Safety valve

• US 3,941,348 A
• Filed: 05/07/1974
• Issued: 03/02/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hydril Company L P (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Hydril Company L P (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Mott, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Klinksiek, Henry T.
• Application Number:
  US05/467,657
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 251/58, 166/224
• US Class Current: 251/58
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/106 Valve arrangements outside the borehole, e.g. kelly valves valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/04 Ball valves

Abstract

A remotely operable safety valve mounted between the swivel and the kelly in drilling operation including a spherically-shaped valve element which is mounted in a generally tubular housing rotatable with the swivel sub, the kelly and the drill string. Hydraulic means move the valve element between open and closed positions in order to control flow through the drill-string and prevent in-line blow outs. As an additional safety feature, spring means move the valve element to a closed position in the event of a failure of the hydraulic means.

Claims

1. A remotely operable valve for controlling flow of fluid through a rotating tubular member, comprising:

a stationary housing section comprising a generally tubular assembly;

a rotatable tubular housing section having a flow passage formed therein, said rotatable housing section movably mounted with said stationary housing section to enable relative circumferential rotation of said rotatable housing section with respect to said stationary housing section;

bore closure means mounted with said rotatable housing for controlling flow of fluid through said flow passage by movement of a flow controlling member to and from an open position for enabling flow of fluid through said flow passage and a closed position for blocking flow of fluid through said flow passage;

actuating means operably connecting said stationary housing section with said bore closure means for moving said flow control member to and from the open and closed position, said actuating means including;

an actuating assembly rotatable with said rotatable housing section and mounted for longitudinal movement with respect to said rotatable housing section for controlling movement of said flow controlling member, said actuating assembly having first and second shafts rotably mounted with said rotatable tubular housing section and operably engaging said flow controlling member on opposite sides of said member for effecting desired flow controlling movement of said flow controlling member when said first and second shafts are rotated, each of said shafts mounting a pivot pin in an eccentrically position with respect to the axis of rotation of said shaft for imparting operating movement to said flow controlling member when said shafts are rotated;

said actuating assembly including;

an actuating sleeve positioned about said rotatable housing section, said actuating sleeve being generally tubular and disposed concentrically outwardly of said rotatable housing section and mounted for slidable longitudinal movement with respect thereto;

gear means operably connecting said actuating sleeve with said first and second shafts for rotating said first and second shafts upon longitudinal movement of said actuating sleeve;

support means supporting actuating sleeve for rotation with said rotatable housing section and for movement longitudinally with respect thereto and being disposed concentrically outwardly of said rotatable housing section and including bearing means mounting said actuating sleeve for rotation with said rotatable housing section wherein said actuating sleeve is movable longitudinally with respect to said rotatable housing section and rotates therewith so that said gear means moves said flow controlling member between said open and said closed positions;

operating means disposed between said stationary housing section and said support means and operably connecting said stationary housing section and said actuating assembly for operably moving said actuating sleeve longitudinally with respect to said rotatable housing section to rotate said first and said second shafts to move said bore closure means to the open and closed positions while enabling relative circumferential rotation between said operating means and said actuating assembly, said operating means including primary power means operable from a point remote from said valve for moving said actuating assembly to effect movement of said flow controlling member to and from the open and closed position and secondary power means for moving said actuating assembly to effect movement of said flow controlling member to the closed position when said primary power means fails;

said actuating sleeve including an elongated slot therein; and

a disc element mounted on said rotating housing section and extending into said slot wherein longitudinal movement of said actuating sleeve with respect to said rotating housing is limited.