U.S. patent number 3,856,081 [Application Number 05/293,869] was granted by the patent office on 1974-12-24 for locking devices.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Otis Engineering Corporation. Invention is credited to Carlos R. Canalizo.
United States Patent |
3,856,081 |
Canalizo |
December 24, 1974 |
LOCKING DEVICES
Abstract
Locking devices for releasably locking well tools such as pumps,
safety valves, gas lift valves, and the like in a flow conductor of
a well. The devices are especially useful with pumps which deliver
substantial reciprocating forces that would tend to dislodge
conventional locking mandrels. The devices each includes a body
mandrel, lower locating and support means on the mandrel for
locating and holding the device against downward movement at the
landing nipple, and upper locking means expandable into a locking
recess having a cam surface for wedging the locking device to a
locked, no-slack relationship in the conductor. The upper locking
means includes an expander sleeve and collet fingers which coengage
along a non-sliding contact angle. The collet fingers have cam
surfaces which engage the cam surface of the locking recess. Some
forms of the devices have a central packing means activated by the
upper locking means for sealing around the device within the
landing nipple between the lower support means and the upper
locking means. In certain forms, after engagement of the upper
locking means and expansion of the packing means, metal to metal
contact is effected between the operating components of the device
from the lower support means through the upper locking means
thereby rigidly restraining the device against longitudinal
movement in either direction within the landing nipple. One
specific form of the devices is used in a non-selective, no-go
nipple. Another form of the devices includes one type of selective
lower support means for landing and locking the device at a
selected landing nipple. A still further form of the devices
includes selective lower support means having a variety of defined
geometrical profiles permitting selective landing and locking along
the flow conductor which does not require a predetermined location
pattern along the flow conductor.
Inventors: |
Canalizo; Carlos R. (Dallas,
TX) |
Assignee: |
Otis Engineering Corporation
(Dallas, TX)
|
Family
ID: |
23130928 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/293,869 |
Filed: |
October 2, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/123; 166/217;
166/136 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
33/1208 (20130101); E21B 23/06 (20130101); E21B
23/02 (20130101); E21B 33/129 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E21B
33/12 (20060101); E21B 23/06 (20060101); E21B
23/02 (20060101); E21B 33/129 (20060101); E21B
23/00 (20060101); E21b 023/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;166/217,212,125,123,135,136,137,138,181,182,118,206,209,134 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schroeder; Werner H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Garland; H. Mathews
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A locking device adapted for releasable latching along a flow
conductor provided with a first locating and supporting shoulder
facing in a first direction and a second locking shoulder
comprising a cam surface in said flow conductor spaced from said
first shoulder and facing in a second opposite direction, said
locking device comprising: mandrel means; locating and support
means on said mandrel means for locating said locking device at and
engaging said first shoulder to hold said device against
longitudinal movement in said second direction; and locking means
on said mandrel means longitudinally spaced from said locating and
support means, said locking means including expander means and
expandable means, said expandable means having a cam surface
engageable with said cam surface along said flow conductor
responsive to movement of said expander means for wedging said
device into a longitudinal no-slack relationship and locking said
device in said relationship in said flow conductor between said
first and second shoulders, said expander means having an expanding
and locking surface tapering inwardly in said second direction.
2. A locking device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
expandable means of said locking means on said mandrel means
includes collet fingers each having an outer cam surface on a free
end thereof for engagement with said cam surfaces along said flow
conductor for forcing said device toward said first shoulder to
said longitudinal no-slack relationship as said collet fingers are
expanded against said cam surface.
3. A locking device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said locking
means includes a longitudinally movable expander sleeve on said
mandrel means, said expander sleeve having said tapered expander
and locking surface aligned at a non-sliding angle with the
longitudinal axis of said mandrel means, said expander and locking
surface being engageable with the inside faces of the said collet
fingers for expanding said collet fingers and for holding said
collet fingers at expanded locking positions against said second
shoulder.
4. A locking device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said
expander sleeve and said collet fingers engage each other along
coengaging surfaces at a non-sliding angle with a longitudinal axis
of said mandrel means when said collet fingers are expanded
outwardly by said expander sleeve.
5. A locking device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said
non-sliding angle is less than about 10.degree..
6. A locking device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said
non-sliding angle is about 5.degree..
7. A locking device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said
expander sleeve has a conical expander surface for engaging
internal expanding and locking surfaces of said collet fingers.
8. A locking device in accordance with claim 7 wherein said
locating and support means comprises a no-go shoulder surface on
said mandrel means defined by a tapered external annular surface
convergent toward the longitudinal axis of said mandrel means in
said second direction for engaging said first shoulder comprising a
corresponding internal no-go shoulder surface within said
conductor.
9. A locking device in accordance with claim 8 including an
external annular seal assembly on said mandrel means between said
locating and support and said locking means, said collet being
movable along said mandrel means for engaging and expanding said
seal assembly for sealing around said mandrel means with the bore
wall surface around said device preliminary to expanding said
collet fingers for locking said device against movement in said
second direction.
10. A locking device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said collet
includes a base ring engageable with said seal assembly and having
an internal stop shoulder a stop shoulder on said mandrel means
engageable by said internal stop shoulder for holding said collet
against movement along said mandrel means after said seal assembly
is expanded on said mandrel means and while said collet fingers are
expanded and locked.
11. A locking device adapted for releasably latching in a flow
conductor at a landing nipple having a locating and support
shoulder and a locking recess having a locking and cam surface
shoulder comprising: a body mandrel having a longitudinal flow
passage therethrough; first holding means on said body mandrel for
engaging said locating and support shoulder for holding said device
against movement in a first direction in said landing nipple;
second holding means on said body mandrel spaced from said first
holding means for engagement with said locking and cam surface
shoulder in said landing nipple to secure said locking device in a
longitudinally slack-free relationship in said landing nipple, said
second holding means comprising a first locking collet secured
around said body mandrel, said locking collet having locking
fingers provided with locking heads adapted to expand and contract
radially between release and locking positions on said body mandrel
said locking heads having internal expanding and locking surfaces
and external end cam surfaces engageable with said cam surface
shoulder, and expander sleeve movably secured on said body mandrel,
said expander sleeve being movable in said first direction from a
first collet release position toward said first locking collet to a
second collet expanded position, said expander sleeve having an
expander surface engageable with said expander and holding surfaces
of said collet finger heads for expanding said collet finger heads
against said cam surface to force said device toward said locating
and support shoulder for locking said device in a no-slack
relationship, said expander sleeve expanding and holding surface
being inclined at a non-sliding angle at which the frictional
forces holding said expander sleeve at said second locking position
within said collet fingers head exceeds the longitudinal forces
tending to loosen said locking device when locked in said landing
nipple in said flow conductor.
12. A locking device in accordance with claim 11 wherein said first
holding means comprises a no-go shoulder surface on said body
mandrel engageable with said locating and support shoulder
comprising a no-go surface in said landing nipple, and including a
seal assembly around said body mandrel between said first and
second holding means and expandable by said locking collet of said
second holding means responsive to movement of said expander sleeve
preliminary to expansion of said collet heads of said locking
collet.
13. A locking device adapted for releasable latching along a flow
conductor provided with a first locating and support shoulder
facing in a first direction and a second locking shoulder
comprising a cam surface in said flow conductor spaced from said
first shoulder and facing in a second opposite direction, said
locking device comprising: mandrel means; locating and support
means on said mandrel means for locating said locking device at and
engaging said first shoulder to hold said device against
longitudinal movement in said second direction; and locking means
on said mandel means longitudinally spaced from said locating and
support means, said locking means including expandable cam and
locking members having an outer end cam surface engageable with
said second locking shoulder for forcing said device toward said
first locking shoulder responsive to coengagement of said cam
surface and said second shoulder and for locking said device in
said flow conductor in a longitudinal no-slack relationship, said
locking members having inside expander and locking surfaces for
expanding said locking members and holding said locking members at
expanded locked positions, and an expander sleeve movable
longitudinally on said mandrel means and engageable with said
locking and cam members for expanding and locking said members,
said sleeve having a first end expander surface for urging said
second locking means downwardly and expanding said locking members,
and said expander sleeve having a second expander and locking
surfaces for final expansion of said locking members and holding
said members outwardly at locked positions, said second expander
surface on said sleeve being aligned at and engaging said inside
surfaces of said locking members along a non-sliding angle with the
longitudinal axis of said mandrel means.
14. A locking device in accordance with claim 13 wherein said
inside surfaces of said locking members slope inwardly in said
second direction when said members are expanded to locking
positions whereby said inside surfaces are in non sliding
engagement with said second expander surface on said sleeve.
15. A locking device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said
locating and support means for engaging said first shoulder
comprises a selective locating and locking collet and said
conductor is provided with a locating and locking recess including
said first shoulder and profile compatible with the profiles of the
collet fingers of said locating and support means.
16. A locking device in accordance with claim 15 wherein said
locking collet of said locating and support means is longitudinally
movable on said mandrel means and said mandrel means has an
external locking boss movable between release and locking positions
for controlling said locking collet of said locating and support
means responsive to movement between said collect and said mandrel
means.
17. A locking device in accordance with claim 16 including latch
means operatively associated with said locking collet of said
locking and support means for releasably locking said locking
collet inwardly at a release position on said mandrel means.
18. A locking device in accordance with claim 17 wherein said latch
means associated with said locking collet of said locating and
support means is actuated by movement of said locking device in
said flow conductor in said first direction engaging said latch
means with a shoulder surface along said flow conductor facing in
said second direction.
19. A locking device in accordance with claim 17 wherein said latch
means includes an annular member disposed around said mandrel means
and provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced windows,
and a locking lug supported in each of said windows, each of said
lugs being radially movable and biased outwardly to positions for
actuating said latch means to release said collet fingers, and said
mandrel means having a second external locking boss engageable with
said lugs for locking said lugs outwardly at latch means release
positions.
20. A locking device in accordance with claim 15 wherein the collet
fingers of said selective locking collet of said locating and
support means each has a locking profile comprising a plurality of
spaced external locking bosses, one of said bosses being provided
with a stop shoulder surface, the longitudinal spacing between said
bosses and the lengths of said bosses being interrelated to define
a profile pattern adapted to fit a single compatible internal
locking recess profile pattern along said flow conductor, said
selective collet fingers being adapted to pass through
noncompatible locking recess profile patterns along said flow
conductor.
