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AssigneeFourth Dimension Designs Ltd.
InventorsMurray Ray Townsend, Cal Whibbs
Estimating the term…
A plunger installation and retrieval tool incorporates a magnet which magnetically supports a fluid lift plunger during insertion into or retrieval from a lubricator on a natural gas wellhead. The magnet is housed in a magnet holder suspended from an elongate hanger member the upper end of which is connected to a hanger support. An actuating rod slidably extends through the hanger support and through bores in the magnet and magnet holder, such that a downward force applied to the actuating rod will cause the lower end of the actuating rod to project below the magnet and break its magnetic bond with the plunger, thus releasing the plunger from the tool. The tool may be provided with a cylindrical skirt fitting closely around the upper end of the plunger to prevent laterally loading that could break the magnetic bond during plunger insertion and retrieval.
1-10. (canceled)
A plunger installation and retrieval tool, for installing a fluid lift plunger in a tubular lubricator on a gas wellhead, said tool comprising:
The plunger installation and retrieval tool according to claim 10, wherein the magnet comprises a neodymium magnet.
The plunger installation and retrieval tool according to claim 10, wherein the longitudinal bore extends through the magnet holder.
The plunger installation and retrieval tool according to claim 10, wherein the longitudinal bore extends through the magnet holder and the magnet.
The plunger installation and retrieval tool according to claim 10, wherein the hanger comprises a rigid rod and the actuating member comprises a rigid rod.
The plunger installation and retrieval tool according to claim 10, wherein the hanger comprises a flexible sheath and the actuating member comprises a flexible member slidably disposed within the sheath.
The plunger installation and retrieval tool according to claim 10, wherein a lower portion of the plunger support assembly is adapted to receive a cylindrical skirt, such that the skirt will project below the lower end of the magnet holder, and said skirt having a cylindrical bore sized to receive an upper portion of a fluid lift plunger.
The plunger installation and retrieval tool according to claim 10, further comprising biasing means for biasing the actuation member toward a retracted position in which the lower end of the actuation member is fully retracted into the plunger support assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.