US3233677A

US3233677A - Tubing flow control valve

Info

Publication number: US3233677A
Application number: US282651A
Authority: US
Inventors: William D Myers
Original assignee: Baker Oil Tools Inc
Current assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
Priority date: 1963-05-23
Filing date: 1963-05-23
Publication date: 1966-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 1983-02-08

Description

Feb. 8, 1966 W. D. MYERS TUBING FLOW CONTROL VALVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 25, 1963 INVENTOR. WLL/AVM D0 MYERS BY WWW flrroe/vEys.

Feb. 8, 1966 w. D. MYERS 3,233,677

TUBING FLOW CONTROL VALVE Feb. 8, 1966 w. D. MYERS TUBING FLOW CONTROL VALVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 16. 4.

Filed May 23, 1963 INVENTOR. m1. IFM/I D. M YEQS 3,233,677 Patented Feb. 8, 1966 3,233,677 TUBING FLOW CONTROL VALVE William D. Myers, Houston, Tex., assignor to Baker Oil Tools, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.., a corporation of California Filed May 23, 1963, Ser. No. 282,651 12 Claims. (Cl. 166226) The present invention relates to subsurface well bore apparatus, and more particularly to valve apparatus to control flow of fluid in a tubular string disposed in a well bore.

An object of the invention is to provide valve apparatus adapted to be embodied in a tubular string disposed in a well bore and capable of being releasably retained in an open, as well as in a closed, condition, shifting of the valve apparatus between open and closed conditions being obtainable repeatedly with the valve apparatus remaining in the well bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide valve apparatus adapted to be embodied in a tubular string disposed in a well bore and which is capable of preventing flow back of fluid through the tubular string after a zone in the well bore has been subject to a stimulation treatment and while moving the apparatus to another zone in the well bore.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved valve apparatus adapted for incorporation in a tubular string to be disposed in a well bore and capable of functioning as a tester valve for a well bore form-m tion or zone.

An additional object of the invention is to provide valve apparatus adapted for incorporation in a tubular string to be disposed in a well bore, the valve apparatus being readily and rapidly shiftable to open position in the performance of a formation zone stimulation treatment in the well bore. Shifting to open position can be accomplished repeatedly and quickly to allow the performance of plural zone stimulation operations, provided that the tubular string is swabbed between treatments.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of several forms in which it.

may be embodied. Such forms are shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURES 1 and 1a together constitute a longitudinal section through valve apparatus disposed in a well casing, with the valve in open position, FIG. 1a being a lower continuation of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 2 and 2a are views corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 1a with the valve in closed position, FIG. 2a being a lower continuation of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section of a latch portion of the apparatus in the position disclosed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken along the line 4-4 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line 5--5 on FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section taken along the line 6-6 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, with the parts in another relative position;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section illustrating a modified form of the lower portion of the inner mandrel of the valve apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, inclusive.

A valve apparatus A is disclosed in the drawings and is adapted to be secured to and actually form part of a tubular string B disposed in a well casing C, the tubular string extending downwardly from the top of the well bore. The apparatus may be secured to a suitable packer D to be anchored in packed-off condition in the well bore above a formation zone, such as disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,802,534. The valve apparatus is capable of being manipulated in eliecting a test of a formation zone below the packer, as, for example, when the valve A is run in the well bore in a closed condition and then opened after setting of the packer therein, or the valve can be manipulated to stimulate the formation zone. Stimulation can occur repeatedly, if desired, without removing the apparatus from the well bore.

The valve apparatus A includes an inner mandrel or tubular member 10 having an upper threaded pin 11 for tlhreaded attachment to an adjacent coupling 12 or section of the tubing string B that extends to the top of the well bore. This inn-er tubular member is piloted within an outer tubular member or housing 13. Such housing consists of a plurality of sections threadedly secured together. As shown, a lower section or sub 14 is threaded to an intervening coupling 15, which is, in turn, threaded to the lower end of an upper section 16 threadedly secured to an upper sub or head 17. The coupling 15 provides a cylindrical valve seat 18, the inside diameter 19 of the lower section 14 being substantially greater than the diameter of the valve seat to permit flow of fluid around the lower portion 20 of the mandrel when the latter is shifted downwardly in the housing to place a plurality of mandrel side ports 21 below the coupling 15 and within the enlarged diameter housing space 19.

The mandrel carries upper and

lower seal rings

22, 23 adapted to effect a sealing fit with the cylindrical valve seat 18 to prevent upward passage of fluid from the lower housing section 14 through the ports 21 to the interior of the mandrel. The lower section 20 of the mandrel is separate from the main upper portion thereof, being threadedly secured to the latter, and also serving to retain the lower seal 23 in position on the mandrel. This lower section may have a lower valve seat 24 thereon adapted to be engaged by a flapper valve (head 25 suitably secured to an arm 26 pivotally mounted on a hinge pin 27 secured to the lower portion 20 of the mandrel member 10. The flapper valve 25 is adapted to swing downwardly to a position fully opening the passage 28 through the mandrel and is shiftable upwardly into engagement with its seat 24 to close such central passage against upward flow of fluid thereinto through its lower end. Leakage of fluid between the valve head 25 and its companion seat 24 may be prevented by a suitable seal ring or gasket 29 on the valve head adapted to engage the valve seat.

The mandrel It) is adapted to be releasably retained in its upper position within the outer housing 13 to close its side ports 21 (FIGS. 2, 2a), or it can be releasably retained in a lower position within the housing in which the side ports 21 are disposed below the cylindrical valve seat 18, which is the open condition (FIGS. 1, la). As shown, a latch sleeve 30 is mounted in an annular space 31 between the mandrel 10 and outer housing or body 13, the upper portion 32 of the latch sleeve being circumferentially continuous and its lower portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots 33 opening through the lower end of the sleeve and providing spring-like latch arms 34 having intermediate externally threaded head portions 35 and lower latch finger portions 36. The threaded heads 35 engage a companion internal thread 37 in the body or housing 13,. the threads being of a buttress type to permit upward ratcheting of the threads on the heads 35 along the internal threads 37, but preventing downward ratcheting of the threaded heads along the body thread.

When the latch sleeve 30 is in its uppermost position within the housing 13, as shown in FIG. 2, the outer portions 38 of the latch fingers engage a restricted portion 39 in the body 13 to hold the inner portion 4-0 of the latch fingers under a downwardly facing shoulder 41 of the mandrel 14) to prevent downward movement of the mandrel within the housing 13 from its uppermost position. When in this uppermost position, an upper shoulder 42 on the mandrel is disposed immediately below an inner downwardly directed shoulder 43 on the circumferentially continuous portion 32 of the latch sleeve, the latch sleeve, as stated above, then being in its upper position within the housing 13.

When the latch sleeve 3% is rotated to the right with respect to the housing or body 13, it will move downwardly therealong to shift its fingers 36 downwardly out of the restricted body portion 39 and into an enlarged internal diameter portion 44 of the housing, whereupon the fingers 36 can shift outwardly so that their inner portions 40 are removed from holding relation to the lower mandrel stop shoulder 41, the mandrel 10 then being free to be shifted downwardly within the housing 13 to dispose its ported valve head 25 in a downward position and its ports 21 below the cylindrical valve seat 18, which is the open condition illustrated in FIGS. 1, la. Rotation of the latch sleeve 3% is obtained by rotating the tubular string B and the mandrel 11 attached thereto, the rotary motion of the mandrel being transmitted from a plurality of longitudinal keys 50 suitably secured to the mandrel and disposed in the slots 33 between the latch arms 34. After the latch sleeve 30 has been rotated sufiiciently to lower its holding fingers 36 from engagement with the restricted portion 39 of the body, and the mandrel 10 has been shifted downwardly, as permitted by downward sliding of the keys 50 within the latch sleeve slots 33, the upper ends 51 of the keys are disposed within a counterbore 52 of the connector section 15 of the outer body 13, such upper ends of the keys being located at the lower portion of the fingers 36. It is to be noted that the lower end of the fingers have recesses 53 (FIG. formed in their leading portions (as regards right-hand rotation of the fingers), providing longitudinal stop surfaces 54 in the lower finger terminal portions 5'5 engageable by the trailing sides 56 of the keys to dispose the upper ends 51 of the keys below the downwardly facing surfaces 57 of the fingers defining the recesses 53. Accordingly, after downward shifting of the mandrel 19 within the housing 13 to move the ports 21 to open position, which will place the upper portions 51 of the keys in alignment with the recesses 53, the turning of the tubular string B and mandrel 14B slightly to the left will shift the keys out of the aligned slots 33 and into the recesses 53, the upper ends 51 of the keys then being in position to engage the lower ends 57 of the fingers, which will lock or releasably retain the mandrel in its lower position, since the mandrel cannot then shift upwardly within the housing 13. Upward shifting is prevented by engagement of the keys 50 with the finger shoulders 57, and by virtue of the fact that the latch sleeve 30 is threaded to the body or housing 13 of the valve apparatus. The threaded heads 35 of the latch arms 34 cannot shift inwardly at this time, since an enlarged diameter portion 69 of the mandrel 1 3 is disposed behind the heads, as is evident from PEG. 1.

