Hydraulically operable valves

Claim 2

A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member having a flow passage; a valve sleeve movable upwardly and downwardly in said flow passage between position opening and closing said flow passage, said valve sleeve having a transverse pressure area subject to the pressure of fluids in the well bore on one side of the well packer and to the pressure of fluids in said flow passage; and hydraulic means having a transverse pressure area of greater size than said transverse pressure area of said valve sleeve, said hydraulic means being shiftable between longitudinally-spaced positions of alteRnate abutting engagement with said mandrel and said valve sleeve, said hydraulic means engaging said mandrel in response to fluid pressure acting to close said valve sleeve, said hydraulic means engaging and opposing movement of said valve sleeve in response to fluid pressure acting to open said valve sleeve in order to provide a net force on said valve sleeve to maintain it in closed position.

Claim 3

The well packer apparatus of claim 1 further including a flow conductor for supplying fluid under pressure to said flow passage, said flow conductor having seal means for selectively isolating and subjecting said hydraulic means to fluid pressure to correspondingly permit and prevent opening movement of said valve sleeve.

Claim 4

The well packer apparatus of claim 2 wherein said seal means is engageable with said body member to prevent fluid pressure from causing engagement of said valve sleeve by said hydraulic means, thereby enabling opening movement of said valve sleeve.

Claim 5

The well packer apparatus of claim 2 wherein said seal means is engageable with said hydraulic means to prevent fluid pressure from causing engagement of said valve sleeve by said hydraulic means, thereby enabling opening movement of said valve sleeve.

Claim 6

A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member having a flow passage and carrying packing means for packing-off a well bore; check valve means movable in said flow passage between an upper open position and a lower closed position, said check valve means having a downwardly facing transverse pressure surface subject to the pressure of fluids in said flow passage to cause upward movement to open position, and hydraulically operable means coupled to said check valve means and having an upwardly facing transverse pressure surface which can be selectively subjected to the pressure of fluids in said flow passage, said upwardly facing pressure surface having a larger area than the pressure surface of said check valve means, whereby a predominate fluid pressure in said flow passage will provide a net downward force on said check valve means to maintain it in closed position.

Claim 7

A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member having a flow passage and carrying packing means for packing-off a well bore; check valve means movable in said flow passage between an upper open position and a lower closed position, said check valve means having a downwardly facing transverse pressure surface subject to the pressure of fluids in said flow passage to cause upward movement to open position, and hydraulically operable means coupled to said check valve means and having an upwardly facing transverse pressure surface which can be selectively subjected to the pressure of fluids in said flow passage, said upwardly facing pressure surface having a larger area than the pressure surface of said check valve means, whereby a predominate fluid pressure in said flow passage will provide a net downward force on said check valve means to maintain it in closed position.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 further including flow conductor means extendible into said flow passage for selectively subjecting said upwardly facing pressure surface to the pressure of fluids in said flow passage.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said flow conductor means includes an elongated tubular member having an annular seal packing which is engageable with a seal surface on said body member to enable fluid pressure in said flow passage to act downwardly on said upwardly facing pressure surface, and with said hydraulically operable means to isolate said upwardly facing surface from the pressure of fluids in said flow passage.

Claim 10

A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member having a packing element thereon sealingly engageable with a well conduit wall, said body member having a flow passage closed at one end and adapted to be communicated with the well bore via side ports through the wall of said body member; valve means for selectively opening and closing said flow passage, including a valve sleeve movable upwardly in said flow passage to enable fluids to flow through said side ports and downwardly in said flow passage to prevent fluid flow, said valve sleeve having a downwardly facing transverse pressure surface on which the pressure of fluids in said flow passage can act to move said valve sleeve upwardly, said valve sleeve having an upwardly facing transverse pressure surface on which the pressure of fluids in the well bore adjacent said side ports can act to bias said valve sleeve in closed position; and hydraulic means including a piston member coupled to said valve sleeve and having an upwardly facing transverse pressure surface of larger area than said downwardly facing surface, whereby a predominant fluid pressure in said flow passage can provide a net downward force on said valve sleeve to maintain said valve sleeve closed against said predominaNt fluid pressure. 9,. The apparatus of claim 8 further including selectively operable means for isolating said upwardly facing surface on said piston member from fluid pressure in said flow passage, whereby a predominate fluid pressure in said flow passage can act upwardly on said downwardly facing surface to move said valve sleeve upwardly to open position.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 further including resilient means between said piston member and said valve sleeve tending to move said valve sleeve downwardly to closed position.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said selectively operable means includes an elongated tubular member adapted for connection to a pipe string extending upwardly to the earth''s surface, said tubular member having an external annular seal packing engageable with said piston member to isolate said upwardly facing surface from the pressure of fluids in said flow passage.

Claim 13

A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member having a flow passage and annular packing around said body member adapted to pack-off against a well conduit wall; check valve means movable in said flow passage between an open position and a closed position with respect to said flow passage; a flow conductor sealingly received in said flow passage; and selectively releasable means on said flow conductor and said check valve means that is engaged by movement of said check valve means relative to said flow conductor and toward said open position for holding said check valve means in said open position, said releasable means being releasable in response to movement of said flow conductor relative to said body member to enable closing movement of said check valve means.

Claim 14

A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member having a flow passage and annular packing around said body member adapted to pack-off against a well conduit wall; check valve means movable in said flow passage between an open position and a closed position with respect to said flow passage; a flow conductor sealingly received in said flow passage; and selectively releasable means on said flow conductor and said check valve means that is engaged by movement of said check valve means relative to said flow conductor and toward said open position for holding said check valve means in said open position, said releasable means being releasable in response to movement of said flow conductor relative to said body member to enable closing movement of said check valve means.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said releasable means includes cooperating latch means on said flow conductor and said check valve means, said latch means including resilient fingers on the bottom of said flow conductor selectively engageable with detent means on said check valve means.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 further including cam means on said fingers engageable with a portion of said check valve means to cause release from said detent means.

Claim 17

A well packer apparatus comprising: a tubular body member having a packing element thereon sealingly engageable with a well conduit wall, said body member having a flow passage closed at one end and adapted to be communicated with the well bore via side ports through the wall of said body member; valve means for opening and closing said flow passage, including a valve sleeve movable downwardly in said flow passage to enable fluids to flow through said passage and upwardly in said flow passage to prevent fluid flow, said valve sleeve having an upwardly facing transverse pressure surface on which fluid pressure can act to move said valve sleeve downwardly, said valve sleeve having a downwardly facing transverse pressure surface on which fluid pressure in said flow passage can act to bias said valve sleeve in closed position; and hydraulic means including a piston member engageable with said valve sleeve and having a downwardly facing transverse pressure surface subject to fluid pressure tending to move said valve sleeve downwardly, the pressure surface of said piston member having a larger area than the pressure surface on said sleeve member to provide a net upward force on said valve sleeve to maintain it in closed position.

Claim 18

A well packer apparatus comprising: a tubular body member having a packing element thereon sealingly engageable with a well conduit wall, said body member having a flow passage closed at one end and adapted to be communicated with the well bore via side ports through the wall of said body member; valve means for opening and closing said flow passage, including a valve sleeve movable downwardly in said flow passage to enable fluids to flow through said passage and upwardly in said flow passage to prevent fluid flow, said valve sleeve having an upwardly facing transverse pressure surface on which fluid pressure can act to move said valve sleeve downwardly, said valve sleeve having a downwardly facing transverse pressure surface on which fluid pressure in said flow passage can act to bias said valve sleeve in closed position; and hydraulic means including a piston member engageable with said valve sleeve and having a downwardly facing transverse pressure surface subject to fluid pressure tending to move said valve sleeve downwardly, the pressure surface of said piston member having a larger area than the pressure surface on said sleeve member to provide a net upward force on said valve sleeve to maintain it in closed position.

Claim 19

The well packer apparatus of claim 15 further including means for isolating said piston member from fluid pressure tending to move said valve sleeve downwardly, thereby enabling said fluid pressure to cause opening movement of said valve sleeve.

Claim 20

The well packer apparatus of claim 16 wherein said isolating means includes a flow conductor telescopically received on said body member, said flow conductor having sealing means thereon engageable with said body member below said side ports.