Back to results
US 12,612,846 B2Granted
Catcher assembly for a plunger
AssigneeFlowco MasterCo LLC
InventorsGarrett S. Boyd, Mitchell A. Boyd, Darrell Mitchum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrically operated catcher mechanism that is part of a lubricator and catcher unit used in conjunction with a bypass plunger in an oil or gas well include an electrically operated mechanism to move between the catch and release positions. The electrically operated catcher mechanism includes a cam rotated by a motor which causes the device to move between catch and release positions.
Claims21
A plunger catcher mechanism configured to catch and release a plunger in a lubricator mounted to an oil or gas well, comprising:
- a piston housing configured to be coupled to a lubricator mounted to an oil or gas well;
- a piston assembly that is slidably mounted in the piston housing, wherein the piston assembly is configured to move in a first direction to urge a catcher element towards an internal bore of a portion of the lubricator that receives a plunger and to move in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- an actuator housing that is attached to or that is an integral part of the piston housing;
- a pin plate that is rotatably mounted to the actuator housing, the pin plate including a pin that extends from a first surface of the plate and that moves in a circular path as the pin plate rotates;
- and
- a yoke that is operatively coupled to the piston assembly, the yoke including an elongated yoke slot that extends in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the pin of the pin plate extends into the yoke slot such that rotation of the pin plate causes the yoke and the piston assembly to move in the first direction.
3 more elements
A plunger catcher, comprising:
- a piston housing configured to be coupled to a lubricator mounted to an oil or gas well;
- a piston that is slidably mounted in the piston housing, wherein the piston assembly is configured to move in a first direction to urge a catcher element towards an internal bore of a portion of the lubricator that receives a plunger and to move in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- an actuator housing that is attached to or that is an integral part of the piston housing;
- a pin plate that is rotatably mounted to the actuator housing, the pin plate including a pin that extends from a first surface of the plate at a location offset from the center of rotation of the pin plate such that the pin moves in a circular path as the pin plate rotates around the center of rotation;
- and
- a yoke that is operatively coupled to the piston and the pin of the pin plate such that rotation of the pin plate causes the piston to move in the first and second directions.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.