Patents Represented by Attorney William Ritt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5180008
    Abstract: A wellhead seal for establishing and maintaining a seal between a wellhead and inner pipe element. The seal is an annular elastomeric body having an inner axial surface with a generally convex central portion for pressing against the inner pipe element surrounded by the wellhead and an outer axial surface with a generally concave central portion which, in one embodiment, receives an annular energizing element to increase the sealing force between the body and casing. An annular anti-extrusion ring is provided at the inner edge of each radial end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Tod Aldridge, John A. Fitzgerald, Allan K. McGregor, Ronald D. Quates, Rudolf R. Schoen, Appavoo Thangarasu, John C. Vicic
  • Patent number: 5149148
    Abstract: A pipe swivel joint with male and female hubs and an improved bore seal assembly having an anti-extrusion ring that axially energizes the swivel joint hubs toward their operational position as the joint is assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph Taeuber, Jr., Sergio A. Castillo, Jr., Tep Ungchusri
  • Patent number: 5127629
    Abstract: A metal-to-metal backseating system for fluid flow control valves, comprising a flexible annular backseat element extending radially from a valve stem or closure element to sealingly engage a valve bonnet surface, and an annular backup for the backseat element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: David G. Holliday
  • Patent number: 5113895
    Abstract: A three-way ball valve adapted for connection to a liquid distribution pipe with a pipe cleaning device therein, the valve including a spherical closure element that is located with respect to the pipe to minimize deposition and accumulation of residues in said pipe and to facilitate removal of said residues by movement of said cleaning device past said closure element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene Le Devehat
  • Patent number: 5109923
    Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for protecting wellhead bores during drilling operations, and more particularly to bowl protectors for preventing damage to wellhead bore seal surfaces as drilling equipment passes through the wellhead. The invention includes a bowl protector and a seperable false bowl for accepting a casing hanger, the bowl protector and false bowl being releasably connected together by shear pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Inventor: Bashir M. Koleilat
  • Patent number: 5107931
    Abstract: A protective cap (12) can be run onto and retrieved from a subsea wellhead (10) from a floating service vessel. Slidably mounted shear pins (32) in the cylindrical wall (14) of the protective cap (12) allow the cap to be attached by a downward push. Retrieval of the protective cap (12) involves an overpull on the drill string that is sufficient to shear the pins (32) in the cylindrical wall (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Inventors: William A. Valka, Randy J. Wester
  • Patent number: 5105888
    Abstract: A running tool for lowering, landing and setting a well structure, such as casing hanger and a packoff has an elongated tubular body in which are mounted a plurality of locking dogs that releasably lock a casing hanger to the tool, a plurality of packoff running pins for releasably locking a packoff to the tool, and a plurality of packoff retrieval pins to engage a packoff in a wellhead housing and secure it to the tool for retrieval from the housing. The locking dogs are cammed radially from the tool body into their hanger engaging position by an actuator sleeve, and the running pins and retrieval pins are spring-biased in a radial direction towards their packoff engaging positions and releasably held in their retracted positions by retraction shafts in the tool body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Inventors: J. Roark Pollock, William A. Valka
  • Patent number: 5088556
    Abstract: A running tool for use with a subsea well guide base when drilling from a floating drill ship is designed to be releasably detached without rotation so that the tool can be uncoupled at the surface upon completion of the guide base running procedure. The running tool is attached to the guide base by threaded elements which are designed to strip when a predetermined upward force is exerted on the running pipe string to which the tool is integrally connected thereby permitting retrieval of the tool by the running string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Short, William A. Valka
  • Patent number: 5069287
    Abstract: A retrievable guide base and gimbal unit for a subsea well, and a tool for use with a pipe running to retrieve the guide base and gimbal from the subsea wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Short, Arthur G. Ahlstone, William A. Valka
  • Patent number: 5069288
