Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
APPLICATION FOR PATENT
INVENTOR: MITCHEL E. WINEGEART
TITLE: OIL WELL SAFETY VALVE FOR USE WITH DRILL PIPE"
SPECJFICATION
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Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to oil and gas well
drilling and safety valves used in oil and gas well
drilling. More particularly, the present invention
relates to an improved kelly valve actuator assembly
which allows the Icelly valve to be opened or closed when
the kelly is spinning or still from a remote location.
In the oil and gas well drilling industry, a
powered rotary table rotates a kelly and a kelly bushing
to rotate the drill string at the rig floor. There is
commonly employed a valve to close the drill string bore
at the rig floor. Such valves are commercially
available devices. Some models have patented
features. For example, a recent patent is U.S. No.
4,293,1B3 which shows certain improvements in the valve
stem and seals associated with the valve. Kelly valves
are usually manually operated. A socket associated with
the valve stem is receptive o~ a wrench or other sueh
torque imparting tool. Oil rig workers simply rotate a
wrench to close or open the valve. By controlling the
flow of fluid through th0 drill string, the kelly valve
can be used to prevent in-line blowouts. A problem
exists in that rig workers cannot always reach the kelly
valve. Sometimes the valve is too high above the rig
floor to reach. At other times the kelly valve might be
disconnected from the drill string such RS during a trip
where pipe is being removed from the well (for example,
to replace the drill bit).
There have been some attempts to automatically
open and close the kelly valve from a remote location.
One such device can be seen in U.S. Patent No.
3,887,161. In the '161 patent, a plurality of hydraulic
cylinders are supported by a plate that attaches to the
hydraulic swivel portion of the drilling apparatus. The
hydraulic cylinders are all connected to a single
annular plate which surrounds the kelly valve. An arc-
shaped cam is connected to the valve stem. Expansion
and contraction of the hydraulic cylinders causes an
annular plate to engage the cam and push on the cam
thereby rotating the valve stem to close the valve. The
apparatus normally is used when the kelly is not
spinning, and in fact is retracted during spinning of
the kelly to a withdrawn position.
Another remotely operable kelly valve actuator can
be seen in U.S. Patent 3,941,348 issued to Mott entitled
"~afety Valve." That device provides a remotely
operable safety valve mounted between the swivel and the
kelly in drilling operation includillg a spherically
shaped valve element which is mounted in a tubular
housing rotatable with a swivel sub, the kelly and the
drill string. Hydraulic cylinders move the valve
element between open and close positions in order to
control flow through the drill string and prevent in-
line blowouts. As an additional safety feature, a
spring moves the valve element to a closed position in
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the event of a failure of the hydraulic means. The
Mott patent uses an annular channel which is
connected to a rack. The rack engages pinion gears
which are associated with the valve stem. Hydraulic
cylinders use an annular ring which supports a
plurality of space roller bearings that engage the
channel. When -the hydraulic cylinders expand, the
bearings connected to the ring which is moved by the
cylinders engages the channel which forces the racks
to move so that the pinion gears are ro-ta-ted. The
Mott patent uses a complex linkage which is
maintenance prone and which relies upon a large
sequence of extraneous linkage members to insure
proper operation.
Summary of the Invention
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A construction in accordance with the
present invention which includes a drill string
safety valve operator comprising a rotatable -tubular
body having a longitudinal through bore for conveying
fluids. A valve member is movably disposed within the
body for valving fluid flow through the bore and
rotatable shaft means extends from and is coupled to
the valve member for moving the valve member to open
or close the bore. Bearing means are connected for
rotation with the shaft means for transmit-ting an
applied load in-to rotation of the shaft means. Upper
and lower spaced apart annular surfaces extend around
the tubular body in a position to engage and move -the
bearing means in different respectlve directlons.
Powered means which are normally non-rotatlng are
positloned to engage the annular surfaces with
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respect to the housing and between upper and lower
positions so that a respective annular surface can
respectively open or close the valve member.
The present invention further provides a
kelly operator which includes a rotatable tubular
housing having a longitudinal through bore for
conveying fluids. A valve member movably disposed
with~n the housing valves fluid flow through the
bore. In the preferred embodiment, the ro-tatable
tubular housing and the valve member can, in fact, be
the body and valve element of a conventional kelly
valve. A crank arm extends from and is coupled to the
valve member. The crank arm angularly connects with
the valve member and extends outwardly therefrom. The
crank arm is rotated during opera-tion so as to close
and open the bore. A bearing is carried by the crank
arm outer end for transmitting load to the crank arm.
An annular ring is supported about the tubular
housing and has at least a surface which can engage
the bearing for quickly moving the crank arm to a
closed position by transmitting load to the bearing.
A plurality of powered hydraulic cylinders at least
partially support the annular ring in a position
about the housing and move the annular ring linearly
with respect to the
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housing between upper and lower positions. Movement of
the hydraulic cylinders can thus effect a quick closing
during a blowout condition of the bore. The crank arm
includes a drive shaft member which is connectable to
the valve member and a crank nrm connected at one end to
the drive shaft and extending therefrom. The drive
shaft axis and the arm axis form an angle so that the
bearing portion of the crank arm aligns with the annular
ring. In the preferred embodiment, the angle between
the drive shaft axis and the arm axis form an obtuse
angle. In the preferred embodiment, the tubulQr valve
body provides box and pin end connectors for attaching
the tubular valve body to the top of the drill string,
or to the kelly or to the hydraulic swivel, as
desired. A housing is supported with respeet to the
valve body by supports. The crank arm extends from the
valve member and rotates with the valve member while the
housing carries the hydraulic pistons and the annular
ring with the channel. Thus, the valve body, a valve
member, and crank arm can rotate while the housing,
hydraulic cylinders, and annular ring with channel do
not. Since the annular ring provides a load transfer
surface which is annular (being radially projected about
the body~, no matter what position the crank arm and
valving member assume, the annular ring will always be
able to abut the crank arm and effect a closure by
transferring load thereto. Thus in a flow out
condition, remote closure of the bore is possible to
prevent a blowout condition.
rief Description of the Drawings
A better understanding of the invention can be had
when the detailed description of a preferred embodiment
set forth below is considered in conjunction with the
drawings, in which:
s
~ igure 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of one
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an elevational view of one embodiment
of the apparatus of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the
first embodiment of the apparatus of the present
invention;
~ igure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the
annular ring of the first embodiment of the apparatus of
the present invention;
Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional fragmentary
view of the housing cover portion of the first
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
Figure 6 is another horizontal sectional view of
the first embodiment of the app~ratus of the present
invention illustrating the valve member, the valve body,
the housing, the hydraulic cylinders, and the annular
ring;
~ igure 7 is a perspective view of the second
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
Figure 8 is a sectional elevational view of the
second embodiment of the apparatus of the present
invention; and
Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along lines 9-9
of figure 8.
Detailed De _ri~tion of the Preferred Embod~ment
Figures 1 and 2 best illustrate the preferred
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention
designated generally by the numeral 10. Kelly valve
actuator 10 provides a valve body 12 having a pin end 13
and a boxed end 14. A longitudinal through bore 16
allows fluid to flow through body 12. A generally
spherical valve member 20 is disposed and supported
within body 12 and rotates between open and closed flow
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positions so as to be able to valve bore 16. Valve
member 20 likewise provides a longitudinal bore 22 which
aligns with bore 16 during the open flow condition.
Shaft 24 connected to a valve member can be rotated from
the exterior of valve body 12.
A crank arm 26 connects with shaft 24 of valve
member 20. Crank arm 26 as will be described more fully
hereinafter is moved in a rotational direction so that
it opens and closes the bore 16 of valve body 12. The
outboard end portion of crank arm 26 provides a bearing
28 which can rotate. ~oad is transferred to crank arm
26 through bearing 28 by means of annular ring 30.
