High production pump for viscous materials and method

A high performance pump for pumping fireproofing and the like viscous materials comprising:

• a compression chamber having an inlet and an outlet;
• a piston cylinder disposed in fluid communication with said compression chamber, said piston cylinder having a piston cylinder wall;
• said inlet and outlet of said compression chamber including an inlet passage and an outlet passage extending generally transverse to said piston cylinder;
• a piston assembly carried within said piston cylinder which includes;
• a push rod,
• a piston carried by a forward distal end of said push rod having a piston face extending generally to said transverse inlet and outlet passages of said compression chamber and adjacent a distal wall of said compression chamber on the compression stroke,
• said piston having a cylindrical body, and a contoured beveled surface tapering from said cylindrical body to said piston face to provide clearance between said piston and said inlet on said compression stroke,
• a piston neck formed rearwardly of said cylindrical body having a diameter less than the diameter of said cylindrical body,
• a piston cup carried by said push rod having a circumferential wall partially surrounding said piston neck and a base in direct engagement with said piston neck, and
• means interconnecting said piston and said piston cup urging said circumferential wall of said piston cup outwardly in sealing contact with said piston cylinder wall.

An adapter kit for modifying and improving the performance of an existing pump for pumping fireproofing and other viscous materials, wherein said pump is of the type having a compression chamber with an inlet and an outlet;

• an inlet valve seat carried in said inlet having an inlet ball valve seated thereon;
• an inlet ball limit pin included in said inlet for limiting the upper axial movement of said inlet ball valve;
• an outlet valve carried in said outlet of said compression chamber;
• a piston cylinder in fluid communication with said compression chamber;
• said inlet and outlet being generally transverse to said piston cylinder;
• a piston assembly carried in said piston cylinder for reciprocating compression and suction strokes;
• wherein said adapter kit comprises:
• an inlet valve seat having an unrestricted valve passage generally transverse to said piston cylinder;
• an extended piston for said piston assembly having a cylindrical body with an axial extent which extends into said compression chamber adjacent said transverse inlet valve passage during the compression stroke but terminating short of said inlet valve limit pin, said extended piston being received on a push rod of said piston assembly with a fastener for affixing said extended piston to said push rod to be concealed within the cyindrical body of said extended piston except for a forward opening cavity formed in the piston face of said extended piston adjacent the interior of said compression chamber, a beveled surface extending from said cylindrical body to said piston face which provides clearance between said piston and said inlet ball valve;
• and
• a polymeric piston cup for said piston assembly to be carried by said piston rod behind said extended piston.

A method of increasing the capacity of a pump for pumping viscous materials such as fireproofing materials, said pump having a compression chamber which has a transverse inlet and outlet, said inlet including an inlet ball valve seated on an inlet ball valve seat and an inlet ball limit pin for limiting the upward axial movement of said inlet ball valve in said inlet, said outlet including an outlet ball valve seated on an outlet ball valve seat;

• a piston cylinder disposed in fluid communication with said compression chamber generally transverse to said inlet and outlet;
• a piston assembly carried in said piston cylinder having a piston driven in reciprocating suction and compression strokes, said method comprising:
• increasing the compression of said pump in said compression chamber by using a piston which has a piston face extending to a position adjacent said inlet ball limit pin at the end of the pump compression stroke, said piston having a cylindrical surface adapted to fit within said piston cylinder extending generally parallel to the interior wall of said piston cylinder and a beveled surface extending from said cylindrical surface to said piston face which provides clearance between said piston and said inlet ball valve at the end of said compression stroke so that said piston may extend into said compression chamber adjacent said transverse inlet and outlet;
• and
• sealing said piston cylinder with a piston cup constructed from a polymeric material having a cylindrical base with an outer diameter generally less than the inner diameter of said piston cylinder and a cylindrical wall extending from said cylindrical base having an outer diameter which is generally greater than the outer diameter of said cylindrical base providing reduced friction and effectively sealing said piston cylinder wall against said higher compression.