Well pressure responsive valve

Claim 2

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage; a valve seat concentric with said main passage; said valve body housing a plug and at least one intermediate member; said plug adapted to move between said side passage and a seated position concentric with said main passage; said valve body having guide means to guide said plug during movement of said plug; said guide means including a ramp proximate said side passage to guide said plug during movement into said side passage, said ramp being downwardly and laterally inclined with respect to said main passage; said intermediate member being adapted to move in said side passage; pressure responsive operator means offset from said main passage and adapted to move into said side passage to effect movement of said plug and said intermediate member; and said intermediate member being maintained in operable contact and between said plug and said operator means to transmit the force exerted by said operator means to said plug when said plug is moved to the seated position.

Claim 3

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage; a valve seat concentric with said main passage; said valve body housing a plug and at least one intermediate member; said plug adapted to move between said side passage and a seated position concentric with said main passage; said valve body having guide means to guide said plug during movement of said plug; said guide means including a guide surface at the upper side of said passage to guide said plug during movement from said side passage, said guide surface being upwardly and laterally inclined with respect to said main passage; said intermediate member being adapted to move in said side passage; pressure responsive operator means offset from said main passage and adapted to move into said side passage to effect movement of said plug and said intermediate members; and said intermediate member being maiNtained in operable contact between said plug and said operator means to transmit the force exerted by said operator means to said plug when said plug is moved to the seated position.

Claim 4

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage; a valve seat concentric with said main passage; said valve body housing a plug and at least one intermediate member; said plug adapted to move between said side passage and a seated position concentric with said main passage; said valve body having guide means to guide said plug during movement of said plug; said guide means including a guide surface at the upper side of said passage to guide said plug during movement from said side passage, said guide surface being upwardly and laterally inclined with respect to said main passage; said intermediate member being adapted to move in said side passage; pressure responsive operator means offset from said main passage and adapted to move into said side passage to effect movement of said plug and said intermediate members; and said intermediate member being maiNtained in operable contact between said plug and said operator means to transmit the force exerted by said operator means to said plug when said plug is moved to the seated position.

Claim 5

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage; a valve seat concentric with said main passage; said valve body housing a plug and at least one intermediate member, said intermediate member being in the form of a ball; said plug adapted to move between said side passage and a seated position concentric with said main passage; said intermediate member being adapted to move in said side passage; pressure responsive operator means offset from said main passage and adapted to move into said side passage to effect movement of said plug and said intermediate member; and said intermediate member maintained in operable contact and between said plug and said operator means to transmit the force exerted by said operator means to said plug when said plug is moved to the seated position.

Claim 6

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage; a valve seat concentric with said main passage; said valve body housing a plug and at least one intermediate member, said intermediate member being in the form of a ball; said plug adapted to move between said side passage and a seated position concentric with said main passage; said intermediate member being adapted to move in said side passage; pressure responsive operator means offset from said main passage and adapted to move into said side passage to effect movement of said plug and said intermediate member; and said intermediate member maintained in operable contact and between said plug and said operator means to transmit the force exerted by said operator means to said plug when said plug is moved to the seated position.

Claim 7

The device of claim 3 wherein said valve body is provided with guide means to guide said plug during movement of said plug.

Claim 8

The device of claim 3 wherein said operator means includes first piston surfaces located for exposure to control fluid pressure to effect movement of said operator means in one direction and second piston surfaces located for exposure to production fluid pressure to effect movement of said operator means in the opposite direction.

Claim 9

The device of claim 5 wherein means are provided defining a piston chamber, said first and second piston surfaces are maintained within said piston chamber, and said operator means moves axially within said piston chamber.

Claim 10

The device of claim 6 wherein said piston chamber is in parallel alignment with said side passage and said means defining said piston chamber are connected to said valve body.

Claim 11

The device of claim 5 wherein means are provided to communicate control fluid pressure from the well surface to said first piston surfaces.

Claim 12

The device of claim 5 wherein means are provided to communicate production fluid pressure from the well tubing to said second piston surfaces.

Claim 13

The device of claim 3 wherein said plug is in the form of a ball having a diameter greater than the diameter of the bore of the well tubing.

Claim 14

The device of claim 3 wherein two intermediate members are used and each is in the form of a ball.

