Underwater Christmas tree cap and lockdown apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for an actuator which actuates a connector for connecting one end of a tubular member to an underwater wellhead, comprising:
- mechanical means for mechanically maintaining the actuator in the actuated position to insure the connection of the tubular member to the wellhead,said mechanical means including extension means for extending into engagement with said actuator to prevent said actuator from moving to a nonactuated position,said extension means including a piston slidably disposed within a cylinder and activation means for extending said piston from said cylinder whereby said piston engages the actuator preventing the actuator from moving to a nonactuated position.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cap for an underwater Christmas tree having locking probes to lock down the operating rods of a connector connecting the Christmas tree to an underwater wellhead housing. The tops of the operating rods are housed within hollow canisters at the top of the Christmas tree.
The cap includes a body having circumferentially disposed locking dogs housed therein for engagement with the top of the Christmas tree. The dogs are actuated by a cam ring which telescopically receives the body and has a tapered surface for sliding over a correlatively tapered surface on each of the dogs. The body includes a metal gasket seal for sealing engagement with the top of the Christmas tree, and seals are provided between the cam ring and body.
The cap has downwardly extending locking probes which extend telescopically into the canisters above the operating rods. The locking probes each include a housing and a releasable tubular piston slidably disposed in the housing. The piston is biased in a downward direction, and is held in a cocked or loaded raised position prior to release by a trigger held in engagement with the piston and housing by a pin on a running tool telescopically slidably disposed in the piston. The piston is released by removal of the pin, which cams the trigger out of engagement with the housing. Upon release the piston is biased into engagement with the rod. The piston is provided with locking dogs which engage the walls of the housing and prevent upward movement of the piston and rod after release of the piston.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for an actuator which actuates a connector for connecting one end of a tubular member to an underwater wellhead, comprising:
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mechanical means for mechanically maintaining the actuator in the actuated position to insure the connection of the tubular member to the wellhead, said mechanical means including extension means for extending into engagement with said actuator to prevent said actuator from moving to a nonactuated position, said extension means including a piston slidably disposed within a cylinder and activation means for extending said piston from said cylinder whereby said piston engages the actuator preventing the actuator from moving to a nonactuated position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for an actuator which actuates a connector for connecting one end of a tubular member to an underwater wellhead, comprising:
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mechanical means for mechanically maintaining the actuator in the actuated position to insure the connection of the tubular member to the wellhead, and a cap for the other end of said tubular member and attachment means for attaching said cap to said tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An underwater well apparatus for connection of flowlines to an underwater wellhead, comprising:
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a tubular member adapted for connection with the flowlines; connection means for connecting one end of said tubular member to the wellhead; an actuator for actuating said connection means by moving from a nonactuated position to an actuated position; and mechanical means for mechanically maintaining said actuator in said actuated position to insure the connection of said tubular member to said wellhead, said actuator including a plurality of rods attached to a cam plate for camming dog segments into engagement with said wellhead upon the downward movement of said rods into said actuated position.
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12. An underwater well apparatus for connection of flowlines to an underwater wellhead, comprising:
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a tubular member adapted for connection with the flowlines; connection means for connecting one end of said tubular member to the wellhead; an actuator for actuating said connection means by moving from a nonactuated position to an actuated position; and mechanical means for mechanically maintaining said actuator in said actuated position to insure the connection of said tubular member to said wellhead, said mechanical means being mounted on the other end of said tubular member and including a plurality of probes for engagement with said actuator. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A cap for an underwater Christmas tree releasably connected to an underwater wellhead housing by a mechanical connector, such mechanical connector having an operating rod mechanically movable between a first position actuating the connector and a second position releasing the connector, comprising:
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a body; means disposed on said body for attaching said body to the top of such Christmas tree; engagement means depending from said body for engaging such rod when such rod is in such first position; and locking means carried by said engagement means for locking said engagement means in engaged position and preventing such rod from moving from such first position to such second position. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification