Electrical connection device for an underwater well head

Claim 1

An electrical connection device for an underwater wellhead including upper and lower stop-valve devices, hydraulic and production connectors, and supplying a motor driving a deep well pump suspended by tubing from the wellhead, the provision of: a suspension connector attached to said tubing beneath the lower stop-valve device and in communication with said tubing, said connector having a cylindrical wall with a top open end and a bottom end having a threaded connection to said tubing; a male element coaxial with said cylindrical wall, and having a lower end seated in said bottom end of the connector and having a passageway for effluent from said tubing, said male element being provided with axially spaced annular contacts having leads adapted to be connected to said motor; a female element having an elongated bell shaped hollow body forming an internal chamber provided with axially spaced internal electrical contacts, said body coaxially receiving said male element in said chamber for mutual engagement of the electrical contacts thereon, said body having an outer diameter for a major portion of its length less than the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall of the suspension connector to provide an annular space for passage of effluent through the lower end of the male element from the tubing, said female element having an enlarged portion sealingly engaged with internal surfaces of the top portion of the cylindrical wall of the suspension connector, said enlarged portion having openings therein for passage therethrough of effluent, said female element having an extension portion extending through and above the said stop-valve devices, hydraulic and production connectors associated with said wellhead, said extension portion providing a cylindrical surface against which at least one of said stop-valve devices may seal while communication is maintained with said motor, pump, and suspension connector.