Device interlocking with a compartment

Abstract

A fluid end assembly of a high pressure reciprocating pump includes a housing defining an interior bore, a first opening at a first end of the interior bore, and a shoulder that divides the interior bore into a plunger bore and an outer bore. A plurality of overhangs is formed as part of the housing and extends into the outer bore, a plunger is positioned within the space and is operable to reciprocate along an axis within the plunger bore, and a valve cover is coupled to the housing and positioned to engage the shoulder to close the first opening. A valve cover retainer is positioned within the outer bore and includes a plurality of projections arranged to selectively engage the plurality of overhangs to sandwich the valve cover retainer between the valve cover and the housing to lock the valve cover into engagement with the shoulder.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid end assembly of a high pressure reciprocating pump, said fluid end assembly comprising:
 a housing defining an interior bore, a first opening at a first end of the interior bore, and a shoulder that divides the interior bore into a plunger bore and an outer bore;   a plurality of overhangs formed as part of the housing and extending into the outer bore;   a plunger positioned within the space and operable to reciprocate along an axis within the plunger bore;   a valve cover coupled to the housing and positioned to engage the shoulder to close the first opening; and   a valve cover retainer positioned within the outer bore, the valve cover retainer including a plurality of projections arranged to selectively engage the plurality of overhangs to sandwich the valve cover retainer between the valve cover and the housing to lock the valve cover into engagement with the shoulder.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of overhangs includes a first inclined surface juxtaposed with the shoulder. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of projections includes a second inclined surface arranged to selectively engage the first inclined surface. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first inclined surfaces and the second inclined surfaces are helical. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of overhangs cooperate to define a plurality of void spaces, each void space sized to allow the passage of one of the plurality of projections. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the valve cover retainer is inserted into the outer bore axially with each of the plurality of projections aligned with one of the plurality of void spaces. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a cap including a plurality of interference projections, the interference projections selectively positioned within the plurality of voids to inhibit rotation of the valve cover retainer from the installed locked position. 
     
     
         8 . A fluid end assembly of a high pressure reciprocating pump, said fluid end assembly comprising:
 a housing defining an interior bore and including a first attachment portion formed as part of the housing;   a packing box having a second attachment portion, an interior bore, and a shoulder that divides the packing box into a first portion and a second portion, the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion engageable with one another to attach the packing box directly to the housing;   a plurality of overhangs formed as part of the packing box and extending into the second portion, the plurality of overhangs and the shoulder cooperating to define a plurality of projection compartments therebetween;   a quantity of packing positioned within the first portion; and   a retainer positioned within the second portion, the retainer including a plurality of projections selectively disposed within the plurality of compartments to lock the retainer into engagement with the shoulder.   
     
     
         9 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of overhangs includes a first inclined surface juxtaposed with the shoulder. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of projections includes a second inclined surface arranged to selectively engage the first inclined surface. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first inclined surfaces and the second inclined surfaces are helical. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of overhangs cooperate to define a plurality of void spaces, each void space sized to allow the passage of one of the plurality of projections. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the retainer is inserted into the second portion axially with each of the plurality of projections aligned with one of the plurality of void spaces. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the housing includes a second shoulder that divides the interior bore into a bore portion and an engagement portion, and wherein the first attachment portion includes a plurality of overhangs formed as part of the housing and extending into the engagement portion, the plurality of overhangs and the second shoulder cooperating to define a second plurality of projection compartments therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . A fluid end assembly of a high pressure reciprocating pump, said fluid end assembly comprising:
 a housing defining an interior bore and a shoulder that divides the interior bore into a plunger bore and an outer bore;   a plunger positioned within the plunger bore and operable to reciprocate along an axis within the plunger bore;   a plurality of overhangs formed as part of the housing, the plurality of overhangs extending into the outer bore and spaced apart from one another to define a plurality of void spaces with each void space being between each adjacent two of the plurality of overhangs, the plurality of overhangs and the shoulder cooperating to define a plurality of projection compartments therebetween;   a valve cover coupled to the housing and positioned to engage the shoulder;   a valve cover retainer including a plurality of projections, the plurality of projections aligned with the plurality of void spaces such that the valve cover retainer is movable axially along the axis to an installed unlocked position within outer bore, and wherein the valve cover is rotatable about the axis from the installed unlocked position to an installed locked positon within the outer bore, wherein in the installed locked position the plurality of projections are disposed within the plurality of compartments to lock the valve cover into engagement with the shoulder; and   a cap including a plurality of interference projections, the interference projections selectively positioned within the plurality of voids to inhibit rotation of the valve cover retainer from the installed locked position.   
     
     
         16 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of overhangs includes a first inclined surface juxtaposed with the shoulder. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of projections includes a second inclined surface arranged to selectively engage the first inclined surface. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first inclined surfaces and the second inclined surfaces are helical. 
     
     
         19 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are engaged such that rotation of the valve cover retainer about the axis displaces the valve cover retainer axially along the axis. 
     
     
         20 . The fluid end assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the cap includes a nub arranged to engage the housing to retain the cap in engagement with the housing.