US3763940A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for automatic mud diverter valve
Assignee: Hydril LLC
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Filing: 1972-08-23
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Granted: 1973-10-09
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Expires: 1992-08-23
Abstract
Abstract A tubular member positioned above a jet nozzle drill bit in a drill string includes a rotatable ball valve which closes to automatically divert drilling fluid and the like in the well bore if the jet nozzles become clogged thus permitting continued circulation of the fluid. The mud diverter valve attempts to prevent clogging of the jet nozzles by maintaining channeled openings in the rotatable ball valve unclogged, but diverts the drilling fluid into the annulus between the drilling string and the well bore if the channelled openings become clogged for continued circulation of the fluid.
Inventors
- 👤 J Mott
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 03:44
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B21/00; E21B21/10; E21B21/103; E21B2200/00; E21B2200/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/7722; Y10T137/7723; Y10T137/7726; Y10T137/7727; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/87917; Y10T137/88054
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
298 words
An apparatus positioned in a drilling string above a jet nozzle drill bit in a well bore comprising: a. a tubular member having an inner bore, said tubular member mounted at one end above the drill bit and at the other end to the drilling string for enabling drilling fluid to be circulated from the drill string through said tubular member and out through the drill bit; b. said tubular member having a circulation channel positioned therein for permitting communication between the annulus in the well bore and said inner bore of said tubular member when said channel is open; c. a movable member positioned in said inner bore above said circulation channEl and mounted with said tubular member, said member having channels therethrough and adapted to be positioned in a transverse position wherein said channels are not aligned with said inner bore and an aligned position with said inner bore wherein said channels are aligned with said inner bore of said tubular member; d. piston means positioned in said inner bore and mounted between said movable member and said tubular member, said piston means moving said movable member from said transverse to aligned positions as desired; and e. said tubular member having a circulation bypass channel therein for allowing circulation of drilling fluid around said movable member and through said circulation channel into the annulus when said channels in said movable member are not aligned with said inner bore and wherein an increase in circulation pressure above said movable member moves said piston member and thus prevents communication between said circulation bypass channel and said circulation channel and moves said movable member to align said channels in said movable member with said inner bore thus permitting circulation through said bore and out said jet nozzle drill bit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
298 words
An apparatus positioned in a drilling string above a jet nozzle drill bit in a well bore comprising: a. a tubular member having an inner bore, said tubular member mounted at one end above the drill bit and at the other end to the drilling string for enabling drilling fluid to be circulated from the drill string through said tubular member and out through the drill bit; b. said tubular member having a circulation channel positioned therein for permitting communication between the annulus in the well bore and said inner bore of said tubular member when said channel is open; c. a movable member positioned in said inner bore above said circulation channEl and mounted with said tubular member, said member having channels therethrough and adapted to be positioned in a transverse position wherein said channels are not aligned with said inner bore and an aligned position with said inner bore wherein said channels are aligned with said inner bore of said tubular member; d. piston means positioned in said inner bore and mounted between said movable member and said tubular member, said piston means moving said movable member from said transverse to aligned positions as desired; and e. said tubular member having a circulation bypass channel therein for allowing circulation of drilling fluid around said movable member and through said circulation channel into the annulus when said channels in said movable member are not aligned with said inner bore and wherein an increase in circulation pressure above said movable member moves said piston member and thus prevents communication between said circulation bypass channel and said circulation channel and moves said movable member to align said channels in said movable member with said inner bore thus permitting circulation through said bore and out said jet nozzle drill bit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the area of said circulation bypass channel is greater than the area of said circulation channel to provide greater pressure in said circulation bypass channel, which thus enables fluid to move through the circulation bypass channel and out the circulation channel into the annulus between the well bore and the drilling string when said channels in said movable member are not aligned with said inner bore of said tubular member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein fluid is permitted to enter the drilling string through said circulation channel and said circulation bypass channel in said tubular member to fill the drill string.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
The structure as set forth in claim 1, including a means for continuously urging said piston means upwardly and wherein an increase in circulation pressure above said piston member overcomes said means for uging, to move said piston means downwardly to prevent communication between said circulation channel and said circulation bypass channel, and to move said movable member such that said channels in said movable member are aligned with the inner bore of said tubular member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein said movable member includes a rotatable ball having a plurality of channels extending therethrough in one direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein said channels in said rotatable ball are smaller than the openings in said jet nozzles to thus prevent cuttings or other particles in the drilling fluid from passing through said channels and clogging the jet nozzles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The structure as set forth in claim 5, including a pair of pins mounted with said tubular member, said piston means and said rotatable ball, said rotatable ball rotating about said pins as said piston means is moved downwardly by increased circulation pressure or upwardly by said means for urging as the circulation pressure decreases.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