Annular ring 30 is generally C-shaped in section
(see figure 4). Ring 30 provides a recess 32 which is
defined by web 31, lower flange 34 and upper flange
35. Each flange 34, 35 provides a surface 36, 38 which
can transfer load to bearing 28 of erank arm 26~ In
figure 3, curved arrow 33 indicates the angle between
the axis of crank arm 26 and the axis of bearing 28.
This angle 33 is preferably an obtuse angle, i.e.
greater than 90. Recess 32 faces inwardly so that
bearing 2~ communicates with and occupies recess 32.
The outer curve surface of bearing 28 thus can abut
either surface 36 of flange 35 or surface 38 of flange
34 depending on whether the valve is being opened or
closed. In figures 2 and 41 40 designates a manual
lift-eye having an opening therethrough which can be
engaged by a chain, shackle, or the like. Thus, if
hydraulic power is lost, valve member 20 can be manually
opened or closed by lifting or pulling down upon lift-
eye gO. In figure 2, there can be seen schematic
illustrations in the form of O 41 and C 42 illustrating
clearly to an operator the closed and open positions of
valve member 20 and thus bore 16. An elongated slot 44
allows lift-eye 40 to move freely between the open and
closed positions. A lift-eye opening 45 in lift-eye 40
allows a chain, hook, or the like to be attached
thereto.
A plurality of hydraulic cylinders 50 are mounted
upon housing H. The hydraulic cylinders 50 expand and
contract when they are supplied with or emptied of
hydraulic fluid. Each hydraulic cylinder provides a
cyl;nder body 52 and push rod 50, the push rod being a
movable portion of the entire assembly. a plurality of
brackets 56 attach each push rod 54 to annular ring
30. Brackets 56 can be welded for example to ring 30 or
other such means. An elongated pin 57 secured in place
by cotter pin 58 holds the end portion of each push rod
54 to its particular bracket 56.
In figure 1, there can be seen a pair of hydraulic
ports 60, 62 for supplying and withdrawing hydraulic
fluid from cylinder 52. Hydraulic fluid supply line 64,
66 comnunicate respectively with ports 60, 62.
Hydraulic connections 68, 69 allow hydraulic lines to be
connected to the entire apparatus 10 for supplying a
source of pressuri~ed hydraulic fluid thereto.
An upper bearing assembly 70 includes annuIar
split ring bearing support 74 which is mounted upon body
12 at annular groove 72. ~ laterally extending annular
flange 76 extends from split ring bearing support 74 so
that bearing 75 rests thereupon once assembled. Annular
housing support 78 attaches by means of a plurality of
bolts 80 to upper housing support ring 82. A plurality
of bolts 83 attach housing ribs 87 to upper housing
support ring 82. Recesses 89 allow individual quarter
section of housing cover 85 to form a continuous
cylindrical outer shell. Assembly screws 88 complete
the assembly. Ring 30 is grooved so that each of the
four ribs 87 acts as a guide for ring 30. In figure 6,
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groove 90 in ring 30 corresponds to and is occupied by
rib 87.
Similarly, a lower bearing assembly 100 provides
an annular split ring 104 which attaches to housing 12
at a provided annular groove 102 formed in body 12. A
laterally extending flange 106 engages ball bearing ring
108. Hydraulic cylinder support ring 112 attaches to
lower housing support ring 116 by means of a plurality
of assembly bolts 118. Bearings la8, 110 form a
connection of hydraulic cylinder support ring :L12 and
lower housing support ring 116 to laterally extending
flange 106 of annular split ring 104. Hydraulic
cylinder support ring 112 provides an inwardly extending
flange 114 which in combination with the flange 106 of
split ring 104 enclose bearing 110.
From the above, it can be seen that housing 12
will rotate and with it rotates certain portions of
upper bearing assembly 70 and certain portions of lower
bearing assembly 100. Specifically, when body 12
rotates, annular split ring bearing support 74 also
rotates. However, annular housing support 78 and upper
housing support ring 82 remain still. Similarly9 when
body 12 rotates, annular split ring 104 rotates with it
while hydraulic cylinder support ring 112 and lower
housing support ring 116 remain still. Thus, the
hydraulic cylinders 50 which are welded to hydraulic
cylinder support ring 112 also remain still as do lines
64, 66. Annular ring 30 also remains stil~ during
spinning of valve body 12. However, valve body 12
rotates as does crank arm 24 and bearing 28. During
rotation, bearing 28 in fact genera~es a rotational
section which is substantially identical to the C-shaped
recess 32 of ring 30. When hydraulic cylinders 50 are
retracted, ring 30 moves downwardly with push rod 54.
