Well suspension system

Claim 2

A pipe hanger assembly for connecting a casing hanger to a pipe comprising, an elongated tubular hanger body with upper and lower ends, said lower end adapted for releasable connection to a pipe, said upper end having an annular engaging notch on the outside diameter, a well tool adapted to be connected to the pipe and lowered for connection and release from the exterior of the hanger body, said tool having a lower end adapted to telescopically engage the outside of the end of the hanger body, a resiliently expandable and contracting locking ring carried by and facing inwardly from the well tool and adapted to engage the notch on the hanger body for connecting the tool to the body, a tapering member carried by the tool for axial slidable movement relative to said ring for locking said ring and for releasing said ring from the notch upon axial movement of the member, said hanger includes axial extending groove means on the exterior and rotative means for axially moving the tapering member away from the locking ring including, a thread on said well tool, a threaded nut coacting with the thread on said tool, said nut including longitudinal extending spline means for engaging said hanger groove means whereby rotation of the well tool will provide axial movement of the well tool and tapering member for releasing the ring from the notch.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body includes an external upwardly facing shoulder and the well tool includes a seal at the lower end thereof for seating on said shoulder and sealing off between the outside of the Body and the inside of an outer pipe surrounding said body.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 including, said well tool including a double acting fluid piston and cylinder assembly connected to the tapering member for axially moving the member relative to the ring.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 including a fluid conduit in said tool connected to the cylinder and a port connected to the cylinder and extending externally of said tool for actuating the piston.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 including an improvement in an assembly for connecting the tubular hanger body to a third pipe coaxially surrounding the hanger in which the body includes an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the third pipe, a radially extending stop shoulder on the body at each end of the recess, a resiliently expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable between said stop shoulders, locking means on the body for locking the ring in an expanded position, and a locking notch on the third pipe for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, said locking notch including a locking shoulder at its lower end, said locking shoulder tapering upwardly toward the hanger body, said annular recess including a tapered shoulder at its upper end extending toward the third pipe and extending to the peripheral surface of the body adjacent the third pipe, the top of the locking ring consisting of a tapered surface for coacting with the tapered shoulder at the upper end of the recess, and the locking ring including a tapered locking surface for coacting with the tapered locking shoulder on the third pipe.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 including, seal means on the interior of the well tool for sealingly engaging the exterior of the hanger body.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the seal is connected to the well tool by a rotatable connection.

Claim 9

A pipe hanger assembly for connecting a casing hanger to a pipe comprising, an elongated tubular hanger body with upper and lower ends, said lower end adapted for releasable connection to a pipe, said upper end having an annular engaging notch on the outside diameter, a well tool adapted to be connected to the pipe and lowered for connection and release from the exterior of the hanger body, said tool having a lower end adapted to telescopically engage the outside of the upper end of the hanger body, an inwardly biased resiliently expandable and contracting locking ring carried by and facing inwardly from the well tool and adapted to engage the notch on the hanger body for connecting the tool to the body, a tapering member carried by the tool for axial slidable movement relative to said ring for locking said ring and for releasing said ring from the notch upon axial movement of the member, the well tool including a receiving recess positioned above the tapering member for normally receiving the locking ring whereby the well tool may be moved longitudinally downwardly over the upper end of the body until the ring is resiliently biased into and engages the notch on the body after which an upper pull on the well tool moves the tapering member against the back of the ring thereby locking the tool to the body without requiring rotative movement, and said well tool including rotative means for axially moving the tapering member above the locking ring for unlocking the ring from the notch.

Claim 10

A pipe hanger assembly for connecting a casing hanger to a pipe comprising, an elongated tubular hanger body with upper and lower ends, said lower end adapted for releasable connection to a pipe, said upper end having an annular engaging notch on the outside diameter, a well tool adapted to be connected to the pipe and lowered for connection and release from the exterior of the hanger body, said tool having a lower end adapted to telescopically engage the outside of the upper end of the hanger body, an inwardly biased resiliently expandable and contracting locking ring carried by and facing inwardly from the well tool and adapted to engage the notch on the hanger body for connecting the tool to the body, a tapering member carried by the tool for axial slidable movement relative to said ring for locking said ring and for releasing said ring from the notch upon axial movement of the member, the well tool including a receiving recess positioned above the tapering member for normally receiving the locking ring whereby the well tool may be moved longitudinally downwardly over the upper end of the body until the ring is resiliently biased into and engages the notch on the body after which an upper pull on the well tool moves the tapering member against the back of the ring thereby locking the tool to the body without requiring rotative movement, and said well tool including rotative means for axially moving the tapering member above the locking ring for unlocking the ring from the notch.

