Abstract: A gravel packed water-flood fluid injection mandrel is provided for a water-flood well which includes a side pocket having flow control device therein for injection of pumped water-flood fluid from the mandrel into a subsurface formation of interest. A gravel pack screen system is supported by the mandrel and is positioned so that injected water-flood fluid being discharged by the flow control device will flow through a perforate tubular member having a surrounding particulate exclusion screen. The gravel pack screen system is also arranged so that backflowing fluid flowing from the formation after termination of water-flood operations will be screened to exclude harmful particulate matter that might be entrained in the backflowing fluid. Thus, the flow control device of the mandrel will be protected against erosion or other damage by the gravel pack screen system which excludes predetermined particulate matter from the backflowing fluid.

Abstract: A dove-tail end mill having a cutter shank with a milling head supporting a plurality of replaceable standard 60.degree. triangular cutter inserts. The cutter inserts are designed and oriented with respect to the cutter head to position cutter edges for generating the inclined undercut surface of a dove-tail slot. Simultaneously, the cutter configuration is designed to establish a clearance angle between the lower cutting edge of each of the cutters and the planar surface being generated by the cutter inserts. The milling head defines a plurality of cutter stations each having planar support surfaces for stabilization of the respective cutter inserts and cutter orientation shoulders for accurate positioning of each of the cutter inserts with respect to the cutting head. The cutting head supports each of the cutter inserts to define a cutting rake of about plus 15.degree. and axial rake of about plus 10.degree. and a radial rake of about minus 14.degree..

Abstract: A pile threading device (14) for threading sheet piles (10, 12) and including a box-type frame or body (20) comprising a plurality of connected frame members. An upper slide (44) is mounted on body (20) for relative sliding movement and has a pair of opposed jaws (54, 56) thereon for clamping or gripping the undriven pile (12) for lifting the threading device (14). A pivoted stop bar (70) on the slide (44) engages a side edge (12C) of the undriven pile (12) when the pile (12) is initially positioned on the slide (44)for accurate positioning of the undriven pile (12) on the slide (44). One of the jaws (56) is held in a predetermined fixed relation by an adjustable nut (66) which is positioned at a predetermined position on externally threaded shaft (60) mounting the jaw (56). Roller frames (29, 30) carry rollers (32) for engaging opposed sides of the driven pile (10).

Abstract: A low stress stem connection structure (77) for connecting the rotatable stem (43) and the gate member (33) of a non-rising stem type gate valve (1). The stem (43) has an externally threaded end section (47) and the gate member (33) has an externally threaded extension (79) with a longitudinal bore (83) in which the end section (47) of the stem (43) is received. A stem nut (87) is threadably received on the end (47) of the stem (43) and engages the gate member extension (79) to reciprocally move the gate member (33) in response to rotation of the stem (43). The gate member (33) may move relative to the longitudinal axis of the stem (43) in the direction of flow of a fluid through the gate valve (1). A gate nut (97) is threadably received on the gate member extension (79) to hold the stem nut (87) in position on the stem (43) and limit movement of the gate member (33).

Abstract: A lubricant fitting (10) adapted to be detachably connected to a valve body (11). The lubricant fitting (10) includes an elongate body (12) that has a central bore (24) therethrough which has an intermediate bore portion (26) that joins opposite inner and outer bore end portions (28 and 30) of an enlarged diameter. Inner and outer annular seats (32 and 34) are formed at the junctures of the intermediate bore portion (26) and the inner and outer bore end portions (28 and 30), respectively. An elongate valve member (50) is mounted within the central bore (24) and has inner and outer valve elements (52 and 54) which have inner and outer shoulders (64 and 86), respectively. The inner and outer annular shoulders (64 and 86) are in opposed facing relationships to the inner and outer annular seats (32 and 34), respectively.

