High pressure reciprocating pump

Abstract

A stuffing box for a high-pressure, reciprocating pump. A high pressure reciprocating pump has a mounting plate secured to the plunger end of a pump drive housing and a suction and discharge manifold hingedly connected thereto. A stuffing box in an opening in the mounting plate has a central bore receiving one end of the plunger and forming a plunger pressure chamber coaxial with the plunger. A tapered packing assembly in the stuffing box surrounds the plunger in sealing relation. A suction and discharge valve cartridge in a valve cavity in the manifold block is coaxial with the plunger. The stuffing box includes a body and a sleeve. The body includes a longitudinal socket having an inner surface with a taper extending longitudinally a predetermined distance. The sleeve is disposed in the socket of the body. The sleeve includes a bore longitudinally disposed therein configured to receive a plunger of the pump. The sleeve has an outer surface tapered such that the outer surface of the sleeve substantially corresponds to the inner surface of the body. The body compressively retains the sleeve.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to a high-pressure, reciprocating pump useful for high pressure water jet applications, and more particularly to a stuffing box of a high-pressure, reciprocating pump.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous high pressure reciprocating pumps, such as those used for water jet cleaning and cutting and hydrostatic testing, are known in the art. Often such pumps are required to produce fluid pressures of 35,000 psi and higher. Pumps in this type of service commonly require motor power in excess of 100 horsepower. Because of inherent high cyclic internal pressures and damage caused by impurities in the fluid being pumped, these types of pumps are often prone to fatigue failures and require considerable maintenance.

Although the prior art has provided numerous such pumps, not all such pumps are entirely satisfactory in performance. Various prior art high pressure reciprocating pumps are prone to breakage or failure caused by excessively high stress concentrations at certain points in the pump structure, leakage from the high pressure side of the pump system either to the atmosphere or to the low pressure side of the system, entrapment of air or gasses during operation of the pump with consequent loss of efficiency, and/or hammering, for instance.

For example, the stuffing box is subjected to high pressures that can subject the surface of the bore of the stuffing box to tensile loads. The fatigue life of materials is generally better when the material is under compression rather than tension. In one arrangement, the stuffing box is made with a cylinder, having a straight bore, and a sleeve configured to fit therein in a compressive state. The straight bore arrangement is required to have clearance at the time of assembly to permit the sleeve to be installed therein. Such clearance can vary with production tolerances, causing a varying degree of compressive stress in the final product.

To control the stress in such a stuffing box, the stuffing box is typically constructed in accordance with very small tolerances to achieve a suitable fit between components. Such tight tolerances increase the cost of making such components and can hinder the assembly of such pumps. The present invention is addressed toward overcoming these drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed particularly to a stuffing box for use in a high-pressure reciprocating pump, as shown and described generally in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,878,815 and 6,231,323. The invention provides a high-pressure reciprocating pump including a mounting plate having at least one opening therein. A manifold block is removably secured to the mounting plate. The manifold block has at least one cavity each for receiving a valve cartridge therein. A stuffing box is disposed in each opening of the mounting plate. The stuffing box has a central, longitudinal plunger chamber therein for slidably receiving a reciprocating plunger. The stuffing box has a valve end and a packing end. The valve cartridge is disposed adjacent to the valve end of the stuffing box. The stuffing box is in operative relation with the valve cartridge. A packing assembly is disposed adjacent the packing end of the stuffing box. The packing assembly surrounds the plunger in sealing relation to the plunger and to the stuffing box.

The stuffing box includes a body and a sleeve. The body has a longitudinal socket with an inner surface tapered over at least a predetermined portion thereof. The sleeve is disposed in the socket of the body. The sleeve has a bore longitudinally disposed therein, which opens to the valve cartridge. The sleeve has an outer surface tapered such that the taper of the outer surface of the sleeve substantially corresponds to the taper of the inner surface of the body.

The body compressively retains the sleeve. The sleeve is disposed within the body in a “shrink-fit” for the purpose of pre-loading the bore of the sleeve in compression. The compressive stress which the sleeve is under can act to offset the forces generated by the fluid under pressure in the pressure chamber to increase the life of the stuffing box.

To assemble the stuffing box, the body is heated at a predetermined temperature. The inner sleeve is placed in the socket of the body to form an assembly. The body is allowed to cool. Once cooled, the body subjects the inner sleeve to a compressive state which is believed to be dependent upon the amount the size of the socket of the body increased during heating. The compressive stress placed upon the sleeve can be accurately controlled. Varying the temperature at which the body is heated at the time of assembly can vary the compressive stress placed upon the sleeve. The more the body is heated the greater the increase in the size of the socket. To increase the compressive stress upon the sleeve, the body can be heated to a higher temperature during assembly.

The tapered design reduces cost by facilitating assembly with minimal or no scrap and by achieving the desired results without fabricating the parts with extreme tolerances. The stuffing box is readily assembled. The tapered interface between the sleeve and the body allows the operator to drop the sleeve into the body without the sleeve being retained in the body in a partially inserted manner. The tapered design allows the sleeve and the body to fit with zero clearance at the time of assembly of the stuffing box. The metal-to-metal fit between the sleeve and the cylinder of the stuffing box results in a uniform compressive loading between the parts. The reduction in assembly problems can correspondingly reduce the amount of scrap generated from such manufacturing process and improve part yield.

In addition, the components need not be reworked dimensionally to change the compressive stress placed upon the sleeve, as in the case of a straight bore cylinder and sleeve arrangement.

The assembly method of the stuffing box can readily promote uniformity between different stuffing boxes in that each stuffing box can be heated to the same temperature during assembly to yield a stuffing box having a sleeve with a compressive stress placed upon it that is substantially the same as the sleeves of the other stuffing boxes heated to the same temperature.

These and other features of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, provided herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a fluid end of a high-pressure, reciprocating pump in accordance with the present invention showing a stuffing box disposed in a mounting plate of the pump.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of the stuffing box of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a first end view of the stuffing box of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a second end view of the stuffing box of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, detail view of the stuffing box of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, detail view of the stuffing box of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the stuffing box of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view, partially broken away, of the stuffing box, a packing assembly, and a valve cartridge assembly of the pump of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, detail view taken from FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged, detail view taken from FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the stuffing box of FIG. 1 illustrating a process for making the stuffing box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is associated with the high-pressure reciprocating pumps shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,878,815 and 6,231,323, issued on Nov. 7, 1989, and May 15, 2001, respectively, said patents being incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference.

Turning now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 an illustrative high pressure reciprocating pump 20 constructed in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the pump 20 includes a mounting plate 22 removably secured to a manifold block 24 by a plurality of bolts 26. At least one cylindrical opening 28 extends through the mounting plate 22 and receives a stuffing box 32.

The stuffing box 32 includes an annular flange 33 at a valve end 34 thereof. The opening 28 of the mounting plate 22 includes a counterbore 36 to receive the flange 33 of the stuffing box 32. The flange 33 includes a retaining portion in the form of a flat surface 38, which is configured to engage a similar flat surface 39 of the opening 28 of the mounting plate 22. The stuffing box flange 33 retains the stuffing box 32 in the mounting plate 22 with the engagement of the flat surfaces 38, 39 preventing the stuffing box 32 from rotating with respect to the mounting plate 22.

A longitudinal plunger chamber 42 extends through the stuffing box 32 and opens at the valve end 34 to form a pump chamber 44. The plunger chamber 42 receives a cylindrical, reciprocating plunger 48 with one end 49 of the plunger 48 disposed in the pump chamber 44. The opposite end of the plunger 48 can have threads for connection to a conventional pump power and crosshead stub or pony rod (not shown), for example. Alternatively, the plunger connection may be a conventional flange and yoke connection (not shown).

At a packing end 55 of the stuffing box 32 (the inward end toward the pump drive housing), the plunger chamber 42 has a counterbore 56 with an internally threaded diameter 57. An inwardly tapered packing area 58 extends from the threaded portion 57. A plunger packing assembly 62 is disposed in the stuffing box 32 at the packing end 55 about the plunger 48.

A stuffer sleeve 64 is disposed in the plunger chamber 42 between the stuffing box 32 and the plunger 48. The stuffer sleeve 64 includes a longitudinal bore 66 configured to substantially, closely correspond to the size of the plunger. The stuffer sleeve 64 includes an outer surface 67 having a groove 68 extending around the outer surface 67 with a retaining ring 69 disposed therein. The retaining ring 69 engages the stuffing box 32. The stuffer sleeve 64 can vary in size to correspond to the different sizes of plungers usable in the stuffing box 32. The stuffer sleeve 64 is preferably made from bronze. In other embodiments, the stuffer sleeve can be made from any suitable material.