85 words
The structure as set forth in claim 7, wherein fluid is initially permitted to enter into the drill string through the circulation channel and circulation bypass channel as said rotatable ball and piston means are urged upwardly by said means for urging and wherein increased circulation pressure moves said piston means downwardly and thus overcome said means for urging to rotate said ball valve such that said channels are aligned with said inner bore of said tubular member to permit drilling through the jet nozzles.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The structure as set forth in claim 8 wherein until the circulation pressure is increased sufficiently to overcome said means for urging, the drilling fluid is circulated in the drill string through said circulation bypass channel and out said circulation channel into the annulus to remove unwanted particles and cuttings in the drilling fluid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
97 words
The structure as set forth in claim 9, wherein clogging of said channels in said rotatable ball or said jetting nozzles in the drill bit, is indicated by an increase in pressure at the surface of the well bore wherein the pressure is reduced to permit the means for urging to move said piston means upwardly to rotate said ball such that said channesl are not aligned with said inner bore and wherein circulation of the drilling fluid occurs through said circulation bypass channel around said rotatable ball and out through said circulation channel into the annulus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The structure as set forth in claim 1, including a wiper member for wiping at least some of the exposed openings of said channels to remove clogged particles therefrom as said movable member is moved to a position where said channels are not aligned with said inner bore.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
The structure as set forth in claim 10, including a wiper member mounted adjacent said circulation bypass channel and positioned such that rotation of said rotatable ball to the position where said channels in said ball are not aligned with said inner bore wipes the exposed surface area of at least some of said channels to thus scrape and wipe off clogged particles positioned in the top of said channels.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
138 words
The structure as set forth in claim 12, including a spring loaded ball valve mounted with said rotatable ball, said ball having a channel opening therein blocked by said spring loaded ball, said spring loaded ball being positioned in said rotatable ball to insure that said rotatable ball and piston will be moved upwardly and seated by said means for urging to thus maintain said circulation bypass channel open by permitting drilling fluid to flow from above said rotatable ball and through said spring loaded ball into the lower portion of the tubular member when there is a pressure differential between said inner bore of the tubular member above said rotatable ball and below said rotatable ball which thus equalizes the pressure in said inner bore above and below said rotatable ball to fully seat said rotatable ball.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of circulating drilling fluid in a drill string and well bore, comprising the steps of: a. positioning a tubular member in a drill string at a location above a nozzled drill bit; b. communicating between the inner bore of the tubular member and the annulus between the formation and the drill string through a circulation channel formed in the tubular member; c. positioning a member having channels therethrough in the bore of the tubular member to prevent communication through the bore to the drill bit; d. moving the member in response to controlled pressure of the drilling fluid to position the channels to permit circulation of drilling fluid through the drill bit; and e. preventing communication through the circulation channel when the channels through the member are positioned to permit circulation of drilling fluid through the drill bit.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of circulating drilling fluid in a drill string and well bore, comprising the steps of: a. positioning a tubular member in a drill string at a location above a nozzled drill bit; b. communicating between the inner bore of the tubular member and the annulus between the formation and the drill string through a circulation channel formed in the tubular member; c. positioning a member having channels therethrough in the bore of the tubular member to prevent communication through the bore to the drill bit; d. moving the member in response to controlled pressure of the drilling fluid to position the channels to permit circulation of drilling fluid through the drill bit; and e. preventing communication through the circulation channel when the channels through the member are positioned to permit circulation of drilling fluid through the drill bit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
The steps as set forth in claim 14, including the steps of: moving the member to prevent communication of drilling fluid to the drill bit by controlling the pressure of the drilling fluid; and communicating between the inner bore and the annulus through the circulation channel when the member moves to prevent communication to the drill bit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The steps as set forth in claim 14, wherein: the steps of moving the member includes rotating the member to position the channels therethrough.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The steps as set forth in claim 16, wherein: the step of rotating the member further includes the step of moving the member longitudinally.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The steps as set forth in claim 14, including the steps of: forming the channels through the member to have a nozzle area adjacent a surface of the member; and wiping the surface of the member adjacent to the nozzle area to remove clogged particles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The steps as set forth in claim 18, including the step of: removing particles wiped off the surface of tHe member adjacent the nozzles from the bore to the annulus through the circulation channel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
The steps as set forth in claim 18, wherein: the step of forming the channels through the member includes the step of restricting the nozzle area adjacent the surface to have a nozzle area adjacent the surface smaller in cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the nozzle of the drill bit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |