Abstract: A semi-rigid stator is provided for a helical gear device. The stator includes a stack of rigid rings, a deformable layer, and a rigid housing. Each of the rigid rings has a central opening and an exterior surface. The rigid rings are aligned along a common centerline and rotated slightly relative to each other such that the stack of rigid rings forms a helically convoluted chamber. Each of the rigid rings is secured within the rigid stator housing by the deformable layer disposed between the exterior surface of each of the rigid rings and the rigid housing. The deformable layer bonds the rigid rings together as the ring stack and permits movement of the rigid rings relative to each other.

Abstract: A stator segment is provided for a helical gear device. The stator segment includes a stator tube and modular stator inserts. The stator tube has an inner profile with at least two internal sides that extend longitudinally along an interior of the stator tube. The modular stator inserts each have an outer profile that substantially matches and fits within the inner profile of the stator tube. The modular stator inserts also each have an interior helical profile that defines a central opening. The modular stator inserts are configured to be removably inserted longitudinally into the stator tube along the inner profile of the stator tube. The inner profile aligns the modular stator inserts to form a continuous helical chamber and prevents rotation of the modular stator inserts relative to the stator tube.

Abstract: A stator for a helical gear device includes a first section having first helically convoluted chamber with a set of radially inwardly extending lobes and a second section adjacent to the first section. The second section includes a stack of cutter disks. Each cutter disk includes a front surface, a rear surface, an interior surface defining a central opening extending from the front surface to the rear surface, a forward cutting edge, and a rearward cutting edge. The interior surface forms a same number of lobes for the central opening as the set of radially inwardly extending lobes in the first section. Each cutter disk is aligned along a common centerline, and each cutter disk is rotated slightly relative to each other to form a second helically convoluted chamber with a same pitch as the first helically convoluted chamber. The second helically convoluted chamber exposes, to materials passing through, portions of the forward cutting edge or the rearward cutting edge of each cutter disk.

Abstract: A progressive cavity pump includes at least one of a jacketed stator casing and a jacketed inlet body. The jacketed stator casing includes a stator heating chamber, a stator assembly, and a rotor rotatably disposed within the stator assembly. The stator heating chamber forms a first space around the stator assembly and receives heating fluid therein. The stator assembly includes a cylindrical wall and a stator segment that forms a helically-convoluted chamber within the cylindrical wall. The jacketed inlet body includes an inlet heating chamber and a working fluid chamber in fluid communication with the helically-convoluted chamber. The inlet heating chamber forms a second space around the working fluid chamber and receives heating fluid therein. The stator heating chamber and the inlet heating chamber are isolated from each other, the helically-convoluted chamber, and the working fluid chamber.

Abstract: A hybrid elastomer/metal on metal motor for a helical gear device includes a rotor and stator comprising a hydraulic motor that produces work when a working fluid is pumped therethrough. The improvement involves the stator being, for part of its length, a conventional or even wall stator, using an elastomer to form a seal against the moving rotor. The stator's remaining length comprises a profiled rigid surface that forms a seal directly with the moving rotor. This gives the motor the high efficiency of the elastomer sealing against the rotor, and simultaneously provides a backup of the stator's rigid section allowing continued motor operation at reduced efficiency, if the elastomer part failed in service. The invention also includes combinations of a regular disk stack with a rubber lining, a rigid material disk stack (or unitized element) and a circular rigid sleeve which react to rotor sideloading while permitting proper rotor orbiting.

Abstract: A fluid displacement apparatus includes a stator section with a rotor therein. The stator section includes a cylindrical casing, a helically-convoluted chamber section within the cylindrical casing, and a rigid sleeve within the cylindrical casing and separate from the helically-convoluted chamber section. The rigid sleeve includes a circular internal bore. The rotor is rotatably disposed within the cylindrical casing. The rotor includes a helically-lobed section disposed within the helically-convoluted chamber section, and a circular cylinder section disposed within the rigid sleeve. The circular cylinder section provides a fluid passageway between the rigid sleeve and the circular cylinder section. Side loads from the rotor are distributed along a contact line at any point of rotation of the circular cylinder section within the rigid sleeve.

