Cameron International Corporation

Charles Gibbs

Steven Shimonek

David J McWhorter

Johnny Everett Jurena

Methods and systems for retaining bonnets on blowout preventers. In one embodiment, a blowout preventer includes a hollow body, a ram disposed in a ram cavity of the hollow body, and a bonnet coupled to the hollow body. The bonnet is fastened to the hollow body with threaded fasteners, which include a threaded shaft and a threaded nut. The shaft and the nut include mating interrupted threads with threaded portions and longitudinal unthreaded portions that can be rotationally aligned so that threaded portions of each of the shaft and the nut are aligned with unthreaded portions of the other of the shaft and the nut to allow the threaded shaft to be received within the threaded nut and the threaded nut to then be rotated with respect to the threaded shaft to cause the threaded portions of the threaded nut to engage the threaded portions of the threaded shaft.

Blowout preventer bonnet retention methods and systems

An asymmetrical ram button is provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a blowout preventer including such a button. Particularly, the blowout preventer may include an actuation assembly having the asymmetric ram button attached to a connecting rod coupled to a piston. The asymmetric body of the button can engage an internal shoulder of the ram such that a retraction force on the actuation assembly causes the asymmetrical ram button to load against the internal shoulder. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Asymmetrical button for ram-type blowout preventers

An apparatus includes a blowout preventer housing including a bore extending therethrough and a cavity intersecting the bore. The apparatus further includes grooves in the outer profile of the blowout preventer housing, the grooves being on opposite sides of the cavity.

Blowout preventer end connection

A ram-type blowout preventer including an operating piston assembly isolated from wellbore pressure effects is provided. In one embodiment, a blowout preventer includes piston coupled to a ram by a connecting rod, and the connecting rod is inserted into a recess in the ram. A pressure-isolating seal may be provided in the recess between the connecting rod and the ram to isolate the end of the connecting rod within the recess from wellbore pressure in the blowout preventer. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Blowout preventer with pressure-isolated operating piston assembly

Linear clutches for reducing axial loads in a system are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a blowout preventer having a ram coupled to an actuation assembly. A locking assembly is positioned within the system to enable an end of the locking sleeve to engage the actuation assembly and to lock the actuation assembly and the ram into place. In this embodiment, the locking sleeve is segmented and includes at least one groove to engage a complementary surface of the actuation assembly. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Stafford, TX, United States of America

Charles Gibbs