US 11,982,375 B2
Bonnet and stuffing box assembly
Matthew Thomas Sutterfield, Signal Mountain, TN (US); and Ian Matthew Gilliam, Hixon, TN (US)
Assigned to Mueller International, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Mueller International, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on May 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/197,290.
Application 18/197,290 is a continuation of application No. 17/230,468, filed on Apr. 14, 2021, granted, now 11,686,406.
Application 17/230,468 is a continuation of application No. 16/389,506, filed on Apr. 19, 2019, granted, now 11,009,149, issued on May 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0279967 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. F16K 41/02 (2006.01); F16K 5/06 (2006.01); F16K 27/02 (2006.01); F16K 27/08 (2006.01); F16K 41/14 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 41/02 (2013.01) [F16K 5/0694 (2013.01); F16K 27/02 (2013.01); F16K 27/08 (2013.01); F16K 41/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bonnet and stuffing box assembly comprising:
a bonnet, the bonnet defining a bonnet bore;
a stuffing box connected to the bonnet, the stuffing box defining a stuffing box bore, the stuffing box bore and bonnet bore defining an assembly bore;
a bushing assembly received in the assembly bore and comprising a stuffing box bushing and a bonnet bushing, the stuffing box bushing defining a narrow portion disposed in the stuffing box bore and a wide portion at least partially disposed in the bonnet bore, the bonnet bushing disposed in the bonnet bore and confronting the wide portion of the stuffing box bushing, the bushing assembly defining a bushing bore extending through the stuffing box bushing and the bonnet bushing; and
a stem extending through the bushing bore,
wherein:
the stuffing box bushing defines a first stuffing box bushing end and a second stuffing box bushing end opposite the first stuffing box bushing end;
the narrow portion defines the first stuffing box bushing end and the wide portion defines the second stuffing box bushing end;
the bonnet bushing defines a first bonnet bushing end and a second bonnet bushing end opposite the first bonnet bushing end;
the second stuffing box bushing end confronts the second bonnet bushing end within the bonnet bore;
the stuffing box bushing defines an intermediate portion between the narrow portion and the wide portion; and
the intermediate portion tapers outward from the narrow portion to the wide portion.