Abstract: A well tool assembly is provided which is adapted to be set within a well bore. The assembly comprises a main body having a main passage. Means on the main body are provided for securing the main body within the well bore. An expendable plug is provided and housed within the passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough. The plug assembly comprises a top sub, a longitudinally extending mandrel and piston means. First disengaging means are provided for selectively securing the top sub to the piston means or the mandrel. Second disengaging means are provided for selectively securing the top sub to the other of the piston means and the mandrel. Seal means are located on the plug assembly for prevention of fluid transmission thereacross.

Abstract: A valve actuator and a pilot assembly which may be utilized either alone or with the actuator is responsive to control fluid pressure for moving an operative means of a valve between open and closed positions. The actuator has a housing defining a cylindrical bore therethrough and a shaft is carried in the housing which is engageable with the operative means. A piston is carried by one of the shaft and the housing and is sealingly slidable along the other of the shaft and the housing and is longitudinally movable within the cylindrical bore.The pilot assembly comprises a cylindrical housing having pilot means within the housing, the pilot means having valve seat means thereon. Normally free traveling spherical members are provided immediate the pilot means and define valve head means selectively sealingly engageable on the pilot means to open and close the pilot means to control fluid flow therethrough.

Abstract: An interface assembly is provided for operation with the spool valve elements comprising means which are extendable to the spool and a piston head element within the housing and carried around the extension means for travel along the extension means in response to pressure variation. Spherical means are securable on the piston head together with means for urging the spherical means toward the spool extension means. First and second camways are defined on the extension means for travel of the spherical means which are secured on the piston. A shoulder on the extension means defines the intersection between the first and second camways and resists travel of the piston-housed spherical means along one of the camways when the piston is shifted in a first direction.

Abstract: Apparatus is run on tubing string for pressure surging operations. Fluid is in the annular area between the tubing string and the well bore and fluid is also within the tubing string with a packer separating the annulus fluid from the tubing fluid. A first valve body contains means for connecting the valve body to the tubing string and has flapper valve head means normally blocking fluid flow through the first valve body. A valve seat is carried on the first valve body. A first piston is responsive to pressurization of the annulus fluid to shift the flapper valve head away from the seat to allow fluid flow through the first valve body. Locking means are carried on the first valve body to prevent longitudinal shifting of the first piston in at least one direction after the piston is shifted to open the first valve. A second valve body is responsive to tubing pressure and contains first lock means for locking a seal means therein to isolate the central bore.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wiper, grouting seal and diaphragm apparatus for use on a tubular sleeve of a structure wherein the sleeve receives a piling. The apparatus has a housing with a bore therethrough. A manifold seal extends interior of and circumferentially around the housing. Fluid receiving means are provided for communication with a pressure conduit extendable from the manifold to the structure. Fluid ejecting means are defined on the manifold for selective discharge of fluid injectable through the conduit and the manifold and interior of the sleeve. A longitudinally shiftable cage member initially defines the interior wall of the housing and has means engageable by the lower end of the piling for shifting of the cage member whereby the manifold is urged away from the housing and against the piling. Diaphragm seal means are initially held by the housing and across the bore, the seal means being rupturable by the cage member upon shifting of the cage member by the piling.

Abstract: Valve means associatable with free traveling spherical means are sealing engageable onto and wipable off of companion seats to selectively control flow. A spool permits selective movement of the head means to the seat means and selective engagement of the head and seat means upon shuttling.An interface assembly comprises means which are extendible to the spool and a piston head element within the housing and carried around an extension for travel along the extension in response to pressure variation. The piston head is shiftable in a first direction in response to fluid variation for travel along the extension for transfer of the spherical means within the piston from one camway to another camway without movement of the spool within the housing.

Abstract: An aqueous drilling fluid is provided having a lubricant therein consisting essentially of the reaction product of a fatty vegetable oil with 4,4'-thiodiphenol.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for making threaded joints, such as pipe joints, within a range of predetermined applied torque and turns values. A pipe or a pipe and a coupling are threaded onto the end of a pipe string. The applied torque is monitored and, when a reference torque value is exceeded, the number of turns are counted. When either the actual torque or the actual turns exceeds a predetermined minimum value for that parameter and the value of the other parameter exceeds a predetermined minimum value, but is less than a predetermined maximum value, a good joint is indicated and the make-up is stopped. A bad joint is predicted and make-up is stopped when the value of the actual torque divided by the actual turns falls outside a range of values defined by the slopes of a pair of boundary lines and predetermined minimum torque and minimum turn values.

Abstract: The invention incorporates a combination tubular member seal enclosing and enclosure releasing apparatus having an elastomeric sealing means with interior and exterior edges. The exterior edge is disposed around one end of the tubular member for sealing across the interior of the tubular member. First and second flange members define a housing for securement of the interior edge of the sealing means and are circumferentially extendible within the tubular member. First and second seal extending means have an end secured to a respective flange member. Piston means which are telescopically operational include a piston housing having a port therein and a piston element slidably disposed with respect to the housing. One of the seal extending means has another end thereof which is engaged with one of the piston housing and the piston element while the other of the seal extending means has another end thereof engaged with the other of the piston housing and the piston element.

Abstract: A load cell assembly is provided utilizing a hydraulic load cell in combination with an electric load cell to eliminate undesired side loading and to provide two separate output signals indicative of a tensive load.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for selective mechanically activated latching and fluid activated locking and unlocking of a tubular string within an anchor assembly in a subterranean bore, wherein the anchor assembly has defined thereon co-engaging elements for selectively latching and locking of a tubular string with the anchor assembly. The apparatus comprises a housing which contains second co-engaging means which are complimentarily operational with the first co-engaging means. A longitudinally shiftable sleeve is initially secured to at least one of the housing and the second co-engaging means and is initially positioned with respect to the second co-engaging means whereby the second co-engaging means is selectively and repeatably latchable with respect to the first co-engaging means.