The manifold block 24 includes a valve cartridge cavity 78 for receiving a valve cartridge assembly 80 therein. The valve cartridge cavity 78 has an outer bore portion 82 and an inner bore portion 83 with the outer bore portion 82 having a larger diameter than the inner bore 83. The valve cartridge 80 is mounted within the bore portions 82, 83. The valve cartridge assembly 80 includes a body 86 received within the bore portions 82, 83. The pump chamber 44 opens to the valve cartridge 80. The valve cartridge 80 can have a construction similar to the construction of the valve cartridge shown and described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,323.

A suction port 90 has a suction passage 91 exiting therefrom to an annular suction chamber 92 defined by the outer bore portion 82 of the valve cartridge cavity 78 and the valve cartridge assembly 80. A discharge port 95 communicates with a discharge chamber 96 defined by the inner bore portion 83 of the valve cartridge cavity 78 and the valve cartridge assembly 80. The discharge chamber 96 is in fluid communication with the discharge port via a discharge passage 97. The discharge port 95 is in fluid communication with a fluid passage 98 for receiving therethrough a gauges or other accessory device. In order to dampen the pulsations resulting from the pump strokes, a fluid accumulator can be integrated within the discharge port 95.

The stuffing box 32 is disposed in operative relation with the valve cartridge 80. During the suction stroke of the plunger 48, the plunger 48 moves away from the valve cartridge assembly 80. A suction valve member 100 of the valve cartridge assembly 80 moves to an open position to allow fluid to flow from the suction chamber 92 to the pump chamber 44. A discharge valve member 102 of the valve cartridge assembly 80 remains in a closed position.

During the power stroke of the plunger 48, the plunger 48 moves toward the valve cartridge assembly 80. The suction valve member 100 closes, thereby forcing pressurized fluid in the pump chamber 44 against the discharge valve member 102, which in turn moves to an open position. Pressurized fluid moves from the pump chamber 44 into the discharge chamber 96 through the discharge passage 97 and to the discharge port 95. At the end of the plunger power stroke, the valve cartridge assembly 80 closes the discharge valve 102, which is biased toward the closed position.

Referring to FIGS. 2-7, the stuffing box 32 is shown. Referring to FIG. 2, the stuffing box 32 includes a body 110 and a sleeve 112. The body 110 has a longitudinal socket 120 with an inner surface 121. The sleeve 112 is disposed in the socket 120 of the body 110. The sleeve 112 has a longitudinal bore 126 therein. The body 110 and the sleeve 112 cooperate to define the plunger chamber 42. The body 110 includes a counterbore 128 disposed at the packing end 55 which defines the threaded portion 57. The sleeve 112 defines the pump chamber 44 and the packing area 58.

The body 110 compressively retains the sleeve 112. The inner surface 121 of the body 110 is tapered over at least a predetermined longitudinal portion thereof. In this embodiment, the taper of the inner surface 121 tapers inwardly from the valve end 34 to the counterbore 128. The sleeve 112 has an outer surface 130 tapered such that the taper of the outer surface 130 of the sleeve substantially corresponds to the taper of the inner surface 121 of the body. In this embodiment, the taper of the inner surface 121 of the body and of the outer surface 130 of the sleeve 112 is about one-half inch per foot. In other embodiments, the taper of the inner surface of the body and the outer surface of the sleeve can be varied, such as, one-eighth inch per foot or ¾-inch per foot, for example.

