Ball Type Patents (Class 417/554)
  • Patent number: 5642990
    Abstract: A downhole pump is reciprocated subsurface for the purpose of lifting fluid from an underground borehole to the surface or other suitable storage location. As the fluid being pumped may contain gas, the efficiency of the pump may decrease to the point where no fluid is pumped due to the compression and expansion of gas within the downhole pump. This condition is commonly described as gas lock, and, when encountered, can prevent the pump from displacing any fluid, resulting in no efficiency and no work performed. Installed as an integral part of the downhole pump assembly, the device described herein effectively, mechanically, and positively prevents the gas locked condition, and, additionally, efficiently handles suspended solids due to its design incorporating no moving parts nor small fluid passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Inventor: Charles G. Short
  • Patent number: 5636687
    Abstract: In a well using a lift pump operated by a tension string from the surface, the down stroke of the pump is accelerated by providing a plunger element secured to the pump operating string. The plunger has an upper end exposed to the high hydrostatic pressure in the tubing string above the pump, and a lower end exposed to the substantially lower hydrostatic pressure in the well outside the tubing string. This produces a net downwards force on the pump operating string allowing a higher pump speed and a higher volume delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Otatco, Inc.
    Inventor: John F. Brown
  • Patent number: 5628624
    Abstract: Disclosed is an assembly for unseating a seated traveling valve ball, and pumps utilizing such an assembly. The assembly generally includes a tubular member having therein a piston with an actuator for engaging the ball. Mechanical advantage is provided either by providing a sealing area of the piston that is greater than the sealing area of the seat valve and/or by providing a engaging member suitable to strike to seated ball asymmetrically with respect to the vertical axis through the center line of the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Inventor: Joe A. Nelson, II
  • Patent number: 5618169
    Abstract: Water well pump plunger efficiency is improved by providing a pair of upwardly open outwardly flared wall cups surrounding a pump plunger and supported in superposed relation by a sleeve in the lowermost cup. A fluid passageway through the base of the uppermost cup insures filling the lowermost cup on the plunger upstroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Inventor: Loren E. Smith
  • Patent number: 5593292
    Abstract: A valve cage whose tubular side wall has a progressively diminishing thickness between the seat and the stop means, whereby the bore is tapered and upwardly enlarging in that interval. Therefore the flow area between the ball provided in the bore and the side wall increases as the ball ascends. The side wall has ball guide ribs which project inwardly and increase in height at the same rate as the wall thickness diminishes, so that the ribs form a race of constant diameter, for guiding the ball as it moves vertically and preventing it from moving laterally. The ball stop is positioned at the top of the cage and the external thread for connection with the pump barrel is positioned intermediate the ends of the cage. This arrangement enables the seats of the travelling and standing valves to come close together at the bottom of the down stroke of the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Inventor: Ray K. Ivey
  • Patent number: 5567135
    Abstract: A reciprocating pump including a piston through which fluid can flow. The piston includes an inlet valve which presses a valve ball against a valve seat in a longitudinal bore in the piston. One end of the piston has a cap-shaped support elements attached thereto against which the inlet valve spring is supported and which engage around an end behind an undercut in the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Mueller, Wolfgang Schuller
  • Patent number: 5567131
    Abstract: A valve assembly is disclosed for an oscillating pump of the type having a reciprocating armature carrying an impeller that defines a pump chamber for flow of fluid through the pump. The valve assembly includes a valve body mounted to the impeller, a valve seat attached to the valve body, a spring retainer, a spring mounted to the spring retainer and a plug located between the spring and the valve seat. The valve assembly provides a substantially fluid tight seal when the pump is discharging fluid and allows fluid to enter the pump chamber when the pump is suctioning. All wetted components are particularly suitable for corrosive fluids, such as acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Gorman-Rupp Industries
    Inventor: Michael H. McNaull
  • Patent number: 5533876
    Abstract: Disclosed is an assembly for unseating a seated traveling valve ball, and pumps utilizing such an assembly. The assembly generally includes a tubular member having therein a piston with an actuator for engaging the ball. Mechanical advantage is provided either by providing a sealing area of the piston that is greater than the sealing area of the seat valve and/or by providing a engaging member suitable to strike to seated ball asymetrically with respect to the vertical axis through the center line of the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Inventor: Joe A. Nelson, II
  • Patent number: 5529466
    Abstract: A pumping device is provided for pumping fluid from an inlet to an outlet. The pump comprises a piston reciprocable between an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a first valve between the inlet and the inlet chamber and responsive to reciprocation of the piston in a first direction to communicate the inlet to the inlet chamber, and a second valve between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber responsive to reciprocation of the piston in a second direction to communicate the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber, whereby fluid is received in the inlet chamber when the piston reciprocates in the first direction and pumped from the outlet chamber when the piston reciprocates in either direction. Also provided is a pump assembly for pumping fluid for an anti-lock braking system. The pump assembly is a dual action pump including two pistons which are stroked 90.degree. out of phase with respect to each other by a common drive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Kelsey-Hayes Company
    Inventor: Wendell D. Tackett
  • Patent number: 5509475
    Abstract: In a downhole sucker rod string stress absorber, a relatively inelastic plunger of circular cross-section is mounted on a concentric shaft extending upwardly to an upper portion of the sucker rod string. A resiliently compressible cushion of circular cross-section is disposed below the plunger and above a lower portion of the sucker rod string. A disk may be seated between the cushion and the plunger to distribute forces more evenly on the surface of the cushion. A resiliently compressible cylindrical sleeve, preferably having a plurality of annular grooves spaced thereabout, surrounds the shaft above the plunger. A coupling, adapted for connection to the lower portion of the sucker rod string, has a threaded end with a compressive face which abuts the outer end of the compressible cushion. A guide slidably mounted on the shaft has a threaded end with a compressive face thereon which abuts the outer end of the compressible sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Inventor: Gary W. Lewis
  • Patent number: 5472326
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in valve assemblies for reciprocating sucker rod operated subsurface pumps and specifically as to the traveling valves and standing valves. The traveling valve includes a valve body having an inwardly-directed lip at the bottom with the valve seat, ball and cage inserted from the top of the valve body. Further the standing valve is positioned in the upper portion of a bushing threaded into the bottom of the pump barrel, thus placing the standing valve and the traveling valve in closer proximity at the bottom of the downstroke than prior such pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Inventor: Leon Tarpley
  • Patent number: 5472323
    Abstract: A movable magnet type pump, wherein a magnet moving body having at least one axially magnetized permanent magnet and an axially extending through liquid passage is arranged so as to be slidable inside a liquid introducing chamber; a plurality of coils are fixed so as to enclose the liquid introducing chamber; a first check valve is arranged on a liquid introducing side of the liquid introducing chamber; a second check valve is arranged on a liquid discharge side of the through liquid passage; and the magnet moving body is caused to reciprocate by interaction between current applied to the respective coils and magnetic flux from the magnet moving body cutting across the respective coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Hirabayashi, Takatoshi Oyama, Sigeo Saito
  • Patent number: 5466130
    Abstract: A swash plate pump is particularly adapted for use as a helm pump for controlling a tiller of a marine vessel and has a rotor mounted within a pump housing. The rotor is rotatable by a wheel about a housing axis and has a plurality of cylinders therein disposed circumferentially around the rotor. A piston is resiliently mounted in each cylinder for reciprocal movement along a respective cylinder axis so that outer ends of the pistons engage a swash plate inclined obliquely to the housing axis at a fixed swash plate angle. Bleed conduits are provided in the outer ends of each piston, each bleed conduit having an opening disposed on the respective cylinder axis. The outer end of each piston is shaped to provide access to the bleed conduit between the bearing plate and the outer end of the piston, preferably by having a truncated conical end wall inclined at an end face angle equal to the swash plate angle to provide line contact between the end wall and the swash plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Inventor: Jacob Kobelt
