Angled flow ports for reciprocating piston pump

A reciprocating piston pump is provided with angled flow ports to provide enhanced flow and reduced wear characteristics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 Reciprocating piston pumps have been well known for many years for paint
 and other viscous materials. While current designs are generally
 satisfactory for their intended use, users are always desirous of
 increased packing life so as to prevent interruption of jobs and
 productivity.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a piston port design
 that reduces turbulence, Eddy currents, and loading in the piston are of
 the pump.
 It is further an object of this invention to provide increased overall pump
 efficiency and performance and to eliminate the need for a piston ball
 stop as the invention creates its own from the rod material.
 It is further an object of this invention to provide a sight window for
 ball wear inspection and thus eliminate the need to remove the piston head
 and damage the packing stack.
 Depending on the pump sizing, the countersink hole will be in an optimum
 flow state which thereby reduces eddy currents and fluid traps by being
 machined to an angle within a range of 20-80 degrees. This angle also
 reduces potential wear patterns in the cylinder wall which can serve to
 reduce pump life.
 The countersinks allow for a sight window that not only reduces restriction
 and blockage but allows visual inspection to review ball wear without
 removing the piston head. This countersink further provides radial and
 angular flows which serve to reduce side load to a minimum during the down
 stroke.
 A flat from the flat bottom drilling provides a precise ball stop limiting
 ball travel tolerance to a desired distance. The angle must also be
 related to a dimension "A" as shown in the accompanying drawings and which
 is determined by the relationship between dimensions X, Y, Z and the 20-80
 degree angle. With the two holes meeting at an angle, the pin for a ball
 stop is able to be removed and replaced with material from the rod thus
 reducing parts and assemblies in addition it provides precise ball travel
 dimension when combined with a one piece fixed head for the piston.
 The ball head force pressure is in a direct line of the ball to enhance
 speed and direct line for seating. A key feature in making this design
 work is the internal ball guides machined into the piston to allow full
 ball guide alignment and full side exposure without allowing the ball to
 block the exit ports or escape through the ports.
 These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more
 fully from the following description made in conjunction with the
 accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same
 or similar parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 In a reciprocating piston pump generally designated 10, a rod 12 is
 provided with a countersunk flow port 14. Depending on the pump sizing,
 the countersink hole 14 will be in an optimum flow state which thereby
 reduces eddy currents and fluid traps by being machined to an angle within
 a range of 20-80 degrees (from the horizontal--total included angles will
 be from about 40 to 160 degrees). The preferred embodiment utilizes an
 included angle of about 40 degrees. This angle also reduces potential wear
 patterns in the cylinder wall 16 which can serve to reduce pump life.
 The countersinks allow for a sight window that not only reduces restriction
 and blockage but allows visual inspection to review ball 18 wear without
 removing the piston head. This countersink further provides radial and
 angular flows which serve to reduce side load to a minimum during the down
 stroke.
 A flat from the flat bottom drilling provides a precise ball stop 20
 limiting ball travel tolerance to a desired distance. The angle must also
 be related to a dimension "A" as shown in the accompanying drawings and
 which is determined by the relationship between dimensions X, Y, Z and the
 20-80 degree angle. With the two holes meeting at an angle, the pin for a
 ball stop is able to be removed and replaced with material from the rod
 thus reducing parts and assemblies in addition it provides precise ball
 travel dimension when combined with a one piece fixed head for the piston.
 The ball head force pressure is in a direct line of the ball to enhance
 speed and direct line for seating. A key feature in making this design
 work is the internal ball guides machined into the piston to allow full
 ball guide alignment and full side exposure without allowing the ball to
 block the exit ports or escape through the ports.
 It is contemplated that various changes and modifications may be made to
 the port design without departing from the spirit and scope of the
 invention as defined by the following claims.