A fluid end assembly comprising a plurality of fluid end sections positioned in a side-by-side relationship. Each section comprises a housing containing a reciprocating plunger. One and only one packing seal is installed within the housing and surrounds and engages an outer surface of the plunger. A retainer compresses and holds the packing seal within the housing. The retainer is secured to the housing using a clamp, such that no threads are formed in the housing of the fluid end section and no threads are formed in the retainer.

A number of variations may include a product comprising: a bushing (100) located at a cavity (56) formed by a stationary body (46) of a valve (12), and located around a movable stem (48) of the valve (12), wherein the bushing (100) facilitates movement of the stem (48); and a seal member (102, 104) located in the cavity (46), around the stem (48), and on the inboard side of the bushing (100), wherein the seal member (102, 104) substantially prevents fluid-flow between an outer diametrical surface (76) of the stem (48) and a confronting inner diametrical surface (120, 128) of the seal member (102, 104), forming a first seal.

Seal assemblies for use with fluid valves are disclosed. An apparatus includes a valve plug having a first annular shoulder adjacent an end of the valve plug, a seal disposed on the first annular shoulder, and a fastener at the end of the valve plug to force the seal against the first annular shoulder to apply a load to the seal.

A shock absorber includes a piston rod and a rod guide provided to one end within the cylinder, the rod guide slidably supporting the piston rod. The rod guide has a retainer facing the extension-side chamber, the retainer being attached to the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder; a bearing slidably supporting the piston rod; a main seal provided between the bearing and the retainer; and a seal holder provided to the outside in the radial direction of the main seal in a state of being compressed in the axial direction by the bearing and the retainer, the seal holder pressing the main seal to the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod.

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method for preserving the integrity of a packing and the integrity a stem of a valve, having the steps of providing a gland ring mounted above the packing surrounding the stem; providing a gland retainer mounted above the gland ring, wherein the gland retainer is secured to the valve with one or more fasteners, wherein the gland retainer is a load cell; sensing a compressional force between a top surface and a bottom surface of the gland retainer; converting the sensed each compressional force into a data point; and transmitting the data point to a computing unit.

A packing assembly for a valve includes a first segment having at least one first guiding surface, and a second segment having at least one second guiding surface in engagement with at least a portion of the at least one first guiding surface. A shape-memory member couples the first and second segments. The shape-memory member may be formed of a material that is responsive to changes in temperature, so that, in response to a change in temperature, the shape-memory member may cause relative movement of the first and second segments in a first direction. In response to the movement, the first and second guiding surfaces may cause relative displacement of the first and second segments in a second direction.

A shaft seal assembly for sealing along a rotor shaft is provided. The shaft seal assembly includes a seal housing, annular inner and outer seal members, an annular middle element, and an end plate. The seal housing has a seal member bore and a shaft bore. The annular inner and outer seal members are configured to be disposed in the seal member bore. The middle element is disposed between the inner seal member and the outer seal member within the seal member bore. The end plate is attached to the seal housing and covers a portion of the seal member bore. The middle element biases the inner seal member against the seal housing and biases the outer seal member against the end plate.

A system for regulating an axial biasing force applied to a stacked set of packing elements mounted within stationary equipment, comprising a packing loading assembly for sealing a process fluid within the stationary equipment and for applying the axial biasing force to the packing elements via a pressurized fluid from a pressure regulator. The packing loading assembly includes a gland element for mounting to the stationary equipment by a plurality of gland bolts, and an external actuation subsystem for coupling to at least one of the plurality of gland bolts for applying an axial actuation force directly to the gland element in response to the pressurized fluid. The gland element in response to the axial actuation force applies the axial biasing force to the packing elements.

A fluid end assembly comprising a plurality of fluid end sections positioned in a side-by-side relationship. Each section comprises a housing containing a reciprocating plunger. One and only one packing seal is installed within the housing and surrounds and engages an outer surface of the plunger. A retainer compresses and holds the packing seal within the housing. The retainer is secured to the housing using a clamp, such that no threads are formed in the housing of the fluid end section and no threads are formed in the retainer.

Disclosed is a device for tensioning a stuffing box packing which abuts against a superordinate assembly which is to be sealed by the stuffing box packing and which, such as the stuffing box packing, does not belong to the tensioning device. The device comprises a stuffing box gland, which is designed and intended to abut against a free side of the stuffing box packing, and a plurality of tensioning elements, which are designed and intended to press the stuffing box gland against the stuffing box packing and thus the stuffing box packing against the superordinate assembly. A separate motor drive unit is associated with each of the tensioning elements.