  • Patent number: 5456583
    Abstract: An improvement in reciprocable liquid pump construction to facilitate maintenance and repair of certain high-wear pump components without the necessity of removing the pump from the work site. The pump has a threadable and removable cylinder, intake housing, piston, piston packing and glands, piston and inlet ball checks and seats, and ball check housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Graco Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Handzel
  • Patent number: 5450897
    Abstract: In a well using a lift pump operated by a tension string from the surface, the down stroke of the pump is accelerated by providing a plunger element secured to the pump operating string. The plunger has an upper end exposed to the high hydrostatic pressure in the tubing string above the pump, and a lower end exposed to the substantially lower hydrostatic pressure in the well outside the tubing string. This produces a net downwards force on the pump operating string allowing a higher pump speed and a higher volume delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: James L. Weber
    Inventor: John F. Brown
  • Patent number: 5435697
    Abstract: An improved quick-change fluid section for piston-type paint pumps having a mounting flange with keyhole shaped apertures at one end and a threaded fitting at the other end to couple a fluid section housing to driving means via a slide housing. The piston and slide are retained in reciprocable driving relationship via a transverse pin held in place by a circumferential spring received in a circumferential groove on the slide. The spring and pin are accessible via diametrically opposed apertures in the mounting flange. The fluid section housing is bifurcated and has sealing means which may be either a packing set of alternating elastomeric and leather V-rings or lip-type seals. The sealing means is immediately available upon separation of the two portions of the fluid section and may be removed without the need for special tools. An inline or right angle inlet or suction fitting may be utilized with the fluid section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Ferdinand N. Guebeli, Norman A. Cyphers
  • Patent number: 5407333
    Abstract: A rod-driven, downhole pump is disclosed, the pump including a traveling barrel contained within a pump housing, a central pump rod extending axially within the barrel, a valve ball located at the lower end of the pump rod, a valve seat near the barrel lower end, the pump rod including a rod shoulder for engaging the upper end of the barrel, the barrel containing annular passageways for the flow of fluid through the barrel, the pump rod reciprocable within the barrel, and the barrel reciprocable within the pump housing. The downward stroke of the pump rod causes the rod shoulder to engage the barrel upper end and concurrently displaces the valve ball below the valve seat, thereby allowing environmental fluid to flow through the barrel annular passageways. On the up stroke of the pump rod, the valve ball engages the valve seat and pushes the pump barrel upward within the pump housing. The sealing of the valve ball on the valve seat and the upward movement of the barrel displace columnar fluid upwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Inventor: Charles T. Lambright
  • Patent number: 5395219
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump including a housing having a housing bore with a piston sliding in an axial direction in the bore and a pump chamber being defined in cavity adjacent one end of the piston. A piston drive mechanism is provided in a housing chamber defined in the bore adjacent the other end of the piston. Piston return springs are mounted in the pump chamber biasing the piston towards the piston drive mechanism. An inlet valve is arranged in the pump chamber opening and closing an axial bore in the piston connected to an inlet passage. An outlet valve is set on a downstream side of the pump chamber opening and closing an outlet passage. Two elastic seal members are mounted around a circumference of the piston respectively sealing an area between the pump chamber and the inlet passage and an area between the inlet passage and the housing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Nisshinbo Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Hosoya, Kei Fukuyo
  • Patent number: 5382142
    Abstract: A backwash valve for use in a sucker-rod actuated fluid pump, may be selectively actuated to permit both the standing and traveling ball valves to be unseated at the same time permit the pump to be backwashed and/or the production tubing string drained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Spears Speciality Oil Tools, Inc.
