Safety valve for wells

Claim 2

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include means containing and enclosing a confined body of fluid, said means including a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against said confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, and a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, said valve unit including also valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element.

Claim 3

The improvement in well safety apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said two elements are pistons exposed to said body of fluid.

Claim 4

The improvement in well safety apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said two elements are two concentric annular pistons movable in opposite vertical directions.

Claim 5

The improvement in well safety apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said elements are two telescopically interfitting oppositely movable piston elements exposed to said confined fluid, one of said elements having a portion contacting said fluid which is thicker radially than an adjacent portion of said one element and which defines a restricted passage extending between and narrower than two compartments containing said confined fluid and between which said confined fluid must flow upon relative movement of the two elements.

Claim 6

The improvement in well safety apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said valve means include a valve element mounted to swing downwardly and radially outwardly from a closed position blocking off the flow of production fluid upwardly through the well to an open position permitting such flow, said second element having a portion positioned to engage said valve element and deflect it downwardly and outwardly to said open position upon downward movement of said second element.

Claim 7

The improvement in well safety apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said second element has a tubular lower portion through which production fluid flows upwardly in the open position of said valve means, said valve means including a valve member mounted pivotally for downward and outward swinging movement by downward movement of said tubular portion of said second element and from a closed position to an open position of reception radially outwardly of said tubular portion.

Claim 8

The improvement in well safety apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said valve unit includes a body through which production fluid flows upwardly when said valve means are open, and equalizer valve means operable upon upward movement of said first element to place the exterior of said body in communication with its interior at a location above said first mentioned valve means.

Claim 9

In well safety apparatus including a body to be lowered into a well and located therein; a main valve member carried by said body and actuable between an open position passing production fluid upwardly into the interior of the body and a closed position blocking off such fluid flow; an equalizer valve element movable between an open position for passing fluid through a bleed passage formed in a side wall of said body and placing the exterior of the body in communication with its interior at a location above said main valve member, and a closed position; an elongated member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth and operable by upward movement to open both said main valve element and said equalizer valve element; means for exerting upward force on said elongated member from a location near the surface of the earth; and a lost motion connection between said two valve elements acting to open said equalizer valve element upon initial upward movement of said elongated member and to then open said main valve element upon further upward movement of the elongated member.

Claim 10

In well safety apparatus including a body to be lowered into a well and located therein; a main valve member carried by said body and actuable between an open position passing production fluid upwardly into the interior of the body and a closed position blocking off such fluid flow; an equalizer valve element movable between an open position for passing fluid through a bleed passage formed in a side wall of said body and placing the exterior of the body in communication with its interior at a location above said main valve member, and a closed position; an elongated member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth and operable by upward movement to open both said main valve element and said equalizer valve element; means for exerting upward force on said elongated member from a location near the surface of the earth; and a lost motion connection between said two valve elements acting to open said equalizer valve element upon initial upward movement of said elongated member and to then open said main valve element upon further upward movement of the elongated member.

Claim 11

The improvement in well safety apparatus as recited in claim 8, including spring means yieldingly resisting movement of said equalizer valve element independently of said main valve element.

Claim 12

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, and valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a tubular vertically extending body defining a side wall of a chamber containing said confined fluid, one of said elements being an annular piston having a tubular wall defining a second side wall of said chamber.

Claim 13

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, and valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a tubular vertically extending body defining a side wall of a chamber containing said confined fluid, one of said elements being an annular piston having a tubular wall defining a second side wall of said chamber.

Claim 14

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earch for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, and valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a tubular body defining a radially outer wall of a cylinder chamber containing said confined fluid, one of said elements being tubular and defining a radially inner wall of said cylinder chamber and having a piston head acting against the confined fluid at an end of the chamber.

Claim 15

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earch for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, and valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a tubular body defining a radially outer wall of a cylinder chamber containing said confined fluid, one of said elements being tubular and defining a radially inner wall of said cylinder chamber and having a piston head acting against the confined fluid at an end of the chamber.

Claim 16

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising forMation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, and valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a vertically extending tubular body defining a radially outer wall of a cylinder chamber containing said confined fluid, one of said elements being a tubular part defining a radially inner wall of said chamber spaced radially from said outer wall and having a piston head acting against the confined liquid at an end of the chamber, the other of said elements being an annular piston element extending telescopically into said chamber and between said inner and outer walls thereof and slidably engaging said piston head in sealed relation.