Claim 15

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage; a valve seat concentric with said main passage; said valve body housing a plug and at least one intermediate member; said plug adapted to move between said passage and a seated position concentric with said main passage; said intermediate member being adapted to move in said side passage; pressure responsive operator means offset from said main passage and adapted to move into said side passage to effect movement of said plug and said intermediate member; said operator means including a piston member, a telescoping member positioned for axial movement within said piston member and a nose portion connected to said telescoping member, said piston member having first piston surfaces located for exposure to a control fluid pressure to effect movement of said operator means in one direction and second piston surfaces located for exposure to production fluid pressure to effect movement of said operator means in the opposite direction and said nose portion extending into said side passage; and said intermediate member being maintained in operable contact and between said plug and said operator means to transmit the force exerted by said operator means to said plug when said plug is moved to the seated position.

Claim 16

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage; a valve seat concentric with said main passage; said valve body housing a plug and at least one intermediate member; said plug adapted to move between said passage and a seated position concentric with said main passage; said intermediate member being adapted to move in said side passage; pressure responsive operator means offset from said main passage and adapted to move into said side passage to effect movement of said plug and said intermediate member; said operator means including a piston member, a telescoping member positioned for axial movement within said piston member and a nose portion connected to said telescoping member, said piston member having first piston surfaces located for exposure to a control fluid pressure to effect movement of said operator means in one direction and second piston surfaces located for exposure to production fluid pressure to effect movement of said operator means in the opposite direction and said nose portion extending into said side passage; and said intermediate member being maintained in operable contact and between said plug and said operator means to transmit the force exerted by said operator means to said plug when said plug is moved to the seated position.

Claim 17

The device of claim 12 wherein means connected to said valve body are provided defining a piston chamber outside said valve body, said piston chamber is in parallel alignment with said side passage and offset from the well tubing bore, and said first and second piston surfaces are contained within said piston chamber.

Claim 18

The device of claim 13 wherein spring means are provided within said means defining said piston chamber to assist in the movement of said operator means into said side passage.

Claim 19

The device of claim 14 wherein said spring means act on said telescoping member to transmit a spring force on said plug when said plug is in a seated position.

Claim 20

The device of claim 12 wherein first means are provided to communicate control fluid pressure from the well surface to said piston chamber and second means are provided to communicate production fluid pressure from the well tubing bore to said piston chamber.

Claim 21

A subsurface valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing, a downward facing valve seat concentric with said main passage, a side passage offset from said main passage, and a ramp joining said main passage and said side passage; a first ball moveable from said side passage on said ramp to close on said valve seat; and a second ball positioned below said first ball and in contact therewith moveable from said side passage onto said ramp while maintaining contact with said first ball; and means for moving said first and second balls.

Claim 22

A subsurface valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string; said valve body having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing, a downward facing valve seat concentric with said main passage, a side passage offset from said main passage, and a ramp joining said main passage and said side passage; a first ball moveable from said side passage on said ramp to close on said valve seat; and a second ball positioned below said first ball and in contact therewith moveable from said side passage onto said ramp while maintaining contact with said first ball; and means for moving said first and second balls.

Claim 23

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string and having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage, a downward facing seat in the valve body in alignment with the main passage and positioned above the upper end of the side passage, a plug moveable from a position within the side passage to a position to engage the seat to prevent upward flow of fluid, pressure responsive means offset from said main passage for effecting such movement of said plug, and selectively operable means for preventing movement of said plug into contact with said seat, said means including a blocking element movably mounted in said main passage and moveable upward from an inoperative position to an operative position, said blocking element in operative position having a portion blocking the path of movement of said plug to prevent it from moving into engagement with said seat.

Claim 24

A valve to control the flow of fluid in the bore of a well tubing, comprising: a valve body connectable in the well tubing string and having a main passage in alignment with the bore of the well tubing and a side passage offset from said main passage, a downward facing seat in the valve body in alignment with the main passage and positioned above the upper end of the side passage, a plug moveable from a position within the side passage to a position to engage the seat to prevent upward flow of fluid, pressure responsive means offset from said main passage for effecting such movement of said plug, and selectively operable means for preventing movement of said plug into contact with said seat, said means including a blocking element movably mounted in said main passage and moveable upward from an inoperative position to an operative position, said blocking element in operative position having a portion blocking the path of movement of said plug to prevent it from moving into engagement with said seat.

Claim 25

The device of claim 18 in which the plug comprises a ball.

Claim 26

The device of claim 18 in which the blocking element comprises a sleeve having an inclined ramp at its upper end for guiding the plug toward the seat.

Claim 27

The device of claim 20 in which means are provided for preventing rotation of the blocking sleeve within the valve body.