Drill string valve actuator

A well pipe valve actuator comprising:

• a tubular element to be connected to the upper end of a drill string and centered essentially about a first axis and containing a passage through which fluid flows;
• a valve within said tubular element actuable between an open position permitting fluid flow through said passage and a closed position preventing such flow;
• an arm at the outside of said tubular element for actuating said valve and mounted to swing about a second axis extending generally transversely of said first axis to open and close the valve;
• a carrier sleeve disposed about said tubular element and movable upwardly and downwardly relative thereto;
• a structure carried by said sleeve for upward and downward movement therewith and movable relative to said sleeve essentially toward and away from said second axis;
• yielding means urging said structure toward said second axis;
• said structure having an actuating portion which is engageable with said arm in an interfitting relation pivoting said arm to actuate the valve between open and closed positions upon upward and downward movement of said sleeve and said structure between an upper position of the sleeve and said structure and a lower position thereof;
• powered means for actuating said sleeve upwardly and downwardly between said upper and lower positions;
• said arm having manual override means enabling it to be pivoted manually to open and close the valve without actuation of said powered means;
• said actuating portion of said structure being constructed and mounted to move out of said interfitting relation with respect to said arm in said upper position of said sleeve and structure and in said lower position of said sleeve and structure to enable manual pivotal movement of said arm and actuation of the valve without vertical actuation of said sleeve by said powered means;
• said structure having cam surfaces engageable with said arm in said upper and lower positions of the sleeve and structure to yieldingly urge said arm to fully close or fully open the valve.

A well pipe valve actuator comprising:

• a tubular element to be connected to the upper end of a drill string and containing a passage through which fluid flows;
• a valve within said tubular element actuable between an open position permitting fluid flow through said passage and a closed position preventing such flow;
• a member for actuating said valve and which is mounted for pivotal movement relative to said tubular element to actuate the valve between said positions;
• a carrier at the outside of said tubular element movable upwardly and downwardly to operate said member;
• powered means for moving said carrier upwardly and downwardly;
• first actuating means movable upwardly and downwardly with said carrier and engaging said member in a relation to pivot the member in a relation actuating the valve between said positions thereof upon vertical movement of the carrier;
• and
• additional actuating means movable upwardly and downwardly with said carrier and said first actuating means and having cam surfaces engageable with said member in upper and lower positions of the carrier and yieldingly urged in a direction to yieldingly pivot said member to the fully open and fully closed positions of the valve in said upper and lower positions of said carrier.

The combination comprising:

• a top drive drilling unit including a housing, a tubular element rotatable relative to said housing and connectable to the upper end of a drill string, and a motor carried by said housing for driving said tubular element to turn the string;
• an elongated support member connected to said drilling unit and projecting downwardly lower than said housing;
• said tubular element being formed separately from said support member and being rotatable relative thereto by said motor;
• a first piston and cylinder mechanism suspended from a lower portion of said support member;
• a torque wrench for making and breaking joints in the drill string and which is suspended by said piston and cylinder mechanism and is actuable upwardly and downwardly thereby;
• at least one additional piston and cylinder mechanism suspended by said support member at a location spaced lower than said housing;
• a valve for closing off the flow of fluid through said drill string;
• and
• means actuable by said additional piston and cylinder mechanism to open and close said valve.

The combination comprising:

• a top drive drilling unit including a housing, a tubular element rotatable relative to said housing and connectable to the upper end of a drill string, and a motor carried by said housing for driving said tubular element to turn the string;
• an elongated support member connected to said drilling unit and projecting downwardly lower than said housing;
• a first piston and cylinder mechanism suspended from a lower portion of said support member;
• a torque wrench for making and breaking joints in the drill string and which is suspended by said piston and cylinder mechanism and is actuable upwardly and downwardly thereby;
• at least one additional piston and cylinder mechanism suspended by said support member at a location spaced lower than said housing;
• a valve for closing off the flow of fluid through said drill string;
• and
• means actuable by said additional piston and cylinder mechanism to open and close said valve;
• said tubular element of the top drive drilling unit having a tubular extension projecting downwardly therefrom and containing said valve;
• said means including a sleeve disposed about said tubular extension and movable upwardly and downwardly relative thereto and operable by such upward and downward movement to actuate said valve, and at least one lever structure actuable by said additional piston and cylinder mechanism and having a portion engaging an essentially annular relatively rotatable portion of said sleeve to actuate the sleeve upwardly and downwardly.