Nl Industries

Kenneth C Saliger

Martin B Jansen, Jr

Martin B Jansen

An over-the-center toggle mechanism for actuating locking dogs for connecting and disconnecting two underwater members. The first member includes a locking notch and the second member slideably carries locking dogs for transverse movement for engagement and disengagement with the locking notch. A toggle linkage includes a first pivot connection connected to the dogs and a second pivot connection longitudinally actuated by a piston whereby longitudinal movement of the second pivot connections transversely moves the locking dogs. A resilient load spring acts against the second pivot connections and towards said first pivot connections for locking the second pivot connections in a past dead center position relative to the first pivot connections. The second member includes a tubular body having an annular cavity with a longitudinally reciprocal carriage mounted in the cavity and actuated by the piston. The second pivot connections and the spring are transversely movable on the carriage and carried by the carriage. Preferably the cavity includes seals for sealingly enclosing the cavity and includes a flexible member exposed on one side to the interior of the cavity and on the second side to the exterior of the cavity for compensating for a difference in fluid pressure between the cavity and the outside of the body.

Toggle mechanism connector

A well casing hanger assembly for releasably connecting a first well casing to and from a second member by a resiliently self-expandable and contractible C-shaped spring support ring. The ring is positioned in a recess in the hanger body between stop shoulders for axially slideable movement thereon and is engageable with a locking means for locking the spring support in an expanded position. Coacting engagement between the hanger body and the support ring allows longitudinal movement of the support ring relative to the body but prevents rotational movement of the support ring relative to the body. A fluid flow slot is positioned in the periphery of the hanger body and is aligned with the split in the C-shaped spring support ring for providing a larger bearing area between the support spring and the hanger body without a loss in fluid flow area. Preferably the flow slot includes a single flow slot resulting in a higher load capacity for the hanger and the coacting engaging means includes a vertical pin connected to the support ring engaging a groove in the hanger body.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Kenneth C Saliger