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 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: 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.

Abstract: A tool for removing and replacing wing valves or master valves on an operating wellhead under pressure includes an elongated housing with a fluid coupling on one end for connecting to the outlet end of a wellhead valve and a packing assembly extending from the housing through the valve into the wellhead where it seals fluid flow to the valve. A latch on the packing assembly is used to secure it in the wellhead. The housing is equipped with a manipulator to expand and retract the packing and to engage and release the latch. An auxiliary reaming tool is provided for mounting with the manipulator and inserting through the valve to smooth the bore of a wellhead conduit if necessary prior to inserting the packing assembly into the conduit.

Abstract: A well casing hanger for suspending an inner string of well casing at a predetermined location in an outer casing string, including a pair of semi-circular segments each having a plurality of outwardly biased latching fingers extending upwardly from an externally threaded semi-circular support base. An internally threaded connecting ring is threaded onto external screw threads on the casing string and onto the semi-circular support bases which are positioned around the hanger body to secure the segments on the string until the inner casing string is positioned accurately. The weight of the inner casing string shears the connecting ring to permit the latching fingers to be releasably locked in an outwardly urged latched position.

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.

Abstract: A combination high-low pilot valve includes an elongate slide valve in a central bore of the pilot valve biased by a low pressure spring toward an open end of the bore which is in fluid communication with a primary fluid system. A secondary valve member in the bore controls the opening and closing of a high pressure bleed port and is positioned between the elongate slide valve and a high pressure spring in concentric relation to the low pressure spring. The high pressure spring biases the secondary valve member continuously toward the slide valve. The slide valve is spaced longitudinally from the secondary valve member in normal operating position and upon a continued movement after the high pressure is reached contacts the secondary valve member and moves the secondary valve member to a bleed position.

Abstract: A velocity flow control valve employed in a branch line between a main flow line and pressure responsive pilot valves in a safety system for closing a valve across the main flow line. The flow control valve has interfitting male and female body portions with the male body portion having a spring loaded ball urged upstream to an unseated position and is seated upon a pressure differential to block flow to the pilot valves from the main flow line upon a downstream drop in pressure. A ball bleed valve is positioned on the female body portion upstream of the spring loaded ball and may be opened to reduce fluid pressure between the spring loaded ball and the main flow line when desired.

Abstract: A pipe anchoring device including an annular segmented support mounted in the bowl of a wellhead assembly. Each of the segments has a generally cylindrically shaped front face with a plurality of upwardly extending teeth thereon to engage a pipe, and a frustoconically shaped back face with a smooth surface load bearing lower portion and a plurality of sharp downwardly extending teeth adjacent the load bearing smooth lower portion with the teeth extending to the conical plane defined by the surface forming the lower portion. The outer smooth surface portion of the back face is in slidable load bearing contact with the adjacent support structure under initial loading as teeth on the front face engage the pipe, and under higher loading conditions the teeth on the back face bite into the adjacent support structure. One embodiment of the segments has a load bearing smooth upper portion on its back face adjacent the teeth and in slidable contact with the support structure.