US 4,361,185 AGranted

Stripper rubber for rotating blowout preventors

OwnerJohn M. Biffleinventor

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Abstract

An improved stripper rubber for a rotating blowout preventor. The stripper rubber has an upper annular area attached to the lower end of a metal support member. The support member extends upwardly into fixed relationship respective to part of the rotating head of a rotating blowout preventor. The stripper rubber downwardly depends into concentrically arranged, spaced annular body members. The inner annular body has an axial passageway formed therethrough for telescopingly receiving a rotating member in sealed relationship therewith. The outer annular member has an outer circumferentially extending wall surface which rotatably engages the lower marginal end of a washpipe. The inner and outer annular members are made integral respective to the stripper rubber, and are separated from one another by a downwardly opening annular recess. The annular recess is formed by a number of walls arranged to deflect debris flowing uphole, such that the debris impact against the wall surfaces and is deflected through the lateral outlet passageway of the rotating blowout preventor rather than impacting against any vital components thereof.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A rotating blowout preventor having a main body;

a lateral outlet leading from said main body, means for attaching said main body to the upper end of a wellbore casing;
an axial passageway formed through said main body through which a rotating member can be telescopingly received;
an upwardly extending washpipe affixed to and forming part of said main body;
a rotating head assembly rotatably mounted at the upper end of said main body, said rotating head assembly includes a stripper rubber assembly affixed to said rotating head assembly and positioned within said axial passageway;
said stripper rubber assembly includes a stripper mount member and a stripper rubber for sealingly engaging the washpipe;
an axial passageway formed through said stripper rubber assembly;
said stripper rubber has an upper end attached to said mount member and a lower end extending downwardly therefrom for sealingly engaging a rotating member which may extend axially therethrough;
said stripper rubber having a large annular upper end attached to said mount member, and spaced, concentrically arranged, lower annular marginal ends;
said lower annular marginal ends are comprised of an inner annular body and an outer annular body separated from one another by a downwardly opening annular recess;
said inner annular body has an axial passageway formed therethrough for sealingly engaging a rotating member;
said outer annular body has an outer circumferentially extending surface which slidably engages the lower inside marginal end of the washpipe;
said outer circumferentially extending surface of said annular body outwardly diverges to sealingly bear against the lower marginal interior surface of the washpipe, said annular body and said washpipe have a lower edge portion which jointly terminate to provide a sealed interface therebetween;
said annular recess includes an upwardly and outwardly inclined first wall which forms the lower outer marginal end of said inner annular body, an upwardly and inwardly inclined second wall which forms the lower inner marginal end of said outer annular body, and a sloped third wall which lies at an obtuse angle respective to said first wall and at an acute angle respective to said third wall so that debris which intersects either of said first, second, and third wall surfaces are deflected in such a manner to minimize the entrace thereof into the annulus formed between the stripper rubber assembly and the washpipe.

10 more elements

in a rotating blowout preventor having a main body which includes a mounting flange at the lower end thereof and a lateral outlet at a sidewall thereof, an upstanding washpipe having an annular seal surface on the interior thereof, a rotating head assembly rotatably mounted respective to said main body;

the combination with said rotating head assembly of a stripper assembly;
said stripper assembly includes a metal mount member having a stripper rubber attached to the lower end thereof, a rotating seal means affixed to said stripper assembly for sealingly engaging the seal surface of the washpipe, an axial passageway formed through said main body and stripper assembly through which a rotating member can be received;
said stripper rubber having a large annular upper end attached to said mount member, and concentrically arranged, spaced, lower marginal annular ends;
said lower annular ends are comprised of an inner annular body and an outer annular body made integral with respect to said large annular end and separated from one another by a downwardly opening annular recess;
said inner annular body has an axial passageway formed therethrough for sealingly engaging a rotating member;
said outer annular member has an outer circumferentially extending surface which outwardly diverges and sealingly engages the lower inside marginal end of the washpipe;
the lower marginal end of said outer annular body and said washpipe jointly terminate at the same elevation to provide a rotating barrier at the interface therebetween;
said annular recess includes an upwardly and outwardly inclined first wall which forms the lower outer marginal end of said inner annular body, an upwardly and inwardly inclined second wall which forms the lower inner marginal end of said outer annular body, and a sloped third wall which lies at an obtuse angle respective to said first wall and at an acute angle respective to said third wall so that debris which intersects either of said first, second, and third wall surfaces are deflected in such a manner to minimize the entrance thereof into the annulus formed between the stripper rubber assembly and the washpipe.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.