Peristaltically operating diaphragm pump

The invention relates to a peristaltically operating diaphragm pump from the generic type of machines operating with a flat diaphragm. The machine according to the invention has a number of slides, at least 3, which move up and down, of which the central slide is preferably of circular-cylindrical shape and around which the other slides are arranged so as to annularly enclose the central slide and thereupon one another successively and so as to guide one another in the sense of permitting the sliding movement constrained by transmission means, the slide which lies furthest out and encompasses all other slides also being guided in the housing in this sense. A respective slide, when it is situated in its upper stroke limit position, presses the diaphragm in an annular contact line against the inner face of the indentation of the pump cover, this contact line lying in a plane perpendicular to the sliding direction and perpendicular to the direction of the press-on force. The diaphragm is moved owing to the movement of the slides in the form of an annular wave which advances radially, preferably from the outside inwards, the wave crests contacting the inner face of the pump-cover indentation, while applying a respective press-on force. The clamping edge of the diaphragm between pump cover and pump housing is exposed to only one of the two pressure zones, preferably the pressure zone of the inlet.