Drilling tool

A drilling tool apparatus adapted for connection in a drilling string to control undesired flow through the bore of the drill string including:

• a tubular member having a bore therethrough and adapted for connection at its upper and lower ends in a drill string with said bore communicating with the bore of the drill string for forming a flow passage through said tubular member;
• bore closure means disposed in said bore of said tubular member for movement to and from an open position for enabling flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member and a closed position for blocking flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member;
• means operably connected with said bore closure means for urging movement of said bore closure means to the open and closed positions said means including:
• piston means having a pressure responsive surface exposed to fluid pressure for urging on said pressure responsive surface to effect movement of said piston means for moving said bore closure means to control flow of fluid through said bore;
• means sealing with said pressure responsive surface for increasing the pressure responsive surface area exposed to the fluid pressure as said piston means commences to move for moving said bore closure means to control flow of fluid through said bore wherein the fluid pressure effects positive movement of said bore closure means to the other position to control the flow;
• and
• stabbing means removably mounted with said tubular member for controlling an undesired flowing stream of fluid through the bore of the drilling string by enabling connection of said tubular member with the drilling string with said bore closure means maintained in the open position to form a full bore opening bore flow path and thereafter enabling said bore closure means to move to the closed position by removing said stabbling means from said tubular member wherein the undesired flowing stream is controlled.

A drilling tool adapted for connection in a drill string to control undesired flow through the bore of the drill string including:

• a tubular member having a bore therethrough and adapted for connection at its upper and lower ends in a drill string with said bore in alignment with the bore of the drill string;
• bore closure means movably disposed in said bore of said tubular member for movement to and from an open position enabling flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member and to and from a closed position blocking flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member;
• piston means operably connected with said bore closure means for urging movement of said bore closure means to the open position when the pressure in said bore for enabling the desired flow exceeds the pressure adjacent said tubular member by a predetermined value;
• said piston means includes a piston sleeve movably disposed in said bore of said tubular member and having a first pressure response surface area for urging movement of said piston sleeve in a first direction to operate said bore closure means to the open position when the pressure in said bore for enabling the desired flow exceeds the pressure adjacent said tubular member;
• said piston sleeve and said tubular member form an expansible chamber therebetween;
• said piston sleeve having a second pressure responsive surface for urging movement of said piston means in a second direction to operate said bore closure means to the closed position in response to the pressure in said expansible chamber;
• a flow channel formed in said tubular member and extending from a location on an exterior surface of said tubular member to communicate the pressure adjacent said tubular member with said expansible chamber;
• means mounted with said tubular member for urging movement of said piston sleeve in the second direction to move said bore closure means to the closed position when the pressure adjacent the exterior of said tubular member communicated into said expansible chamber by less than the predetermined pressure;
• said bore closure means includes a ball-type valve member operably connected with said piston sleeve and having an opening therethrough for rotational movement to and from the open and closed positions when said piston sleeve member moves in response to the urgings thereon;
• a seat ring mounted for movement with said piston sleeve and having a sealing surface engaging said ball member for blocking flow of fluid between said ball and said seat ring when said ball is in the open and closed positions;
• and
• means for spacing said ball member from said sealing surface of said seat ring prior to commencing to effect rotation of said ball member to the open position wherein the spacing movement of said ball member protects said sealing surface from wear.

A drilling tool adapted for connection in a drill string to control undesired flow through the bore of the drill string including:

• a tubular member having a longitudinal bore extending therethrough and means for connection at its upper and lower ends in a drill string with said longitudinal bore in alignment with the bore of the drill string;
• bore closure means movably disposed in said bore of said tubular member for movement to and from an open position enabling flow of fluid through said longitudinal bore of said tubular member and to and from a closed position blocking flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member;
• piston means operably connected with said bore closure means for urging movement of said bore closure means to the open position when the pressure in said bore for enabling the desired flow exceeds the pressure adjacent said tubular member by a predetermined value;
• said piston means includes a piston sleeve movably disposed in said bore of said tubular member and having a first pressure responsive annular surface area for urging movement of said piston sleeve in a first direction to operate said bore closure means to the open position when the pressure in said bore for enabling the desired flow exceeds the pressure adjacent said tubular member;
• said piston sleeve and said tubular member form an expansible chamber therebetween;
• said piston sleeve having a second pressure responsive annular surface for urging movement of said piston means in a second direction to operate said bore closure means to the closed position in response to the pressure in said expansible chamber;
• a flow channel formed in said tubular member and extending from a location on an exterior surface of said tubular member to communicate the pressure adjacent said tubular member with said expansible chamber;
• means mounted with said tubular member for urging movement of said piston sleeve in the second direction to move said bore closure means to the closed position when the pressure in said bore of said tubular member exceeds the pressure adjacent the exterior of said tubular member communicated into said expansible chamber by less than the predetermined pressure;
• said bore closure means includes a ball-type valve member operably connected with said piston sleeve and having an opening therethrough for rotational movement relative to said piston sleeve to and from the open and closed positions when said piston sleeve member moves in response to the urgings thereon;
• said ball member moves along the longitudinal axis of said bore of said tubular member when rotating to and from the open and closed positions;
• means sealing with said pressure responsive surface for increasing the first pressure responsive surface area exposed to the fluid pressure in said bore as said piston means commences to move for moving said bore closure means to the open position to enable flow of fluid through said bore wherein the fluid pressure effects positive movement of said bore closure means to the open position to control the flow;
• said piston sleeve concentrically positioned in said bore of said tubular member between said ball member and said tubular member;
• and
• means operably connecting said ball member with said piston sleeve for providing relative movement of said bore closure means to said piston means when said piston sleeve moves in the first direction.

A drilling tool adapted for connection in a drill string to control undesired flow through the bore of the drill string including:

• a tubular member having a bore therethrough and adapted for connection at its upper and lower ends in a drill string with said bore in alignment with the bore of the drill string;
• bore closure means movably disposed in said bore of said tubular member for movement to and from an open position enabling flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member and to and from a closed position blocking flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member;
• piston means operably connected with said bore closure means for urging movement of said bore closure means to the open position when the pressure in said bore for enabling the desired flow exceeds the pressure adjacent said tubular member by a predetermined value;
• said piston means includes a piston sleeve movably disposed in said bore of said tubular member and having a first pressure responsive surface area for urging movement of said piston sleeve in a first direction to operate said bore closure means to the open position when the pressure in said bore for enabling the desired flow exceeds the pressure adjacent said tubular member;
• said piston sleeve and said tubular member form an expansible chamber therebetween;
• said piston sleeves having a second pressure responsive surface for urging movement of said piston means in a second direction to operate said bore closure means to the closed position in response to the pressure in said expansible chamber;
• a flow channel formed in said tubular member and extending from a location on an exterior surface of said tubular member to communicate the pressure adjacent said tubular member with said expansible chamber;
• means mounted with said tubular member for urging movement of said piston sleeve in the second direction to move said bore closure means to the closed position when the pressure in said bore of said tubular member exceeds the pressure adjacent the exterior of said tubular member communicated into said expansible chamber by less than the predetermined pressure;
• and
• means movably mounted with said tubular member for releasably locking said bore closure means in the open position by operating movement of said releasable locking means actuated by the direct application of fluid pressure in a predetermined manner to effect locking or releasing movement wherein said bore closure means is releasably rendered inoperative to control flow through the bore of the drill string.

A drilling tool adapted for connection in a drill string to control undesired flow through the bore of the drill string including:

• a tubular member having a bore therethrough and adapted for connection at its upper and lower ends in a drill string with said bore in alignment with the bore of the drill string;
• bore closure means movably disposed in said bore of said tubular member for movement to and from an open position enabling flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member and to and from a closed position blocking flow of fluid through said bore of said tubular member;
• piston means operably connected with said bore closure means for urging movement of said bore closure means to the open position when the pressure in said bore for enabling the desired flow exceeds the pressure adjacent said tubular member by a predetermined value;
• said piston means includes a piston sleeve movably disposed in said bore of said tubular member and having a first pressure responsive surface area for urging movement of said piston sleeve in a first direction to operate said bore closure means to the open position when the pressure in said bore for enabling the desired flow exceeds the pressure adjacent said tubular member;
• said piston sleeve and said tubular member form an expansible chamber therebetween;
• said piston sleeve having a second pressure responsive surface for urging movement of said piston means in a second direction to operate said bore closure means to the closed position in response to the pressure in said expansible chamber;
• a flow channel formed in said tubular member and extending from a location on an exterior surface of said tubular member to communicate the pressure adjacent said tubular member with said expansible chamber;
• means mounted with said tubular member for urging movement of said piston sleeve in the second direction to move said bore closure means to the closed position when the pressure in said bore of said tubular member exceeds the pressure adjacent the exterior of said tubular member communicated into said expansible chamber by less than the predetermined pressure;
• and
• stabbing means for moving said piston sleeve to overcome said urging means for controlling an undesired flowing stream of fluid from the bore of the drilling string by enabling connection of said tubular member with the drilling string with said bore closure means maintained in the full open position to form a full opening flow path and thereafter enabling said bore closure means to move to the closed position wherein the undesired flowing stream of fluid is controlled.