Abstract: A valve system timing device for pipes carrying fluid under pressure operable to control a fluid, so as to define an upstream and a downstream fluid pipe includes a first or by-pass shutter provided with a modulating flowrate limiting device for slowly pressurizing the downstream fluid pipe, a second or operating shutter operable in a self-actuating manner, and an actuator operated by the fluid under pressure, and opening the operating shutter when the differential pressure between the upstream and downstream pipes is decreased.

Abstract: A subsurface solenoid well safety valve which is locked in the open position, after being opened mechanically, for preventing the valve from closing. A valve closure member is controlled by a tubular member which is mechanically moved downwardly to open the valve. An armature movable in the housing is actuated by a solenoid coil for locking the tubular member in the open position to the valve housing. Deenergization of the coil releases the armature and the lock and allows the tubular member to be biased to the open position.

Abstract: A ball valve has a movable upstream valve seat with a metal lip engageable with the valve ball under pressure generated by a bellows section or metal membrane connected between the movable valve seat and the housing. The force of fluid pressure against this moveable valve seat is relieved by operation of a bypass valve connecting opposite sides of this seat. The ball can also have a deformable metal lip.

Abstract: Pressure equalizing means for well tools having a tubular housing and an operator tube movable longitudinally therewithin, there being provided a valved bypass passage in the housing and a shoulder on the operator tube for engaging and opening the valve of the valved bypass passage upon longitudinal movement of the operator tube in the housing, the equalizing mechanism further including a pair of seal rings sealing between the housing and the operator tube above and below the valved bypass passage in the housing and a lateral passage in the wall of the operator tube normally above the pair of seals but movable under no-flow conditions with the operator tube to a position between the pair of seals prior to the operator tube shoulder contacting the valve of the bypass passage, thus avoiding damage to or flow cutting of the seals which normally form a secondary seal to provide bubble-tight integrity even if the valve in the bypass passage does not seal bubble tight.

Abstract: A ball valve assembly is provided for elimination of the tearing of the annular elastomeric seal which normally engages the periphery of such ball valve due to the movement of the valve with excessive loading imposed on the elastomeric seal. A spring pressed element engages the portion of the ball opposite the position of the annular elastomeric seal and exerts a substantially constant loading force on the ball and hence on the elastomeric seal.

Abstract: A magnetically operated fail-safe cutoff valve of general application and particularly suitable for down hole fluid well applications is provided having a simple highly reliable valve for equalizing the pressure across the main cutoff valve while closed thereby permitting the same to be opened. All operating components can be either removably installed internally of a tubing string or as a portion of the string itself. In either case, typical wire line operations can be conducted through and past the lower end of the cutoff valve since the flow path of each of the illustrative embodiments provides an unobstructed linear flow path therethrough when the valve is open. The pressure equalizing valve includes multiple flow passages and is controlled by a shrouded annular armature operable independently of a tubular armature controlling the main cutoff valve. The two armatures may be located in either common or separate flux circuits.

Abstract: A lubricator valve apparatus adapted for use when running wireline tools into an offshore well during a production test of the well. The valve includes a valve body having a central flow passage and a ball valve element for opening and closing the passage, hydraulically operable means responsive to surface-controlled pressure for opening and closing the ball valve, latch means for releasably holding the ball valve in both the open and the closed positions, and bypass valve means for equalizing pressures across the ball valve prior to opening thereof and arranged in response to pressure applied at the surface to the production pipe to be opened to provide a flow path for well control fluids.

Abstract: A safety valve for the production tubing of wells and/or fluid flow lines includes a valve element having both linear and rotary components of movement within a valve body and is actuated by a lost-motion rack and pinion gear actuating mechanism. The clam-shell pinion gear is moved linearly within the valve body by a hydraulic sleeve piston actuator for inducing valve movement responsive to hydraulic control of the sleeve piston. The sleeve piston is also responsive to upstream pressure for pressure actuation of the valve to its closed position. The valve element is also mechanically movable to its closed position. To facilitate opening movement of the valve, after an initial part of the opening movement of the sleeve piston assembly has occurred, pressure upstream of the valve element is communicated with the downstream side of the valve element, thus balancing pressure across the valve element and dissipating any pressure induced resultant forces that oppose valve opening movement.

Abstract: A subsea test valve system for well completed at the floor of the sea includes a safety valve and disconnect mechanism mounted in a blowout preventer at the bottom of the sea and having hydraulic fluid pressure operated means for opening the safety valve and controlling a latch in the disconnect mechanism. A tubing test string shut off valve is releasably latched in the disconnect mechanism and has a hydraulic fluid operated shut off valve and a valve for venting the test string to the riser pipe which extends from the blowout preventer to the vessel or platform at the surface of the sea. The subsea hydraulic pressure operated devices are supplied with pressure fluid from a subsea accumulator under the control of subsea pilot valves which are operated by small pressure differences, to accomplish rapid operation at great depth from a control console on the vessel or platform.

Abstract: A check valve assembly which when opening has a valve closure which is lifted from its seat before fluid flows past the unseated closure, and which when closing terminates flow in advance of the closure reengaging its seat.

Abstract: A valve including annular valve seats, made of a resilient material such as rubber, fitted in respective valve seat retainers provided in the peripheral portions of fluid passages in the valve body. A gate is slidingly moved to open or close the valve, with its wall surface being maintained in contact with each valve seat. Each of said annular valve seats are brought into close contact with the wall of the gate when the gate is moved to a closed position to provide sealing therebetween. In addition, the valve comprises a fluid passage provided in the gate which serves to decrease the pressure of the fluid acting on the valve seat on the upstream side at the initial stage of the movement of the gate from the closed position to the open position, whereby the valve seat is biased from the gate.

Abstract: A lubricator valve apparatus adapted for use when running wireline tools into an offshore well during a production test of the well. The valve includes a valve body having a central flow passage and a ball valve element for opening and closing the passage, hydraulically operable means responsive to surface-controlled pressure for opening and closing the ball valve, latch means for releasably holding the ball valve in both the open and the closed positions, and bypass valve means for equalizing pressures across the ball valve prior to opening thereof and arranged in the event hydraulic control of the ball valve is lost to be opened in response to pressure applied at the surface to the production pipe to provide a flow path for well control fluids.

Abstract: A valve has upstream and downstream seat assemblies each having a pair of spaced annular face seals in concentric relation to form inner and outer face seals. A movable valve member (26, FIG. 2; 88, FIG. 8) has a main bore therethrough and is mounted in a valve chamber between the seat assemblies for movement between open and closed positions. A pair of auxiliary fluid passageways (72, 74, FIG. 2; 112, 114, FIG. 8) are located in the valve member at opposite ends of the main bore. Each of the auxiliary passageways has its outer end opening to the side of the valve member radially outward of the main bore and an inner end opening into the main bore.

Abstract: A fluid-flow control valve arrangement comprising valve means operable in different conditions including variable-flow,, constant-flow and zero-flow mode conditions depending upon predetermined ranges of a prescribed operational parameter, the valve arrangement being useful especially for the control of the flow of fuel in a heating device such as a gas-burning water heating device.

Abstract: A surface controlled subsurface safety valve having a main valve and an equalizing valve. The equalizing valve is opened prior to the opening of the main valve. An extra control pressure force is provided to open the equalizing valve against the resistive force present due to high shut-in formation pressures. On the other hand, the safety valve can close when low subsurface pressure conditions exist at the valve. This abstract is neither intended to define the scope of the invention, which, of course, is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting in any way.

Abstract: Disclosed is an axially movable valve for admitting fluid to a fluid starved region. The admitted fluid feeds a pressure generating pump. Fluid pressure generated by the pump provides a force to further open the valve and to move a tool actuator. The valve opens with minimal sliding friction resistance. During the opening sequence, the flow area of the valve gradually increases. This abstract is neither intended to define the scope of the invention, which, of course, is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to limit the invention in any way.

Abstract: An equalizing valve is incorporated in a subsurface shutoff valve for wells and has a number of balls loosely confined in an annular groove in the tubular valve body and adapted to seat in by-pass ports in the shutoff valve actuator piston sleeve to prevent flow through such by-pass ports from ports in valve body which communicate with the groove. Actuation of the piston sleeve to open the shutoff valve causes a shoulder forming the groove to wipe the seated balls from the by-pass ports to equalize fluid across the shutoff valve before it is opened. The shutoff valve is of the ball type or of another type. The shutoff valve of the ball type, when closed, subjects its support bars to a force deforming them to allow the shutoff valve ball to move into seating engagement with a seating sleeve to prevent extrusion of an elastmer seal.

Abstract: In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a valve apparatus adapted to be incorporated in a string of tubing to permit pressure testing thereof in a well bore includes inner and outer members telescopically disposed and movable between extended and contracted relative positions, main valve means for closing the axial flow passage through said members to downward flow in response to extension of the members, and equalizing passage and valve means for equalizing pressures across the main valve prior to reopening thereof in response to contraction of the members.

Abstract: A valve assembly with decompression means having a valve body with a pressure port, a return port and a control port with internal passages connecting the ports, and a pair of valves within said body arranged in parallel and operable when closed to block the flow from the control port to the return port, the valves being operable in sequence with a first of the valves openable to slowly reduce the pressure in said internal passages and the second valve being openable thereafter to permit a substantial flow from the control port to the return port.

Abstract: A surface-controlled wire-line retrieval subsurface safety valve apparatus and method of utilizing the safety valve having a rotatable ball closure element and a movable operator mechanism that controls the operating stroke when the valve is operably installed as well as moving the ball and seat into sealing engagement.

Abstract: A hydraulic safety stop-valve fitted with hermetic sealing means.The equalization passage between pressures above and below the stop-valve comprises two means of sealing, one provided by contact between two truncated conical bearing surfaces on the outer casing and inner tube, and the other consisting of valves, held by springs against the equalization passage inlet apertures, bored in the lower tubular element of the outer casing, and the opening of which is controlled by a truncated conical surface on the inner tube.This device ensures a high level of safety in stop-valves used in large production tubings for wells at sea.