    Abstract: A well tool assembly for running a casing hanger and a packoff into a wellhead housing during a single trip into the well, comprising a tubular inner mandrel, a locking mandrel, an outer annular body surrounding and rotatably connected to the inner mandrel, an outer sleeve surrounding the outer body, and means to prevent relative rotation between the outer body and the locking mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: Shiva P. Singeetham
  • Patent number: 5065787
    Abstract: A choke valve safety device to prevent unthreading of the choke bonnet nut until internal pressure has been vented, comprising a U-shaped bracket that fits over a tool-engaging portion of the nut, and a bracket support securable to the choke body only in the correct position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: Bernhard Lochmann
  • Patent number: 5046522
    Abstract: A fluid transfer valve (1) adapted to be cleaned by scraping, comprising a main fluid transfer section (2), a plurality of secondary fluid transfer sections distributed angularly about the axis (X--X) of the main section and disposed at equal distances from and at equal inclinations to this axis, and a rotary tubular elbow (4) connected at one end (4A) by a rotary coupling (5) to the main section and adapted, depending on its angular position about the axis of the main section, to have its other end (4B) aligned with any selected one (3A) of the secondary sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene Le Devehat, Pierre Colle
  • Patent number: 5044672
    Abstract: A metal-to-metal sealing pipe swivel joint especially useful with a subsea well completion system to pivotally interconnect the subsea wellhead to a lay-away flowline, the swivel joint having an annular seal element with metallic sealing surfaces and inner and outer tubular elements, also with metallic sealing surfaces, that can be moved into or withdrawn from sealing engagement with the seal element sealing surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Harold B. Skeels, Christopher E. Cunningham, Edmund M. Mouret, Donald M. Underwood, Michael J. Krenek
  • Patent number: 5044432
    Abstract: A well pipe hanger with a metal sealing annulus valve comprising an axially positionable annular metal seal element with a pair of radially spaced annular sealing surfaces that cooperate with annular metallic sealing surfaces on adjacent well elements to establish a metal-to-metal seal between said elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher E. Cunningham, Rolf A. Ruesse
  • Patent number: 5035256
    Abstract: A two-way valve apparatus for a fluid distribution pipe adapted to be cleaned by scraping, comprising a ported tube containing a mobile abutment member for receiving a scraper, and a sleeve and a tubular confinement member fastened to and moving axially in unison with the abutment member to open and close the tube port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene Le Devehat
  • Patent number: 5035021
    Abstract: A pipeline scraper comprising an elongated body defined by two complementary parts that form end portions and a reduced cross-section central portion, two wear segments surrounding and mounted on the central portion adjacent the end portions, and threaded means releasably fastening the components together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene Le Devehat
  • Patent number: 5031695
    Abstract: A well casing hanger with a wide temperature range seal element that is energized by axial compression with a pre-determined initial portion of the casing hang load, the remaining portion of that hang load then being transferred to the wellhead or other surrounding well element without imposition on the seal element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Cain, Ronald W. Henley, Kevin P. Long, Tep Ungchusri, John C. Vicic
  • Patent number: 4998560
    Abstract: A fluid loading arm emergency disconnection system comprising two pipe elements each including a normally closed valve that can be opened when said pipe elements are connected, means for sensing a connection between the arm and a receptacle, means for sensing a predetermined angular arm configuration, and means for disconnecting the arm when the connection and predetermined arm configuration are sensed simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene Le Devehat
  • Patent number: 4969517
    Abstract: A well casing hanger/packoff apparatus with ports through which fluids can be circulated during installation and cementing operations, and a sleeve-type valve that can be moved axially to open or close the ports as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Valka, Glen C. Wieland
  • Patent number: 4930791
    Abstract: A plastic bore seal assembly, for use in a static or dynamic mode, comprising a sleeve-type seal element with an annular sealing lip at each end thereof, an anti-extrusion ring surrounding the seal element intermediate the sealing lips, one or more sleeve-like finger springs within the seal element, and optionally a wear sleeve within the seal element bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: FMC Corporation
    Inventors: Tep Ungchusri, Paul M. Earl