Sub-surface gate valve
First Claim
1. A gate valve device, comprising:
- a tubular housing having opposite end walls, enclosing at least one valve cavity;
an internal bulkhead extending crosswise of the housing, said at least one valve cavity being defined between a respective one of said end walls and said bulkhead;
means providing a longitudinal throughbore extending axially between the opposite end walls of said housing;
a gate valve interposed in said longitudinal throughbore within said one valve cavity, said gate valve including a valve gate transversally slidably disposed between two respectively confronting, full skirted valve seats;
the valve gate including a drive pin means having end portions laterally extending therefrom in two opposite directions and means journalling said drive pin on said valve gate for rotation about its own longitudinal axis;
means in said housing but isolated from said one valve cavity by said internal bulkhead defining a pair of longitudinally extending hydraulic cylinders, arranged laterally adjacent one another but on at least generally diametrically opposite sides of said longitudinal throughbore;
means defining a pair of piston rod-passing openings through the bulkhead coaxially with the respective ones of said cylinders;
a piston slidingly received in each cylinder and having a respective piston rod connected thereto and extending therefrom slidingly, sealingly through the respective one of said piston rod-passing openings and into said one valve cavity;
first hydraulic line means communicated through the housing with each hydraulic cylinder in such sense as to drive the pistons toward the internal bulkhead when hydraulic pressure is admitted to the hydraulic cylinders therethrough;
second hydraulic line means communicated through the housing with each hydraulic cylinder in such sense as to drive the pistons away from the internal bulkhead when hydraulic pressure is admitted to the hydraulic cylinders therethrough;
a cam assembly disposed within said one valve cavity and including;
(a) end plate means connecting between both piston rods; and
(b) two laterally spaced cam plate means flanking said gate valve, each cam plate means having a cam surface means maintained in contact with a respective end portion of said drive pin means, so that said drive pin means may roll thereupon as said cam assembly is axially moved by axial extension and retraction of said pistons;
said cam surface means being obliquely oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of said housing, for converting longitudinal movement of said pistons into transverse movement of said valve gate.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The gate for each conduit, of a preferably multiple conduit installation is transversally slidably mounted between full skirts. Dual hydraulic actuators drive a transversally extending rolling cam follow pin along an oblique path to slide the gate open and closed. The actuators have spring-assisted closure for fail safe operation, the actuator pistons being isolated from well pressure. Where there are two conduits so valved, the actuators for one extend longitudinally upwards from a central bulkhead, and the actuators for the other extend longitudinally downwards. Stem packing for the actuator piston rods is located in the central bulkhead. Modifications for accommodating, e.g. a third valved conduit are described. Also disclosed is a version with two, mutually inverted commonly housed gate valves controlling the same conduit.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A gate valve device, comprising:
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a tubular housing having opposite end walls, enclosing at least one valve cavity; an internal bulkhead extending crosswise of the housing, said at least one valve cavity being defined between a respective one of said end walls and said bulkhead; means providing a longitudinal throughbore extending axially between the opposite end walls of said housing; a gate valve interposed in said longitudinal throughbore within said one valve cavity, said gate valve including a valve gate transversally slidably disposed between two respectively confronting, full skirted valve seats; the valve gate including a drive pin means having end portions laterally extending therefrom in two opposite directions and means journalling said drive pin on said valve gate for rotation about its own longitudinal axis; means in said housing but isolated from said one valve cavity by said internal bulkhead defining a pair of longitudinally extending hydraulic cylinders, arranged laterally adjacent one another but on at least generally diametrically opposite sides of said longitudinal throughbore; means defining a pair of piston rod-passing openings through the bulkhead coaxially with the respective ones of said cylinders; a piston slidingly received in each cylinder and having a respective piston rod connected thereto and extending therefrom slidingly, sealingly through the respective one of said piston rod-passing openings and into said one valve cavity; first hydraulic line means communicated through the housing with each hydraulic cylinder in such sense as to drive the pistons toward the internal bulkhead when hydraulic pressure is admitted to the hydraulic cylinders therethrough; second hydraulic line means communicated through the housing with each hydraulic cylinder in such sense as to drive the pistons away from the internal bulkhead when hydraulic pressure is admitted to the hydraulic cylinders therethrough; a cam assembly disposed within said one valve cavity and including; (a) end plate means connecting between both piston rods; and (b) two laterally spaced cam plate means flanking said gate valve, each cam plate means having a cam surface means maintained in contact with a respective end portion of said drive pin means, so that said drive pin means may roll thereupon as said cam assembly is axially moved by axial extension and retraction of said pistons; said cam surface means being obliquely oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of said housing, for converting longitudinal movement of said pistons into transverse movement of said valve gate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification