Patents by Inventor Leonard G. Childers
Leonard G. Childers 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: 9109421Abstract: An annular blowout preventer device includes a body and a static head removably connected to the body, A piston is disposed inside an opening chamber to squeeze a packer. An opening chamber head has a rib extending upward from an upper surface. The rib is received within a recess in the lower surface of the static head.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Hydril USA Distribution LLCInventors: William L. Carbaugh, Leonard G. Childers, Eric Mei
-
Patent number: 9109405Abstract: Method, riser assembly and gas handler for diverting gas from a riser. The riser assembly includes a riser having a first end and a second end and a conduit extending from the first end to the second end; a gas handler connected to the riser and provided between the first end and the second end, the gas handler having an external casing; plural pipes attached to an outside of the riser such that at least one pipe of the plural pipes enters through the external casing; and a gas vent pipe configured to start at the gas handler and extend towards the second end of the riser and the gas vent pipe is further configured to divert a gas from the gas handler through the outside of the riser.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Hydril USA Distribution LLCInventors: William L. Carbaugh, Leonard G. Childers, John R. LeBlanc
-
Publication number: 20150083943Abstract: A blowout preventer having a body, a main bore in the body, and rams that project into the main bore. The rams can be shear rams for shearing a tubular in the main bore, pipe rains for sealing around a tubular in the main bore, or sealing rams that seal across the main bore. The rams are in cavities formed in the body, the cavities are formed such that more than two rams can be disposed at the same elevation in the body thereby reducing the overall height of the blowout preventer stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Viral Shah, Leonard G. Childers, Alireza Shirani
-
Patent number: 8844613Abstract: A shear blade attached to a ram block. At least one bolt passage is formed at an angle at the top of the ram block. A bolt passage is formed in the shear blade that corresponds with the bolt passage on the tam block. A bolt introduced into the bolt passage of the ram block and also the bolt passage in the shear blade attaches the shear blade to the ram block. By using this technique for attaching the shear blade to the ram block, surface area of a front face of the shear blade is not further reduced. Therefore, the strength of the shear blade is increased.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2011Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Hydrill USA Manufacturing LLCInventors: Viral Shah, William L. Carbaugh, Leonard G. Childers
-
Patent number: 8694298Abstract: Method and actuator system for a Kellyguard valve disposed in a drill string. The actuator system includes a sleeve that includes a cavity; an actuator disposed inside the cavity and configured to rotate the Kellyguard valve; first and second external regions of the sleeve having plural holes configured to receive a medium under pressure for actuating the actuator; a ring provided around the first and second external regions of the sleeve and configured to be fixed, the ring having first and second internal grooves facing the first and second external regions, respectively; and first and second seals provided inside the first and second grooves, respectively, at least one of the first and second seals being configured to not touch the first or second external regions of the sleeve when in a collapsed state and to touch the first or second external regions when in an inflated state.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2010Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLCInventors: Leonard G. Childers, Tom Griffin
-
Publication number: 20130333897Abstract: A diverter cover assembly includes a first arrangement of sliding plates positioned above a central bore of a diverter and movable in substantially opposite directions to open and close over the central bore.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2012Publication date: December 19, 2013Applicant: HYDRIL USA MANUFACTURING LLCInventors: Laura Christine Wells, Leonard G. Childers, Eric Dale Larson, Robert Allen Blue, Luis Melendez
-
Patent number: 8573557Abstract: A ram blowout preventer for sealing a well, the ram blowout preventer including a body having a cavity with a recess; a ram block configured to move inside the cavity; a top seat disposed in the recess and configured to seal the well when in contact with the ram block; a movable lock ring extending inside a groove of the body and a corresponding groove of the top seat and configured to move inside the groove of the body, along a direction substantially parallel to the well; a first seal extending inside a groove of the top seat and configured to contact the body and the top seat; and a second seal extending inside a groove of the ram block and configured to contact the ram block and the top seat. A width of the groove of the body is larger than a width of the lock ring by a predetermined value, which is larger than normal tolerances, and a distance from a centerline of the well to the first seal is larger than a distance from the centerline of the well to the second seal.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLCInventors: William L. Carbaugh, Eric Mei, Leonard G. Childers
-
Publication number: 20130168075Abstract: A shear blade attached to a ram block. At least one bolt passage is formed at an angle at the top of the ram block. A bolt passage is formed in the shear blade that corresponds with the bolt passage on the tam block. A bolt introduced into the bolt passage of the ram block and also the bolt passage in the shear blade attaches the shear blade to the ram block. By using this technique for attaching the shear blade to the ram block, surface area of a front face of the shear blade is not further reduced. Therefore, the strength of the shear blade is increased.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: HYDRIL USA MANUFACTURING LLCInventors: Viral Shah, William L. Carbaugh, Leonard G. Childers
-
Patent number: 8464785Abstract: A pipe shear ram assembly has a housing having a bore extending vertically therethrough for the passage of a pipe string. Ram blocks have blades positioned such that one slides over the other when the first and second ram blocks are moved toward each other to shear a well pipe. A pair of guide arms extend from one of the rams. The guide arms have tips protruding a greater distance than the blade. Each of the guide arms has an inboard wedge surface beginning at the tip and extending along a line that intersects the longitudinal axis for guiding the pipe string toward a bore axis of the bore in the event the first and second ram blocks are moved to the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2011Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLCInventors: William L. Carbaugh, Leonard G. Childers, Viral Shah
-
Patent number: 8413724Abstract: Method, riser assembly and gas handler for diverting gas from a riser. The riser assembly includes a riser having a first end and a second end and a conduit extending from the first end to the second end; a gas handler connected to the riser and provided between the first end and the second end, the gas handler having an external casing; plural pipes attached to an outside of the riser such that at least one pipe of the plural pipes enters through the external casing; and a gas vent pipe configured to start at the gas handler and extend towards the second end of the riser and the gas vent pipe is further configured to divert a gas from the gas handler through the outside of the riser.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLCInventors: William Carbaugh, Leonard G. Childers, John LeBlanc
-
Publication number: 20120318493Abstract: A pipe shear ram assembly has a housing having a bore extending vertically therethrough for the passage of a pipe string. Ram blocks have blades positioned such that one slides over the other when the first and second ram blocks are moved toward each other to shear a well pipe. A pair of guide arms extend from one of the rams. The guide arms have tips protruding a greater distance than the blade. Each of the guide arms has an inboard wedge surface beginning at the tip and extending along a line that intersects the longitudinal axis for guiding the pipe string toward a bore axis of the bore in the event the first and second ram blocks are moved to the closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: William L. Carbaugh, Leonard G. Childers, Viral Shah
-
Publication number: 20120132432Abstract: Method, riser assembly and gas handler for diverting gas from a riser. The riser assembly includes a riser having a first end and a second end and a conduit extending from the first end to the second end; a gas handler connected to the riser and provided between the first end and the second end, the gas handler having an external casing; plural pipes attached to an outside of the riser such that at least one pipe of the plural pipes enters through the external casing; and a gas vent pipe configured to start at the gas handler and extend towards the second end of the riser and the gas vent pipe is further configured to divert a gas from the gas handler through the outside of the riser.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2010Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: HYDRIL USA MANUFACTURING LLCInventors: William CARBAUGH, Leonard G. CHILDERS, John LEBLANC
-
Publication number: 20110209880Abstract: Method and actuator system for a Kellyguard valve disposed in a drill string. The actuator system includes a sleeve that includes a cavity; an actuator disposed inside the cavity and configured to rotate the Kellyguard valve; first and second external regions of the sleeve having plural holes configured to receive a medium under pressure for actuating the actuator; a ring provided around the first and second external regions of the sleeve and configured to be fixed, the ring having first and second internal grooves facing the first and second external regions, respectively; and first and second seals provided inside the first and second grooves, respectively, at least one of the first and second seals being configured to not touch the first or second external regions of the sleeve when in a collapsed state and to touch the first or second external regions when in an inflated state.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2010Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: HYDRIL USA MANUFACTURING LLCInventors: Leonard G. Childers, Tom Griffin
-
Publication number: 20100155628Abstract: An annular blowout preventer device includes a body having a first cavity extending from a first end to a second end, the first cavity being configured to accommodate a drill line; a static head removably connected to the first end of the body and having a second cavity that is aligned with the first cavity of the body to accommodate the drill line; a piston disposed inside the first and second cavities to define an opening chamber and a closing chamber together with the static head and the body, the piston being configured to move inside the first and second cavities to squeeze a packer for sealing the first cavity from the second cavity; and an opening chamber head disposed in the opening chamber next to the static head, the body, and the piston, the opening chamber head being configured to protect a hydraulic fluid in the opening chamber from external contamination.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2008Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventors: William L. Carbaugh, Leonard G. Childers, Eric Mei
-
Publication number: 20100155080Abstract: A ram blowout preventer for sealing a well, the ram blowout preventer including a body having a cavity with a recess; a ram block configured to move inside the cavity; a top seat disposed in the recess and configured to seal the well when in contact with the ram block; a movable lock ring extending inside a groove of the body and a corresponding groove of the top seat and configured to move inside the groove of the body, along a direction substantially parallel to the well; a first seal extending inside a groove of the top seat and configured to contact the body and the top seat; and a second seal extending inside a groove of the ram block and configured to contact the ram block and the top seat. A width of the groove of the body is larger than a width of the lock ring by a predetermined value, which is larger than normal tolerances, and a distance from a centerline of the well to the first seal is larger than a distance from the centerline of the well to the second seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2008Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventors: William L. Carbaugh, Eric Mei, Leonard G. Childers