When ring 30 moves downwardly with push rod 549 upper
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flange 35 of annular ring 30 engages bearing 28,
transferring load thereto. The phantom lines in figure
2 show the lowermost position of annular ring 30 and
also the lowermost position of bearing 28. One skilled
in the art will see that bearing 28 has been moved
downwardly and crank arm 20, 26 has rotated 90. This
effects a closure of bore 22 and of bore 16. In figure
1, the uppermost position of annular ring 30 is shown in
a cutaway view. Notice that bearing 28 occupies a
position within the recess 32 of annular ring 30. Also,
crank arm 2~ is in the uppermost position as shown in
hard lines in figure 2. The curved arrow in figure 1
illustrates the rotation of stem 24 which will effect a
rotation of valve member 20 and a closure of bore 22.
Since lift-eye 40 is connected to ring 30, it will
always move therewith. Thus, lift-eye 40 forms a dual
function. It firstly can be used to manually move ring
30 between its upper and lower positions if hydraulic
power is not available. Secondly, lift-eye 40 functions
as an indicator of the position of valve member 20.
Thus, the position as shown in figure 2 shows the valve
to be fully open while the phantom line position shows
the valve to be fully closed.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a second embodiment of
the apparatus of the present invention which is
designated generally by the numeral 200. A first
inspection of figure 8 shows the uppermost end portion
of the drill string and more particularly the last
section 202 of drill pipe. Seetion 202 has a box end
203 which will be made up with tubular valve body
section 204 and more particularly the pin 205 end
portion thereof, both of which are correspondingly
threaded to engage. Tubular valve body section 204 is
of substanti~lly the same construction as valve body 12
of the embodiment of figures 1-6, including a valving
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membe~, bore and stem. ~or clarity, description of the
valve member and stem are not repeated nor shown in
figures 7-8, as they can be seen in figures 1-6 of the
drawings. Each section 202, 204 provides a common bore
206 which communicate so that fluid can ~low freely
therethrough. A housing 210 provides a plurality of
radially spaced powered reels 212 each of which has a
cable 214 wound thereupon. A plurality of preferably
three radial lifting eyes 220 each provide openings 221
for the attachment of cable 214 thereto. Preferably
three radial lifting eyes 220 are provided as are a
corresponding plurality of three spaced powered reels
212. The reels 212 and lifting eyes 220 radially align
so that when load is applied to cables 214 by reels 212,
cables 214 are generally vertical and have only vertical
load components. Lifting eyes 220 are attached to
central lifting sleeve 222 that provides a bore which is
slightly larger than the outer diameter of drill pipe
section 202 so that sleeve 222 can slide upon section
202 but stops when it engages the enlarged box end
203. Sleeve 222 (see figure 9) is a split sleeve so
that it can open and close in order to attach or remove
from joint 202. A hinge or latch or like connection
could secure sleeve 222 about joint 202. Sleeve 222
thus will abut the box 203 end portion of section 202
when reels 212 have fully withdrawn cables 214. This
operative position is shown in figure 8. Normally the
entire actuator 200 is supported by a lift line (not
shown) and counterweighte~ so that rig workers can
easily lift the entire actuator 200 into position. The
bore 206 of section 202 might in an emergency situation
be uncontrollably discharging drilling mud onto the
drill rig floor, possibly as a prelude to a blowout
condition. Rig workers would first extend cables 214
and then attach sleeve 222 to section 202. The driller
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would then actuate the reels 212 so that cables 214
would be withdrawn. The actuator would then center
itself over the box 203 end of joint 202 and make up the
joints 202-204 as more particularly specified
hereinafter. Hydraulically operated reels 212 can have
ratchets to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of cables
214. Such reels 214 and the switches/controls to
operate such reels 214 are commercially available
devices.
A pluraIity of radially spaced guides 225 are
mounted upon housing 210 and can slide laterally with
respect to pipe section 202. Each guide has a plurality
of openings 227 which are receptive of pins or other
suitable fasteners so that each guide 225 can be
adjusted inwardly and outwardly with respect to the bore
206 of joint 202 and then affixed in the desired
position for the size pipe involved. The lowermost
surface of each guide 225 has a beveled sur~ace 230
which helps align and center housing 210 upon pipe
section 202 when each cable 214 is fully wound upon each
reel 212. Pressure switches or other suitable means can
be used to actuate jaws 235 when cables 214 are fully
withdrawn. The jaws 235 are urged inwardly until each
jaw 235 abuts and registers with the box 703 end of
section 202. Each jaw is shaped to conform to the shape
uf the box 203 end of pipe section 202. Piston rods 238
and hydraulic pistons 240 move inwardly responsive to
the addition of hydraulic fluid under pressure to
orifice 244. Cylinder 245 is preferably cylindrical
corresponding in section with cylindrical piston 240.
Preferably three radially spaced jAWS 235 are
provided. Pressure switches can also actuate hydraulic
cylinders and hydraulic tongs 270 once jaws 235 are
fully positioned against box 203 end of pipe section
2~2.
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In order to engage the pin 205 end portion of
section 204 with the box 203 end portion of section 202,
a plurality of radially spaced (preferably four)
hydraulic piston assemblies 250 connect housing 210 with
hydraulic tong support plate 260. ~ach piston assembly
250 provides a hydraulic cylinder 252 and a pushrod 254
which is connected to a hydraulic piston 255 that
occupies cylinder 252. Plate 260 supports a
conventional power tong assembly 270 such as is
manufactured by Eckels, for example. Power tong 270 has
a pair of opposed jaws 272, 273 which can grip and
rotate pipe joint 204. Thus when hydraulic pistons 250
pull section 204 until the pin 205 end portion thereof
abuts the box 203 end of section 202, rotation of jaws
272, 273 will "make up" the joint by engaging the
threaded end portion of pin 205 with a similarly, but
female threaded portion of box 203 end of section 202.
After the joint of section 202 and 204 is "made
up" and properly torqued by applying sufficient pressure
through jaws 272, 273, the bore 206 of sections 202, 204
can be closed. A rotation of crank arm 280 effects a
corresponding rotation of an interior valving element
which is of the same type as the ball valve element 20
of the embodiment of figures 1 and 2. Crank arm 280
assembly of the embodiment of figures 7 and 8, can be of
the same construction as arm 26, stem 24, and bearing 28
of figures 1 and 2~
Crank arm assembly 280 can be supported using
clamp 282 so that it will stay in the socket of the
valving element. Alternatively, the stem and crank arm
assembly 280 could be of an integral construction or of
an interlocking construction so that the crank arm would
not readily all from the socket o the valve stem.
An annular ring 290 is supported about section 204
by a plurality of hydraulic pistons 295. The pistons
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force annular ring 290 downwardly to close the valving
element of section 204 and thus bore 206. Ring 290 has
a smooth undersurface 292 which transfers load from
hydraulic cylinders 295 to roller bearing 283 of crank
arm assembly 280. In this manner? ring 290 rotates
crank arm assembly 280 to the position shown in phantom
lines in figure 8. ~ach hydraulic cylinder 295 includes
a piston 296, cylinder 297 and piston rod 298.
Cylinders 297 can be bolted, for example, to either
plate 260 or power tong 270 housing.
Additional bracing such as a plurality of steel
rods can be used to structurally interconnect housing
210 and plate 260. Such additional bracing could be
used to relieve shear and torsional stresses acting upon
cylinders 240.
Because many varying and different embodiments may
be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein
taught, and because many modifications may be made in
the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the
descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be
understood that the details herein are to be interpreted
as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
.:. What is claimed as invention is:
