In-line pump

Claim 1

An in-line pump comprising: a. a main casing having an inlet and an outlet formed integrally therewith, b. said inlet having a substantially horizontal upstream end and a substantially vertical downstream end joined by a smoothly curved elbow, c. said outlet being substantially aligned to said upstream end of said inlet, d. a cover plate mounted on an upper surface of said casing and defining therewith an impeller chamber, e. an impeller received in said impeller chamber for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, f. said cover plate having a diameter no smaller then the diameter of said impeller, thereby allowing said impeller to be removed from said impeller chamber when said cover plate is removed from said casing, g. an impeller shaft fixed to and extending upwardly from said impeller, h. a stuffing box integral with said cover plate and rotatably receiving said impeller shaft, i. a bearing housing support including a plurality of upwardly and inwardly curved legs mounted on an upper surface of said cover plate and carrying a bearing housing at their upper ends, j. a pair of vertically spaced bearings positioned in said bearing housing and rotatably receiving said impeller shaft, k. the impeller shaft overhang and diameter thereof being such that the Index of Deflection of said pump is substantially less than 100, l. a motor adapter mounted on said casing separately from said bearing housing support and extending upwardly about said bearing housing spaced outwardly of said bearing housing support, m. a motor mounted on said adapter and having a downwardly extending motor shaft aligned with said impeller shaft, n. an elastomer coupling interconnecting adjacent ends of said aligned impeller and motor shafts, and o. said adapter being of openwork construction and having an inner dimension greater than said diameter of said cover plate, providing access to and permitting removal of said coupling, bearings and bearing housing support, cover plate, impeller and impeller shaft while said motor and motor adapter remain fixed in place with respect to said main casing.