Other

Gripper, Inc.

Bobby J Reneau

Luther L Manchester

Bruce E Morris

Raymond Pennell

Apparatus for connecting together flowlines including separately actuated gripping and sealing assemblies which are actuated by hydraulic pressure but are held in actuated positions utilizing internally mounted mechanical-type mechanisms.

Grip and seal mechanically locking flowline connector

The remotely operable ball connector includes a female member having a remotely operable locking assembly thereon which receives an articulated ball member, which ball member has mounted thereon an over-center locking ring assembly for moving the ball member into a locking position in the female member and for receiving a plurality of inwardly moving radial locking fingers to connect the ball member to the female member.

Remotely operable flowline connector

An apparatus for connecting together a ball and a cup wherein the ball has mounted thereover a hydraulic flange assembly which includes extendable guide arms which extend outwardly for initial centering of the ball in alignment with the cup and includes a mechanism for pulling the ball into the cup. After the ball is fully aligned within the cup, radial latching segments move down and finally latch the ball and cup together. The entire apparatus is hydraulically operated such that it may be used for diverless connections of flowline portions together.

Remote ball connector

A remotely actuable device for connecting together pipeline end portions that may be positioned at varying distances from each other including a hydraulic actuation mechanism utilized in combination with a series of housing and camming surfaces to effect gripping and sealing action.

Remotely operable pipe length connector and compensator

A modular valve including an outer housing having a longitudinal bore adapted to be aligned with the pipeline bore of a pipeline and a transverse bore which receives a modular housing assembly which includes a rotatable valve element for controlling flow through the outer housing longitudinal bore and thus through the pipeline in which the valve is mounted. The internal housing assembly is modular and can be removed and replaced should the valve need repair without the necessity of having to remove the entire housing from the pipeline in which it is installed.

Modular ball valve

An apparatus for machining spherical objects to a high degree of roundness. The apparatus includes rotating a work piece about a first axis and concurrently rotating a grinding device about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to engage the work piece. The grinding device includes a plurality of grinding wheels which rotate about a third axis radially extending from second axis.

Apparatus for manufacturing substantially spherical objects to a high

The apparatus for tensioning a stud and a method of doing same, with the apparatus including a body adapted to be removably mounted with the stud, the body including a first body member and a second body member movable with respect thereto, with the second body member having a gripper assembly therewith for gripping the stud as desired, and high and low pressure force means with the body for moving the second body member with respect to the first body member from a contracted position wherein the gripper assembly engages the stud and in an expanded position wherein the gripper assembly tensions the stud.

Apparatus for tensioning a stud and method of doing same

An apparatus for tensioning a stud and a method for doing same, with the apparatus including a body adapted to be removably mounted with the stud, the body including a first body member and second body member movable with respect thereto, with the second body member having a gripper assembly therewith for gripping the stud as desired, and moving means with the body for moving the second body member with respect to the first body member from a contracted position wherein the gripper assembly engages the stud and in expanded position wherein the gripper assembly tensions the stud.

An apparatus for connecting first and second flowline members for fluid flow therethrough and a method of utilizing same for effectuating such a repair, with the apparatus including a first housing member adapted to be mounted with the first flowline member and having a seal ring mounted therein for sealably engaging the butt end of a second flowline member for effecting a fluid-tight relation therebetween, a second housing member mounted for axial movement with respect to the first housing member and gripping means with the second housing member for moving radially inwardly into gripping engagement with the second flowline member upon axial movement of the second housing member toward the first housing member. In accomplishing the method of the present invention, a cutting of the flowline to remove the damaged portion must be effectuated and thereafter securing a first housing member of the apparatus to the replacement portion of the flowline, thereafter positioning the connector apparatus over the undamaged portion of the flowline such that the seal ring of the connector apparatus is in an abutting relation with the butt end surface of the undamaged portion of the flowline and thereafter moving the first and second housing members axially toward one another to effect an abutting, sealable relation between the butt end surface of the undamaged portion of the flowline and the seal ring and to grip the undamaged portion of the flowline with gripping means with the second housing member.