Referring to FIG. 3, the stuffing box 32 includes the valve end 34, which is substantially planar. The flange 33 is substantially circular with the exception of the flat surface 38. The plunger chamber 42 and the pump chamber 44 are disposed substantially centrally with respect to the flange 33 and are substantially concentrically disposed with respect to each other. In use, the valve end 34 of the stuffing box 32 is disposed adjacent to the valve cartridge assembly 80, as shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 4, the packing end 55 of the stuffing box 32 is shown. The packing end 55 opposes the valve end, as shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 4, the packing end 55 is substantially circular and planar. The counterbore 128 and the plunger chamber 42 are disposed substantially centrally with respect to the packing end 55 and are substantially concentrically disposed with respect to each other. The circumference of the flange 33 is larger than the packing end 55. The flat surface 38 of the flange is substantially tangentially disposed to the circumference of the packing end 55. In use, the packing end 55 of the stuffing box 32 receives the packing assembly 62, as shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 5, to prevent cracking, the sleeve 112 can include a curved surface 138 adjacent the valve end 34. The sleeve 112 can include a beveled surface 140 between the curved surface 138 and the valve end 34 for receiving a seal 142 of the valve cartridge assembly 80, as shown in FIG. 9. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 9, the sleeve 112 can include a mating surface 144, which can be substantially aligned with a countersink surface 146 of the stuffer sleeve 64. The alignment of the mating surface 144 and the countersink surface 146 eases the transition between the components and can reduce the concentration of high pressure at the point of transition. The absence of sharp corners on the mating and countersink surfaces 144, 146 also reduces the concentration of pressure thereupon. Referring to FIG. 5, the beveled surface 140, the curved surface 138, and the mating surface 144 define the pump chamber 44.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 8, the bore 126 of the sleeve 112 includes a pair of packing surfaces 150, 151 provided to facilitate the installation and removal of the packing assembly 62 into the stuffing box 32. The packing surfaces 150, 151 are disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore 126 and can act to squeeze the packing assembly 62 without tearing the rings thereof. By increasing in size toward the packing end 55, the packing surfaces 150, 151 facilitate the removal of the packing assembly 62. The bore 126 also includes a stuffer sleeve surface 154 adjacent the second packing surface 151.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 10, the bore 126 of the sleeve includes a seating surface 158, which can sealingly engage the packing assembly 62. Referring to FIG. 6, the seating surface 158, the first and second packing surfaces 150, 151, and the stuffer sleeve surface 154 of the sleeve 112 define the packing area 58.

Referring to FIG. 7, the body 110 of the stuffing box 32 is generally cylindrical.

The body 110 and the sleeve 112 can both be made of hardened stainless steel or any other suitable material. The body 110 and the sleeve 112 can have substantially the same hardness. The body 110 and the sleeve 112 can be made by being turned on a lathe, for example. In other embodiments, the body 110 and the sleeve 112 can be made from different materials from each other. In other embodiments, the body 110 and the sleeve 112 can have hardnesses different from each other.

Referring to FIG. 10, to provide a seal between the plunger and the plunger chamber 42, the packing assembly 62 is disposed at the packing end 55 of the stuffing box 32. The packing assembly 62 includes a packing gland 170 that supports a guide ring 172, first and second packing rings 173, 174, and a retainer ring 175 about the plunger 48, as shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 10, an internal bore 180 extends through the packing gland 170 for allowing the plunger to extend therethrough. The guide ring 172 is preferably formed of tungsten carbide or hard ceramic material. The packing rings 173, 174 can be snapped together in a snap fit. The packing rings 173, 174 are preferably made from a fibrous or plastic material. In other embodiments, a single ring can replace the packing rings.

The packing gland 170 has a packing end 182 with an annular groove 184, which receives the guide ring 172 therein. The packing gland 170 includes a chamfered end surface 186 encircling the guide ring 172. The end surface 186 can be engaged with the seating surface 158 of the stuffing box 32 to form a metal-to-metal seal therewith.

The packing gland 170 is received in the threaded portion 57 of the stuffing box 32. The packing gland 170 comprises a cylindrical portion 190 having an externally threaded diameter 192 and a head portion 194 having an enlarged diameter with respect to the cylindrical portion 190. The externally threaded diameter 192 can threadedly engage the threaded portion 57 of the stuffing box 32. One or more circumferentially spaced flat bottom holes 196 in the head portion 194 of the packing gland 170 can act to receive a round bar or one end of a hex key wrench (which may be the same as used on the manifold block bolts) to act as a lever to tighten or remove the packing gland. Referring to FIG. 1, the flat surface 38 of the flange 33 prevents the stuffing box 32 from rotating when the packing gland 170 is screwed in or out.

Referring to FIG. 10, the packing gland 170 has a plurality of lubricating ports 200 extending transversely through the sidewall thereof. A threaded hole 202 through the sidewall of the stuffing box 32 communicates with the lubricating ports 200 to connect a packing lubrication system to the stuffing box 32. Lubricant can flow through the ports 200 in the packing gland 170 to the plunger for cooling and lubricating the plunger. Suitable packing lubrication may be oil, grease, or water, for example.

