US 10,502,022 B1Granted

Flowhead assembly

AssigneeM & M Oil Tools, LLC

InventorsDavid A. Buck, Andy Paul Todd

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Abstract

In the specification and drawings a flowhead assembly is described and shown with a flow adapter positioned within a through bore of the flowhead assembly housing; a first ball valve and second ball valve located above the flow adapter; a spacer assembly positioned between the first and second ball valve; at least one side flow entry attachment fluidly connected with the through bore of the flowhead assembly. The sideflow entry attachment includes a first and second ball valve located in a central passage in the sideflow entry attachment housing, with a spacer assembly positioned between them; a flow guide insert is positioned above the ball valves and includes a flow path that is in fluid communication with the through bore of the flowhead assembly; a plug retains the flow guide insert within the central passage. Also described and shown is a frac head assembly including a flow adapter that has chamfered internal surfaces surrounding side entry apertures.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A flowhead assembly comprising:

(a) a housing including:
(i) a through bore extending from a first end to a second end of the housing;
(ii) a first aperture extending from an external surface of the housing to the through bore;
and
(iii) a second aperture extending from the external surface of the housing to the through bore;
(b) a first ball valve positioned within the through bore of the housing above the first and second aperture;
(c) a second ball valve positioned within the through bore of the housing above the first ball valve;
(d) a diameter restriction positioned below the first ball valve;
and
(e) a side flow entry attachment in fluid communication with the first or second aperture of the housing, the side flow entry attachment including:
(i) a central passage extending from a first end of the side flow entry attachment to a second end of the side flow entry attachment;
(ii) a side entry aperture positioned through an exterior surface of the side flow entry attachment to the central passage;
(iii) a removable flow guide insert with a side aperture and a bottom aperture and a flow passage transitioning from the side aperture to the bottom aperture, the flow guide insert configured to slide into the central passage;
and
(iv) a third ball valve positioned below the side entry aperture.

12 more elements

A method of fabricating a valve assembly comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting a flow adapter into a first end of a central passage that extends from a first end of a housing to a second end of the housing, the flow adapter including a first side entry aperture intersecting the central passage and aligning with a first side aperture in the housing;
(b) inserting above the flow adapter a first ball valve into the first end of the central passage, where the central passage has a diameter restriction positioned below the first ball valve;
(c) inserting a spacer assembly into the first end of the central passage, where the spacer assembly is positioned above the first ball valve and the spacer assembly includes:
(i) a split ring positioned above the first ball valve;
and
(ii) a split ring insert, positioned above the split ring and below a second ball valve, including:
(1) an upper portion having a first external diameter and an internal shoulder that has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the second ball valve;
and
(2) a lower portion having a second external diameter that is less than the first external diameter and an external shoulder that has a diameter that is greater than the internal diameter of the split ring;
and
(d) inserting the second ball valve into the first end of the central passage, where the second ball valve is positioned above the spacer assembly.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/632,992Filed 26 Jun 2017
Granted: 10 Dec 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

E21B 21/10
Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor: valve arrangements in drilling-fluid circulation systems
E21B 34/02
Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells: in well heads
E21B 21/02
Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor: swivel joints in hose-lines
E21B 33/068
Well heads; Setting-up thereof: having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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