21. A locking device for releasably latching in a flow conductor at
a landing nipple having longitudinally spaced locking recesses
including a locating and supporting shoulder in a first recess and
a locking cam shoulder in the second recess, said device
comprising: a body mandrel having a longitudinal flow passage
therethrough; a first selective locating and locking collet
positioned on said body mandrel and movable between a first release
position and a second locking position, said locking collet having
locking fingers biased outwardly toward locking positions on said
body mandrel; said body mandrel having an external locking boss
movable between locking and release positions within said fingers
on said first locking collet responsive to relative longitudinal
movement between said locking collet and said body mandrel, said
collet fingers having locating and locking boss profiles engageable
with a corresponding first locating and locking recess profile in
said landing nipple comprising said first recess for locating said
locking device at said landing nipple and locking device at said
nipple against movement in a first direction, said collet fingers
being held outwardly in said locking recess when said body mandrel
is moved to said second collet finger locking position in said
locking collet; a seal assembly around said body mandrel supported
on a lock ring adapted to engage said first locking collet to hold
said mandrel against movement in said first direction when said
body mandrel is moved to said second position for locking said
first locking collet in said first locking recess of said landing
nipple; a second locking collet movably supported on said body
mandrel, said second collet being adapted to move longitudinally
from a first position to a second position for expanding said seal
assembly and having collet fingers adapted to be expanded into a
second locking recess of said landing nipple for locking said
locking device in a slack-free relationship within said landing
nipple, said collet fingers having collet heads provided with outer
end cam and locking surfaces engageable with said locking cam
shoulder at an end of said second landing nipple locking recess
facing in said first direction for camming said device to and
holding said locking device in said slack-free relationship when
said collet heads are wedged tightly into said second locking
recess, said collet heads having first inside operating and
expander surfaces for forcing said collet toward said seal assembly
to expand said seal asembly and for expanding said collet heads
after expansion of said seal assembly, said collet finger heads
having second inside operating expander and locking surfaces for
expansion of said collet heads and holding said heads expanded in
said second locking recess of said landing nipple; and an expander
sleeve movably engaged on said body mandrel for movement between a
first position at which said collet heads of said second locking
collet are contracted around said body mandrel at release positions
and a second position at which said seal assembly is expanded and
said collet heads of said second locking collet are wedged
outwardly into locking relationship in said second locking recess
of said landing nipple, said expander sleeve having a first
operating end expanding surface engageable with said first
operating surfaces of said collet heads for forcing said second
collet downwardly to expand said seal assembly and for expanding
said collet heads outwardly, and said expander sleeve having a
second operating expander and locking surface engageable with said
second operating surfaces of said collet heads for further
expanding said collet heads and locking said collet heads outwardly
at expanded positions within said second locking recess of said
landing nipple, said second operating surfaces of said collet heads
and of said expander sleeve being aligned at a nonsliding angle
with the longitudinal axis of said body mandrel whereby frictional
forces between said expander sleeve and said collet finger heads
hold said expander sleeve in a locking relationship within said
heads, and said expander sleeve is adapted to be releasably coupled
at said first position on said body mandrel when running said
locking device into said flow conductor and locking said first
collet and expanding said seal assembly.
22. A locking device in accordance with claim 21 including a latch
supported on said body mandrel and releasably engageable with said
collet fingers on said first locking collet for holding said
fingers compressed inwardly at released positions around said body
mandrel and for releasing said fingers for expansion to locking
positions around said body mandrel, said latch including radially
movable lugs engageable with a shoulder surface along said flow
conductor facing in said first direction when the said device is
moved in said opposite second direction past said shoulder
surface.
23. A locking device for releasable latching in a flow conductor at
a landing nipple provided with longitudinally spaced locking
recesses including a first locating and locking recess and a second
locking recess having a locking cam shoulder, said device
comprising: a body mandrel having a longitudinal flow passage
therethrough; a first selective locating and locking collet
positioned on said body mandrel and movable longitudinally along
said mandrel between a first release position and a second locking
position, said locking collet having locking fingers along one end
biased outwardly toward locking positions on said body mandrel;
said body mandrel having an external locking boss movable between
locking and release positions within said fingers of said first
locking collet with longitudinal movement between said locking
collet and said body mandrel, said collet fingers having locating
and locking boss profiles engageable with a first locating and
locking recess in a landing nipple having a corresponding profile
for locating said locking device at said landing nipple and locking
said device against movement in a first direction, said collet
fingers being held outwardly in said first locking recess when said
body mandrel is moved to a second collet finger locking position in
said first locking collet; a second locking collet fixed against
longitudinal movement on said body mandrel and having collet
fingers along one end adapted to be expanded radially into said
second locking recess on said landing nipple for locking said
locking device in a no-slack relationship within said landing
nipple, said collet fingers having collet heads provided with end
locking and cam surfaces engageable with said locking cam shoulder
at an end of said second landing nipple locking recess facing in
said first direction for forcing said device to and holding said
locking device in said no-slack relationship when said collet heads
of said second locking collet are wedged tightly into said second
locking recess, said collet heads having first inside operating
expander surfaces for initially expanding said collet fingers and
having second inside operating and locking surfaces for final
expansion and locking of said collet fingers in said second locking
recess of said landing nipple; an end surface of said second
locking collet opposite from said collet fingers being engageable
with an end surface of said first locking collet opposite the
collet fingers on said collet when said first locking collet is in
said second position on said body mandrel for holding said body
mandrel against movement relative to said first locking collet
while expanding said collet fingers of said second locking collet
and while said second locking collet is expanded and locked in said
second locking recess of said landing nipple; and an expander
sleeve engaged on said body mandrel for movement between a first
position at which said collet heads of said second locking collet
are contracted around said body mandrel at release positions and a
second position at which said collet heads of said second locking
collet are wedged outwardly into locking relationship in said
second locking recess of said landing nipple, said expander sleeve
having a first operating expander end surface engageable with said
first operating surfaces of said collet heads of said second collet
and having a second operating surface engageable with said second
operating surfaces of said collet heads of said second collet for
final expansion and locking of said collet heads at expanded
positions within said second locking recess of said landing nipple,
said second operating surfaces of said collet heads and said
expander sleeve being coengageable along a non-sliding angle with
the longitudinal axis of said body mandrel when said collet heads
are expanded in locking relationship with said second locking
recess of said landing nipple whereby friction between said
expander sleeve and said collet finger heads holds said expander
sleeve in locking relationship within said heads, and said expander
sleeve is adapted to be releasably held at said first position on
said body mandrel when running said locking deivce into said flow
conductor and locking said first collet within said landing nipple.
Description
This invention relates to locking devices and more particularly
relates to locking devices for securing well tools in a flow
conductor of a well.
In the oil industry it is a common practice to lock a variety of
well tools in the flow conductors of wells for various purposes
including the pumping of fluids from the wells, the introduction of
lift gas into wells for production purposes, and the support of
safety and other forms of valves and flow control devices within
the wells and the like. It is important that the locking devices
for holding such tools in place within a flow conductor be readily
manipulatable by various techniques including the use of wireline
tools and procedures, pumpdown methods, and other ways of
installing, locking, and removing the devices used to secure the
tools in the well bore. Depending upon the particular well tool to
be locked, various forces are applied in the flow conductor to the
tools tending to dislodge them. In some applications it is
necessary that the tools be locked against forces both upwardly and
downwardly while other applications require locking only against
forces in a single direction. One particularly troublesome
installation involves the use of a well pump which is operated to
displace well fluids from a well by mechanical means or responsive
to a gas pressure communicated to the pump. Such a pump includes
reciprocating parts which deliver forces in rapid sequence both
upwardly and downwardly so that the pump must be very firmly
secured in place. Many of the known locking devices for flow
conductors are secured in place by means which permit some free
play or movement in the flow conductor which is not satisfactory
for use in locking a pump in place. The constant pounding forces
applied by the pump may result in the dislodging of a locking
device which permits any end play when locked in place. Also, such
a pump may damage either or both the landing nipple and the locking
mandrel if movement is permitted by the locking mandrel. It is thus
necessary in locking a pump in a flow conductor that it be very
tightly wedged so that reciprocating forces resulting from the
operation of the pump will not loosen the locking device.
It is therefore a particularly important object of the invention to
provide new and improved locking devices for use in flow conductors
of wells.
It is another object of the invention to provide new and improved
locking devices for releasably locking well tools in a flow
conductor of a well.
It is another object of the invention to provide well tool locking
devices which are installed and removed by means of wireline tools
and similar apparatus.
It is another object of the invention to provide locking devices of
the character described which are rigidly wedged into a locking
relationship in a landing nipple so that the device is not
longitudinally movable relative to the nipple.
It is another object of the invention to provide a locking device
for well tools which includes first locating and support means for
locating and supporting a lower portion of the locking device at a
locating and stop shoulder and a second upper locking means
including expandable collet fingers having cam surfaces which are
wedged against a cam surface of a locking recess for tightening the
device to a no-slack relationship between the stop shoulder and
locking recess.
It is another object of the invention to provide locking devices of
the character described which include an expandable seal assembly
between upper and lower locking means.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a locking
device of the character described which may be seated at the lower
end in a no-go landing nipple.
It is another object of the invention to provide locking devices of
the character described which include selective type lower locking
collet fingers operative to locate the device at one of a plurality
of landing nipples arranged in a predetermined position
sequence.
It is another object of the invention to provide locking devices of
the character described including lower selective locking keys
having locking surface profiles adapted to lock the device at a
selected landing nipple arranged in a random order along a flow
conductor.
It is another object of the invention to provide a locking device
of the character described having lower locking keys restrained at
contracted, non-locking, positions by a ring assembly activated by
upward movement past a tubing enlargement having a downwardly
facing shoulder.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide locking
devices of the character described which include upper expandable
locking collet fingers actuated by an expander wedge which drives
the collets downwardly and expands the collet fingers
outwardly.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide locking
devices of the character described which are initially located and
locked against downward movement in a landing nipple by lower
locking means and thereafter wedged tightly to a no-slack
relationship by upper locking means.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide locking
devices which are wedged tightly to a non-slack locking
relationship in a landing nipple by downward jarring action only
and are released from the landing nipple by upward action only.
It is another object of the invention to provide locking devices of
the character described which are releasable under load from a
locked relationship in a landing nipple.
It is another object of the invention to provide locking devices of
the character described wherein the locking collet fingers which
wedge the devices to a no-slack relationship in a landing nipple
are engaged by and held in expanded locked positions by an expander
sleeve which contacts the collet fingers along a non-sliding angle
which is no more than about 10 degrees and preferably about 5
degrees whereby the friction holding character of the locking
components retains the locked relationship even though the devices
are subjected to jarring action which might readily loosen
conventional locking mandrels.
It is another object of the invention to provide locking devices of
the character described which have first expander surfaces aligned
at approximately 45.degree. and second expander surfaces of about 5
degrees on the expander sleeve and the collet fingers for expanding
and then locking the fingers against a cam and locking shoulder of
a locking recess.
It is another object of the invention to provide locking devices of
the character described which include a packing assembly adapted to
hold in both directions under relatively low pressure
differentials.
In accordance with the invention there are provided locking devices
for releasably locking well tools in a flow conductor of a well at
a landing nipple which include lower locating and support means for
locating and supporting the devices at a landing nipple, and upper
locking means comprising expandable collet fingers which are driven
downwardly and outwardly by a movable expander sleeve or wedge
which engages the fingers along a non-sliding angle for wedging the
fingers to a no-slack locking relationship in an upper locking
recess of the landing nipple. The collet fingers have cam surfaces
which engage a cam surface in the upper locking recess as the
fingers are expanded by the expander sleeve urging the device to
the no-slack locking condition in the flow conductor. Some forms of
the device include a central packer assembly expanded by downward
movement of the upper locking collet. One specific form of the
device includes lower support means adapted to seat in a no-go
landing nipple. Another specific form includes lower locking collet
fingers which are selective to locate a particular locking device
at one of a plurality of landing nipples arranged in a selected
order. A further specific form includes lower selective collet
fingers having locking surface profiles adapted to seek out and
lock the device at one of a plurality of locking nipples arranged
in random order along a flow conductor. In all of the devices the
upper locking collet fingers are wedged outwardly and frictionally
held in a locking recess so tightly that the locking device is not
movable in either direction within the landing nipple.
The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention will be more
evident from reading the following description of specific
embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal view partly in section and
partly in elevation of one form of locking device embodied in the
invention coupled with a running tool for landing and locking the
device in a no-go landing nipple of a well flow conductor;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal view in section and elevation
of the device of FIG. 1 locked in the landing nipple and the
running tool released from the device and being withdrawn;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal view in section and elevation
of a portion of the running tool used for installing and locking
the device of FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal view in section and elevation
showing another form of a locking device embodying the invention
being installed in a landing nipple of a flow conductor;
FIGS. 5A and 5B taken together constitute a longitudinal view in
section and elevation of the running tool and locking device shown
in FIG. 4 with the running tool released from the locking device
and the locking device landed and locked in a landing nipple;
FIGS. 6A and 6B taken together constitute a fragmentary
longitudinal view in section and elevation of another form of
locking device embodying the invention being installed in a landing
nipple of a flow conductor;
FIG. 7 is a longitudinal fragmentary view in section and elevation
of the lower locking collet fingers and the retainer ring assembly
of the locking device of FIGS. 6A and 6B, showing an intermediate
step in the activation of the lower locking fingers;
FIG. 7-A is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower collet finger
retainer ring assembly shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal view in section and elevation
of the locking device of FIGS. 6A and 6B landed and locked in a
landing nipple of a flow conductor;
FIGS. 9A and 9B taken together constitute a longitudinal view in
section and elevation of another form of locking device embodying
the invention supported on a running tool within a landing nipple
having a side port and a sliding sleeve valve;
FIGS. 10A and 10B taken together constitute a longitudinal view in
section and elevation of the locking device shown in FIGS. 9A and
9B illustrating the device landed and locked in a landing nipple
and the sliding sleeve valve open;
FIG. 11 is a view in section taken along the line 11--11 of FIG.
10A; and
FIGS. 12, 13, 14 and 15 constitute longitudinal fragmentary views
in section illustrating various selective lower locking finger and
locking recess profiles of the lower locking assembly of the
locking device of FIGS. 9A and 9B.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5A, a locking device 20 embodying
the invention is shown coupled with a running tool 21 used for
installing the locking device in a landing nipple 22 of a tubing
string 23. The running tool 21 is operable by suitable wireline
equipment for landing and latching the locking device 20 within the
landing nipple. The landing nipple is of the "no-go" type having an
internal, downwardly convergent shoulder surface 24 which limits
the downward movement of the locking device and supports it within
the landing nipple. The landing nipple is connected by a coupling
25 to one of several pipe joints 30 forming the tubing string. The
lower end of the landing nipple, not shown, may be provided with
suitable connecting means, such as threads for coupling to lower
tubing string pipe joints. The locking device 20 may support a
suitable well tool either resting on the upper end of the device or
hanging from the lower end of the device.
Referring to FIG. 1, the locking device 20 has a tubular body
mandrel comprising a lower section 31 and an upper section 32. The
lower section 31 has a downwardly tapered external annular shoulder
surface 33 which seats on the landing nipple shoulder surface 24
for supporting the locking device against downward movement in the
landing nipple. The lower end portion 34 of the lower body mandrel
section is threaded for connection with a member 35 which may be a
section of tubing supported from the locking device, a well tool
supported from the device, and the like. The lower body mandrel
section 31 is reduced in diameter along an upper portion 40
providing an annular stop shoulder 41. The mandrel portion 40 is
internally threaded at 42 to receive the lower threaded end portion
of the upper body mandrel section 32. An external packing assembly
43 is supported on the reduced lower body mandrel portion 40 by the
top shoulder 41. The seal assembly extends upwardly along the
reduced body mandrel portion to the upper end edge 40a of the lower
body mandrel section. The packing assembly includes a central,
expandable annular rubber member 44.
A locking collet 45 is supported on the body mandrel of the locking
device for movement along the upper section between a release
position shown in FIG. 1 and a locking position illustrated in FIG.
2. The collet has a base ring 50 and a plurality of upwardly
extending circumferentially spaced collet fingers 51 each of which
has a locking head 52. Each of the locking fingers has an upper end
cam and locking surface 53 which is engageable with an internal cam
and locking shoulder 54 of a locking recess 55 of thhe landing
nipple 22 when the fingers are expanded. The locking fingers are
normally straight and remain inwardly at release positions as shown
in FIG. 1 when not forced outwardly to the locking positions of
FIG. 2. The V-shaped lower end edge of the base ring 50 of the
locking collet rests on the upper end of the seal assembly 43. The
base ring has an internal annular recess 60 below a downwardly
facing internal annular stop shoulder 61 which engages the upper
end edge 40a of the lower body mandrel section when the locking
collet is at a lower end portion.
The upper section 32 of the body mandrel is enlarged along an upper
portion 62 which has a downwardly and inwardly sloping internal
upper end cam shoulder 63. An expander sleeve 64 is slidably
mounted on the upper body mandrel section 32 for movement between
an upper collet finger release position as shown in FIG. 1 and a
lower collet finger expanded locking position illustrated in FIG.
2. The expander sleeve has a reduced lower end portion 65 which
engages the body mandrel section 32 below the enlarged upper end
portion 62 for holding the expander sleeve on the body mandrel so
that the locking device may be supported from a running tool
engaged with the expander sleeve and may be lifted from the flow
conductor by means of the expander sleeve. The expander sleeve has
an upper end internal retainer flange 70 which is engageable with a
collet of the running tool 21 for handling the locking device. The
lower end portion 65 of the expander sleeve has a tapered expander
wedge and locking surface 71 formed at a non-sliding angle of about
5.degree. which wedges against the internal faces 52a of the
locking collet finger heads 52 for locking the device in the
landing nipple. The lower end surface 72 of the expander sleeve is
a downwardly and inwardly convergent annular expander surface
aligned at about 45.degree. which is engageable with an upwardly
facing downwardly and inwardly tapered internal expander surface 73
in each of the collet finger heads 52. The angle of inclination of
the expander sleeve surface 72 and the collet finger surfaces 73 is
designed to provide a resultant force on the collet 45 when the
expander sleeve is urged downwardly to drive the collet downwardly
until the fingers reach the landing nipple locking recess 55
without lodging the collet fingers against the tubing string wall.
When running the locking device in the tubing string to the landing
nipple, the expander sleeve is secured at the upper release
position shown in FIG. 1 by a lateral shear pin 74 which extends
through the expander sleeve, the upper end portion 62 of the upper
body mandrel section, and the prong 75 of the running tool for both
connecting the running tool with the locking device and locking the
expander sleeve in the collet finger release position.
The running tool 21 is operable by suitable wireline service
equipment as illustrated and described generally at pages 3455-3494
of the Composite Catalogue of Oil Field Equipment and Services,
1972-73 edition, published by World Oil, Houston, Tex. The running
tool includes the central prong 75 threaded along an upper end
portion into a tubular housing 80 secured to a wireline socket 81
which is connected with a wireline 82. The housing 80 has a
downwardly extending skirt 83 concentrically spaced from the prong
75 defining an annular space 84 around the prong. The pulling tool
has a collet 85 having a base ring 90 movably disposed within the
annular space 84 of the housing skirt retained by a lateral locking
pin 91 through the prong near the lower end of the skirt. A spring
92 is confined within the annular space 84 between the lower end
face 93 of the housing and the base ring 90 of the collet for
biasing the collet in a downward direction on the prong. The collet
85 has a plurality of downwardly extending collet fingers 94 each
provided with a locking head 95. The prong 75 is enlarged in
diameter along a lower portion 75a at the upper end of which the
probe is provided with a downwardly and inwardly undercut shoulder
100 which aids to restrain the collet finger heads 95 at the
contracted release positions shown in FIG. 2. When the running tool
is coupled as shown in FIG. 1 with the locking device, the shear
pin 74 holds the prong 75 at a position in the locking device body
mandrel at which the locking collet 85 is biased downwardly by the
spring 92 to the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 at which the
collet heads 95 are within the recess 70a of the expander sleeve 64
below the flange 70 along the surface of the enlarged prong portion
75a so that the collet finger heads 95 are held outwardly at
locking positions. As shown in FIG. 3, the base ring 90 of the
pulling tool collet is biased by the spring 92 to the lower end
position against the pin 91.
When running the locking device 20 into a tubing string for landing
and locking the device in the landing nipple 22, the locking device
and running tool component parts are all positioned as shown in
FIG. 1 with the shear pin 74 connecting together the pulling tool
prong 75, the upper end portion of the locking device body mandrel,
and the expander sleeve 64. The running tool and locking device are
lowered by means of the wireline 82. The fingers of the locking
collet 45 are normally straight and remain inwardly at the release
positions illustrated in FIG. 1 as the device is lowered through
the tubing string. The collet finger heads 52 cannot be expanded so
long as the shear pin 74 holds the expander sleeve 64 against
downward movement on the body mandrel of the device. When the
locking device reaches the landing nipple 22, the body mandrel
surface 33 seats on the landing nipple surface 24. The diameter
reduction in the landing nipple produced by the seat surface 24
prevents the locking device from moving any farther down in the
tubing string so that the surface 24 supports the locking device
within the landing nipple. When the surface 33 seats in the landing
nipple, the collet heads 52 are near alignment with but still
slightly above the landing nipple locking recess 55. By means of
suitable tools in the wireline tool string, not shown, a downward
force is applied to the running tool housing 80 forcing the running
tool downwardly relative to the locking device 23. The pin 74 is
sheared at opposite sides of the central portion 74a of the pin
extending through the running tool prong releasing the prong for
downward movement relative to the locking device body mandrel. The
downward force on the running tool head forces the entire running
tool downwardly with the prong telescoping into the locking device
body mandrel until the lower end edge 83a of the skirt 83 engages
the top edge 64a of the locking device expander sleeve 64. The
running tool skirt then applies a downward force on the expander
sleeve tending to force the expander sleeve downwardly relative to
the upper body mandrel portion 32 which is held against downward
movement due to the seating of the lower portion of the body
mandrel on the landing nipple seat surface. The outward end
portions 74b of the pin 74 are sheared from the pin portions 74c
through the body mandrel releasing the expander sleeve for downward
movement on the body mandrel. The expander sleeve surface 72
engaging the collet finger surfaces 73 forces the collet 45
downwardly. The angle of the surfaces 72 and 73 causes the collet
to be forced downwardly rather than the collet finger heads being
wedged out and jammed against the tubing wall which would prevent
the collet from being properly driven downwardly to expand the seal
assembly and lock the fingers in the recess 55. The base ring 50 of
the collet is formed downwardly against the seal assembly 43
spreading and expanding the central portion 44 of the seal assembly
to seal between the locking device body mandrel and the inner wall
surface 22a defining the bore through the landing nipple. The
collet base ring 50 moves downwardly until the internal shoulder
surface 61 within the base ring seats on the upper end edge 40a of
the lower body mandrel section. At this lower position of the
collet, the collet finger heads 52 are so aligned with the locking
recess 55 of the landing nipple that the collet finger heads may be
expanded radially outwardly into the locking recess. Since the
collet base ring is seated in metal-to-metal contact with the body
mandrel, which is held against downward movement by the landing
nipple, the collet may not move downwardly and thus further force
downwardly against the expander sleeve forces the sleeve along the
body mandrel with the expander surface 71 moving behind the collet
finger head surfaces 52a expanding the heads 52 into the locking
recess 55. With the heads properly aligned with the locking recess
and no obstructions in the recess to preclude expansion of the
collet finger heads, the heads will move fully outwardly into the
locking relationship shown in FIG. 2. The collet finger cam and
locking surfaces 53 engage the locking recess cam surface 54
camming or driving the collet 45 and the body mandrel downwardly as
the fingers expand until no slack remains along the device between
the shoulders 24 and 54. The expander sleeve is tightly wedged
between the body mandrel and the collet finger heads firmly locking
the heads in the locking recess 55 with the upper end surfaces 53
of the heads wedged against the locking recess surface 54. FIG. 2
illustrates the fully expanded collet finger heads 52 in locking
relation in the recess 55 with the expander sleeve 64 driven
downwardly fully behind the collet heads for rigidly latching the
locking device in place in the landing nipple. There is full
metal-to-metal contact between the surfaces holding the locking
device against downward movement and the surfaces holding the
device against upward movement. The surface 33 on the locking
device body mandrel 31 is seated on the landing nipple surface 24
while the base ring 50 rests tightly on the upper end edge 40a of
the lower body mandrel section and the upper cam and locking
surfaces 53 of the collet finger heads are tightly wedged against
the landing nipple locking and cam surface 54. Thus, no end play is
permitted the locking device and longitudinal reciprocating forces
such as applied by a pump connected with the device will not
dislodge the locking collet heads. The frictional relationship of
the inner surfaces of the locking collet heads and the expander
sleeve surface 71 prevents loosening of the expander sleeve and the
locking collet heads, even under the forces applied to the locking
device by such well tools as a pump.
When the running tool drives the expander sleeve downwardly, the
prong 75 telescopes into the body mandrel of the running tool to a
somewhat greater depth than illustrated in FIG. 2 at which the
undercut shoulder 100 of the prong is below the upper end edge 63
of the expander sleeve. The lower end of the collet finger heads 95
engage the surface 63 holding the collet fingers against downward
movement as the prong moves farther into the locking device body
mandrel. The spring 92 at the upper end of the running tool collet
is compressed as seen in FIG. 2 as the prong moves downwardly
relative to the collet. When the undercut shoulder 100 moves below
the collet finger heads, the collet finger heads spring inwardly
around the reduced diameter portion 75b of the prong above the
undercut shoulder. The spring 92 then forces the collet fingers
downwardly against the undercut shoulder which holds the collet
fingers tightly against the prong preventing accidental dislodging
of the collet finger heads. The combination of the downward force
of the spring and the effect of the undercut shoulder locks the
collet fingers at the inward contracted positions as shown. The
collet finger heads are disposed inwardly sufficiently that the
running tool may be withdrawn from the locking device and lifted
from the flow conductor.
The collet fingers on the running tool are primarily provided as an
indicator or safety device to insure that the locking device is
latched in the landing nipple before release of the running tool.
Since the undercut shoulder 100 on the running tool prong can be
moved below the collet finger heads 95 only when the expander
sleeve is driven fully downwardly behind the locking device collet
heads 52, the running tool collet is contracted to the position of
FIG. 2 for release of the running tool only upon the successful
completion of the setting and locking of the locking device in the
landing nipple. If the collet heads 52 are not in alignment with
the landing nipple recess 55, the heads cannot expand sufficiently
for the expander sleeve to move down to a position which will
permit the contraction of the running tool collet finger heads 95
inwardly sufficiently to release the running tool from the locking
device. Also, for other reasons, such as foreign matter within the
locking recess 55 of the landing nipple preventing the expansion of
one of the locking fingers on the collet 45, the expander sleeve
may not be driven downwardly sufficiently to permit release of the
collet finger heads 95 on the running tool from the expander
sleeve. Thus, if the collet finger heads 95 cannot be released from
the expander sleeve, upward movement of the running tool lifts the
locking device because collet finger heads 95 remain trapped
between the large prong section 75a and the expander sleeve below
the flange 70 of the expander sleeve so that the upward movement of
the running tool causes the collet finger heads 95 to lift the
locking device by means of the expander sleeve. The reduced lower
end portion of the expander sleeve 65 engaging the enlarged upper
end portion 62 of the locking device body mandrel lifts the entire
locking device back upwardly.
Referring to FIG. 4, another form 110 of a locking device embodying
the invention is illustrated coupled with a running tool 21 for
landing and locking in a landing nipple 111 of a tubing string, not
shown, of a well installation. The locking device includes a body
mandrel having an upper section 112 threaded into a lower section
113 which supports a lower selective locking collet 114 having
collet finger profiles which may be varied to correspond with the
profile of a landing nipple at a desired depth within the well. The
locking device also includes an upper locking collet 115, an
expander sleeve 120, and a central seal assembly 121. The lower
body mandrel section 113 is enlarged along a lower end portion 122
which is threaded on a member 123 which may be a section of tubing
or any suitable well tool supported within the tubing string by the
locking device. The outer surface of the lower body mandrel section
113 along the collet fingers 124 is provided with a surface profile
which conforms to the inside surface profile of the keys to permit
the keys to contract inwardly around the body mandrel at the
release positions shown in FIG. 4. The surface profile on the body
mandrel section includes a downwardly and inwardly convergent
surface 125 and an external boss 130 which serves a locking
function when the fingers are expanded. Each of the collet fingers
124 has an internal recess 131 which receives the boss 130 when the
keys are at the contracted positions of FIG. 4. The external
profile of each of the locking fingers 124 is designed to conform
with the profile of the lower locking recesses of the landing
nipple 111 which include an upper elongated recess 132 and a
shorter lower locking recess 133. The lower end of the upper recess
132 is defined by an upwardly facing stop shoulder surface 134. The
collet fingers 124 each has an upper elongated external boss 135
which fits the upper locking recess 132 of the landing nipple and a
lower external boss 140 which engages the lower landing nipple
locking recess 133. The collet fingers each has an external recess
141 providing a downwardly facing locking shoulder 142 which
engages the landing nipple stop shoulder 134 for holding the
locking device against downward movement when the collet fingers
are expanded to the locking positions illustrated in FIG. 5-B. The
collet fingers 124 are integral with and extend downwardly from a
base ring 143 which is secured by a shear pin 144 to the lower
mandrel section 113 when running the device into a well. The collet
base ring is limited against downward movement on the body mandrel
by an external shoulder surface 145 on the body mandrel section
113.
The packing assembly 121 includes upper V-packing 150, lower
V-packing 151, and a central expandable annular seal 152, which may
be formed of a material such as rubber or a suitable plastic
capable of being expended to form a seal between the bore wall of
the landing nipple and the body mandrel of the locking device. The
seal assembly has a lower metal ring 153 supported on a locking
ring 154 disposed in an external annular recess 155 in the lower
body mandrel section holding the seal assembly against downward
movement on the body mandrel. The upper locking collet 115 of the
locking device has a base ring 160 provided with a V-shaped lower
end edge which rests on the top of the upper V-packing 150 for
applying a downward force to the packing assembly to expand the
seal 152 responsive to downward movement of the base ring of the
locking collet. The base ring 160 also has an internal annular
recess 161 permitting the base ring to move downwardly telescoping
over the upper end portion 162 of the lower body mandrel section
until the internal shoulder 163 of the base ring engages the upper
end edge 162a of the lower body mandrel section. The upper locking
collet includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced collet
fingers 164 which are integral with and extend upwardly from the
base ring 160 and are each provided with locking heads 165. The
locking heads each have an upper end locking surface 170 which
engages an internal locking surface 171 at the upper end of an
upper locking recess 172 of the landing nipple 111. Each of the
collet finger heads 165 has an internal surface 173 which
substantially conforms to the external surface of the upper body
mandrel section 112 when the collet fingers are at retracted
release positions and is engaged by the external expander surface
174 on the expander sleeve 120 for holding the collet finger heads
outwardly at the locking positions shown in FIG. 5-B. The expander
sleeve 120 has a reduced lower end portion 175 which is below the
enlarged upper end portion 180 of the upper body mandrel section
112 holding the expander sleeve on the body mandrel while
permitting the sleeve to move downwardly for expanding the collet
finger heads into locking positions in the landing nipple recess
172. The expander sleeve has a lower downwardly and inwardly
tapered end surface 180 which engages an upwardly facing tapered
surface 181 in each of the collet finger heads 165 for forcing the
collet downwardly for expanding both the seal assembly element 152
and the collet finger heads 165. The angles of inclination of the
surfaces 180 and 181 are identical so that the surfaces firmly
engage each other during the initial downward movement of the
expander sleeve. The angle of the surfaces 180 and 181 is designed
to provide a net resultant downward force which moves the locking
collet downwardly rather than wedging the collet fingers outwardly
between the body mandrel and the tubing wall except at the desired
locking recess where the collet finger heads are permitted to
expand to locking positions. The expander sleeve has an internal
upper end flange 182 at the upper end of a locking recess 183 for
coupling the expander sleeve with the collet fingers of the running
tool collet 185. The prong 75 of the running tool is secured in the
upper end portion of the locking device body mandrel by a shear pin
190 which extends laterally through the upper end portion of the
body mandrel section 112 and the expander sleeve holding the
expander sleeve at an upper release position for supporting the
locking device and running into the tubing string of a well. The
running tool 21 is connected with a wireline 82 in the same manner
as illustrated in FIG. 2.
The locking device 110 coupled with the running tool 21 is lowered
into the tubing string of a well bore using conventional wireline
techniques and equipment. During the lowering of the locking device
with the various component parts of the device at the relative
positions shown in FIG. 4, the external boss 130 on the lower body
mandrel section 113 is aligned with the internal recesses 131 of
the locking fingers 124 on the lower locking collet 114. The
locking fingers 124 are normally straight and are cammed inwardly
around the body mandrel by the tubing and landing nipple bore walls
as the device is lowered. The collet fingers drag along the tubing
string and landing nipple bore walls until a recess is reached
which conforms to the external profile of the fingers. The collet
fingers 124 may expand outwardly to a normal straight shape only
when aligned with recesses having surface profiles conforming with
the profiles of the collet fingers. Obviously, the collet fingers
124 will not expand into shorter recesses but will expand into
recess combinations of greater length than the fingers so that it
is necessary to arrange several landing nipples 111 in a tubing
string in an order which positions the longer landing nipple
locking recesses at lower levels with the recesses progressively
becoming shorter up the tubing string. In this manner, the collet
fingers on the devices having the longer bosses will pass through
the upper landing nipples until the fingers of the device arrive at
the proper length locking recesses for expansion to the positions
of FIG. 5-B. Thus, the profiles of the locking recesses in the
landing nipples and those of the lower locking collet 114 of the
locking devices must be taken into consideration in connection with
the order in which several of the locking devices may be installed
in a particular well.
The locking device 110 is lowered through the flow conductor of the
well bore on the running tool until the device moves into the
proper landing nipple 111. When the collet fingers 124 of the lower
locking collet 114 are aligned with the lower locking recesses of
the landing nipples, the collet fingers spring radially outwardly
to the positions shown in FIG. 5-B. The stop shoulders 142 on the
collet fingers engage the stop shoulder 134 in the landing nipple
preventing further downward movement of the lower collet 114 of the
locking device. Additional downward force applied by the running
tool to the locking device shears the pin 144 releasing the body
mandrel of the locking device from the base ring 143 of the lower
locking collet. The body mandrel along with the other component
parts of the locking device above the base ring 143 move downwardly
within the expanded locking collet until the rings 153 and 155
engage the upper end surface 143a of the base ring stopping the
downward movement of the body mandrel and supporting the locking
device on the lower locking collet. The external locking boss 130
on the lower body mandrel section moves within the locking collet
fingers below the finger recesses 131 locking the lower collet
fingers at straight expanded locking positions as shown in FIG. 5-B
thereby locking the device against movement in either direction so
long as the parts remain in the relative positions of FIG. 5-B
since the lower collet fingers cannot now be compressed inwardly.