Abstract: A safety valve (14) adapted to be inserted within a flowline (10) comprises an elongate valve body (16) having central bore (24) with a fluid inlet (40) and a fluid outlet (42) in fluid communication with the bore (24). A slidable valve element (50) having a fluid passage (62) therein is mounted within the bore (24) and is slidable between the seated and unseated positions. A stop member (108) is mounted on the valve body (16) for relative movement between extended and retracted positions and has a stem which extends within the bore (24) along the longitudinal axis of the valve body (16). During normal operation valve element (50) is in a seated position and stop member (108) is in a retracted position, and thus, fluid flows from the fluid inlet (40) to the fluid outlet (42).

Abstract: A pilot line-operated control valve (32) for an actuator (14) that operates a gate valve (12) in the main flowline (10). A slide valve (70) having a piston (76) on its inner end is mounted in a longitudinal bore (46) of the elongate valve body (40) for movement between an open position in which fluid is directed to actuator (14), and a closed position in which fluid is prevented from flowing to actuator (14). A fluid isolated pilot blocking portion (98) of slide valve (70) is oriented such that once slide valve (70) moves to the closed position, pilot blocking portion (98) abuts pilot port (56) so as to block pilot line fluid pressure from acting on slide valve (70) under any operating conditions, including even a resumption of fluid pressure in the pilot line (30), when slide valve (70) is in the closed position. The so-called push-type control valve (32) is reset by manually pushing slide valve (70) inwardly.

Abstract: In an expanding gate valve, tangential pins (70) are received loosely in peripheral grooves (62) of floating valve seats (26) to prevent the seats from moving inwardly far enough to drag against a gate mechanism (32) which is collapsed for movement between open and closed positions of the valve. Alternative arrangements provide retainer rings (122, 130) which engage shoulders (128) of the seats to limit their inward floating movement.

Abstract: A valve seat assembly adapted to fit within an annular groove in a butterfly valve body. The seat assembly includes a pair of opposed metal seat rings generally L-shaped in cross section with overlapping outer legs seated and anchored in the bottom of the groove. The seat rings have flexible free inner end portions extending radially inwardly of the groove terminating at outwardly curled arcuate ends which contact the sealing surface of the valve disc and extend laterally of the groove in spaced relation to and over the adjacent valve body. A resilient soft seal is mounted between the metal seat rings and the sides of the metal seal rings are corrugated to grip and retain the soft seal in place.

Abstract: A packing assembly is mounted in the annular space between a tubing hanger and a tubing head of a wellhead assembly. The packing is bottomed on a shoulder of the tubing hanger and energized after the tubing hanger has been fully seated within the tubing head by the injection of a lubricant or the like against an upper annular piston member which compresses the packing. The piston member is locked to the tubing hanger after the packing has been compressed between the facing annular surfaces of the tubing head and tubing hanger and the entire packing assembly then moves with the tubing hanger.

Abstract: A gate valve structure has an expanding valve assembly mounted with the valve chamber comprising a gate (32) and segment (34) which may be laterally expanded. The gate and segment have a plurality of coacting interfitting saw-type teeth (46,48) which define cam surfaces (50,56) to effect expansion of the gate valve assembly. A flexible sleeve (64) is secured about the ports (42,44) in the gate and segment to bridge the gap (58) between the gate (32) and segment (34) upon expansion. A torsion spring (72) urges the gate and segment to a contracted position.

Abstract: A ball valve having a seat assembly (46) in the form of a flexible metal holder (52) which carries a resin impregnated graphite face seal (54) contacting the ball (28). Flexibility of the holder is provided by a leg (58) thereof which terminates in a free end having an annular lip (62) in sealing contact with the valve body. In a modified arrangement, the upstream seat has an annular space exposed to the upstream flow passage in order to increase the sealing force, while a corresponding annular space of the downstream seat is exposed to the valve chamber to increase its sealing force when the body pressure exceeds the downstream pressure.

Abstract: A ball valve includes a metal valve seat (36) carrying a relatively soft insert (40) which seals against a ported ball member (22). A packing ring (72) surrounding the seat is compressed between a spring loaded metal wedge (84) and a metal backup ring (66) to provide a seal between the seat and valve body. If the soft seals are destroyed by fire, the metal seat is pressed against the ball member to provide a metal-to-metal seal. Additional metal-to-metal seals are provided between the seat and valve body by the metal wedge and backup ring.