Claim 17

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising forMation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, and valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a vertically extending tubular body defining a radially outer wall of a cylinder chamber containing said confined fluid, one of said elements being a tubular part defining a radially inner wall of said chamber spaced radially from said outer wall and having a piston head acting against the confined liquid at an end of the chamber, the other of said elements being an annular piston element extending telescopically into said chamber and between said inner and outer walls thereof and slidably engaging said piston head in sealed relation.

Claim 18

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, and valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a vertically extending tubular body defining a radially outer wall of a cylinder chamber containing said confined fluid, one of said elements being a tubular part defining a radially inner wall of said chamber spaced radially from said outer wall and having a piston head acting against the confined liquid at an end of the chamber, the other of said elements being an annular piston element extending telescopically into said chamber and between said inner and outer walls thereof and slidably engaging said piston head in sealed relation, said second element having a portion within said chamber which is thicker than an adjacent portion of said element and defines with said radially inner wall of said chamber a restriction between two compartments in the chamber controlling the rate of displacement of said elements.

Claim 19

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, and valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a vertically extending tubular body defining a radially outer wall of a cylinder chamber containing said confined fluid, one of said elements being a tubular part defining a radially inner wall of said chamber spaced radially from said outer wall and having a piston head acting against the confined liquid at an end of the chamber, the other of said elements being an annular piston element extending telescopically into said chamber and between said inner and outer walls thereof and slidably engaging said piston head in sealed relation, said second element having a portion within said chamber which is thicker than an adjacent portion of said element and defines with said radially inner wall of said chamber a restriction between two compartments in the chamber controlling the rate of displacement of said elements.

Claim 20

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a mmeber extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a tubular vertically extending body having a first smaller internal diameter portion and having therebeneath a larger internal diameter portion defining an outer wall of a cylinder chamber containing said confined fluid, said first element being an annular first piston having a tubular portion slidably received in and sealed with respect to said smaller internal diameter portion and forming a radially inner wall of said chamber and having a lower annular radially outwardly projecting piston head, said second element being an annular second piston projecting upwardly telescopically about said piston head and in engagement therewith and telescopicAlly within said chamber and in engagement with the interior of said larger diameter portion of said body in a relation causing downward movement of said second piston element relative to the body in response to upward movement of said first piston element relative to the body, said second element having a downwardly projecting tubular portion movable downwardly therewith, a valve seat carried by said body and facing downwardly and past which said lower tubular portion of said second element is movable upon downward movement of the second element, said valve means including a flapper valve element mounted to said body for swinging movement downwardly and outwardly by said lower tubular portion of said second element and from a closed position of engagement with said seat to a downwardly projecting open position of reception in the body at the outside of said lower tubular portion of said second element, and spring means yieldingly urging said second element upwardly relative to said body.

Claim 21

In well safety apparatus, including a valve unit to be lowered into a well and located therein, and a mmeber extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth for actuating said valve unit; the improvement comprising formation of said valve unit to include a first element connectible to said member for actuation upwardly thereby and exposed to and acting against a confined body of fluid in a manner displacing a portion of said fluid in response to said upward movement of said element, a second element exposed to said confined body of fluid and actuable downwardly by the pressure of the fluid upon said upward movement of said first element, valve means operable by said downward movement of said second element, said valve unit including a tubular vertically extending body having a first smaller internal diameter portion and having therebeneath a larger internal diameter portion defining an outer wall of a cylinder chamber containing said confined fluid, said first element being an annular first piston having a tubular portion slidably received in and sealed with respect to said smaller internal diameter portion and forming a radially inner wall of said chamber and having a lower annular radially outwardly projecting piston head, said second element being an annular second piston projecting upwardly telescopically about said piston head and in engagement therewith and telescopicAlly within said chamber and in engagement with the interior of said larger diameter portion of said body in a relation causing downward movement of said second piston element relative to the body in response to upward movement of said first piston element relative to the body, said second element having a downwardly projecting tubular portion movable downwardly therewith, a valve seat carried by said body and facing downwardly and past which said lower tubular portion of said second element is movable upon downward movement of the second element, said valve means including a flapper valve element mounted to said body for swinging movement downwardly and outwardly by said lower tubular portion of said second element and from a closed position of engagement with said seat to a downwardly projecting open position of reception in the body at the outside of said lower tubular portion of said second element, and spring means yieldingly urging said second element upwardly relative to said body.

