Locking assembly apparatus for pump systems, and related methods
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.
1 . A locking assembly for a piston apparatus, comprising:
an outer housing;
an elliptical shaped actuator wedge comprising four rounded outer edges;
an actuator rod having a rectangular cross section disposed through the actuator wedge;
an actuator nut disposed at a first end of the actuator rod;
a first ram disposed in the outer housing and disposed on a first side of the actuator wedge, the first ram comprising:
a first ram head, the first ram head comprising a first inward surface and a first shoulder surface opposing the first inward surface, wherein the first inward surface faces the one or more outer surfaces of the actuator wedge, and
a first ram rod;
a second ram disposed in the outer housing and disposed on a second side of the actuator wedge, the second ram comprising:
a second ram head, the second ram head comprising a second inward surface and a second shoulder surface opposing the second inward surface, wherein the second inward surface faces the one or more outer surfaces of the actuator wedge, and
a second ram rod;
a first spring disposed about the first ram rod and abutting against the first ram head;
a second spring disposed about the second ram rod and abutting against the second ram head;
one or more first rollers disposed partially in the first inward surface of the first ram head and in contact with the actuator wedge; and
one or more second rollers disposed partially in the second inward surface of the second ram head and in contact with the actuator wedge, wherein the one or more first and second rollers are closer to the rectangular cross section of the actuator rod when the locking assembly is in an unlocked position than when the locking assembly is in a locked position.
2 . The locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first spring and the second spring is a disc spring.
3 . The locking assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a female end connection coupled to the first ram rod, the female end connection comprising a first pin opening configured to receive a first retention pin therein; and
a male end connection coupled to the second ram rod, the male end connection comprising a second pin opening configured to receive a second retention pin therein.
4 . The locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator rod is disposed through a center of the actuator wedge.
5 . The locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first rollers comprise a pair of first rollers.
6 . The locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first spring is disposed between the first shoulder surface of the first ram head and an outer shoulder of the first ram rod; and
the second spring is disposed between the second shoulder surface of the second ram head and an outer shoulder of the second ram rod.
7 . The locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first rollers comprise a pair of first rollers positioned adjacent to each other.
8 . The locking assembly of claim 7 , wherein the one or more second rollers comprise a pair of second rollers.
9 . The locking assembly of claim 8 , wherein the pair of second rollers are positioned adjacent to each other.
10 . A pump system, comprising:
a power end;
a fluid end;
a pony rod apparatus disposed at least partially outside of the fluid end, the pony rod apparatus comprising a first pin opening;
a piston apparatus disposed at least partially in the fluid end, the piston apparatus comprising a second pin opening;
the locking assembly of claim 1 coupled between the piston apparatus and the pony rod apparatus, the locking assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a female end connection coupled to the first ram rod, the female end connection comprising a first pin opening, and
a male end connection coupled to the second ram rod, the male end connection comprising a second pin opening;
a first retention pin disposed through the first pin opening of the female end connection and the first pin opening of the pony rod apparatus; and
a second retention pin disposed through the second pin opening of the male end connection and the second pin opening of the piston apparatus.