Abstract: The gate assembly (24) of an expanding gate valve has projecting pins (74, 76, 78) which engage guide surfaces (54, 66) of guide rails (52, 64) in order to maintain the gate assembly in a collapsed condition between its open and closed positions. At the fully open and fully closed positions, the pins register with gaps (56, 58, 60, 68, 70) in the guide surfaces to permit expansion of the gate assembly against a pair of valve seats (20, 22).

Abstract: A tubing string (86) is connected at its upper end to a hanger (42) and has its lower end anchored within an outer casing. The hanger and tubing string are lifted from a position below the wellhead assembly to tension the tubing string a desired amount. The hanger has a plurality of guide pins (90) extending from and spaced about the outer periphery of the hanger. Upon lifting of the hanger and suspended tubing string, the guide pins enter inverted J-slots (62) in the hanger bowl (30) which receive and guide the pins to a seated position on the bowl.

Abstract: A valve mechanism according to the present invention incorporates at least one movable valve seat that is received within a seat pocket of the valve body and establishes sealing engagement with a movable valve element. An annular universal seat spring formed of a material such as standard carbon steel is deformed from a generally flat configuration to a frusto-conical configuration during assembly of the valve and exerts a force urging the valve seat against the valve element. Depending upon the depth of the seat pocket, the length of the valve seat and the size or thickness of the valve element, the seat spring will be deformed within its elastic limits or beyond the elastic limits of the material thereof, whereupon it will take a permanent set. In either case, the seat spring compensates for tolerance variations and exerts a spring force within a preselected narrow force range to ensure effective sealing capability and low torque operation.

Abstract: A retaining device to hold a butterfly valve stem (26) in the valve body upon a shearing or breaking of the stem. The retaining device is mounted within a bore (38) in the valve body (12) beneath the stem packing and includes pins (44) extending from the stem (26) which engage in abutting relation a support ring (64) mounted in a groove (56) in the bore to restrain any outward movement of the stem.

Abstract: A flow control valve 30 between a geothermal wellhead and a steam separator 22 is responsive to fluid pressure flowing through the wellhead to the separator and varies the flow rate to the separator 22 in response to the pressure to equalize the flow to the separator 22. A Y-type expansion spool 14 on the wellhead has a pair of auxiliary inlets 76, 78. One of the auxiliary inlets 76 has an auxiliary hanger 88 therein to suspend flexible tubing 94 for the injection of chemicals into the well and the other auxiliary inlet 78 provides an entrance 122 for taking a steam sample and permitting a tool to be inserted within the well.

Abstract: A spring assembly (56) for a floating seat ring (40) to urge the seat ring into sealing engagement with the movable valve member. The seat ring is mounted in an enlarged bore portion at the valve chamber and has an annular rear face in opposed relation to a shoulder defined by the enlarged bore portion. The improved spring assembly is mounted in the spring pocket formed between the rear face and the shoulder and has a plurality of undulated annular wave springs (58, 60) about the seat ring. Each pair of contiguous wave springs is staggered so that the front nodes of one wave spring in each contiguous pair is in opposed contact relation to the rear nodes of the other wave spring of each contiguous pair. A flat portion (44A) on the outer circumference of the seat ring is in nested relation to a cooperating flat portion (64) on the inner circumference of the wave spring to maintain the wave spring in an oriented staggered relation.

Abstract: A relay valve for controlling fluid flow to and from a valve actuator included in a safety system for a flowline such as a production line of an oil or gas well. The relay includes a slide valve (60) which is manually pushed inwardly to the open or set position and held therein by pilot fluid which is also applied to the valve actuator. A visual indicator mounted on a knob (102) of the slide valve is operated by fluid applied to a passage (96) formed in the slide valve. A vent port (82) prevents pilot pressure from moving the slide valve from the closed position to the open position. A modified relay valve (150) has separate inlet ports (198 and 200) for receiving pilot fluid and actuator fluid and a vent port (206) which is in direct fluid communication with the pilot port in the closed position of the slide valve.