Claim 11

In an assembly for connecting first and second tubular members to and from each other in a well by longitudinal movement of the first member, said first member including an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the second member, a radially extending stop shoulder on the first member at each end of the recess, a resiliently expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable thereon between said stop shoulders, locking means on the first member for locking said ring in an expandaBle position, a locking notch on the second member in its peripheral surface adjacent the first member for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, shearable holding means intermediate the ends of the locking ring which when sheared by downward longitudinal movement of the first member allows the upper portion of the ring to releasably lock the first and second members together, said locking ring includes upper and lower sections and the shearable means includes a shear pin interconnecting said sections.

Claim 12

In an assembly for connecting first and second tubular members to and from each other in a well by longitudinal movement of the first member, said first member including an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the second member, a radially extending stop shoulder on the first member at each end of the recess, a resiliently expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable thereon between said stop shoulders, locking means on the first member for locking said ring in an expandaBle position, a locking notch on the second member in its peripheral surface adjacent the first member for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, shearable holding means intermediate the ends of the locking ring which when sheared by downward longitudinal movement of the first member allows the upper portion of the ring to releasably lock the first and second members together, said locking ring includes upper and lower sections and the shearable means includes a shear pin interconnecting said sections.

Claim 13

In an assembly for connecting first and second tubular members to and from each other in a well by longitudinal movement of the first member, said first member including an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the second member, a radially extending stop shoulder on the first member at each end of the recess, a resiliently expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable thereon between said stop shoulders, locking means on the first member for locking said ring in an expandable position, a locking notch on the second member in its peripheral surface adjacent the first member for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, shearable holding means intermediate the ends of the locking ring which when sheared by downward longitudinal movement of the first member allows the upper portion of the ring to releasably lock the first and second members together, said shearable means includes a thin walled section in said locking ring.

Claim 14

In an assembly for connecting first and second tubular members to and from each other in a well by longitudinal movement of the first member, said first member including an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the second member, a radially extending stop shoulder on the first member at each end of the recess, a resiliently expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable thereon between said stop shoulders, locking means on the first member for locking said ring in an expandable position, a locking notch on the second member in its peripheral surface adjacent the first member for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, shearable holding means intermediate the ends of the locking ring which when sheared by downward longitudinal movement of the first member allows the upper portion of the ring to releasably lock the first and second members together, said shearable means includes a thin walled section in said locking ring.

Claim 15

In an assembly for connecting first and second tubular members to and from each other in a well by longitudinal movement of the first member, said first member including an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the second member, a radially extending stop shoulder on the first member at each end of the recess, a resiliently expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable thereon between said stop shoulders and including an opening in the back of said ring, locking means on the first member for locking said ring in an expandable position, a locking notch on the second member in its peripheral surface adjacent the first member for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, shearable holding means intermediate the ends of the locking ring which when sheared by downward longitudinal movement of the first member allows the upper portion of the ring to releasably lock the first and second members together, said shearable holding means including, a shoulder on the first member, and shear means positioned on the end of the shoulder and extending into said opening on the back of said locking ring.

Claim 16

In an assembly for connecting first and second tubular members to and from each other in a well by longitudinal movement of the first member, said first member including an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the second member, a radially extending stop shoulder on the first member at each end of the recess, a resiliently expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable thereon between said stop shoulders and including an opening in the back of said ring, locking means on the first member for locking said ring in an expandable position, a locking notch on the second member in its peripheral surface adjacent the first member for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, shearable holding means intermediate the ends of the locking ring which when sheared by downward longitudinal movement of the first member allows the upper portion of the ring to releasably lock the first and second members together, said shearable holding means including, a shoulder on the first member, and shear means positioned on the end of the shoulder and extending into said opening on the back of said locking ring.

Claim 17

In an assembly for connecting first and second tubular members to and from each other in a well by longitudinal movement of the first member, said first member including an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the second member, a radially extending stop shoulder on the first member at each end of the recess, a resiliently outwardly biased expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable thereon between said stop shoulders, locking means on the first member for locking said ring in an expandable position, a locking notch on the second member in its peripheral surface adjacent the first member for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, said locking notch including a locking shoulder at its lower end, said locking shoulder tapering upwardly toward the first member, said annular recess including a tapered shoulder at its upper end extending upwardly and toward the second member and extending to the peripheral surface of the first member adjacent the second member, the top of the locking ring including a tapered surface for coacting with the tapered shoulder at the upper end of the recess, and the locking ring including a tapered loCking surface extending outwardly and downwardly for coacting with the tapered locking shoulder on the second member when the first member moves downwardly relative to the second member and the ring is positioned adjacent the locking notch.

