CA1214990A - Wire line running and/or pulling tool - Google Patents
Wire line running and/or pulling toolInfo
- Publication number
- CA1214990A CA1214990A CA000462051A CA462051A CA1214990A CA 1214990 A CA1214990 A CA 1214990A CA 000462051 A CA000462051 A CA 000462051A CA 462051 A CA462051 A CA 462051A CA 1214990 A CA1214990 A CA 1214990A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- sleeve
- latches
- groove
- tool
- well tool
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 238000010008 shearing Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000008602 contraction Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- NLZUEZXRPGMBCV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Butylhydroxytoluene Chemical compound CC1=CC(C(C)(C)C)=C(O)C(C(C)(C)C)=C1 NLZUEZXRPGMBCV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 241001246312 Otis Species 0.000 description 1
- 230000000994 depressogenic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B23/00—Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells
- E21B23/06—Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells for setting packers
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B23/00—Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B31/00—Fishing for or freeing objects in boreholes or wells
- E21B31/12—Grappling tools, e.g. tongs or grabs
- E21B31/20—Grappling tools, e.g. tongs or grabs gripping internally, e.g. fishing spears
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
- Electric Cable Installation (AREA)
- Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)
- Ropes Or Cables (AREA)
- Removal Of Insulation Or Armoring From Wires Or Cables (AREA)
- Portable Nailing Machines And Staplers (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
There are disclosed two embodiments of a wire line tool for use in running and/or pulling a well tool within a well bore. In each embodiment, latches are carried within slots about a body of the running tool which is adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line.
The latches are yieldably urged from inner positions, in which their outer ends are adapted to move into the well tool, to outer positions in which their outer ends extend into a groove in the well tool when opposite thereto. The outer ends of the upper sides of the latches have bearing surfaces which, when their outer ends extend into the groove, are engageable with the upper end of the groove to support the well tool from the wire line tool, and which are so related to bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches which are slidable over guide surfaces on the lower sides of the slots as to prevent inward movement of the latches when the well tool is raised or lowered with the wire line tool. The latches are forced inwardly to remove their outer ends from the groove, and then retained against outward movemnent, in response to downward jarring of the body and subsequent lifting of the body with the wire line to permit the tool to be retrieved from the well tool.
There are disclosed two embodiments of a wire line tool for use in running and/or pulling a well tool within a well bore. In each embodiment, latches are carried within slots about a body of the running tool which is adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line.
The latches are yieldably urged from inner positions, in which their outer ends are adapted to move into the well tool, to outer positions in which their outer ends extend into a groove in the well tool when opposite thereto. The outer ends of the upper sides of the latches have bearing surfaces which, when their outer ends extend into the groove, are engageable with the upper end of the groove to support the well tool from the wire line tool, and which are so related to bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches which are slidable over guide surfaces on the lower sides of the slots as to prevent inward movement of the latches when the well tool is raised or lowered with the wire line tool. The latches are forced inwardly to remove their outer ends from the groove, and then retained against outward movemnent, in response to downward jarring of the body and subsequent lifting of the body with the wire line to permit the tool to be retrieved from the well tool.
Description
~IIRE LINE RUNNIMG AND/OR PULLING TOOL
This illvention relates to improvements in a wire line tool of ~he type which is adapted to be latched within a groove of a well tool. and which may be manipulated by the wire line for ~he purpose o-f running the well tool in~o and/or pulling the well tool from a well condui~. In one of its aspects, thi~ invention relates to an improved wire line tool of this type having latches which are adapted to be latched within an internal groove of the well tool and which are retracted from the groove in response to movement of the wire line tool with respect to the well tool in order to permit the wire line tool to be lifted from the well toolO In another of its aspects, it relates to an improved wire line tool of this type in which the latches are released and the tool retrieved in response to shearing of pins which connect part~ of the wire line tool to one another as it is moved into latching relation with the well tool.
One such tool of this latter type 7 which is known as the Otis Type GS Running/Pulling Tool 9 includes collet fingers which are carried about a body adapted to be lowered on a wire line and which are movable axially with respect to the body between positions in which lugs on their ends may be moved through one end of the the well tool into and QUt of positions opposite the groove thereon, and positions in which the lugs are forced into and held within the groove as conical and cylindrical the inner sides o~ the lugs are caused to slide sequentially over conical and cylindrical surfaces, respectively/ on ~he body~
The collet fingers are urged toward latching position by springs which are compressible to permit the lugs to move with the fingers above the conical surface, as the lugs move through the one end of the well tool, but expandible when the lugs are opposite the groove to urge ~he lugs downwardly along the conical and cylindrical surface on the body to hold them into latching positions within the groove.
A shoulder on the running tool engages a seat on the well tool to prevent further movemen~ of the tool body and collet fingers into the well tool and thus locate the lugs opposite the groove, whereby upon movement of the body ~o force the lugs into positions beneath the upper end of the groove in the well tool~ the well conduit may be supported by the body for running or lowering with the wire line into the well condui~. Alternatively, of course, with well tool in place with the well bore, the running tool may be lowered on the wire line and into the one end o the well tool and then latched thereto in essentially the same manner above noted with respect to latching of the running tool to the well tool for the purpose of running the well tool into the conduit.
The above-described spring is compressed between the collet fingers and a sleeve which surrounds the body of the running tool and is releasably connected thereto by one or more shear pins. More particularly 9 the support shoulder for the r~mning tool is formed on the sleeve so that~ when the sleeve is landed on the seat of the well tool, a downward jar imparted to the body of the running tool will shear the pins and permit the body to be lowered a distance sufficient to permit the lugs ~o be moved inwardly out of the groove in response to subsequent raising of the body on the wire line, One problem with a tool of the type above des-cribed is the possible wear on its parts due to the slack or freedom of movement between the lugs and the well tool when latched. Thus, since the collet fingers must move downwardly over the conical and cylindrical surfaces of the running tool body in order to move the lugs into latching position, the distance between the upper bearing surfaces on the outer ends of the lugs and the shoulder on the sleeve of the tool is necessarily substantially larger than that between the seat on the well tool arld the upper end of the groove in the well tool. Also, in addition to being of complex and expensive construction, ~his tool is difficult to assemble and/or reassernble preparatory to latching to the well conduit.
In the use of tools of this type, it is ordinarily necessary, following pullîng of the running tool, to shear the pins which connect the sleeve to the body of the running tool in order to prevent release of the lugs from the groove in the well tool. These pins are both difficult to remove to permit release of the running tool from the well tool 9 and difficult to replace in order to prepare the running tool for relatching to a well bore.
In one aspect, the invention seeks to provide a wire line tool of this type in which there need be essentially no slack between its latching elements and the upper end of the groove in the well tool against which their outer ends are adapted to bear in order to support the well tool, but in which the configuration of the groove may be the same as that which is adapted to receive the lugs of the aforementioned prior wire line tool, or latches of similar wire line tools, and further in which the wire line tool is of a relatively simple and inexpensive construction which is easy to assembly with or disassemble from the well tool.
Another aspect of this invention is to provide a wire line tool of this type which when unlatched from the well tool, upon pulling the well ~ool, may be relatched to a well tool without removal of a shear pin, and thus without replacing the shear pin.
