Latch device for supporting well tools in a flow conductor

Claim 2

A tool system for supporting a well tool in a flow conductor of a well system and for installing and retrieving said well tool from the surface, comprising: latch means adapted to support said well tool and to be releasably locked in said flow conductor, said latch means having locking means for locking said latch means in said flow conductor responsive to a force in one direction only toward a locking shoulder in said flow conductor and having means for releasing said locking means responsive to a force in the opposite direction only; and handling means for supporting and moving said latch means through said conductor during installation and retrieval of said latch means, said handLing means being releasable from and reconnectable with said latch means in said flow conductor.

Claim 3

The tool system of claim 1 wherein said handling means comprises a piston unit adapted to be displaced through said flow conductor by fluid pressure.

Claim 4

A tool system as defined in claim 1 wherein said handling means comprises a wireline running and pulling tool.

Claim 5

The tool system as defined in claim 1 wherein said latch means includes radially expandable and contractable keys and a mandrel having key-locking surfaces and movable between key-locking and key-releasing positions.

Claim 6

A tool system as defined in claim 4 wherein said mandrel is movable to said key-locking position when said keys engage a downwardly facing shoulder in said flow conductor.

Claim 7

A tool system for a well comprising: a latch adapted to be releasably secured in a tubing string at a locking recess having a locking shoulder for supporting a well tool in said string, said latch having means for locking in said string at said locking shoulder responsive to a single direction force only toward said locking shoulder and said locking means being releasable responsive to a single direction force only in the opposite direction; a seal assembly pivotally connected with said latch for sealing above said latch around a flow passage through said latch and said seal assembly; and a pumpable piston unit pivotally and releasably coupled with said seal assembly for pumping said latch and seal assembly into said well and out of said well, said piston unit being released from said seal assembly and removed from said well when not in use for installation or retrieval.

Claim 8

A tool system for a well comprising: a latch adapted to be releasably secured in a tubing string at a locking recess having a locking shoulder for supporting a well tool in said string, said latch having means for locking in said string at said locking shoulder responsive to a single direction force only toward said locking shoulder and said locking means being releasable responsive to a single direction force only in the opposite direction; a seal assembly pivotally connected with said latch for sealing above said latch around a flow passage through said latch and said seal assembly; and a pumpable piston unit pivotally and releasably coupled with said seal assembly for pumping said latch and seal assembly into said well and out of said well, said piston unit being released from said seal assembly and removed from said well when not in use for installation or retrieval.

Claim 9

The well tool system of claim 6 wherein said latch includes radially expandable and contractable locking keys biased outwardly toward their fully expanded positions; and a longitudinally movable mandrel having a longitudinal flow passage therethrough and adapted to be moved in a longitudinal direction between key-releasing and key-locking positions by application of longitudinal forces to the upper end of the mandrel.

Claim 10

The well tool system of claim 7 wherein said mandrel includes key-locking surfaces aligned in key-locking relationships within said keys when said mandrel is at an upper position and said surfaces are misaligned at key release positions when said mandrel is at a lower position.

Claim 11

A latch adapted to be releasably locked at a locking recess within a flow conductor comprising: locking key means receivable in said locking recess and supported for radial expansion and contraction between locking and releasing positions; means biasing said key means outwardly toward an expanded locking position; mandrel means longitudinally movable within said key means between key means release and key means locking positions, said mandrel means having locking surfaces aligned at key means locking positions within said key means at a first longitudinal position of said mandrel means for holding said key means expanded in said locking recess and aligned at key means release positions within said key means at a second longitudinal position of said mandrel means permitting said key means to be compressed inwardly around said mandrel means for release from said locking recess; first locking means associated with said mandrel means for locking said mandrel means at said first longitudinal position; and second locking means associated with said mandrel means for locking said mandrel means at said second longitudinal position.

