Claims
- 1. A pump impeller assembly for use with a pump housing having an opening and a plurality of locking lugs spaced circumferentially about said opening, said assembly comprising:
- a pump journal;
- an impeller fixed to one end of said pump journal and adapted to be received in said housing;
- a pulley fixed to the other end of said pump journal and sized to pass through said opening;
- a pump bearing including an outer race surrounding said pump journal, said journal being adapted to rotate with respect to said outer race; and
- a support plate fixed to said outer race and extending radially with respect to said pump journal, said support plate having a plurality of locking tabs extending rom its peripheral edge, said locking tabs being adapted to interlock with said locking lugs and thereby securely attach said support plate to the pump housing.
- 2. A pump impeller assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said locking tabs extends in a substantially circumferential direction so that said interlock is accomplished by rotating said support plate about the axis of the housing opening and with respect to the locking lugs.
- 3. A pump impeller assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said locking tabs comprises a radial portion extending from the periphery of said plate and a locking ramp constituted by a portion of said radial portion and a circumferential extension therefrom, said locking ramp being inclined away from the plane of said plate, said locking tab further comprising a tab foot adjoining the end of said locking ramp opposite from said radial portion, the axial dimension between the base of said tab foot and the plane of said plate being less than the axial dimension between the portion of said locking ramp which adjoins said tab foot and the plane of said plate base, said locking tab being adapted so that when it interlocks with said locking lug, the locking ramp initially deflects in the manner of a cantilever beam toward the plane of said plate base and wherein continued defection of said locking ramp causes said tab foot to engage said housing so that said locking ramp is supported in the manner of a simple beam.
- 4. A pump impeller assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein a slot is formed between a substantial portion of said locking ramp adjoining said tab stop and the peripheral edge of said plate.
- 5. A pump impeller assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer race has a drain hole, said support plate including an alignment tab extending from its peripheral edge, said alignment tab being adapted to interlock with one of said locking lugs, the circumferential size of said alignment tab being different from the size of said locking tabs, the circumferential spacing of said locking lugs permitting said locking tabs and alignment tab to interlock with the locking lugs only when said drain hole faces the lower surface of the pump housing.
- 6. A pump impeller assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said locking lugs includes a lug overhang which extends radially inward toward the axis of said housing opening, said lug overhangs being spaced apart from the inner surface of said housing whereby an undercut is formed in each of said locking lugs, and wherein each of said locking tabs is adapted for insertion into one of said undercuts to enable said locking tab to interlock with said locking lug.
- 7. The pump impeller assembly of claim 1 wherein said support plate sealingly engages said housing about said opening and radially inwardly of said locking lugs.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 07/773336, filed Oct. 8, 1991 and assigned to the same assignee.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
773336 |
Oct 1991 |
|