Abstract: A cradle plate for high pressure reciprocating pumps is installable within a cradle disposed between a power end of a high pressure reciprocating pump and a fluid end of the high pressure reciprocating pump. The cradle plate has a main body that extends from a front surface to a back surface and a first set of openings that extend through the main body. The first set of openings are configured to receive a set of elongate couplers that position the cradle plate within the cradle in a position that secures a fluid end component against a casing of the fluid end, against a seal of the fluid end, or against both the casing and the seal.

Abstract: A coated substrate comprising a coating extending over at least a part of the substrate. The coating is obtainable from a coating composition comprising (a) a polymeric binder; and (b) a feathering reducing agent comprising a carboxylic acid reactive functional group. The coated portion of the substrate comprises a pretreatment layer. The pretreatment layer is obtainable from a pretreatment composition that comprises a trivalent chromium compound. The invention extends to a method of coating a pre-treated substrate and a coated package, such as a metal can.

Abstract: A retaining assembly for coupling a fluid end component to a fluid end casing. The retaining assembly includes a pair for clamp members, each of which has a pair of rails that define a wedge-shaped groove therebetween. The groove applying an increasing amount of pre-load force or tension to a flange of the fluid end components and a flange of the fluid end casing to drive them together. The amount of pre-load tension applied can vary and can be determined by the user and amount of tightening of the clamp members.

Abstract: A coating composition comprising (a) a polyester binder material; and (b) a feathering reducing agent. The feathering reducing agent is selected from (i) an acrylic feathering reducing agent comprising a functional group selected from hydroxyl, epoxide, phosphatized epoxide and/or acid-functional; (ii) a hydroxy-functional polyester feathering reducing agent; (iii) a feathering reducing agent comprising a functional group selected from amine, amide, imine and/or nitrile; (iv) a phosphatized epoxy feathering reducing agent; (v) a phenolic resin feathering reducing agent; and/or (vi) a feathering reducing agent comprising an oxazolyl functional group. The invention extends to a substrate coated with the coating composition and use of the coating composition to reduce feathering.

Abstract: A sealing assembly for a fluid end of a reciprocating pump is installable within a segment of a casing of the fluid end and is arranged to form a seal with the segment. The sealing assembly includes a closure element and a seal element. The closure element has a sealing portion with a lateral surface that faces an interior wall of the segment of the fluid end. The seal element is sized to be installed around the closure element and includes a seal and one or more seal carriers. The seal is configured to form a seal between the lateral surface of the closure element and the interior wall of the segment. The one or more seal carriers are configured to position the seal with respect to the closure element.

Abstract: A closure element for a fluid end of a reciprocating pump is installable within a segment of a casing of the fluid end to substantially close the segment. The closure element includes a main body that extends from an interior surface to an exterior surface, and at least a portion of the main body has a non-circular cross-sectional shape. A fluid end for the closure element may include a plurality of segments and at least a portion of at least one segment of the plurality of segments may have a non-circular cross-sectional shape configured to receive and secure a closure element with a non-circular cross-sectional shape.

Abstract: A method of closing an externally open segment of a fluid end of a reciprocating pump with a closure assembly includes inserting a non-circular closure element into a segment of a fluid end casing in a first direction while the non-circular closure element is disposed in a first orientation. The non-circular closure element is rotated to a second orientation that is angularly offset from the first orientation with respect to at least one axis of rotation. The non-circular closure element is further moved within the segment of the fluid end casing in a second direction that is opposite the first direction to cause the non-circular closure element to seat within the segment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for using secrets and a secrets framework are described. In some embodiments, the method comprises executing, by a computing system, application code that includes a reference to a secret value inaccessible to the application code, the reference being in the form of a handle that contains the secret value, including passing the handle to injector code; and executing the injector code, including accepting the handle; obtaining the secret value from the handle; and using the secret value in an operation on behalf of the application code.

Abstract: A tension assembly that is used with a fluid end of a reciprocating pump. The internal components of the fluid end are subject to high pressure, which negatively impacts the lifetime of any internal component. The tension assembly can be used to apply a preload to an internal component. The tension assembly includes a pair of sleeves or rings, one sleeve being coupled to the fluid end housing and the other sleeve is movable relative to the coupled sleeve. The movable sleeve engages the internal component and as that sleeve is moved inwardly toward the internal component, a force or preload is applied to the internal component, which helps set and retain it in place.

Abstract: A closure element for a fluid end of a reciprocating pump is installable within a segment of a casing of the fluid end to substantially close the segment. The closure element includes a main body that extends from an interior surface to an exterior surface, and at least a portion of the main body has a non-circular cross-sectional shape. A fluid end of the closure element may include a plurality of segments and at least a portion of at least one segment of the plurality of segments may have a non-circular cross-sectional shape configured to receive and secure a closure element with a non-circular cross-sectional shape.

Abstract: Techniques for delivering lubricant to a packing assembly of a fluid end of a reciprocating pump include delivering lubricant to a stuffing box that is housing a packing assembly or to a manifold disposed in or around the stuffing box. The lubricant configured to decrease friction between an interior surface of the packing assembly and a reciprocating component moving along the interior surface. Prior to delivering the lubricant to the interior surface of the packing assembly, the lubricant is diverted to multiple radial flow paths circumferentially spaced around a bore in which the packing assembly is disposed. The multiple radial flow paths lead to the interior surface of the packing assembly and the lubricant flowing through the multiple radial flow paths is metered at different flow rates based on a friction gradient across the interior surface of the packing assembly.

Abstract: There is described an acrylic polyester resin, obtainable by grafting an acrylic polymer with a polyester material. The polyester material is obtainable by polymerizing (i) a polyacid component, with (ii) a polyol component. At least one of the polyacid component and/or the polyol component comprises a monomer having an aliphatic group containing at least 15 carbon atoms. At least one of the polyacid component and/or the polyol component comprises a functional monomer operable to impart functionality on to the polyester resin, such that an acrylic polymer may be grafted with the polyester material via the use of said functionality. Also provided is an aqueous coating composition comprising the acrylic polyester resin and a packaging coated with the composition.

Abstract: A sealing assembly for a fluid end of a reciprocating pump is installable within a segment of a casing of the fluid end and is arranged to form a seal with the segment. The sealing assembly includes a closure element and a seal element. The closure element has a sealing portion with a lateral surface that faces an interior wall of the segment of the fluid end. The seal element is sized to be installed around the closure element and includes a repositionable seal. The repositionable seal is movable axially with respect to the closure element so that the repositionable seal can be positioned in multiple sealing positions.

Abstract: A sealing assembly for a fluid end of a reciprocating pump is installable within a segment of a casing of the fluid end and is arranged to form a seal with the segment. The sealing assembly includes a closure element and a seal element. The closure element has a sealing portion with a lateral surface that faces an interior wall of the segment of the fluid end and that includes a single groove. The seal element is sized to be installed in the single groove and includes a repositionable seal. The repositionable seal is movable axially within the single groove so that the repositionable seal can be positioned in multiple sealing positions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to curable compositions comprising: (a) a polyene; (b) a polythiol, present in an amount greater than 10 percent by weight based on the total weight of components (a) and (b) in the curable composition; and (c) a catalytic component consisting essentially of: (i) a metal compound; and (ii) a compound different from (i) that catalyzes an addition reaction between an ethylenically unsaturated compound and a thiol. The catalytic composition is essentially free of vanadium compounds. In the curable composition, either (1) both components (i) and (ii) of the catalytic composition (c) are added as a single package to (a) and/or (b); or (2) component (i) and/or (ii) of the catalytic composition (c) is added in separate packages to (a) and/or (b) of the curable composition. The present invention is further drawn to coated articles and methods of extending pot life of a curable composition.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving, by a computational assistant executing at one or more processors of a mobile computing device and via a wireless link between the mobile computing device and an external device, a representation of audio data generated by a microphone of the external device, the audio data representing a spoken utterance detected by the external device; determining, by the computational assistant and based on the audio data, a response to the spoken utterance; and sending, by the mobile computing device, to the external device, and via the wireless link between the mobile computing device and the external device, a command to output, for playback by one or more speakers connected to the external device via a hardwired analog removable connector of the external device or a wireless link between the external device and the one or more speakers, audio data representing the response to the spoken utterance.

Abstract: There is described an aqueous coating composition, the aqueous coating composition comprising an acrylic polyester resin, obtainable by grafting an acrylic polymer and a polyester material, the polyester material being obtainable by polymerizing: (i) a polyacid component, with (ii) a polyol component. At least one of the polyacid component and/or the polyol component comprises a functional monomer operable to impart functionality on to the polyester resin, such that an acrylic polymer may be grafted with the polyester material via the use of said functionality.

Abstract: There is described an aqueous coating composition, the aqueous coating composition comprising an acrylic polyester resin, obtainable by grafting an acrylic polymer and a polyester material, the polyester material being obtainable by polymerizing: (i) a polyacid component, with (ii) a polyol component. At least one of the polyacid component and/or the polyol component comprises a functional monomer operable to impart functionality on to the polyester resin, such that an acrylic polymer may be grafted with the polyester material via the use of said functionality.

Abstract: There is described an acrylic polyester resin, obtainable by grafting an acrylic polymer with a polyester material. The polyester material is obtainable by polymerizing (i) a polyacid component, with (ii) a polyol component, including—2,2,4,4-tetraallcylcyclobutane-1,3-diol. One of the polyacid component or the polyol component comprises a functional monomer operable to impart functionality on to the polyester resin, such that an acrylic polymer may be grafted with the polyester material via the use of said functionality. Also provided is an aqueous coating composition comprising the acrylic polyester resin and a metal packaging containing coated with the composition.

Abstract: A powder coating composition includes: a film-forming resin; a lignin polymer that is substantially free of sulfonate or sulfonic acid groups; and a crosslinker reactive with functional groups of the film-forming resin and the lignin polymer. The lignin polymer includes at least 5 weight % of the powder coating composition, based on the total solids weight of the powder coating composition. Further, when cured to form a coating, the film-forming resin and lignin polymer react and chemically bond with the crosslinker to form a binder of the coating.