Well packer apparatus

Claim 2

A well packer apparatus comprising: an anchor body; a mandrel movable within said anchor body between an upper position and a lower position relative thereto; normally retracted slip means mounted on said anchor body and adapted to be shifted to expanded position; hydraulically operable means movable between an upper position for retracting said slip means and a lower position for expanding said slip means; packing means surrounding said mandrel and including packing elements for sealing off a well bore; a fluid passage space extending between said packing means and said mandrel and between locations in communication with the well bore above and below said packing means; valve means on said mandrel movable longitudinally relative to said mandrel and to said anchor body and between an upper open position and a lower closed position with respect to said fluid passage space; first means coacting in the upper position of said mandrel for preventing downward movement of said hydraulically operable means to retain said slip mans in retracted positions; and second means coacting in the lower position of said mandrel for moving said valve means to said closed position.

Claim 3

The well packer apparatus of claim 1 further including means for providing an upwardly directed bias force on said valve means in said closed position.

Claim 4

The well packer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first means includes a shoulder on said mandrel engageable with said valve means to hold said valve means in its upper position, said valve means having a shoulder engaging said hydraulically operable means to hold said hydraulically operable means in its upper position.

Claim 5

The well packer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second means includes a shoulder on said mandrel engageable with said valve means to force said valve means downwardly.

Claim 6

A well packer apparatus comprising: an anchor body; a mandrel movable within said anchor body between an upper position and a lower position relative thereto; packing means surrounding said mandrel and adapted to seal off a well bore; normally retracted slip means mounted on said anchor body and adapted for outward movement relative to said anchor body between extended and retracted positions; hydraulically operable means for moving said slip means outwardly; a fluid passage space extending longitudinally between said packing means and said mandrel between locations in communication with the well bore above and below said packinG means; valve means on said mandrel and movable within said anchor body between an upper open position and a lower closed position with respect to said fluid passage space; and oppositely disposed shoulders on said mandrel in spaced relation to one another and adapted for alternate engagement with said valve means, one of said shoulders positioning said valve means in open position in the upper position of said mandrel and the other of said shoulders positioning said valve means in closed position in the lower position of said mandrel.

Claim 7

A well packer apparatus comprising: an anchor body; a mandrel movable within said anchor body between an upper position and a lower position relative thereto; packing means surrounding said mandrel and adapted to seal off a well bore; normally retracted slip means mounted on said anchor body and adapted for outward movement relative to said anchor body between extended and retracted positions; hydraulically operable means for moving said slip means outwardly; a fluid passage space extending longitudinally between said packing means and said mandrel between locations in communication with the well bore above and below said packinG means; valve means on said mandrel and movable within said anchor body between an upper open position and a lower closed position with respect to said fluid passage space; and oppositely disposed shoulders on said mandrel in spaced relation to one another and adapted for alternate engagement with said valve means, one of said shoulders positioning said valve means in open position in the upper position of said mandrel and the other of said shoulders positioning said valve means in closed position in the lower position of said mandrel.

Claim 8

The well packer apparatus of claim 6 further including coengageable means coacting at the upper position of said mandrel for preventing operation of said hydraulic means to retain said slip means in retracted positions.

Claim 9

The well packer apparatus of claim 7 wherein said coengageable means includes a shoulder surface on said valve means engageable with a shoulder surface on said hydraulically operable means.

Claim 10

The well packer apparatus of claim 6 wherein said hydraulically operable means includes expander means movable between an upper position for retracting said slip means and a lower position for expanding said slip means, and further including coengageable means coacting at the upper position of said mandrel for holding said expander means in its upper position to positively retain said slip means in retracted position.

Claim 11

The well packer apparatus of claim 9 wherein said coengageable means includes an upwardly facing shoulder surface on said valve means engageable with a downwardly facing surface on said expander means.

Claim 12

A well packer apparatus comprising: an anchor body; a mandrel movable within said anchor body between an upper position and a lower position relative thereto; packing means surrounding said mandrel and adapted for sealing off a well bore; bypass means for bypassing fluid through said packing means; sleeve valve means movable relative to said anchor body and said mandrel and between an upper open position and a lower closed position with respect to said bypass means, said mandrel having longitudinally spaced, oppositely disposed shoulder surfaces alternately engageable with said sleeve valve means for positioning said sleeve valve means in open or closed position; slip means mounted on said anchor body and movable between an inner retracted position and an outer extended position; hydraulic means in said anchor body movable between an upper position for retracting said slip means and a lower position for extending said slip means; a seal sleeve extending along said mandrel and connected to said sleeve valve means, said hydraulic means including an expander piston sealingly slidable on said anchor body and said seal sleeve; means for feeding the pressure of fluids in said bypass means along a path interiorly of said valve sleeve means and said seal sleeve to a location above said expander piston to force said expander piston downwardly; and means coacting in the upper position of said mandrel for holding said expander piston in its upper position to selectively prevent outward movement of said slip means, said holding means being released by downward movement of said mandrel.

Claim 13

A well packer apparatus comprising: an anchor body; a mandrel movable within said anchor body between an upper position and a lower position relative thereto; packing means surrounding said mandrel and adapted for sealing off a well bore; bypass means for bypassing fluid through said packing means; sleeve valve means movable relative to said anchor body and said mandrel and between an upper open position and a lower closed position with respect to said bypass means, said mandrel having longitudinally spaced, oppositely disposed shoulder surfaces alternately engageable with said sleeve valve means for positioning said sleeve valve means in open or closed position; slip means mounted on said anchor body and movable between an inner retracted position and an outer extended position; hydraulic means in said anchor body movable between an upper position for retracting said slip means and a lower position for extending said slip means; a seal sleeve extending along said mandrel and connected to said sleeve valve means, said hydraulic means including an expander piston sealingly slidable on said anchor body and said seal sleeve; means for feeding the pressure of fluids in said bypass means along a path interiorly of said valve sleeve means and said seal sleeve to a location above said expander piston to force said expander piston downwardly; and means coacting in the upper position of said mandrel for holding said expander piston in its upper position to selectively prevent outward movement of said slip means, said holding means being released by downward movement of said mandrel.

Claim 14

The well packer apparatus of claim 10 wherein said bypass means terminates at a location above said packing means in port means extending laterally through the wall of said anchor body, said sleeve valve means and anchor body having seal means coengageable below said port in the closed position of said sleeve valve means.

Claim 15

The well packer apparatus of claim 10 further including bias means for providing an upward force on said sleeve valve means at the closed position of said sleeve valve means.

Claim 16

The well packer apparatus of claim 10 further including locking means for securing said mandrel to said anchor body in said lower position.

Claim 17

The well packer apparatus of claim 13 wherein said locking means includes lug means on said mandrel cooperable with channel means on said anchor body in the lower position of said mandrel.

Claim 18

A well packer apparatus comprising: an anchor body; a mandrel movable within said anchor body between an upper position and a lower position relative thereto; packing means surrounding said mandrel and adapted to seal off a well bore; by pass means for bypassing fluid through said packing means between locations above and below said packing means, said bypass means terminating at the location above said packing means in laterally extending port means through the wall of said anchor body; valve means including an annular member adapted for movement between an upper open position and a lower closed position with respect to said port means, said annular member in said lower position spanning and closing off said port means; longitudinally spaced and oppositely disposed shoulder surfaces on said mandrel alternately engageable with said valve means for moving said annular member between open and closed positions; slip means on said anchor body movable between inner retracted positions and outer extended positions; hydraulically operable means movable between an upper position for retracting said slip means and a lower position for extending said slip means; and coengageable means coacting in the upper position of said mandrel for holding said hydraulically operable means in its upper position to prevent outward movement of said slip means.

Claim 19

A well packer apparatus comprising: an anchor body; a mandrel movable within said anchor body between an upper position and a lower position relative thereto; packing means surrounding said mandrel and adapted to seal off a well bore; by pass means for bypassing fluid through said packing means between locations above and below said packing means, said bypass means terminating at the location above said packing means in laterally extending port means through the wall of said anchor body; valve means including an annular member adapted for movement between an upper open position and a lower closed position with respect to said port means, said annular member in said lower position spanning and closing off said port means; longitudinally spaced and oppositely disposed shoulder surfaces on said mandrel alternately engageable with said valve means for moving said annular member between open and closed positions; slip means on said anchor body movable between inner retracted positions and outer extended positions; hydraulically operable means movable between an upper position for retracting said slip means and a lower position for extending said slip means; and coengageable means coacting in the upper position of said mandrel for holding said hydraulically operable means in its upper position to prevent outward movement of said slip means.

Claim 20

The well packer apparatus of claim 15 further including releasable means on said mandrel and anchor body for securing said mandrel to said anchor body in said lower position where said valve means is in closed position.

Claim 21

The well packer apparatus of claim 16 wherein said hydraulically operable means includes a piston member sealingly slidable in cylinder means in said anchor body, said coengageable means including opposed shoulder surfaces on said piston member and said valve means.

Claim 22

The well packer apparatus of claim 17 further including means for feeding the pressure of fluids in said bypass means along said mandrel interiorly of said valve means and piston member to a location in said cylinder means above said piston member.

Claim 23

The well packer apparatus of claim 16 further including bias means for applying an upward force to said valve means in its closed position to assist in moving it to open position.

Claim 24

The well packer apparatus of claim 19 wherein said bias means comprises a spring surrounding said valve means above said annular member, the upper end of said spring being fixed to said valve means, the lower end of said spring being adapted to engage a shoulder on said anchor body to compress aid spring during movement of said valve means to closed position.