Claim 12

A latch adapted to be releasably locked at a locking recess within a flow conductor comprising: locking key means receivable in said locking recess and supported for radial expansion and contraction between locking and releasing positions; means biasing said key means outwardly toward an expanded locking position; mandrel means longitudinally movable within said key means between key means release and key means locking positions, said mandrel means having locking surfaces aligned at key means locking positions within said key means at a first longitudinal position of said mandrel means for holding said key means expanded in said locking recess and aligned at key means release positions within said key means at a second longitudinal position of said mandrel means permitting said key means to be compressed inwardly around said mandrel means for release from said locking recess; first locking means associated with said mandrel means for locking said mandrel means at said first longitudinal position; and second locking means associated with said mandrel means for locking said mandrel means at said second longitudinal position.

Claim 13

A latch in accordance with claim 9 including means for holding said mandrel means at said first longitudinal position until a force of predetermined value is applied to said mandrel means for releasing said mandrel means for movement to said second longitudinal position.

Claim 14

A latch in accordance with claim 9 including key-supporting means comprising cage means around said mandrel means and having a slot means in which said key means are disposed for radial expansion and contraction.

Claim 15

A latch as defiNed in claim 11 including spring means associated with said key means for continuously biasing said key means radially outwardly.

Claim 16

A latch as defined in claim 12 including means connected with opposite ends of said mandrel means for coupling said latch with a running and pulling tool at one end and for supporting a well tool from said latch at the other end.

Claim 17

A latch adapted to be releasably locked at a locking recess in a flow conductor in operative response to longitudinal forces comprising: a plurality of radially expandable and contractable locking keys receivable in said locking recess of said flow conductor when at their expanded positions, said locking keys having inner locking surface portions; biasing springs connected between said keys continuously biasing all of said keys outwardly toward expanded positions; an operating mandrel disposed within said keys for longitudinal movement between key-locking and key-releasing positions, said mandrel having key-locking surfaces engageable with said inner locking surfaces of said keys at one longitudinal position of said mandrel for holding said keys at radially expanded positions, said mandrel key-locking surfaces being movable with said mandrel to key release positions misaligned from said inner locking surfaces of said keys at another longitudinal position of said mandrel; a first mandrel lock associated with said mandrel and actuated responsive to movement of said mandrel to said key-locking position for holding said mandrel against movement in one longitudinal direction while said keys are locked at expanded positions; a second mandrel lock associated with said mandrel for holding said mandrel against longitudinal movement in an opposite direction when said keys are at said expanded positions and when said keys are released for inward movement; said first and second mandrel locks limiting the movement of said mandrel whereby said mandrel remains at a key-locking position until a predetermined longitudinal force is applied to said mandrel in one longitudinal direction; force responsive connecting means holding said mandrel against movement to a key release position until a force in excess of a predetermined value is applied to said mandrel for release from said first mandrel lock to permit said mandrel to move to said key release position at which said second mandrel lock is activated to hold said mandrel at said key release position for removal of said latch from said flow conductor; means at one end of said latch for coupling a running and pulling tool thereto; and means at the other end of said latch for supporting a well tool from said latch.

Claim 18

A latch adapted to be releasably locked at a locking recess in a flow conductor in operative response to longitudinal forces comprising: a plurality of radially expandable and contractable locking keys receivable in said locking recess of said flow conductor when at their expanded positions, said locking keys having inner locking surface portions; biasing springs connected between said keys continuously biasing all of said keys outwardly toward expanded positions; an operating mandrel disposed within said keys for longitudinal movement between key-locking and key-releasing positions, said mandrel having key-locking surfaces engageable with said inner locking surfaces of said keys at one longitudinal position of said mandrel for holding said keys at radially expanded positions, said mandrel key-locking surfaces being movable with said mandrel to key release positions misaligned from said inner locking surfaces of said keys at another longitudinal position of said mandrel; a first mandrel lock associated with said mandrel and actuated responsive to movement of said mandrel to said key-locking position for holding said mandrel against movement in one longitudinal direction while said keys are locked at expanded positions; a second mandrel lock associated with said mandrel for holding said mandrel against longitudinal movement in an opposite direction when said keys are at said expanded positions and when said keys are released for inward movement; said first and second mandrel locks limiting the movement of said mandrel whereby said mandrel remains at a key-locking position until a predetermined longitudinal force is applied to said mandrel in one longitudinal direction; force responsive connecting means holding said mandrel against movement to a key release position until a force in excess of a predetermined value is applied to said mandrel for release from said first mandrel lock to permit said mandrel to move to said key release position at which said second mandrel lock is activated to hold said mandrel at said key release position for removal of said latch from said flow conductor; means at one end of said latch for coupling a running and pulling tool thereto; and means at the other end of said latch for supporting a well tool from said latch.