Claim 22

The improvement in well safety apparatus as reicted in claim 14, in which said second element has a portion received within said chamber in contact with said confined fluid and projecting radially inwardly farther than an axially adjacent portion of said second element and into close proximity with said first element to define therewith a restricted passage narrower than two upper and lower compartments of said chamber, there being an upwardly facing annular seat surface carried by said body, and engageable annularly with the lower extremity of said lower tubular portion of said second element in the lowermost position. thereof to close off access of production fluid therepast to said valve element.

Claim 23

In well safety apparatus including a body to be lowered into a well and located therein; a main valve member carried by said body and actuable between an open position passing production fluid upwardly into the interior of the body and a closed position blocking off such fluid flow; an equalizer valve element movable vertically between two different open positions in which it passes fluid through a bleed passage formed in a side wall of said body and places the exterior of the body in communication with its interior at a location above said main valve member, and a vertically intermediate closed position; an elongated member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth and operable by vertical movement to open both said main valve element and said equalizer valve element; and a lost motion connection between said two valve elements acting to open said equalizer valve element upon initial vertical movement of said elongated member and to then open said main valve element upon further vertical movement of the elongated member, said lost motion connection being constructed to enable movement of said equalizer valve element both upwardly and downwardly from said closed position and to both of said open positions without opening movement of said main valve element.

Claim 24

In well safety apparatus including a body to be lowered into a well and located therein; a main valve member carried by said body and actuable between an open position passing production fluid upwardly into the interior of the body and a closed position blocking off such fluid flow; an equalizer valve element movable vertically between two different open positions in which it passes fluid through a bleed passage formed in a side wall of said body and places the exterior of the body in communication with its interior at a location above said main valve member, and a vertically intermediate closed position; an elongated member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth and operable by vertical movement to open both said main valve element and said equalizer valve element; and a lost motion connection between said two valve elements acting to open said equalizer valve element upon initial vertical movement of said elongated member and to then open said main valve element upon further vertical movement of the elongated member, said lost motion connection being constructed to enable movement of said equalizer valve element both upwardly and downwardly from said closed position and to both of said open positions without opening movement of said main valve element.

Claim 25

In well safety apparatus including a body to be lowered into a well and located therein, a main valve member carried by said body and actuable between an open position passing production fluid upwardly into the interior of the body and a closed position blocking off such fluid flow, an equalizer valve element movable between an open position for passing fluid through a bleed passage formed in a side wall of said body for placing the exterior of the body in communication with its interior at a location above said main valve member, and a closed position, an elongated member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth and actuable vertically to open said main valve element and said equalizer valve element, and a lost motion connection between said two valve elements acting to open said equalizer valve element upon initial vertical movement of said elongated member and to then open said main valve element upon further vertical movement of the elongated member, said lost motion connection including a part operatively connected to said main valve element for opening the latter in response to upward movement of said part, a coacting part actuable by said elongated member and operable by both upward and downward movement relative to the body to open said bleed passage, and two springs yieldingly resisting upward and downward movement respectively of said coacting part relative to said first mentioned part.

Claim 26

In well safety apparatus including a body to be lowered into a well and located therein, a main valve member carried by said body and actuable between an open position passing production fluid upwardly into the interior of the body and a closed position blocking off such fluid flow, an equalizer valve element movable between an open position for passing fluid through a bleed passage formed in a side wall of said body for placing the exterior of the body in communication with its interior at a location above said main valve member, and a closed position, an elongated member extending upwardly toward the surface of the earth and actuable vertically to open said main valve element and said equalizer valve element, and a lost motion connection between said two valve elements acting to open said equalizer valve element upon initial vertical movement of said elongated member and to then open said main valve element upon further vertical movement of the elongated member, said lost motion connection including a part operatively connected to said main valve element for opening the latter in response to upward movement of said part, a coacting part actuable by said elongated member and operable by both upward and downward movement relative to the body to open said bleed passage, and two springs yieldingly resisting upward and downward movement respectively of said coacting part relative to said first mentioned part.

Claim 27

The improvement in well safety apparatus as recited in claim 17, in which said first mentioned part is a hollow vertically elongated element connectible at its upper end to said elongated member and carrying externally said equalizer valve element for movement upwardly and downwardly therewith, said coacting part including a rod projecting upwardly into the interior of said first mentioned part and operatively connected to said main valve element and having an enlargement received vertically between said two springs.