Packing Assembly for a Pump

Abstract

A header ring for use in a stuffing box comprising an annular body portion of an elastomeric material, an annular radially inward projecting sealing lip portion formed on said body portion and an annular, axially facing pedestal portion formed on said body portion, said pedestal portion defining an annularly extending radially inwardly facing pedestal surface, the sealing lip portion defining an annularly extending, radially inward facing sealing surface, the sealing surface and the pedestal surface forming a juncture, at least a portion of the pedestal portion adjacent the juncture and forming the pedestal surface and at least a portion of the sealing lip portion adjacent the juncture and forming a portion of the sealing surface being comprised of a layer of reinforced elastomeric material bonded to the body portion.

Claims

1. A header ring engageable with a reciprocating cylindrical member and a cylindrical wall of a housing in which the cylindrical member reciprocates, comprising: an opening; and a resilient body; wherein in a first configuration, the resilient body comprises: a generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion adjacent the opening and engageable with a reciprocating, cylindrical member, the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion having two portions being generally perpendicular to each other; a generally axially extending second annular portion opposite the opening and engageable with a cylindrical wall of a housing; a generally radially extending third annular portion facing in a first direction and extending between the first and second annular portions; a fourth annular portion facing generally in a second direction, and extending between the second annular portion and the first annular portion; wherein at least a section of the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion comprises woven fabric material; and, wherein in a second configuration, the resilient body comprises: the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion of the resilient body is compressed and engaged with the reciprocating, cylindrical member.

2. The header ring of claim 1, wherein the woven fabric material forms a barrier blocking operational nibbling away of the header ring at a junction of the two generally perpendicular portions of the radially inwardly extending first annular portion.

3. The header ring of claim 1, wherein the resilient body does not contain layers of cloth.

4. The header ring of claim 1, wherein the resilient body is formed substantially entirely from a homogeneous elastomeric material.

5. The header ring of claim 4, wherein the homogeneous elastomeric material is selected from natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

6. The header ring of claim 1, wherein the header ring further comprises an axially extending annular bead opposite the generally radially extending third annular portion, the bead being adjacent the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion.

7. The header ring of claim 1, wherein the woven fabric material covers the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion, the generally axially extending second annular portion, the generally radially extending third annular portion facing in the first direction, and the fourth annular portion facing generally in the second direction.

8. The header ring of claim 6, wherein the woven fabric material covers the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion, the generally axially extending second annular portion, the generally radially extending third annular portion facing in the first direction, the fourth annular portion facing generally in the second direction and the axially extending annular bead.

9. The header ring of claim 1, wherein the woven fabric material entirely encapsulates the resilient body and defines the exterior surface thereof.

10. A header ring engageable with a reciprocating cylindrical member and a cylindrical wall of a housing in which the cylindrical member reciprocates, comprising: an opening; and a resilient body; wherein in a first configuration, the resilient body comprises: a generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion adjacent the opening and engageable with a reciprocating, cylindrical member, the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion having two portions being generally perpendicular to each other; a generally axially extending second annular portion opposite the opening and engageable with a cylindrical wall of a housing; a generally radially extending third annular portion facing in a first direction and extending between the first and second annular portions; a fourth annular portion facing generally in a second direction, and extending between the second annular portion and the first annular portion; wherein at least a section of the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion comprises woven fabric material; and, wherein in a second configuration, the resilient body comprises: the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion of the resilient body is compressed and is converted from extending generally radially inwardly to extending axially and is engaged with the reciprocating, cylindrical member.

11. The header ring of claim 10, wherein the woven fabric material forms a barrier blocking operational nibbling away of the header ring at a junction of the two generally perpendicular portions of the radially inwardly extending first annular portion.

12. The header ring of claim 10, wherein the resilient body does not contain layers of cloth.

13. The header ring of claim 10, wherein the resilient body is formed substantially entirely from a homogeneous elastomeric material.

14. The header ring of claim 13, wherein the homogeneous elastomeric material is selected from natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

15. The header ring of claim 10, wherein the header ring further comprises an axially extending annular bead opposite the generally radially extending third annular portion, the bead being adjacent the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion.

16. The header ring of claim 10, wherein the woven fabric material covers the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion, the generally axially extending second annular portion, the generally radially extending third annular portion facing in the first direction, and the fourth annular portion facing generally in the second direction.

17. The header ring of claim 15, wherein the woven fabric material covers the generally radially inwardly extending first annular portion, the generally axially extending second annular portion, the generally radially extending third annular portion facing in the first direction, the fourth annular portion facing generally in the second direction and the axially extending annular bead.

18. The header ring of claim 10, wherein the woven fabric material entirely encapsulates the resilient body and defines the exterior surface thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art header ring prior to installation.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the header ring of FIG. 1 which has been damaged by nibbling.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another type of prior art header ring prior to installation.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the header ring of FIG. 3 which has been damaged by nibbling.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the header ring of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the header ring of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the header ring of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a schematic view, partly in section, of a sealing assembly according to the present invention in the stuffing box of a plunger pump.

[0024] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the circled portion of the header ring shown in FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Referring first to FIG. 5, the header ring 50 comprises an annular body portion 52, an annular axially extending pedestal 53, an annular, axially extending bead 56, distal the pedestal 53, and a radially inwardly facing, annularly extending sealing lip 58. As can be seen, body 52, bead 56, pedestal 53 and sealing lip 58 are integrally formed, for the most part, of a homogeneous, elastomeric material. However, a portion 60 of the pedestal 53 forming the radially inwardly facing cylindrical surface 61 and the portion 62 of the sealing lip 58 forming a portion of sealing surface 64 is comprised of a layer of reinforced, elastomeric material, bonded to the homogeneous elastomeric material of the remainder of header ring 50. As seen, the portions 60 and 62 extend over the juncture 63 of surfaces 61 and 64. When in the relaxed state as shown in FIG. 5, the fabric reinforced sections 60 and 62, when adjoined, are generally L-shaped when viewed in transverse cross-section.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention wherein the header ring 68 has an annular body portion 70 which is primarily made of a homogeneous elastomeric material. The header ring 68 has an annular, radially outwardly facing cylindrical surface 72. Bonded to the homogeneous elastomeric portion of body 70 is an annular layer 74 of a fabric reinforced elastomer, the layer 74 covering the surfaces of the pedestal 76, the sealing lip 78, the bead 80 and portions of the forward and rearward portions of the body 70 forming surface 72. As in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the portions of the pedestal 76 and sealing lip 78 forming juncture 82 between the pedestal 76 and the sealing lip 78 is formed of a layer of fabric reinforced elastomeric material forming adjoining surfaces 82A and 82B.

[0027] Turning to FIG. 7, there is shown another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the header ring, shown generally as 88, has a body 89, the core 90 of which is comprised of an elastomeric material, a portion of annular pedestal 92 and a portion of annular sealing lip 94. Unlike the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the reinforced fabric layer 96 completely encapsulates or surrounds the core 90 of body portion 89.

[0028] FIG. 8 depicts a typical sealing assembly 101 for use in a stuffing box, shown generally as 100, of a plunger-type pump employing a header ring of the present invention. Stuffing box 100 comprises a housing 102 having a bore 104 extending therethrough, bore 104 defining a cylindrical surface 103. Housing 102 also has a shoulder portion 108. Movably, e.g., reciprocally, positioned in bore 104 is a plunger, piston or shaft 106. Sealing assembly 101 comprises an annular gland 105, an annular header ring 110, an-annular, first seal ring 112, and an annular, second seal ring 114. The sealing assembly 101 also includes a top, annular adaptor ring 116 and an annular bushing 118. As can be seen, header ring 110 forms a wiper ring at the high pressure end of the sealing assembly 101, its primary function being to prevent abrasives/solids from entering the region where the seal rings 112 and 114 are positioned and thereby prevent excessive wear on seal rings 112 and 114. It is also to be noted that, as shown in FIG. 8, header ring 110 no longer has the shape shown in, for example, FIG. 5 since the radially inwardly extending sealing lip 111 has been compressed to effect sealing between the plunger 106 and the housing 102, the cylindrical surface 103 being in sealing engagement with an annular, radially outwardly facing surface 109 of the compressed header ring 110 which is generally cylindrical.

[0029] Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown an enlargement of the circled portion of FIG. 8. As an example of the present invention, header ring 110 is constructed essentially the same as the header ring shown in FIG. 5 having a generally L-shaped, annularly extending reinforcing section or layer 120 that bridges the juncture 122 between the surface of sealing lip 124 and the surface of pedestal 126.

[0030] While packing assembly 101 has been shown as containing two seal rings of the chevron or V-shaped type, it will be appreciated that depending upon the use to which the plunger pump is subjected, fewer or more sealing rings can be employed. It will also be seen that the annular bead 119 of header ring 110 is nested in the annularly extending, axially facing groove in seal ring 112 so as to anchor seal ring 112 to the header ring 110. It will be appreciated that the seal rings 112 and 114 can be constructed of various materials and have various shapes, the only provision being that they have sufficient resiliency to effect sealing between the housing 102 and plunger 106. Generally speaking, components such as annular bushing 118, top adaptor 116, and annular gland 105 are made of a metallic material, e.g., brass.

[0031] The packing assembly 101 can be energized by header ring 110 and can be made to be adjustable by techniques well known in the art. If, however the packing assembly 101 is preloaded, care must be taken to ensure that the correct amount of preload is employed to prevent movement of the sealing assembly in the housing or stuffing box to prevent excessive wear on the sealing assembly. In this regard, if there is too little preload the packing will move in the housing wearing both the ID and OD of the seal rings as well as the header ring causing premature wear and in extreme cases causing wear in the stuffing box resulting in expensive repair or refurbishment. On the other hand, if the packing assembly is adjusted with too little preload, high friction forces cause accelerated wear of the header ring and the seal rings with premature failure.

[0032] The homogeneous elastomeric core of the header ring of the present invention can be made from a number of different natural or synthetic rubbers as, for example, nitrile or butadiene rubber, with a desired degree of hardness again depending upon the use to which the plunger pump is exposed. Likewise, the elastomeric portions of the seal rings 112 and 114 can be of various rubbers with desirable hardness. As indicated, the seal rings, e.g., seal rings 112 and 114, can be reinforced with fabric, can be homogeneous elastomeric materials, can have anti-extrusion portions, etc.

[0033] Sections 61 and 62 forming an anti-nibbling section, as seen in FIG. 5 indicated, are generally a fabric reinforced rubber, synthetic or natural. The term fabric as used with respect to the anti-nibbling wear section of the various embodiments of the present invention is used in the broadest sense and includes any cloth or cloth-like structure made by any technique such as knitting, weaving or felting of fibers of natural or synthetic materials as well as mixed fibers and includes, without limitation, fibers of cotton, nylon, polyester, polyester blends, aramid fibers, fiberglass fibers or any combination thereof.

[0034] The foregoing description and examples illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention. In light thereof, variations and modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art, all of which are in the spirit and purview of this invention.