~2~
More particularly, one illustrated embodiment of the invention provides a tool of this -type in which l~tch-es are carried by body adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line for sliding along guide surfaces on the body which extend downwardly and outwardly wi-th respect to the a~is of the body, as well as means on the body cooperable with a seat on the well tool for locating the outer ends of the latches opposite the groove in the well tool when the body is disposed within the well tool. The latches are yieldably urged from inner posi~ions, in which their outer ends are adapted ~o move through the ~ell tool into and out of positions opposite the groove, to outer positions in which their outer ends extend into the groove when opposite thereto, and the upper sides of the latches have bearing surfaces which, when the outer ends of the latches extend into the groove, are engageable with the upper end of the groove and adapted, to support the well tool from the wire line, and which are so related to bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches engageable with the guide surfaces on the body, when ~he well tool is so supported, as to prevent inward movement of the latches.
More particularly, the wire line tool includes means which is responsive to vertical movement of the body with respect to the well tool for forcing the latches inwardly to retract their outer ends from the groove and retain in their retracted positions so that the wire line tool may be retrieved from the well tool.
In one illustrated embodiment of the invention, a sleeve is disposed about and mounted on the body to dispose cam surfaces thereon adjacent the outer ends of the latches, and has a shoulder thereon which, when landed on the seat, locates the outer ends of the latches opposite the groove in the well tool. Upon release of the means mounting the sleeve on the body, and vertical movement of the body with respect to the sleeve, the outer ends of the latches are cammed inwardly and out particularly, means are provided for supporting the sleeve from the body, when the latches are so retained, to permit the sleeve to be raised with the body to retrieve the wire line tool fro~ the well conduit.
In one embodiment of the invention, the sleeve is mounted on the body of the running tool by a pin which is sheared in response to jarring of the body so as to permit the retrieval of the running tool in the manner above described. In the event the tool is instead used to pull a well tool, the latches are removed from latching position to release the running tool from the well tool by removing the shear pin to permit retraction of the latohes by movement of the body of the running tool into the sleeve. Then, in order ~o relatch the running tool to a well tool, the body is again moved to an outer position with respect ~o the sleeve and another shear pin is installed to connect the body to the sleeve.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention9 the sleeve is connected to the body of the wire line tool by means which limits relative axial movement while permitting relative rotation between them, and a detent means releasably connects the body and sleeve in a position in which the cam surfaces on the sleeve are in substan~ial vertical alignment with the outer ends of the latches. More particularly, the sleeve has additional cam surfaces thereon to one side of the outer ends of each latch for engaging the outer ends of the latches9 upon release of the detent means and rotation of the sleeve, to force the latches inwardly to their inner positions and permit the sleeve to be moved over the outer ends of the latches to retain them in retracted positions, whereby the sleeve is free to be removed with the body from the well tool without shearing of the pins connecting the sleeve to the body.
As shown, the body has a groove about it, and the connecting means comprises at least one shear pin extending through the sleeve and tangentially within a portion of the groove. ~lso, the detent means comprises a slot in the outer side of the body, a slot in the inner side of the sleeve axially aligned with the slot in the body when the windows are opposite the latches, and leaf springs mounted on the body and extending into the slots. More particularly, the free ends of the springs are depressible to remove them from the slots in the sleeve and thus permit the necessary rotation of the sleeve with respect to the body.
Accordingly the invention broadly comprehends a wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising a body adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line with latches carried by the body for inward and outward movement with respect thereto. A sleeve is disposed about the body for shifting between upper and lower positions with respect thereto, the sleeve having windows therein disposable opposite the latches in its lower position and a shoulder thereon engageable with the seat to locate the openings opposite the well tool groove. Means yieldably urge the latches toward their outer positions and thus through the windows, and beyond the sleeve into the well tool groove, when the sleeve is its lower portion. The body has a groove formed in the outer diameter of a portion thereof and a pin extends through the sleeve and within the body groove to hold the sleeve in its lower position, the pin being shearable in response to a downward jar on the body. The sleeve has cam means thereon for forcing the latches inwardly and out of the well tool groove, as the sleeve is rnoved to its upper position and means automatically resæonsive to movement of the sleeve to its upper ~ f~
position to prevent its return to its lower position. The body groove is arcuate to permit relative rota-tion between -the sleeve and body portion with cam means on the sleeve being operable, upon such rotation, for Eorcing the la-tches inwardly and holding them in their inner positions without shearing the pin. Detent means are provided for releasably holding the sleeve and body portion against rotation~
The invention further comprehends a wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising body means adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line with latches carried by the body means for inward and outward movemen-t with respect thereto, and a sleeve disposed about the body means for shifting between upper and lower positions with respect thereto. The sleeve has openings therein disposable opposite the latches in its lower position and a shoulder thereon engageable with the seat to locate the openings and latches opposite the well tool groove. Means yieldably urge the latches toward their outer positions and thus beyond the sleeve and into the groove, when the sleeve is its lower portion. Means are on the sleeve for forcing the latches inwardly and out of the well tool groove upon movement of the sleeve to its upper position. The body means has a body groove in a portion thsreof with at least one pin extending through the sleeve and within the body groove to support the sleeve in its lower position in which the latches extend into the well tool groove, the pin being shearable in response to a downward jar on the body means, and while the latches are in the well tool groove, to permit the sleeve to be moved to its upper position. Means automatically responsive to movement of the sleeve to its upper pOsitionprevent its return to its ~2~
lower position, whereby the wire line tool may be raised from the well tool. The body groove has a portion into which the shear pin may be moved, when the wire line tool is removed from the well tool, to permit the sleeve to be moved to a positlon relative to the body means in which the latches are cammed inwardly to their inner positions, and detent means are provided for releasably holding the sleeve from movement to the last-mentioned position.
In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:
Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the running tool constructed in accordance with the first-mentioned embodiment of the present invention, latched within an internal groove in the upper end of a well tool;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the running tool and well tool of Fig. 1, as seen along broken lines 2--2 of Fig. lo, Fig. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view of the lower end of the running tool of Fig. 1 during initial movement thereof into the well tool;
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but upon further movement of the running tool into the well tool to force the outer ends of the latches inwardly as they move toward the groove in the well tool;
Fig. 5 is a further partial vertical cross-sectional view of the running tool and well tool, upon release of the body from connection with the sleeve thereabout and lowering of the body with respect to the sleeve so as to force the latches inwardly out of the groove and to permit the pin carried by the body of the running tool to move outwardly into a position in which its outer end is beneath the sleeve and thus disposed in position to lift the sleeve with the body as the body is raised with the wire line to retrieve the running ~ool from the well tool;
Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of ~he running tool cons~ructed in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, removed from the well tool 9 but with the latches thereof in position for latching within the well tool upon assembly of the tool with the well tool;
lo Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of one-half of the tool of Fig. 6 as seen along broken lines 7~-7 thereof; and Fig~ 8 is a cross-sectional view of the tool, as seen along broken lines 8--8 of Fig. 6;
With reference now to the details of the above-described drawings, the embodiment of the running tool shown in Figs. 1 to 5, and indicated in its entirety by reference character 10~ includes a body 11 having a fishing neck 12 at its upper end for connection to the lower end of a wire line WL, and a sleeve 13 disposed about and releasably mounted on a lower reduced diameter portion 14 of the body~ The outer diameter of the sl~eve i9 adapted to fit closely within ~he inner diameter of a well tool 15 which has a groove 16 thereabout beneath a seat 17 on its upper end. A shoulder 18 is formed on the outer diameter of the sleeve for landing on the seat 17 and thus locating the lower portion 14 of the body longitudinally with respect to the well tool.
A plurality of slots 19 are formed on the body to receive latches 20 for guidably sliding therein along paths which extend downwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of the body, and the slots are so spaced wi.th res2ect to the shoulder 18 on the sleeve that the outer ends of the latches are opposite ~he groove 16 in the well tool when the shoulder is landed on the seat 17. More par~icularly, latches 20 are adap~ed to extend through windows 21 formed in the sleeve to permit their outer ends to extend into latching position within well tool groove 1~ .
The slots 19 are of depth as to permit the latches to slide between the outer latched position of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in which their outer ends extend beyond the outer end of ~he diameter of the sleeve for la~ching with the groove 16, the intermediate position of ~'igure 4 in which the outer ends of the latches are partially retracted to permit them to move within the well tool during assembly or disassembly of the tool, and the inner position shown in Figo 5 in which their outer ends are within the inner diameter of sleeve 13 to permit the retrieval of the tool. More particularly, the latches are yieldably urged toward their outer positions by means of coil springs 22 compressed between the inner ends o the latches and the outer ends of the slots. The latehes are retained within the slots during assembly and disassembly of the tool by means of pins 23 extending laterally through holes (not shown) in the body and wlthin flats 24 formed in the upper sides of the latches The seat 17 at the upper end of the well tool as well as the outer ends of the latches 20 are tapered downwardly and inwardly with respect to the axis of the body, so that, during assembly of the tool into latched position within the well tool prior to running same, or upon loweri.ng of the tool into connection with the well tool for the purpose of pulling the well tool 9 the latches will be cammed inwardly by the seat 17 as they move downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3. When cammed inwardly in this manner, the outer ends of the latches will, upon continued lowering of the body, move downwardly along the inner diameter of the well tool above the groove 16, as shown in Figure 4. Thus, the shoulder 18 and the upper bearing surfaces need be spaced apart a distance no greater than that required in order to insure movement of the latches into latching position following seating of shoulder 18 of the sleeve on the seat 17 of the well tool, so that, as previously described, just prior to landing of the shoulder 18 on the seat 17, the outer ends of the latches will move outwardly through the windows in the sleeve and into the groove adjacent its upper end~
As previously described, when assembled in latching position with the wire line tool at the wellhead, the well tool may be lowered therewith by means of the wire line into a desired position within the well bore, following which the wire line tool may be released therefrom and retrieved from the well bore, as will be described. Alternatively, in the event the well tool 15 is located within the well bore, the wire line tool 10 may be lowered on the wire line 13 and caused to latch thereto as its lower end is lowered into the wire line tool~ and then raised by the wire line 13 for pulling the wire line tool from the well bore.
As shown, guide surfaces on the upper and lower sides of the slot~ and thus the bearing surfaces on the upper and lower sides of the latches, are parallel to one another as well as to the upper end 25 of the groove 16, so that, with the runr.ing tool latched to the well tool, the outer ends of the latches are prevented from moving inwardly as the well tool is lowered with the wire line tool into a desired position within a well bore, or alternatively as the well tool is raised with the wire line tool for retrieval from the well bore. Thus, the inward component of force acting on the latches due to the support of the upper end of groove 16 on the bearing surfaces on the upper sides of the latches is opposed by an opposite and equal outward component of force due to the support of the bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches on the guide surfaces of the lower sides of the slots. Thus, inward movement of the latches is prevented not only by the springs but also fric~ional resistance due to engagement between the bearing surfaces on the latches and slot and the upper end of the groove 16.
The sleeve is releasably mounted on ~he body 11 of the tool by means of shear pins 26 to locate a downwardly facing shoulder 27 on the body at the upper end of the reduced diameter portion 14 thereof above an upwardly facing shoulder 28 on the upper end of the sleeve. In order to release the tool from the well tool following running of thte well tool into the well bore, and thus permit its retrieval from the well bore, a downward jar is imparted to the body through the wire line 13 in order to shear the pins 26 and thus permit the body 11 to be lowered with the wire line with respect to the sleeve.
As the body is so lowered, the outer ends of the latches are car~med inwardly by cam surfaces on the lower ends 29 of the windows 21 of the sleeve and then slide within the inner diameter of the sleeve, so that, upon landing of the shoulder 27 upon shoulder 28, the outer ends of the latches are retained in their inner positions. To facilitate inward camming of the latches out of latching position, the outer ends of the latches as well as the lower edges 29 of the windows are tapered downwardly and inwardly with respect to the axis of the body.
One or more pins 30 are slidable inwardly and outwardly within a slot 31 formed within the body beneath the latches for movement between an inner position within the sleeve, prior to release and lowering of the body, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, and an outer pOSitiOII in which the upper side of the pin is beneath the lower end of the sleeve~ following lowering of the body, as shown in Fig.
5. More particularly, each such pin 30 is yieldably urged to its outer position by means of a spring 32 disposed between its inner end and the outer end of the slot 31, and the pin is so located that the upper side of the pin 30 will move below the lower end of the sleeve before shoulder 18 lands on seat 17. Thusj upon lifting of the body with the wire line, the pin will engage the sleeve 13 while the inner ends of the latches are still retained within the inner diameter of the sleeve.
As previously described, in order to unlatc'h the wire line tool from the well conduit, it is first necessary to remove the shear pin 26, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to permit the body to be lowered into the sleeve thereof and the well tool. As previously described in connection with ~,he retrieval of the well tool upon downward jarring to shear the pin 26, upon movement of the body into the lower position sho~m in Fig. 5, the latches 20 will be retained within ~he sleeve 13 so as to permit the wire line tool to be lifted from within the well conduit. Then, of course, in order to relatch the wire line tool to a ~ell tool, the pin 30 is depressed to permit the sleeve to be moved to its lower position with respect to the body. As the sleeve is so moved, the latches 20 are urged outwardly through the windows in the sleeve, and thus into their outer latching position. Then, upon alignment of holes provided in the body and the sleeve, another shear pin may be inserted therein so as to reconnect the sleeve to the body of the wire line tool.
As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the alternative embodiment of the wire line tool, whlch is indicated in its entirety by reference character lOA, is similar in many respects to the tool 10. Hence, many of the parts of the tool lOA are provided with reference characters which differ from those applied to corresponding parts of the tool lO only by the suffix A. Thus, the tool includes body llA adapted to be connected to the wire line, and a sleeve 13A which surrounds a reduced lower diameter portion 14A of the body llA for relative vertical movement with respect to it. More particularly, the sleeve is mounted on the body of the wire line tool by shearable means, which will be described in detail to follow, so as to dispose windows 21A in the sleeve opposite latches 20A
guidably slidable within slots l9A in the portion 14A of the body of the wire line tool. More particularly, the sleeve is so mounted as to dispose a shoulder 18A
thereabou~ in position for engaging a shoulder of the well 9~3 tool, such as that shown at 17 in Fig. 1, when the windows and latches are opposite the groove in the well tool, as indicated at 16 in Fig. 1. Also 9 the latches are yieldably urged ~o their outer latching positions by means of springs 22A, all in a manner described in csnnection with the tool 10.
As was also true of the running ~ool 10, latches 20A of ~ool lOA have flats 24A on their upper sides, and the outer ends of the flats provide bearing surfaees adapted to be disposed closely adja~ent the upper end of the groove of the well bore 9 when the tool is latched within the well tool. As described in connection wi~h the prior embodiment, thPse bearing surfaces are so arranged with respect to the bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches engageable with the lower sides o the slots 19A as ~o prevent movement of the latches out of latching position as the well tool is raised and lowered by ~eans of the wire line tool~ The latches are r~tained within ~he slots by means of lateral pins 23A~
In order to release the wire line tool from the well tool upon rumling of the well tool, the body of the wire line tool is jarred downwardly to shear the shearable means connecting the sleeve to the body, and thus permit the body llA to be lowered with respect to the sleeve and thus with respect to the well tool. As described in connection with running tool 10, the lower edges of the windows 21A will cam the latches inwardly and the outer ends of the latches will then slide downwardly w;.thin the sleeve as the body moves downwardly to land a shoulder 27A
thereabout upon a shoulder 28A on the upper end of the sleeve. At this time, of course, ~he pin 30A radially slidable within slot 31A in the body of the running tool is urged outwardly by the spring 32A into a position in which it is beneath the lower edge of the sleeve 13A, whereby the upward movement of the body with respect to the sleeve is limited so that the latches remain retained within the sleeve 13A so as to permit the wire line tool to be re~rieved from the well tool.
In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the sleeve is mounted on the body by tangentially arranged shear pins 34 which not only releasably connect the body and sleeve against relative axial movement, but a~ the same time permit the sleeve and body to be rotated relative to one ano~her. For this purpose, and as shown in Fig. 8~ a groove 35 is formed about the reduced diameter portion 14A of ~he body of the tool lOAto receive the shear pins 34 which extend through holes formed in the sleeve in a tangentially of the sleeve about the outer ~iameter of the body. The sleeve and body are held in relative rotative positions in which the latches 20A extend through the windows 21A by detent means whieh includes a slot 36 formed in the outer side of the enlarged diameter portion of the body llA, a slot 37 formed in the inner diameter of the upper end of the sleeve 13A, and leaf springs 38 which are mounted on the body by means of screws 39 and whose free ends extend upwardly into the aligned slots 36 and 37 in the sleeve and body, respectively. Upon depression of the free ends of the leaf springs 38, they are removed from the slots 37 so as to permit th~ sleeve to be rotated with respect to the body.
As shown in Fig. 6, a cam 40 is formed on the sleeve to one side of each window 21A so as to rotate into engagement with the outer end of the latch extending ~hrough the window and thereby force the latch inwardly 9 and then, as the cam moves over the outer end of the latch, cause the inner diameter of the sleeve to the right side of the cam to slide over the outer ends of the latches in order to retain them in their inner positions~
More particularly, and as will be apparent from the drawings, the lower end of the cam will initially engage and slide over the outer, non-cylindrical end of each latch so as to exert an inwardly directed force thereon ~ 2 ~
which retracts the latches as the cam continues to slide over its outer end.
As previously men~ioned, this unique arrangement enables the wire line tool to be unlatched from the well tool, upon pulling of the well tool, and then relatched to a well tool, without shearing and then replacing one or more shear pins. Thus, instead, it is merely necessary that the operator depress the free ends of the leaf springs 38 so as to permit ~he body llA to be rotated through an angle sufficient to cam the latches 20A
inwardly and then retain them within the inner diameter of the sleeve. At this time, the lower portion of the wire line tool need merely be lifted from the well tool. When the wire line tool is to be relatched to a well tool, its lower end need merely be lowered into the well tool, and the body llA again rotated until such time that leaf spring 38 springs outwardly into slot 37. As the body is moved into this ro~ative position, ~he latches 20A will have moved into positions opposite the windows 21A, so that their outer ends will be yieldably urged through the windows and into the latching position of Fig~ 7.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
Because many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
This illvention relates to improvements in a wire line tool of ~he type which is adapted to be latched within a groove of a well tool. and which may be manipulated by the wire line for ~he purpose o-f running the well tool in~o and/or pulling the well tool from a well condui~. In one of its aspects, thi~ invention relates to an improved wire line tool of this type having latches which are adapted to be latched within an internal groove of the well tool and which are retracted from the groove in response to movement of the wire line tool with respect to the well tool in order to permit the wire line tool to be lifted from the well toolO In another of its aspects, it relates to an improved wire line tool of this type in which the latches are released and the tool retrieved in response to shearing of pins which connect part~ of the wire line tool to one another as it is moved into latching relation with the well tool.
One such tool of this latter type 7 which is known as the Otis Type GS Running/Pulling Tool 9 includes collet fingers which are carried about a body adapted to be lowered on a wire line and which are movable axially with respect to the body between positions in which lugs on their ends may be moved through one end of the the well tool into and QUt of positions opposite the groove thereon, and positions in which the lugs are forced into and held within the groove as conical and cylindrical the inner sides o~ the lugs are caused to slide sequentially over conical and cylindrical surfaces, respectively/ on ~he body~
The collet fingers are urged toward latching position by springs which are compressible to permit the lugs to move with the fingers above the conical surface, as the lugs move through the one end of the well tool, but expandible when the lugs are opposite the groove to urge ~he lugs downwardly along the conical and cylindrical surface on the body to hold them into latching positions within the groove.
A shoulder on the running tool engages a seat on the well tool to prevent further movemen~ of the tool body and collet fingers into the well tool and thus locate the lugs opposite the groove, whereby upon movement of the body ~o force the lugs into positions beneath the upper end of the groove in the well tool~ the well conduit may be supported by the body for running or lowering with the wire line into the well condui~. Alternatively, of course, with well tool in place with the well bore, the running tool may be lowered on the wire line and into the one end o the well tool and then latched thereto in essentially the same manner above noted with respect to latching of the running tool to the well tool for the purpose of running the well tool into the conduit.
The above-described spring is compressed between the collet fingers and a sleeve which surrounds the body of the running tool and is releasably connected thereto by one or more shear pins. More particularly 9 the support shoulder for the r~mning tool is formed on the sleeve so that~ when the sleeve is landed on the seat of the well tool, a downward jar imparted to the body of the running tool will shear the pins and permit the body to be lowered a distance sufficient to permit the lugs ~o be moved inwardly out of the groove in response to subsequent raising of the body on the wire line, One problem with a tool of the type above des-cribed is the possible wear on its parts due to the slack or freedom of movement between the lugs and the well tool when latched. Thus, since the collet fingers must move downwardly over the conical and cylindrical surfaces of the running tool body in order to move the lugs into latching position, the distance between the upper bearing surfaces on the outer ends of the lugs and the shoulder on the sleeve of the tool is necessarily substantially larger than that between the seat on the well tool arld the upper end of the groove in the well tool. Also, in addition to being of complex and expensive construction, ~his tool is difficult to assemble and/or reassernble preparatory to latching to the well conduit.
In the use of tools of this type, it is ordinarily necessary, following pullîng of the running tool, to shear the pins which connect the sleeve to the body of the running tool in order to prevent release of the lugs from the groove in the well tool. These pins are both difficult to remove to permit release of the running tool from the well tool 9 and difficult to replace in order to prepare the running tool for relatching to a well bore.
In one aspect, the invention seeks to provide a wire line tool of this type in which there need be essentially no slack between its latching elements and the upper end of the groove in the well tool against which their outer ends are adapted to bear in order to support the well tool, but in which the configuration of the groove may be the same as that which is adapted to receive the lugs of the aforementioned prior wire line tool, or latches of similar wire line tools, and further in which the wire line tool is of a relatively simple and inexpensive construction which is easy to assembly with or disassemble from the well tool.
Another aspect of this invention is to provide a wire line tool of this type which when unlatched from the well tool, upon pulling the well ~ool, may be relatched to a well tool without removal of a shear pin, and thus without replacing the shear pin.
~2~
More particularly, one illustrated embodiment of the invention provides a tool of this -type in which l~tch-es are carried by body adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line for sliding along guide surfaces on the body which extend downwardly and outwardly wi-th respect to the a~is of the body, as well as means on the body cooperable with a seat on the well tool for locating the outer ends of the latches opposite the groove in the well tool when the body is disposed within the well tool. The latches are yieldably urged from inner posi~ions, in which their outer ends are adapted ~o move through the ~ell tool into and out of positions opposite the groove, to outer positions in which their outer ends extend into the groove when opposite thereto, and the upper sides of the latches have bearing surfaces which, when the outer ends of the latches extend into the groove, are engageable with the upper end of the groove and adapted, to support the well tool from the wire line, and which are so related to bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches engageable with the guide surfaces on the body, when ~he well tool is so supported, as to prevent inward movement of the latches.
More particularly, the wire line tool includes means which is responsive to vertical movement of the body with respect to the well tool for forcing the latches inwardly to retract their outer ends from the groove and retain in their retracted positions so that the wire line tool may be retrieved from the well tool.
In one illustrated embodiment of the invention, a sleeve is disposed about and mounted on the body to dispose cam surfaces thereon adjacent the outer ends of the latches, and has a shoulder thereon which, when landed on the seat, locates the outer ends of the latches opposite the groove in the well tool. Upon release of the means mounting the sleeve on the body, and vertical movement of the body with respect to the sleeve, the outer ends of the latches are cammed inwardly and out particularly, means are provided for supporting the sleeve from the body, when the latches are so retained, to permit the sleeve to be raised with the body to retrieve the wire line tool fro~ the well conduit.
In one embodiment of the invention, the sleeve is mounted on the body of the running tool by a pin which is sheared in response to jarring of the body so as to permit the retrieval of the running tool in the manner above described. In the event the tool is instead used to pull a well tool, the latches are removed from latching position to release the running tool from the well tool by removing the shear pin to permit retraction of the latohes by movement of the body of the running tool into the sleeve. Then, in order ~o relatch the running tool to a well tool, the body is again moved to an outer position with respect ~o the sleeve and another shear pin is installed to connect the body to the sleeve.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention9 the sleeve is connected to the body of the wire line tool by means which limits relative axial movement while permitting relative rotation between them, and a detent means releasably connects the body and sleeve in a position in which the cam surfaces on the sleeve are in substan~ial vertical alignment with the outer ends of the latches. More particularly, the sleeve has additional cam surfaces thereon to one side of the outer ends of each latch for engaging the outer ends of the latches9 upon release of the detent means and rotation of the sleeve, to force the latches inwardly to their inner positions and permit the sleeve to be moved over the outer ends of the latches to retain them in retracted positions, whereby the sleeve is free to be removed with the body from the well tool without shearing of the pins connecting the sleeve to the body.
As shown, the body has a groove about it, and the connecting means comprises at least one shear pin extending through the sleeve and tangentially within a portion of the groove. ~lso, the detent means comprises a slot in the outer side of the body, a slot in the inner side of the sleeve axially aligned with the slot in the body when the windows are opposite the latches, and leaf springs mounted on the body and extending into the slots. More particularly, the free ends of the springs are depressible to remove them from the slots in the sleeve and thus permit the necessary rotation of the sleeve with respect to the body.
Accordingly the invention broadly comprehends a wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising a body adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line with latches carried by the body for inward and outward movement with respect thereto. A sleeve is disposed about the body for shifting between upper and lower positions with respect thereto, the sleeve having windows therein disposable opposite the latches in its lower position and a shoulder thereon engageable with the seat to locate the openings opposite the well tool groove. Means yieldably urge the latches toward their outer positions and thus through the windows, and beyond the sleeve into the well tool groove, when the sleeve is its lower portion. The body has a groove formed in the outer diameter of a portion thereof and a pin extends through the sleeve and within the body groove to hold the sleeve in its lower position, the pin being shearable in response to a downward jar on the body. The sleeve has cam means thereon for forcing the latches inwardly and out of the well tool groove, as the sleeve is rnoved to its upper position and means automatically resæonsive to movement of the sleeve to its upper ~ f~
position to prevent its return to its lower position. The body groove is arcuate to permit relative rota-tion between -the sleeve and body portion with cam means on the sleeve being operable, upon such rotation, for Eorcing the la-tches inwardly and holding them in their inner positions without shearing the pin. Detent means are provided for releasably holding the sleeve and body portion against rotation~
The invention further comprehends a wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising body means adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line with latches carried by the body means for inward and outward movemen-t with respect thereto, and a sleeve disposed about the body means for shifting between upper and lower positions with respect thereto. The sleeve has openings therein disposable opposite the latches in its lower position and a shoulder thereon engageable with the seat to locate the openings and latches opposite the well tool groove. Means yieldably urge the latches toward their outer positions and thus beyond the sleeve and into the groove, when the sleeve is its lower portion. Means are on the sleeve for forcing the latches inwardly and out of the well tool groove upon movement of the sleeve to its upper position. The body means has a body groove in a portion thsreof with at least one pin extending through the sleeve and within the body groove to support the sleeve in its lower position in which the latches extend into the well tool groove, the pin being shearable in response to a downward jar on the body means, and while the latches are in the well tool groove, to permit the sleeve to be moved to its upper position. Means automatically responsive to movement of the sleeve to its upper pOsitionprevent its return to its ~2~
lower position, whereby the wire line tool may be raised from the well tool. The body groove has a portion into which the shear pin may be moved, when the wire line tool is removed from the well tool, to permit the sleeve to be moved to a positlon relative to the body means in which the latches are cammed inwardly to their inner positions, and detent means are provided for releasably holding the sleeve from movement to the last-mentioned position.
In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:
Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the running tool constructed in accordance with the first-mentioned embodiment of the present invention, latched within an internal groove in the upper end of a well tool;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the running tool and well tool of Fig. 1, as seen along broken lines 2--2 of Fig. lo, Fig. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view of the lower end of the running tool of Fig. 1 during initial movement thereof into the well tool;
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but upon further movement of the running tool into the well tool to force the outer ends of the latches inwardly as they move toward the groove in the well tool;
Fig. 5 is a further partial vertical cross-sectional view of the running tool and well tool, upon release of the body from connection with the sleeve thereabout and lowering of the body with respect to the sleeve so as to force the latches inwardly out of the groove and to permit the pin carried by the body of the running tool to move outwardly into a position in which its outer end is beneath the sleeve and thus disposed in position to lift the sleeve with the body as the body is raised with the wire line to retrieve the running ~ool from the well tool;
Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of ~he running tool cons~ructed in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, removed from the well tool 9 but with the latches thereof in position for latching within the well tool upon assembly of the tool with the well tool;
lo Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of one-half of the tool of Fig. 6 as seen along broken lines 7~-7 thereof; and Fig~ 8 is a cross-sectional view of the tool, as seen along broken lines 8--8 of Fig. 6;
With reference now to the details of the above-described drawings, the embodiment of the running tool shown in Figs. 1 to 5, and indicated in its entirety by reference character 10~ includes a body 11 having a fishing neck 12 at its upper end for connection to the lower end of a wire line WL, and a sleeve 13 disposed about and releasably mounted on a lower reduced diameter portion 14 of the body~ The outer diameter of the sl~eve i9 adapted to fit closely within ~he inner diameter of a well tool 15 which has a groove 16 thereabout beneath a seat 17 on its upper end. A shoulder 18 is formed on the outer diameter of the sleeve for landing on the seat 17 and thus locating the lower portion 14 of the body longitudinally with respect to the well tool.
A plurality of slots 19 are formed on the body to receive latches 20 for guidably sliding therein along paths which extend downwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of the body, and the slots are so spaced wi.th res2ect to the shoulder 18 on the sleeve that the outer ends of the latches are opposite ~he groove 16 in the well tool when the shoulder is landed on the seat 17. More par~icularly, latches 20 are adap~ed to extend through windows 21 formed in the sleeve to permit their outer ends to extend into latching position within well tool groove 1~ .
The slots 19 are of depth as to permit the latches to slide between the outer latched position of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in which their outer ends extend beyond the outer end of ~he diameter of the sleeve for la~ching with the groove 16, the intermediate position of ~'igure 4 in which the outer ends of the latches are partially retracted to permit them to move within the well tool during assembly or disassembly of the tool, and the inner position shown in Figo 5 in which their outer ends are within the inner diameter of sleeve 13 to permit the retrieval of the tool. More particularly, the latches are yieldably urged toward their outer positions by means of coil springs 22 compressed between the inner ends o the latches and the outer ends of the slots. The latehes are retained within the slots during assembly and disassembly of the tool by means of pins 23 extending laterally through holes (not shown) in the body and wlthin flats 24 formed in the upper sides of the latches The seat 17 at the upper end of the well tool as well as the outer ends of the latches 20 are tapered downwardly and inwardly with respect to the axis of the body, so that, during assembly of the tool into latched position within the well tool prior to running same, or upon loweri.ng of the tool into connection with the well tool for the purpose of pulling the well tool 9 the latches will be cammed inwardly by the seat 17 as they move downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3. When cammed inwardly in this manner, the outer ends of the latches will, upon continued lowering of the body, move downwardly along the inner diameter of the well tool above the groove 16, as shown in Figure 4. Thus, the shoulder 18 and the upper bearing surfaces need be spaced apart a distance no greater than that required in order to insure movement of the latches into latching position following seating of shoulder 18 of the sleeve on the seat 17 of the well tool, so that, as previously described, just prior to landing of the shoulder 18 on the seat 17, the outer ends of the latches will move outwardly through the windows in the sleeve and into the groove adjacent its upper end~
As previously described, when assembled in latching position with the wire line tool at the wellhead, the well tool may be lowered therewith by means of the wire line into a desired position within the well bore, following which the wire line tool may be released therefrom and retrieved from the well bore, as will be described. Alternatively, in the event the well tool 15 is located within the well bore, the wire line tool 10 may be lowered on the wire line 13 and caused to latch thereto as its lower end is lowered into the wire line tool~ and then raised by the wire line 13 for pulling the wire line tool from the well bore.
As shown, guide surfaces on the upper and lower sides of the slot~ and thus the bearing surfaces on the upper and lower sides of the latches, are parallel to one another as well as to the upper end 25 of the groove 16, so that, with the runr.ing tool latched to the well tool, the outer ends of the latches are prevented from moving inwardly as the well tool is lowered with the wire line tool into a desired position within a well bore, or alternatively as the well tool is raised with the wire line tool for retrieval from the well bore. Thus, the inward component of force acting on the latches due to the support of the upper end of groove 16 on the bearing surfaces on the upper sides of the latches is opposed by an opposite and equal outward component of force due to the support of the bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches on the guide surfaces of the lower sides of the slots. Thus, inward movement of the latches is prevented not only by the springs but also fric~ional resistance due to engagement between the bearing surfaces on the latches and slot and the upper end of the groove 16.
The sleeve is releasably mounted on ~he body 11 of the tool by means of shear pins 26 to locate a downwardly facing shoulder 27 on the body at the upper end of the reduced diameter portion 14 thereof above an upwardly facing shoulder 28 on the upper end of the sleeve. In order to release the tool from the well tool following running of thte well tool into the well bore, and thus permit its retrieval from the well bore, a downward jar is imparted to the body through the wire line 13 in order to shear the pins 26 and thus permit the body 11 to be lowered with the wire line with respect to the sleeve.
As the body is so lowered, the outer ends of the latches are car~med inwardly by cam surfaces on the lower ends 29 of the windows 21 of the sleeve and then slide within the inner diameter of the sleeve, so that, upon landing of the shoulder 27 upon shoulder 28, the outer ends of the latches are retained in their inner positions. To facilitate inward camming of the latches out of latching position, the outer ends of the latches as well as the lower edges 29 of the windows are tapered downwardly and inwardly with respect to the axis of the body.
One or more pins 30 are slidable inwardly and outwardly within a slot 31 formed within the body beneath the latches for movement between an inner position within the sleeve, prior to release and lowering of the body, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, and an outer pOSitiOII in which the upper side of the pin is beneath the lower end of the sleeve~ following lowering of the body, as shown in Fig.
5. More particularly, each such pin 30 is yieldably urged to its outer position by means of a spring 32 disposed between its inner end and the outer end of the slot 31, and the pin is so located that the upper side of the pin 30 will move below the lower end of the sleeve before shoulder 18 lands on seat 17. Thusj upon lifting of the body with the wire line, the pin will engage the sleeve 13 while the inner ends of the latches are still retained within the inner diameter of the sleeve.
As previously described, in order to unlatc'h the wire line tool from the well conduit, it is first necessary to remove the shear pin 26, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to permit the body to be lowered into the sleeve thereof and the well tool. As previously described in connection with ~,he retrieval of the well tool upon downward jarring to shear the pin 26, upon movement of the body into the lower position sho~m in Fig. 5, the latches 20 will be retained within ~he sleeve 13 so as to permit the wire line tool to be lifted from within the well conduit. Then, of course, in order to relatch the wire line tool to a ~ell tool, the pin 30 is depressed to permit the sleeve to be moved to its lower position with respect to the body. As the sleeve is so moved, the latches 20 are urged outwardly through the windows in the sleeve, and thus into their outer latching position. Then, upon alignment of holes provided in the body and the sleeve, another shear pin may be inserted therein so as to reconnect the sleeve to the body of the wire line tool.
As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the alternative embodiment of the wire line tool, whlch is indicated in its entirety by reference character lOA, is similar in many respects to the tool 10. Hence, many of the parts of the tool lOA are provided with reference characters which differ from those applied to corresponding parts of the tool lO only by the suffix A. Thus, the tool includes body llA adapted to be connected to the wire line, and a sleeve 13A which surrounds a reduced lower diameter portion 14A of the body llA for relative vertical movement with respect to it. More particularly, the sleeve is mounted on the body of the wire line tool by shearable means, which will be described in detail to follow, so as to dispose windows 21A in the sleeve opposite latches 20A
guidably slidable within slots l9A in the portion 14A of the body of the wire line tool. More particularly, the sleeve is so mounted as to dispose a shoulder 18A
thereabou~ in position for engaging a shoulder of the well 9~3 tool, such as that shown at 17 in Fig. 1, when the windows and latches are opposite the groove in the well tool, as indicated at 16 in Fig. 1. Also 9 the latches are yieldably urged ~o their outer latching positions by means of springs 22A, all in a manner described in csnnection with the tool 10.
As was also true of the running ~ool 10, latches 20A of ~ool lOA have flats 24A on their upper sides, and the outer ends of the flats provide bearing surfaees adapted to be disposed closely adja~ent the upper end of the groove of the well bore 9 when the tool is latched within the well tool. As described in connection wi~h the prior embodiment, thPse bearing surfaces are so arranged with respect to the bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches engageable with the lower sides o the slots 19A as ~o prevent movement of the latches out of latching position as the well tool is raised and lowered by ~eans of the wire line tool~ The latches are r~tained within ~he slots by means of lateral pins 23A~
In order to release the wire line tool from the well tool upon rumling of the well tool, the body of the wire line tool is jarred downwardly to shear the shearable means connecting the sleeve to the body, and thus permit the body llA to be lowered with respect to the sleeve and thus with respect to the well tool. As described in connection with running tool 10, the lower edges of the windows 21A will cam the latches inwardly and the outer ends of the latches will then slide downwardly w;.thin the sleeve as the body moves downwardly to land a shoulder 27A
thereabout upon a shoulder 28A on the upper end of the sleeve. At this time, of course, ~he pin 30A radially slidable within slot 31A in the body of the running tool is urged outwardly by the spring 32A into a position in which it is beneath the lower edge of the sleeve 13A, whereby the upward movement of the body with respect to the sleeve is limited so that the latches remain retained within the sleeve 13A so as to permit the wire line tool to be re~rieved from the well tool.
In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the sleeve is mounted on the body by tangentially arranged shear pins 34 which not only releasably connect the body and sleeve against relative axial movement, but a~ the same time permit the sleeve and body to be rotated relative to one ano~her. For this purpose, and as shown in Fig. 8~ a groove 35 is formed about the reduced diameter portion 14A of ~he body of the tool lOAto receive the shear pins 34 which extend through holes formed in the sleeve in a tangentially of the sleeve about the outer ~iameter of the body. The sleeve and body are held in relative rotative positions in which the latches 20A extend through the windows 21A by detent means whieh includes a slot 36 formed in the outer side of the enlarged diameter portion of the body llA, a slot 37 formed in the inner diameter of the upper end of the sleeve 13A, and leaf springs 38 which are mounted on the body by means of screws 39 and whose free ends extend upwardly into the aligned slots 36 and 37 in the sleeve and body, respectively. Upon depression of the free ends of the leaf springs 38, they are removed from the slots 37 so as to permit th~ sleeve to be rotated with respect to the body.
As shown in Fig. 6, a cam 40 is formed on the sleeve to one side of each window 21A so as to rotate into engagement with the outer end of the latch extending ~hrough the window and thereby force the latch inwardly 9 and then, as the cam moves over the outer end of the latch, cause the inner diameter of the sleeve to the right side of the cam to slide over the outer ends of the latches in order to retain them in their inner positions~
More particularly, and as will be apparent from the drawings, the lower end of the cam will initially engage and slide over the outer, non-cylindrical end of each latch so as to exert an inwardly directed force thereon ~ 2 ~
which retracts the latches as the cam continues to slide over its outer end.
As previously men~ioned, this unique arrangement enables the wire line tool to be unlatched from the well tool, upon pulling of the well tool, and then relatched to a well tool, without shearing and then replacing one or more shear pins. Thus, instead, it is merely necessary that the operator depress the free ends of the leaf springs 38 so as to permit ~he body llA to be rotated through an angle sufficient to cam the latches 20A
inwardly and then retain them within the inner diameter of the sleeve. At this time, the lower portion of the wire line tool need merely be lifted from the well tool. When the wire line tool is to be relatched to a well tool, its lower end need merely be lowered into the well tool, and the body llA again rotated until such time that leaf spring 38 springs outwardly into slot 37. As the body is moved into this ro~ative position, ~he latches 20A will have moved into positions opposite the windows 21A, so that their outer ends will be yieldably urged through the windows and into the latching position of Fig~ 7.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
Because many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims (15)
1. A wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising a body adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line, latches carried by the body for sliding along guide surfaces on the body which extend downwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of the body, means on the body cooperable with the seat of the well tool for locating the outer ends of the latches opposite the groove when the body is disposed within the well tool, and means yieldably urging the latches from inner positions in which their outer ends are adapted to move through the well tool into and out of positions opposite the groove, to outer positions in which their outer ends extend into the groove when opposite thereto, the upper sides of the latches having bearing surfaces which are engageable with the upper end of the groove, when the outer ends of the latches extend into the groove, to support the well tool from the wire line tool, and which are so related to bearing surfaces on the lower sides of the latches which are engageable with the guide surfaces on the body, when the well tool is so supported, as to prevent inward movement of the latches, and means responsive to vertical movement of the body with respect to the well tool for moving said latches inwardly to retract their outer ends from the groove and retain them in retracted positions, so that the wire line tool may be retrieved from the well tool.
2. A tool of the character defined in claim 1, wherein the bearing surfaces on the upper and lower sides of the latches and the upper end of the groove are essentially parallel.
3. A wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising a body adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line, latches carried by the body for sliding along guide surfaces on the body which extend downwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of the body, a sleeve about the body having cam surfaces thereon, means mounting the sleeve on the body to dispose the cam surfaces adjacent the outer ends of the latches, means on the sleeve cooperable with the seat of the well tool for locating the outer ends of the latches opposite the groove, means yieldably urging the latches from inner positions, in which their outer ends are adapted to move through the well tool into and out of positions opposite the groove, to outer positions in which their outer ends extend into the groove when opposite thereto, the upper sides of the latches having bearing surfaces which are engageable with the upper end of the groove, when the outer ends of the latches extend into the groove, to support the well tool from the wire line tool, and which are so related to bearing surfaces on the latches which are engageable with the guide surfaces on the body, when the well tool is so supported, as to prevent inward movement of the latches, said mounting means being releasable to permit the body to be moved vertically with respect to the sleeve, and the outer ends of the latches being cammed inwardly and out of the groove by the cam surfaces and held within the sleeve as the body is so moved, and means for supporting the sleeve from the body, when the latches are so retained, to permit the sleeve to be raised with the body to retrieve the wire line tool from the well tool.
4. A tool of the character defined in claim 3, wherein the body has means thereon providing a downwardly facing shoulder, and the sleeve has an upwardly facing seat spaced beneath the body shoulder and engageable thereby when the body has been lowered to force the outer ends of the latches out of the groove.
5. A tool of the character defined in claim 3, wherein said means for limiting upward movement of the body comprises at least one pin carried by the body for inward and outward movement with respect thereto, and means for yieldably urging the pin to a position to engage a shoulder on the sleeve upon movement of the body to force the latches inwardly out of the groove.
6. A tool of the character defined in claim 4, wherein said means for limiting movement of the body comprises at least one pin carried by the body for inward and outward movement with respect thereto, and means for yieldably urging the pin to a position facing the shoulder on the sleeve upon movement of the body to force the latches inwardly out of the groove.
