U.S. patent number RE37,483 [Application Number 09/190,799] was granted by the patent office on 2001-12-25 for cylinder liner securing apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to P-Quip Limited. Invention is credited to Stephen J. Flindall, George C. Kennedy.
United States Patent |
RE37,483 |
Kennedy , et al. |
December 25, 2001 |
Cylinder liner securing apparatus
Abstract
A device for securing a cylinder liner (3) to a respective
pumping module (2) in a reciprocating pump has a set of
arrangements each with a hydraulically activated piston (8), a rod
(11) of which is adapted to receive a nut (12), the retraction of
which forcibly compels in attraction the cylinder liner (3) and the
pumping (2).
Inventors: |
Kennedy; George C. (Kilmacolm,
GB), Flindall; Stephen J. (Glengarnock,
GB) |
Assignee: |
P-Quip Limited
(GB)
|
Family
ID: |
10746468 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/190,799 |
Filed: |
November 12, 1998 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
353512 |
Dec 9, 1994 |
05572920 |
Nov 12, 1996 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 11, 1993 [GB] |
|
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9325388 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
92/128; 92/130A;
92/165PR; 92/171.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B
53/168 (20130101); F04C 2230/603 (20130101); Y10S
411/916 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F04B
53/16 (20060101); F04B 53/00 (20060101); F01B
029/00 (); F16J 015/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;92/171.1,128,165PR,13A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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23 56 604 |
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May 1975 |
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DE |
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24 11 927 |
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May 1975 |
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DE |
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28 55 454 |
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Aug 1979 |
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DE |
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32 18 000 |
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Nov 1983 |
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DE |
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1 584 158 |
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Feb 1981 |
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GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Ryznic; John E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ratner & Prestia
Claims
We claim:
1. An apparatus for securing a cylinder liner to a pumping module
in a reciprocating pump, said apparatus comprising .[.a plurality
of.]. .Iadd.one or more .Iaddend.arrangements .Iadd.each fastened
to said pumping module and .Iaddend.each having a piston slidable
within a hydraulic cylinder, said piston .[.having.]. .Iadd.being
provided with .Iaddend.a rod .Iadd.having a threaded portion
.Iaddend.adapted to receive a nut, said rod extending .Iadd.away
from said pumping module .Iaddend.beyond its respective cylinder
and .Iadd.said threaded portion .Iaddend.being passed through a
respective aperture in a member adapted to grip said cylinder
liner, .Iadd.said nut being received on said threaded portion,
.Iaddend.wherein retraction of said piston and nut .Iadd.towards
said pumping module .Iaddend.causes said member to forcibly compel
said cylinder liner towards said pumping module.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .[.wherein the said.].
.Iadd.further comprising a .Iaddend.plurality of arrangements
.[.are.]. .Iadd.each .Iaddend.fastened to said pumping module.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein .Iadd.each
.Iaddend.said .[.plurality of arrangements each include.].
.Iadd.arrangement includes .Iaddend.at least one spring located
between the top of said cylinder and the piston.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the piston and the
cylinder base define a space for accommodating hydraulic fluid.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said .[.plurality of
arrangement.]. .Iadd.one or more arrangements .Iaddend.comprise at
least four arrangements spaced at intervals about and externally of
the circumference of the cylinder liner.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including
non-rotational means for preventing rotation of said piston within
said cylinder, wherein said non-rotational means includes at least
one dowel rod which extends between said piston and said cylinder
base.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said member comprises
a clamping ring having said aperture for receiving said rod.
Description
This invention is in the field of reciprocating pumps and
particularly relates to a means for aligning and securing the
cylinder liners of such pumps to their respective pumping modules.
The means is also adapted to .[.energise.]. .Iadd.energize
.Iaddend.the seals of such liners.
Reciprocating pumps are well-known and a particular example
discussed in the present specification is oil-field mud pumps. The
invention is not, however, limited to mud pumps but finds
application in a variety of reciprocating or positive displacement
pumps.
In the past, there have been several different types of ways to
attach cylinder liners to their respective pumping modules and
these may vary according to make of pump in which they are used.
One embodiment presently known employs a tapered concentric clamp,
.[.whale.]. .Iadd.while .Iaddend.another uses a concentric screw
clamping arrangement.
It is important that the means for aligning and securing the
cylinder liners may be implemented without undue effort and
down-time. Cylinder liners are required to be changed frequently
and this causes considerable inconvenience if the means and method
for releasing the old cylinder liners and fitting the replacement
cylinder liners are slow or difficult to operate. It has been found
that existing systems or means for securing cylinder liners to
respective pumping modules have been difficult to operate for a
plurality of reasons, including the involvement of heavy
components, the handling of which may be dangerous for operators.
These systems also require considerable strength, skill and
reliability of operators, together with the use of heavy tools in
confined spaces. Yet further, the securing force is dependent on
the extent of wear and the general condition of a plurality of the
securing components.
According to the invention, there is provided a means for securing
cylinder liners to pumping modules in reciprocating pumps, wherein
said means includes a plurality of arrangements having a piston
slidable within a hydraulic cylinder, said pistons having a rod
adapted to receive a nut, said rods extending outwith their
respective cylinders and being passed through respective apertures
in a member adapted to grip said cylinder liner, wherein retraction
of said piston and nut causes said member to forcibly compel said
cylinder liner towards said pumping module.
Preferably, said arrangements are fastened to said pumping module.
Preferably, said arrangements also include a spring or springs for
location between the top of said cylinder and the piston. Hydraulic
fluid can be inserted between the piston and the cylinder base by
an external pressure source.
Preferably, there are four or more said arrangements spaced at
intervals about and externally of the circumference of the cylinder
liner.
Preferably, said means further includes non-rotational apparatus
for preventing rotation of said pistons within said cylinders,
wherein said non-rotational apparatus preferably includes one or
more dowel rods which extend between said pistons and said cylinder
base.
Preferably said member comprises a clamping ring having
corresponding apertures for receiving said piston rods.
An example embodiment of the invention will now be described by way
example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a cylinder liner and pump module
incorporating the invention; and
FIG. 2 is an end view of the securing means illustrated in FIG.
1.
A reciprocating pump generally described at 1 comprises a module 2
and cylinder liner 3. It is desirable that the cylinder liner 3 is
securely held up against the face 4 of the module 2. Between the
cylinder liner 3 and the module 2 there is-provided a seal 5 which,
in its unenergized (i.e., uncompressed) state, usually .[.requires
to.]. .Iadd.must .Iaddend.be compressed by the cylinder liner 3.[.,
thereby.]. .Iadd.to close .Iaddend.a gap .[.is.]. created between
the adjacent faces of the module 2 and cylinder liner 3.
In order to prevent the existence of this gap, it is necessary to
forcibly push the cylinder liner 3 against the module 2 and this is
achieved by securing means, generally described at 6. The effect of
compressing the cylinder liner 3 against the face 4 of the module 2
is to .[.energise.]. .Iadd.energize .Iaddend.or compress the seal
5. This compression is of course desirable to increase the
effectiveness and efficiency of the seal 5. The securing means 6
comprises a plurality of assemblies .Iadd.or arrangements
.Iaddend.20, wherein each assembly includes a cylinder 7 adapted to
house a slidable piston 8, a plug 9 and clamping springs 10. The
piston 8 is further provided with a rod 11 which extends outwith
the cylinder 7. The rod 11 is provided with a threaded portion 21
adapted to receive the nut 12. Furthermore, the rod 11 passes
through the shoulder or clamping ring 13 which circumnavigates the
cylinder liner 3 and is pressed up against the lug 14 on the
cylinder liner 3. In a preferable embodiment of the invention,
there is provided one or more dowels 15 which engage both piston
end plug in each arrangement for the purpose of preventing rotation
of the piston.
In the embodiment shown, the securing means 6 includes four or more
arrangements 20 having the aforesaid components 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
12. These arrangements 20 are permanently bolted by the bolts 22 to
the module 2, although the nuts 12 are detachable, thereby allowing
removal of the cylinder liner 3.
In use, when a cylinder liner 3 is positioned against or nearly
against the module 2, the shoulder or clamping ring 13 is then
fitted over each of the piston rods 11. The nuts 12 are then
threadably applied to the rods 11. The method of forcibly securing
the cylinder liner 3 to the pumping module 2 is then implemented.
This involves inserting hydraulic fluid .[.25.]. .Iadd.23
.Iaddend.between the piston head 8 and the cylinder base, such that
the piston is extended to a greater extent outwith the cylinder 7
and the nut 12 is given freedom to be tightened by further rotation
along the piston rod 11 towards the clamping ring 13. Preferably,
this process is performed with all of the securing arrangements 20
simultaneously. It should be noted that the apparatus and method
described herein allows the nuts 12 to be tightened by hand. It
will be appreciated that this is a considerable advantage over the
requirement of using heavy tools which has been the practice in the
past.
The invention thus provides components which are considerably
lighter than comparative components used heretobefore. In view of
.[.it.]. negating the requirement of heavy tooling or handling, the
components are less likely to be damaged during the removal or
securing of cylinder liners and thus the invention permits greater
repeatability and reliability. Furthermore, the need for intensive
manual or skilled .[.labour.]. by operators is also mitigated.
Similarly, there is a reduced danger of injury to operators or
by-standers during such operational and maintenance functions.
A further advantage of the invention is that the clamping pressure
may be predetermined by the springs and it is possible to achieve
uniform pressure around the periphery of the liner, which enables
perfect liner alignment.
Other advantages of the invention will become apparent to operators
and associated personnel involved in the implementation and
operation of the invention, including the fact that reduced time is
required to affect the replacement of a cylinder liner.
Further modifications and improvements may be incorporated without
departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
* * * * *