ROD GUIDE WITH WEAR GAUGE

摘要

A rod guide in the form of a substantially star-shaped body molded in intimate contact with a sucker rod includes a plurality of blades, vanes, or fins projecting from the body to define a smoothly continuous concave surface of the body. At least one of the vanes has formed therein an indentation that provides a gauge of rod guide wear. The ends of the blades form knife blades to reduce resistance to fluid flow about and through the rod guide and to reduce turbulent flow behind each blade. The disclosed structure offers increased strength against bending moment subjected to the rod guide, thereby increasing resistance to bending fracture and tensile elongation. This structure also increases erodable volume of rod guide material while maintaining flow about and through the rod guide. The wear gauge of the present invention may also be included on solid, cylindrical rod guides. 17