Claim 19

A latch in accordance with claim 14 including a tubular key cage having key slots for receiving said keys and a bore for receiving said mandrel for supporting said keys and said mandrel for movement within said keys.

Claim 20

A latch in accordance with claim 15 including a shear sleeve coupled between said mandrel and said key cage and releasably lockable on said key cage by said first mandrel lock when said mandrel is at a key-locking position, and shearable means connecting said shear sleeve with said mandrel.

Claim 21

A latch in accordance with claim 16 wherein said first mandrel lock comprises a split locking ring supported between said shear sleeve and said key cage and said second mandrel lock comprises a split locking ring supported between said key cage and said mandrel.

Claim 22

A latch for releasably locking at a locking recess in a flow conductor and adapted to lock and release responsive to longitudinal forces only comprising: a cylindrical key cage having a plurality of circumferentially spaced key-receiving slots and provided along a first upper end portion with external first and second longitudinally spaced locking ring recesses and longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced internal mandrel guide slots; said cage being provided along a second end portion with an internal locking ring recess; a radially expandable and contractable locking key Disposed in each of said locking key slots of said key cage for movement between a contracted release position and an expanded locking position at which the keys are received in said locking recess of said flow conductor for holding said latch against longitudinal movement; said keys having spaced upper and lower internal locking surface portions and an intermediate internal recess portion; biasing springs within said key cage connected between said keys for continuously biasing said keys radially outwardly toward expanded positions; an operating mandrel longitudinally disposed through said key cage within said springs and said keys for movement between key-locking and key release positions, said mandrel having upper locking bosses having external locking surfaces engageable with said upper locking surfaces of said keys when said mandrel is at a first key-locking position within said keys, said upper mandrel locking bosses being received in said internal recesses of said keys when said mandrel is at a key release position, said mandrel having lower external key-locking surfaces engageable with said lower locking surfaces of said keys when said mandrel is at said key-locking position within said keys; said mandrel having circumferentially spaced longitudinal guide ribs along the external surface thereof received within said guide slots of said key cage for holding said mandrel and said key cage against rotation relative to each other; said mandrel having lower external first and second locking ring receiving recesses along a lower portion thereof for receiving a locking ring in said key cage when said mandrel is at key-locking and key release positions, the upper of said lower locking ring recesses on said mandrel providing a locking shoulder engaged by a locking ring when said mandrel is moved to a key release position for holding said mandrel against movement relative to said cage at said key release position; a locking ring in said lower internal locking ring recess of said cage for coaction with said lower locking ring recesses of said mandrel for selectively holding said mandrel against upward movement relative to said key cage at key release and key-locking positions of said mandrel; a cylindrical shear sleeve disposed on said mandrel and telescopically engaged over the upper end of said key cage, said shear sleeve having longitudinal slots for receiving said guide ribs on said mandrel for holding said shear sleeve against rotation relative to said mandrel, said shear sleeve having an internal locking ring recess for supporting a locking ring therein; a locking ring disposed in said recess of said shear sleeve movable with said shear sleeve to a locking position with said key cage for locking said sleeve and said mandrel relative to said key cage when said mandrel is at a key-locking position within said keys; and shear means connecting said shear sleeve and said mandrel adapted to hold said mandrel against longitudinal movement relative said shear sleeve and release said mandrel for movement relative to said shear sleeve responsive to a predetermined force applied to said mandrel whereby said mandrel is returnable to a key release position for release of said keys and removal of said latch from said flow conductor.

