Wellhead protector
AssigneeVetco Gray Inc.
InventorCharles E. Jennings
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A centralizer is located in a passage of a tubular body of a wellhead assembly for centralizing well tools lowered through the passage. Centralizing members have outer ends mounted to axially extending stationary hinge members, which are mounted to the tubular body in a circular array around a circumference of the passage. A cam and a slot are located between the outer end of each of the centralizing members and the stationary hinge member. Each of the slots has an upward inclined portion, a downward inclined portion, and a neutral position located between the upward and downward inclined portions. A spring urges the cam and the slot to the neutral position, which orients the centralizing members radially inward.
Claims20
An apparatus for centralizing a well tool, comprising:
- a tubular body having an axis and a passage extending therethrough along the axis;
- a centralizer mounted to the tubular body around the passage, the centralizer being movable between a restricted position and an unrestricted position in response to contact with a well tool moving through the passage;
- and
- at least one spring that urges the centralizing member to the restricted position.
An apparatus for centralizing a well tool, comprising:
- a tubular body having an axis and a passage extending therethrough along the axis;
- a plurality of centralizing members having inner and outer ends;
- and
- a plurality of axially extending hinge assemblies, each of the hinge assemblies being mounted to the tubular body in a circular array around a circumference of the passage, the outer end of each of the centralizing members being mounted to one of the hinge assemblies for rotation about the hinge assembly.
An apparatus for centralizing a well tool, comprising:
- a tubular body having an axis and a passage extending therethrough along the axis for receiving a well tool;
- a plurality of centralizing members having inner and outer ends;
- a plurality of axially extending stationary hinge members mounted to the tubular body in a circular array around a circumference of the passage;
- the outer end of each of the centralizing members being mounted rotatably mounted to one of the stationary hinge members for pivotal rotation of the inner end to a restricted position closer toward the axis and an unrestricted position farther away from the axis;
- a cam and a slot formed between the outer end of each of the centralizing members and the stationary hinge member, each of the slots having an upward inclined portion, a downward inclined portion, and a neutral position located between the upward and downward inclined portions, the centralizing members being in the restricted position while the cam and the slot are in the neutral position;
- and
- at least one spring in cooperative engagement with the outer end of each of the centralizing members and the stationary hinge members for urging the cam and the slot to the neutral position.
An method for centralizing a well tool, within a conduit of a well, comprising:
- (a) mounting a centralizer to a tubular body around a passage of the tubular body, and biasing the centralizer members to a restricted position that defines an inner diameter less than an inner diameter of the passage;
- (b) mounting the tubular body to the conduit;
- and
- (c) lowering the well tool through the passage and the conduit, contacting the centralizer with the well tool, the contact causing the centralizer move from the restricted position to allow the well tool to pass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.