High pressure open discharge pump system

Abstract

A high-pressure cam driven open discharge pump system is provided, wherein a high-pressure output at a relatively constant pressure is formed. The pump system includes a plurality of pressurizing subassemblies, each subassembly including a cam follower retained by a cam follower support guided by guide bearings to induce linear motion of a connected piston rod. The piston rod is slidably received within a removable high-pressure cylinder assembly which retains a high pressure cylinder.

1 . A high pressure open discharge pump system, comprising: 
 (a) a base plate;    (b) a cam shaft rotatably mounted to the base plate;    (c) a cam affixed to the cam shaft for rotation with the cam shaft;    (d) at least a first and a second pressurizing subassembly in contact with the cam, each pressurizing subassembly including: 
 i. a piston guide block connected to the base plate;  
 ii. a piston rod slidably connected to the piston guide block;  
 iii. a cam follower support connected to the piston rod;  
 iv. a linear guide bearing connecting the cam follower support to the base plate;  
 v. a cam follower connected to the cam follower support to contact the cam;  
 vi. a high pressure cylinder assembly releasably connected to the guide block to receive a length of the piston rod, the high pressure cylinder assembly including at least one sealed interface between the piston rod and the high pressure cylinder assembly;  
   (e) a tie brace connected to each piston guide block.    
   
   
       2 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the tie brace is rotatably connected to the cam shaft.  
   
   
       3 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the tie brace connects each guide block to the base plate.  
   
   
       4 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a downstream head and a check valve external to the high-pressure cylinder assembly, the check valve being fluidly intermediate the head and the high-pressure cylinder assembly.  
   
   
       5 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the high-pressure cylinder assembly includes a high-pressure cylinder, the sealed interface between the high-pressure cylinder assembly and the piston rod being formed between the high-pressure cylinder and the piston rod.  
   
   
       6 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a check valve in at least one pressurizing subassembly.  
   
   
       7 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second cam affixed to the cam shaft.  
   
   
       8 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a return bias mechanism connected to at least one pressurizing subassembly to maintain contact between the cam and the cam follower throughout rotation of the cam.  
   
   
       9 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the cam follower support is a yoke.  
   
   
       10 . The high pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pressurizing subassembly and the second pressurizing subassembly are equally spaced about the cam shaft.  
   
   
       11 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pressurizing subassembly and the second pressurizing subassembly are spaced unequally about the cam shaft.  
   
   
       12 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first valving body in the first pressurizing subassembly and a second valving body in the second pressurizing subassembly.  
   
   
       13 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the tie brace is fixed relative to the base plate.  
   
   
       14 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the tie brace is releasably fastened to the base plate.  
   
   
       15 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a check valve fluidly connected to the high-pressure cylinder assembly in the first pressurizing subassembly upstream of the pump system.  
   
   
       16 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a check valve fluidly connected to the high-pressure cylinder assembly in the first pressurizing subassembly downstream of the pump system.  
   
   
       17 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate includes at least one sub plate.  
   
   
       18 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate is an integral structure.  
   
   
       19 . The high-pressure open discharge pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate is a one piece construction.  
   
   
       20 . A high-pressure cylinder assembly releaseably engaging a piston guide block and cooperatively receiving a reciprocating piston rod connected to a drive mechanism, the high-pressure cylinder assembly comprising: 
 (a) a pair of spaced end plates, one of the end plates including an aperture sized to slidably receive the reciprocating piston rod;    (b) a high pressure cylinder disposed between the end plates, the high pressure cylinder defining a cylinder chamber sized to receive a portion of the reciprocating piston rod;    (c) a valving body partially disposed between the end plates, the valving body including at least one passageway fluidly communicating with the cylinder chamber;    (d) a first stationary seal forming an interface with the reciprocating piston rod;    (e) a second stationary seal between the valving body and the high pressure cylinder; and    (f) releasable engaging means for releasably engaging one of the end plates to the piston guide block    
   
   
       21 . The cylinder assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising a check valve fluidly connected the valving body.  
   
   
       22 . The high-pressure cylinder assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising means for releasably retaining the end plates in a predetermined spacing.  
   
   
       23 . The high-pressure cylinder assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising means for applying a clamping force between the end plates.  
   
   
       24 . The high-pressure cylinder assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising releasable engaging means for releasably engaging the piston rod to a cam follower support.  
   
   
       25 . A high-pressure cylinder assembly releasably engaging a piston guide block and cooperatively receiving a reciprocating piston rod connected to a drive mechanism, the high-pressure cylinder assembly comprising separable high pressure cylinder, at least one end plate and a seal between the high pressure cylinder and the piston rod.  
   
   
       26 . A method for providing a high-pressure discharge in an open end system, the method comprising: 
 (a) contacting at least a first cam follower and a second cam follower with a rotating cam, the first cam follower connected to a first cam follower support and the second cam follower connected to a second cam follower support, the first cam follower support connected to a base plate by a first linear guide bearing and the second cam follower support connected to the base plate be a second linear guide bearing;    (b) connecting a first high pressure cylinder to a first guide block;    (c) connecting a second high pressure cylinder to a second guide block;    (d) connecting a first piston rod to the first cam follower support to provide a reciprocating motion of the first piston rod through the first guide block and within the first high pressure cylinder;    (e) connecting a second piston rod to the second cam follower support to provide a reciprocating motion of the second piston rod through the second guide block and within the second high pressure cylinder; and    (f) connecting a first tie brace to the first guide block; and    (g) connecting the first tie brace to one of the cam shaft and the base plate.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising connecting the first tie brace to one of the cam shaft, the second guide block and the base plate.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising releasably connecting the first high-pressure cylinder to the first guide block.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising releasably connecting the second high-pressure cylinder to the second guide block.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising connecting a piston ring to one of the first and the second piston rods.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising releasably connecting the first piston rod to the first cam follower support.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising releasably connecting the second piston rod to the second cam follower support.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising equally spacing the first cam follower and the second cam follower about the cam.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising unequally spacing the first cam follower and the second cam follower about the cam.