    Inventor: Harry L. Spears
  • Patent number: 5372488
    Abstract: Improvements in a downhole submerged pump assembly having a plunger formed of a cast or machined cylindrical member includes seal ring grooves capable of receiving flat metallic seal rings formed of a plurality of segments which are interlocked in a manner wherein the segments can expand during the upstroke of the pump movement and retract during the downstroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Inventor: Richard L. Turner
  • Patent number: 5348454
    Abstract: A liquid pump adapted for pumping liquids containing high percentages of solids in suspension, including a foot valve and pumping chamber, and having an insert in the pumping chamber adjacent the foot valve seat, the insert having a resilient inner surface and an outer metallic rim, the inner resilient surface forming flanges about the edges of the rim, and the insert being clamped between the valve seat and another member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Graco Inc.
    Inventor: Edward P. Murphy
  • Patent number: 5346037
    Abstract: A combined packing nut and rod guide for piston paint pumps has a body with a central bore therethrough and at least one relief extending axially along the bore providing a lubricating passageway and paint leakage path. An annular reservoir is formed at an interior end of the nut body for lubricating fluid. The nut body has axial and radial surfaces to axially and radially position the combined packing nut and rod guide in the pump housing to locate and maintain the position of the piston rod with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas H. Flaig, Norman A. Cyphers
  • Patent number: 5320498
    Abstract: A support structure for a plunger employed in a plunger pump, comprises a pump housing, a cylinder firmly fitted into a cylindrical hollow defined in said housing, a plunger slidably enclosed in the cylinder to provide a pumping action, a stopper arranged on an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, and an engaging portion arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the plunger, for engaging with the stopper and for restricting an axially projecting amount of the plunger relative to the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Fuchida
  • Patent number: 5280746
    Abstract: In a pump having a piston, supported displaceably in a pump cylinder, for aspirating a pressure fluid via a feed line and for expelling this pressure fluid into a line, particularly a brake line, the pump cylinder is intended to rest with a stop ring on a shoulder of the housing. This housing shoulder is adjoined by an annular chamber having a filter, which toward the housing forms an annular gap into which the feed line for pressure fluid discharges. The pump cylinder stop ring is intended to include a radius of curvature and to rest on the housing shoulder, also having a radius of curvature in the region of a bearing face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz Siegel
  • Patent number: 5228842
    Abstract: An improved quick-change fluid section for piston-type paint pumps having a mounting flange with keyhole shaped apertures at one end and a threaded fitting at the other end to couple a fluid section housing to driving means via a slide housing. The piston and slide are retained in reciprocable driving relationship via a transverse pin held in place by a circumferential spring received in a circumferential groove on the slide. The spring and pin are accessible via diametrically opposed apertures in the mounting flange. The fluid section housing is bifurcated and has sealing means which may be either a packing set of alternating elastomeric and leather V-rings or lip-type seals. The sealing means is immediately available upon separation of the two portions of the fluid section and may be removed without the need for special tools. An inline or right angle inlet or suction fitting may be utilized with the fluid section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Ferdinand N. Guebeli, Norman A. Cyphers
  • Patent number: 5178184
    Abstract: A valve having a tubular valve body, an inlet, an outlet and a flow passage therebetween. A valve seat is carried by the valve body at the inlet. A cylindrical cage with flow ports through its walls is carried by the valve body, the interior of which defines a cylindrical enclosure open at the end nearest the inlet and partially closed by an end wall at the opposite end. A ball closure member is carried within the cage for limited axial movement between a seated terminal portion, blocking reverse flow through the valve, and an unseated terminal position unblocking flow through the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Inventor: Milton M. Skillman
  • Patent number: 5167495
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump comprises at least one reciprocating piston (2) sliding in a stationary cylinder (4), a non-return suction valve (12) arranged between a source of fluid under low pressure and a working chamber (10) defined in the cylinder (4), and a first non-return delivery valve (16) arranged between the working chamber (10) and an outlet chamber (14) for the fluid under high pressure. A conduit (24) connects the outlet chamber (14) and the working chamber (10), the piston (2) leaving this conduit (24) open at the end of the suction period and at the start of the delivery period and closing it during the rest of the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Bendix Europe Services Techniques
    Inventor: Pierre Lebret
  • Patent number: 5165875
    Abstract: The hydraulic pump comprises at least one reciprocating piston (2) sliding in a stationary cylinder (4). The piston (2) comprises, on the same side as the working chamber (10), a cylindrical skirt (22) which has the inside diameter of the cylinder (4) and in which is made at least one first port (18) putting the working chamber (10) in communication with the outer wall of the skirt (22). A second port (24) puts the duct (6) upstream of the valve (12) in communication with the outer wall of the piston (2). Finally, a slot (20) of a length at least equal to the distance separating the ports (18, 24) is made in the cylinder (4) so as to cause these ports (18, 24) to communicate over a specific zone of the reciprocating movement of the piston when the piston is sensibly at mid-stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Bendix Europe Services Techniques
    Inventor: Pierre Lebret
  • Patent number: 5152674
    Abstract: A wave motion-actuated pumping apparatus includes a pair of inner and outer telescoping sleeves, a float, an anchoring arrangement, and a pair of one-way flow valves. The inner and outer sleeve are telescopically fitted together for reciprocal sliding movement relative to one another and define a water flow chamber therebetween being variable in volume in response to reciprocal movement of the tubular members relative to one another. The inner and outer tubular members also respectively define an inlet to and an outlet from the chamber. The float is attached about the outer sleeve so as to provide it with sufficient buoyancy to floatably follow up and down motion of waves with the float when the float and outer sleeve are disposed in a body of water. The inner sleeve is attached to the anchoring arrangement to restrain the inner sleeve from following up and down motion of waves with the outer sleeve, thereby causing the outer sleeve to reciprocally move relative to the inner sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Inventor: Robert P. Marx
  • Patent number: 5141416
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plunger for a downhole reciprocating oil well pump for use in sandy environments including the step of machining a metal plunger to the required base configuration with an external cylindrical pump surface having a diameter of about 0.025 inches less than the design diameter, grit blasting the plunger cylindrical pump surface to achieve a textured surface thereon, heating the plunger, flame spraying a thin layer of ceramic composite on the plunger cylindrical pump surface, repeating the flame spraying steps sequentially until the diameter of the cylindrical pump surface having the ceramic composite thereon is about 0.015 to 0.020 inches above the design diameter, cooling the plunger and grinding the ceramic covered plunger pump surface to the design diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Dover Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Cognevich, Shannon B. Sixkiller
  • Patent number: 5120203
    Abstract: A universal plunger for oil well pumps, which universal plunger includes a symmetrical plunger body having a longitudinal bore, a pair of threaded flange nipples projecting from end flanges located on each end of the plunger body, a pair of spaced O-ring seats provided inwardly of the end flanges, respectively, the O-rings seated in the O-ring seats, a plunger body segment of reduced diameter extending between the inner sets of O-rings and a "Teflon"-hydrocarbon composition disposed between the spaced inside O-rings, the plunger body segment and that portion of the inside surface of the oil well pump barrel which faces the plunger body segment, for sealing and lubricating the universal plunger in the pump barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Inventor: Ronald A. Priestly
  • Patent number: 5067881
    Abstract: In a plunger-operated hydraulic pump, a cylinder has an ejection port extending from its upper end portion with an ejection valve provided at the ejection port. A piston and a plunger fitted in the cylinder are urged towards an eccentric cam by a first return spring and a second return spring which is stronger than the first return spring, respectively. The cylinder has a suction port in its lower end portion in such a manner that it is not closed by the plunger, so that the suction valve is opened by the downward stroke of the plunger, and during suction, the inflow resistance of the suction valve is minimized. Further, in the hydraulic pump, a plurality of cylinders are arranged at equal angular intervals so that the vibrations due to the reciprocations of the plungers are canceled by one another, thereby greatly suppressing the vibration of the cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignees: Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd., Akebono Research and Development Center Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshifumi Maehara
  • Patent number: 5061159
    Abstract: A pump apparatus for moving fluid, such as drilling mud. The pump has a special designed fluid end of a configuration that reduces stress riser and therefore reduces the frequency of broken pumps. The pump has a cylindrical liner within which a special piston reciprocates. A stationary discharge valve of special design is connected to discharge fluid from the pump working chamber. A traveling valve is included in the piston and supplies fluid to the working chamber of the pump. The traveling and stationary valves each have a seal that also forms part of a valve seat. Each of the valve elements is a hollow ball and each ball is sealingly seated against the seat. The pump liner, piston, and discharge valve assembly are all axially aligned and can be easily removed from the discharge end of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Inventor: Dale H. Pryor
  • Patent number: 5040608
    Abstract: Anchoring of a pack-off assembly of an oil well pump is improved by the provision of a tapered conical sleeve as a wedge for a friction seating ring which is forced outwardly against the inner surface of the pump barrel upon advancement of a nut carried on the end of the pack-off assembly. In addition, downward movement of the pack-off assembly in response to fluid pound is limited by the provision of the pump barrel as two separate pieces joined together with a coupling which includes a tapered section slightly reducing the cross section of the barrel but which permits passage of the lower piston by compressing spring-type seals carried by the piston as it passes through the reduced cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Inventor: John Doan
  • Patent number: 5031785
    Abstract: A combination pressure and vacuum pump for food or drink containers including a pump housing having a pump cylinder therein, a pump head adapted for sealing engagement with a valve stopper on a food or drink container, and a piston in sliding airtight engagement with the pump cylinder; the pump cylinder, pump head and piston defining a pump chamber. A handle is provided for moving the piston and the pump cylinder relative to one another to pump a gas into or out of the food or drink container. The pump chamber is connected to the valve stopper via a first opening when the pump head is sealed to the valve stopper and to the atmosphere via a second opening through a combination pressure and vacuum valve, the combination valve being switchable from a vacuum position to a pressure position.A combination pressure and vacuum valve stopper is also shown which includes a valve element reversible between a pressure position and a vacuum position to convert the stopper between pressure and vacuum use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Epicurean International Corp.
    Inventor: Anthony R. Lemme
  • Patent number: 5028213
    Abstract: A convertible and variable-length groundwater device permitting conversion of one type of groundwater sampling device to another, and vice versa. Conversion between a bailer device and a gas-drive pump, or a bailer device and a bailer pump, for example, is readily accomplished by substituting particular components from an assortment of universal, unique and multi-use components adapted to mate one with another and to be assembled substantially without the use of tools. Variable-length bladder devices, gas-drive pumps and bladder pumps are also provided, each being convertible between at least a single- and double-length assembly merely by adding or removing various components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: American Sigma, Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Dickinson, James Mirand
  • Patent number: 5009000
    Abstract: A method of hardening a sucker rod well pump has a step of forming a boronized case on the plunger. Then the plunger is heated and quenched to form a hardened steel supporting layer. A chromium case is formed on the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Scot Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas S. Wilmeth, Steven L. Wilmeth, Francis E. Foster
  • Patent number: 4983105
    Abstract: My invention is a down hole pump that operates on hydrostatic pressure. The mandrel is a tubular member having perforations therein. The expandable tube made of high quality plastic surrounds the hollow mandrel covering the perforations, thereby forming a means for communicating hydrostatic pressure existing within said hollow mandrel on an upstroke of said pump to expand the expandable tube. There is a plurality of special expandable rings which surround the expandable tube. The expandable tube causes the rings to expand radially with the expandable tube so as to maintain constant contact with the barrel. There is also a plurality of expandable spacers surrounding the expandable tube between each of the expandable rings which have a significantly smaller outside diameter than the expandable rings. There are also means provided to secure the expandable tube, rings and spacers to the mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Inventor: Joe L. Mims, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4968226
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the prevention of gas lock in submergible reciprocating insert pumps typically employed in oil and gas wells. A plurality of openings are formed in the midportion of the body of the pump barrel. These openings allow fluid from the tubing string to enter the intake chamber of the barrel during a portion of the upstroke permitting equilibration of the pressure differential therebetween. Commercially available pumps can be modified easily to provide a pump in accordance with this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Inventor: Carroll L. Brewer
  • Patent number: 4921407
    Abstract: A plunger type pump for use with heavy oil or oil mixed with sand is set forth. It incorporates bottom and top cylinders which are joined at a central bushing. A standing check valve in a polished tube enlargement at the top end cooperates with a bottom check valve in the bottom cylinder. A safety joint on the sucker rod string is included for easy connection. Another feature is a top end sleeve connected with a pin and J-slot arrangement held to a surrounding sleeve. Two sleeves are separated by breaking shear pins axial movement, rotation in a particular direction and additional axial movement to accomplish J-slot disengagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Inventor: Mack Ponder
  • Patent number: 4919597
    Abstract: A pump assembly or for pumping one or more fluids includes a drive piston pump which reciprocates to drive proportion pumps. Fluid to the drive piston pump is controlled through a pair of two-position, three-port valves which communicate pressurized fluid sequentially above and below the drive pump piston to reciprocate the piston. While applying fluid pressure to one face of the piston, the opposite face is vented to tank such that no back pressure exists in the system. A proportion pump is provided for each fluid pumped by the system and is designed to pump upon movement in either direction. A check valve is fitted on the outlet of the proportion pump to maintain constant pressure in the hose attached to the proportion pump and to prevent back flow of fluid from the hose into the system. The hose is of sufficient length so as to modulate any variations in the pumping pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Specified Equipment Systems Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Kistner
  • Patent number: 4880062
    Abstract: A downhole pump is actuated by a reciprocating unit comprising a tubular rod string, a valve assembly, and a tubular plunger rod. A flow passage extends through the reciprocating unit when the valve assembly is in an "open" position, whereby liquid may be injected into the pump barrel chamber to ensure the presence of incompressible fluid in the chamber from the beginning of the up stroke, to thereby reduce or eliminate gas locking of the pump. The valve assembly, which moves together with the reciprocating unit of which it is part, is adapted to interact with a stop member on the stationary pump barrel, to initiate opening of the valve as the rod string approaches the bottom of its stroke. The valve assembly is further adapted to automatically close when lifted away from the stop shortly after the beginning of the up stroke. The valve thus remains open only during the bottoming out phase of the stroke, when only limited travel of the reciprocating unit occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Murphy Oil Company Limited
    Inventors: Linden Bland, Clifford J. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4867242
    Abstract: A gas lock breaker for oil well pumps includes a stationary barrel with a standing valve on the bottom, a reciprocating piston in the barrel with a traveling valve on the bottom of the piston, an unseating rod positioned above the standing valve and adapted to protrude into the traveling valve to unseat the ball closure thereof near the bottom extremity of the downstroke of the piston. For a conventional well of any normal depth equipped with a pump jack for piston displacement anywhere in the range of 1 to 5 meters (3.3 to 16.4 feet), the unseating rod protrudes through the traveling valve a distance of about 1 to 15 percent of the piston stroke, or about 5 to 13 cm. (2 to 5 in.). The standing valve cage is preferably 12 to 20 cm. (4.75 to 8.0 in.), and the traveling valve is set to approach within 15 to 30 cm. (6 to 12 in.) of the standing valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Amerada Minerals Corporation of Canada, Ltd.
