Pipe joint with remotely operable latch

A remote latch for latching first and second tubular members of two pipes together wherein such tubular members include inner side juxtaposing portions forming one part of the walls of the tubular members and having a first set of facing arcuate shoulders and outer side juxtaposing portions forming the other part of the walls of the tubular members and having a second set of facing arcuate shoulders, the first tubular member outer side portion being formed by a substantially annular shaped flange with a substantially radially uniform outer surface, said annular shaped flange being coaxial with said first tubular member and having a slot therein, comprising:

• a movable latch member positioned within such slot with the outer periphery of such annular shaped flange adjacent said latch member being at a greater distance from the longitudinal axis of such first tubular member than the distance of the outer periphery of said latch member from such longitudinal axis, said movable latch member having an aperture therein;
• engagement means on such second tubular member outer side portion for engagement with the flank of said movable latch member for preventing relative rotation of such tubular members in one direction;
• stop means located on such outer side portions of said first and second tubular members for preventing relative rotation in the other direction;
• and
• remote actuator means located on such first tubular member engageable with said movable latch member and operable from a remote location for actuating said movable latch member, said remote actuator means including a rod, one end of said rod being disposed in said aperture of said movable latch member, said one end of said rod including connecting means mounted thereon and disposed in said aperture for connecting said rod to said movable latch member and for allowing limited horizontal and vertical travel of said movable latch member relative to said rod, the connection between said movable latch member and said rod permitting the transfer of longitudinal loads between said movable latch member and said rod and avoiding the transfer of transverse loads from said movable latch member to said rod during such limited travel of said movable latch member.

A remote latch for latching first and second tubular members of two pipes together wherein such tubular members include inner side juxtaposing portions forming a part of the inner walls of the tubular members and having a first set of facing arcuate shoulders and outer side juxtaposing portions forming a part of the outer walls of the tubular members and having a second set of facing arcuate shoulders, the first tubular member outer side portion being formed by a flange having a slot therein, comprising:

• a movable latch member positioned within such slot with the outer periphery of such flange adjacent said latch member being at a greater distance from the longitudinal axis of such first tubular member than the distance of the outer periphery of said latch member from such longitudinal axis;
• engagement means on such second tubular member outer side portion for engagement with the flank of said movable latch member for preventing relative rotation of such tubular members in one direction;
• remote actuator means located on such first tubular member engageable with said movable latch member and operable from a remote location for actuating said movable latch member;
• and
• wherein said remote actuator means includes a rod connection including:
• a rod;
• slot means on said movable latch member for permitting slack between said movable latch member and said remote actuator means to prevent transverse loads on said movable latch member and said rod caused by movement of said movable latch member;
• and
• connection means mounted on said rod for connecting said rod to said movable latch member to transfer longitudinal loads between said movable latch member and said rod, said connection means being engagingly connected to said slot means.

A remote latch for latching first and second tubular members of two pipes together, such first and second members each having a center and an outer peripheral surface, such first tubular member including a flange having a slot therein and at least one stop lug thereon, such second tubular member including at least one engagement lug thereon, comprising:

• a latch member including means for abutting against such engagement lug and having an outer peripheral surface disposed in such slot, said latch member being movable from a first position not abutting against such engagement lug to a second position abutting against such engagement lug when such engagement lug engages such stop lug after such tubular members are rotatably connected;
• remote means disposed on such first tubular member and engageable with said latch member and operable from a remote location to move said latch member between said first and second positions;
• said latch member being dimensioned and positioned so that the distance between said outer peripheral surface of said movable latch member and such center of such first tubular member is less than the largest distance between such outer peripheral surfaces of such first and second tubular members and such centers of such first and second tubular members, and said movable latch member is positioned above such second tubular member;
• and
• wherein said remote means includes a rod connection including:
• a rod;
• slot means on said latch member for permitting slack between said latch member and said remote means to prevent transverse loads on said latch member and said rod caused by movement of said latch member;
• and
• connection means mounted on said rod for connecting said rod to said latch member to transfer longitudinal loads between said latch member and said rod, said connection means being engagingly connected to said slot means.

A structure comprising:

• a string of pipe adapted for coaxial connection supported substantially vertically in the ground,
• rotatably engaging connection means composed of a first and second part for each said pipe of said string mounted on adjoining ends of said pipes for disengageably serially connecting adjoining ends of said pipes;
• engagement members affixed to the first part of said connection means;
• a stop member mounted on each of said second part of said connection means engageable with one of said engagement members, upon connection of said adjoining ends of said pipes;
• a latch member mounted on each of said second part of said connection means, said latch member having means for mechanical engagement and disengagement with said engagement members;
• and
• remote release means disposed on only one of said connection means for operation from a remote location and including an attachment member for connecting said remote release means to said latch member of said one of said connection means, said latch member having means for permitting horizontal and vertical movement of said latch member with respect to said attachment member while said latch member is engaged with one of said engagement members.

A remote latch for latching first and second tubular members of two pipes together, wherein such tubular members include facing first and second shoulders, respectively, such first and second shoulders each having a center and an outer peripheral surface and being approximately coaxial, and such first shoulder having a slot therein, comprising:

• a movable latch member having an outer peripheral surface disposed in such slot;
• engagement means on such second shoulder for engagement with said movable latch member for latching such tubular members;
• remote actuator means located on such first tubular member engageable with said movable latch member and operable from a remote location for actuating said movable latch member;
• said latch member being dimensioned and positioned so that the distance between said outer peripheral surface of said movable latch member and such centers of such first and second shoulders is less than the distance between such outer peripheral surfaces of such first and second shoulders and such centers of such first and second shoulders, and wherein said movable latch member is located above such second shoulder;
• and
• wherein said remote actuator means includes a rod connection including:
• a rod;
• slot means on said movable latch member for permitting slack between said movable latch member and said remote actuator means to prevent transverse loads on said movable latch member and said rod caused by movement of said movable latch member;
• and
• connection means mounted on said rod for connecting said rod to said movable latch member to transfer longitudinal loads between said movable latch member and said rod, said connection means being engagingly connected to said slot means.