US2578900A - Well packer - Google Patents

Description

T. M. RAGAN WELL PACKER Dec. 18, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1946 INVENTOR. Thomas M Boyd/2' BY ATTOBA/A-Kf DDBDDDDODT T. M. RAGAN WELL PACKER Dec. 18, 1951 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1946 INVENTOR. Thomas M. Eayan Patented Dec. 18, 1951 WELL PACKER Thomas M. Ragan, Downey, Calif., assignor to Baker Oil Tools, Inc., Vernon, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 28, 1946, Serial No. 700,028

30 Claims.

This invention relates to well tools, and more particularly to well packers adapted to be anchored firmly against the walls of well casings and similar conduits.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bridge plug for an oil or gas well which is capable of being anchored to a well conduit against longitudinal movement in both directions, and which also has means for preventing passage of fluid in both longitudinal directions through the plug, such means being brought into play contemporaneously with the setting of the plug against the well casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a well packer capable of functioning as a bridge plug and of being anchored to a well conduit against longitudinal movement in both directions by manipulating the running-in string employed in lowering the well packer in the conduit to the desired setting point.

A further object of the invention is to provide a well packer capable of being anchored to a well conduit against longitudinal movement in both directions, in which the central passage through the packer is open to permit by-passing of fluid during lowering of the packer through the well conduit, and wherein the passage is automatically closed simultaneously with the anchoring of the packer against the well conduit.

It is another object of the invention to provide a compact well packer capable of being anchored to a well conduit'against movement in both longitudinal directions.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a well packer embodying an improved valve mechanism for facilitating lowering of the packer through the fluid in .a well bore, the valve mechanism being brought into operative position to close a passage through the well packer contemporaneously with anchoring of the packer in the well bore.

This invention has other objects that will become apparent from a consideration of the embodiments in the drawings forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail to illustrate the general principles of the invention, but it is to be understood that such detailed description isnot to be taken in a limited sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through an embodiment of the invention, with its parts in position for lowering in a well conduit.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the well plug anchored to the well conduit against movement in one longitudinal direction.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the well plug anchored to the conduit against movement in both longitudinal directions.

Fig. 4 is a cros-section taken along the line 4-4 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken along the line 55 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a, longitudinal section through another form of the invention.

In its general aspects, the invention contemplates 2. well packer particularly designed to function as a bridge plug in a well casing or similar well conduit. This packer is comparatively compact in over-all length, by reason of its novel construction and arrangement of parts. It is provided with anchoring means at its upper end for anchoring the packer to the well casing against movement in a downward direction, and anchoring means at its lower portion for preventing upward movement of the well packer or plug in the well casing.

The anchoring devices are normally retracted and may both be brought into play as a result of moving the running-in string, to which the well packer is attached, longitudinally in the well casing. More specifically, the taking of an upward strain on the running-in string efiects the setting of both upper and lower anchoring devices to hold the well packer against movement in both directions in the well casing. The setting action may occur, however, as a result of a different mode of operation.

The invention also contemplates a novel valve arrangement which is normally held open to permit upward Icy-passing of the well fluid through the well packer during its lowering on the running-in string through the well bore. This valve device is permitted to close contemporaneously with'the setting of the anchoring means against the wall of the well casing. When permitted to lower end fits within the upper portion of a tubular plug body i3, to which it is suitably and detachably secured by one or more shear screws Hi.

The body It carries packing and slip devices for anchoring the plug in leak-proof relation against the casing to prevent its movement in both longitudinal directions therewithin. The upper portion of the body carries packing and anchoring means l5 for preventing the packer from moving in a downward direction and for precluding downward by-passing of fluid between the packer body and the wall of the casing. Similarly, the lower portion of the body carries anchoring and packing devices l6 for preventing fluid flow and movement of the packer in the opposite direction.

An abutment common to both the upper and lower anchoring members of the tool, is slidably mounted on the exterior of the body intermediate its ends, and includes a central plate l8 engaging opposed upper and lower disks I9, 20. An upper expander 2| is slidably mounted on the body and has a downwardly and inwardly tapering surface 22 slidably engaging complemental tapered surfaces 23 interiorly of a plurality of segmental slips 24, whose lower ends abut or are adjacent the upper disk l9, and whose inner faces engage a shoulder 25 formed on the disk. These slips are held initially in retracted position by a plurality of shear screws 26 securing them to the conical expander 2|.

A packing 2'! of general cup shape is attached to the expander 2|, with its base portion 28 clamped between the expander and the enlarged upper portion of a sleeve 29 threaded into the expander. This sleeve carries a suitable side seal 39 in a packing ring groove 3| and is also provided with a downwardly and inwardly tapering groove 32 receiving a split, lock ring 33 whose interior surface 3% is roughened or wickered for engagement with the exterior of the body l3, and whose outer surface 35 is tapered downwardly and inwardly for downward wedging engagement against the tapered surface of the sleeve groove 32. The packing cup 2'! faces in an upward direction and has an upper lip 36 slidably engaging the wall of the casing. The packing cup 27 and side seal 30 cooperatively prevent downward passage of fluid between the body 13 and easing B.

The lower portion of the body l3 has a sleeve 31 threaded to it, which extends upwardly along the exterior of the body into threaded engagement with a lower expander 38 whose exterior surface 39 is inclined in an upward and inward direction for slidable engagement with companion interior surfaces 59 on a plurality of segmental slips 5|, which engage the lower abutment disk 20, and whose inner surfaces engage a shoulder 52 on the lower disk, thus determining the inward retracted position of the slips. The lower slips are initially held in retracted position by a plurality of shear screws 43 attaching them to the lower expander 38.

A packing cup M1 is also clamped between the lower expander 38 and an enlarged portion on the lower sleeve 37. This packing cup faces in a downward direction with its lip 45 slidably engaging the wall of the casing. To ensure against leakage between the lower sleeve 31' and body IS, a suitable side seal or packing ring 45 may be carried in a rin groove in the sleeve for engagement against the exterior of the body. It is evident that the packing cup 45. and side seal tdprevent passage of fluid in an upward direction between the casing wall and body.

In order to ensure snug engagement between the abutment I? and upper and lower slips 24, 4|, a plurality of circularly spaced springs 48 may be carried in pockets 49 in the abutment plate ll, bearing against the upper disk l9 and tending to hold both disks I9, 20 firmly against the ends of the slips.

A sleeve actuator 50 is held initially in an upward position within the body l3, leakage therebetween being prevented by suitable side seals 5| positioned in grooves 52 in the exterior of the sleeve and engaging the inner wall of the body. This sleeve 59 has an actuator pin 53 extending transversely through it in opposite directions and through opposed-longitudinal slots 54 in the body into holes 55 in the upper expander 2|, providing a firm and rigid connectionbetween the actuator sleeve and the upper expander. The sleeve 50 extends below the actuator pin 53 and is provided with a lower valve seat 56 engageable by a valve head 5'! mounted on a stem 58 slidable in a guide 59 integral with a spider, 60, which is fixed with respect to the body by virtue of its being threaded into the lower portion of the lower sleeve 31. The head 5? is urged in an upward direction by a helical spring 5| engaging the guide and head. The extent of upward movement of the head and its attached stem is limited by contact of a transverse pin 62, passing through the lower end of the valve stem 58, with the lower end of the guide 59.

The well packer A is run in a well casing B with the parts in the position disclosed in Fig. 1, and with a trip ball 63 in the upper portion of the plug body above the upper valve seat 64 on the actuator sleeve 50. When in this position, the slips 24; 4| are in retracted position and both the actuator sleeve 50 and upper expander 2|, attached to it through the agency of the actuator pin 53, are in a relative upward position along the packer body IS, the pin being at the upper ends of the longitudinal body slots 54. The transverse pin 62 on the lower valve device prevents further upward movement of the valve head 5'! with respect to the body and secures it in a position below and spaced from the lower valve seat 56 on the actuator sleeve.

The device is lowered through the fluid in the well casing, such fluid passing upwardly through the central passage 65 in the body by flowing through the spider 60 and around the lower valve device 51, 56 and through the actuator sleeve 50, unseating the trip ball 63 from its seat 64 in an upward direction and continuing upwardly through the slots 66 in the setting tool body |2 to a point above the well packer. It is apparent that fluid is prevented from passing in an upward direction around the body I3 by the downwardly facing packing cup 14 and the lower side seal #6, which supplements the sealing action of the threaded connection of the lower sleeve 37 on the body. When the point in the well casing is reached at which the plug is to be anchored, further downward movement is stopped and the wire line C is moved upwardly to initiate and actually produce setting of both sets of slips 24, 4| against the casing 13.

As explained in my application for Well Plug, Ser. No. 607,980, filed July 31, 1945, now Patent No. 2,507,270, granted May 9, 1950, if the hydrostatic head of fluid in the well casing above the Ewell plug is sufhcient, the well plug may be set 5 by the taking of an upward pull on the wire line C, which pull is transmitted to the packer body l3 through the intermediary of the sinkerbar It, setting tool H, i2 and shear screw Hi. The bydrostatic head of fluid above the well packer resists. upward movement of the entire mechanism within the casing. More particularly, the fluid is acting downwardly on the trip ball 53 and actuator sleeve 5%: over the entire internal area of the plug body It, and is also acting over the entire area of the annulus between the body 13 and easing wall in view of the sealing engagement of the packing cup 2'! against the casing wall and of the side seal 3t against the surface of the body. As a result, the actuator sleeve 58 and the packing cup 21,, together with the sleeve 29; and expander 2| secured to it, are prevented from moving, in an upward direction. The upward strain placed on the plug body I3 is, however, trans mitted to the lower sleeve 31 and lower expander 38, attached to the lower portion of the body, and through the lower shear screws 43, slips 4.! and common abutment I! to the upper slips 24.

The upper shear screws 28 have a lesser shear value than the lower shear screws 43 and these sets of shear screws have a much lesser shear strength than the shear screws l4. holding the setting tool body E2 to the plug body it. Because of this relative strength of the shear screws, the exertion of sufficient pulling effort on the plug body [3 through the running-in string C will first overcome the shear value of the upper slip screws 26, disrupting them and allowing the plug body l3- to move in an upward direction, carrying the lower sleeve 31, lower packing cup M, lower expander 33, lower slips 4!, common abutment l?- an increase in the strain on the wire line C and attached plug body i3 will shear the lower slip. screws 43 and move and shift the lower expander 38 in an upward direction within the lower slips 41, sliding them outwardly along the common abutment It in a radial direction into engagement with the wall. of the casing, as seen in Fig. 3.

The lock device 32, 33 provided between the upper sleeve 29 and plug body l3 permits the plug body to move in an upward direction within the sleeve, but prevents its downward shifting with respect to the sleeve, since any tendency for the body to so move wedges the lock ring 33 in the tapered groove 32 and causes its wickers 34 to grip the exterior of the plug body firmly. It is, there fore, apparent that downward movement of. the plug body is prevented by the lock ring 33, which transmits downward forces through the sieeve 28 and upper expander 21 to the upper slips 2.4 and casing 13. Similarly, any tendency of the plug body to move upwardly is resisted by the transmission of the upward force through the lower sleeve 3? and lower expander 35, and through the lower slips M to the casing wall. Not only do the upper and lower sets of slips 2-4, t! prevent downward and upward movements of the well packer, but the upper and lower packing cups 21, 44 and the upper and lower side sea s 30, 46 prevent both downward and upward movements of fluid through the annu us between the plug body and casing.

It is to be noted, as men-tionedabove, that the valve head 5'! is initially held ina downward position with respect to its. cooperable valve seat 56 on the lower end of the actuator sleeve to, in. order to permit the by-passing of fluid through the packer during its lowering in. the well casing to the desired setting point. The movement of the. actuator sleeve 50- in a downward direction with respect to the body [3, for the purpose of anchoring the upper, downwardly holding slips E l against the casing, shifts the valve seat 55 closer tothe valve head, as evident. from Fig. 2. This movement is referred to as a relative moven-ient, because the actuator sleeve 50 remains sta tionary while the plug body I3 is moved upwardly to bring the valve head closer to its cooperable valve seat. A continuation of, the upward movement of the plug body l3 to effect anchoring of the lower, upwardly holdingslips 4! against the casing B brings the valve head 51 in contact with the valve seat 56 and presses it downwardly against the action of its spring 6| to place the retaining pin 62 below and spaced from the guide 59, thereby enabling the spring 6| to exert its spring force against the head and hold it firmly in engagement with the lower valve seat 55.

It is, therefore, seen that the valve head is held from its seat during lowering of the tool through the fluid in the well casing to permit Icy-passing of fluid through the packen'thus facilitating its lowering to the desired setting point. However, such upward passage of the fluid through the well packer. is prevented by closing of the upwardly seating valve 5? against its seat 55', as a result of anchoring the slips 2-4, H against the well casing. Fluid is. not only prevented from moving in an upward direction by the lower valve 51, 56, but is also prevented from moving in a downward direction by engagement of the upper trip ball 63 with its cooperable seat 64 at the upper end of the actuator sleeve 50-. The two valves preclude movement of fluid in both directions through the packer body, the upper and lower packings 27, 33, 4-4, 46 forestalling; passage of fluid in; both directions through the annulus be.- tweenv the packer body l3 and casing B. As a result, a fluid tight seal across the entire area of the casing is provided.

Any tendency for fluid above the plug to shift the upper trip ball 53 and actuator sleeve 50 in a downward direction is resisted by transmission of the downward shifting force through. the actuator pin 53 and upper expander 2 l to the upper slips 2 1, which are anchored to the casing. Likewise, any tendency of fluid under pressure from below the Well packer to shift. the sleeve 58 in an upward direction isresisted by transmission or they upward force from the lower head 5'?- and actuator sleeve 55 through a circuitous path, to

= the lower set of upwardlyholding slips 4!. Such path of transmission proceeds from the lower head and actuator sleeve, through the actuator pin 53 to the upper expander 2! and upper sleeve- 29, thence through the wedged lock 33 to the body [3 of the tool, and from this body through the lower sleeve 31' and lower expander 38 to the lower set of slips 4!, which are embedded in the casing to prevent upward movement of the entire packer device.

It is, accordingly, apparent that a well packer has been provided which. resists movement against the casing in both longitudinal directions as Well, as preventing passage of fluid in both longitudinal directions. The packer prevents the upward passage of any fluids, such as gas, from a point below the packer, and also prevents any fluid that might be in the casing above the packer from flowing to a region therebelow. The entire mechanism is relatively short and compact and does not occupy much space in the well casing. It is preferred that substantially all of the parts be made of readily drillable materials in order that the packer may be disintegrated by a drill bit in the event its removal from the casing is desired.

The packer device is comparatively simple, both in construction and mode of operation. It is only necessary to lower the packer on the running-in string C to the desired setting point and take an upward strain on the wire line, to release both sets of slips from retracted positions and urge them radially outward into firm anchoring engagement with the casing. After the well packer has been thus anchored to the casing, an increase in the strain to the desired degree will shear the screws I4 holding the setting tool ll, I2 to the plug body l3, and permit withdrawal of the running-in string and setting tool to the top of the well bore.

Although the invention has been particularly described in connection with a wire line type of running-in string, the packer A may be lowered in the well casing on a tubular string and its set ting initiated by pump pressure. As disclosed in Fig. 6, the lower end of a tubular string D is secured to the plug body [3 by shear screws 14. The trip ball 63 may or may not be in place above its cooperable seat 64. If not, it can be dropped down the tubing string, after the packer has been lowered to the desired location, into engagement with the seat 64' at the upper end of the actuator sleeve 50. Pump pressure is then imposed on the fluid in the tubing string D to shear the upper screws 26 and shift the actuator sleeve 50 and connected upper expander 2| downwardly along the body 13, urging the slips 24 radially outward against the wall of the casing. An upward strain may now be taken on the tubing string D and plug body I3 to shear the lower screws 43 and shift the lower expander 38 within the upper slips 4|, urging the latter members outwardly into engagement with the well casing.

The packer has thus been anchored to the well casing against movement in both longitudinal 'directions. The setting of the upper slips 24 against the casing has positioned the actuator sleeve and its lower valve seat 56 closer to the valve head 51 and the subsequent elevation of the plug body l3 to set the lower slips 4| against the casing has brought the valve head 51 into functional engagement with the valve seat 56.

An increase in the upward strain on the tubing string will shear the screws I4 securing it to the body [3 and permit its withdrawal from the well casing B.

The plug may also be set completely by the taking of an upward pull on the tubing string D, in the same manner as setting was produced by the wire line C. The plug may also be set fully by pump pressure by employing shear screws 43 of lesser total shear strength than the upper screws 26. The application of pressure to the fluid in the tubing string D will first shear the screws 43 and shift the actuator sleeve 50, upper expander 2!, slips 24, abutment H and lower slips 4| downwardly along the body l3, moving the slips 4! radially into anchoring engagement with the casing. An increase in the fluid pressure will then shear the screws 26 and allow the sleeve 50' and upper expander 2| to shift down along ill the body l3, with the expander moving the slips 24 out against the casing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A well packer, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander means and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, and means comprising packing means on said body above and engaging said upper expander means for shifting said upper slips relatively along said upper expander means and into engagement with said casing.

2. A well packer, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander'means and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, and packing means on said body above and engaging said upper expander means for effecting an annular seal between said body and casing during lowering of said packer in said casing.

3. A well packer, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander means and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, and a'packing cup on said upper expander means engageable with said casing during lowering of said packer in the well casing.

4. A well packer, including a body, upper ex pander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, and well casing engaging packing means on said upper expander means, said packing means slidably engaging the casing during lowering of the packer in the casing.

5. A well packer, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of casing engaging slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, abutment means movable longitudinally along said body and engageable with said upper and lower slips, and casing engaging packing means on said upper expander means, said packing means slidably engaging the casing during lowering of the packer in the casing.

6. A well packer, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower casing engaging slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, abutment means between said upper and lower slips movable longitudinally along said body and engageable with said upper and lower slips, and upper and lower casing engaging packing means on said upper and lower expander means, respectively, one of said packing means being slidable along the casing during lowering of the packer in the well casing and hydraulically movable along said body for shifting one of said expanders, upper slips and lower slips along said body to engage said upper and lower slips with the well casing.

'7. A well packer, as defined in'claim 6, wherein said upper expander means and upper slips coact with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coact with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against upward movement,

8. A well tool, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both downward and upward movement, and hydraulically actuated means movable along said body for shifting said upper expander, upper slips and lower slips in a relative downward direction along said body to engage said upper and lower slips with a well casing.

9. A well tool, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body,

lower expander means on said body, upper and lower casing engaging slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, abutment means between said upper and lower slips movable longitudinally along said body and engageable with said upper and lower slips, and hydraulically actuated means movable along said body for shifting said upper expander, upper slips and lower slips in a relative downward direction along said body to engage said upper and lower slips with a well casing.

10. A well tool, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower casing engaging slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, and means on said upper expander means engageable with a well casing while said upper and lower slips are in retracted position to resist upward movement of said upper expander means and enable an upward pull on said bod to shift both of said slips along their respective expander means into engagement with said casing. i

11. A well tool, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower casing engaging slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, and means on one of said expander means engageable with a well casing while said upper and lower slips are in retracted position to resist movement in one longitudinal direction of said one expander means and enable movement of said body in said one longitudinal direction to shift said upper and lower slips along their respective expander means into engagement with said casing.

12. A well tool, including a body having a passage, a first valve member movable in said passage, a second valve member adapted to engage said first member to close said passage, said second valve member having a valve stem, means secured to said body and engageable with said stem to prevent closing engagement between said valve members when said first valve member occupies one position in said passage, and means movable downwardly intoengagement with said first valve member for shifting it into engagement with said second valve member.

13. A well tool, including a body having a passage, a first valve member movable in saidpassage, a guide secured to said body, a second valve member adapted to engage said first member to close said passage and having a stem slidable in said guide, means on said stem engageable with said guide to prevent closing engagement between said valve members when said first valve member occupies one position in said passage, and means movable downwardly into engagement with said first valve member for shifting it into engagement with said second valve member.

14. A well tool, including a unitary body having a passage, a first valve member slidable in said passage, a guide secured to said body, a second valve member having a stem slidable in said guide, spring means bearing against said second member and guide for urging said second member into engagement with said first member, means between said stem and guide to prevent such engagement when said first valve member occupies one position in said passage, and hydraulically operable means for shifting said first valve member within said body into engagement with said second valve member to restrict fiuid flow through said body.

15. A well tool, including a unitary having a passage, a first valve member slidable downwardly in said passage, a guide secured to said body, a second valve member having a stem slidable in said guide, spring means bearing against said second member and guide for'urging said second member upwardly into engagement with said first member, means between said stem and guide to limit the extent of upward movementof said second member to prevent closing engagement between said members when said first member occupies one position in said passage, and hy draulically operable means for shifting said first valve member within said body into engagement with said second valve member to restrict fluid flow through said body.

16; A well tool, including a unitary body having a passage, a valve seat slidably mounted in said passage, a guide secured to said body, a valve head engageable with said seat to close said passage, a stem slidable in said guide and secured to said head, a spring bearing against said guide and head to urge said head upward 1y toward said seat, means between said stem and guide for limiting the extent of upward movement of said head to prevent engagement between said valve seat and head, and means movable downwardly into engagement with said seat for moving said valve ,seat downwardly relative to said body into engagement with said head.

17. A well tool, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coaoting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander means and slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, a first releasable means securing said upper slips initially in'retracted position, a second releasable means securing said lower slips initially in retracted position, and hydraulically operable means slidable in said body and connected to one of said expander means for shifting said one expander means along said body and its coacting slips outwardly against the casing.

18. A well tool, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander means and slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, first frangible means securing said upper slips initially in retracted position, second frangible means securing said lower slips initially in retracted position, said first frangible means having a substantially different shear value than said second frangible means, and hydraulically operable means slidable in said body and connected to one of said expander means for shifting said one expander means along said body and its coacting slips outwardly against the casing.

19. A well packer, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander means and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, first frangible means securing said upper slips initially in retracted position, second frangible means securing said lower slips initially in retracted position, said first frangible means having a substantially lesser shear value than said second frangible means, packing means on said body above said upper expander means for effecting an annular seal between said body and casing during lowering of said packer in said casing, and hydraulically operable means slidable in said body and connected to one of said expander means for shifting said one expander means along said body and its coacting slips outwardly against the casing.

20. A well tool, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower casing engaging slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively,

to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, abutment means between said upper and lower slips movable longitudinally along said body and engageable with said upper and lower slips, first frangible means securing said upper slips initially in retracted position, second frangible means securing said lower slips in retracted position, said first frangible means having a substantially lower shear value than said second frangible means, upper and lower casing engaging packing means on said upper and lower expander means, respectively, and hydraulically operable means slidable in said body and connected to said upper expander means for shifting said upper expander 12 means along said body and said upper slips outwardly against the casing.

21. A well packer, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower casing engaging slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, abutment means between said upper and lower slips movable longitudinally along said body and engageable with said upper and lower slips, upper and lower casing engaging packing means on said upper and lower expander means, respectively, and hydraulically operable means shiftable within said body and connected to said upper expander means for effecting its relative shifting along said body within said upper slips to engage said upper slips with a casing.

22. A well tool, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander means and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upper movement, and hydraulically operable means shiftable within said body and connected to said upper expander means for effecting its relative shifting along said body within said upper slips to engage said upper slips with said casing 23. A well packer, including a body, a tapered upper expander slidably mounted on said body, a tapered lower expander secured to said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expanders, respectively, said upper expander and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a casing against downward movement and said lower expander and said lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, an upwardly facing packing cup on said upper expander engageable with said casing, a downwardly facing packing cup on said lower expander engageable with said casing, and hydraulically operable means shiftable within said body and connected to said upper expander for effecting its relative shifting along said body within said upper slips to engage said upper slips with said casing.

24. A well packer, including a body, a tapered upper expander slidably mounted on said body, a tapered lower expander secured to said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expanders, respectively, said upper expander and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a casing against downward movement and said lower expander and said lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, an upwardly facing packing cup on said upper expander engageable with said casing, a downward facing packing cup on said lower expander engageable with said casing, first frangible means securing said upper slips in retracted position to said upper expander, second frangible means secur ing said lower slips in retracted position to said lower expander, said first frangible means having a substantially lower shear value than said second frangible means, and hydraulically operable means shiftable within said body and 13 connected to said upper expander for effecting its relative shifting along said body within said upper slips to engage said upper slips with said casing.

25. A well tool, including a body having a passage, an annular first valve member shiftable in said passage, a guide secured to said body, a second valve member adapted to engage said first member to close said passage and having a stem slidable in said guide, means on said stem engageable with said guide to prevent initial closing engagement between said valve members, and means movable downwardly into engagement with said annular first valve member for shifting it into engagement with said second valve member.

26. A well tool, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively,

said upper expander means and upper slips eoacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, and hydraulically operable means slidable in said body and connected to one of said expander means for shifting said one expander means along said body and its coacting slips outwardly against the casing.

27. A well tool, including a body, upper and lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander means and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, a sleeve slidable in said body and connected to one of said expander means, and means for closing the passage through said sleeve to enable it to be shifted hydraulically relative to said body and thereby shift said one expander means along said body and its coacting slips outwardly against the casing.

28. A well packer, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, said upper expander means and upper slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to a well casing against downward movement and said lower expander means and lower slips coacting with each other to anchor said body to said casing against upward movement, a packing on said upper expander means engageable with said casing during lowering of said packer in the well casing, said body having a passage therethrough for by-passing fluid around said packing during lowering of said packer in the 14 well casing, and means for closing the passage through said body to enable said packing to shift said upper expander means hydraulically relative to the body and expand said upper slips against the well casing.

29. A well packer, including a body, upper expander means mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, one of said expander means being movable on said body, upper and lower separate sets of slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a Well casing against both upward and downward movement, a packing on said one expander means engageable with said casing during lowering of said packer in the well casing, said body having a passage for lay-passing fluid around said packing during lowering of said packer in the well casing, and means for closing the passage through said body to enable said packing to shift said one expander means hydraulically along the body and its coacting slips outwardly against the well casing.

30. A well packer, including a body, upper expander means slidably mounted on said body, lower expander means on said body, upper and lower casing engaging slips coacting with said upper and lower expander means, respectively, to anchor said body to a well casing against both upward and downward movement, abutment means between said upper and lower slips movable longitudinally along said body and engageable With said upper and lower slips, upper and lower casing engaging packing means on said upper and lower expander means, respectively, a sleeve slidable in said body and connected to said upper expander means, said sleeve having a passage therethrough for by-passing fluid around said upper and lower packing means, and means for closing the passage through said sleeve to enable it to be shifted hydraulically relative to said body to slide said upper expander means on said body and expand the upper slips outwardly against the well casing.

THOMAS M. RAGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,860,467 Mack May 31, 1932 2,043,979 Barkelew et al. June 16, 1936 2,059,631 Erwin Nov. 3, 1936 2,121,002 Baker June 21, 1938 2,187,481 Baker et al. Jan. 16, 1940 2,187,482 Baker et al. Jan. 16, 1940 2,189,697 Baker Feb. 6, 1940 2,225,143 Baker et al. Dec. 17, 1940 2,228,630 Kail Jan. 14, 1941 2,324,814 Beene et al. July 20, 1943

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