It should be noted, however, that if retrieval of the locking
device is required, the device may be lifted upwardly by the
running tool raising the body mandrel realigning the boss 130 with
the locking finger recesses 131 releasing the lower locking fingers
for inward movement. At this particular stage, the pin 190 is still
intact with the upper locking collet fingers remaining inwardly at
the positions of FIG. 4. The engagement of the lower locking collet
fingers in the lower locking recesses of the landing nipple hold
the lower locking collet against upward movement until the body
mandrel is lifted to the position of FIG. 4 at which the base ring
143 engages the stop shoulder 145.
With the lower locking collet fingers 124 at the expanded locked
positions of FIG. 5-B additional force on the running tool shears
the pin 190 at the prong 75 of the running tool permitting the
prong to be telescoped farther into the body mandrel of the locking
device until the lower end of the running tool skirt 83 engages the
upper end of the expander sleeve 120 for again shearing the pin 190
along the outer end portions releasing the expander sleeve from the
upper body mandrel section for movement downwardly on the body
mandrel. The support of the body mandrel by the lower locking
collet with the upper end face 143a of the locking collet base ring
engaging the lock ring 155 on the body mandrel prevents the body
mandrel from moving downwardly while the pin 190 is sheared to
release the expander sleeve on the body mandrel. Continued force on
the running tool drives the expander sleeve downwardly forcing the
upper locking collet 115 downwardly until the shoulder surface 163
in the base ring 160 engages the upper end of the lower body
mandrel section 113 expanding the central seal member 152 on the
seal assembly for sealing with the bore wall of the landing nipple
around the locking device. With the upper locking collet restrained
against additional downward movement on the body mandrel, continued
downward force on the expander sleeve drives the sleeve downwardly
on the body mandrel within the upper locking collet fingers behind
the collet heads 165 expanding the heads into the upper locking
recess 172 to the positions of FIG. 5-B at which the expander
sleeve surface 174 is engaged with the collet finger head surfaces
173 wedging the collet heads into the locking recess 172. With the
collet head surfaces 170 tightly engaging the locking recess
surface 171 of the landing nipple and the base ring 160 seated on
the stop shoulder 162a of the locking device mandrel, together with
the locking of the lower collets 114 in the lower landing nipple
locking recesses, the locking device is held tightly against
movement either upwardly or downwardly and remains firmly locked so
long as the expander sleeve 120 is at the lower end position of
FIG. 5-B.
In setting the locking device 110, at the time that the expander
sleeve 120 is driven downwardly to expand the upper collet fingers
164, the prong 75 of the running tool moves downwardly to a
position at which the undercut shoulder 100 on the prong is below
the upper end surface 180a of the locking device body mandrel, so
that the collet 85 of the running tool is effectively moved on the
prong to the position of FIG. 5A permitting the collet fingers to
contract inwardly to the release positions at which they are held
by the undercut shoulder so that the running tool is released and
free to be lifted from the locking device.
When removal of the locking device is desired, a running tool
having pulling prongs engageable with the recess 183 in the
expander sleeve 120 is run into the well and coupled with the
locking device. The expander sleeve is pulled upwardly back to the
position on the body mandrel shown in FIG. 4, permitting the upper
collet fingers 164 to spring back inwardly out of the landing
nipple locking recess 172. Further upward force on the expander
sleeve lifts the body mandrel relative to the lower locking collet
until the boss 130 on the body mandrel is aligned with the recesses
131 within the lower collet fingers. As continued upward force is
applied to the locking device by the pulling tool, the lower collet
fingers 124 are cammed inwardly to the positions represented in
FIG. 4 so that the running tool is released for upward movement in
the tubing string.
A still further form of locking device 200 embodying the features
of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6-A, 6-B, 7, 7-A, and 8.
The device 200 includes a central body mandrel having a lower
section 201 and an upper section 202, a lower locking collet
assembly 203, an upper locking collet assembly 204, and a central
seal assembly 205. The lower end of the body mandrel section 201 is
secured by a coupling 206 with a threaded member 207 which may be a
lower tubing section or a suitable well tool supported in the
tubing string by the locking device. The locking device is run in
and latched in a landing nipple 210 of a tubing string of a well by
means of a running tool, such as the tool 21 previously described.
The landing nipple has upper and lower locking recesses 211 and
212, respectively, for the upper and lower locking collet
assemblies on the locking device.
The lower locking mandrel section 201 of the device 200 has a
downwardly and inwardly sloping external surface 213 and
longitudinally spaced external annular locking bosses 214 and 215.
The lower locking collet assembly 203 includes a collet finger
latch 220 which holds the collet fingers 221 compressed inwardly at
release positions until the locking device is lowered through an
annular recess in the tubing string and then lifted upwardly above
a downwardly facing shoulder surface. Such a recess which will
activate the latch to release the collet fingers may be located in
a tool joint or may be one of the locking recesses in the landing
nipple 210 as shown in FIG. 6-A. The latch includes a ring 222
provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced windows 223
each of which holds a lug 224. Each of the lugs has end retainer
tabs 225 which fit in internal annular recesses 230 in the ring
above and below each of the windows to hold the lug in the windows
while permitting the lugs to move radially inwardly and outwardly
between the positions illustrated in FIGS. 6-A and 7. A coil spring
231 is disposed in each of the recess 230 within the lug tabs 225
for urging the lugs radially outwardly in the windows. In the
positions shown in FIGS. 6-A, the lugs drag along the tubing and
landing nipple walls tending to pull the ring in a direction
opposite to the movement of the locking device mandrel. The ring
222 has another internal annular recess 232 spaced below the lower
recess 230 to receive a ring shaped detent 233 disposed in an
external annular recess 234 of the mandrel section 201 for locking
the ring 222 at the lower collet finger release position
illustrated in FIG. 8. At the upper locking position of the latch
220 shown in FIG. 6-A, the upper end portion of the ring 222
extends over and engages a downwardly extending locking flange 235
on the lower end of each of the collet fingers 221. FIGS. 7 and 7-A
show an activated or armed condition of the latch at which the
collet fingers remain locked inwardly past a shoulder surface. FIG.
8 shows a lower latch position at which the ring 22 is pulled
farther downwardly to fully release the collet fingers.
Each of the collet fingers 221 has an internal, laterally extending
recess 240 which receives the boss 214 on the lower body mandrel
section 201 permitting the collet fingers to be fully compressed
inwardly to release positions as shown in FIG. 6-A when the collet
203 is at the relative longitudinal position on the locking device
body mandrel shown. The collet fingers also are each provided with
a downwardly facing external stop shoulder 241 at the upper end of
each of the finger locking flanges 235 for engagement with the
upwardly facing stop shoulder 212a in the lower locking recess 212
of the landing nipple as represented in FIG. 8 to support the
locking device against downward movement in the landing nipple when
the collet fingers are fully expanded. Each of the collet fingers
has an elongated external locking boss 242 receivable in the lower
locking recess 212 of the landing nipple. The collet fingers 221
are integral with and depend from an annular ring 242 which is
longitudinally movable on the lower body mandrel 201 and engageable
with an upwardly facing stop shoulder 243 on the body mandrel as
shown in FIG. 6-A.
The seal assembly 205 includes identical upper and lower V-shaped
annular seals 243, a central expandable annular rubber or plastic
seal member 244 and a supporting metallic base ring 245. The seal
assembly is held against downward movement on the lower body
mandrel section 201 by a lock ring 249 engaged in an external
annular recess 250 of the body mandrel section. The assembly 205
seals around the body mandrel section 201 with the bore wall
surface through the landing nipple as shown in FIG. 8. The seal is
expanded by the base ring 251 of the upper collet 204. The ring 251
has an internal recess 252 the upper hand of which is defined by an
internal stop shoulder 253 which engages the upper end edge 201a of
the lower body mandrel section 201 when the collet 204 is at the
lower end locking positions of FIG. 8.
The upper locking collet 204 has a plurality of circumferentially
spaced collet fingers 254 formed integral with and extending
upwardly from the base ring 251. Each of the fingers 254 is
provided with a locking head 255 for engagement in the landing
nipple locking recess 211 to lock the locking device against upward
movement in the landing nipple. The collet finger heads have
downwardly sloping upper end edge surfaces 260 which engage the
tapered locking shoulder surface 211a at the upper end of the upper
landing nipple locking recess 211. The locking finger heads are
expandable to the locking positions of FIG. 8 from the retracted
positions of FIG. 6-A by a downwardly tapered expander surface 261
on an expander sleeve 262. The surface 261 is on a lower reduced
end portion 263 of the expander sleeve which fits below an upper
enlarged end portion 264 of the upper body mandrel section 202
holding the expander sleeve on the body mandrel of the locking
device. The expander sleeve and the upper body mandrel end portions
have lateral holes 265 and 270, respectively, which are aligned
along a common lateral axis when the expander sleeve is at the
upper end position on the body mandrel shown in FIG. 6-B for
insertion of a shear pin, not shown, through the expander sleeve,
the body mandrel, and the prong of a running tool such as the tool
21. The surface 261 on the expander sleeve engages the inside
surfaces 271 of the locking collet heads 255 for expanding and
holding the collet heads at the locking positions shown in FIG. 8.
The expander sleeve has a downwardly and inwardly sloping lower end
edge surface 272 which engages an upwardly and inwardly facing
shoulder surface 273 in each of the collet heads 255 for forcing
the collet downwardly for expanding the seal assembly 205 and for
initiating expansion of the collet finger heads. The angle of
inclination of the surfaces 272 and 273 is designed so that the
resultant of the forces applied downwardly by the expander sleeve
to the collet finger heads forces the collet downwardly on the body
mandrel rather than wedging the collet finger heads against the
landing nipple bore wall for expanding the seal assembly 205 and
aligning the heads with the recess 211 for expansion to locking
positions. The upper end portion of the expander sleeve has an
internal pulling neck configuration defined by a locking recess 274
and an internal locking flange 275 for engagement of collet fingers
such as the fingers on the collet 85 of the running tool 21.
The locking device 200 is run and set in a well flow conductor with
a suitable running tool, such as the tool 21. The tool is coupled
with the locking device by insertion of the prong 75 of the running
tool into the expander sleeve 262 and upper body mandrel section
202 of the locking device with the collet fingers 94 engaged with
the expander sleeve 262 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. A
shear pin, such as the pin 74, is inserted through the holes 265
and 270 provided in the expander sleeve and the body mandrel and
through the hole 74a of the running tool prong. The upper locking
collet 204 is at the upper end position of FIGS. 6-A and 6-B with
the collet fingers fully contracted inwardly around the body
mandrel and expander sleeve. The lower locking collet 203 is at the
lower end position of FIG. 6-A with the collet finger latch 220 at
the upper end position shown, engaging the collet finger flanges
235 locking collet fingers inwardly around the lower body mandrel
section. The locking boss 214 of the collet mandrel section engages
the internal recesses 240 of the collet fingers. If the flow
conductor in the well includes several of the landing nipples 210,
they may be designed to include lower recesses 212 of different
lengths with the nipple having the shortest recess being the top
nipple in the well and the succeeding nipples being arranged in an
order in which the lower locking recesses are progressively longer.
The lowest landing nipple in such arrangement has the longest lower
locking recess. The locking device 200 having the longest lower
collet finger locking bosses is run first, with the other locking
devices being arranged in an order in which the collet finger
locking bosses are progressively shorter at the shallower depths
within the well. With this arrangement of landing nipples and order
of installation of the locking devices, the lowest locking device
to be set in the well with the longest collet finger bosses is
readily run through the upper landing nipples with the shorter
recesses to the nipple which has the proper length locking recess,
since the collet finger bosses will pass the shorter recesses and
expand only at the nipple having the proper length recess. If this
arrangement of nipples and order of setting the locking devices is
not used, the latch 220 in the lower locking collet assembly makes
it possible to set the locking device in a landing nipple at a
selected depth, rather than relying on the selectivity of the
collet finger locking bosses and the landing nipple locking recess
length. As will be understood from the following description of the
setting of the device 200, the lower collet fingers may be
activated at a desired depth for setting the device in a landing
nipple.
The locking device 200 is lowered by means of the running tool 21
in the well flow conductor until the locking device is at a
slightly greater depth than the landing nipple in which the device
is to be set. During such lowering the collet fingers on both the
upper and lower locking collets are compressed fully inwardly at
release positions. As the locking device is lowered in the well
conductor, the springs 231 within the ring 222 bias the lugs 224
outwardly so that the outer bosses of the lugs drag along the inner
wall surfaces of the flow conductor and the landing nipple or
nipples through which the device passes. As the device passes
through the locking recesses of the landing nipples and the
recesses defined at any of the tool joints as seen in FIG. 7
between the landing nipple 210, a lower pipe joint 210a and a
coupling 210b, the lugs 224 spring farther outwardly into the
particular recess along which the latch 220 is passing. The drag of
the lugs along the wall surfaces holds the latch at the upper end
position at which the lugs are above the mandrel boss 215. As the
latch passes downwardly through each recess and below the recess
back into the normal diameter bore of the conductor and nipples,
the lugs are cammed back inwardly as seen in FIG. 6-A. When the
depth measurement at the surface, using suitable wireline measuring
devices, indicates that the locking device 200 has passed slightly
below the desired landing nipple and preferably below the tool
joint immediately below the landing nipple, the locking device is
then lifted upwardly. When the latch 220 is lifted into the recess
at the coupling 210b the lugs 224 spring outwardly into the recess.
As the device is lifted farther upwardly with the lugs expanded
into the coupling recess, the outer bosses of the lugs engage the
downwardly facing shoulder 210c on the lower end of the landing
nipple 210 within the coupling 210b. At this outward position of
the lugs 224, the lugs are radially outwardly far enough to move
downwardly in alignment with the body mandrel locking boss 215 as
seen in FIG. 7. The springs holding the lugs outwardly are
sufficiently strong that when the lugs expand and engage the
shoulder 210c, the latch 222 is pulled downwardly until the lugs
are aligned with the body mandrel locking boss 215 thereby
preventing inward movement or contraction of the lugs. At this
particular intermediate position of the latch, the lower end of the
ring 222 engages the upper face of the detent spring 233 which
prevents the ring 222 from moving farther downwardly on the body
mandrel until the locking device is lifted farther upwardly by the
running tool. This particular position of the latch is illustrated
in FIG. 7 and may be considered as an armed or activated condition
of the latch because the locking device may not be lifted upwardly
any farther without fully releasing the lower collet fingers,
though the device may be lowered, if desired, with the latch
retaining the lower collet fingers compressed inwardly. For
example, if for some reason the locking device is to be lowered
farther after shifting the latch to the position of FIG. 7, the
outwardly locked lugs 224 will engage the shoulder 210d at the
lower end of the tool joint recess forcing the latch back to the
upper end position of FIG. 6-A at which the lugs 224 are above the
locking boss 215 and may move inwardly to release the tool for
continued downward movement. On the other hand, if, when the
locking device has been lifted upwardly as in FIG. 7 activating the
latch 222, continued upward movement past the shoulder surface 210c
at the tool joint recess forces the outwardly locked lugs 224
downwardly below the body mandrel locking boss 215. The dragging of
the lugs downwardly past the locking boss 215 pulls the ring 222
downwardly until the detent spring 233 is cammed inwardly
permitting the ring 222 to continue downward movement until the
lower end of the ring engages the upper end edge of the coupling
206. At this lower end position of the ring 222, the detent spring
233 is aligned with and springs outwardly into the internal annular
recess 232 of the ring 222 locking the ring and the lugs 224 at the
lower end positions of FIG. 8. At this lower locked position of the
latch, the lugs 224 may move inwardly below the locking boss 215
allowing the locking device 200 to be lifted above the shoulder
210c.
At the lower end position of the latch 220, the upper end portion
of the ring 222 is pulled downwardly below the locking flanges 235
of the lower locking collet fingers 221 releasing the collet
fingers to expand outwardly. The collet fingers drag along the
landing nipple bore wall surface until the bosses 242 of the collet
fingers are aligned with the landing nipple locking recess 212.
When so aligned, the collet fingers 221 expand outwardly as the
bosses 242 enter the landing nipple locking recess 212. Since there
may be no clear indication at the surface of the entry of the
collet fingers into the nipple recess, locking device is easily
pulled farther upwardly in the landing nipple until the collet
fingers 221 are above the lower landing nipple locking recess in
which case the collet fingers are cammed inwardly back to the
contracted positions of FIG. 6-A allowing the device to be easily
lifted above the landing nipple. The locking device is then lowered
until the collet finger bosses 242 are again aligned with the
locking recess 212 and the collet fingers expand into the recess
with the stop shoulders 241 on the collet fingers engaging the stop
shoulder 212a at the lower end of the nipple recess 212. The shape
of the collet finger and locking recess stop shoulders prevents the
downward movement of the locking device below the recess 212 and
supports the locking device in the landing nipple. The shape of the
locking recess upper end surfaces and the upwardly facing surfaces
on the lower collet fingers readily permits the device to be lifted
upwardly through a landing nipple with the collet fingers released
for outward movement but will not allow the device to be lowered
through the landing nipple. Also, once the latch 220 has been
activated and moved to the lower end position of FIG. 8 the latch
may not again be manipulated to reengage the lower collet finger
locking flanges.
As the locking device 200 is initially lowered into the landing
nipple and the lower collet fingers expand into the recess 212, the
body mandrel locking boss 214 is aligned with the inner recesses
240 of the collet fingers 221. The stop shoulder 241 on the
expanded collet fingers 221 engages the nipple stop shoulder 212a
to hold the collet 203 against further downward movement.
Additional downward force on the running tool forces the body
mandrel with the seal assembly 205, the upper locking collet 204,
and the expander sleeve 262 downwardly as a unit relative to the
lower locking collet which is locked in the recess 212. The body
mandrel of the locking device moves downwardly within the lower
locking collet until the upper end edge 242a of the lower locking
collet ring 242 is engaged by the lower faces of the locking ring
249 and the base ring 245 of the seal assembly supporting the
locking device body mandrel and the seal assembly on the ring 242
of the lower locking collet. The locking boss 214 on the body
mandrel moves within the collet fingers 221 below the recesses 240
locking the fingers in the recess 212. At this position of the body
mandrel within the lower locking collet, the seal assembly 205 and
the upper locking collet fingers are still relaxed and contracted.
The upper collet finger heads are slightly above the upper landing
nipple locking recess 211. Additional downward force on the running
tool shears the pin holding running tool prong in the locking
device releasing the running tool for downward movement until the
lower end edge 83a of the skirt 83 of the head of the running tool
head engages the upper end edge of the expander sleeve 262. Further
downward force on the running tool forces the expander sleeve 262
downwardly on the body mandrel section 202. Since the lower collet
fingers are locked in the landing nipple recess 212 and the body
mandrel of the locking device is shifted downwardly in the lower
locking collet until the ring 249 is resting on the upper end edge
242a of the collet ring 242, the body mandrel cannot move farther
downwardly. Thus, the pin holding the expander sleeve on the upper
body mandrel section is sheared releasing the sleeve for downward
movement. The downward force of the running tool on the expander
sleeve forces the upper locking collet 204 downwardly since the
lower end edge 272 of the expander sleeve is engaged with the
upwardly facing collet head surfaces 273. The base ring 251 of the
collet is forced downwardly until the stop shoulder 253 within the
base ring engages the upper end edge 201a of the lower body mandrel
section expanding the seal assembly 205 to seal around the locking
device body mandrel with the bore wall surface of the landing
nipple between the upper and lower landing nipple locking recesses.
When the base ring 251 of the upper locking collet seats on the
upper end of the lower body mandrel section, the locking collet may
move no farther downwardly, and additional force on the expander
sleeve by the running tool drives the lower end portion 263 of the
sleeve behind the collet heads 255. The expander surface 261 on the
sleeve engages the inner faces 271 of the collet heads 255
expanding the collet heads radially outwardly into the locking
recess 211 wedging the collet finger upper end surfaces 260 against
the locking surface 211a at the upper end of the landing nipple
locking recess. The fully expanded locking positions of the upper
locking collet fingers are shown in FIG. 8. With the upper collet
fingers wedged into the upper locking recess of the landing nipple,
the locking device is firmly held against upward movement while the
lower locking collet fingers hold the locking device agianst
downward movement in the landing nipple. The metal-to-metal contact
throughout the entire length of the locking device with both upper
and lower collet fingers fully expanded provides no longitudinal
tolerance in the fit of the device within the landing nipple so
that the device readily supports well tools, such as pumps which
tend to loosen conventional locking mandrels.
When removal of the locking device 200 is desired, a suitable
pulling tool is engaged with the pulling neck portion of the
expander sleeve 262. The expander sleeve is pulled upwardly
retracting the expander surface 261 from within the collet heads
255. When the sleeve is retracted sufficiently upwardly to release
the collet heads, the collet fingers straighten inwardly
contracting the heads from the upper locking recess of the landing
nipple. The expanded seal assembly 205 relaxes moving the upper
collet slightly upward on the body mandrel of the locking device.
With the upper collet fingers moved to the release positions of
FIGS. 6-A and 6-B, continued upward force on the expander sleeve
lifts the body mandrel of the device due to the engagement of the
reduced lower end portion 263 of the expander sleeve with the
enlarged upper end portion 264 of the upper body mandrel section.
The body mandrel is lifted relative to the lower locking collet
which holds the device within the landing nipple so long as outer
collet finger bosses 242 are within the lower locking recess 212.
The lower collet fingers remain expanded until the body mandrel is
lifted to raise the locking boss 214 on the mandrel into alignment
with the internal recesses 240 of the collet fingers. At this
position of the body mandrel within the lower collet fingers the
fingers are cammed inwardly as the locking device is lifted
upwardly through the various landing nipples and coupling recesses
along the length of the flow conductor. Since the upper collet
fingers are normally straight, they remain contracted inwardly
around the upper body mandrel section with the expander sleeve at
the upper end position shown in FIG. 6-B as the locking device is
lifted from the flow conductor. The latch 220 remains locked at the
lower end position of FIG. 8.
