Anchor assembly for well tools such as packers and the like

Claim 2

An anchor assembly for well tools, comprising: a. a tubular body for supporting a well tool in a well pipe; b. friction means carried by the body for frictionally engaging the well pipe; c. anchor elements mounted about the body for radial movement between extended and released positions respectively affecting anchoring engagement with and release from said well pipe; d. a setting sleeve cooperating with said anchor elements mounted about the body for nonrotative relative axial movement thereon between positions extending and releasing said anchor elements; e. a running collar for releasably connecting a running string to said setting sleeve; and f. safety latch elements initially securing the running collar to the setting sleeve and releasable from the latter upon axial movement of the setting sleeve only to said position extending said anchor elements into anchoring engagement with the well pipe.

Claim 3

An anchor assembly according to claim 1 including a tubular cage concentrically surrounding said body and said setting sleeve and having a plurality of radial openings in which said anchor elements are mounted.

Claim 4

An anchor assembly according to claim 1 including frangible means initially securing said running collar to said setting sleeve in the anchor element-releasing position.

Claim 5

An anchor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said safety latch elements comprise holding dogs mounted in the setting sleeve for radial movement between an outwardly projecting position engageable by the running collar when the setting sleeve is in the anchor element release position and a retracted position releasing said running collar when the setting sleeve is in the anchor element-extending position.

Claim 6

An anchor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said well tool is a packer.

Claim 7

An anchor assembly according to claim 4 wherein said packer defines said friction means.

Claim 8

In combination with the anchor assembly according to claim 1: a. a packoff mandrel insertable in the bore of said body; and b. a latch tool carried by the mandrel for releasably securing the same to said body.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 7 wherein said mandrel includes: a. a tubular stem member connectable at its upper end to a pipe string; and b. seal means mounted about the lower end of said stem member for slidable sealing engagement with the bore wall of said body.

Claim 10

An anchor assembly according to claim 1, including cooperating latch means on said body and said setting sleeve positioned for latching engagement when said setting sleeve is moved to the anchor element-extending position to maintain said setting sleeve in said position.

Claim 11

An anchor assembly according to claim 9 wherein said latch means comprise: a. a split expansible latching ring mounted about said body; and b. an annular recess in the exterior of said setting sleeve engageable by said latching ring when in registration therewith.

Claim 12

A well packer assembly, comprising: a. a tubular body; b. an annular seal unit carried by the body frictionally engaging a surrounding well pipe; c. a plurality of angularly spaced anchor dogs mounted about the outer wall of the body for radial movement between positions actuating and releasing said dogs from anchoring engagement with a recess in the surrounding well pipe; d. a setting sleeve concentrically disposed about said body cooperable with said anchor dogs in response to nonrotative longitudinal movement of the setting sleeve to effect said radial movement of said anchor dogs; e. a running collar connectable to a running tool string telescopically enclosing the upper ends of said body and said setting sleeve; and f. radially movable holding dogs disposed between the running collar and said setting sleeve operable in response to movement of the setting sleeve to the position actuating said anchoring dogs to release said running collar from said setting sleeve.

Claim 13

A well packer assembly, comprising: a. a tubular body; b. an annular seal unit carried by the body frictionally engaging a surrounding well pipe; c. a plurality of angularly spaced anchor dogs mounted about the outer wall of the body for radial movement between positions actuating and releasing said dogs from anchoring engagement with a recess in the surrounding well pipe; d. a setting sleeve concentrically disposed about said body cooperable with said anchor dogs in response to nonrotative longitudinal movement of the setting sleeve to effect said radial movement of said anchor dogs; e. a running collar connectable to a running tool string telescopically enclosing the upper ends of said body and said setting sleeve; and f. radially movable holding dogs disposed between the running collar and said setting sleeve operable in response to movement of the setting sleeve to the position actuating said anchoring dogs to release said running collar from said setting sleeve.

Claim 14

A well packer assembly according to Claim 11, including: a. a tubular cage mounted about the body concentrically enclosing said setting sleeve; b. said cage having angularly spaced openings in which said anchor dogs are mounted; c. said anchor dogs and said setting sleeve having complementary projections and recesses cooperable to effect said radial movement of said anchor dogs.

Claim 15

The well packer assembly according to claim 11, including cooperating latch means on said body and said setting sleeve positioned for latching engagement when said setting sleeve is moved to the anchor dog-actuating position to maintain said setting sleeve in said position.

Claim 16

The well packer assembly according to claim 11, including: a. a packoff mandrel insertible in the bore of said body; and b. latch means carried by the mandrel for releasably securing the same to said body.