# US 12,006,932 B2 · Connectors for pumping assemblies and methods relating thereto > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,932 B2 - Document ID: US12006932B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/281,702 - Filed: 2019-10-02 - Published: 2022-01-20 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-12 - Assignees: National Oilwell Varco, L.P. - Applicants: National Oilwell Varco, L.P. - Inventors: Adrian Marica - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006932B2 ## CPC - F04B 53/22: Arrangements for enabling ready assembly or disassembly - F04B 23/04: Combinations of two or more pumps - F04B 23/06: the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type - F04B 53/16: Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections - F16M 5/00: Engine beds, i.e. means for supporting engines or machines on foundations - F16M 7/00: Details of attaching or adjusting engine beds, frames, or supporting-legs on foundation or base; Attaching non-moving engine parts, e.g. cylinder blocks (elastic or equivalent mounting for absorbing vibrations F16F, especially F16F15/04) - F04B 9/02: the means being mechanical - F04B 15/02: the fluids being viscous or non-homogeneous - F04B 17/03: driven by electric motors - 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) - F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS ## Abstract Pump assemblies, pumping systems including said pump assemblies, and related methods are disclosed. In an embodiment, the pump assembly includes a frame, a fluid end, and a power end coupled to the frame and the fluid end. In addition, the pump assembly includes a plurality of connectors coupled between the fluid end and the frame. Each of the connectors include an axis, a first connector member, and a second connector member. The first connector member is configured to actuate relative to the second connector member to adjust a total axial length of the connector along the axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pump assembly for pressurizing a working fluid, the pump assembly comprising: a frame; a fluid end; a power end coupled to the frame and the fluid end; and a plurality of connectors coupled between the fluid end and the frame, wherein each of the connectors comprises: an axis; a first connector member; and a second connector member; wherein the first connector member is configured to translate relative to the second connector member in a direction extending orthogonal to the axis to adjust a total axial length of the connector along the axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pump assembly of claim 1, wherein for each connector: the first connector member comprises a first inclined surface; the second connector member comprises a second inclined surface; and the first inclined surface is configured to slidingly engage the second inclined surface to adjust the total axial length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pump assembly of claim 2, wherein for each connector, the first connector member is configured to actuate radially relative to the second connector member with respect to the axis to slidingly engage the first inclined surface with the second inclined surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pump assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid end includes a mounting plate that is coupled to the frame through the plurality of connectors, and wherein for each connector, a bolt extends through the mounting plate, the first connector member, and the second connector member along the axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The pump assembly of claim 3, wherein each connector further comprises an adjustment member threadably engaged within a bore of the first connector member, wherein the adjustment member comprises a radially extending threaded fastener configured to be threadably advanced or withdrawn into or from, respectively, the bore of the first connector member to radially actuate the first connector member relative to the second connector member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pump assembly of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment assembly coupled to the fluid end, wherein the adjustment assembly comprises: a foot configured to engage with a support surface; an engagement rod having a rod axis, wherein the engagement rod is coupled to the foot and is threadably coupled to a mounting plate of the fluid end; wherein a threaded advance or withdrawal of the engagement rod into or from, respectively, the mounting plate is configured to displace the fluid end along the rod axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pump assembly of claim 6, wherein the adjustment assembly further comprises a wedge assembly, wherein the wedge assembly comprises: a first wedge member; and a second wedge member engaged with the first wedge member; wherein the first wedge member and the second wedge member are radially disposed between a support member coupled to the frame and the foot, with respect to the rod axis; and wherein the first wedge member is configured to actuate relative to the second wedge member to adjust a total radial width of the wedge assembly with respect to the rod axis. ### Claim 8 A pumping system for pressurizing a working a fluid, the pumping system comprising: a suction manifold; a discharge manifold; a plurality of pump assemblies coupled between the suction manifold and the discharge manifold, wherein each of the plurality of pump assemblies comprises: a frame; a fluid end; a power end coupled to the frame and the fluid end; and a plurality of connectors coupled between the fluid end and the frame, wherein each of the connectors comprises: an axis; a first connector member; and a second connector member; wherein the first connector member is configured to translate relative to the second connector member in a direction extending orthogonal to the axis to adjust a total axial length of the connector along the axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The pumping system of claim 8, wherein for each connector: the first connector member comprises a first inclined surface; the second connector member comprises a second inclined surface; and the first inclined surface is configured to slidingly engage the second inclined surface to adjust the total axial length. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pumping system of claim 9, wherein the for each connector, the first connector member is configured to actuate radially relative to the second connector member with respect to the axis to slidingly engage the first inclined surface with the second inclined surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The pumping system of claim 8, wherein for each pump assembly, the fluid end includes a mounting plate that is coupled to the frame through the plurality of connectors, and wherein for each connector, a bolt extends through the mounting plate, the first connector member, and the second connector member along the axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The pumping system of claim 11, wherein each connector further comprises an adjustment member threadably engaged within a bore of the first connector member, wherein the adjustment member comprises a radially extending threaded fastener configured to be threadably advanced or withdrawn into or from, respectively, the bore of the first connector member to radially actuate the first connector member relative to the second connector member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pump assembly of claim 12, wherein each connector further comprises a washer plate comprising an aperture, wherein the adjustment member extends radially through the aperture with respect to the axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pump assembly of claim 13, further comprising an adjustment assembly coupled to the fluid end, wherein the adjustment assembly comprises: a foot configured to engage with a support surface; an engagement rod having a rod axis, wherein the engagement rod is coupled to the foot and is threadably coupled to the mounting plate, and wherein a threaded advance or withdrawal of the engagement rod into or from, respectively, the mounting plate is configured to actuate the fluid end; and a wedge assembly comprising: a first wedge member; and a second wedge member engaged with the first wedge member; wherein the first wedge member and the second wedge member are radially disposed between a support member coupled to the frame and the foot with respect to the rod axis; and wherein the first wedge member is configured to actuate relative to the second wedge member to adjust a total radial width of the wedge assembly with respect to the rod axis. ### Claim 15 A method, comprising: (a) coupling a power end of a pump assembly to a transmission; (b) coupling the transmission to a fluid end of the pump assembly and coupling the fluid end to a frame supporting the transmission with a plurality of connectors, wherein each connector comprises an axis; and (c) adjusting a total axial length of at least one of the connectors to adjust an alignment of the fluid end relative to the transmission. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein each connector comprises a first connector member and a second connector member axially adjacent one another along the axis; and wherein (c) comprises actuating the first connector member radially relative to the second connector member for the a least one of the connectors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein for each connector, the first connector member comprises a first inclined surface and the second connector member comprises a second inclined surface, and wherein (c) comprises slidingly engaging the first inclined surface with the second inclined surface for the at least one of the connectors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein for each connector, an adjustment member is threadably received within a bore of the first connector member, and wherein (c) comprises threadably advancing or threadably withdrawing the adjustment member into or from, respectively, the bore of the first connector member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein (b) comprises coupling a mounting plate engaged with the fluid end to a frame supporting the transmission; and wherein each connector further comprises a bolt extending through the mounting plate, the first connector member, and the second connector member along the axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: (d) coupling a foot to an end of an engagement rod, the engagement rod extending along a rod axis; (e) engaging the foot with a support surface; (f) threadably advancing or threadably withdrawing the engagement rod along the rod axis into or from, respectively, a bore in the mounting plate; (g) adjusting an axial position of the fluid end with respect to the rod axis during (f); (h) placing a wedge assembly radially between a support member coupled to a frame of the pump assembly and the foot with respect to the rod axis; and (i) adjusting a radial width of wedge assembly to adjust a radial position of the fluid end with respect to the rod axis during.