Traveling valve assembly for reciprocating rod pumps

Abstract

A traveling valve assembly for a downhole pump includes a traveling valve housing comprising a shouldered lower section; a valve seat within the traveling valve housing and adjacent to the shouldered lower section; a traveling valve cage insert within the traveling valve housing and adjacent to the valve seat; and a valve ball adjacent to the valve seat and within the traveling valve cage insert.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A traveling valve assembly for a downhole pump, comprising:
 a primary traveling valve housing comprising a shouldered lower section, the traveling valve housing comprises a first internally threaded upper section and an externally threaded lower section, wherein the internally threaded upper section threads onto a plunger of a downhole pump.   
     
     
         15 . The traveling valve assembly as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a valve seat within the primary traveling valve housing and adjacent to the shouldered lower section; and   a traveling valve cage insert within the primary traveling valve housing and adjacent to the valve seat, the traveling valve cage insert comprises a cylindrical open lower section and an arched open upper section opposite thereto, the arched open upper section comprises three (3) axial arched rails that form an arched dome that operate to stop a valve ball yet permit fluid to be communicated therethrough, wherein a top surface of the traveling valve cage insert is machined to form a metal-to-metal seal with the plunger, the valve ball adjacent to the valve seat and within the traveling valve cage insert.   
     
     
         16 . The traveling valve assembly as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the traveling valve cage insert comprises a cylindrical open lower section and an arched open upper section opposite thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The traveling valve assembly as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the traveling valve cage insert is monolithic, the shouldered lower section forms an inner diameter that is 71% of an inner diameter of the traveling valve housing. 
     
     
         18 . The traveling valve assembly as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the traveling valve housing is monolithic. 
     
     
         19 . The traveling valve assembly as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising a secondary traveling valve housing comprising a shouldered lower section, the secondary traveling valve housing comprises a first internally threaded upper section, wherein the internally threaded upper section threads onto the externally threaded lower section of the primary traveling valve. 
     
     
         20 . The traveling valve assembly as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a secondary valve seat within the secondary traveling valve housing and adjacent to the shouldered lower section; and   a secondary traveling valve cage insert within the secondary traveling valve housing and adjacent to the valve seat, the traveling valve cage insert comprises a cylindrical open lower section and an arched open upper section opposite thereto, the arched open upper section comprises three (3) axial arched rails that form an arched dome that operate to stop a valve ball yet permit fluid to be communicated therethrough, the valve ball adjacent to the valve seat and within the traveling valve cage insert.   
     
     
         21 . A downhole pump, comprising:
 a pump barrel;   a standing valve assembly located in the pump barrel; and   a traveling valve assembly located in the pump barrel above the standing valve assembly, the traveling valve assembly comprises a primary traveling valve housing and a secondary traveling valve housing, the secondary traveling valve housing threaded to an externally threaded lower section of the primary traveling valve housing, wherein an internally threaded upper section of the primary traveling valve housing threads onto a plunger of a downhole pump.   
     
     
         22 . The downhole pump as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the primary traveling valve housing and the secondary traveling valve housing each comprises a valve seat located adjacent to a shouldered lower section of the respective traveling valve housing, a traveling valve cage insert within each traveling valve housing adjacent to the valve seat, and a valve ball adjacent to the valve seat and within the traveling valve cage insert. 
     
     
         23 . The downhole pump as recited in  claim 22 , wherein each traveling valve cage insert comprises a cylindrical open lower section and an arched open upper section opposite thereto, the arched open upper section comprises three (3) axial arched rails that form an arched dome that operate to stop the valve ball yet permit fluid to be communicated therethrough, wherein an assembly torque of threading the internally threaded upper section to the plunger retains the traveling valve cage insert, the valve ball, and the valve seat. 
     
     
         24 . The downhole pump as recited in  claim 23 , wherein a top surface of the primary traveling valve cage insert is machined to form a metal-to-metal seal with the plunger.