Claim 23

A latch for releasably locking at a locking recess in a flow conductor and adapted to lock and release responsive to longitudinal forces only comprising: a cylindrical key cage having a plurality of circumferentially spaced key-receiving slots and provided along a first upper end portion with external first and second longitudinally spaced locking ring recesses and longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced internal mandrel guide slots; said cage being provided along a second end portion with an internal locking ring recess; a radially expandable and contractable locking key Disposed in each of said locking key slots of said key cage for movement between a contracted release position and an expanded locking position at which the keys are received in said locking recess of said flow conductor for holding said latch against longitudinal movement; said keys having spaced upper and lower internal locking surface portions and an intermediate internal recess portion; biasing springs within said key cage connected between said keys for continuously biasing said keys radially outwardly toward expanded positions; an operating mandrel longitudinally disposed through said key cage within said springs and said keys for movement between key-locking and key release positions, said mandrel having upper locking bosses having external locking surfaces engageable with said upper locking surfaces of said keys when said mandrel is at a first key-locking position within said keys, said upper mandrel locking bosses being received in said internal recesses of said keys when said mandrel is at a key release position, said mandrel having lower external key-locking surfaces engageable with said lower locking surfaces of said keys when said mandrel is at said key-locking position within said keys; said mandrel having circumferentially spaced longitudinal guide ribs along the external surface thereof received within said guide slots of said key cage for holding said mandrel and said key cage against rotation relative to each other; said mandrel having lower external first and second locking ring receiving recesses along a lower portion thereof for receiving a locking ring in said key cage when said mandrel is at key-locking and key release positions, the upper of said lower locking ring recesses on said mandrel providing a locking shoulder engaged by a locking ring when said mandrel is moved to a key release position for holding said mandrel against movement relative to said cage at said key release position; a locking ring in said lower internal locking ring recess of said cage for coaction with said lower locking ring recesses of said mandrel for selectively holding said mandrel against upward movement relative to said key cage at key release and key-locking positions of said mandrel; a cylindrical shear sleeve disposed on said mandrel and telescopically engaged over the upper end of said key cage, said shear sleeve having longitudinal slots for receiving said guide ribs on said mandrel for holding said shear sleeve against rotation relative to said mandrel, said shear sleeve having an internal locking ring recess for supporting a locking ring therein; a locking ring disposed in said recess of said shear sleeve movable with said shear sleeve to a locking position with said key cage for locking said sleeve and said mandrel relative to said key cage when said mandrel is at a key-locking position within said keys; and shear means connecting said shear sleeve and said mandrel adapted to hold said mandrel against longitudinal movement relative said shear sleeve and release said mandrel for movement relative to said shear sleeve responsive to a predetermined force applied to said mandrel whereby said mandrel is returnable to a key release position for release of said keys and removal of said latch from said flow conductor.

Claim 24

A latch as defined in claim 18 connected at one end with a well tool adapted to be supported in said flow conductor from said latch and releasably coupled at the other end with a running and pulling tool for installing and retrieving said latch.

Claim 25

A latch for releasably locking at a downwardly facing shoulder in a flow conductor comprising: body means; radially expandable and contractable locking keys supported with said body means; and a mandrel supported with said body means for movement relative to said locking keys, said mandrel having key-locking surfaces and being movable from a first running-in key release position upwardly to a second key-locking position for holding said keys expanded responsive to engagement of said keys with said downwArdly facing shoulder in said flow conductor and downwardly to a third key release position permitting contraction of said keys to release said latch from said shoulder.

Claim 26

A latch for releasably locking at a downwardly facing shoulder in a flow conductor comprising: body means; radially expandable and contractable locking keys supported with said body means; and a mandrel supported with said body means for movement relative to said locking keys, said mandrel having key-locking surfaces and being movable from a first running-in key release position upwardly to a second key-locking position for holding said keys expanded responsive to engagement of said keys with said downwArdly facing shoulder in said flow conductor and downwardly to a third key release position permitting contraction of said keys to release said latch from said shoulder.

Claim 27

A latch as defined in claim 20 including lock means associated between said mandrel and said locking keys for locking said mandrel at said second key-locking position and means coupling said mandrel against movement relative to said keys until a predetermined downward force is applied to said mandrel to release said mandrel for movement to said third key release position; and means for locking said mandrel at said third key release position.