Blow-out preventer

Claim 1

A SELECTIVELY ADJUSTABLE BLOW-OUT PREVENTER ADAPTED FOR USE IN OIL WELL RIGS, COMPRISING: A STATIONARY METALLIC HOUSING INCLUDING DETACHABLE UPPER AND LOWER HOUSING SECTIONS PROVIDED WITH OPPOSING AXIALLY ALIGNED WELL-TOOL RECEIVING PORTS, AN ENLARGED CYLINDRICAL BORE WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A CURVED INNER SURFACE OF SUBSTANTIALLY SPHERICAL ZONE FORM EXTENDING FROM ONE OF SAID WELL-TOOL RECEIVING PORTS TOWARD SAID ENLARGED CYLINDRICAL BORE, A RESILIENT SEALING RING WITHIN SAID HOUSING HAVING A CENTRAL BORE AND AN OUTER SURFACE PORTION ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID CURVED INNER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING FOR SELECTIVE ADJUSTABLE MOVEMENT BETWEEN A NONSEALING POSITION AND A CLOSED SEALING POSITION WHEREBY FLUID WITHIN THE WELL HOLE IS PREVENTED FROM BEING VENTED TO THE ATMOSPHERE, REMOTELY CONTROLLED AND AXIALLY MOVABLE ACTUATING MEANS POSITIONED IN SAID ENLARGED BORE AND CONNECTED TO SAID SEALING RING FOR APPLYING AN AXIAL MOVEMENT TO SAID SEALING RING AND FOR MOVING SAID SEALING RING TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID CURVED INNER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING BETWEEN CLOSED SEALING AND OPEN NONSEALING POSITIONS, AND A PLURALITY OF CURVED METALLIC TRANSLATING MEANS BONDED TO SAID SEALING RING AND HAVING EXPOSED SURFACES ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY CONTACT SAID CURVED INNER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING FOR TRANSLATING THE AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS INTO A ROLLING INWARD MOTION OF SAID SEALING RING WHEREBY MAXIMUM INWARD SEALING MOTION IS ATTAINED BY SAID RING ADJACENT SAID WELL-TOOL RECEIVING PORTS, WHEREBY SAID SEALING RING IS ADAPTED TO COMPLETELY CLOSE OFF A WELL WHEN THE DRILLING STRING HAS BEEN REMOVED AS WELL AS CLOSING OFF A WELL WHEN A DRILLING STRING REREMAINS THEREIN.