Abstract: A pump fluid driving apparatus includes a housing having a chamber, with two gears mounted within the chamber. The housing includes a first rounded wall section and a second rounded wall section, the first and second rounded wall sections defining at least a portion of the chamber. The gears have teeth located about their respective peripheries and operatively positioned with the teeth of the first gear and the teeth of the second gear intermeshed. The teeth include slotted teeth and solid teeth arranged with uniform spacing in a repeating pattern about the periphery of each of the gears, with each of the slotted teeth having a vane slot and a radially extending vane extending from the vane slot, and each radially extending vane being movable within the respective vane slot and being configured to contact the respective first or second rounded wall sections.

Abstract: A stator for a helical gear device includes a first section having first helically convoluted chamber with a set of radially inwardly extending lobes and a second section adjacent to the first section. The second section includes a stack of cutter disks. Each cutter disk includes a front surface, a rear surface, an interior surface defining a central opening extending from the front surface to the rear surface, a forward cutting edge, and a rearward cutting edge. The interior surface forms a same number of lobes for the central opening as the set of radially inwardly extending lobes in the first section. Each cutter disk is aligned along a common centerline, and each cutter disk is rotated slightly relative to each other to form a second helically convoluted chamber with a same pitch as the first helically convoluted chamber. The second helically convoluted chamber exposes, to materials passing through, portions of the forward cutting edge or the rearward cutting edge of each cutter disk.

Abstract: A hybrid elastomer/metal on metal motor for a helical gear device includes a rotor and stator comprising a hydraulic motor that produces work when a working fluid is pumped therethrough. The improvement involves the stator being, for part of its length, a conventional or even wall stator, using an elastomer to form a seal against the moving rotor. The stator's remaining length comprises a profiled rigid surface that forms a seal directly with the moving rotor. This gives the motor the high efficiency of the elastomer sealing against the rotor, and simultaneously provides a backup of the stator's rigid section allowing continued motor operation at reduced efficiency, if the elastomer part failed in service. The invention also includes combinations of a regular disk stack with a rubber lining, a rigid material disk stack (or unitized element) and a circular rigid sleeve which react to rotor sideloading while permitting proper rotor orbiting.

Abstract: A comparator tool is provided for evaluating the profile of a multi-lobe helical rotor. The comparator tool includes a housing with a first end and a second end and an internal bore extending from the first end to the second end. The internal bore includes a first diameter having nominal clearance for an original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-specified major diameter of the rotor, a second diameter having nominal clearance for an OEM-specified minor diameter of the rotor, and multiple helical grooves corresponding to a number of lobes in the helical rotor. Each of the multiple helical grooves has nominal clearance for an OEM-specified tip diameter of the rotor. The comparator tool slides along the length of the rotor and provides visibility of an interface between a circumference of the rotor and the first end at any place along a length of the rotor.

Abstract: Gear pumps use various types of bushings or bearings (sleeves) between a shaft and the housing of the pump. From time to time, these sleeves wear out and have to be replaced. This extractor removes the sleeves and includes three main components—a collet or sleeve engaging member, a mounting bracket, and a lift screw. The extractor may also include other components within the scope of the invention, including melting screws and washers.

Abstract: Elliptical or oval shaped gears of a positive displacement gear pump are disclosed. The gears have specially designed teeth at the ends of the gears' major and minor diameter axes. For example the teeth at the ends regions of the major diameter axes include radially extending wipers or vanes that extend and run against the circular gear case bore walls to seal liquid slip paths at radial running clearance areas between the tips of the gear teeth and the case bores. The pump may also have moveable wearplates on one or both sides of the gears that may be loaded laterally to seal liquid slip paths at lateral running clearance areas between the side faces of the gears and the pump faceplate and backplate.

Abstract: A stator for a helical gear device is formed from multiple rigid disks and support rings bonded to the disks. Each disk forms part of a profile consisting of radially equally spaced or opened lobes which interact with the convex portions of rotor lobes. The disks are arranged into a desired helical configuration and bonded to one another to form a disk stack defining a helically convoluted elongated chamber therein. The support rings are fixed concentrically against respective end disks of the disk stack. The rings are sized with an inside diameter substantially equal to the major diameter of the central aperture defined by the radially extending lobes of the rigid disks. As a rotor rotates and nutates inside the helically convoluted elongated chamber of the stator, it is supported at both ends of the disk stack by the support rings touching the tips of the rotor lobes. Thus the full force of the rotor's operational inertia is not borne by the disks alone, thereby increasing their life.

Abstract: A progressing cavity pump has a rotor that moves in an eccentric motion, and is driven by a drive shaft that rotates about a fixed axis. Various means have been used to connect the two; mostly using an intermediate shaft called a connecting rod that has a universal joint at either end. This device replaces that with two parallel plates; one with several pins protruding from it, and the other with the same number of holes in it. The holes are sized to allow the eccentric motion of the rotor. There is also a ball between the two plates to transmit loads between the plates.

Abstract: Elliptical or oval shaped gears of a positive displacement gear pump are disclosed. The gears have specially designed teeth at the ends of the gears' major and minor diameter axes. For example the teeth at the ends regions of the major diameter axes include radially extending wipers or vanes that extend and run against the circular gear case bore walls to seal liquid slip paths at radial running clearance areas between the tips of the gear teeth and the case bores. The pump may also have moveable wearplates on one or both sides of the gears that may be loaded laterally to seal liquid slip paths at lateral running clearance areas between the side faces of the gears and the pump faceplate and backplate.

Abstract: An external gear pump including seals, bearings, bushing/seal housings, choke collars and shafts that are all removable for maintenance and/or replacement without removing either endplate or internals from the case assembly. The preferred pump includes four bearing caps that can be removed without removing the pump from its mounted position. By removing the four bearing caps, access is gained inside the pump housing to all of the seals, bearings, bushing/seal housings, choke collars and most importantly, the drive and idler shafts within the pump housing. Further, the two shafts can be slipped out of the pump without disturbing the internal parts and endplates. This capability facilitates maintenance and replacement of major components without removing the pump from its mounted position.

Abstract: A fluid metering or pumping device includes multiple pumping or metering elements that are connected so that they all operate together, moving in the same direction and at the same speed. The multiple pumping or metering elements are intended for use at high pressures where the strain from the pressure might distort the walls of the elements, and interfere with their pumping or metering accuracy. These elements are enclosed in, but preferably not directly connected to a pressure vessel that would contain the high operating pressure, leaving the pumping or metering element housings to only contain the pressure rise or fall that occurs within that element. The pumping or metering elements are connected to a support structure that also penetrates the pressure vessel, and contains an outlet port for that element. The pressure vessel connects the elements, and serves as an intake plenum for all of the elements.

Abstract: An external gear pump which has a certain flow rate or volumetric capacity at a given speed can be taken apart and the parts rearranged and assembled into a second pump operating at the same speed with a flow rate or volumetric capacity that is different from the original pump. No new parts are required for the second pump configuration and all original parts are used. With this structure, pumps with different flow rates can be built using fewer parts than conventional designs.

Abstract: An external gear pump including seals, bearings, bushing/seal housings, choke collars and shafts that are all removable for maintenance and/or replacement without removing either endplate or internals from the case assembly. The preferred pump includes four bearing caps that can be removed without removing the pump from its mounted position. By removing the four bearing caps, access is gained inside the pump housing to all of the seals, bearings, bushing/seal housings, choke collars and most importantly, the drive and idler shafts within the pump housing. Further, the two shafts can be slipped out of the pump without disturbing the internal parts and endplates. This capability facilitates maintenance and replacement of major components without removing the pump from its mounted position.