Referring to FIG. 11, in one method for making the stuffing box 32, the body 110 can be inserted into an oven to heat the body 110 at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined amount of time. The temperature can be between about 200° F. and about 1,000° F., for example, such as, about 750° F. for example, or even more preferably at about 900° F. The time can be any suitable time to achieve the desired expansion of the body, such as, about two hours, for example. The compressive stress placed upon the sleeve 112 by the body 110 has been found to increase by increasing the temperature at which the body 110 is heated during assembly.

The body 110 is heated without the sleeve 112 disposed therein to increase the size of the socket 120 along a transverse axis 210 of the stuffing box 32. The size of the diameter of the socket increases along its longitudinal length 212, indicated at the ends of the socket by a pair of dimensional arrows 213, 214, which indicate the size of the diameter at its maximum and minimum, respectively. The diameter of the socket can vary between the ends of the socket in a substantially linear fashion according to the taper of the inner surface 121 of the socket.

The body 110 can be removed from the oven and placed on a substantially flat surface 214 with the packing end 55 adjacent the surface 214 and the flange 33 upright.

The sleeve 112 can be inserted into the socket 120 of the body 110, being inserted through the valve end 34 of the body 110 and moved in an insertion direction 216 along the longitudinal axis 212 toward the packing end 55 thereof. The sleeve 112 can be moved in such fashion along the longitudinal axis 212 until the tapered outer surface 130 of the sleeve engages the correspondingly tapered inner surface 121 of the socket 120 of the body 110 such that the sleeve 112 is prevented from moving further in the insertion direction 216. The portion of the sleeve 112 protruding from the valve end 34 can be struck, by a brass hammer, for example, to fully seat the sleeve 112 in the socket 120 of the body 110.

The sleeve can be in “blank” form, as indicated by a plurality of hidden lines 218, 219 at both ends 222, 223 of the sleeve 112, respectively, in that the surfaces defining the pump chamber 44 adjacent the valve end 34 and the surfaces defining the packing area 58 adjacent the packing end 55 have not been formed. Instead the bore 126 of the sleeve 112 includes a generally, straight, smooth wall surface 225 extending between the ends 222, 223 of the sleeve 112.

The sleeve 112 and the body 110 form a stuffing box assembly which can be allowed to cool to room temperature, about 75° F., for example. Upon cooling, the socket 120 of the body is imparted with a tendency to contract, thereby compressively engaging the sleeve 112 such that the sleeve is prevented from being removed from the body 110 in a retraction direction 230. The body 110 can compressively retain the sleeve 112 such that the sleeve is in compression both longitudinally and transversely.

After cooling, as a stress-relief measure and to prevent the sleeve 112 from displacing after machining, the assembly can be placed into the oven for a predetermined amount of time at a predetermined temperature, 900° F. for one hour, for example.

The assembly can be modified by machining the sleeve 112 at the first end 222 thereof to form the substantially planar valve end 34 and to form the surfaces that define the pump chamber 44. For example, the portions of the blank sleeve 112 bounded by the hidden lines 218 can be removed, as indicated in solid lines in FIG. 11, by machining, for example, to define the valve end 34 and the pump chamber 44. The assembly can be modified, for example, by machining at least one of the sleeve 112 and the body 110 in the counterbore 128 of the body 110 to form a substantially planar counterbore end surface 234 and to form the surfaces that define the packing area 58. For example, the portions of the blank sleeve 112 bounded by the hidden lines 219 can be removed, as indicated in solid lines in FIG. 11.

The plunger chamber 42 can be honed and polished to a 32 micro inch finish, for example.

Further details, features, and components of the pump 20 are shown and described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,878,815 and 6,231,323.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Of course, variations of those preferred embodiments would become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. A reciprocating pump comprising:

a mounting plate, the mounting plate including an opening;

a manifold block removably secured to the mounting plate, the manifold block having a cavity;

a valve cartridge disposed in the cavity of the manifold block; and

a stuffing box disposed in the opening of the mounting plate, the stuffing box having a valve end, the valve end of the stuffing box disposed adjacent to the valve cartridge, the stuffing box in operative relation with the valve cartridge, the stuffing box including a body and a sleeve, the body having a longitudinal socket, the socket having an inner surface, the inner surface being tapered over at least a predetermined portion thereof, the sleeve disposed in the socket of the body, the sleeve having a bore longitudinally disposed therein, the bore opening to the valve cartridge, the sleeve having an outer surface tapered such that the taper of the outer surface of the sleeve substantially corresponds to the taper of the inner surface of the body, and wherein the body compressively retains the sleeve.