7. A wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising a body adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line, latches carried by the body for expansion and contraction with respect thereto, a sleeve having cam surfaces thereon, means connecting the sleeve to the body to limit relative axial movement while permitting relative rotation between them, said sleeve having means cooperable with the seat in the well tool, upon movement of the body into the well conduit, for locating the outer ends of the latches opposite the groove, detent means for locating the cam surfaces of the sleeve in substantial vertical alignment with the outer ends of the latches, and means yieldably urging the latches from inner positions in which their outer ends may be retained within the sleeve to outer positions in which their outer ends extend into the groove when opposite thereto, said connecting means being shearable to permit the body to be moved vertically with respect to the sleeve, to cause the cam surfaces thereon to move over the outer ends of the latches to retract the latches and retain them in their inner positions, and said sleeve having additional cam surfaces thereon to one side of the outer end of each latch for engaging the outer ends of the latches beyond the sleeve, upon release of the detent means and rotation of the sleeve, to retract the latches inwardly to their inner positions and permit the sleeve to move over the outer ends of the latches, whereby the sleeve may be removed with the body from the well tool without releasing the connecting means.
8. A tool of the character defined in claim 7, wherein the body has a groove thereabout, and the connecting means comprises at least one shear pin extending through the sleeve and tangentially within a portion of the body groove.
9. A tool of the character defined in claim 7, wherein the detent means comprises a slot in the outer side of the body, a slot in the inner side of the sleeve axially aligned with the slot in the body when the windows are opposite the latches, and leaf springs mounted on the body and extending into the slots, the free ends of the springs in the body slots being depressible to remove the springs from the slots in the sleeve.
10. A wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising body means adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line, latches carried by the body means for inward and outward movement with respect thereto, a sleeve disposed about the body means for shifting between upper and lower positions with respect thereto, said sleeve having openings therein disposable opposite the latches in its lower position and a shoulder thereon engageable with the seat to locate the openings and latches opposite the well tool groove, means yieldably urging the latches toward their outer positions and thus beyond the sleeve and into the well tool groove, when the sleeve is its lower portion, means on the sleeve for forcing the latches inwardly and out of the tool groove upon movement of the sleeve to its upper position, said body means having a body groove in a portion thereof, at least one pin extending through the sleeve and within the body groove to support the sleeve in its lower position in which the latches extend into the well tool groove, said pin being shearable in response to a downward jar on the body means, and while the latches are in the well tool groove, to permit the sleeve to be moved to its upper position, means automatically responsive to movement of the sleeve to its upper position to prevent its return to its lower position, whereby the wire line tool may be raised from the well tool, said body groove having a portion into which the shear pin may be moved, when the wire line tool is removed from the well tool, to permit the sleeve to be moved to a position relative to the body means in which the latches are cammed inwardly to their inner positions, and detent means for releasably holding said sleeve from movement to said last-mentioned position.
11. As in claim 10, wherein said sleeve is rotatable about the body means upon release of said detent means, and has additional cam means thereon for forcing said latches to their inner positions as the sleeve is so rotated, and said detent means is disposed between said body portion and sleeve.
12. As in claim 10, wherein the body groove is formed in the outer side of the body portion, and the pin extends tangentially through the sleeve and the body portion.
13. As in claim 11, wherein the body groove is arcuate and formed in the outer diameter of the body portion, and the pin extends tangentially through the sleeve and body portion.
14. A wire line tool for running and/or pulling a well tool having a seat thereon and an annular groove about its inner diameter, comprising a body adapted to be raised and lowered on a wire line, latches carried by the body for inward and outward movement with respect thereto, a sleeve disposed about the body for shifting between upper and lower positions with respect thereto, said sleeve having windows therein disposable opposite the latches in its lower position and a shoulder thereon engageable with the seat to locate the openings opposite the well tool groove, means yieldably urging the latches toward their outer positions and thus through the windows, and beyond the sleeve into the well tool groove, when the sleeve is its lower portion, said body having a groove formed in the outer diameter of a portion thereof, a pin extending through the sleeve and within the body groove to hold the sleeve in its lower position, said pin being shearable in response to a downward jar on the body, and the sleeve having cam means thereon for forcing the latches inwardly and out of the well tool groove, as the sleeve is moved to its upper position, means automatically responsive to movement of the sleeve to its upper position to prevent its return to its lower position, said body groove being arcuate to permit relative rotation between said sleeve and body portion, cam means on the sleeve which is operable, upon such rotation, for forcing said latches inwardly and holding them in their inner positions without shearing the pin, and detent means for releasably holding the sleeve and body portion against rotation.
15. As in claim 14, wherein the latches are carried by said body portion, said last-mentioned cam means is in addition to the first mentioned cam means and arranged to force said latches to their inner positions in response to rotation of said sleeve and body portion with respect to one another, and said detent means is releasably engageable between said body portion and sleeve.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US53627683A | 1983-09-27 | 1983-09-27 | |
| US6-536,276 | 1983-09-27 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1214990A true CA1214990A (en) | 1986-12-09 |
Family
ID=24137857
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000462051A Expired CA1214990A (en) | 1983-09-27 | 1984-08-29 | Wire line running and/or pulling tool |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1214990A (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2560631B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2147336B (en) |
| NL (1) | NL8402692A (en) |
| NO (1) | NO172141C (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2734863B1 (en) * | 1995-05-30 | 1997-08-29 | Pyreneenne De Metallurg Scop S | PROCESS AND MEANS FOR THE SECURITY OF AN OIL WELL IN THE EVENT OF A DEFECT IN THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL LINE OF ITS DOWNHOLE SAFETY VALVE |
| AUPN505295A0 (en) * | 1995-08-28 | 1995-09-21 | Down Hole Technologies Pty Ltd | Retraction system for a latching mechanism of the tool |
| AU707194B2 (en) * | 1995-08-28 | 1999-07-08 | Dht Technologies Limited | Retraction system for a latching mechanism of a tool |
| AUPN651895A0 (en) * | 1995-11-10 | 1995-12-07 | Down Hole Technologies Pty Ltd | Spear head assembly |
| AU703766B2 (en) * | 1995-12-06 | 1999-04-01 | Down Hole Technologies Pty Ltd | Running tool with retraction system for retracting a latching mechanism of said tool |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US1775291A (en) * | 1928-10-15 | 1930-09-09 | William E Niles | Fishing tool |
| US2487456A (en) * | 1946-10-25 | 1949-11-08 | George A Lowrey | Releasing spear |
| US3950021A (en) * | 1974-07-29 | 1976-04-13 | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Pulling and running tool |
| US4265306A (en) * | 1980-03-07 | 1981-05-05 | Otis Engineering Corporation | Latch for well tools |
-
1984
- 1984-08-29 CA CA000462051A patent/CA1214990A/en not_active Expired
- 1984-08-31 GB GB08421990A patent/GB2147336B/en not_active Expired
- 1984-09-04 NL NL8402692A patent/NL8402692A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1984-09-26 NO NO843859A patent/NO172141C/en unknown
- 1984-09-26 FR FR8414780A patent/FR2560631B1/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2560631A1 (en) | 1985-09-06 |
| NO172141C (en) | 1993-06-09 |
| NO843859L (en) | 1985-03-28 |
| NO172141B (en) | 1993-03-01 |
| GB2147336B (en) | 1986-10-01 |
| NL8402692A (en) | 1985-04-16 |
| FR2560631B1 (en) | 1988-03-11 |
| GB8421990D0 (en) | 1984-10-03 |
| GB2147336A (en) | 1985-05-09 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |