US3677346A

US3677346A - Reversible arming method and apparatus for emplacing a locking device in tubing

Info

Publication number: US3677346A
Application number: US99752A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jack W Tamplen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-12-21
Filing date: 1970-12-21
Publication date: 1972-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-18
Also published as: CA940826A

Abstract

A locking device and method and apparatus for emplacing same within tubing in a well characterized by having locking dogs that are run into the well retracted; and that are reversibly operable into a no-go, or armed, position at a desired depth for thereafter stopping the locking device at the top of a restricted portion such as a nipple; and that are lockable into a recess such as defined by a landing nipple or a collar immediately above the restricted portion. Both the running tool employed in emplacing the locking device, and the locking device, can be armed into and disarmed from the no-go position but cannot be inadvertently locked in the tubing until the locking dogs encounter the restricted portion. Also disclosed are specific and preferred structural embodiments wherein the running tool and the locking device are reversibly armed and the locking device locked and left in the tubing by reciprocal movement of the tool in the tubing, which operates slot arrangements and a driven sleeve and without the use of complicated electric motors, hydraulic connections or the like; and wherein a simplified tool is employed for setting in the top nipples in the tubing.

Description

United States Patent Tamplen [54] REVERSIBLE ARMING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMPLACING A LOCKING DEVICE IN TUBING Jaelr W. Tamplen, Rural Route 2, Celina, Tex. 75009 Dec. 21, 1970 [72] Inventor:

.....l66l3l5,166/12S, 166/217 ..F2lli 43/00, E211: 23/00 FleldolSeareh ..166/216,2l7,3l5,123,125

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,677,346 July 18, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT A locking device and method and apparatus for emplacing same within tubing in a well characterized by having locking dogs that are run into the well retracted; and that are reversibly operable into a no-go, or armed, position at a desired depth for thereafter stopping the locking device at the top of a restricted portion such as a nipple; and that are lockable into a recess such as defined by a landing nipple or a collar immediately above the restricted portion. Both the running tool employed in emplaeing the locking device, and the locking device, can be armed into and disarrned from the no-go position but cannot be inadvertently locked in the tubing until the locking dogs encounter the restricted portion. Also disclosed are specific and preferred structural embodiments wherein the running tool and the locking device are reversibly armed and the locking device locked and left in the tubing by reciprocal movement of the tool in the tubing, which operates slot arrangements and a driven sleeve and without the use of complicated electric motors, hydraulic connections or the like; and wherein a simplified tool is employed for setting in the top nipples in the tubing.

Patented July 18, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 //Vl E/V T0,? 0/? yam 19k W4 ATTORNEYS all-gir q Patented July 18, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet f1 7 66:76 ATTORNE IN VE N TOR Patented July 18, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Patented July 18, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE/V TOR W mpn Wag 2d): ATTORNEYS Man? 8 Y REVERSIBLE ARMING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMPLACING A LOCKING DEVICE IN TUBING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

l. Field of the Invention This invention relates broadly to well tools such as are employed in oil and gas wells. More particularly, this invention relates to a locking device, and to method and apparatus for its emplacement in tubing in a well penetrating subterranean formations; the locking device being operable to hold in place a variety of compatible accessories; such as, pressure equalizing devices and flow control devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art In early oil field technology, the accessories such as downhole controls and tools were incorporated directly into the tubing string. Repair or change of accessories required pulling the tubing string, a costly and undesirable process. The ingenuity of the engineers and operating personnel was taxed to find ways of aflixing the accessories in the tubing such that the accessories would be retained in place with sul'ficient force to withstand a differential pressure thereacross without being blown up or down the hole, and without leaking; yet be removed and either replaced or moved to a higher or lower depth in the tubing. Many and varied were the devices attempted. Finally, landing nipples were incorporated in the tubing string at a plurality of locations; such as, between zones likely to be productive. These landing nipples usually incorporated a restricted portion, or bore, of restricted diameter less than the diameter of the tubing, and conventionally had a recess of a diameter larger than the diameter of the tubing above the restricted portion. With this structure, locking mandrels could be emplaced in the tubing string. Ordinarily, the locking mandrels were run into the well on running tools. In the combination of the locking mandrel and the running tool, a complex feeler apparatus was employed for determining the restricted portion and the recess; and the locking mandrel attempted to be moved such that suitable locking dog means could be emplaced in the recess. In the early models this was a time consuming and costly operation and left emplaced in the well expensive equipment in the locking mandrel. Moreover, the apparatus could not be relied upon to function alter years of being exposed to the products in the well. The products were usually corrosive, and frequently contained sour, or sulfur-containing, compounds.

Improved construction was effected when locking mandrels were developed that could be armed by being moved downwardly through the restricted portion such that when pulled upwardly they could be locked into the recess. Such locking mandrels were not totally satisfactory in solving all the problems, however, since they would be armed after being passed through a first portion of restricted diameter and could not thereafter be emplaced in lower nipples. Other nipples having a restricted portion were incorporated into the tubing string. The collar with which the nipple was connected into the tubing string would define a recess above the restricted portion. Use of these other nipples and collar recesses for emplacing locking devices has been needed but has not been available heretofore. Other needs have been noted. For example, in my copending application Ser. No. 99,762 (PW-118), entitled Locking Device and Method and Apparatus for Emplacing Same in Tubing", filed the same date herewith, it was stated that experience has indicated that it is desirable that a locking device, or lock mandrel, and the method and apparatus for emplacing it in the tubing, or conduit, in a well penetrating subterranean formations provide substantially the following features, either separately or in combination:

I. a tool, including a running tool and a locking device, that is able to move the locking device to any depth through any number of restrictions in the tubing, to arm the locking device, and have the locking device determine and signal to an operator at the surface when it should be moved into the locked position;

2. both the running tool and the lock mandrel are operable in response to relative longitudinal movement between parts thereofso that greater force can be employed in ctfecting operation, regardless of the length of time the locking device may have been emplaced in the well;

3. a running too] and locking device that can be run through a series of identical restncted bore nipples and, at the operator's command above a particular nipple, locate and set on that particular nipple;

4. the running tool and the locking device that are operable into the armed and no-go position in the tubing without having to go through a restricted diameter for arming;

5. a locking device that will locate and lock in any nipple means on the market as well as any restricted nipple with a collar recess above for utmost flexibility and lessened costs for warehousing difierent types of locking devices and running tools;

6. a locking device that can be operated into locking or nogo positions in the well without complex accessories, such as electronic or hydraulic power means;

7. a locking device that will set on a restricted portion such as a nipple from above, and will prevent inadvertent locking, as by having an expander mandrel that moves upwardly to lock only after setting on the restricted portion;

8. a locking device, including an expander mandrel, that is of simple construction with the smallest possible number of parts for greater reliability and lower expense, since it will be left in the well;

9. a locking device that will hold pressure in either direction and permit in retrieval from a nipple in either direction sfter unlocking has been accomplished;

[0. a locking device wherein the packing, if employed, has to be moved downwardly against pressure before the locking device can be unlocked, thereby virtually eliminating the danger of the locking device being blown up the tubing during unlocking;

11. a locking device that can be moved in either direction through a restricted nipple during retrieval without the mandrel being moved into the locked position; and

I2. a locking device that can pass small restricted bores, but that will locate a larger intermediate bore and expand an expansible packing to seal in an intermediate bore.

The structures of the prior art have not provided these desirable features. These desirable features were provided by the invention described in cited application Ser. No. 99,762 (PW-118. Additional experience indicates that some additional features that should also be provided are:

l. a running tool and locking device that, not only can be armed at the operator's command, but also can be disarmed in the well at the operator's command;

2. a running tool with a run-in position, an indicating" position for warning the operator at the surface that the tool has been inadvertently operated from the run-in position, and a no-go position for locating and setting on a restricted bore of a nipple means; the running too] being operable through a complete cycle through all positions without losing or locking the locking device carried thereby;

3. a running tool that is operable into a "retrieving position when pulled upwardly, regardless of whether it had been previously operated into the run-in, indicating, or no-go positions;

4. a running tool with a plurality of run-in positions, a plurality of indicating positions, and a plurality of no-go positions, and a plurality of retrieving positions; the running tool being operable through a complete cycle through all positions without losing or locking the locking device carried thereby;

5. a running tool that, upon command by a locking device carried thereby when a restricted bore of a nipple has been reached, will release its lower section for longitudinal movement to effect locking of the locking device, then will automatically releae from the locking device; and

6. a running tool and locking device that can be run through a series of identical restricted bore nipples in either direction and, at the operator's command, locate and set on a particular nipple.

Experience has also indicated, however, that where the locking device is to be set in the top restricted bore such as the top landing nipple in the tubing, a simplified tool that requires less maintainence may be advantageously employed a long as it provides the features enumerated in feature numbers 2, S, and 7-H and additional feature number 5. Such a simplified tool has not been provided in the prior art, either.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pm'tial side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a locking device and running tool combination in situ in a well penetrating subterranean formations, in accordance with one embodiment of this invention.

FIGS. 20 and 2b are partial side elevational views, partly in section, showing the upper and lower portion of the locking device and the running tool therefor with the locking dog means retracted into the running, or run-in, position for being run in the well.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the lines Ill-Ill of FIGS. 21:, showing the locking dog means disposed in their respective window means.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken along the lines lV-IV of FIG. 21:, showing how an assembly retainer means is inserted intermediate the expander mandrel and the tubular housing.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the unfolded sleeve means of FIG. 24.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an unfolded portion of the body means of FIG. 24, also illustrating positions of the balls in the slots.

FIGS. 7a and 7b are partial side elevational views, partly in section, illustrating the running tool and the locking device in the indicating position warning the operator of inadvertent operation of the running tool from the run-in position.

FIGS. 80 and 8b are partial side elevational views, partly in section, illustrating the running tool and the locking device in the armed and no-go position with the locking dog means partially extended, just before being set on a restricted portion in the tubing.

FIG. 9 is a partial side elevational view, partly in section, showing the release means of the running tool disengaged and the locking device partially locked.

FIG. 10 is a partial side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the locking device fully locked with the running tool being withdrawn therefrom.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of an adapter for pulling the locking device.

FIG. 12 is a partial side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a biasing means intermediate multiple sections of a retainer means, in accordance with one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 13 is a partial side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a simplified running tool and the locking device in the no-go position, in accordance with another embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It is a primary object of this invention to provide a locking device and method and apparatus for emplacing it in a tubing and to thereby provide both the desirable features and the additional features enumerated hereinbefore.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a locking device and a simplified running tool for emplacing the locking device on a top restricted bore in a tubing and thereby provide the desirable features of feature numbers 2, 5, and 7ll and additional feature number 5, as enumerated hereinbefore.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide a running tool employing biasing means, in addition to gravity, for maintaining locking dog means aligned with a recess means during locking.

Other specific objects are implicit in the structural features of the locking device, or the running tool and of the combination of locking device and running tool, as well as in the method steps, delineated hereinafter.

The following descriptive matter describes a preferred embodiment of this invention; namely, a locking device and running tool for use in its emplacement down-hole in a well penetrating subterranean formations. Accordingly, the terms "upward and "downwar are employed in their relative context for that environment. This invention may be useful in other environments in a position other than the vertical position. In such eventuality, the terms conveying the same relative direction with respect to the position of the elements would be substituted for upward and downward.

Refen'ing to FIG. 1, well 11 will have been completed in a bore hole penetrating subterranean formations 13. For example, casing 15 may have been cemented in place in the bore hole by conventional cement circulation techniques, leaving a cement sheath (not shown) around the casing. Inside casing 15 is suspended tubing 17. The annulus between tubing 17 and casing 15 may be separated into a plurality of zones by one or more packers l9 sealingly emplaced therebetween. Tubing 17 may have a landing nipple 21 for receiving suitable downhole equipment.

As illustrated, a locking device, or lock mandrel, 23 having a pressure equalizing device 25 and a flow control valve 27 attached thereto is being lowered into the well. A preferred form of the pressure equalizing device 25 is described and claimed in my co-pending application entitled "Pressure Equalizing Device", filed Mar. 21, I970, Ser. No. 22,88 1. Any other downhole tools such as the control valve alone may be emplaced in landing nipple 21 via the locking device 23. The locking device 23, on a conventional wireline tool string 29, is suspended and operated from the surface via wireline 31. Insertion of the locking device and tool string is made through suitable lubricator 33 and valves 35 if the well is pressurized. The wireline tool string 29 includes jars 3'7 for jarring upwardly or downwardly for effecting the requisite force to move the respective elements with respect to each other, as described more clearly hereinafter. The wireline tool string 29 also includes running tool 39 for effecting relative positions of the locking device as delineated hereinafter.

The landing nipple 21, forming a preferred seat for the locking device, comprises a restricted portion 41 of a first diameter smaller than the diameter of the tubing. Immediately thereabove, the landing nipple has a recess portion 43 of a diameter larger than the diameter of the restricted portion 41 for locking of the locking dog means of the locking device thereinto. Conventional landing nipples 21 also have an intermediate portion 45 of diameter intermediate that of the restricted portion 41 and the recess portion 43. One of the advantages of the locking device of this invention, however, is that it does not require the landing nipple per se but can set in a collar recess atop any restricted portion, or restricted bore such as formed by any other nipple means.

The locking device 23, FIG. 2b, comprises the major elements of tubular housing 47, locking dog means 49, and expander mandrel S1. The tubular housing 47 has an internal shoulder means 53, or portion, disposed at its upper end. As illustrated, the internal shoulder means 53 is an internal fishing neck. Such an internal fishing neck arrangement is advantageous, since it not only affords an interconnecting internal shoulder means, but also a fishing neck onto which a fishing tool can be connected for applying a greater pulling force than with a fishing tool connected with an external fishing neck. A plurality of collet fingers 55 are formed from a portion of the wall of the tubular housing 47. The collet fingers 55 are biased inwardly; although, as illustrated, they are retained at the same diameter of the tubular housing 47 by a mandrel adapter therewithin. The collet fingers 55 have threaded apertures 57 for receiving suitable threaded means such as bolts of an exterior expander ring for drawing the collet fingers outwardly to facilitate assembly. Although the upper end of the collect fingers $5 flex inwardly or outwardly, the lower end is fixed and forms part of the wall of tubular housing 47. Each collet finger has an inclined, or frusto-conical, portion 61 facilitating the insertion of a suitable expander element such as an adapter on a pulling tool.

The tubular housing 47 has window means 63 disposed adjacent its lower end for receiving the locking dog means 49.

The locking dog means 49, FIGS. 26 and 3, are disposed in the window means 63 and are movable laterally of the tubular housing 47 into a retracted position, a no-go position protruding slightly through the window means; and a locked position protruding through the window means and lockingly engaging a recess in the landing nipple or tubing. A dog retainer means comprising lip 64 prevents passage of the locking dog means 49 completely through the window means 63 as the locking dog means are moved outwardly to their respective positions. The locking dog means 49 are reversible to minimize error in assembly. That is, they are symmetrical with respect to a horizontal plane through their midpoint. The raised portion 65 of the locking dog means 49 is narrow so as to lock within a collar recess in collar-type tubing, or conduit. An interior annular groove 67 is cut in the center of the dogs to receive a nogo ridge 69, serving as part of a no-go portion on the expander mandrel 51. The use of a groove and ridge enables expanding the dogs into a nogo position with the shortest possible relative longitudinal movement between the expander mandrel 51 and the tubular housing 47, as explained in more detail hereinafter. The locking dog means 49 may be preformed for the particular size conduit and locking devices in which they will be employed. It is frequently advantageous to have the raised portion 65 somewhat thicker than desirable and machine the raised portion 65 to the exact dimensions desired with the locking dog means supported in their respective nogo and locked positions by the particular expander mandrel with which they will be employed. For example, they may be machined to a diameter in the range of l.885-l.889 to form a no-go diameter when the landing nipple 21 has an intermediate portion 45 of a diameter of 1.890 inch and a restricted portion of a diameter of 1.875 inch; as employed with 2.710 outside diameter landing nipples.

The expander mandrel 51 has a connection means such as threaded connection 71 disposed at its lower end for connection with a tool such as an equalizing device to be supported thereby. The mandrel 51 also has an internal portion 73 that is disposed within the tubular housing 47 and reciprocally movable along the longitudinal axis thereof. The internal portion 73 has a retraction portion 75 of fully reduced diameter for supporting the locking dog means in a retracted position. The internal portion 73 also has a no-go portion 77, including ridge 69, of intermediate diameter for supporting the locking dog means 49 in a no-go position. As illustrated, and as indicated hereinbefore, the retraction portion 75 and the no-

go portion

77 and 69 each comprise two longitudinal sections of the same respective diameters, with at least one section of the other portion disposed therebetween for facilitating movement of the locking dog means into the no-go position with the shortest possible relative longitudinal movement between the tubular housing 47 and the expander mandrel 5]. For example, as can be seen by referring to FIG. 8b, the locking dog means 49 can be expanded into a no-go position by moving the expander mandrel 51 with respect to the tubular housing only the longitudinal length of the ridge 69 to move it beneath one end of the locking dog means 49, the other section of the nogo portion 77 being moved beneath the other end of the locking dog means. The ends of the locking dog means 49 are cammed out simultaneously and held parallel thereby to form the no-go feature. The internal portion 73 also has a locking portion 79 for supporting the locking dog means in a locked position. As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 2b, 8b, and 10, the retraction portion 75, the no-

go portion

77 and 69, and the locking portion 79 are positionable to support the locking dog means in their respective positions in response to longitudinal movement of the expander mandrel 51 along the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing 47. The locking portion 79 of the expander mandrel is also employed herein as a guide for the lower end of the tubular housing 47.

A locking means is provided intermediate the collet fingers and the expander mandrel for releasably retaining the same in the locked position with the locking portion of the expander mandrel being retained supporting the locking dog means in their locked position. Specifically, the locking means comprises nonhelical teeth 81 formed on the interior of the collet fingers and nonhelical teeth 83 formed on the exterior of the expander mandrel. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the

nonhelical teeth

81 and 83 oo-engage to lock the expander mandrel in its upper, or locked position as long as the inwardly biased collet fingers 55 are not forced outwardly. The locked position is, however, releasable by insertion of a suitable expander element to force the inwardly biased collet fingers 55 outwardly and disengage the

respective teeth

81 and 83.

An amembly retainer means is provided intermediate the expander mandrel 5] and the tubular housing 47 for preventing inadvertent disassembly. As illustrated in FIGS. 2!: and 4, an internal groove 85 is formed on the interior of tubular housing 47 for receiving retaining wire 87. The retaining wire 87 is inserted through tangential aperture 89. As the retaining wire 87 is driven into the tangential aperture 89, groove 85 guides it around the expander mandrel and the expander mandrel bends the retaining wire into a curl. The retaining wire 87 is then sawed ofl flush with the outside of the tubular housing 47. The retaining wire 87 is readily removed with a punch and pliers. Shoulder 90 on the expander mandrel 51 engages the retaining wire 87 when the expander mandrel is in its lowermost position; as when being run into the well or when the locking device is being retrieved, with the expander mandrel supporting additional tools thereon; to prevent the internal portion 73 from being pulled downwardly out of tubular housing 47. Conversely, ridge 69 may engage the retainer wire 87 to limit upward travel of the expander mandrel as illustrated in FlG. 10; although, ordinarily, other shoulders are employed for this purpose, as indicated hereinafter.

An attachment menu is provided for releasably attaching the locking device to a running tool. Specifically, an aperture 91 having a threaded outer portion 93 is employed for the insertion of a shear pin therewithin. The shear pin is then bradded into the threaded section 93 and conformed to the outer surface of the expander mandrel. In this way the outer portion of the shear pin is retained by the threaded section even though it has been sheared from the inner portion which is removed with the running tool. Since complete forming between the shear pin and the threaded portion 93 is not achieved, the pieces of the sheared pin can be driven out with very little efiort and the shear pin apertures 91 employed repeatedly.

As illustrated in FIG. 2b, a seal means is disposed about the lower portion of the locking device for sealingly engaging the locking device and an internal surface of the conduit, which form the tubing in the well. Specifically, the expander mandrel 51 has an enlarged portion 95 against which a seal support 97 abuts. Suitable resilient seal means such as vee packing 99 is emplaced adjacent the seal support. if desired, a center seal spacer 101 and lower inversely mounted vee packing [03 may be employed for sealing regardless of the direction in which the pressure differential acts across the seal. A bottom seal support 105 retains the elements of the seal means together, since its downward movement is prevented by the top 107 of any tools mounted on connection threads 71. A groove I09 and an O-ring 111 may be employed for sealing between the exterior of the expander mandrel and the interior of the tool supported thereby.

The running tool 39, FIGS. 20 and 2b, for emplacing the locking device 23 in a conduit such as tubing in the well includes the major structural assemblies of elongate body means 113, drag means 115, retainer means 7, orienting means 120, and mandrel adapter 119 that is disposed on the lower portion of the body means 113.

The elongate body means II3 carries a means defining a plurality of

different levels

121 and 123 disposed opposite the internal shoulder means 53 to provide diflerent sized openings intermediate the body means 113 and the internal shoulder means 53. As illustrated, the elongate body means I13 hm an enlarged portion 125 disposed adjacent its lower end. The enlarged portion 125 abuts the bottom of tubular sleeve means 127 that is employed in the orienting means I20. The enlarged portion has a plurality of slots I29 extending longitudinally thereof. As illustrated, slots 129 are flatted slots; that is, they have flat bottoms which define the plurality of different levels I2] and 123. Specifically, the flatted slots I29 have an innermost portion 121, an intermediate portion I23 and an outermost portion I31. The primary purpose of the outermost portion is to retain a release means within the retainer means I 17, as described in more detail hereinalter. The innermost portion 12! and the intermediate portion 123 are separated by a raised shoulder I36. As can be seen in FIG. 2b, the intermediate portion I23 has limited longitudinal length for allowing reciprocal movement of the body means 113 with respect to the retainer means II7 and its release means. The raised shoulder I36 prevents inadvertent movement of the release means to the innermost portion Ill. The raised shoulder I36 serves as a raised shoulder means, or a raised shoulder portion of the body means I I3.

The body means I I3 is connected at its upper end with an adapter I33 via threads 207 for being connected with the remainder of the wireline tool string 29. The connection may be by way of a threaded connection 135. The adapter I33 has an external fishing neck 209 to facilitate retrieval in the event of trouble down-hole. Set screw I37 secures adapter I33 against rotation with respect to the body means 113.

The body means I13 has a plurality of longitudinal slots I39, FIGS. 20 and 6, extending longitudinally of the body means. It also has a plurality of helix slots I41 extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one of the longitudinal slots to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot. The plurality of longitudinal slots and the plurality of helix slots define a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of the body means 113.

The body means I I3 also has a lower control slot 143, FIG. 6. The lower control slot includes a longitudinal control slot I45 and an annular slot I47. The longitudinal control slot 145 extends longitudinally of the body means and terminates at its upper end in bifurcated slot with channels and I53 that define a cam I49 therebetween. The annular slot I47 extends peripherally about the body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body means I13 and is connected with the ends of the bifurcated slots where they intersect the plane. The cam I49 is interposed in the annular slot I47, is aligned with the longitudinal control slot I45, and is provided for effecting relative longitudinal movement between the body means II3 and the retainer means I I7 for moving the locking dog means 49 into the no-go position. The channels I51 and I53 and the annular slot I47 are provided for transition and for effective relative longitudinal movement between the body means 113 and the retainer means 117 in the opposite direction to move the locking dog means 49 into, and retain them in, the retracted position. The annular slot 147 also prevents inadvertent and unwanted relative longitudinal movement in any position other than the no-go, or armed, position. The body means 113 has three upper slot positions illustrated by upper slot ends I55, I57 and I59. The upper slot end I55 effects a run-in position in which the locking dog means 49 are retracted. The upper slot end I57 is employed for effecting an indicating position for setting slips to warn, or indicate to, the operator at the surface that there hs been inadvertent operation of the running tool from its run-in position. The upper slot end I59 is employed for effecting the nogo, or locating, position for locating the top of a restricted bore in the tubing.

There are also three lower slot ends I61, I63 and 165. All three of the lower slot ends I61, I63 and I65 are employed 8 for effecting retrieving positions in which the locking dog means are fully retracted.

The orienting means I20 is employed for effecting respective orientations between the body means II3 and the retainer means I17 to reversibly move the locking dog means into a retracted position and a no-go position. The orienting means comprises an elongate tubular sleeve I27 that is driven by an upper slot traversal member, illustrated by ball means I67, FIGS. 24 and 6; in turn, driving a control slot traversal member, illustrated by control ball means 169. The tubular sleeve means 127 is disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to the body means 113. It is also rotatable with respect to the body means I13. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the tubular sleeve means 127 has a bent slot 17! therein. The bent slot has a longitudinal portion I73 and a helical portion I75. A longitudinal overrun portion 177 is provided to ensure that the ball means I67 will have been moved to the end of the helical portion I75 to effect proper alignment, or orientation. The longitudinal portion I73 is movable by sleeve rotation so as to be coextensive with an upper portion of the longitudinal slots 139 in the body means I I3. Similarly, the tubular sleeve may be rotated such that the helical portion I75 is moved so as to be coextensive with a lower portion of the helix slots MI in the body means 113.

The elongate tubular sleeve means I27 has a control means at its bottom end for moving the control ball means 169 peripherally about the tubular body means 113. The control means is related to the longitudinal portion of the bent slot as the longitudinal control slot I45 is related to the correlative longitudinal slot; such as, the longitudinal slot aligned with upper slot end I59. As illustrated, the control means is a bottom slot 179 that is aligned with the longitudinal portion I73; as the longitudinal control slot I45 is aligned with the upper slot end I59. The length L, of the helical portion of bent slot I71, FIG. 5, is only one-half the length L, of the helix slots 14I, FIG. 6.

The drag means 5 is disposed peripherally about the body means I I3 and the tubular sleeve means 127 and has a portion that is freely movable rotationally and longitudinally with respect to the body means I13 and the tubular sleeve means 127. The drag means 115 is adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall of the tubing so as to be biased toward its extreme position in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the running tool along the longitudinal axis of the tubing. Specifically, the drag means I15 has a drag shoe means 181 for frictionally engaging the wall of the conduit. The drag shoe means has laterally extending ears I83 that engage recesses I85 in the drag shoe housing I87 for retaining the drag shoe means therewithin.

Also disposed within the drag shoe housing I87 is a set of slip means such as slips 189 whose lower ends are provided with an enlarged section I91 for fitting within groove I93. The shank I95 of the slips I89 extend through a bore 197 and upward into slots 199. The slots 199 may be milled or otherwise formed in the drag shoe housing 187. The slots I99 keep the slips I89 equally spaced around the drag shoe housing and also permit the slips to flex outwardly and into contact with the tubing wall when required. Specifically, the slips flex outwardly by bending the slip shanks within their elastic limit when the slips 189 are moved upwardly onto the frusto-conical section 201 by upward movement of the drag means I I5.

A plurality of drag shoe means 181 and slip means I89 are preferably employed and spaced equidistantly around the drag shoe housing I87. It has been found advantageous to employ three each of the drag shoe means I81 and the slip means 189 such that they alternate and are spaced 60' apart. Leaf-type springs 200, FIG. 7a, are employed beneath the drag shoe means I8I for biasing them outwardly. An inner sleeve 203 is employed within the drag shoe housing I87 to retain the slips I89, the drag shoe means 18I, the springs 200 within the drag shoe housing. The inner sleeve 203 also permits free movement of the drag means reciprocally along and rotationally about the tubular sleeve 127. The frusto-conical section 20! is disposed over a reduced section 205 at the upper end of the body means 113. fire frusto-conical section 201 retains the tubular sleeve 127, preventing its upward movement, and also provides a means to expand the slips 189 when they are permitted to run thereupon by upward movement of the drag means 115. The frusto-conical section 201 is held in place by adapter 133. The ball means 167 is disposed in an internal groove 211 at the lower portion of the drag means. The ball means 167 extends through the bent slot 171 of the tubular sleeve means 127 and into the

slots

139 and 141 of the body means 113. Consequently, reciprocal movement of the drag means effects rotation of the tubular sleeve means 127, since the ball means 167 drivingly engages the bent slot therein. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the upper slot ends 155 and 159 restrict upward movement of the drag means 115 and prevent the camming of the slip means 189 upwardly and outwardly onto the frusto-conical section 201. The upper slot end 157, however, is extended upwardly to allow the ball means 167 to move higher thereupon and thus move the slip means 189 upwardly and outwardly onto the outer frustoconical surface of frusto-conical section 201. The slip means will thereupon engage the inner surface of the tubing and stop downward movement of the tool for warning the operator 3 described in more detail hereinafter. The lower end of the tubular sleeve 127 abuts the enlarged portion 125 on the body means 113 for preventing downward movement of the tubular sleeve 127.

The retainer means 117 is disposed on the body means 113 for retaining the tubular housing 47 and the expander mandrel 51 of the locking device in predetermined, reversibly variable spaced relationship. For example, during run-in, the locking dog means are retracted until the drag means 115 is moved longitudinally to effect movement of the locking dog means into the no-go position.

The FIG. 2b illustrates the retainer means 117, and a portion of the retainer means 117 is duplicated in FIG. 2a to assist in orienting the reader. The retainer means 117 has a retainer housing 215 that is disposed peripherally about the enlarged portion 125 of the body means 113 and the bottom of the tubular sleeve means 127. The retainer housing 215 has first and second groove means comprising the first groove 213 in its upper portion and the second groove 217 in its lower portion. The first groove 213 extends annularly around the interior of the retainer housing 2 for retaining a control ball means 169 disposed intennediate the retainer housing, through bottom slot 179 of the tubular sleeve means 127, and engaging the lower control slot 143, primarily the annular slot 147 of the body means. The control bail means 169 controls the longitudinal movement of the retainer means 117 by movement in annular groove 147 or, as indicated hereinbefore, moving down cam 149 to align with longitudinal control slot 145. The retainer housing 215 is movable longitudinally of the enlarged portion 125; but is prevented from rotating by release means 219 which are disposed in longitudinal slots 129 in the enlarged portion 125 of the body means 113. The retainer housing 215 has window means 220, FIGS. 2b, 8b, 9 and 10, formed in its lower portion 221 below stop shoulders 224. Thus, it can be seen that release means 219 extends outwardly through window means 220 and engages slot 129 for preventing rotation of the retainer housing 215.

The lower end of the retainer housing 215 has internal threads 225 which receive the collet expander 227. The collet expander 227 keeps the collet fingers 55 propped outwardly into the run-in position during the run-in operation. The collet expander 227 has a 64 thread per inch section on its external surface to increase the friction between it and the collet fingers 55. A variety of sizes of collet expanders may be employed on the same running tool to effect the desired position of different sized collet fingers in the locking device.

As indicated, the retainer means includes a release means 219. The interior portions of the release means are flat to conform to the flat bottom of the slot 129 on the lower end of the body means 1 13. The release means 219 engages the retainer means in the second groove 217 via its enlarged upper end 223, for retaining the release means in place intermediate the outermost portion 131 of body means 113 and retainer means 117. The release means 219 has its lower enlarged end 229 disposed intermediate the internal shoulder means 53 of the locking device and the level 123 of the body means 113. As can be seen from FIGS. 2b, 7b, 8b, 9 and 10, the release means 219 ha a trigger means, or portion, 231 for engaging the internal shoulder means 53 of the locking device 23. The trigger means 231 comprises a shoulder having a dimension laterally of the running too] that is at least equal to the lateral dimensions of the raised shoulder portion 136. Thus, as indicated hereinbefore and as can be seen from comparing FIGS. 2b and 8b, the release means 219 allows only restricted longitudinal movement of the body means 113 with respect to the retainer means 117 and the cylindrical housing 47 of the locking device as long as the trigger means 23] engages the internal shoulder means 53 of the locking device. The amount of longitudinal movement which it allows is controlled by the length of the intermediate portion 123 between the raised shoulder means 136 and the outermost portion 131. The retaining wire 87 prevents inadvertent upward relative movement of the tubular housing 47 before the locking dog means are moved into the no-go position. Once the locking dog means are moved into the no-go position, however, and encounter the restricted bore in the tubing, the housing 47 is stopped and downward jarring can move the trigger means 231 downwardly from the internal shoulder means 53. Consequently, the free end 229 of the release means 219 is moved downwardly and outwardly over the shoulder 136 and onto the innermost portion 121. Once the free end 229 moves to the innermost portion 121, the running tool may be pulled free of the locking device, as will become apparent from the operational description hereinafter.

The lower end of the body means 113 has a reduced section 235 which extends downwardly through the collet expander 227 and terminates in an externally threaded connection 237. The mandrel adapter 119 is threadedly attached to the threaded connection 237. The mandrel adapter 119 is adapted to fit within the bore 239 of the expander mandrel 51. The shoulder 241 bears against the top 243 of the expander mandrel 51 to prevent downward shearing of the main shear pin 245 in

shear pin apertures

91 and 244. Bypass slots such as slot 247 of the illustrated attached tool are provided to permit fluid to pass through the lower bore of the locking device 23 and to be bypassed out through alternate shear pin holes which are provided in the expander mandrel 51. Also provided in the lower portion of the mandrel adapter 119 are internal threads 249 for attaching suitable tools such as equalizing prongs which may be employed with this running tool.

Operation of the Drag Means, Longitudinal and Helix Slots,

and the Tubular Sleeve Means While operation of the drag means 115, and the ball means 167, control ball means 169, and the tubular sleeve 127 may be understood from the implicit matter in the descriptive matter appearing hereinbefore and hereinafter, the following descriptive matter is given in suflicient explicit detail to clarify any questions. FIGS. 5 and 6 show a layout of the tubular sleeve and the respective longitudinal and helix slots in the body means. Superimposed thereon are ball means 167 and the control ball meam 169 to illustrate the points made hereinafter. The bent slot 171 of the tubular sleeve 127 may be overlaid with respecu've longitudinal slots 139 and helix slots 141 of body means 113. As the ball means 167 is moved upwardly and downwardly in response to reciprocal movement of the drag means, the tubular sleeve 127 is rotated. As illustrated, the tubular sleeve 127 is rotated counter clockwise, as viewed from the bottom. One reciprocal cycle is used herein to define a complete movement of the drag means through a downward half-cycle and an upward half-cycle, such that the ball means 167 will move from one slot end, such as upper slot end 159, to the next similar slot end, such as upper slot end 155. During one-half reciprocal cycle, the bent slot 171 will move 60. The arrows indicate the path and direction that the ball means 167 moves during a particular reciprocal cycle of the drag means I 15. As illustrated, the ball means 167 begins to move downwardly from upper slot end 159. No movement of the tubular sleeve means 127 is made until the ball means reaches the helical portion I75 of the bent slot 171 in tubular sleeve I27. The longitudinal portion 173 of the bent slot 17] prevents the ball means 167 from entering the helix slot 141 to the right at the upper portion. As the ball reaches the helical portion 175 in its downward travel, it begins to bias, or rotate, the tubular sleeve 127 by camrning between the helical portion 175 and the linear edge 176 of the longitudinal slot on the body means. The ball means is moved downwardly to the lower slot end 165. Simultaneously, it moves into the longitudinal overrun portion I77 of the tubular sleeve 127.

As the movement of the drag means is reversed, the ball means I67 will move upwardly away from the lower slot end I65 and into the helical portion 175. Since the helical portion I75 coextends over the helix slot 1410, the ball 167 is moved into the helix slot [410 leading to the upper end 155 and the ball 167 is prevented from moving up the longitudinal slot leading to the upper end 159. Again, the tubular sleeve means I27 does not move relative to body means 113 until the ball means 167 has been guided past the entry into the longitudinal slot of the body means and has moved to the longitudinal portion 173 of the tubular sleeve means 127. As the ball means 167 reaches the longitudinal portion 173 in its upward travel, it begins to rotate the tubular sleeve 127 by camming between the longitudinal portion 173 and the edge 178 of the helix slot on the body means. Consequently, the tubular sleeve 127 is rotated in the counter clockwise direction. Continued upward movement of the drag means emplaces the ball I67 in the upper slot end I55 and in the upper end of the lohgitudinal portion I73 of tubular sleeve I27. From the foregoing, it can be seen that continual cycling of the drag means will continue to rotate tubular sleeve 127 with respect to the body means I 13.

The lefi hand operation of the combination of longitudinal and helix slots are illustrated. Right hand operation can be employed if desired. Right hand operation is effected by reversing the direction of the helix slots 141 on the body means, and the helical portion 175 of the bent slot 171 of the tubular sleeve I27.

The upper slot ends I59 and I55 and the lower slot ends I61, I63 and 165 are employed as stops for the ball means I67; consequently, stopping the drag means 115. If desired, the slot ends may be extended, as was upper slot end 157 to effect other operations such as allowing the slips 189 to ride up the frusto-conical means 201 to warn the operator. In the latter case, the upper end 259 of the longitudinal portion 173 of the bent slot is employed to limit upward movement of the ball means I67, illustrated in dashed lines 261 of FIG. 6. The upper end I57 may be extended upwardly to facilitate w sembly.

If desired, a plurality of sets of slots may be employed. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, including dashed lines, the longitudinal slots may be spaced only 60 apart and six such slots employed to allow two sets of three complete reciprocal cycles during one revolution of the tubular sleeve means I27. Such an arrangement allows a greater mechanical torque ratio to be achieved between the tubular sleeve 127 and the body means I13 while applying the same force to the drag means I I5. Ordinarily, however, in a properly designed tool, the relative movement between the parts is readily effected and such greater mechanical force is unnecessary.

Operation In operation, the locking device is assembled by the insertion of the internal portion 73 of the expander mandrel within the tubular housing 47 and insertion of the retaining wire 87 therebetween, as described hereinbefore with respect to FIG. 4. To facilitate assembly, an expander ring with suitable screws or bolm may be employed to expand the collet fingers 55 outwardly through engagement with threaded apertures 57. Suitable down-hole tools will have been attached to the lower end of the expander mandrel, as indicated hereinbefore. The

shear pin apertures

91 and 244 are aligned and the shear pin 245 installed therethrough. The shear pin will be bradded into the threaded section 93 for retention therewithin.

The running too] 39 is assembled as described hereinbefore. The drag means I15 is moved reciprocally along the longitudinal axis of the body means I13 to rotate the tubular sleeve 127 until the bottom slot 179 is aligned with the longitudinal control slot 145 of body means 113. Since the control ball means 169 will now have been moved onto cam 149 into alignment with longitudinal control slot 145, the retainer means "7 and the collet expander 227, along with the control ball means 169, may be moved downwardly until the lower end 251 of collet expander 227 abuts the upper end 253 of the mandrel adapter 119.

The locking device and the running tool are assembled by moving tubular housing 47 of the running tool upwardly over the lower portion of the running tool until the upper end of the tubular housing 47 abuts stop shoulder 224 of the retainer means 117. Tubular housing 47 is moved upwardly farther, moving retainer meats 117 upwardly, causing the release means 219 to cam laterally over raised shoulder 136. The release means 219 thus engages the internal shoulder means 53 of the tubular housing 47 and is disposed intermediate the shoulder 53 and the intermediate portion I23 of body means 113. The control ball means 169 will strike cam I49. The locking device will now be in the no-go position, FIG. 8b. The drag means is moved reciprocally again, moving the control ball means 169 from cam [49 via slot 153 into the annular slot 147. Consequently, the retainer means I17 is moved upwardly, pulling, via trigger means 231, internal shoulder 53 and tubular housing 47 upwardly. The locking dog means 49 of the locking device are retracted to their run-in position, FIG. 2b. If an expander ring has been employed, it is removed, permitting the collet fingers 55 of the tubular housing 47 to bear on the outside of the collet expander 227. Because of the fine threads on the exterior of collet expander 227, a jarring force is required to move the upper end of the tubular housing 47 back to the shoulder 224 of the retainer means before unlocking can be accomplished.

Thus, the locking device 23 is retained on the running tool 39 with the locking dog means retracted and the collet fingers 55 expanded onto and frictionally engaging the collet expander 227. As indicated hereinbefore, the intermediate portion 123 is of such length that the retainer assembly can move the locking device from the run-in position, as illustrated in FIG. 2b, to the no-go position, as illustrated in FIG. 8b,- and vice versa. The raised shoulder 136, however, prevents the loclt mandrel assembly from going to the locked position until the locking dog means 49 encounter a restricted bore such as a nipple means in the tubing. This permits the operator at the surface to reciprocate the drag means 115 and operate the tool through all positions of the run-in position, the indicating position, and the no-go position without having to bring the tool to the surface and without the danger of inadvertently locking the locking device 23 in the tubing 17.

With a conventional string of wireline tools connected to the top threads of the adapter 133, the combination well tool is lowered into the well through a suitable lubricator 33 and valves 35. Before the tool is inserted into the well, the ball means 167 is moved into the lower slot end 165. As the tool string is lowered into the well thereafter, the friction between the drag shoe means IN and the tubing wall will cause the drag means I15 to move up the running tool, thereby putting the ball means [67 in the upper slot end 155, moving the tool and the locking device to the run-in position with the locking dog means 49 retracted. The running tool and the locking device can be run through any number of nipples in either direction without arming, locking, device.

If the operator decides to come back out of the hole, the tool is stopped and pulled upwardly. The drag means will be moved downwardly, moving the ball means 167 to the lower slot end 161. Note, however, that the lower control ball means 169 will still be retained within the annular slot 147 in what may be thought of as a retrieving position. As indicated hereinbefore, anytime the running tool is picked up and the ball means 167 is moved downwardly into one of the lower ends 161, 163 and 165, the control ball means 169 will be moved into the annular slot 147 and efi'ect the retrieving position of the tool, with the locking dog means 49 retracted. Thus the running tool and locking device can always be retrieved from the well by simply pulling them upwardly.

Otherwise, the operator may continue to lower the tool into the well. If, however, for some unknown reasoni such as, stretching of cable 31 or passing through large bores; the drag means 115 falls inadvertently to move the control ball means 167 downwardly to lower slot end 161; and then is moved upwardly by again encountering proper sized tubing, the ball 167 will be carried up helix slot 141 toward the upper end 157. Since the longitudinal slot associated with the upper end 157 is long enough to allow the slip means 189 to cam upwardly onto the frusto-conical section 201, FIG. 7a, the slip means 189 will engage the interior tubing walls 17 and stop the descent of the tool. Thus, the upper slot end 157 may be thought of as the indicating" position. Its purpose is to warn the operator that the tool has been accidentally switched from the run-in position corresponding to upper slot end 155 to upper slot end 157. If this happens, the operator has two choices. Firstly, he can pick up the tool and come out of the hole. The slip means will disengage and move downwardly with the drag means 115. Also, the ball means 167 will move downwardly to the lower slot end 163 and the lower control ball means 169 will remain in the annular slot 147 so that the locking dog means will be retracted in the retrieving position, as indicated. That is, the lower control ball means will be positioned just short of being cammed into slot 151 and up onto cam 149, as indicated by the ball 257, dashed lines FIG. 6. Secondly, he can pick up on the running tool 39, moving the ball means 167 to the lower slot end 163, then lower again, moving the ball means 167 to the no-go position, indicated by upper slot end 159. In this position, the lower control ball means 169 will have been moved down slot 151 onto cam 149 and in line with the longitudinal control slot 145. As indicated hereinbefore, however, the raised shoulder 136 on body means 113, in conjunction with retainer means 117 will prevent the lower control ball means 169 from dropping into the longitudinal control slot 145. The locking device is now in the no-go position. By picking the tool up again, the operator can move ball means 167 to the lower slot end 165, moving the lower control ball means 169 up slot 153 to annular slot 147; the position being illustrated by dashed line 255. Consequently, the locking device is again moved to the retrieving position with the locking dog means retracted. By lowering the tools again, the ball means 167 will move back upwardly into upper slot end 155 and descent into the well can be continued. As can be seen from the foregoing descriptive matter, the locking device remains in its run-in or retrieving position with the locking dog means retracted when the ball means 167 is in any slot except in the upper slot end 159. When the ball means 167 is in the upper slot end 159, the locking device is moved to the no-go position with the locking dog means 49 protruding slightly for encountering a restricted bore.

or losing the locking Landing and Looking the Locking Device in a Nipple The operator proceeds to lower the tool downwardly in the well. Downward jarring such as necessary to pass the tight packing, or seal means, through tight spots such as restricted bores can be accomplished without locking the locking device 23, since the force is applied directly through the body means 113 and the mandrel adapter 119 onto the expander mandrel 51 which carries the packing such as the vee packing 99. When the tools have been lowered to a point below any landing nipples that are not to be set in and above the landing nipple in which it is desired to set the locking device, the tool string is picked up. While the operation will be described hereinsfler with respect to a landing nipple, it is to be remembered that any nipple means having a restricted bore and a recess such as defined by a collar thereabove, may be set in. As the tool string is picked up, the drag means 115 will move downwardly, with respect to the body means 113. This will move the ball means 167 to the lower slot end 161. The operator will then lower the tool string, moving the ball 167 into the upper end 157, thereby engaging the slips. He will then pick up the tool from slips, moving the ball means 167 to the lower slot end 163. Then he will begin moving the tools downwardly toward the nipple in which he desires to set. The ball 167 will move up to the upper end 159, rotating the tubular sleeve means 127 to force the control ball means 169 down slot 151 and onto cam 149. The control ball means 169 is also aligned with longitudinal control slot 145. The locking device is now in the no-go position with the locking dog means extended to their intermediate position for engaging the restricted bore of the nipple. As indicated hereinbefore, the locking dog means have an outer dimension small enough to pass through the throat, or intermediate portion 45 of the landing nipple 21.

As the locking dog means 49 engage the bottom shoulder 263 of the recess portion 43, FIG. 8b, the locking device, and consequently, the remainder of the tools are stopped in their downward descent. Moderate downward jarring will force the body means and collet expander 227 downwardly with respect to the stationary held collet fingers 55. This relative longitudinal motion enables the top of the tubular housing 47 to abut the lower stop shoulder 224. It also allows the trigger means 231 to move off the internal shoulder means 53, as can be seen by comparing FIGS. 8b and 9. Once the trigger means 231 has been disengaged from the internal shoulder means 53, the release means 219 can expand laterally, or outwardly, so as to allow its lower end 229 to pass over the raised shoulder 136 when the body means 113 is moved upwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 9. Consequently, as the tool string is picked up and the body means 113 moves upwardly with respect to the release means 219, the release means lower end 229 moves from the intermediate portion 123 to the innermost portion 121. The tubular housing 47 of the locking device, with its locking dog means 49 and the retainer means 117 will remain in position relative to the tubing string under the force of gravity. The body means 113, the expander mandrel 51 and its accessories are moved upwardly with the tool string. As the expander mandrel 51 moves upwardly relative to locking dog means 49,, the locking dog means are cammed outwardly into the recess portion 43, FIG. 9. Just before complete locking is achieved, the top 253 of the mandrel adapter 119 abuts the collet expander 227. The farther upward jarring will pull the locking portion 79 of the expander mandrel 51 upwardly behind the locking dog means 49. Farther upward movement also forces the collet expander 227 from beneath the collet fingers 55, permitting the collet fingers 55 to retract and engage the

nonhelical teeth

81 and 83 of the collet fingers and the expander mandrel 51 to retain the expander mandrel in the locked position, supporting the locking dog means in their locked posi tion. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the release means 219 will have been disengaged from beneath the internal shoulder means 53.

The disengagement of the release means 219 from the internal shoulder means 53 frees the tubular housing 47 and allows it to remain locked in recess portion 43 of the landing nipple 21 with its seal means, including vee packing 99, sealingly engaging the internal wall 41 of the restricted portion of the landing nipple 21. The top shoulder 265 of the enlarged portion will encounter the bottom 266 of the tubular housing 47, and ridge 69 will encounter retaining wire 87 to stop upward movement of the expander mandrel and oppose the force necessary to shear the shear pin holding the expander mandrel to the mandrel adapter 1 19 of the running tool.

The shear pin is sheared by additional upward jarring. When the shear pin is sheared, the running too] is retrieved, as illustrated in FIG. 10. Thereafter, the running too] is retrieved from the well and the locking device with its appended well tools remains locked in the landing nipple 21.

Pulling the Locking Device The locking device may be pulled with a conventional pulling tool. Ordinarily, a conventional pulling tool adapted for pulling an internal fishing neck will be employed. For example, an adapter 267, such as shown in FIG. 11, is attached to the bottom of a conventional pulling tool; for example by threaded connection 269. The adapter 267 has an internal threaded section 271 at its lower end for receiving any desired appropriate additional tools; such as an equalizing prong for operation of a preaure equalizing device. Such an equalizing prong is described in my copending patent application Ser. No. 22,881, referenced hereinbefore. The adapter 267 is also provided with a bypass slot 273 to permit fluid to bypass the adapter in either direction. With the pulling tool properly assembled, the combination tool is lowered into the well and the appended tools are properly operated; for example, an equalizing valve may be opened by downward jarring and the pressure allowed to equalize. Further downward jarring will force the adapter 267 downwardly within collet fingers 55, thereby expanding the collet fingers outwardly. This outward expansion of the collet fingers 55 will disengage the

teeth

81 and 83. As the adapter 267 is moved further downwardly, the inclined portion 61 of the collet fingers will move up on the surface 275 of the adapter 267, thereby providing the correct expansion of the collet fingers 55. Further downward movement of adapter 267 will cause the shoulder 277 to abut the upper end shoulder 243 of the expander mandrel and to begin to apply downward force on the expander mandrel.

Of course, if a pressure differential exists from the bottom of the locking device, this pressure differential will be working against the entire area of the vee packing in the seal means and the closed control valve (not shown). This pressure differential will prevent the force of the jars, acting through the pulling tool and the adapter 267, from moving the expander mandrel 51 downwardly relative to the locking dog means 49 until equalization of pressure across the locking device has been accomplished. The adapter 267 is long enough that the dogs of the pulling tool are not permitted to engage the internal shoulder 53, or internal fishing neck, inside the tubular housing 47 until the expander mandrel can be moved downward relative to the tubular housing 47. Therefore, the pulling tool assembly can be withdrawn from the locking device at any time prior to full pressure equalization and thereby re-engage the locking

teeth

81 and 83 of the locking device. Also, if pressure equalization fails to occur, the pulling tool assembly with adapter can be withdrawn, leaving the locking device locked as before.

.larring downwardly is suspended until pressure equalizing has been effected. Thereafter, further downward jarring will move the expander mandrel with its vee packing downward relative to the landing nipple 21, tubular housing 47, and the locking dog means 49; which are still expanded into the recess of the landing nipple. When the expander mandrel has moved down approximately one-half inch, the conventional pulling tool dogs will engage beneath the internal shoulder 53 on the main housing, thus attaching the pulling tool to the locking device. Further downward jarring will move the expander mandrel and the vee packing downwardly into a position illustrated in FIG. 2b with the locking dog means 49 in the fully retracted position. Further downward jarring will result in the locking device being moved downwardly below the restricted' portion of the nipple means. However, if upward jarring is begun, the pulling tool dogs will move back up to en gage the internal shoulder means 53 and the locking device can be pulled upwardly out of the landing nipple. It can be seen that once the expander mandrel ha been moved down to release the locking dog means, the locking device can be moved out of the landing nipple in either direction.

Moreover, it can be seen that the locking device can be moved in either direction through other restricted portions, or restricted bores of landing nipples within a tubing string without again going to the locked position.

If a pressure differential exists from the top of the tool downwardly, it is recommended that an equalizing prong be run without the pulling tool and adapter. After equalizing has occurred, the pulling tool and adapter may be employed to pull the locking device on a second trip into the well.

In any event, the locking device with the pulling tool assembly may be brought to the surface to complete the pulling operation.

In my above referenced copending application Ser. No. 99,762 (PW-118), filed on the same date herewith, l have described several variations in the construction of the locking device. That descriptive matter is incorporated hereinto by reference, since each of the variations described therein may be employed in combination with the improved running tool which is described herein. By adjusting the external dimensions of the locking dog means, as described herein, the diameter of the no-go position is controlled. This diameter can be uniquely adjusted to locate an intermediate bore that may be larger than restricted bores through which the tool may pass.

The improved running tool described herein enables effecting a reversing of the arming process. Expressed otherwise, the improved running tool described herein enables moving the locking device to a no-go position and enables moving the locking device from the no-go position back to a run-in position; if such should be necessary for any reason.

The running tool has been described with respect to employing the longitudinal and helix slots as the set of driving slots and being located in the body means and the bent slot as the set of driven slots and located in the tubular sleeve means. They may be reversed in any combination desired. Such reversal is disclosed and claimed in my copending application entitled Positioning Apparatus Employing Driving and Driven Slots", Ser. No. 99,763, (PW-) filed the same date herewith and that descriptive matter is incorporated herein by reference.

Other Embodiments It has been found that, when an operator improperly jerks upwardly too rapidly on the above described running tool afier seating on the restricted bore in the well, the locking dog means may fail to lock in the recess means in the conduit on the first try in a small percentage of cases. While the small percentage of failing to lock on the first try are readily corrected by again lowering onto the restricted bore and locking by pulling up more slowly, the problem may be alleviated by the use of a biasing means such a illustrated in FIG. 12. As can be seen therein, the locking device 23 is the same as described hereinbefore. Moreover, the running tool above the control ball means 169 and the mandrel adapter 119 are the same. The housing of the retainer means 117, however, is divided into at least first and

second sections

271 and 273. The first section 271 has the upper enlarged end 223 of the release means 219 disposed therewithin. Specifically, it is disposed in groove 217 as described hereinbefore. The first section 271 is movable longitudinally with respect to the body means 113 and the second section 273. The first section is connected with the collet expander 227 by threaded connection 225. The second section 273 is carried on body means 1 13. Specifically, the second section 273 is drivingly connected with the body means 113 by way of control ball means 169 therebetween. Thus, when control ball means 169 moves down the cam 149, FIG. 6, the second section is moved longitudinally of body means 113 in response thereto. The second section 273 extends annularly interior and lonp'tudinal of first section 271 and annularly exterior of the reduced section 275 of body means 113. The second section 273 has a skirt portion 277 that extends downwardly to near the top of mandrel adapter 119. Sufficient space is provided between the bottom of sltirt 277 and the top of mandrel adapter 1 19 to enable the locking dog means 49 to be moved into the no-go position by the camming of control ball means 169 down cam 149. A means defining a plurality of different levels comprising intermediate portion 123 and innermost portion 121 include a portion of the second section 273. As illustrated, the intermediate portion 123 is formed onto the downwardly extending second section 273. On the other hand, the skirt 277 of the second section 273 is cut away, indicated by dashed line 279 such that the innermost portion of the different levels comprises the outer surface of the reduced section 275 of body means 113.

A biasing means such as spring 281 is disposed intermediate the first and

second sections

271 and 273 so as to bias the first section 271 away from the second section 273. With the locking device attached, spring 281 is held compressed by engagement of the trigger means 231 with the internal shoulder means 53.

The ultimate operation of the running tool and the locking device remain the same as described hereinbefore. There are detailed differences as follows. The spring 281 biases the first section 271 downwardly so that the lower enlarged end 229 of the release means 219 rests against the raised shoulder 136; and the entire second section 273 is moved upwardly and downwardly to move the locking dog means between the retracted position and the no-go position. The second section 273 is constrained to move downwardly only to the no-go position with the lower control ball means 169 on cam 149, since the skirt 277 encounters the top of mandrel adapter 119.

As described hereinbefore, once the locking dog means 49 encounter the restricted bore in the tubing, moderate downward jarring will disengage the trigger means 231 from the internal shoulder means 53. Therefore, the lower end 229 of the release means 219 is freed to move outwardly and downwardly relative to raised shoulder portion 136. Spring 281 tends to eflect such relative movement and to force the first section 271, with its release means and abutting tubular housing 47 downwardly with respect to the remainder of the well tool, tending to initiate the locking operation and keeping the locking dog means biased against the restricted bore and within the recess means thereabove. The body means 113 and the expander mandrel 51 are drawn upwardly for locking the locking dog means into the recess means, as described hereinbefore. The second section 273 remains connected with body means 113 and is withdrawn upwardly with the body means. The first section 271 and the tubular housing 47 of the locking device are biased so as to prevent their simultaneous upward movement. This ensures that the locking dog means continue to engage the recess means while the locking operation is carried out. The locking, shearing of the shear pin and retrieving of the running tool is described with respect to FIGS. 9 and 10.

Other biasing means which would convert the rapid and improper jerking motion by an inexperienced operator at the surface into a relative downward motion of the release means and the tubular housing 47 with respect to the body means 113 and expander mandrel 51 can be employed instead of biasing means 281.

Where the locking device is to be set on the top restricted bore such as the top landing nipple in a tubing, a simplified running tool such as illustrated in FIG. 13 may be employed therefor. Therein, the locking device 23, the release means 219, and the plurality of

different levels

121 and 123 are the same and operate as described hereinbefore. A simplified retainer housing 283 is employed to contain the upper enlarged end 223 of the release means 219, however. A simplified body means 285 having upper threaded connection 135, has laterally exteriorly extending shoulder means 287. A biasing means such as spring 289 is disposed intermediate the shoulder means 287 and retainer housing 283. The biasing mearm biases the retainer housing 283 and, consequently, release means 219 downwardly longitudinally of the body means such that the lower enlarged end 229 rides against the raised shoulder 136, holding the locking dog means and the msociated tubular housing 47 and expander mandrel 31, in the no-go position from the time the tool is assembled at the surface and is inserted into the well. While the illustrated simplified running tool does not aflord the operator the flexibility of moving the locking dog means 49 to the retracted position in the well, it and the locking device cooperate to prevent inadvertent locking or los of the locking device until the locking dog means encounter the top restricted bore in the tubing.

From the time the locking dog means encounter the first restricted bore and stop downward movement of the locking device in the tubing until they are locked into a recess means, the running tool and the locking device are operated as described hereinbefore with respect to the other embodiments. Specifically, downward jarring moves the trigger means 231 from internal shoulder means 53, allowing the lower end 229 to move outwardly and downwardly over raised shoulder 136 as spring 289 respectively biases retainer housing 283 and tubular housing 47 downwardly and the body means 285 and expander mandrel 51 upwardly to move the locking dog means 49 outwardly to assure engagement of the locking dog means with their recess. Thereafler, the body means 285 may be pulled upwardly by the operator to lock the locking dog means, lock the expander mandrel into its locked position supporting the locking dog means, and shear the shear pin. The simplified running tool is then brought to the surface.

In the foregoing embodiments, the plurality of difl'erent levels and, more particularly, the intermediate portion 123 and the innermost portion 121 have been illustrated as (I) being formed in the body means; and (2) with the intermediate portion being formed in the second section of the retainer means and the innermost portion being formed on the exterior surface of the body means. it is immaterial whether the plurality of different levels be formed directly into the body means or be formed into a second element that is disposed on the body means as long a the body means carries the means forming the plurality of different levels so that an operation that is equivalent to that described hereinbefore can be achieved.

The respective embodiments have been illustrated with one each dog, slip, and drag shoe employed respectively in the release means 219, the slip means 189, and the drag shoe means 181. Preferably, a plurality of each are disposed uniformly about the periphery of the running tool. For example, three of each maybe disposed about the periphery of the body means at apart.

The embodiments also have been described and illustrated with respect to a landing nipple having a nominal diameter the same as the diameter of the tubing. Vfith such landing nipples, as well as with collar recesses, the diameter of the recess means is larger than the diameter of the tubing. If desired, reduced landing nipples having a nominal diameter smaller than the diameter of the tubing may be employed. With reduced landing nipples, as with any other, the recess means must be larger than the restricted bore on which the locking device is to be set. If the locking device is to hold pressure from below, it is necessary that there be an internal bore having an internal diameter less than that of the recess means thereabove, whether it be the tubing, an intermediate portion of a landing nipple or other restricted bore.

It can be seen that the invention provides a locking device and a running tool for its emplacement in a well that obviates the disadvantages of the prior art; and provides the objects enumerated hereinbefore. Particularly, the invention provides the desirable features and the additional features enumerated hereinbefore; namely: (1 a running tool that is able to move, and a locking device that can be lowered to any depth through any number of restrictions in a tubing and then be armed such that it will determine and signal to an operator at the surface when it encounters a restricted portion and should be moved into the locked position; (2) a running too] and a locking device that are operable in response to relative lonp'tudinal movement between parts thereof so that a greater force can be employed in effecting operation of the parts regardless of the length of time the locking device may have been emplaced in the well; (3) a running tool and locking device that can be run through a series of identical restricted bore nipples and, at the operator's command above a particular nipple, locate and set on that particular nipple; (4) a running too] and a locking device that are operable into the armed and no-go position without having to go through a restricted diameter for arming; (5) a locking device that will locate and lock in any nipple means on the market as well as any restricted nipple with a collar recess above it for utmost flexibility and lower costs in having to warehouse different types of locking devices and running tools; (6) a locking device that can be operated into locking or no-go positions in the well without complex accessories; (7) a locking device that will set on the restricted portion of restricted diameter from above and have the expander mandrel move upwardly to lock only alter setting on the restricted portion, thereby preventing inadvertent locking; (8) a locking device with the simplest possible construction for lower expense and greater reliability, and with only relatively inexpensive equipment being lefl in the well; (9) a locking device that will hold pressure in either direction and permit its retrieval from a nipple in any direction after unlocking has been accomplished; (10) a locking device wherein the packing, if employed, has to be moved downwardly against pressure before the lock mandrel can be unlocked, thereby virtually eliminating the danger of the locking device being blown up the tubing during unlocking; (ll) a locking device than can be moved in either direction through a restricted nipple during retrieval without the mandrel being moved into the locked position; and (12) a locking device that can pass small restricted bores but will locate a larger intermediate bore and expand an expansible packing to seal in an intermediate bore. The invention also provides: (1) a running tool and locking device that, not only can be armed at the operator's command, but also can be disarmed in the well at the operator's command; (2) a running tool with a run-in position, an indicating" position for warning the operator at the surface that the tool has been inadvertently operated from the run-in position, and a no-go" position for locating and setting on a restricted bore of a nipple means; the running tool being operable through a complete cycle through all positions without losing or locking the locking device carried thereby; (3) a running tool that is operable into a retrieving position when pulled upwardly, regardless of whether it has been previously operated into the run-in, indicating, or no-go positions; (4) a running tool with a plurality of run-in positions, a plurality of indicating positions, and a plurality of no-go positions, and a plurality of retrieving positions; the running tool being operable through a complete cycle through all positions without losing or locking the locking device carried thereby; (5) a running tool that, upon command by a locking device carried thereby when a restricted bore of a nipple has been reached, will release its lower section for longitudinal movement to effect locking of the locking device, then will automatically release from the locking device; and (6) a running tool and locking device that can be run through a series of identical restricted bore nipples in either direction and, at the operator's command, locate and set on a particular nipple. Moreover, the invention provides a simplified tool comprising the locking device and a simplified running tool that requires less maintainence and still provides the features enumerated in feature numbers 2, 5, and 7-H and the additional feature number 5.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularlity, it is understood that the present disclosure is made by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of emplacing a locking device in conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formations comprising the steps of:

a. emplacing in said conduit in said well a nipple means having a restricted portion having an internal diameter less than the diameter of said conduit, and thereby defining a recess means above said restricted portion; said recess means having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of said restricted portion;

b. running on a running tool through said conduit downwardly into said well a locking device with locking dog means retracted into a retracted position until at a depth above said nipple means; said locking device being first run downwardly through any higher nipple means and any other restricted diameters;

c. thereupon operating said locking dog means into a no-go position with locking dog means protruding outwardly to define an outside diameter greater than the internal diameter of said restricted portion and less than the internal diameter of said conduit; said operating of said locking dog means into said no-go position being effected by reciprocally moving said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit a distance suificient to effect reciprocal movement of a drag means and move a retainer means into an armed position effecting said nogo position of said locking dog means and from which it can be moved downwardly relative to a body means of said running too] to release a release means holding an internal shoulder means of said locking device to said running tool;

d. lowering said locking device farther downwardly until said locking dog means in said no-go position encounters said restricted portion of said nipple means; and

e. expanding said locking dog means outwardly into said recess means to a locked position; said locking dog means in said locked position having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameters of said restricted portion and of an internal bore thereabove, and removably locking said locking dog means into said locked position; said expanding of said locking dog means outwardly into said locked position being effected by first exerting a downward force on said body means of said running tool after said locking dog means in said no-go position have engaged said restricted portion in said nipple means and stopped downward movement of a housing of said locking device, the downward force being sutficient to move a trigger portion of said release means from engagement with said internal shoulder means of said locking device; and, thereafter, moving said body means of said running tool upwardly and moving said expander mandrel with which said body means is connected upwardly to expand said locking dog means into said locked position and releasably lock said expander mandrel in said locked position; and

f. pulling upwardly on said body means of said running tool to effect release of said running tool from said locking device and leave said locking device locked in said conduit; and withdrawing said running tool from said well.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said release means is moved outwardly sufficiently to allow upward passage of a raised shoulder portion on said body means of said running tool after said trigger portion is moved downwardly from engagement with internal shoulder means of said locking device for moving said expander mandrel into said locked position.

3. The method of claim I wherein said running tool has slips and wherein said reciprocally moving of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit comprises an upward movement to effect movement of a drag means downwardly for rotating a tubular sleeve to align a slot traversal member with an elongated longitudinal slot on said body means, lowering said running tool downwardly thereby moving said drag means upwardly to engage said slips with said conduit, and again raising and lowering said running too] to rotate said tubular sleeve means and position said retainer means into the armed position corresponding to the no-go position of the locking dog means.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said locking dog means and said retainer means are movable from said armed position back to said retracted position and said retainer means disarmed by reciprocally moving said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said well a distance suificient to effect reciprocal movement of said drag means at the option of the operator at the surface and without having to bring said running tool to the surface for disarming.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said locking dog means are reversibly held in said locked position, and said locking dog means are retracted and said locking device retrieved from said nipple by movement in either direction without again locking.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a biasing means is employed. in addition to the force of gravity and the force moving said body means upwardly, for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said body means and said release means and said locking dog means and thereby ensuring that said locking dog means lock in said recess means.

7. A running tool for emplacing in a conduit in a well a removable locking device having an expander mandrel that is movable longitudinally thereof and having locking dog means that are outwardly expandable into a locking position in a recess means in said conduit, said running tool comprising:

a. an elongate body means including:

i. a plurality of longitudinal slots extending longitudinally of said body means and a plurality of helix slots extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one said longitudinal slot to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot, said plurality of longitudinal slots and said plurality of helix slots defining a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of said body means;

ii. a lower control slot comprising a longitudinal control slot and an annular slot; said longitudinal control slot extending longitudinally of said body means and terminating at its upper end in a bifurcated slot that defines a cam between the bifurcated slots; the annular slot extending peripherally about said body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body means and connected with said bifurcated slots; and

iii; enlarged portion disposed adjacent the lower end of said body means; said enlarged portion abutting the bottom of a tubular sleeve means;

b. means defining a plurality of levels connected with said body means; said levels extending longitudinally of said body means and having an innermost portion, an outermost portion, and an intermediate portion, said innerrnom portion and said intermediate portion being separated by a raised shoulder for preventing inadvertent locking;

c. an elongate tubular sleeve means disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to said body means and rotatable with respect thereto; said tubular sleeve means having a bent slot and a bottom slot cut therein; said bent slot having a longitudinal portion movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said body means. and having a helical portion connected with said longitudinal portion and movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said helix slots in said body means; said bottom slot comprising a short slot that is re lated to said longitudinal portion of said bent slot as said longitudinal control slot is related to the correlative longitudinal slot; and said bottom slot being disposed so as to intersect the bottom of said tubular sleeve means; said bent slot and said longitudinal and helix slots including aligning portions at each end for ensuring appropriate alignment;

d. a drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and said tubular sleeve means and having a portion that is freely movable rotationally and longitudinally with respect to said body means and said tubular sleeve means; said drag men-rs including drag shoe means for frictionally dragging on the inner wall of said conduit and biasing said drag means toward its extreme position in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit;

e. a slot traversal member carried by said drag means and disposed intermediate said drag means and said longitudinal and helix slots, and drivingly engaging said bent slot in said tubular sleeve means for rotating said tubular sleeve means in response to longitudinal movement of said drag means;

f. retainer means disposed peripherally about said enlarged portion of said body means and about said bottom oi said tubular sleeve means; said retainer means having first and second groove means disposed around its interior for retaining, respectively, a control slot traversal member and a release means; said retainer means having window means disposed so as to match with said levels for receiving release means therewithin;

g. release means disposed in said levels and said window means and having a terminal appendage retained within said second groove means of said retainer means; said release means having an enlarged end portion, an intermediate trigger portion, and a reduced release portion; said intermediate trigger portion having slightly greater lateral dimensions than said raised shoulder in said levels for releasing said body means for longitudinal movement when said intermediate trigger portion is moved from engagement with an internal shoulder means of a locking device; and

h. control slot traversal member disposed within said first groove means of said retainer means and said lower control slot of said body means for controlling longitudinal movement of said retainer means and, consequently, said release means; said control slot traversal member being disposed in said bottom slot of said tubular sleeve means so as to move responsively thereto peripherally about said body means in said lower control slot.

8. The running too] of claim 7 wherein said retainer means has a separable collet expander mandrel aifixed to its bottom end for expanding collet fingers in a locking device; said collect expander mandrel having its diameter adapted for the respective locking device it is to operate.

9. The running tool of claim 7 wherein there is a plurality of at least three longitudinal slots comprising a retraction slot for effecting a retracted position of said running tool and a locking dog means in a locking device for running in said well, a warning slot for setting slip means to warn an operator at the surface of inadvertent operation of said slot traversal member out of said retraction slot, and an arming slot for effecting an armed and no-go position of said running tool and locking dog means in a locking device for setting on a portion of restricted diameter in said conduit and allowing said locking dog means to be locked into a recess above said portion of restricted diameter after the locking dog means have encountered the portion of restricted diameter; and wherein slip means are disposed within said drag means and are laterally movable outwardly to engage an inner surface of said conduit.

10. The running tool of claim 9 wherein said warning slot is elongated such that its upper end is higher on said running tool than the remaining longitudinal slots and a slip expander means is provided adjacent said slip means; such that downward and then upward movement of said drag means, with respect to said body means suflicient to move said slot traversal member from said reuaction slot into said warning slot, will move said slot traversal member and said slip means upward sufficiently to move said slip means onto said slip expander means and to set said slip means in engagement with said inner surface of said conduit.

11. The running tool of claim 9 wherein said longitudinal control slot is aligned with one of said longitudinal slots and said bottom slot on said tubular sleeve is aligned with said longitudinal portion of said bent slot.

12. The running tool of claim 7 wherein said tubular sleeve means is longitudinally affixed about said body means and said drag means is disposed outside both said body means and said tubular sleeve means.

13. The running tool of claim 7 wherein the bottom end of said bent slot is offset with respect to said bottom slot so that when said running tool is moved upwardly so as to force said slot traversal member downwardly to the bottom ends of said respective longitudinal slots, said control slot traversal member is always forced into said annular slot and said running tool is moved into in retracted position that efl'ects a retracted position of a locking dog means in a locking device; whereby said tool can always be moved out of the well regardless of the position into which the slot traversal means may have been inadvertently actuated.

14. The running tool of claim 7 wherein said body means includes a plurality of said retraction slots said warning slots, and said arming slots and an equal plurality of helix slots respectively therebetween.

[5. The running tool of claim 7 wherein said retainer means includes a housing having at least first and second sections, said first section having one end of said release means disposed therewithin, said first section being movable longitudinally with respect to said body means and said second section, said second section being carried by said body means; and a biasing means disposed intermediate said first and second sections and biasing said first section away from said second section for ensuring the requisite relative longitudinal movement between said release means with any tubular housing of a locking device connected thereto, and said body means with any expander mandrel connected thereto, for moving said locking dog means into said locking position in said recess means in said conduit afler said intermediate trigger portion is released from said internal shoulder means.

16 The running tool of claim wherein said means defining said levels includes at least a portion of said second section such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said second section.

l7. The running tool of claim 7 wherein said means defining said levels includes at least a portion of said body means such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said body means.

18. A running tool for emplacing in a conduit in a well a removable locking device having an expander mandrel that is movable longitudinally thereof and having outwardly expanding locking dog means, said running tool comprising:

a. an elongate body means having a plurality of longitudinal slots extending longitudinally of said body means and a plurality of helix slots extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one said longitudinal slot to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot, said plurality of longitudinal slots and said plurality of helix slots defining a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of said body means; said body means also having a lower control slot comprising a longitudinal control slot and an annular slot; said longitudinal control slot extending longitudinally of said body means and terminating at its upper end in a bifurcated slot; said annular slot extending peripherally about said body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body means, and connected with said bifurcated slot; said bifurcated slot defining a cam that is interposed in said annular slot and that is aligned with said longitudinal control slot;

an elongate tubular sleeve means disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to said body means and rotatable with respect thereto; said tubular sleeve means having a bent slot therein; said bent slot having a longitudinal portion movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said body means and having a helical portion connected with said longitudinal portion and movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said helix slots in said body means;

. a drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and said tubular sleeve means and having a portion that is freely movable rotationally and longitudinally with respect to said body means and said tubular sleeve means; said drag means being adapted to frictionally drag on the inner wall of said conduit so as to force said drag means toward its extreme position relative to said body means in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit; said drag means encompassing a slot traversal member that engages said longitudinal and helix slots and drivingly engages said bent slot in said tubular sleeve means for rotating said tubular sleeve means in response to longitudinal movement of said drag means;

d. retainer means disposed peripherally about said body means and about said bottom of said tubular sleeve means; said retainer means having disposed therewithin a control slot traversal member that is responsively connected with said tubular sleeve means and said lower control slot on said body means; said retainer means having removably connected to its lower end a collet expander mandrel for frictionally engaging a portion of a locking device; said retainer means also including a release means for engaging an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said retainer means being operationally constrained to one of two locations longitudinally of said body means until said control slot traversal member is aligned with said longitudinal control slot by said tubular sleeve means, and until said tubular housing is moved upwardly with respect to said retainer means to release said releue means; one of said two locations being a running location that is efiected responsive to said control slot traversal member moving in said annular slot of said lower control slot and the second of said two locations being an armed location that is effected responsive to movement of said control slot traversal member onto said cam;

e. mandrel adapter connected with said body means; and

f. attachment means for releasably connecting an expander mandrel of a locking device to said mandrel adapter of said running tool.

19. Die running tool of claim [8 wherein said retainer means includes a housing having at least first and second sections, said first section having one end of said release means disposed therewithin, said first section being movable longitudinally with respect to said body means and said second section, said second section being carried by said body means; and a biasing means disposed intermediate said first and second sections and biasing said first section away from said second section for ensuring the requisite relative longitudinal movement between said release means with any tubular housing of a locking device connected thereto, and said body means with any expander mandrel connected thereto for moving said locking dog means into a locking position in a recess means in said conduit after said release means is released from said internal shoulder means.

20. A running tool for emplacing in a conduit in a well a removable locking device having an expander mandrel that is movable longitudinally thereof and having locking dog means that are outwardly expandable into a locking position in a recess means in said conduit, said running tool comprising:

a. an elongate body means having disposed at its lower end an insertion portion of reduced cross sectional dimensions for inserting within a removable locking device;

b. means defining a plurality of diflerent levels comprising an outermost portion, and an innermost portion and an intermediate portion for providing different size openings intermediate said body means and an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said innermost portion and said intermediate portion being separated by a raised shoulder portion; said means defining said plurality of different levels being carried by said body means;

c. drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and freely movable longitudinally of said body means; said drag means being adapted to frictionally drag on the inner wall of said conduit so as to bias said drag means toward its extreme position in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running too] along the longitudinal axis of said conduit to eflect operation of an expander mandrel and locking dogs of a locking device into and out of a no-go position through movement of said drag means along the longitudinal axis of said body means;

d. retainer means on said body means for keeping a tubular housing and an expander mandrel of a locking device spaced relative to each other in a running position with said locking dog means retracted until said drag means is moved longitudinally to elfect movement of said locking dog means into said no-go position; said retainer means including a retainer housing and a release means; said release means having a trigger means for engaging an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said release means having its upper end disposed intermediate said outermost portion of said levels and said retainer housing and its lower end disposable intermediate said intermediate portion and an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said trigger means having a lateral dimension at least equal to the lateral dimension of said raised shoulder portion separating said intermediate portion from said innermost portion; whereby when said trigger portion of said release means is moved from out of engagement with an internal shoulder means of a locking device, said release means is movable over said raised shoulder portion and into said innermost portion for releasing said internal shoulder means of said locking device and permitting complete disengagement therebetween;

e. orienting means for effecting respective orientations between said body means and said retainer means to reversibly move said locking dog means into a retracted position and a no-go position; and

. attachment means for releasably connecting said running tool with an expander mandrel of a locking device whereby said expander mandrel can be drawn upwardly to lock said locking dog means into their locked position before said running tool is released from said expander mandrel.

2|. The running tool of claim wherein said body means includes:

a. a plurality of longitudinal slots extending longitudinally of said body means and a plurality of helix slots extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one said longitudinal slot to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot, said plurality of longitudinal slots and said plurality of helix slots defining a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of said body means;

b. a lower control slot comprising a longitudinal control slot and an annular slot; said longitudinal control slot terminating at its upper end in a bifurcated slot; said annular slot extending peripherally about said body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body means, and connected with said bifurcated slot; said bifurcated slot defining a cam that is interposed in said annular slot and that is aligned with said longitudinal control slot; and

c. a mandrel adapter connected with said body means;

and wherein said orienting means comprises an elongate tubular sleeve means that is disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to said body means and rotatable with respect thereto; said tubular sleeve means having a bent slot and a bottom slot cut therein; said bent slot having a longitudinal portion movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said body means, and having a helical portion connected with said longitudinal portion and movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said helix slots in said body means; said bottom slot comprising a short slot that is related to said longitudinal portion of said bent slot as said longitudinal control slot is related to a correlative longitudinal slot on said body means, andsaid bottom slot is disposed so as to intersect the bottom of said tubular sleeve means; and wherein a slot traversal member is disposed within and intermediate said drag mearu and said longitudinal and helix slots and drivingly engages said bent slot in said tubular sleeve means for rotating said tubular sleeve means in response to relative longitudinal movement of said drag means; and wherein said retainer means has a lint groove means; and wherein a control slot traversal member is disposed within said first groove means of said retainer means and said lower control slot of said body means for controlling longitudinal movement of said retainer means and, consequently, said release means.

22. The running tool of claim 20 wherein said orienting means comprises a set of driving slots and a set of driven slots disposed individually in said elongate body means and in a tubular sleeve means adjacent said body means; one of said sets of slots compr'ming a closed pattern of slots including a plurality of longitudinal slots and a plurality of helix slots, each helix slot connecting the bottom portion of a longitudinal slot with a top portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot and the other of said sets of slots comprising a bent slot having a longitudinal portion that is coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said closed pattern of slots in one position, and having a helical portion that is connected with said longitudinal portion and that is coextemive with a portion of said helix slots when said bent slot is in another position; and a slot traversal member that is carried by said drag means and drivingly engages said set of driven slots and engages said set of driving slots.

23. The running tool of claim 22 wherein said set of of driving slots are in said body means and said set of driven slots are in said tubular sleeve means.

24. The running tool of claim 22 wherein said one of said sets is disposed in said body means and said other of said sets is disposed in said tubular sleeve means.

25. The running tool of claim 24 wherein said one of said sets comprising said closed pattern of slots is employed as said set of driving slots and said other of said sets comprising said bent slot is employed as said set of driven slots.

26. The running tool of claim 20 wherein said retainer means includes a housing having at least first and second sections, said first section having one end of said release means disposed therewithin, said first section being movable longitudinally with respect to said body means and said second section, said second section being carried by said body means; and a biasing means disposed intermediate said first and second sections and biasing said first section away from said second section for ensuring the requisite relative longitudinal movement between said release means with any tubular housing of a locking device connected thereto, and said body means with any expander mandrel connected thereto, for moving said locking dog means into said locking position in said recess means in said conduit after said trigger means is released from said internal shoulder means.

27. The running tool of claim 26 wherein said means defining said plurality of different levels is can-led by said body means and includes a portion of said second section such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said second section.

28. The running tool of claim 20 wherein said means defining said plurality of difi'erent levels includes at least a portion of said body means such that at leut one of said innennost and intermediate portions is disposed on said body means.

29. A well tool comprising:

a. a locking device for locking tools within a conduit at a location detined by a portion of restricted diameter and a recess means thereabove for receiving locking dog means including:

i. a tubular housing having an internal shoulder means disposed at its upper end; having a plurality of inwardly biased collet fingers disposed adjacent its upper end, and having a window means disposed adjacent its lower end for receiving locking dog means;

. locking dog means retained within said tubular housing and disposed in said window means; said locking dog means being movable laterally of said tubular housing into a retracted position; a no-go position protruding slightly through window means; and a locked position protruding through said window means and locltingly engaging said recess in said conduit;

iii. an expander mandrel having a connection means at its lower end for connection with a tool to be supported thereby; and having an internal portion disposed within said tubular housing and reciprocally movable along the longitudinal axis thereof; said internal portion having a retraction portion of fully reduced diameter for supporting said locking dog means in a retracted position; a nogo portion of intennediate reduced diameter for supporting said locking dog means in a no-go position; and a locking portion for supporting said locking dog means in a locked position; said retraction portion, said no-go portion, and said locking portion being positionable to support said locking dog means in response to longitudinal movement of said expander mandrel along the longitudinal axis of said tubular housing;

iv. locking means intermediate said collet fingers and said expander mandrel for releasably retaining same in said locked position; and

v. assembly retainer means intermediate said expander mandrel and said tubular housing for preventing inadvertent disassembly thereof;

b. a running tool for emplacing said locking device in a conduit in said well, including:

i. an elongate body means having disposed at its lower end an insertion portion of reduced cross sectional dimensions for inserting within a removable locking device;

. means defining a plurality of different levels comprising an outermost portion, and an innermost portion and an intennediate portion for providing different size openings intermediate said body means and said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said innermost portion and said intermediate portion being separated by a raised shoulder portion; said means defining said plurality of difi'erent levels being carried by said body means;

iii. drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and freely movable longitudinally of said body means; said drag means being adapted to frictionslly drag on the inner wall of said conduit so as to bias said drag means toward its extreme position in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit to effect operation of said expander mandrel and locking dogs of said locking device into a no-go position through movement of said drag means along the longitudinal axis of said body means;

iv. retainer means on said body means for keeping said tubular housing and said expander mandrel of said locking device spaced relative to each other in a running position with said locking dog means retracted until said drag means is moved longitudinally to efl'ect movement of said locking dog means into said no-go position; said retainer means including a retainer housing and a release means; said releae means having a trigger means engaging said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said release means having its upper end disposed intermediate said outermost portion of said levels and said retainer housing and its lower end disposed intermediate said intermediate portion and said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said trigger means having a lateral dimension at least equal to the lateral dimension of said raised shoulder portion separating said intermediate portion from said innermost portion; whereby when said trigger means of said release means is moved from out of engagement with an internal shoulder means of said locking device, said release means is movable over said raised shoulder portion and into said innermost portion for releasing said internal shoulder means of said locking device and permitting complete disengagement therebetween;

. orienting means for effecting respective orientations between said body means and said retainer means to reversibly move said locking dog means into a retracted position and a no-go position; and

c. complete attachment means releasably connecting said expander mandrel of said locking device to said running tool.

30. The well tool of claim 29 wherein said orienting means comprises a set of driving slots and a set of driven slots disposed individually in said elongate body means and in a tubular sleeve means adjacent said body means; one of said sets of slots comprising a closed pattern of slots including a plurality of longitudinal slots and a plurality of helix slots, each helix slot connecting the bottom portion of a longitudinal slot with a top portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot and the other of said sets of slots comprising a bent slot having a longitudinal portion that is coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said closed pattern of slots in one position, and having a helical portion that is connected with said longitudinal portion and that is coextensive with a portion of said helix slots when said bent slot is in another position; and a slot traversal member that is carried by said drag means and drivingly engages said set of driven slots and engages said set of driving slots.

31. The well too] of claim 30 wherein said one of said sets is disposed in said body means and said other of said sets is disposed in said tubular sleeve means.

32. The well tool of claim 31 wherein said one of said sets comprising said closed pattern of slots is employed as said set of driving slots and said other of said sets comprising said bent slot is employed as said set of driven slots.

