Patents by Inventor Bobby L. Ferguson

Bobby L. Ferguson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6401827
    Abstract: A running tool is used to install a tubing hanger without entangling the continuous control lines. The tubing hanger running tool is made up of a central mandrel, an outer housing, a setting member, and an actuator. The mandrel has a lower end for securing to a tubing hanger. The outer housing surrounds the mandrel and is connected to the setting member. The actuator moves the setting member axially with respect to the mandrel so that the setting member can set the lock element on the tubing hanger, securing the tubing hanger to the tubing head. The setting member has openings which allow the control lines from the tubing hanger to be fed through to the outside of the running tool so that they are not entangled during the placement of the tubing hanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: ABB Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby L. Ferguson, Jose A. Alvarado, Charles D. Bridges, Eugene A. Borak, Jr., Vicki D. Corso
  • Patent number: 5655606
    Abstract: A running tool is used to install a shoulder ring within a groove located in a wellhead housing after the wellhead housing has been installed. The running tool has a locator member which lands on a locator shoulder. A carrier collet which carries the shoulder ring. A retainer sleeve retracts the shoulder ring during the running in procedure. After the locator member lands on the locator shoulder, the operator strokes a piston. This moves the carrier collet and shoulder ring downward relative to the retainer sleeve, allowing the shoulder ring to expand out into the grooves. A cam surface forces the lower end of the collet to a contracted outer diameter, allowing retrieval of the running tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: ABB Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventor: Bobby L. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 5332043
    Abstract: A wellhead connector has a tubular head that lands over a well conduit, such as casing. The head has an annular recess. An annular housing is located in the recess. The housing has a slips bowl which carries gripping segments for gripping the casing. The gripping segments have exterior wedge surfaces which are engaged by radially extending lock pins. The lock pins extend through threaded holes in the head and through holes in the housing. The housing has an exterior cam surface. The lock pins may be removed from engagement with the gripping segments, the head picked up, and the lock pins reinserted into the holes for engaging the housing cam surface. Rotating the lock pins releases the segments from engagement with the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: ABB Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventor: Bobby L. Ferguson