# US 12,000,257 B2 · Fluid end

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,000,257 B2
- Document ID: US12000257B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/488,435
- Filed: 2023-10-17
- Published: 2024-04-18
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2022-10-17
- Assignees: Kerr Machine Co.
- Applicants: Kerr Machine Co.
- Inventors: Kelcy Jake Foster; Micheal Cole Thomas; Christopher Todd Barnett; Nicholas Son; John Keith
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000257B2

## CPC

- E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations}
- F04B 1/0538: located side-by-side
- F04B 53/16: Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections
- F04B 53/164: {Stoffing boxes}
- F04B 53/22: Arrangements for enabling ready assembly or disassembly
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)

## Abstract

A fluid end assembly made of a plurality of fluid end sections positioned in a side-by-side relationship. Each fluid end section comprises a plurality of individual components joined together in a row. Two sets of fasteners are used to secure various components of each fluid end section together. When the fluid end section is assembled, a first set of fasteners is in a spaced relationship with and faces a second set of fasteners. At least one component making up the multi-piece fluid end section is configured to have a plurality of stay rods attached thereto. The stay rods interconnect the fluid end assembly and a power end assembly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluid end section, comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis and opposed front and rear surfaces joined by an outer intermediate surface, the housing comprising a first section joined to a second section by a first plurality of fasteners, in which the first section comprises the front surface and the second section comprises the rear surface;
a horizontal bore formed within the housing and interconnecting the front and rear surfaces, the horizontal bore extending along the longitudinal axis of the housing and configured to receive a fluid routing plug; and
a stuffing box attached to the second section of the housing by a second plurality of fasteners;
in which an end of each of the first plurality of fasteners faces an end of each of the second plurality of fasteners.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fluid end section of claim 1, further comprising:
a retainer attached to the stuffing box opposite the housing using the second plurality of fasteners.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The fluid end section of claim 2, in which the end of each of the second plurality of fasteners is characterized as a first end of each of the second plurality of fasteners; and in which an opposed second end of each of the second plurality of fasteners projects from a rear surface of the retainer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The fluid end section of claim 3, further comprising:
a plurality of first threaded nuts, each of the plurality of first threaded nuts installed on the first end of each of the second plurality of fasteners in a one-to-one relationship; and
a plurality of second threaded nuts, each of the plurality of second threaded nuts installed on the second end of each of the second plurality of fasteners in a one-to-one relationship.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The fluid end section of claim 2, further comprising:
a plunger packing installed within the stuffing box; and
a packing nut installed within the retainer and engaging the plunger packing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fluid end section of claim 1, further comprising:
a spacer sleeve positioned intermediate at least a portion of the second section of the housing and at least a portion of the stuffing box;
in which the second plurality of fasteners extend through the spacer sleeve.

### Claim 7

A fluid end section, comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis and opposed front and rear surfaces joined by an outer intermediate surface, the housing comprising a flanged section positioned adjacent the rear surface;
a horizontal bore formed within the housing and interconnecting the front and rear surfaces, the horizontal bore extending along the longitudinal axis of the housing and configured to receive a fluid routing plug;
a stuffing box attached to the rear surface of the housing using a plurality of fasteners;
a retainer attached to the stuffing box using the plurality of fasteners;
in which the plurality of fasteners extend through the flanged section of the housing, the stuffing box, and the retainer such that a first end of each of the plurality of fasteners projects from the flanged section and an opposed second end of each of the plurality of fasteners projects from the retainer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The fluid end section of claim 7, further comprising:
a plurality of first threaded nuts, each of the plurality of first threaded nuts installed on the first end of each of the plurality of fasteners in a one-to-one relationship; and
a plurality of second threaded nuts, each of the plurality of second threaded nuts installed of the second end of each of the plurality of fasteners in a one-to-one relationship.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The fluid end section of claim 7, further comprising:
a rear spacer sleeve positioned intermediate the flanged section of the housing and at least a portion of the stuffing box;
in which the plurality of fasteners extend through the rear spacer sleeve.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The fluid end section of claim 9, in which the stuffing box engages the rear surface of the housing and a rear surface of the spacer sleeve.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The fluid end section of claim 7, in which the plurality of fasteners is characterized as a second plurality of fasteners; and in which housing comprises a first section joined to a second section by a first plurality of fasteners, the first section comprising the front surface and the second section comprising the rear surface and the flanged section of the housing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The fluid end section of claim 11, in which the flanged section of the housing is characterized as a rear flanged section of the housing, the second section of the housing further comprising a front flanged section; and in which the first plurality of fasteners extend through the front flanged section and into the first section of the housing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The fluid end section of claim 12, further comprising:
a front spacer sleeve positioned between the first section of the housing and the front flanged section of the second section of the housing; in which the first plurality of fasteners extend through the front spacer sleeve.

### Claim 14

A fluid end section, comprising:
a housing having a longitudinal axis and opposed front and rear surfaces joined by an outer intermediate surface, the housing comprising a front flanged section and a rear flanged section;
a horizontal bore formed within the housing and interconnecting the front and rear surfaces, the horizontal bore extending along the longitudinal axis of the housing;
a first plurality of fasteners extending through the front flanged section; and
a second plurality of fasteners extending through the rear flanged section;
in which an end of each of the first plurality of fasteners faces an end of each of the second plurality of fasteners.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The fluid end section of claim 14, further comprising:
a stuffing box attached to the rear surface of the housing; in which the second plurality of fasteners extend through the stuffing box; and
a plunger packing installed within the stuffing box.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The fluid end section of claim 15, further comprising:
a rear spacer sleeve positioned between the rear flanged section of the housing and at least a portion of the stuffing box; in which the second plurality of fasteners extend through the rear spacer sleeve.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The fluid end section of claim 16, in which the rear spacer sleeve surrounds a portion of the housing.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The fluid end section of claim 14, further comprising:
a retainer attached to the rear surface of the housing; in which the second plurality of fasteners extend through the retainer; and
a packing nut installed within the retainer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The fluid end section of claim 14, further comprising:
a wear ring installed within the housing at the rear surface of the housing and engaging the stuffing box.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The fluid end section of claim 19, further comprising:
an annular seal installed within the housing at the rear surface of the housing and engaging the stuffing box; in which the wear ring surrounds the annular seal.