Acf Industries, Incorporated

Joy Manufacturing Company

Rickert Precision Industries

George A Moran

James M Fowler

Danny S Meyer

John B Williams, Jr

Patricio D Alvarez

Willard J Sitton

Robert J Uherek

Alan R Levin

Brian Uherek

The present invention utilizes a centralizer having a plurality of segmented stress risers. The segmented stress risers are designed to allow sufficient strength to maintain the tubing in a centralized downhole location, while to allow for the stress relief grooves to be sheared off when a wash pipe or similar device is utilized to clean out any unwanted build up of material or deposits in the borehole. Once the segments have been sheared off they can be circulated out of borehole.

Apparatus and method for centralizing downhole pipe and blast joints

An expanding gate valve with a valve seat structure which comprises a pair of 'floating' seat rings (60) loosely received in annular seat pockets (52) surrounding the flow passage through the valve and each having an axial dimension which exceeds the depth of the seat pocket. The front face (61) of each seat ring is disposed adjacent the gate assembly (24, 26) and is provided with an annular groove (63) and an annular resilient sealing element (64) therein adapted to form a ring of sealing contact area about the flow passage (14) when the gate assembly is expanded thereagainst. The rear face (66) of the seat ring (60) is provided with an annular groove (63') and a second annular resilient sealing element (64'). The two annular sealing elements are coaxial and the inner diameter of the front sealing element (64) exceeds that of the rear sealing element (64') so that the front sealing element is a greater radial distance from the flow passage (14) than is the rear sealing element. When the gate assembly is expanded against the seat rings (60), the annular area of the front of the seat ring exposed to flowline pressure exceeds the annular area of the rear of the seat ring exposed to flowline pressure whereby the seat ring is pressure energized towards the bottom (54) of the seat pocket (52). The annular sealing elements (64, 64') and bottoms of the annular grooves (63, 63') are provided with cooperating frusto-conical wedging surfaces (80, 94 and 80', 94') which for the upstream seat ring wedge the front face sealing element (64) towards the gate assembly and the rear sealing element (67) towards the bottom (54) of the seat pocket when there is pressure in the flow passage. To provide for a pressure energized downstream seal in the event of an upstream leak, additional frusto-conical surfaces on the sealing elements are provided to cooperate with additional frusto-conical surfaces in the groove bottom whereby fluid pressure from the valve chamber energizes the sealing elements to provide a downstream seal. A groove in the rear face of each sealing element between its frusto-conical surfaces adds sealing capability.

Gate valve structure

A gate valve structure has an expanding valve assembly mounted with the valve chamber comprising a gate (32) and segment (34) which may be laterally expanded. The gate and segment have a plurality of coacting interfitting saw-type teeth (46,48) which define cam surfaces (50,56) to effect expansion of the gate valve assembly. A flexible sleeve (64) is secured about the ports (42,44) in the gate and segment to bridge the gap (58) between the gate (32) and segment (34) upon expansion. A torsion spring (72) urges the gate and segment to a contracted position.

Expanding gate valve

A ball valve having a seat assembly (46) in the form of a flexible metal holder (52) which carries a resin impregnated graphite face seal (54) contacting the ball (28). Flexibility of the holder is provided by a leg (58) thereof which terminates in a free end having an annular lip (62) in sealing contact with the valve body. In a modified arrangement, the upstream seat has an annular space exposed to the upstream flow passage in order to increase the sealing force, while a corresponding annular space of the downstream seat is exposed to the valve chamber to increase its sealing force when the body pressure exceeds the downstream pressure.

Seat assembly for ball valves

The valve assembly tools include a longitudinally expandable member insertable between the seats in a ball valve to forcefully displace the seats into a retracted position in the seat pockets. Seat securing devices are temporarily mounted in the valve body through seat lubrication apertures so they can temporarily engage each of the seat assemblies to secure them in the retracted position. When assembling a valve the seats are displaced to the retracted position by using the longitudinally expandable member and they are temporarily retained in this position by the seat securing devices so the expandable member can be removed. Next the ball valve member is positioned between the seats and then the seat securing devices are released to allow the seats to move into contact with the ball valve member. The seat securing devices are then removed from the valve body and assembly of the valve is continued.

Ball valve assembly tools and method of using same

A ball or spherical plug valve has a pair of annular metallic seal rings mounted in grooves in the valve chamber around the inlet and outlet passageways of the valve body. Each metallic seal ring is of a one-piece generally uniform angled cross-section to form a leg portion and a free lip portion. The free lip portion extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the passageways and a substantially continuous line contact is provided between an inner annular edge portion of the free lip portion and the valve member. The lip portion is bent from a free position substantially perpendicular to the leg portion to a substantially frusto-conical position when the valve is assembled so the seal ring acts as a spring to urge itself against the ball valve member to maintain sealing contact.

Metallic seals for ball valve

A ball valve seat assembly includes a seat ring for mounting in a ball valve seat pocket and an annular face seal mounts on one end of the seat ring. The resilient annular face seal member is mounted in a groove in the seat member with one end portion exposed to seal against a ball valve member. The annular seal member has an enlarged end portion located in the closed end of the annular groove. An inner wall portion of the seat ring is permanently deformed radially outwardly over the enlarged portion of the seal ring to anchor it in place in the seat ring. Deforming of the inner wall portion is done by swaging the seat ring.

Ball valve seat assembly having a swaged seat ring to retain the face

A spherical plug valve has an annular seat pocket in its body around a flow passageway. A seat ring is positioned in the seat pocket and includes inner and outer annular concentric seat members with a resilient seal ring secured between the concentric seat members. The concentric seat members are secured together by rivets after the seal ring is positioned therebetween. A separate resilient seat urging member in the seat pocket behind the seat ring urges the seal into engagement with the adjacent face of the spherical valve and includes a metal spring encapsulated in an elastomeric material.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

George A Moran