    Inventor: Gordon E. Hart
  • Patent number: 4848454
    Abstract: A downhole tool for use with a ball and seat travelling valve associated with a moveable plunger includes a means for causing relative movement between the upper and lower housings forming the downhole tool, whereby a bumping force may be imparted to the plunger to unseat the ball during the downstroke of the downhole tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Inventor: Harry L. Spears
  • Patent number: 4792096
    Abstract: A nozzle with self-contained high pressure booster pump is carried on a pistol grip handle with a small motor to drive the eccentrically-pump. A portion of the water from a conventional hose fitting flows laterally into a pump cylinder and then radially through the piston itself to exit axially through a check valve and into the pump chamber ahead of the piston. During the working stroke the water is driven out of the piston into a pressure chamber and then through a restricted passageway to exit in a jet stream. Another portion of the supply water is diverted around the pump cylinder to the same nozzle to flush away debris loosened by the jet stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Inventor: T. Jack Gregory
  • Patent number: 4781547
    Abstract: A gas equalizer device for use in conjunction with a reciprocatory pump located downhole in a wellbore. The device of the present invention avoids a condition commonly known in the pumpjack art as "fluid pounding", which is brought about when compressible gases accumulate in the working chamber of the downhole pump. The gas equalizer device of this invention includes a pushrod having a marginal end reciprocatingly enclosed in a slidable manner within a housing which is mounted to the usual traveling valve cage of the downhole pump. The pushrod is alternately moved from an extended into a retracted position each upstroke and downstroke of the pump. The free terminal end of the pushrod is arranged to engage the ball check valve of the traveling valve assembly as the pump commences the downstroke. This unseats the ball, thereby allowing any accumulated gases to escape from the variable pump chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Inventor: Raymond D. Madden
  • Patent number: 4775303
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a reciprocating piston type pump having spaced radially expanding packings which are expandable in response to axial pressure on the packings. There is also included a compression spring between the packings. The pump contains means to vary the compression of the compression spring dependent upon the pressures within the pump during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Inventor: Miroslav Liska
  • Patent number: 4763802
    Abstract: Carbonated beverages in bottles lose their carbonation and become flat once the bottle is opened. In this invention carbonation is preserved and maintained in a simple, inexpensive manner by re-introducing pressure into a bottle which has been opened. A small pump consisting of a cylinder, piston and threaded cap is attached to the top of an opened bottle. This hand operated pump re-introduces pressure to the bottle in the form of compressed air and thus maintains the concentration of carbon dioxide in the liquid regardless of the amount of liquid remaining in the bottle. The pump introduces an air pressure of fifty to sixty pounds per square inch to the bottle which is equivalent to the air pressure found in unopened carbonated beverage bottles at 21 degrees celsius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Inventor: Roy Johnston
  • Patent number: 4762476
    Abstract: An oil well subsurface pump comprising a housing for reciprocal disposition with a working barrel and having one end thereof adapted to be secured to the lowermost end of a sucker rod, or the like, and the opposite end thereof in open communication with the fluid reservoir in a well bore, a ball check valve carried by the housing and disposed within a ball chamber having a stop at one end for limiting the movement of the ball member in one direction and the opposite end open to the well fluid, resilient sealing assemblies interposed between the outer periphery of the housing and the inner periphery of the working barrel and slidable with respect to the barrel during a pumping operation, longitudinally disposed passageways provided in the housing and extending from the ball chamber to a position beyond the upper limit of the sealing assemblies to provide communication through the housing to the annulus between the housing and the working barrel for passage of the well fluid from the fluid reservoir to the annu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Inventor: Richard L. Turner
  • Patent number: RE33163
    Abstract: A gas equalizer device for use in conjunction with a reciprocatory pump located downhole in a wellbore. The device of the present invention avoids a condition commonly known in the pumpjack art as "fluid pounding", which is brought about when compressible gases accumulate in the working chamber of the downhole pump. The gas equalizer device of the invention includes a pushrod having a marginal end reciprocatingly enclosed in a slidable manner within a housing which is mounted to the usual traveling valve cage of the downhole pump. The pushrod is alternately moved from an extended into a retracted position each upstroke and downstroke of the pump. The free terminal end of the pushrod is arranged to engage the ball check valve of the traveling valve assembly as the pump commences the downstroke. This unseats the ball, thereby allowing any accumulated gases to escape from the variable pump chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Madden Sales & Service, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond D. Madden