# US 10,246,969 B2 · Valve apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,969 B2 - Document ID: US10246969B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/317,675 - Filed: 2015-06-23 - Published: 2017-05-18 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-30 - Assignees: Interventek Subsea Engineering Limited - Applicants: Interventek Subsea Engineering Limited - Inventors: Gavin David Cowie; John David Sangster - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246969B2 ## CPC - E21B 34/045: {adapted to be lowered on a tubular string into position within a blow-out preventer stack, e.g. so-called test trees} - E21B 29/04: Cutting of wire lines or the like (E21B29/02 takes precedence) - E21B 29/08: Cutting or deforming pipes to control fluid flow - E21B 33/063: {for shearing drill pipes (cutting of wireline E21B29/04)} - E21B 34/00: Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells - E21B 2200/04: Ball valves - E21B 2200/05: Flapper valves - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A valve apparatus (10) comprises a housing (12) defining a flow path (14), a valve seat (42) located within the housing (12) around a periphery of the flow path (14), a carriage member (16) located within the housing (12), a cutting arrangement (28) mounted on the carriage member (16), and a valve member (32) mounted on the carriage member (16) via a connection assembly (34) which permits relative movement between the valve member (32) and the carriage member (16). The carriage member (16) is moveable from a first position towards a second position to drive the cutting arrangement (28) across the flow path (14) and to move the valve member (32) into a position in which relative movement between the valve member (32) and the carriage member (16) permits the valve member (32) to sealingly engage and disengage the valve seat (42) to control flow along the flow path (14). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A valve apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a flow path; a valve seat located within the housing around a periphery of the flow path; a carriage member located within the housing; a shearing cutting arrangement mounted on the carriage member; and a valve member mounted on the carriage member via a connection assembly which permits relative movement between the valve member and the carriage member, wherein the carriage member is moveable from a first position towards a second position to drive the shearing cutting arrangement along a shearing cutting plane across the flow path and shear through an object located within the flow path, and to move the valve member into a position in which relative movement between the valve member and the carriage member permits the valve member to sealingly engage and disengage the valve seat to control flow along the flow path. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus of claim 1, comprising a pocket for receiving or accommodating the valve member when the carriage member is located within its first position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus of claim 1, comprising a valve seat cutting arrangement which cooperates with the shearing cutting arrangement mounted on the carriage member to establish a transverse shear stress in an object located within the flow path during movement of the carriage member from its first position towards its second position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The valve apparatus of claim 3, wherein the valve seat cutting arrangement and the shearing cutting arrangement mounted on the carriage member are spatially arranged relative to each other to define a shear plane or plane of cut. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a cutting pocket for receiving at least a portion of a cut object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve member comprises a valve member sealing arrangement for sealing engagement with the valve seat, the valve member sealing arrangement including one or more seal members mounted on or within a sealing surface of the valve member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The valve apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when the carriage member is located within a first position the valve member is positioned such that the sealing surface of the valve member is at least partially isolated from the flow path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve seat comprises a seat sealing arrangement for sealing engagement with the valve member, the seat sealing arrangement including one or more seal members, wherein at least one seal member is mounted on or within a sealing surface of the valve seat. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a wiper arrangement for use in wiping one or both of the valve seat and the valve member during movement of the carriage member between first and second positions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The valve apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a valve seat wiper arrangement is mounted on the carriage member for wiping a sealing surface of the valve seat during movement of the carriage member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The valve apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the valve seat wiper establishes compressive interference engagement with the sealing surface of the valve member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shearing cutting arrangement is moved along a cutting path during movement of the carriage member between its first and second positions, wherein a clearance gap is provided between the cutting path of the shearing cutting arrangement and a sealing surface of the valve seat. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the carriage member is in its second position, the valve member is moveable to engage the valve seat when a pressure differential is applied in a first direction, and is moveable to disengage the valve seat when a pressure differential is applied in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve member comprises at least one of a flapper, a ball, a portion of a ball, a poppet and a pin. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection assembly providing connection between the valve member and the carriage member provides at least one degree of freedom of motion therebetween, wherein the at least one degree of freedom of motion comprises one or more of rotational motion, linear motion and motion along a curved path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection assembly comprises a pivot connection between the carriage member and the valve member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a biasing arrangement operable between the carriage member and the valve member, wherein the biasing arrangement biases the valve member to move relative the carriage member in one direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The valve apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the biasing arrangement biases the valve member in a direction to engage the valve seat when the carriage member is located within its second position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a valve member guide arrangement operable to guide the valve member during movement of the carriage member from its-a first position to its-e second position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The valve apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the valve member guide arrangement comprises a track and follower arrangement. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a track fixed relative to the housing and a follower member mounted on the valve member, wherein the follower member is received within said track such that movement of the valve member is controlled during movement of the carriage member. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a stop arrangement for preventing or restricting movement of the carriage member beyond first and/or second positions. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carriage member is rotatably mounted within the housing, such that the carriage member is rotatable to move between its-first and second positions. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carriage member is mounted within the housing to be moved along a linear path between its first and second positions. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carriage member is mounted within the housing to be moved along an arcuate path between first and second positions. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carriage member is moveable from a first position thereof towards a second position thereof to drive the shearing cutting arrangement across the flow path along an arcuate shearing cutting path. ### Claim 27 A method for controlling flow along a flow path, comprising: providing a carriage member carrying a shearing cutting arrangement and a valve member; moving the carriage member from a first position towards a second position to drive the shearing cutting arrangement along a shearing cutting plane across the flow path and shear through an object located within the flow path, and to generally align the valve member with a valve seat; and moving the valve member relative to the carriage member to engage and/or disengage the valve seat to control flow along the flow path. ### Claim 28 A valve apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a flow path; a valve seat located within the housing around a periphery of the flow path; a carriage member located within the housing; a cutting arrangement mounted on the carriage member; a valve seat cutting arrangement; and a valve member mounted on the carriage member via a connection assembly which permits relative movement between the valve member and the carriage member, wherein the carriage member is moveable from a first position towards a second position to drive the cutting arrangement across the flow path and cooperates with the valve seat cutting arrangement to establish a transverse shear stress in an object located within the flow path, and to move the valve member into a position in which relative movement between the valve member and the carriage member permits the valve member to sealingly engage and disengage the valve seat to control flow along the flow path. ### Claim 29 A valve apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a flow path; a valve seat located within the housing around a periphery of the flow path; a carriage member located within the housing; a cutting arrangement mounted on the carriage member; and a valve member mounted on the carriage member via a connection assembly which permits relative movement between the valve member and the carriage member, wherein the carriage member is moveable from a first position towards a second position to drive the cutting arrangement across the flow path and to move the valve member into a position in which relative movement between the valve member and the carriage member permits the valve member to sealingly engage and disengage the valve seat to control flow along the flow path, and wherein the cutting arrangement is moved along a cutting path during movement of the carriage member between a first position thereof and a second position thereof, wherein a clearance gap is between the cutting path of the cutting arrangement and a sealing surface of the valve seat.