A general object of this invention is to provide a novel sewage pumps station including a pump mounted above a sewage-holding sump from which sewage is drawn, and priming means for maintaining the pump in a primed state.
As contemplated in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sewage pumps station includes a machinery compartment located above the sump and housing a priming chamber and a sewage pump. A feed conduit extends from the base of the sump into the priming chamber and the sewage pump has its inlet side connected to the priming chamber, with sewage, on operation of the sewage pump, passing up the feed conduit into the priming chamber and then through the sewage pump. A vacuum pump also provided in the machinery compartment maintains a subatmospheric pressure in the priming chamber so that at all times a level of sewage is maintained in the chamber which maintains a primed condition in the sewage pump.
Another object is to provide such a novel sewage pumps station, which includes sewage level sensing means within the priming chamber, and control means connected to the level-sensing means for controlling operation of the vacuum pump automatically to maintain a desired sewage level within the priming chamber. Yet another object is to provide a novel sewage pumps station of the above-indicated character which includes multiple sewage pumps provided within the machinery compartment of the station and a common priming chamber for pumps, the sewage pumps all having their inlet sides connected to the same priming chamber.