In the event it is desired to reclose the ports 21, the tubular string B and mandrel 10 are turned to the right, the housing 13 being prevented from shifting to the right by virtue of the holding action of the well packer D, which is set in the well casing C. The keys will turn until their leading faces 61 engage the trailing surfaces st: of the lower finger extensions 55, which will positively locate the keys in alignment with the longitudinal slots 33 between latch arms 34.

The tubular string B and mandrel 10 can then be elevated, which will shift the mandred upwardly within the housing 13 and the latch sleeve 30 until the mandrel shoulder 42 engages the latch sleeve shoulder 43. At this time, a reduced diameter or relieved portion 63 of the mandrel is disposed opposite the threaded heads 35. Accordingly, a continuation of an upward pull on the tubular string B and mandrel 10 will carry the latch sleeve 30 upwardly with them, the threaded heads 35 on the lach arms ratcheting upwardly along the threads 37 of the-housing 13, as permitted by the ability of the threaded heads 35 to spring inwardly and disengage their ratchet threads or teeth from the body threads 37. Such upward shifting of the latch sleeve 30 relocates the latch fingers 36 within the restricted diameter portion 39 of the body 13 and under the shoulder 41 of the mandrel 1%, the valve then being relocked in its closed position, 'such as disclosed in FIGS. 2, 2a.

Since the operation of the lower wellpackerD usually requires the transmission of torque from the tubular string B and mandrel 1% to the housing 13, a one-way ratchet or releasable coupling is provided between the latch sleeve 30 and the body 13 of the tool. The body of the tool has a longitudinal arm '70 formed therein, which has a pawl or ratchet tooth 71 secured thereto adapted to be received within one of a plurality of longitudinal grooves 72 in the exterior of the latch sleeve. One edge 73 of the pawl is beveled or tapered, which will permit the latch sleeve 30 to rotate in a clockwise direction, the trailing sides 74 of the grooves engaging the pawl 71 and shifting it outwardly of the sleeve 30 (FIG. 7). Thus, rotary motion of the inner mandrel 1t and :sleeve 38 with respect to the body 13 can occur in effecting downward threading of the latch sleeve along thebody of the tool, as described hereinabove. Sufiicient torque is required to cam the pawl 71 out of one of the grooves 72 as to allow adequate turning effort of the mandrel and latch sleeve to be transmitted to the housing 13 for the purpose of manipulating the lower well packer D, as, for example, in releasing its lock portion to permit its setting.

The valve device A can be attached to the lower well packer D and disposed initially in either its open or its closed condition, depending upon the operation to be performed in the well bore. As assurance that the valve device will be held initially in its open position, a shear screw (FIG. 1) can, if desired, initially interconnect the upper head or sub 17 of the housing 13 and the mandrel 10. Assuming the lower packer D to be set, a turning of the tubular string B and the mandrel 10 to the right will shear the screw 80 and will then allow the mandrel 10 to be elevated to shift its ported head 45 within the cylindrical seat 18 or to a valve closing position (FIGS. 2, 2a).

If the valve apparatus is to be employed for testing a formation, it can be initially placed in the closed condition illustrated in FIGS. 2, 2a and lowered on the tubular string B, being connected to the lower set-down type of packer D, until the setting point of the latter has been reached. Inasmuch as the valve A is initially in its closed position, the tubing string B will be dry. The imposition of sufficient torque on the tubular string B and mandrel It) will cause such torque to be transmitted through the sleeve 30 and clutch 70-74 to the outer housing 13 and to the packer D for the purpose of releasing the latter, whereupon sufiicient downweight can be imposed through the tubular string B and the valve apparatus A to set the packer D in the well casing C. The rotation of the tubular string and mandrel 10 will now cause such rotation to be transimitted through the keys 5% to the sleeve 30, threading the latter downwardly along the body 13 of the tool until the fingers 36 are disposed in the enlarged diameter portion 44 of the housing, the fingers thus being released from the stop shoulder 41, allowing the mandrel to be moved quickly downwardly to its full open position, such as disclosed in FIGS. 1, 1a, (the shear screw 86 having been omitted), a test being performed on the formation by allowing any formation fluid to flow through the Well packer D upwardly into the lower housing section 14 and through the open ports 21 into the tubular mandrel 10 and the tubing string B. Although the fingers 36 will normally shift out of the way of the mandrel shoulder 41 as a result of downward threading of the sleeve 30 within the housing 13 to a mandrel releasing position as assurance that such outward shifting will occur, the lower ends 9! of the fingers as can be tapered in an upward and inward direction, engaging a companion externally tapered end 91 on the connector or coupling sleeve 15, which will positively cam the fingers outwardly into the enlarged diameter portion 44 of the housing free from engagement with the mandrel stop shoulder 41.

The valve A can be locked in the open position by turning the tubular string 13 and the mandrel 10 to the left to locate the upper portion 51 of the keys in the finger recesses 53 and under the lower shoulder 57 of the fingers. In the event the valve is to be shifted to a closed position, the tubular string and mandrel need merely be turned to the right a slight distance to remove the keys 50 from the recesses 53, the leading faces 61 of the keys engaging the trailing faces 62 of the fingers 36, aligning the keys with the slots 33; whereupon upward movement of the tubular string B and mandrel 10 will shift the mandrel upwardly within the housing 13, the mandrel shoulder 42 engaging the sleeve shoulder 43 and moving the sleeve 30 upwardly with it within the housing 13, the threaded heads 35 ratcheting upwardly past the body threads 37 until the sleeve has been shifted to its initial position in which its fingers 36 are again cammed inwardly, with the inner portions 40 of the fingers disposed under the mandrel shoulder 41 (FIGS. 2, 2a).

The running-in of the tubing string B in a dry state with the valve A closed, and its quick opening, not only can be used in performing a dry test on the formation, but can also effect a stimulation of a producing zone. Following shifting of the valve A to an open condition and its reclosing, the tubing string B can be swabbed to remove the iiuid thereform that entered through the open valve, again placing the tubing string in a substantially dry state, whereupon the valve A can again be manipulated and shifted to the open condition to effect another stimulation of the producing zone. Such stimulation treatments can occur repeatedly merely by opening and closing the valve device, followed by removal of the liquid in the tubing string by a swabbing or similar operation. Multiple stimulations can be effected with only one trip of the apparatus A, D in the well bore, since the valve is readily shifted repeatedly between closed and open conditions without the necessity for removing the apparatus from the well bore.

With the valve A in the closed position, it is latched or locked in that condition to permit release of the packer D, or other apparatus, therebelow and shifting of the entire combination of equipment to another location in the well bore while fluid is prevented from entering the tubing B. The valve can also be locked in its open position to insure equalizing of pressure across the flapper valve member 25 in the event opening of such flapper valve member is desired, as, for example, in connection with running other tools through the tubular string B, the valve apparatus A, and the well packer D to a position therebelow. The difliculty of opening the flapper valve head 25 against pressure is thereby avoided, which not only facilitates movement of other equipment through the apparatus, but prevents the flapper valve head seal 29 from being subject to pressure difierentials that might blow it off the head 25.

In the event it is not desired to move any equipment through the apparatus, the flapper valve 25 need not be used. Instead, the lower end of the mandrel 10 can be closed by a cap threaded on the main portion of the mandrel and also serving to hold the lower mandrel seal 23 in place, such as disclosed in FIG. 8.

I claim:

1. In a valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: an outer member; an inner member within said outer member; said members having a. passage therethrough through which fluid can flow from one member into the other member when said passage is open, said members being movable longitudinally with respect to each other; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy a first relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy a second relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; holding means on said members for releasably preventing substantial longitudinal movement between said members to retain said coengageable means in one of said relative positions and releasable in response to relative rotation between said members to enable said members to move relatively in one of said directions to place said coengageable means in another of said relative positions, said holding means being constructed and arranged to permit said members to move relatively longitudinally in the other of said directions without relative rotation between said members to place said coengageable means in said one of said relative positions; and releasable lock means for releasably preventing relative movement between said members in said other of said directions to retain said coengageable means in said another of said relative positions.

2. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: an outer member; an inner member within said outer member; said members having a passage therethrough through which fluid can flow from one member into the other member when said passage is open, said members being movable longitudinally with respect to each other; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy a first relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy a second relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; holding means on said members for releasably preventing substantial longitudinal movement between said members to retain said coengageable means in said second relative position and releasable in response to relative rotation between said members to enable said members to move longitudinally relative to each other to place said coengageable means in said first. relative position, said holding means being constructed and arranged to permit said members to move relatively longitudinally without relative rotation between said members to place said coengageable means in said second relative position; and releasable lock means for releasably preventing relative movement between said members in said opposite direction to retain said coengageable means in said first relative position.

3. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: an outer member; an inner member within said outer member; said members having a passage therethrough through which fluid can flow from one member into the other member when said passage is open, said members being movable longitudinally with respect to each other; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy a first relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy a second relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; holding means on said members for releasably preventing substantial longitudinal movement between said members to retain said coengageable means in one of said relative positions and releasable in response to relative rotation between said members to enable said members to move relatively in one of said directions to place said coengageable means in another of said relative posi tions, said holding means being constructed and arranged to permit said members to move relatively longitudinally in the other of said directions without relative rotation between said members to place said coengageable means in said one of said relative positions; releasable lock means for releasably preventing relative movement between said members in said other of said directions to retain said coen- :gageable means in said another of said relative positions; and releasable and reengageable means releasably connecting said holding means to one of said members to :resist relative rotation therebetween.

4. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a passage therethrough through which fluid can flow from one member into the other member when said passage is open, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direc tion; holding means on said members for preventing substantial longitudinal movement between said members, said holding means including threaded instrumentalities responsive to relative rotation between said members to shift a portion of said holding means along another portion of said holding means to a position permitting said members to move relatively in one of said longitudinal directions and shift said coengageable means from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said threaded instrumentalities being constructed and arranged to permit said members to move relatively and without rotation in the other of said longitudinal directions to shift said coengageable means back to said one of said positions; and releasable and reengageable lock means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said members in said other direction to retain said coengageable means in said other of said positions.

5. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a passage therethrough through which fluid can flow from one member into the other member when said passage is open, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; holding means on said members for preventing sub- :stantial longitudinal movement between said members, said holding means including threaded instrumentalities responsive to relative rotation between said members to shift a portion of said holding means along another portion of said holding means to a position permitting said members to move relatively in one of said longitudinal directions and shift said coengageable means from closed position to open position, said threaded instrumentalities being constructed and arranged to permit said members to move relatively and without rotation in the other of said longitudinal directions to shift said coengageable means back to closed position; and releasable and recngageable lock means preventing relative longitudinal movement between said members in said other direction to retain said coengageable means in said open position.

6. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a passage therethrough through which fluid can flow from one member into the other member when said passage is open, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; releasable latch means threadedly attached to one of said members in a first location and engageable with said other member to prevent substantial longitudinal movement between said members to retain said coengageable means in one of said positions; means for rotating said latch means relative to said one of said members to thread said latch means along said one member to a second location disengaged from said other member permitting said members to move relatively in one of said directions and shift said coeugageable means to the other of said positions; means responsive to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the other or" said directions for returning said coengageable means to said one position and said latch means to said first location; and releasable and reengageable means preventing relative longitudinal movement between said members in said other of said directions to retain said coengageable means in said other of said positions.

7. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a passage therethrough through which fluid can fiow from one member into the other member when said passage is open, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; releasable latch means threadedly attached to one of said members in a first location and engageable with said other member to prevent substantial longitudinal movement between said members to retain said coengageable means in one of said positions; means on the other of said members for rotating said latch means relative to said one of said members to thread said latch means along said one member to a second location disengaged from said other member permitting said members to move relatively in one of said directions and shift said coengageable means to the other of said positions; means responsive to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the other of said directions for returning said coengageable means to said one position and said latch means to said first location; said rotating means being shiftable into locking relation to said latch means preventing relative longitudinal movement between said members in said other of said directions to retain said coengageable means in said other of said positions.

8. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a passage therethrough through which fluid can flow from one member into the other member when said passage is open, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; latch means having an expansible and contractable threaded portion threadedly attached to one of said members in a first location and engageable with said other aasaevv member to prevent substantial longitudinal movement between said members and retain said coengageable means in closed position; means on said other member for rotating said latch means relative to said one member and thread said latch means along said one member to a second location disengaged from said other member permitting said members to move relatively in one of said directions and shift said coengageable means to open position; means on said other member engageable with said latch means to return said latch means without rotation to said first location during relative movement of said members in the other of said directions to return said coengageable means to a closed position; and releasable and reengageable means preventing relative longitudinal movement be tween said members in the other of said directions to retain said coengageable means in said open position.

9. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a passage therethrough, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; releasable latch means threadedly attached to said outer member in a first location and engageable with said inner member to prevent substantial longitudinal movement between said members to retain said coengageable means in one of said positions; means for rotating said latch means relative to said outer member to thread said latch means along said outer member and to a second location permitting said members to move relatively in one of said directions and shift said coengageable means to the other of said positions; means responsive to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the other of said directions for returning said coengageable means to said one position and said latch means to said first location; and releasable and reengageable means preventing relative longitudinal movement between said members in said other of said directions to retain said coengageable means in said other of said positions.

10. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a passage therethrough, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; releasable latch means threadedly attached to said outer member in a first location and engageable with said inner member to prevent substantial longitudinal movement between said members to retain said coengageable means in one of said positions; means for rotating said latch means relative to said outer member to thread said latch means along said outer member and to a second location permitting said members to move relatively in one of said directions and shift said coengageable means to the other of said positions; means responsive to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the other of said directions for returning said coengageable means to said one position and said latch means to said first location; releasable and reengageable means preventing relative longitudinal movement between said members in said other of said directions to retain said coengageable means in said other of said positions; and releasable and reengageable means releasably connecting said latch means to said outer member to resist relative rotation therebetwcen.

11. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a. passage therethrough, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; latch means having an expansible and contractable threaded portion threadedly attached to said outer member in a first location and engageable with said inner member to prevent substantial longitudinal movement between said members and retain said coengageable means in closed position; means on said inner member for rotating said latch means relative to said outer member and thread said latch means along said outer member to a second location permitting said members to move relatively in one of said directions and shift said coengageable means to open position; means on said inner member engageable with said latch means to return said latch means Without rotation to said first location during relative movement of said members in the other of said directions to return said coengageable means to closed position; said means for rotating said latch means being shiftable into locking relation to said latch means to hold said coengageable means in open position.

12. In valve apparatus adapted to be disposed in a well bore: inner and outer members movable longitudinally with respect to each other and having a passage therethrough, said inner member being within said outer member; coengageable means on said members adapted to occupy one relative position opening said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in one direction and adapted to occupy another relative position closing said passage in response to relative longitudinal movement between said members in the opposite direction; latch means having an expansible and contractable threaded portion threadedly attached to said outer member in a first location and engageable with said inner member to prevent substantial longitudinal movement between said members and retain said coengageable means in closed position; means on said inner member for rotating said latch means relative to said outer member and thread said latch means along said outer member to a second location permitting said members to move relatively in one of said directions and shift said coengageable means to open position; means on said inner member engageable with said latch means to return said latch means without rotation to said first location during relative movement of said members in the other of said directions to return said coengageable means to closed position; said means for rotating said latch means being shiftable into locking relation to said latch means to hold said coengageable means in open position; and a one-way releasable coupling on said latch means and outer member resisting relative rotation therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,121,268 6/1938 Shaffer 251-346 2,675,875 4/1954 Potts 166-226 2,799,345 7/1957 Baker 166-133 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A VALVE APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN A WELL BORE: AN OUTER MEMBER; AN INNER MEMBER WITHIN SAID OUTER MEMBER; SAID MEMBERS HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH THROUGH WHICH FLUID CAN FLOW FROM ONE MEMBER INTO ANOTHER MEMBER WHEN SAID PASSAGE IS OPEN, SAID MEMBER BEING MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER; COENGAGEABLE MEANS ON SAID MEMBERS ADAPTED TO OCCUPY A FIRST RELATIVE POSITION OPENING SAID PASSAGE IN RESPONSE TO RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS IN ONE DIRECTION AND ADAPTED TO OCCUPY A SECOND RELATIVE POSITION CLOSING SAID PASSAGE IN RESPONSE TO RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION; HOLDING MEANS ON SAID MEMBERS FOR RELEASABLY PREVENTING SUBSTANTIAL LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS TO RETAIN SAID COENGAGEABLE MEANS IN ONE OF SAID RELATIVE POSITIONS AND RELEASABLE