Apparatus for connecting together flowline end portions

A grip-seal apparatus for connecting together flowline end portions having first and second housings having alignable bores therethrough, with gripper member mounted in the first housing for moving radially inwardly into gripping engagement with the first flowline member. A sealing assembly is mounted with the second housing for moving radially inwardly into sealing engagement with the first flowline member. An activating sleeve mounted in the second housing and with the gripper members moves longitudinally into engagement with the gripper members and the sealing assembly. Fasteners with the activating sleeve fasten the first and second housings therewith resulting in the longitudinal movement of the activating sleeve with respect to the gripper members and the sealing assembly, with such action resulting in the gripper members moving radially inwardly into a gripping engagement with the first flowline member and the sealing assembly moving radially inwardly into sealing engagement with the first flowline member. Connection members with the second housing connect the second housing with the second flowline member in order to reestablish fluid flow between the first and second flowline members.

A ball valve housing including a main housing section and an actuator housing section wherein a ball valve is mounted in the actuator housing section for movement into the main housing section, the ball valve being pivotally connected to an actuator shaft for axial and rotational movement to a seated position against one of two opposing annular seating surfaces in the main housing section.

Pivotal ball check valve

A hot tap housing for mounting over a main pipeline located underwater or in another restrictive environment adapted for use with a hot tap machine to connect a branch pipeline to the main pipeline. The hot tap housing includes a central housing section and a lateral housing section. The central housing section includes a central bore for receiving the main pipeline and first and second central housing grip and seal assemblies are mounted in the central housing bore for gripping and sealing off the main pipeline on either side of the lateral housing section. An access sealing assembly is mounted with the lateral housing section and includes an access sealing member which is movable in the lateral housing section bore into sealing engagement with the outer surface of the main pipeline in order to isolate an approximately circular area which is to be cut out and removed by a hot tap machine.

Hot tap machine

An improved articulated ball connector for use with pipelines as disclosed. In the illustrated embodiment, a sphere is attached to the end of a pipeline. A collar is fitted about the sphere. The collar has a surface contoured to match the surface of the sphere and its rotates or deflects through a designated angle. The collar has an encircling outer groove. A cup shaped receptacle receives the curved surface of the ball. The collar is abutted against a transverse shoulder on the cup shaped receptacle. The ball is pivoted relative to the cup shaped receptacle and the collar. A ring having a cross section which is U-shaped latches about the cup shaped receptacle and the collar. The U-shaped cross section includes upper and lower shoulders which protrude inwardly and engage the cup shaped receptacle and the groove in the collar. The ring is squeezed radially inwardly to clamp the cup shaped receptacle and the collar together. The ring is held at the radially inwardly directed position by means of a tapered wedge which fully encircles it and jams it inwardly. The tapered wedge is in the form of a hydraulically moved ring within a cylindrical housing.

Articulated ball connector for use with pipeline

A variable length coupling device for connecting together first and second flowlines for the passage of fluid therethrough including first and second housing sections having alignable bores. The first housing section is adapted for connection at various angular positions to the first flowline and the second housing section to receive and is sealingly attached to the second flowline in response to the interconnection of the first and second housing sections. An actuator sleeve, force transfer sleeve and wedging seal ring are mounted within the first and second housing section bores for movement into gripping, sealing engagement against the second flowline in response to connection of the first and second housing sections together. In a further embodiment, a third housing section is interposed between the first and second housing sections and the actuator sleeve, force transfer sleeve and a seal ring mounted therein for movement into gripping, sealing engagement against the second flowline in response to connection of the first and second housing sections to the third housing section.

Coupling device

A grip-seal apparatus for connecting together flowline end portions including first and second housings having alignable bores therethrough and an intermediate housing connection section for connection to each of the first and second housings and also having a bore for receiving a first flowline end portion. A radially contractable actuator sleeve is mounted within the bore of the first housing for movement radially inwardly into gripping engagement with the first flowline end portion in response to camming action; and, a sealing assembly is mounted in the bore of the second housing for movement radially inwardly into sealing engagement with the first flowline end portion in response to longitudinal movement of an activating sleeve which is mounted within the second housing bore in engagement with the sealing assembly. The second housing is connectable to various types of flanges for connection to another grip-seal apparatus attached to a second flowline end portion or for connection directly to the second flowline end portion whereby fluid flow between the first and second flowlines is established.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Bobby J Reneau