2. The pump according to claim 1 further comprising:

a reciprocating plunger disposed in the stuffing box.

3. The pump according to claim 2 wherein the stuffing box includes a packing end, the packing end opposing the valve end, and the stuffing box includes a counterbore disposed at the packing end, the counterbore of the body and the pump cavity of the sleeve defining a plunger chamber.

4. The pump according to claim 3 further comprising:

a packing assembly disposed at the packing end of the counterbore of the stuffing box, the packing assembly providing a seal between the plunger and the plunger chamber.

5. The pump according to claim 4 wherein the stuffing box includes a seating surface, and the packing assembly includes a packing gland having an end surface, the end surface engaged with the seating surface of the stuffing box.

6. The pump according to claim 4 wherein the packing assembly includes a packing gland and a guide ring, the packing gland having a packing end with an annular groove, the groove receiving the guide ring therein, the guide ring encircling the plunger.

7. The pump according to claim 3 further comprising:

a stuffer sleeve disposed in the plunger chamber between the stuffing box and the plunger, the stuffer sleeve having a longitudinal bore configured to substantially, closely correspond to the size of the plunger.

8. The pump according to claim 7 wherein the stuffer sleeve includes an outer surface having a groove extending around the outer surface with a retaining ring disposed therein, and the retaining ring engaging the stuffing box.

9. The pump according to claim 1 wherein the body of the stuffing box is generally cylindrical and includes an annular flange at the valve end, and the flange including a retaining portion configured to engage the opening of the mounting plate to prevent the stuffing box from rotating with respect to the mounting plate.

10. The pump according to claim 9 wherein the opening of the mounting plate includes a counterbore to receive the flange of the stuffing box.

11. A stuffing box for a high-pressure, reciprocating pump, the stuffing box comprising:

a body, the body having a longitudinal socket, the socket having an inner surface, the inner surface having a taper extending longitudinally a predetermined distance; and

a sleeve, the sleeve disposed in the socket of the body, the sleeve having a bore longitudinally disposed therein, the bore configured to receive a plunger of the pump, the sleeve having a tapered outer surface, the outer surface tapered such that the outer surface of the sleeve substantially corresponds to the inner surface of the body;

wherein the body compressively retains the sleeve.

12. The stuffing box according to claim 11 wherein the body is generally cylindrical and includes an annular flange with a flat surface.

13. The stuffing box according to claim 11 further comprising:

a valve end and an opposing packing end; and

wherein the body of the stuffing box includes a counterbore disposed at the packing end of the stuffing box, the taper of the inner surface extending from the valve end to the counterbore.

14. The stuffing box according to claim 13 wherein the inner surface tapers inwardly from the valve end to the counterbore of the body.

15. The stuffing box according to claim 11 wherein the taper of the inner surface of the body and of the outer surface of the sleeve is about one-half inch per foot.

16. A method for making a stuffing box for a high-pressure, reciprocating pump, the method comprising:

heating a body for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature, the body having a longitudinal socket, the socket having an inner surface, and the inner surface having a taper extending longitudinally a predetermined distance;

inserting a sleeve into the socket of the body such that the sleeve is seated in the body, the body and the sleeve forming an assembly, the sleeve having a tapered outer surface, the outer surface tapered such that the outer surface of the sleeve substantially corresponds to the inner surface of the body; and

allowing the body to cool, thereby urging the size of the socket of the body to reduce such that the body compressively retains the sleeve.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising:

inserting the body into an oven to heat the body.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

removing the body from the oven.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising:

inserting the assembly into the oven for a predetermined amount of time at a predetermined temperature.

20. The method according to claim 16, the stuffing box having a valve end and a packing end, the method further comprising:

machining at least one of the sleeve and the body at the valve end to define a substantially planar end surface.

21. The method according to claim 20, the stuffing box having a counterbore disposed at the packing end, the method further comprising:

machining at least one of the sleeve and the body in the counterbore to define a substantially planar counterbore end surface.

22. The method according to claim 16, the body applying a compressive stress upon the sleeve, the method further comprising:

adjusting the compressive stress the body applies to the sleeve by varying the temperature in the heating step.