Abstract: According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, an engaging member for operating a subsurface valve between an open position and a closed position includes a bottom portion comprising a terminal end adapted for contacting a valve closure member, the bottom portion having a first material characteristic and an upper portion having a second material characteristic that is quantitatively different from the first material characteristic. The material characteristics include, without limitation, strength, coefficient of friction, and the modulus of elasticity.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the invention, a downhole tool includes one or more actuator apparatuses to facilitate actuation of the downhole tool. The actuation apparatus includes a piston that is dynamically coupled to a tool actuator by an actuator connector in a manner that the piston and the tool actuator necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in a first direction and the piston and the tool actuator do not necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in the second direction.