Claim 18

In an assembly for connecting first and second tubular members to and from each other in a well by longitudinal movement of the first member, said first member including an annular recess in its peripheral surface adjacent the second member, a radially extending stop shoulder on the first member at each end of the recess, a resiliently outwardly biased expandable and contractible locking ring positioned in said recess and axially slidable thereon between said stop shoulders, locking means on the first member for locking said ring in an expandable position, a locking notch on the second member in its peripheral surface adjacent the first member for receiving the expanded and locked ring, the improvement comprising, said locking notch including a locking shoulder at its lower end, said locking shoulder tapering upwardly toward the first member, said annular recess including a tapered shoulder at its upper end extending upwardly and toward the second member and extending to the peripheral surface of the first member adjacent the second member, the top of the locking ring including a tapered surface for coacting with the tapered shoulder at the upper end of the recess, and the locking ring including a tapered loCking surface extending outwardly and downwardly for coacting with the tapered locking shoulder on the second member when the first member moves downwardly relative to the second member and the ring is positioned adjacent the locking notch.

Claim 19

A pipe hanger assembly for connecting a casing hanger to a coaxial pipe positioned about the casing hanger comprising, an elongated tubular hanger body with upper and lower ends, said body including means for connecting the hanger to the interior of coaxial pipe, said lower end adapted for a releasable connection to a pipe, said upper end having an annular engaging notch on the outside diameter of the body, a well tool adapted to be connected to a pipe and lowered for connection and release from the exterior of the hanger body, said tool having a lower end adapted to telescopically engage the outside of the upper end of the hanger body, a resiliently expandable and contracting locking ring carried by and facing inwardly from the well tool and adapted to engage the notch on the hanger body for connecting the tool to the body, a tapering member carried by the tool for axial slidable movement relative to said ring for locking said ring and for releasing said ring from the notch upon axial movement of the member, rotative means for axially moving the tapering member toward and away from the locking ring including, axial extending groove means on the exterior of the hanger body, a thread on the well tool, a threaded nut coacting with the thread on the tool, said nut including longitudinal extending spline means for engaging said hanger groove means whereby rotation of the well tool will provide axial movement of the tapering member relative to the ring, a packoff seal rotatably carried by the well tool, said seal adapted to seal between the exterior of the hanger body and the interior of the coaxial pipe, and said hanger body including an external upwardly facing shoulder on which the seal may seat and set and released by the well tool.

Claim 20

A pipe hanger assembly for connecting a casing hanger to a coaxial pipe positioned about the casing hanger comprising, an elongated tubular hanger body with upper and lower ends, said body including means for connecting the hanger to the interior of coaxial pipe, said lower end adapted for a releasable connection to a pipe, said upper end having an annular engaging notch on the outside diameter of the body, a well tool adapted to be connected to a pipe and lowered for connection and release from the exterior of the hanger body, said tool having a lower end adapted to telescopically engage the outside of the upper end of the hanger body, a resiliently expandable and contracting locking ring carried by and facing inwardly from the well tool and adapted to engage the notch on the hanger body for connecting the tool to the body, a tapering member carried by the tool for axial slidable movement relative to said ring for locking said ring and for releasing said ring from the notch upon axial movement of the member, rotative means for axially moving the tapering member toward and away from the locking ring including, axial extending groove means on the exterior of the hanger body, a thread on the well tool, a threaded nut coacting with the thread on the tool, said nut including longitudinal extending spline means for engaging said hanger groove means whereby rotation of the well tool will provide axial movement of the tapering member relative to the ring, a packoff seal rotatably carried by the well tool, said seal adapted to seal between the exterior of the hanger body and the interior of the coaxial pipe, and said hanger body including an external upwardly facing shoulder on which the seal may seat and set and released by the well tool.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 13 including, a longitudinal engagable and releasable connection at the top of the well tool.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 13 including, a second well tool adapted to be connected to a pipe and lowered for connection and release from the exterior of the hanger body, a second annular notch on the outside of the diameter of the hanger body, a second resiliently expandable and contracting locking ring carried by the second tool for engaging the second notch, a second tapering member carried by the second tool for axially slidable movement relative toward the second ring for locking said second ring and movement away from the second ring for releasing said second ring from the notch, means for longitudinally but nonrotatably moving said second tapering member relative to the said ring for locking said second ring into the second notch.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for longitudinally but nonrotatatively moving the second member includes a double acting fluid piston and cylinder assembly connected to the second member for longitudinally moving the second member relative to the second ring.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for longitudinally but nonrotatively moving the second member wherein the well tool includes a ring receiving recess positioned above the second locking ring for normally holding said second ring and said second tapering member tapers downwardly and towards said hanger body whereby upward pull on the second well tool will move the second ring into the second annular notch on the hanger body.