FIGS. 9-A through 15 illustrate another form of locking device 300
embodying the invention showing the setting of the device in a
landing nipple 301 equipped with a sliding sleeve valve 302. Among
the distinguishing characteristics of the locking device 300 in
comparison with the other locking devices disclosed herein is a
selective feature which permits the device to be set in a landing
nipple having locking recesses conforming to the lower locking
collet finger profiles of the locking device independently of any
particular order of arrangement of landing nipples along a flow
conductor.
The landing nipple 301 is connected in the flow conductor of a well
by an upper coupling 303 which secures the landing nipple with an
upper flow conductor pipe joint 304. The lower end of the landing
nipple is threaded into a lower coupling 305 which connects the
nipple with a lower string of well flow conductor, not shown. The
landing nipple has an upper section 310 provided with an internal
upper locking recess 311, an upper intermediate section 312, a
lower intermediate section 313, and a bottom section 314. The
section 310 has a threaded reduced lower end portion 315 provided
with an external ring seal 320 which seals between the sections 310
and 312. The nipple section 312 has a side port 321 communicating
with a side fitting 322 secured on the nipple section and coupled
with a small flow conductor 323 which conducts control fluid from
the surface end of the well to a well tool 324 supported in the
landing nipple by the locking device 300. The well tool may be a
valve, such as a well safety valve. The lower end of the nipple
section 312 is threaded on a reduced upper end portion 325 of the
nipple section 313. A ring seal 330 in the nipple portion 325 seals
between the nipple sections 312 and 313. Upper and lower internal
seals 331 and 332, respectively, are supported within the nipple
section 312 to seal between the sliding sleeve valve 302 and nipple
section 312 above and below the side port 321.
The bore through the upper nipple section 310 is enlarged below a
downwardly facing stop shoulder 333 to a diameter equal to the
diameter of the bore through the intermediate nipple section 312
and 313 and the upper end portion 334 of the nipple section 314. A
lower stop shoulder 335 is provided in the lower nipple section
314. The sliding sleeve valve 302 is fitted in the bore recess
defined in the landing nipple between the upper stop shoulder 333
and the lower stop shoulder 335 for longitudinal movement between
an upper end position, FIGS. 9-A and 9-B, and a lower end position,
FIGS. 10-A and 10-B. The sliding sleeve valve has a side port 340
which is isolated from the side port 321 when the valve is at the
upper closed position of FIG. 9-B and communicates with the side
port 321 between the upper and lower seals 331 and 332 when the
sleeve valve is at the lower open position, FIG. 10-B.
An internal annular recess 341 is defined within the nipple section
313 at the upper end of the nipple section 314 for an annular
split-ring type detent 342 for releasably latching the sliding
sleeve valve at the upper closed and the lower open positions. The
sleeve valve has an external recess 343 along the lower end portion
of the valve for the detent 342 to hold the sleeve valve at the
upper closed position. The sleeve valve has another external
annular recess 344 spaced above the lower end of the valve to
receive the detent, as shown in FIG. 10-B, to releasably latch the
sleeve valve at the lower open position.
The upper end portion of the sleeve valve is provided with
longitudinally spaced locking recesses 350, 351, and 352. The lower
end of the middle recess 351 is defined by a stop shoulder 353
while the upper end of the recess 351 and the opposite ends of the
recesses 350 and 352 are defined by sloping cam shoulders. The use
of the illustrated locking recess profiles in a landing nipple
provides substantial flexibility in the selectivity which may be
included in a landing nipple and locking mandrel system. Such a
profile approach permits a number of landing nipples to be included
in a flow conductor in any particular random order and at any depth
without consideration being given to the specific sequence in which
the nipples are arranged and the locking mandrels are installed,
since each locking mandrel will engage only a single landing nipple
and will freely pass through all other landing nipples included in
the flow conductor.
The locking device 300 has a tubular body mandrel which includes an
upper section 360 and a lower section 361. The lower end of the
lower section is threaded at 362 into the upper end portion of the
housing of the well device 324. The mandrel section 361 is reduced
in external diameter along a lower end portion 363 providing an
external annular recess 364 for a seal assembly 365 which is held
on the locking device body mandrel by the upper end edge 324a of
the housing of the well device 324 for sealing around the body
mandrel with the bore wall surface of the sliding sleeve valve 302.
Another seal assembly 370 is supported in an external annular
recess 371 in the housing of the well device 324 for sealing with
the bore wall surface of the sleeve valve around the well device
below the side port 340.
The locking device body mandrel section 361 has a downwardly
convergent surface 372, an external annular locking boss 373, and
an external annular recess 374 defining an external profile which
conforms with the inside profile of normally straight collet
fingers 375 of a lower locking collet 380. At one longitudinal
position of the collet 380 on the body mandrel the collet fingers
may be compressed inwardly around the mandrel to release positions;
and at another position of the collet along the body mandrel, the
collet fingers are held outwardly at expanded locking positions.
The lower locking collet fingers 375 each has longitudinally spaced
upper, intermediate, and lower external locking bosses 381, 382,
and 383, respectively. The bosses 381, 382, and 383 are shaped,
spaced, and relatively proportioned to conform to the locking
recesses 350, 351, and 352 in the sliding sleeve valve 302 so that
when the fingers are expanded to the positions of FIG. 10-B the
lower collet locks the locking device 300 in the sliding sleeve
valve. The collet fingers also each has an internal recess 384 for
the body mandrel locking boss 373 when the boss and recess are
aligned longitudinally to permit the collet fingers to be
compressed inwardly to release positions around the body mandrel
section as seen in FIG. 9-A. Additionally, the body mandrel locking
boss 373 holds the collet fingers outwardly in the locking recesses
of the sliding sleeve valve when the lower locking collet and the
body mandrel are positioned to align the boss 373 within collet
fingers below the collet finger recesses 384.
The lower collet fingers 375 are formed integral with and depend
from a ring 385 which is slidable along the lower body mandrel
section 361 between a lower end position as shown in FIG. 9-A and
an upper end position as shown in FIG. 10-A. The lower end edge of
the ring 385 engages an external annular stop shoulder 390 on the
body mandrel section 361 when the collet is at the lower end
position. A shear screw 391 holds the ring 385 of the lower collet
at a first lower end position at which the collet fingers may be
compressed inwardly to release positions. The shear screw is
threaded through the ring and has an inward end portion which
projects into an external recess or blind hole in the body mandrel
section. The ring 385 has an internal annular recess 392 for
locking the lower collet at a second upper end position at which
the collet fingers are held expanded when the body mandrel is moved
downwardly in the lower locking collet ring to the position shown
in FIG. 10-A. A shearable snap ring 393 is positioned in an
external recess of the body mandrel section 361 for expansion into
the collet ring recess 392 for locking the lower collet in the
upper position of FIG. 10-A and holding the collet during the
removal of the locking device from the landing nipple until the
sliding sleeve valve is lifted to the closed position.
An upper locking collet 400 is secured on the body mandrel section
361 by a lock ring 401 which is disposed within longitudinally
aligned recesses in the mandrel section and within the base ring
402 of the upper locking collet. As seen in FIG. 9-A, the locking
ring 401 is inserted through a lateral window 402a in the ring 402
into the aligned recesses for locking the ring on the mandrel
section. This manner of interlocking similar parts is illustrated
and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,224 issued Apr. 16, 1968 to W.
G. Broyle. The upper locking collet has a plurality of
circumferentially spaced collet fingers 403 formed integral with an
extending upwardly from the ring 402. Each of the fingers has a
locking head 404 having upper end locking surfaces 405 which engage
the internal annular locking shoulder 311a defining the upper end
of the upper landing nipple locking recess 311 when the collet
fingers are expanded to the locking positions shown in FIG. 10-A.
The collet fingers 403 are normally straight and except when
expanded to the locking positions in the upper landing nipple
locking recess the fingers lie straight as shown in FIG. 9-A
fitting closely around the outer wall surface of the upper body
mandrel section 360.
The locking device is handled and the upper collet fingers are
expanded by means of an expander sleeve 410 which fits on the upper
body mandrel section 360 and is movable between an upper collet
finger release position as shown in FIG. 9-A and a lower collet
finger expanded position as shown in FIG. 10-A. The expander sleeve
has a reduced lower end portion 411 which fits on the body mandrel
section 360 below an enlarged upper end section 412 on the upper
end of the body mandrel upper section 360. The lower end portion
411 of the expander sleeve has a downwardly convergent external
surface 413 which is engageable with the inner surfaces 414 of the
collet heads 404 for expanding the collet heads and holding them in
the expanded locked positions of FIG. 10-A. The expander sleeve has
a lower, inwardly tapered, end edge surface 415 which engages a
surface 420 within each of the collet finger heads for driving the
body mandrel and upper collet of the locking device downwardly
during the initial stages of setting the device in a landing
nipple. The angle of inclination of the surfaces 415 and 420 is
selected to permit the expander sleeve to drive the collet and the
body mandrel downwardly without wedging the collet finger heads 404
outwardly to the extent that they become stuck between the body
mandrel and the wall surface defining the bore through the landing
nipple. The expander sleeve has an internal fishing neck profile
along the upper end portion defined by the internal recess 430 and
the internal annular locking flange 431 for use in pulling the
locking device from the well flow conductor with a suitable pulling
tool. The locking device as shown in FIG. 9-A is connected with the
running tool 21 which is secured to the locking device by the prong
75. The shear pin 74 extends through the expander sleeve 410, the
upper body mandrel section 412, and the pulling tool prong for
connecting the running tool and the prong and also for holding the
expander sleeve at the upper position at which the upper collet
fingers remain retracted inwardly at release positions.
The locking device 300 is coupled with the running tool 21 as shown
in FIG. 9-A. The shear pin 74 connecting the locking device on the
prong 75 of the running tool holds the expander sleeve 410 at the
upper end position at which the normally straight collet fingers
403 of the upper locking collet are at the contracted release
portions illustrated so that they may freely move along the well
flow conductor. The collet fingers 85 of the running tool are
located within the locking recess 430 of the expander sleeve at the
positions along the running tool prong illustrated in FIG. 3. The
lower locking collet 380 is secured by the shear pin 391 at the
lower end position illustrated in FIG. 9-A at which the recesses
384 along the collet fingers 375 are aligned with the locking boss
373 on the lower body mandrel section 361 so that the collet
fingers are free to be compressed inwardly around the body mandrel
as the collet fingers drag along the inner wall surfaces of the
well flow conductor as the tool is being lowered to the landing
nipple. The well device 324, which may be a safety valve, a well
pump, or other desired well devices, is secured to the lower end of
the locking device as seen in FIG. 9-B. The sliding sleeve valve
302 is closed at an upper end position at which the side port 340
of the valve is isolated from the landing nipple side port 321 and
the control fluid line 323 by the upper seals 331 between the
landing nipple and the sleeve valve. The sleeve valve is releasably
held at the upper position by the detent ring 342 which engages the
recess 343 along the lower end portion of the sleeve valve.
The locking device is lowered by means of the running tool in the
flow conductor until the outwardly biased lower collet fingers 375
are aligned with the locking recesses of the sliding sleeve valve
302 which are compatible with the locking boss profile along the
collet fingers. In the example illustrated, the locking finger
bosses 381, 382, and 383 conform with the locking recesses 350,
351, and 352, respectively, in the sliding sleeve valve 302 of the
landing nipple 301. Thus, as the locking device is lowered into the
landing nipple until the lower collet fingers are aligned with the
locking recesses of the sliding sleeve valve, the fingers expand
into the sleeve valve recesses with the stop shoulder 382a on the
lower end of the collet finger boss 382 on each of the fingers
engaging the stop shoulder 353 at the lower end of the locking
recess 351 of the sleeve valve. Continued downward force on the
running tool and locking device is transmitted through the lower
collet fingers to the sleeve valve camming the detent ring 342
outwardly into the recess 341 releasing the sleeve valve to move
downwardly until the lower end edge of the valve engages the stop
shoulder 335 in the landing nipple at which position the external
annular recess 344 of the sleeve valve is aligned with the detent
ring 342 which contracts into the recess releasably locking the
sleeve valve at the lower end position. The side port 340 of the
sleeve valve is aligned with the landing nipple port 321 so that
control fluid may communicate with the side port 324b of the well
tool in the annulus around the well tool between the upper and
lower seal assemblies 365 and 370.
With the sliding sleeve valve at the lower end position and the
lower collet fingers 375 in locking relationship in the sleeve
valve, additional downward force applied to the running tool
locking device 300 shears the pin 391 releasing the lower locking
collet ring 385 from the body mandrel of the locking device. The
body mandrel along with the upper locking collet and related parts
of the device move downwardly relative to the lower locking collet
until the lower end of the upper collet ring 402 engages the upper
end of the lower collet ring 385. Since the lower locking collet is
engaged with the sliding sleeve valve and the upper locking collet
is seated on the ring 385 of the lower locking collet, the upper
locking collet 400 can move no farther downwardly. As the snap ring
393 is aligned with the internal recess 392 in the collet ring 385,
the ring expands into the recess locking the body mandrel and the
collet ring 385 together at the relative positions shown in FIG.
10-A. The relative downward movement of the body mandrel in the
lower locking collet positions the locking boss 373 on the body
mandrel below the recesses 384 of the lower collet fingers as
illustrated in FIG. 10-B locking the lower collet fingers in the
recesses of the sleeve valve. So long as the locking device body
mandrel remains at the lower position within the lower locking
collet, the collet fingers cannot contract inwardly to release
positions.
Since the body mandrel of the locking device and the upper locking
collet are supported on the lower locking collet by the engagement
of thee lower end of the ring 402 of the upper locking collet with
the ring 385 of the lower locking collet, continued downward force
on the running tool initially shears the pin 74 at the running tool
prong 375 releasing the running tool to move downwardly until the
lower end edge 83a of the tool housing engages the upper end edge
of the expander sleeve 410. Continued downward force on he running
tool drives the expander sleeve downwardly relative to the upper
body mandrel section so that the pin 74 is sheared between the body
mandrel section and the expander sleeve releasing the expander
sleeve to move downwardly on the upper end section of the body
mandrel. The expander sleeve is driven by the running tool
downwardly on the body mandrel within the collet heads 404
expanding the collet heads into the upper locking recess 311 of the
landing nipple. The upper end edge 405 of the collet heads engage
the landing nipple recess shoulder surface 311a locking the upper
collet in the landing nipple. The expander sleeve surface 413 seats
against the inner surface 414 of the collet heads locking the
collet heads in the recess 311. Since the base end of the upper
collet is resting on the upper end of the ring 385 of the lower
collet which is locked in the recesses of the sliding sleeve valve,
the locking device 300 is held tightly against longitudinal
movement either upwardly or downwardly. The body mandrel of the
locking device is interconnected with the upper locking collet by
means of the ring 401 and with the lower collet by the snap ring
393 which is engaged in the internal recess 392 of the ring 385 of
the lower collet.
During the process of setting the locking device, the downward
movement of the prong 75 of the running tool causes the collet
finger heads 95 on the running tool collet to engage the upper end
surface 412a on the upper body mandrel section camming the collet
heads inwardly onto the undercut shoulder surface 100 of the
running tool prong locking the collet fingers at contracted release
positions as shown in FIG. 10-A to permit the running tool to be
lifted and disengaged from the expander sleeve of the locking
device. The running tool is then raised to the surface in the well
flow conductor.
When removal of the locking device 300 is desired, a suitable
pulling tool is run into the well flow conductor and engaged with
the expander sleeve 410. The sleeve is pulled upwardly to the
position of FIG. 9-A withdrawing the expander surface 413 from
within the upper collet heads 404 permitting the collet fingers and
heads to straighten and contract inwardly from the landing nipple
locking recess 311 releasing the upper end of the locking device
from the landing nipple. Continued upward force on the expander
sleeve is transmitted to the body mandrel which is held against
upward movement by the lower locking collet fingers which remain
expanded in the locking recesses of the sliding sleeve valve 302.
The lower locking collet is held by the snap ring 393 at the
locking position on the body mandrel with the locking boss 373 of
the mandrel remaining within the collet fingers below the recesses
384 so that the collet fingers cannot be contracted inwardly. The
upward force on the body mandrel as applied to the lower collet
fingers through the snap ring 393 communicates the force to the
collet fingers which are locked outwardly in the locking recesses
of the sliding sleeve valve. The sleeve valve is lifted upwardly
camming the detent ring 342 outwardly from the sleeve valve recess
344 releasing the sleeve valve to move from the lower open position
to the upper closed position. The sleeve valve is lifted upwardly
by the lower collet fingers as the locking device is raised in the
landing nipple until the sleeve valve engages the stop shoulder 333
at the upper end position of the sleeve valve. Continued upward
force against the locking device then shears the snap ring 393
releasing the body mandrel of the device for upward movement
relative to the ring 385 of the lower locking collet. Additional
upward force on the body mandrel raises the mandrel until the lower
end edge of the lower collet ring 385 engages the stop shoulder 390
on the body mandrel at which position the locking boss 373 is
aligned with the collet finger recesses 384 so that the collet
fingers may contract inwardly to release positions around the body
mandrel. Upward force on the body mandrel then lifts the lower
locking collet and the collet fingers are cammed inwardly by the
surfaces of the locking recesses in the sliding sleeve valve
compressing the fingers inwardly releasing the fingers from the
sliding sleeve valve which is at the upper closed position
illustrated in FIGS. 9-A and 9-B. With the upper and lower collet
fingers thus released, the device is lifted in the flow conductor
to the surface. Thus, the removal of the locking device from the
landing nipple closes the sliding sleeve valve in the nipple before
the locking device is released from the valve in the nipple.
The selective feature of the locking device 300 which permits the
use of several landing nipples in a single flow conductor arranged
in a random order, as distinguished from a predetermined sequence,
is exemplified by FIGS. 12-15 which represent four particular
locking device collet finger and landing nipple profile
combinations which may be used. FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary
sectional view of one of the lower locking collet fingers 275 and
the landing nipple sliding sleeve valve 302 illustrated and
described in FIGS. 9-A through 9-B. In the several particular
arrangements illustrated, the profiles of the lower collet finger
locking bosses 383 and the sleeve valve locking recesses 352 along
with the positions of the collet finger release recesses 384 remain
identical so that the only part change required in each of the
locking devices 300 for any one of the combinations shown in FIGS.
12-15 is in the lower locking collet employed. By use of the
uniform positioning of the internal locking finger recesses 384,
the same body mandrel locking boss 373 is used in each form of the
locking device to release and lock any one of the sets of collet
fingers represented. The variations in lower collet finger profile
and corresponding sliding sleeve valve profile designs comes with
changes in the external collet finger locking bosses 381 and 382
and the corresponding sleeve valve locking recesses 350 and 351,
respectively. In the combination shown in FIG. 13, the lower collet
fingers 375a have a locking boss 382a which corresponds with and is
longer than the locking boss 382 on the collet fingers 375, and the
locking bosses 381a on the finger 375a are shorter than the bosses
381 on the fingers 375. The profile of the sliding sleeve valve
302a conforming to the collet fingers 375a is defined by a locking
recess 350a which is shorter than the locking recess 350 of the
sleeve 302 and the recess 351a which is longer than the recess 351
of the sleeve 302. With these variations in locking finger and
sliding sleeve valve profiles, the fingers 375 will fit only the
sleeve valve 302 while the fingers 375a will fit only the sleeve
valve 302a. Should the locking device 300 with the lower collet
fingers 375 pass through the landing nipple having the sleeve valve
302a, the collet fingers 375 will not expand into the locking
recesses of the sleeve 302a so that the locking device readily
passes downwardly through the landing nipple until reaching the
nipple having the sleeve 302. Similarly, the combination
illustrated in FIG. 14 includes lower locking fingers having
locking bosses 381b which are shorter than the bosses 381a and
bosses 382b which are longer than the bosses 382a with
correspondingly changed locking recesses 350b and 351b formed in
the sleeve valve 302b. The locking fingers 375b will therefore fit
only the sleeve valve 302b and will slide past the sleeve valve 302
and 302a. The still further combination shown in FIG. 15 includes
locking fingers 375c having bosses 381c and 382c which differ in
length from the bosses 381b and 382b. Correspondingly changed
locking recesses 350c and 351c are formed in the sleeve valve 302c
so that the lower collet fingers 375c will fit only the sleeve
valve 302c while freely passing through the other sleeve valves
which might be included in a flow conductor. It will be evident
that numerous collet finger locking recess combinations may be
designed similar to those illustrated to provide essentially an
unlimited number of locking device collets and locking recess
arrangements and each locking collet is engageable with only a
single one of a number of landing nipples along a flow conductor.
It will also be evident that while the locking recess profiles
illustrated are shown in sliding sleeve valves of landing nipples,
the same recess profiles may be provided directly in the landing
nipples themselves in those well installations where sleeve valves
are not necessary. All of the locking devices for any particular
well installation may be identical in design with only the collet
finger profiles on the lower collets being different in each of the
devices so that each device will land and lock only at a particular
landing nipple which may, however, be in any random order along the
flow conductor since the collet fingers will expand into only the
landing nipple which has recesses designed to conform to the collet
finger locking bosses. The locking collet fingers will pass through
all of the other non-conforming landing nipples in the flow
conductor without expanding and locking in the nipples.
It will be evident that each of the embodiments of the locking
devices described and illustrated is wedged into the particular
landing nipple used by driving downwardly on the expander sleeve
until all slack is taken up along the length of the device between
the upper and lower locking mechanisms so that when fully landed
and locked no slack remains between the components of the device
between the landing nipple locating and stop shoulder and the
locking recess cam and lock shoulder. The use of a low, non-sliding
angle between the collet fingers of the upper locking means and the
expander sleeve surface permits the locking of the device in the
landing nipple and prevents jarring forces applied to either end of
the device in either direction from loosening the device in the
landing nipple. The cam faces on the upper collet finger ends and
in the upper locking recess coengage to drive the device down to
the no-slack relationship. Since the device may be pulled using
only upward action, and because the device is wedged to the
no-slack relationship in the landing nipple, it may be loosened and
released under load conditions. The device may either include a
no-go type of lower locking apparatus or may include one of several
types of lower locating and locking systems for selectively
positioning the device at one of several landing nipples on a flow
conductor. The device may include a longitudinally movable upper
locking collet for both locking the device in the no-slack
relationship in the landing nipple and for expanding a central
packing assembly on the mandrel of the device. Some forms of the
device may include only the lower and upper locking systems with
any required packing being on tools supported by the locking
device. At least one form of the device is useful with a landing
nipple having a sliding sleeve valve which is opened and closed by
the lower locating and locking collet on the device.
* * * * *