drive shaft and the idler shaft and seal the pump housing from opposite sides during operation, wherein each of the front end plate and the rear end plate comprising:
a drive bearing assembly housing and an idler bearing assembly housing protruding outwardly from an outer surface of the respective end plate, the outer surface and the drive and idler bearing assemblies being configured to be disposed outside the pump assembly when the front and rear end plates are secured thereto, wherein each of the drive and idler bearing assembly housing includes a shaft cavity for supporting and enabling rotation of the respective drive and idler shaft; and
a pair of mounting recesses, each being inwardly recessed into an interior surface of the respective end plate and surrounding the shaft cavity of the respective drive and idler bearing assembly housing; and
a plurality of inner plate bushings, each configured to be seated within respective one of the mounting recesses provided on each of the front and rear end plates, each inner plate bushing including:
a central passage surrounded by a flange and a collar extending coaxially from the flange, the central passage being configured to align with the respective shaft cavity provided in the end plates and permit the respective one of drive shaft and idler shaft to pass therethrough;
wherein each of the mounting recesses includes a stepped configuration having an inner step surface configured to be sized and contoured to receive the collar of the inner plate bushing and an outer step surface configured to be sized and contoured to receive the flange to be seated flush with the interior surface of the respective end plate surrounding the respective mounting recess.