Abstract: A ball valve in which cams (82, 84) are mounted on the ball member (34) to engage spring biased seat rings (30, 32) and cam the seat rings to a retracted position at which the seat rings are retained. The ball valve has a removable cover plate (16) so that the ball member (34) and seat rings may be subsequently removed from the valve body (12) while the valve remains in-line. A removable stop (56) engages and blocks rotation of the ball member past its fully opened and fully closed positions and the cams (82, 84) engage the seat rings only after the stop is removed and the ball member is rotated past its normal stroke and beyond fully opened or fully closed positions.

Abstract: A metal seat assembly (40) for sealing against the sealing surface of a valve member movable between open and closed positions. The seat assembly comprises an outer metallic ring (44) having an inwardly extending metal seal lip (58) hinged to the main body (48) of the ring by a reduced thickness portion. An intermediate metal backing ring (45) has a plurality of spaced fingers engaging the hinged metal lip to urge continuously the lip (58) into tight sealing contact with the valve member, and the backing ring may be adjusted to control the force exerted by the fingers against the metal lip. An innermost metal wiper ring (46) adjacent the flexible metal lip is urged continuously into contact with the sealing surface of the valve member to minimize contact of foreign matter with the sealing lip.

Abstract: A bottom outlet cyclone steam separator having a baffle plate (18) which separates the separator vessel (12) into a steam chamber at the top and a water chamber at the bottom. An inlet (24) to the vessel admits an incoming mixture of steam and water in a swirling flow pattern to provide centrifugal action which separates the water from the steam. A plurality of open ended scoops (52) are spaced around the periphery of the baffle plate (18) to direct water into the water chamber through openings (50) of the baffle plate which underlie the scoops.

Abstract: A pressure energized packing arrangement (50, 74) for sealing the stem (64) and bonnet (66) of a high pressure gate valve. A stack of packing rings (90) is compressed against the valve stem and bonnet by retainer rings (92, 94) which are urged together by fluid pressure in the valve body. Extrusion of the packing rings (90) is prevented by metal chamfer rings (102, 108, 114, 120) which are cammed by the retainer rings (92, 94 ) against the valve stem (64) and bonnet (66). The packing assembly is held together by pins (124) against which metal gaskets (132) are cammed by the retainer rings (92, 94) to prevent extrusion of the packing rings (90) along the pins.

Abstract: A fabricated backstop for an end-of car cushioning unit in a railway car. The backstop is composed of two plate members or pieces which are welded separately to the inside of a center sill. One backstop piece is a generally U-shaped vertical plate member which is welded about its entire outer circumference to the inside of the center sill and provides an over-solid stop. The second backstop piece is a horizontal plate member positioned in contact with the rear face of the vertical plate member and having a cutout portion to receive an end collar of an end-of-car cushioning device. The horizontal plate member is welded at its front face to the vertical plate member and at its outer sides to the center sill to provide a rear buff stop and a rear draft stop.

Abstract: An expanding gate valve having seats (74) which are mechanically secured in place. The valve body has seat pockets which include undercut grooves (78) intersected by a cylindrical body cavity (24) to form a pair of openings (80) to each groove. Each valve seat has a pair of lugs (90) which may be fitted through the openings and into the undercut groove. Subsequent rotation of the seat locks the lugs in the groove to secure the seat in place in its seat pocket. Each seat is able to pivot about an axis extending between the lugs in order to compensate for irregularities in the contact surfaces of the gate or seat.

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.

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: There is disclosed a seal assembly for sealing between the body of a valve and the closure member thereof, as well as a method for mounting the assembly within an annular groove with the body which surrounds the flowway through one side of the valve. The seal assembly comprises inner and outer seal rings of relatively hard and soft material which are locked within the groove by a resin which has hardened in the groove as the rings are held in predetermined endwise positions therein.

Abstract: An electro-pneumatic or electro-hydraulic safety system for shutting in a well or the like in the event of unusual pressure conditions in the production line of the well. The safety system includes a pressure transducer (30) which senses the flowline pressure and provides a corresponding electrical signal to a digital controller (34). When the signal applied to the controller is outside of a preset range defined between low and high settings of the controller, a control circuit deenergizes a solenoid valve which bleeds fluid from a fluid actuator in order to close a surface safety valve (10). Once the safety valve has closed, the controller is latched out of service and must be manually reset before the safety valve can be opened. For protection of a subsurface safety valve (155), the safety system provides a time delay between opening of the subsurface valve and opening of the surface valve and also between closing of the surface valve and closing of the subsurface valve.

Abstract: A gate valve which is mounted on a wellhead assembly and which may be closed to shear off workover lines, macaroni tubing and other suspension members so as to quickly shut in a well under emergency conditions. The gate has a flow port which aligns with the flow passage of the valve when the gate is open. A cutting edge of the port cooperates with a corner area of the downstream valve seat to shear the suspension member when the gate is forcefully closed by a hydraulic actuator mechanism. An undercut open space is presented immediately below the cutting edge to accommodate the sheared suspension member without jamming the gate or otherwise hampering its closure function.

Abstract: A mechanism for releasably holding down a tubing hanger received within a hanger bowl of a wellhead. Pins mounted for axial sliding movement in horizontal passages of the hanger bowl are forced inwardly by screws which are threaded into passages of the wellhead and against heads formed on the outer ends of the pins. The pins have tapered inner ends which are forced into a groove of the tubing hanger and against a camming surface of the groove in order to press the tubing hanger downwardly within the hanger bowl. Each screw has a blade on its inner end which enters a slot in the head of the corresponding pin to rotate the pin as it is pushed against the camming surface of the groove. Springs urge the pins outwardly to facilitate entry of the blades into the slots, and retainer rings maintain the pins in their passages in the hanger bowl.