33. The well tool of claim 29 wherein said running tool includes:

i. an elongate body means having a plurality of longitudinal slots extending longitudinally of said body means and a plurality of helix slots extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one said longitudinal slot to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot, said plurality of longitudinal slots and said plurality of helix slots defining a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of said body means; said body means also having a lower control slot comprising a longitudinal control slot and an annular slot; said lonp'tudinal control slot extending longitudinally of said body means and terminating at its upper end in a bifurcated slot; said annular slot extending peripherally about said body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal ax'm of said body means, and connected with said bifurcated slot; said bifurcated slot defining a cam that is interposed in said annular slot and that is aligned with said longitudinal control slot;

. an elongate tubular sleeve means disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to said body means and rotatable with respect thereto; said tubular sleeve means having a bent slot therein; said bent slot having a longitudinal portion movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said body means and having a helical portion connected with said longitudinal portion and movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said helix slots in said body means;

iii. a drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and said tubular sleeve means and having a portion that is freely movable rotationally and longitu-

Claims

1. A method of emplacing a locking device in conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formations comprising the steps of: a. emplacing in said conduit in said well a nipple means having a restricted portion having an internal diameter less than the diameter of said conduit, and thereby defining a recess means above said restricted portion; said recess means having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of said restricted portion; b. running on a running tool through said conduit downwardly into said well a locking device with locking dog means retracted into a retracted position until at a depth above said nipple means; said locking device being first run downwardly through any higher nipple means and any other restricted diameters; c. thereupon operating said locking dog means into a no-go position with locking dog means protruding outwardly to define an outside diameter greater than the internal diameter of said restricted portion and less than the internal diameter of said conduit; said operating of said locking dog means into said nogo position being effected by reciprocally moving said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit a distance sufficient to effect reciprocal movement of a drag means and move a retainer means into an armed position effecting said nogo position of said locking dog means and from which it can be moved downwardly relative to a body means of said running tool to release a release means holding an internal shoulder means of said locking device to said running tool; d. lowering said locking device farther downwardly until said locking dog means in said no-go position encounters said restricted portion of said nipple means; and e. expanding said locking dog means outwardly into said recess means to a locked position; said locking dog means in said locked position having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameters of said restricted portion and of an internal bore thereabove, and removably locking said locking dog means into said locked position; said expanding of said locking dog means outwardly into said locked position being effected by first exerting a downward force on said body means of said running tool after said locking dog means in said no-go position have engaged said restricted portion in said nipple means and stopped downward movement of a housing of said locking device, the downward force being sufficient to move a trigger portion of said release means from engagement with said internal shoulder means of said locking device; and, thereafter, moving said body means of said running tool upwardly and moving said expander mandrel with which said body means is connected upwardly to expand said locking dog means into said locked position and releasably lock said expander mandrel in said locked position; and f. pulling upwardly on said body means of said running tool to effect release of said running tool from said locking device and leave said locking device locked in said conduit; and withdrawing said running tool from said well.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said running tool has slips and wherein said reciprocally moving of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit comprises an upward movement to effect movement of a drag means downwardly for rotating a tubular sleeve to align a slot traversal member with an elongated longitudinal slot on said body means, lowering said running tool downwardly thereby moving said drag means upwardly to engage said slips with said conduit, and again raising and lowering said running tool to rotate said tubular sleeve means and position said retainer means into the armed position corresponding to the no-go position of the locking dog means.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said locking dog means and said retainer means are movable from said armed position back to said retracted position and said retainer means disarmed by reciprocally moving said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said well a distance sufficient to effect reciprocal movement of said drag means at the option of the operator at the surface and without having to bring said running tool to the surface for disarming.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a biasing means is employed, in addition to the force of gravity and the force moving said body means upwardly, for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said body means and said release means and saiD locking dog means and thereby ensuring that said locking dog means lock in said recess means.

7. A running tool for emplacing in a conduit in a well a removable locking device having an expander mandrel that is movable longitudinally thereof and having locking dog means that are outwardly expandable into a locking position in a recess means in said conduit, said running tool comprising: a. an elongate body means including: i. a plurality of longitudinal slots extending longitudinally of said body means and a plurality of helix slots extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one said longitudinal slot to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot, said plurality of longitudinal slots and said plurality of helix slots defining a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of said body means; ii. a lower control slot comprising a longitudinal control slot and an annular slot; said longitudinal control slot extending longitudinally of said body means and terminating at its upper end in a bifurcated slot that defines a cam between the bifurcated slots; the annular slot extending peripherally about said body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body means and connected with said bifurcated slots; and iii. enlarged portion disposed adjacent the lower end of said body means; said enlarged portion abutting the bottom of a tubular sleeve means; b. means defining a plurality of levels connected with said body means; said levels extending longitudinally of said body means and having an innermost portion, an outermost portion, and an intermediate portion, said innermost portion and said intermediate portion being separated by a raised shoulder for preventing inadvertent locking; c. an elongate tubular sleeve means disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to said body means and rotatable with respect thereto; said tubular sleeve means having a bent slot and a bottom slot cut therein; said bent slot having a longitudinal portion movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said body means, and having a helical portion connected with said longitudinal portion and movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said helix slots in said body means; said bottom slot comprising a short slot that is related to said longitudinal portion of said bent slot as said longitudinal control slot is related to the correlative longitudinal slot; and said bottom slot being disposed so as to intersect the bottom of said tubular sleeve means; said bent slot and said longitudinal and helix slots including aligning portions at each end for ensuring appropriate alignment; d. a drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and said tubular sleeve means and having a portion that is freely movable rotationally and longitudinally with respect to said body means and said tubular sleeve means; said drag means including drag shoe means for frictionally dragging on the inner wall of said conduit and biasing said drag means toward its extreme position in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit; e. a slot traversal member carried by said drag means and disposed intermediate said drag means and said longitudinal and helix slots, and drivingly engaging said bent slot in said tubular sleeve means for rotating said tubular sleeve means in response to longitudinal movement of said drag means; f. retainer means disposed peripherally about said enlarged portion of said body means and about said bottom of said tubular sleeve means; said retainer means having first and second groove means disposed around its interior for retaining, respectively, a control slot traversal member and a release means; said retainer means having window means disposed so as to match with said levels for receiving release means therewithin; g. release means disposed in said levels and said window means And having a terminal appendage retained within said second groove means of said retainer means; said release means having an enlarged end portion, an intermediate trigger portion, and a reduced release portion; said intermediate trigger portion having slightly greater lateral dimensions than said raised shoulder in said levels for releasing said body means for longitudinal movement when said intermediate trigger portion is moved from engagement with an internal shoulder means of a locking device; and h. control slot traversal member disposed within said first groove means of said retainer means and said lower control slot of said body means for controlling longitudinal movement of said retainer means and, consequently, said release means; said control slot traversal member being disposed in said bottom slot of said tubular sleeve means so as to move responsively thereto peripherally about said body means in said lower control slot.

8. The running tool of claim 7 wherein said retainer means has a separable collet expander mandrel affixed to its bottom end for expanding collet fingers in a locking device; said collect expander mandrel having its diameter adapted for the respective locking device it is to operate.

10. The running tool of claim 9 wherein said warning slot is elongated such that its upper end is higher on said running tool than the remaining longitudinal slots and a slip expander means is provided adjacent said slip means; such that downward and then upward movement of said drag means, with respect to said body means sufficient to move said slot traversal member from said retraction slot into said warning slot, will move said slot traversal member and said slip means upward sufficiently to move said slip means onto said slip expander means and to set said slip means in engagement with said inner surface of said conduit.

13. The running tool of claim 7 wherein the bottom end of said bent slot is offset with respect to said bottom slot so that when said running tool is moved upwardly so as to force said slot traversal member downwardly to the bottom ends of said respective longitudinal slots, said control slot traversal member is always forced into said annular slot and said running tool is moved into its retracted position that effects a retracted position of a locking dog means in a locking device; whereby said tool can always be moved out of the well regardless of the position into which the slot traversal means may have been inadvertently actuated.

14. The running tool of claim 7 wherein said body means includes a plurality of said retraction slots, said warning slots, and said arming slots and an equal pluralIty of helix slots respectively therebetween.

15. The running tool of claim 7 wherein said retainer means includes a housing having at least first and second sections, said first section having one end of said release means disposed therewithin, said first section being movable longitudinally with respect to said body means and said second section, said second section being carried by said body means; and a biasing means disposed intermediate said first and second sections and biasing said first section away from said second section for ensuring the requisite relative longitudinal movement between said release means with any tubular housing of a locking device connected thereto, and said body means with any expander mandrel connected thereto, for moving said locking dog means into said locking position in said recess means in said conduit after said intermediate trigger portion is released from said internal shoulder means.

16. The running tool of claim 15 wherein said means defining said levels includes at least a portion of said second section such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said second section.

17. The running tool of claim 7 wherein said means defining said levels includes at least a portion of said body means such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said body means.

18. A running tool for emplacing in a conduit in a well a removable locking device having an expander mandrel that is movable longitudinally thereof and having outwardly expanding locking dog means, said running tool comprising: a. an elongate body means having a plurality of longitudinal slots extending longitudinally of said body means and a plurality of helix slots extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one said longitudinal slot to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot, said plurality of longitudinal slots and said plurality of helix slots defining a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of said body means; said body means also having a lower control slot comprising a longitudinal control slot and an annular slot; said longitudinal control slot extending longitudinally of said body means and terminating at its upper end in a bifurcated slot; said annular slot extending peripherally about said body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body means, and connected with said bifurcated slot; said bifurcated slot defining a cam that is interposed in said annular slot and that is aligned with said longitudinal control slot; b. an elongate tubular sleeve means disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to said body means and rotatable with respect thereto; said tubular sleeve means having a bent slot therein; said bent slot having a longitudinal portion movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said body means and having a helical portion connected with said longitudinal portion and movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said helix slots in said body means; c. a drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and said tubular sleeve means and having a portion that is freely movable rotationally and longitudinally with respect to said body means and said tubular sleeve means; said drag means being adapted to frictionally drag on the inner wall of said conduit so as to force said drag means toward its extreme position relative to said body means in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit; said drag means encompassing a slot traversal member that engages said longitudinal and helix slots and drivingly engages said bent slot in said tubular sleeve means for rotating said tubular sleeve means in response to longitudinal movement of said drag means; d. retainer means disposed peripherally about said body means and about said bottom of said tubular sleeve means; said retainer means havinG disposed therewithin a control slot traversal member that is responsively connected with said tubular sleeve means and said lower control slot on said body means; said retainer means having removably connected to its lower end a collet expander mandrel for frictionally engaging a portion of a locking device; said retainer means also including a release means for engaging an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said retainer means being operationally constrained to one of two locations longitudinally of said body means until said control slot traversal member is aligned with said longitudinal control slot by said tubular sleeve means, and until said tubular housing is moved upwardly with respect to said retainer means to release said release means; one of said two locations being a running location that is effected responsive to said control slot traversal member moving in said annular slot of said lower control slot and the second of said two locations being an armed location that is effected responsive to movement of said control slot traversal member onto said cam; e. mandrel adapter connected with said body means; and f. attachment means for releasably connecting an expander mandrel of a locking device to said mandrel adapter of said running tool.

19. The running tool of claim 18 wherein said retainer means includes a housing having at least first and second sections, said first section having one end of said release means disposed therewithin, said first section being movable longitudinally with respect to said body means and said second section, said second section being carried by said body means; and a biasing means disposed intermediate said first and second sections and biasing said first section away from said second section for ensuring the requisite relative longitudinal movement between said release means with any tubular housing of a locking device connected thereto, and said body means with any expander mandrel connected thereto for moving said locking dog means into a locking position in a recess means in said conduit after said release means is released from said internal shoulder means.

20. A running tool for emplacing in a conduit in a well a removable locking device having an expander mandrel that is movable longitudinally thereof and having locking dog means that are outwardly expandable into a locking position in a recess means in said conduit, said running tool comprising: a. an elongate body means having disposed at its lower end an insertion portion of reduced cross sectional dimensions for inserting within a removable locking device; b. means defining a plurality of different levels comprising an outermost portion, and an innermost portion and an intermediate portion for providing different size openings intermediate said body means and an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said innermost portion and said intermediate portion being separated by a raised shoulder portion; said means defining said plurality of different levels being carried by said body means; c. drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and freely movable longitudinally of said body means; said drag means being adapted to frictionally drag on the inner wall of said conduit so as to bias said drag means toward its extreme position in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit to effect operation of an expander mandrel and locking dogs of a locking device into and out of a no-go position through movement of said drag means along the longitudinal axis of said body means; d. retainer means on said body means for keeping a tubular housing and an expander mandrel of a locking device spaced relative to each other in a running position with said locking dog means retracted until said drag means is moved longitudinally to effect movement of said locking dog means into said no-go position; said retainer means including a retainer housing and a release meaNs; said release means having a trigger means for engaging an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said release means having its upper end disposed intermediate said outermost portion of said levels and said retainer housing and its lower end disposable intermediate said intermediate portion and an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said trigger means having a lateral dimension at least equal to the lateral dimension of said raised shoulder portion separating said intermediate portion from said innermost portion; whereby when said trigger portion of said release means is moved from out of engagement with an internal shoulder means of a locking device, said release means is movable over said raised shoulder portion and into said innermost portion for releasing said internal shoulder means of said locking device and permitting complete disengagement therebetween; e. orienting means for effecting respective orientations between said body means and said retainer means to reversibly move said locking dog means into a retracted position and a no-go position; and f. attachment means for releasably connecting said running tool with an expander mandrel of a locking device whereby said expander mandrel can be drawn upwardly to lock said locking dog means into their locked position before said running tool is released from said expander mandrel.

21. The running tool of claim 20 wherein said body means includes: a. a plurality of longitudinal slots extending longitudinally of said body means and a plurality of helix slots extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one said longitudinal slot to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot, said plurality of longitudinal slots and said plurality of helix slots defining a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of said body means; b. a lower control slot comprising a longitudinal control slot and an annular slot; said longitudinal control slot terminating at its upper end in a bifurcated slot; said annular slot extending peripherally about said body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body means, and connected with said bifurcated slot; said bifurcated slot defining a cam that is interposed in said annular slot and that is aligned with said longitudinal control slot; and c. a mandrel adapter connected with said body means; and wherein said orienting means comprises an elongate tubular sleeve means that is disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to said body means and rotatable with respect thereto; said tubular sleeve means having a bent slot and a bottom slot cut therein; said bent slot having a longitudinal portion movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said body means, and having a helical portion connected with said longitudinal portion and movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said helix slots in said body means; said bottom slot comprising a short slot that is related to said longitudinal portion of said bent slot as said longitudinal control slot is related to a correlative longitudinal slot on said body means, and said bottom slot is disposed so as to intersect the bottom of said tubular sleeve means; and wherein a slot traversal member is disposed within and intermediate said drag means and said longitudinal and helix slots and drivingly engages said bent slot in said tubular sleeve means for rotating said tubular sleeve means in response to relative longitudinal movement of said drag means; and wherein said retainer means has a first groove means; and wherein a control slot traversal member is disposed within said first groove means of said retainer means and said lower control slot of said body means for controlling longitudinal movement of said retainer means and, consequently, said release means.

22. The running tool of claim 20 wherein said orienting means comprises a set of driving slots and a set of driven slots disposed individually in Said elongate body means and in a tubular sleeve means adjacent said body means; one of said sets of slots comprising a closed pattern of slots including a plurality of longitudinal slots and a plurality of helix slots, each helix slot connecting the bottom portion of a longitudinal slot with a top portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot and the other of said sets of slots comprising a bent slot having a longitudinal portion that is coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said closed pattern of slots in one position, and having a helical portion that is connected with said longitudinal portion and that is coextensive with a portion of said helix slots when said bent slot is in another position; and a slot traversal member that is carried by said drag means and drivingly engages said set of driven slots and engages said set of driving slots.

27. The running tool of claim 26 wherein said means defining said plurality of different levels is carried by said body means and includes a portion of said second section such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said second section.

28. The running tool of claim 20 wherein said means defining said plurality of different levels includes at least a portion of said body means such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said body means.

29. A well tool comprising: a. a locking device for locking tools within a conduit at a location defined by a portion of restricted diameter and a recess means thereabove for receiving locking dog means including: i. a tubular housing having an internal shoulder means disposed at its upper end; having a plurality of inwardly biased collet fingers disposed adjacent its upper end, and having a window means disposed adjacent its lower end for receiving locking dog means; ii. locking dog means retained within said tubular housing and disposed in said window means; said locking dog means being movable laterally of said tubular housing into a retracted position; a no-go position protruding slightly through window means; and a locked position protruding through said window means and lockingly engaging said recess in said conduit; iii. an expander mandrel having a connection means at its lower end for connection with a tool to be supported thereby; and having an internal portion disposed within said tubular housing and reciprocally movable along the longitudinal axis thereof; said internal portion having a retraction portion of fully reduced diameter for supporting Said locking dog means in a retracted position; a no-go portion of intermediate reduced diameter for supporting said locking dog means in a no-go position; and a locking portion for supporting said locking dog means in a locked position; said retraction portion, said no-go portion, and said locking portion being positionable to support said locking dog means in response to longitudinal movement of said expander mandrel along the longitudinal axis of said tubular housing; iv. locking means intermediate said collet fingers and said expander mandrel for releasably retaining same in said locked position; and v. assembly retainer means intermediate said expander mandrel and said tubular housing for preventing inadvertent disassembly thereof; b. a running tool for emplacing said locking device in a conduit in said well, including: i. an elongate body means having disposed at its lower end an insertion portion of reduced cross sectional dimensions for inserting within a removable locking device; ii. means defining a plurality of different levels comprising an outermost portion, and an innermost portion and an intermediate portion for providing different size openings intermediate said body means and said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said innermost portion and said intermediate portion being separated by a raised shoulder portion; said means defining said plurality of different levels being carried by said body means; iii. drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and freely movable longitudinally of said body means; said drag means being adapted to frictionally drag on the inner wall of said conduit so as to bias said drag means toward its extreme position in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit to effect operation of said expander mandrel and locking dogs of said locking device into a no-go position through movement of said drag means along the longitudinal axis of said body means; iv. retainer means on said body means for keeping said tubular housing and said expander mandrel of said locking device spaced relative to each other in a running position with said locking dog means retracted until said drag means is moved longitudinally to effect movement of said locking dog means into said no-go position; said retainer means including a retainer housing and a release means; said release means having a trigger means engaging said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said release means having its upper end disposed intermediate said outermost portion of said levels and said retainer housing and its lower end disposed intermediate said intermediate portion and said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said trigger means having a lateral dimension at least equal to the lateral dimension of said raised shoulder portion separating said intermediate portion from said innermost portion; whereby when said trigger means of said release means is moved from out of engagement with an internal shoulder means of said locking device, said release means is movable over said raised shoulder portion and into said innermost portion for releasing said internal shoulder means of said locking device and permitting complete disengagement therebetween; v. orienting means for effecting respective orientations between said body means and said retainer means to reversibly move said locking dog means into a retracted position and a no-go position; and c. complete attachment means releasably connecting said expander mandrel of said locking device to said running tool.

31. The well tool of claim 30 wherein said one of said sets is disposed in said body means and said other of said sets is disposed in said tubular sleeve means.

33. The well tool of claim 29 wherein said running tool includes: i. an elongate body means having a plurality of longitudinal slots extending longitudinally of said body means and a plurality of helix slots extending peripherally and helically from the bottom of one said longitudinal slot to the upper portion of an adjacent longitudinal slot, said plurality of longitudinal slots and said plurality of helix slots defining a slotted path of travel completely around the periphery of said body means; said body means also having a lower control slot comprising a longitudinal control slot and an annular slot; said longitudinal control slot extending longitudinally of said body means and terminating at its upper end in a bifurcated slot; said annular slot extending peripherally about said body means in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body means, and connected with said bifurcated slot; said bifurcated slot defining a cam that is interposed in said annular slot and that is aligned with said longitudinal control slot; ii. an elongate tubular sleeve means disposed at a longitudinally fixed location with respect to said body means and rotatable with respect thereto; said tubular sleeve means having a bent slot therein; said bent slot having a longitudinal portion movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said longitudinal slots in said body means and having a helical portion connected with said longitudinal portion and movable so as to be coextensive with a portion of said helix slots in said body means; iii. a drag means disposed peripherally about said body means and said tubular sleeve means and having a portion that is freely movable rotationally and longitudinally with respect to said body means and said tubular sleeve means; said drag means being adapted to frictionally drag on the inner wall of said conduit so as to bias said drag means toward its extreme position in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said running tool along the longitudinal axis of said conduit; said drag means encompassing a slot traversal member that engages said longitudinal and helix slots and drivingly engages said bent slot in said tubular sleeve means for rotating said tubular sleeve means in response to longitudinal movement of said drag means; iv. retainer means disposed peripherally about said body means and about said bottom of said tubular sleeve means; said retainer means having disposed therewithin a control slot traversal member that is responsively connected with said tubular sleeve means and said lower control slot on said body means; said retainer means having removably connected to its lower end a collet expander mandrel that frictionally engages said collet fingers of said locking device; said retainer means also including a release means engaging said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said retainer means being operationally constrained to one of two locations lonGitudinally of said body means until said control slot traversal member is aligned with said longitudinal control slot by said tubular sleeve means, and until said tubular housing is moved upwardly with respect to said retainer means to release said release means; one of said two locations being a running location that is effected responsive to said control slot traversal member moving in said annular slot of said lower control slot and the second of said two locations being an armed location that is effected responsive to movement of said control slot traversal member onto said cam; and v. mandrel adapter connected with said body means.

34. The well tool of claim 33 wherein said locking device has a seal means disposed peripherally about its external surface for sealingly engaging with an internal surface in said conduit and preventing flow of fluids therepast.

35. The well tool of claim 33 wherein one of said longitudinal slots in said body of said running tool extends to a height sufficient to allow setting of slip means, and wherein said drag means has retained therewithin slip means that are adapted to be expanded outwardly into engagement with an interior surface of said conduit; and said running tool includes a slip expander means disposed adjacent said slip means for expanding said slip means outwardly responsive to relative longitudinal movement therebetween.

36. The well tool of claim 29 wherein said retainer means includes a housing having at least first and second sections, said first section having one end of said release means disposed therewithin, said first section being movable longitudinally with respect to said body means and said second section; said second section being drivingly carried by said body means; and a biasing means disposed intermediate said first and second sections and biasing said first section away from said second section for ensuring the requisite relative longitudinal movement between said release means with said tubular housing of said locking device connected thereto, and said body means with said expander mandrel connected thereto for moving said locking dog means into said locking position in said recess means in said conduit after said trigger means is released from said internal shoulder means.

37. The well tool of claim 36 wherein said means defining said plurality of different levels includes at least a portion of said second section such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said second section.

38. The well tool of claim 29 wherein said means defining said plurality of different levels includes at least a portion of said body means such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said body means.

39. The well tool of claim 29 wherein said retainer means has a separable collet expander mandrel affixed to its bottom end for expanding said inwardly biased collet fingers of said locking device; said collet expander mandrel having its outside diameter adapted to operably fit said locking device.

40. The well tool of claim 39 wherein said body means of said running tool has a mandrel adapter removably connected thereto; said mandrel adapter having its outside diameter adapted for operably fitting within said expander mandrel of said locking device.

41. A well tool comprising: a. a locking device for locking tools within a conduit at a location defined by a portion of restricted diameter and a recess means thereabove for receiving locking dog means including: i. a tubular housing having an internal shoulder means disposed at its upper end; having a plurality of inwardly biased collet fingers disposed adjacent its upper end, and having a window means disposed adjacent its lower end for receiving locking dog means; ii. locking dog means retained within said tubular housing and disposed in said window means; said locking dog means being movable laterally of said tubular housing into a retracted position; a no-go poSition protruding slightly through window means; and a locked position protruding through said window means and lockingly engaging said recess in said conduit; iii. an expander mandrel having a connection means at its lower end for connection with a tool to be supported thereby; and having an internal portion disposed within said tubular housing and reciprocally movable along the longitudinal axis thereof; said internal portion having a retraction portion of fully reduced diameter for supporting said locking dog means in a retracted position; a no-go portion of intermediate reduced diameter for supporting said locking dog means in a no-go position; and a locking portion for supporting said locking dog means in a locked position; said retraction portion, said no-go portion, and said locking portion being positionable to support said locking dog means in response to longitudinal movement of said expander mandrel along the longitudinal axis of said tubular housing; iv. locking means intermediate said collet fingers and said expander mandrel for releasably retaining same in said locked position; and v. assembly retainer means intermediate said expander mandrel and said tubular housing for preventing inadvertent disassembly thereof; b. a running tool for emplacing said locking device in a conduit in said well, including: i. a body means having disposed at its lower end an insertion portion of reduced cross sectional dimensions inserted within said locking device; ii. means defining a plurality of different levels comprising an outermost portion, and an innermost portion and an intermediate portion for providing different size openings intermediate said body means and said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said innermost portion and said intermediate portion being separated by a raised shoulder portion; said means defining said plurality of different levels being carried by said body means; iii. retainer means on said body means for keeping said tubular housing and said expander mandrel of said locking device spaced relative to each other such that said no-go portion of said expander mandrel supports said locking dog means in said no-go position; said retainer means including a retainer housing and a release means; said release means having a trigger means engaging said internal shoulder means of said locking device, and having its upper end disposed intermediate said outermost portion of said levels and said retainer housing, and having its lower end disposed intermediate said intermediate portion and said internal shoulder means of said locking device; said trigger means having a lateral dimension at least equal to the lateral dimension of said raised shoulder portion separating said intermediate portion from said innermost portion; whereby when said trigger means of said release means is moved from out of engagement with said internal shoulder means of said locking device, said release means is movable over said raised shoulder portion and into said innermost portion for releasing said internal shoulder means of said locking device and permitting complete disengagement therebetween; and c. complete attachment means releasably connecting said expander mandrel of said locking device to said mandrel adapter of said running tool.

42. The well tool of claim 41 wherein said retainer means has a collet expander mandrel removably and rigidly connected therewith; wherein said body means has a mandrel adapter removably and rigidly connected thereto; said collet expander mandrel and said mandrel adapter having their respective outside diameters adapted to operably fit within said collet fingers and said expander mandrel of said locking device; whereby various locking devices can be set with a single running tool by merely changing said collet expander mandrel and said mandrel adapter on said running tool.

43. The well tool of claim 41 wherein a biasing means is disposed intermediate said retainer housing and said body meanS and biasing said retainer housing and said release means therewithin away from said body means longitudinally of said body means for ensuring the requisite relative longitudinal movement between said release means with said tubular housing of said locking device attached thereto, and said body means with said expander mandrel attached thereto, for moving said locking dog means into said locking position in said recess means in said conduit.

44. The well tool of claim 41 wherein said means defining said plurality of different levels includes at least a portion of said body means such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said body means.

45. A running tool for emplacing in a conduit in a well a removable locking device having an expander mandrel that is movable longitudinally thereof and having locking dog means that are outwardly expandable into a locking position in a recess means in said conduit, said running tool comprising: a. a body means having disposed at its lower end an insertion portion of reduced cross sectional dimensions for inserting within a locking device; b. means defining a plurality of different levels comprising an outermost portion, and an innermost portion and an intermediate portion for providing different size openings intermediate said body means and an internal shoulder means of a locking device; said innermost portion and said intermediate portion being separated by a raised shoulder portion; said means defining said plurality of different levels being carried by said body means; c. retainer means on said body means for keeping a tubular housing and an expander mandrel of a locking device spaced relative to each other such that said no-go portion of said expander mandrel supports said locking dog means partially extended into said no-go position; said retainer means including a retainer housing and a release means; said release means having a trigger means for engaging an internal shoulder means of a locking device, and having its upper end disposed intermediate said outermost portion of said levels and said retainer housing and its lower end disposed intermediate said intermediate portion and said internal shoulder means of a locking device; said trigger means having a lateral dimension at least equal to the lateral dimension of said raised shoulder portion separating said intermediate portion from said innermost portion; whereby when said trigger means of said release means is moved from out of engagement with an internal shoulder means of said locking device, said release means is movable over said raised shoulder portion and into said innermost portion for releasing said internal shoulder means of said locking device and permitting complete disengagement therebetween; and d. attachment means for releasably connecting an expander mandrel of a locking device with said body means of said running tool.

46. The running tool of claim 45 wherein a biasing means is disposed intermediate said retainer housing and said body means and biasing said retainer housing and said release means therewithin away from said body means longitudinally of said body means for ensuring the requisite relative longitudinal movement between said release means with any tubular housing of a locking device attached thereto, and said body means with any expander mandrel attached thereto, for moving said locking dog means into said locking position in said recess means in said conduit.

47. The running tool of claim 45 wherein said means defining said plurality of different levels includes at least a portion of said body means such that at least one of said innermost and intermediate portions is disposed on said body means.

48. The method of emplacing a locking device at an uppermost restricted bore and adjacent recess means in conduit in a well penetrating subterranean formations comprising the steps of: a. operating a locking device to a no-go position with locking dog means partially extended ouTwardly to define an outside diameter greater than the internal diameter of said restricted bore and less than the internal diameter of said conduit; b. attaching said locking device in said no-go position to a running tool and running both downwardly in said conduit until said locking dog means encounter said restricted bore; c. expanding said locking dog means outwardly into said recess means to a locked position having an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of said restricted bore and of an internal bore thereabove, and removably locking said locking dog means into said locked position; said expanding of said locking dog means outwardly into said locked position being effected by exerting a downward force on a body means of said running tool after said locking dog means in said no-go position have engaged said restricted bore in said conduit and stop downward movement of a housing of said locking device, the downward force being sufficient to move a trigger means from engagement with an internal shoulder means of said locking device; and, thereafter, moving said body means of said running tool upwardly and moving an expander mandrel of said locking device with which said body means is connected upwardly to expand said locking dog means into said locked position and releasably lock said expander mandrel in said locked position; and d. pulling upwardly on said body means of said running tool to effect release of said running tool from said locking device and leave said locking device locked in said recess means in said conduit; and withdrawing said running tool from said well.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein said locking dog means are reversibly held in said locked position, and said locking dog means are retracted and said locking device retrieved from said restricted bore and recess means by movement in either direction without again locking.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein a biasing means is employed, in addition to the force of gravity and the force moving said body means upwardly, for effecting relative longitudinal movement between said body means and said release means and said locking dog means and thereby ensuring that said locking dog means lock in said recess means.