Collar With Stepped Retaining Ring Groove
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsDirk A. Wilson, Greg L. Slaughter, JR.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assembly for a torque-transmitting connection in an inner pipe string of a dual-member drill string is formed from a collar, a retaining ring, and an inner pipe member. An endless internal groove having adjacent shallow and deep sections is formed in the collar. Formed in the inner pipe member, an endless external groove is situated in concentric relationship with the internal groove. The retaining ring, situated within the grooves, resists disconnection of the collar from the inner pipe member. When the assembly is subjected to an axial force that might otherwise tend to pull it apart, the retaining ring resists the tendency by wedging between the bottom of the shallow section of the internal groove and the crest of the external groove.
Claims20
An assembly, comprising:
- a tubular collar having opposed first and second ends and an endless internal groove positioned adjacent the first end in which the groove has a step-like base defining adjacent shallow and deep sections;
- a pipe member having an end positioned within the collar and an endless external groove positioned adjacent the end of the pipe member and situated in concentric relationship with the internal groove;
- and
- a retaining ring situated within the grooves of both the collar and the pipe section.
A kit, comprising:
- a tubular collar having an endless internal groove in which the groove has a step-like base defining adjacent shallow and deep sections;
- a pipe member having an end and an endless external groove positioned adjacent the end and configured to be concentric with the internal groove when the end of the pipe member is received within the collar;
- and
- a retaining ring sized to be retained within the internal groove and having a maximum cross-sectional dimension that exceeds the depth of the shallow section.
A tubular collar having opposed first and second ends, comprising:
- an outer surface symmetric about a collar axis and having a circular cross-sectional profile;
- an inner surface having the cross-sectional profile of a polygon having a centroid situated on the collar axis;
- and
- an endless groove formed in the inner surface, concentric with the collar axis and positioned adjacent the first end of the collar, the groove having axially offset shallow and deep sections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.