Abstract: A double acting manual override mechanism for the hydraulic actuator of a subsea gate valve, and a visual indicator device for indicating the gate position. The gate is normally held open by hydraulic pressure and is moved by a spring to a fail closed position in the event of a malfunction. The override includes a drive nut threaded onto the valve stem and a drive sleeve which is telescoped on the drive nut and connected therewith by a series of splines. Spaced apart abutment surfaces are provided on the sleeve to limit axial movement of the drive nut on the valve stem in both directions. Rotation of the sleeve by means of an adapter is translated into rotation of the drive nut which contacts one of the abutment surfaces and thereafter effects axial movement of the valve stem to open or close the gate. The indicator device includes a watertight, transparent housing within which an indicator disc moves in response to movement of the gate.

Abstract: A method of forming a valve seat having a resilient plastic insert received in a serrated groove of the seat. The insert is inserted into the groove and is pressed therein with a power driven ram to effect cold flowing of the insert into serrations in the sides of the groove. The insert is then subjected to hydraulic fluid at a relatively high pressure level to completely bottom the insert against the bottom of the groove prior to machining of a protruding sealing surface of the insert. The invention is directed additionally to another method which includes the step of swaging a lip into the insert to secure it in a non-serrated groove of a valve seat. Hydraulic fluid pressure is then applied to the insert to completely bottom it in the groove prior to installation of the seat in a valve body.

Abstract: A valve device consisting of a valve body with a bore slidably receiving a valving plunger (30, 34) and having openings (64, 68) spaced along the bore wall for carrying high pressure controlling or controlled fluid. Interposed between the openings is soft seal means, such as O-rings (48, 54), embedded in suitable recessing in the bore wall. The valve plunger has an internal passage (76) with longitudinally spaced ports or ducts (78, 80) opening through the plunger wall and movable with the plunger, selectively, between positions on the same side of the seal means and on opposite sides thereof for connecting the body openings. The plunger transverse ducts (78, 80) are not of appreciably greater cross-sectional dimensions, longitudinally of the plunger, than said soft seal means (48, 54) and is closely confined on all sides, when exposed to a plunger port, by adjacent body and plunger wall structure so that distortion and extrusion of the seal, under high pressure in the plunger passage, is prevented.

Abstract: A control valve for a fluid actuator has a slide valve member mounted within a housing or body with an external knob on one end and a piston on the other end. The body has a central bore with an enlarged bore portion forming a valve chamber in which the piston is mounted for reciprocation. The chamber adjacent one piston face forms a fluid storage chamber and the chamber adjacent the other piston face forms a fluid pressure chamber to receive pressurized fluid. A one-way check valve is positioned between the two chambers and permits fluid pressure in the fluid storage chamber to be equalized with the fluid pressure in the pressure chamber. Upon a subsequent exhaust of fluid from the fluid pressure chamber, the piston will move quickly to a seated position under the fluid pressure in the storage chamber without any separate urging means, such as a spring, being necessary.

Abstract: A gate valve has annular metal seats mounted in seat pockets around the inlet and outlet passageways at the valve chamber. Each of the seat members has a front face which includes an outer seal surface around the outer perimeter of the seat and a flexible annular metal lip around the inner perimeter of the seat. The lip has an inner seal surface on its free end in spaced concentric relation to the outer seal surface and maintains a fluid-tight seal with the gate while deflecting to compensate for deformations of the valve body that would otherwise affect the seal. The inner peripheral surface of the seat has an annular groove which defines the back surface of the lip which tapers from the base to the free extending end thereof. Each of the seat members has a back face which rests in contact with the bottom outer peripheral portion of the associated seat pocket. The seat member preferably has an annular flexible member extending from its back face which may be welded to the valve body.

Abstract: An arrangement for testing a metal seal at a wellhead joint between a tubing head adapter for a tubing hanger. An inner sleeve is installed at the joint and extends within the adapter and within the hanger at a location spaced inwardly of the metal seal to form a pressure chamber therebetween for receiving test fluid. The fluid is delivered through a passage in the adapter to test the seal for leakage from the inside of the joint. Another test chamber is formed between the metal seal and a secondary seal located between flanges of the tubing head and adapter. A second test passage is formed in the adapter to direct test fluid to the second chamber for seal testing purposes.

Abstract: A control valve for a fluid actuator has a slide valve mounted within a housing with an external gripping knob on one end and a piston on the other end. A spring engages the piston and continuously urges the slide valve and knob to an outer position. The knob is gripped and the slide valve is pushed inwardly for resetting the piston after the control valve has been actuated or fired to exhaust the fluid from the fluid actuator. Fluid from associated high and low pressure pilot valves holds the slide valve and piston in an inner position against the bias of the spring during normal operation of the fluid system.

Abstract: A control valve structure and combined visual indicator for controlling fluid and visually indicating the operating condition of a portion of a fluid system. The control valve has a slide valve mounted in a housing and biased toward a retracted position with one end portion thereof extending from the housing. The extended end portion of the slide valve has a knob adapted to be manually gripped for moving of the slide valve outwardly for setting same. A visual indicator is mounted on the knob. A port in the housing communicates with the slide valve to permit the application of fluid pressure to the slide valve to move same outwardly. The visual indicator has a visually observable indicator member movable between two positions for indicating the presence of either of two associated conditions in a system containing the control valve.