Diverter tool

An apparatus for diverting pump-down tools along one of two conduits at a wye-section of a pipeline, said apparatus comprises:

• a base housing having an upper and lower end and adapted to be sealably supported within a side-pocket mandrel of the pipeline adjacent the wye-section;
• a flapper connected to said housing and adapted for pivotal movement across the first conduit of the wye-section;
• means for pivoting said flapper between a first position wherein said flapper is retracted adjacent said housing leaving the first conduit open permitting passage of the pump-down tool therethrough and a second position wherein said flapper is pivoted across the width of the first conduit so as to divert the pump-down tool into the second conduit of the wye-section, said pivoting means is supported within said housing such that said housing and said flapper are capable of being removed in an integral manner from the side-pocket mandrel for servicing, said pivoting means includes:
• a piston supported within said base housing defining an upper and lower chamber within said base housing;
• a rod connected to said piston and extending through apertures at the upper and lower ends of said housing thereby supporting said piston;
• a linkage assembly connected at one end to said rod passing through the top end of said housing and connected at the other end to said flapper;
• a pressure means to operably advance said piston within said housing such that said flapper is pivotably rotated from said first position to said second position;
• and
• a biasing means supported within said base housing for advancing said piston opposite said operable advance of said pressure means thereby biasing said flapper toward said first position;
• and
• means for equalizing the pressure between said upper and lower chambers once said flapper has been extended to said second position so as to permit said biasing means to gradually advance said piston toward the bottom end of said housing and return said flapper to said first position.

An apparatus for diverting pump-down tools along one of two conduits at a wye-section of a pipeline, said apparatus comprises:

• a base housing having an upper and lower end and adapted to be sealably supported within a side-pocket mandrel of the pipeline adjacent the wye-section;
• a flapper connected to said housing and adapted for pivotal movement across the first conduit of the wye-section;
• means for pivoting said flapper between a first position wherein said flapper is retracted adjacent said housing leaving the first conduit open permitting passage of the pump-down tool therethrough and a second position wherein said flapper is pivoted across the width of the first conduit so as to divert the pump-down tool into the second conduit of the wye-section, said pivoting means is supported within said housing such that said housing and said flapper are capable of being removed in an integral manner from the side-pocket mandrel for servicing, said pivoting means includes:
• a piston supported within said base housing defining an upper and lower chamber within said base housing;
• a rod connected to said piston and extending through apertures at the upper and lower ends of said housing thereby supporting said piston;
• a linkage assembly connected at one end to said rod passing through the top end of said housing and connected at the other end to said flapper;
• a pressure means to operably advance said piston within said housing such that said flapper is pivotably rotated from said first position to said second position;
• and
• a biasing means supported within said base housing for advancing said piston opposite said operable advance of said pressure means thereby biasing said flapper toward said first position;
• and
• means for compensating for an internal pressure within the pipeline acting against said rod extending through said aperture at the upper end of said housing as said piston and rod are advanced by said pressure means wherein said internal pressure is permitted to act against said rod extending through the lower end of said housing so that the advance of said piston by said pressure means is not inhibited.

An apparatus for diverting a pump-down tool at a wye-section of a pipeline having a first and second conduit, said apparatus comprises:

• a base housing adapted to be supported within a side-pocket mandrel of the pipeline;
• a flapper connected to said housing and adapted for pivotal movement across the first conduit of the wye-section;
• means for pivoting said flapper from a first position to a second position so as to divert the pump-down tool away from the first conduit of the wye-section into the second conduit of the wye-section, said pivoting means includes:
• a piston supported within said base housing and displaced by hydraulic pressure,
• a rod connected to said piston and extending through the top and bottom of said housing thereby supporting said piston, and
• a linkage assembly connected at one end to said rod passing through the top of said housing and connected at the other end to said flapper so as to pivot said flapper when across said first conduit wherein said linkage is attached at said other end to said flapper over center so as to reinforce said flapper when extended to said second position against the deflecting forces exerted by the pump-down tool;
• and
• means for compensating for an internal pressure acting against said rod as said piston is advanced forward by the hydraulic pressure eliminating any interference which said internal pressure may have on said pivoting means.

An apparatus for diverting a pump-down tool into one of two conduits of a wye-section of a pipeline having a side-pocket mandrel adapted to support said apparatus adjacent the wye-section such that said apparatus is capable of being installed and removed from the side-pocket mandrel by a kickover tool, said apparatus comprises:

• a base housing capable of being supported within the side pocket mandrel;
• a flapper pivotably connected to said housing and adapted for movement across a first conduit of the wye-section such that said flapper is capable of prohibiting the passage of the advancing pump-down tool into the first conduit and deflecting the pump-down tool into a second conduit of the wye-section when said flapper is pivotably rotated to an extended position, and said flapper permits passage of the pump-down tool into the first conduit when said flapper is retracted to a relaxed position adjacent said housing;
• and
• an upper body attached to said base housing having a recessed portion for protecting said flapper during installation and removal of said diverter and during passage of the pump-down tool when said flapper is retracted, said diverter tool is of unitary construction permitting removal of said entire diverter by means of a kickover tool.

An apparatus for diverting pump-down tools along one of two conduits at a wye-section of a pipeline, said apparatus comprises:

• a base housing having an upper and lower end and adapted to be sealably supported within a side-pocket mandrel of the pipeline;
• a flapper connected to said housing and adapted for pivotal movement across the first conduit of the wye-section;
• means for pivoting said flapper between a first position wherein said flapper is retracted adjacent said housing leaving the first conduit open, permitting passage of the pump-down tool and a second position wherein said flapper is pivoted across the width of the first conduit so as to divert the pump-down tool into the second conduit of the wye-section;
• hydraulically operable pressure means for engagement with said pivoting means such that said flapper is pivotally rotated from said first position to said second position;
• biasing means for operably maintaining said flapper in said first position against the force exerted by said hydraulically operable pressure means attempting to pivot said flapper to said second position;
• means for equilizing the high pressure developed by said hydraulically operable pressure means to pivot said flapper permitting said biasing means to return said flapper to said first position;
• an upper body attached to said base housing having a recessed portion so as to protect said flapper when said flapper is retracted in said first position permitting the installation and removal of said apparatus without damage to said flapper;
• and
• said pivoting means, biasing means and equalizing means are supported within said base housing such that said upper body, base housing and flapper are adapted to be jointly removed from the side-pocket mandrel in a unitary manner.