Patents by Inventor Michael Wayne Berckenhoff

Michael Wayne Berckenhoff 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: 8702106
    Abstract: A seal assembly disposed within a radial seal groove to sealingly engage a bonnet within a bore. The seal assembly includes a radial seal surface, an axial seal surface, a vent surface, and an axial preload surface. The seal assembly is thrust towards a longitudinal wall and away from a radial wall of the radial seal groove when pressure in a high-pressure zone increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLC
    Inventor: Michael Wayne Berckenhoff
  • Patent number: 8230930
    Abstract: A mount for a bonnet of a blowout preventer includes at least one support member coupled to a body of the blowout preventer, and a bonnet mounting member moveably coupled to the at least one support member and adapted to move substantially normal to a face of the body of the blowout preventer, wherein the bonnet is coupled to the bonnet mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLC
    Inventors: Edward Ryan Hemphill, Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, William L Carbaugh
  • Patent number: 7975761
    Abstract: Methods and devices with biasing force for sealing a well. Such a device is a blowout preventer has a body including a cavity having first and second recesses, a ram block configured to move inside the cavity, a top seat provided in the first recess and configured to seal the well when the ram block is closed, a wear plate provided in the second recess and configured to contact the ram block when the ram block moves inside the cavity over the wear plate, and a biasing element provided inside the cavity and configured to apply a biasing force on at least one of the top seat, the ram block or the wear plate to increase the sealing of the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLC
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, Eugene Charles Chauviere, III, Dustin Dean Gass
  • Patent number: 7802626
    Abstract: A mount for a bonnet of a blowout preventer includes at least one support member coupled to a body of the blowout preventer, and a bonnet mounting member moveably coupled to the at least one support member and adapted to move substantially normal to a face of the body of the blowout preventer, wherein the bonnet is coupled to the bonnet mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLC
    Inventors: Edward Ryan Hemphill, Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, William L. Carbaugh
  • Publication number: 20100155086
    Abstract: Methods and devices with biasing force for sealing a well. Such a device is a blowout preventer has a body including a cavity having first and second recesses, a ram block configured to move inside the cavity, a top seat provided in the first recess and configured to seal the well when the ram block is closed, a wear plate provided in the second recess and configured to contact the ram block when the ram block moves inside the cavity over the wear plate, and a biasing element provided inside the cavity and configured to apply a biasing force on at least one of the top seat, the ram block or the wear plate to increase the sealing of the well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, Eugene Charles Chauviere, III, Dustin Deon Gass
  • Patent number: 7413019
    Abstract: A bonnet locking apparatus is disclosed. The bonnet locking apparatus includes a segmented radial lock disposed around a bonnet and configured to engage a corresponding radial lock disposed in a body of a blowout preventer, at least one spring configured to bias at least one segment of the segmented radial lock in a locked position, and a backup sleeve disposed around the bonnet, wherein at least a portion of the backup sleeve is configured to secure engagement of the segmented radial lock with the corresponding radial lock disposed in the body of the blowout preventer. A method of locking a bonnet to a blowout preventer is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLC
    Inventors: Edward Ryan Hemphill, Michael Wayne Berckenhoff
  • Publication number: 20080017814
    Abstract: A seal assembly disposed within a radial seal groove to sealingly engage a bonnet within a bore. The seal assembly includes a radial seal surface, an axial seal surface, a vent surface, and an axial preload surface. The seal assembly is thrust towards a longitudinal wall and away from a radial wall of the radial seal groove when pressure in a high-pressure zone increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventor: Michael Wayne Berckenhoff
  • Patent number: 7281586
    Abstract: A mount for a bonnet of a blowout preventer includes at least one support member coupled to a body of the blowout preventer, and a bonnet mounting member moveably coupled to the at least one support member and adapted to move substantially normal to a face of the body of the blowout blowout preventer, wherein the bonnet is coupled to the bonnet mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Hydril Company
    Inventors: Edward Ryan Hemphill, Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, William L. Carbaugh
  • Patent number: 7246666
    Abstract: A mount for a bonnet of a blowout preventer includes at least one support member coupled to a body of the blowout preventer, and a bonnet mounting member moveably coupled to the at least one support member and adapted to move substantially normal to a face of the body of the blowout preventer, wherein the bonnet is coupled to the bonnet mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Hydril Company LP
    Inventors: Edward Ryan Hemphill, Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, William L. Carbaugh
  • Patent number: 7121348
    Abstract: A mount for a bonnet of a blowout preventer includes at least one support member coupled to a body of the blowout preventer, and a bonnet mounting member moveably coupled to the at least one support member and adapted to move substantially normal to a face of the body of the blowout blowout preventer, wherein the bonnet is coupled to the bonnet mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Hydril Company LP
    Inventors: Edward Ryan Hemphill, Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, William L. Carbaugh
  • Patent number: 6845959
    Abstract: A bonnet lock mechanism for a blowout preventer including an angled surface disposed in the blowout preventer, a latching dog having a tapered surface disposed in the bonnet, and a lock actuator operatively coupled to the latching dog. The the lock actuator is adapted to move the latching dog such that the latching dog is in locking engagement with the angled surface of the blowout preventer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Hydril Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, Edward Ryan Hemphill, William Rinehart Holland
  • Publication number: 20040021102
    Abstract: A bonnet lock mechanism for a blowout preventer including an angled surface disposed in the blowout preventer, a latching dog having a tapered surface disposed in the bonnet, and a lock actuator operatively coupled to the latching dog. The the lock actuator is adapted to move the latching dog such that the latching dog is in locking engagement with the angled surface of the blowout preventer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, Edward Ryan Hemphill, William Rinehart Holland
  • Patent number: 6554247
    Abstract: A bonnet lock mechanism for a blowout preventer that includes a radial lock. A radial lock displacement device is coupled to at least one lock actuator. The radial lock displacement device is adapted to radially displace the radial lock to lock a bonnet to a body of the blowout preventer. A bonnet lock mechanism for a blowout preventer that includes a radial lock positioned in a body of the blowout preventer. At least one lock actuator is coupled to the radial lock and is adapted to radially displace the radial lock to lock a bonnet to the body of the blowout preventer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Hydril Company
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, Edward Ryan Hemphill
  • Publication number: 20020162981
    Abstract: A bonnet lock mechanism for a blowout preventer that includes a radial lock. A radial lock displacement device is coupled to at least one lock actuator. The radial lock displacement device is adapted to radially displace the radial lock to lock a bonnet to a body of the blowout preventer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Berckenhoff, Edward Ryan Hemphill