Abstract: A control fluid valve assembly is provided which is respondable to a pressure monitored fluid. The assembly preferably comprises first and second valve seats within a housing. A spool element is shuttleable within the housing near the valve seat by either manual or mechanical manipulation to first and second positions and is responsive to pressure variation within the monitored fluid to shuttle it to a second position. Balls are contained in first and second valve head groups and are carryable by the spool element, the balls being selectively sealingly engagable onto and wipable off of the valve seat means to control fluid flow of the control fluid within the assembly in response to the pressure monitored fluid. A plurality of seals are defined between the housing and the spool means to prevent fluid communication therebetween and to define flow passageways across the spool.

Abstract: A valve actuator and a pilot assembly responsive to control fluid pressure for moving an operative means of a valve. The actuator has a housing defining a cylindrical bore therethrough and a shaft is carried in the housing which is engagable with the operative means. A piston is carried by one of the shaft and the housing and is sealingly slidable along the other of the shaft and the housing and is longitudinally movable within the cylindrical bore. A plurality of piston chambers are companionly associated with the piston and is responsive to control of source fluid pressure within a pilot assembly to manipulate the piston.The pilot assembly comprises pilot means within the housing, having valve seat means thereon. Normally free traveling spherical members define valve head means selectively sealingly engagable on the pilot means to open and close the pilot means. A pilot spool permits selective movement of the spherical members to the immediate vicinity of the valve seat means of the pilot means.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for connecting a gage to an oil well pump power cable for transmitting pressure and temperature data to a surface recorder whereby the gage can be selectively disconnected when it is desired to test the insulation integrity of the pump power supply system, and selectively connected when the test is completed. The gage is connected to the neutral point of the three phase motor winding through a latching relay. A code transmitter generates a frequency coded signal on the power cable to a decoder which controls the relay. The same coded signal is utilized to open and close the relay contacts as desired.

Abstract: A well tool is provided which is adaptable to be moved longitudinally within a well conduit. The tool contains normally retracted slip elements which are manipulated into engagement with the conduit by expander elements. An elastomeric packing element, of known construction, is expandable exteriorly around the well tool and is adapted to selectively seal with the well conduit. Booster means are provided for transmitting the compressive force defined by differential pressure acting across the packing element when the slips are in expanded position against the conduit and the packing element is sealed with the well conduit, such that the packing element is maintained in sealing relationship with the well conduit.

Abstract: In a switching circuit for controlling the level of material in a container, a first counter accumulates pulses generated at a rate inversely related to the level of the material up to a first predetermined total. A second counter accumulates clock pulses up to a second predetermined total representing a fixed counting interval. The counters are connected in a race circuit wherein the one to reach its predetermined total first resets both counters and controls the race circuitry. The first counter sets a control circuit to indicate a low level condition or to activate an alarm, and the second counter resets the control circuit to indicate a high level condition. After the control circuit has been set by the first counter, the race circuit is responsive to a third predetermined total of the first counter, less than the first predetermined total, representing, for example, a level to which a container is to be filled.

Abstract: An actuator is provided which is respondable to control fluid pressure for moving an operative means of a valve between open and closed positions. The actuator comprises a housing defining a cylindrical bore therewithin. In one form, a shaft is carried in the housing and is engagable with the operative means. Means define first and second effective piston areas and are carried by one of the shaft and the housing and are sealingly slidable along the other of the shaft and the housing, being longitudinally movable within the cylindrical bore. The apparatus has first and second fluid chambers companionly associated with the means defining the first and second effective piston areas within the bore for yielding a differential force across the means defining the first and second effective piston areas upon increase of fluid control pressure within the actuator.

Abstract: An improvement in a lubricator apparatus for use in installation of drilling, completion, workover tools, or parts thereof for subsequent use in a subterranean well and for control of fluids through said well, the lubricator having therein a valve assembly comprising a longitudinally shiftable carriage, a ported valve head rotatable on said valve seat means between closed and opened positions by said carriage to control flow of fluids through said well and through said lubricator apparatus. Improvement comprises a differential sleeve longitudinally movable immediate the valve assembly and is sealingly engageable upon the exterior of the ported valve head when the valve assembly is in closed position.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for measuring the concentration of impurities within a substance by the measurement of the reduction in freezing point of the substance. A container containing the substance is coupled to a temperature variation means such as a solid state thermoelectric device for cooling the substance within the container. A temperature sensor such as a thermistor is mounted in thermal contact with the substance for providing a temperature sensor output in accordance with the temperature of the substance. A first amplifier is connected to the temperature sensor for providing a first amplifier output in relation to the output of the temperature sensor. A second amplifier is connected for receiving the first amplifier output to provide a second amplifier output. Control means receives the second amplifier output for controlling the thermoelectric device in accordance with a preselected standard or program.

Abstract: The invention relates to an economical, reliable time cycle controller for controlling the frequency and duration of the open and close cycles of a valve which may be hydraulically activated, but which is preferably operated by pneumatic means. An electrically actuated pilot valve is employed to control the application of pressurized fluid to the pneumatic main valve. The pilot valve in turn is sequentially controlled by two electrically activated delayed release relays having the characteristic that once energized by a pulse of current, they will hold their contacts in the energized position for a period of time determined by the setting of an adjustable pneumatic timer provided on each relay.