Abstract: The check valve (12, 14) of the present invention is a ball-type valve that incorporates multiple annular valve seats (34, 38) of progressively smaller diameters for the specific purpose of providing a series of effective annular valve seats as the larger annular valve seats progressively deteriorate, and as the ball valve elements (24) wear away (decrease in diameter) from use, for example, as abrasive slurry is pumped through the check valves and through the fluid pump. Each of the annular valve seats (34, 38) comprises a flexible or otherwise deformable annular lip defined by a cylindrical section having an annular groove (36, 40) formed therein slightly outboard of the cylindrical section, such that the cylindrical section may deform slightly outwardly into the annular groove, thereby effecting an improved functional sealing engagement with the ball valve element (24) as the tip of the cylindrical section deforms outwardly into the annular groove.

Abstract: A pneumatically-actuated reciprocating fluid pump and shuttle valve combination operates in an “air-assist” mode and a “non-air-assist” mode. In the non-air-assist mode, the shuttle valve is shifted by a blast of pressurized supply air from the pneumatic chamber in its pumping stroke as the flexible diaphragms and drive shaft reach the end of their pumping stroke. This blast of pressurized air used to shift the shuttle valve has the effect of reducing the air pressure in the pneumatic chamber immediately prior to the point in time that the drive shaft reaches the end of its stroke in order to provide a cushioning effect at the end of each pumping strokes cycle, in order to lessen the effect of the drive shaft and diaphragms abruptly reversing direction at full air pressure. In the air-assist mode, a secondary source of compressed air is utilized to shift the shuttle valve, rather than drawing pressurized air from the pneumatic chamber during its pumping stroke.

Abstract: A plastic fitting for plastic tubing is disclosed. The plastic fitting comprises a main body (10) having a tip sleeve (16) at one end of and an externally threaded portion (14) at the other end thereof, a cylindrical cap nut (20, 52, 64) threadedly attachable to the main body (10) in a manner to compress a flared end (36) of the plastic tubing down against the tip sleeve (16) of the main body, and a resiliently deformable split ring (30, 42, 60) that resides within an annular internal recess (28, 50, 72) in the cap nut (20, 52, 64) for retaining the flared end (36) of the plastic tubing in position around the main body tip sleeve (16). The resiliently deformable split ring (30, 42, 60) includes a plurality of inwardly facing bosses (38, 46) that cooperate with respective spaced apertures (40) formed in the plastic tubing flared end (36).

Abstract: A diaphragm (10) for a fluid pump, accumulator, pressure regulator, or similar device comprises two major components: (1) a central body portion (12) having a first degree of flexibility; and (2) a peripheral portion (14) having a second degree of flexibility that is less than that of the central body portion. In one embodiment, this lesser degree of flexibility is effected by forming the peripheral portion (14) of the diaphragm into a material thickness that is greater than that of the central body portion (12). In another embodiment, the lesser degree of flexibility of the peripheral portion (14) is effected by forming the peripheral portion from a material that is dissimilar to that of the central body portion (12), the peripheral portion material having a degree of flexibility that is less than that of the central body portion.

Abstract: A screw-threaded connection incorporates multiple synchronized threads, that is, one connection element has a set of external threads that mates with a corresponding set of internal threads on the mating connection element, in customary fashion. The first connection element additionally includes a second set of internal threads synchronized with the first set such that the leads of both sets of threads are the same. This second set of internal threads mates with a corresponding set of external threads on the mating connection element. Of course, the two sets of threads on the mating connection element are synchronized such that their leads are the same, and, of course, the same as first sets of mating multiple synchronized threads. This multiple synchronized thread connection has application to any fluid connector and particularly to fluid connectors in wide-variant temperature deviation, high-pressure, and/or mechanical vibration environments.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated reciprocating fluid pump and spool valve combination is pneumatically shifted by pressurized air that exhausts from a respective pressurized bellows, diaphragm, or piston chamber, as the bellows, etc. nears the end of its pressure stroke (the exhaust stroke of the pumped fluid). This pressurized air exhausts from the bellows chamber via a shift piston and canister mechanism that seals on the face of the shift canister, rather than on its periphery. The pressurized air exhaust from the bellows chamber acts on the end of the valve spool element to shift the spool element to its opposite position, which reverses the application of pneumatic pressure and atmospheric exhaust between the two bellows chambers to actuate the reciprocating pump.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for forming dual synchronized threads on the interior and exterior cylindrical portions of a tube or pipe, and in the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of an annular channel formed in an object. The method for producing dual synchronized threads includes initially defining a rotational zero point on the object where the first set of threads is to begin, cutting or forming the first set of threads, determining a rotational zero point on the object where the second set of threads is to begin, the second rotational zero point being relative to the first rotational zero point, and cutting or forming the second set of threads with the same lead as the first so that the two sets of threads will be synchronized and their starting points will be in some specified relationship to each other. An apparatus is also disclosed for cutting dual synchronized threads, the apparatus comprising a combination tap and die for simultaneously cutting dual threads on and in an object.

Abstract: A screw-threaded connection incorporates multiple synchronized threads, that is, one connection element has a set of external threads that mates with a corresponding set of internal threads on the mating connection element, in customary fashion. The first connection element additionally includes a second set of internal threads synchronized with the first set such that the leads of both sets of threads are the same. This second set of internal threads mates with a corresponding set of external threads on the mating connection element. Of course, the two sets of threads on the mating connection element are synchronized such that their leads are the same, and, of course, the same as first sets of mating multiple synchronized threads. This multiple synchronized thread connection has application to any fluid connector and particularly to fluid connectors in wide-variant temperature deviation, high-pressure, and/or mechanical vibration environments.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated reciprocating fluid pump and shuttle valve combination is pneumatically shifted by pressurized air that exhausts from a respective pressurized bellows, diaphragm, or piston chamber, as the bellows, etc. nears the end of its pressure stroke (the exhaust stroke of the pumped fluid). This pressurized air exhausts from the bellows chamber via a shifting piston and cylinder mechanism within the bellows chamber that opens the bellows chamber at a specified location or point in the pump pumping cycle. The pressurized air exhaust from the bellows chamber acts on the end of the shuttle valve spool element to shift the spool element to its opposite position, which reverses the application of pneumatic pressure and atmospheric exhaust between the two bellows chambers to actuate the reciprocating pump.

Abstract: A screw-threaded connection incorporates multiple synchronized threads, that is, one connection element has one or more sets of male threads that mates with one or more corresponding sets of female threads on the mating connection element, in customary fashion. Of course, the multiple sets of threads on the mating connection element are synchronized such that their leads are the same, and, of course, the same as the sets of mating multiple synchronized threads. This multiple synchronized thread connection has application to any fluid connector and particularly to fluid connectors in wide-variant temperature deviation, high-pressure, and/or mechanical vibration environments.

Abstract: A screw-threaded connection incorporates dual synchronized threads, that is, one connection element has a set of external male threads that mates with a corresponding set of internal female threads on the mating connection element, in customary fashion. The first connection element additionally includes a second set of internal female threads synchronized with the first set such that the leads of both sets of threads are the same. This second set of internal female threads mates with a corresponding set of external male threads on the mating connection element. Of course, the two sets of threads on the mating connection element are synchronized such that their leads are the same, and, of course, the same as first sets of mating dual synchronized threads. This dual synchronized thread connection has application to any fluid connector and particularly to fluid connectors in wide-variant temperature deviation, high-pressure, and/or mechanical vibration environments.