Locking assembly apparatus for pump systems, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12281647-B2
Application number	US-202418416032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2024
Priority date	Dec 20, 2021
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to locking assembly apparatus for piston apparatus and pony rod apparatus of pump systems (such as mud or frac pump systems), and related methods. In one aspect, the locking assembly is a mechanical locking assembly used to quickly and simply lock and unlock (e.g., release) a piston apparatus to and from a pony rod apparatus.

First claim

We claim:

1. A locking assembly, comprising:
an outer housing;
an end connection disposed at an end of the outer housing and comprising:
a pin opening at a first end configured to receive a retention pin; and
a roller at a second end, wherein the roller is disposed about a rod coupled to the second end of the end connection;

a spring member disposed in the outer housing and configured to move the end connection in a direction inward of the outer housing; and
an actuator at least partially disposed within the outer housing engagable with the roller, wherein:
the actuator is rotatable into a first position to move the roller to compress the spring member and move the end connection in a direction outward of the outer housing; and
the actuator is rotatable from the first position into a second position to allow the spring member to move the end connection in the direction inward of the outer housing.

2. The locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a first surface portion, and wherein when the actuator is in the first position, the first surface portion engages with the roller to compress the spring member and move the end connection in the direction outward of the outer housing.

3. The locking assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first surface portion is a curved surface portion that engages with the roller to compress the spring member and move the end connection in the direction outward of the outer housing.

4. The locking assembly of claim 3 , wherein the actuator comprises a second surface portion adjacent to the first surface portion, and wherein the first and second surface portions have different thicknesses as measured from a centerline of the actuator.

5. The locking assembly of claim 4 , wherein a thickness of the first surface portion is greater than a thickness of the second surface portion.

6. The locking assembly of claim 5 , wherein when the actuator is rotated from the first position to the second position, the second surface portion allows the spring member to move the end connection in the direction inward of the outer housing.

7. The locking assembly of claim 2 , wherein the actuator is rotatable 90 degrees from the first position into the second position, and wherein the actuator is rotatable 90 degrees from the second position into the first position.

8. The locking assembly of claim 7 , wherein the outer housing comprises an end cap and the end connection comprises a spring retainer, wherein the spring member is disposed between the end cap and the spring retainer.

9. The locking assembly of claim 8 , wherein the end cap comprises a center opening through which the end connection is disposed.

10. The locking assembly of claim 9 , wherein when the actuator is rotated from the second position into the first position, a curved surface portion of the first surface portion of the actuator moves the roller to compress the spring member between the spring retainer and the end cap, and move the end connection in the direction outward of the outer housing.

11. The locking assembly of claim 10 , wherein when the actuator is rotated from the first position into the second position, the curved surface portion of the first surface portion of the actuator is moved out of contact with the roller to allow the spring member to move the end connection in the direction inward of the outer housing.

12. The locking assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second end connection disposed at an opposite end of the outer housing and comprising a second pin opening at a first end configured to receive a second retention pin and a second roller at a second end; and
a second spring member disposed in the outer housing and configured to move the second end connection in a direction inward of the outer housing, wherein:
the actuator is engagable with the second roller;
the actuator is rotatable into the first position to move the second roller to compress the second spring member and move the second end connection in a direction outward of the outer housing; and
the actuator is rotatable from the first position into the second position to allow the second spring member to move the second end connection in the direction inward of the outer housing.

13. The locking assembly of claim 12 , wherein the end connection is a female end connection, and wherein the second end connection is a male end connection.

14. A locking assembly, comprising:
an outer housing;
an end connection extending from the outer housing and comprising:
a pin opening at a first end configured to receive a retention pin; and
a roller at a second end, wherein the roller is disposed about a rod coupled to the second end of the end connection;

a spring member disposed in the outer housing and configured to move the end connection in a direction inward of the outer housing; and
an actuator at least partially disposed within and rotatable relative to the outer housing, wherein the actuator is configured to engage with the roller to compress the spring member and move the end connection in a direction outward of the outer housing.

15. The locking assembly of claim 14 , wherein the actuator is rotatable 90 degrees between a first position and a second position, wherein the actuator moves the roller to compress the spring member when rotated into the first position, and wherein the actuator does not compress the spring member when rotated into the second position.

16. The locking assembly of claim 15 , wherein the actuator comprises a curved surface portion that engages with the roller to compress the spring member and move the end connection in the direction outward of the outer housing when rotated from the second position to the first position.

17. The locking assembly of claim 16 , wherein the actuator comprises a second surface portion adjacent to the curved surface portion, and wherein a thickness of the curved surface portion is greater than a thickness of the second surface portion.

18. The locking assembly of claim 17 , wherein when the actuator is rotated from the first position to the second position, the second surface portion allows the spring member to expand and move the end connection in the direction inward of the outer housing.

19. The locking assembly of claim 15 , wherein the outer housing comprises an end cap and the end connection comprises a spring retainer, wherein the spring member is disposed between the end cap and the spring retainer.

20. The locking assembly of claim 19 , wherein the end cap comprises a center opening through which the end connection is disposed.

21. The locking assembly of claim 20 , wherein the actuator is rotatable 90 degrees from the second position into the first position to move a curved surface portion of the actuator into contact with the roller to move the spring retainer to compress the spring member between the spring retainer and the end cap, and to move the end connection in the direction outward of the outer housing.

22. The locking assembly of claim 21 , wherein the actuator is rotatable 90 degrees from the first position into the second position to move the curved surface portion of the actuator out of contact with the roller to allow the spring member to expand and move the end connection in the direction inward of the outer housing.

23. The locking assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a second end connection disposed at an end of the outer housing opposite from the end connection, and comprising a sec

Assignees

• Forum Us Inc

Inventors

• Bartels Heinrich
• Patterson Stephen
• Anwer Sohaib

Classifications

• F04B53/22

  Arrangements for enabling ready assembly or disassembly · CPC title

• F04B53/147 Primary

  Mounting or detaching of piston rod · CPC title

• F04B53/14 Primary

  Pistons, piston-rods or piston-rod connections · CPC title