Patents by Inventor Alton Branch

Alton Branch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7644774
    Abstract: A valve for a well pipe, the valve having the following parts: a valve collar connectable to the well pipe; an index piston coaxially positioned within the valve collar for longitudinal translation within the valve collar between closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations; a detent in the index piston, wherein the detent restricts fluid flow in a circulation direction through a flow path through the index piston; a spring that biases the index piston toward the closed and locked-open configurations; and a plug of the valve collar that mechanically communicates with the index piston to be in corresponding closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Alton Branch, Donny Winslow, Aimee Greening
  • Patent number: 7597146
    Abstract: Methods and devices for completion of well bores and more particularly, to reverse circulation cementing of casing strings in well bores are provided. One example of a method may comprise a method for providing fluidic access to an outer annulus of a casing string within a well bore. One example of a device may comprise a casing hanger, the casing hanger comprising a fluid port wherein the fluid port provides fluidic access to an outer annulus by allowing fluid to pass through the casing hanger; a landing sub attached to the casing hanger; and an isolation device attached to the landing sub wherein the isolation device is adapted to allow fluidic isolation of a portion of the landing sub from a portion of the outer annulus of the well bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Winslow, Alton Branch
  • Publication number: 20090166044
    Abstract: A valve for a well pipe, the valve having the following parts: a valve collar connectable to the well pipe; an index piston coaxially positioned within the valve collar for longitudinal translation within the valve collar between closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations; a detent in the index piston, wherein the detent restricts fluid flow in a circulation direction through a flow path through the index piston; a spring that biases the index piston toward the closed and locked-open configurations; and a plug of the valve collar that mechanically communicates with the index piston to be in corresponding closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Alton Branch, Donny Winslow, Aimee Greening
  • Patent number: 7533728
    Abstract: A method for selectively closing a downhole one way check valve, the method having the following steps: attaching the valve to a casing; locking the valve in an open configuration; running the casing and the valve into the wellbore; reverse circulating a composition down an annulus defined between the casing and the wellbore; injecting a plurality of balls into the annulus; unlocking the valve with the plurality of balls; and closing the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Winslow, Alton Branch
  • Patent number: 7527104
    Abstract: A valve for a well pipe, the valve having the following parts: a valve collar connectable to the well pipe; an index piston coaxially positioned within the valve collar for longitudinal translation within the valve collar between closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations; a detent in the index piston, wherein the detent restricts fluid flow in a circulation direction through a flow path through the index piston; a spring that biases the index piston toward the closed and locked-open configurations; and a plug of the valve collar that mechanically communicates with the index piston to be in corresponding closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Alton Branch, Donny Winslow, Aimee Greening
  • Publication number: 20080164028
    Abstract: A method for selectively closing a downhole one way check valve, the method having the following steps: attaching the valve to a casing; locking the valve in an open configuration; running the casing and the valve into the wellbore; reverse circulating a composition down an annulus defined between the casing and the wellbore; injecting a plurality of balls into the annulus; unlocking the valve with the plurality of balls; and closing the valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Donald Winslow, Alton Branch
  • Publication number: 20080083535
    Abstract: Methods and devices for completion of well bores and more particularly, to reverse circulation cementing of casing strings in well bores are provided. One example of a method may comprise a method for providing fluidic access to an outer annulus of a casing string within a well bore. One example of a device may comprise a casing hanger, the casing hanger comprising a fluid port wherein the fluid port provides fluidic access to an outer annulus by allowing fluid to pass through the casing hanger; a landing sub attached to the casing hanger; and an isolation device attached to the landing sub wherein the isolation device is adapted to allow fluidic isolation of a portion of the landing sub from a portion of the outer annulus of the well bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: Donald Winslow, Alton Branch
  • Publication number: 20070181188
    Abstract: A valve for a well pipe, the valve having the following parts: a valve collar connectable to the well pipe; an index piston coaxially positioned within the valve collar for longitudinal translation within the valve collar between closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations; a detent in the index piston, wherein the detent restricts fluid flow in a circulation direction through a flow path through the index piston; a spring that biases the index piston toward the closed and locked-open configurations; and a plug of the valve collar that mechanically communicates with the index piston to be in corresponding closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventors: Alton Branch, Donny Winslow, Aimee Greening