Full bore sampler valve

A full-bore well tool adapted to be connected to a pipe string and positioned in a well bore for collecting a sample of formation fluids within said pipe string and comprising:

• a tubular housing;
• a mandrel assembly defining a full-bore axial passage in said housing and cooperatively arranged for axial movement therein between longitudinally-spaced first and second positions;
• full-opening valve means adapted for controlling communication through said axial passage and including upper and lower ball members cooperatively mounted on upper and lower portions of said mandrel assembly and respectively arranged for rotation about a transverse axis from a passage-opening position to a passage-closing position, each of said ball members having an outwardly-opening recess in one side thereof which, together with the outer surface on the opposite side of that ball member, defines a first transverse edge portion across one end of that ball member that is laterally offset to one side of said rotational axis and longitudinally spaced from a second transverse edge portion across the outer surface on the other end of that ball member and laterally offset to the other side of said rotational axis;
• actuating means responsive to well bore pressures outside of said housing for selectively moving said mandrel assembly from its said first position to its said second position;
• means cooperatively arranged between one side of said housing and one of said ball members and adapted to engage said first transverse edge portion thereof for imparting sufficient torque to said one ball member to rotate said one ball member from its said passage-opening position to its said passage closing position upon movement of said mandrel assembly to its said second position;
• and
• means cooperatively arranged on the other side of said housing between said ball members and adapted to be moved by said second transverse edge portion of said one ball member against said first transverse edge portion of said other ball member for imparting sufficient torque to said other ball member to rotate said other ball member from its said passage-opening position to its said passage closing position upon movement of said mandrel assembly to its said second position.

A well tool adapted to be connected in a pipe string and positioned in a well bore for collecting a sample of fluids within said pipe string and comprising:

• inner and outer tubular members telescopically arranged together for defining an axial passage therein and movable longitudinally relative to one another between spaced first and second operating positions;
• valve means controlling communications through said axial passage including an annular valve seat coaxially mounted on said inner member, and a ball member having an axial flow passage therein cooperatively engaged with said valve seat and mounted on said inner member for rotation about a transverse pivotal axis between a passage-opening position where one end surface of said ball member around one end of said axial flow passage engages said valve seat and a passage-closing position where one side surface of said ball member engages said valve seat, said ball member further including an outwardly-facing opening in the other side surface of said ball member that is bounded at one end by a transverse edge portion that is defined by the intersection of the other end of said axial flow passage with said one side surface and is spatially disposed on one side of said pivotal axis;
• and
• valve-actuator means including a first actuator member cooperatively arranged within said outer member for moving said inner member longitudinally therein, and a second actuator member cooperatively arranged within said outer member and adapted upon longitudinal movement of said inner member in one direction to be engaged by said transverse edge portion of said ball member and to be progressively received within said other end of said axial flow passage and said outwardly-facing opening for rotating said ball member from its said passage-opening position to its said passage-closed position.

A full-bore well tool adapted to be connected in a pipe string and positioned in a well bore for collecting a sample of formation fluids within said pipe string and comprising:

• a tubular housing;
• a mandrel assembly defining a full-bore axial passage in said housing and cooperatively arranged for axial movement therein between longitudinally-spaced first and second positions;
• full-opening valve means adapted for controlling communication through said axial passage and including upper and lower valve seats coaxially mounted on upper and lower portions of said mandrel assembly, and upper and lower ball members having axial flow passages cooperatively engaged with said upper and lower valve seats and mounted on said mandrel assembly for independent rotation about upper and lower transverse pivotal axes between a passage-opening position where said axial flow passages in said ball members are aligned with said full-bore axial passage and a passage-closing position where said axial flow passages in said ball members are not aligned with said full-bore passage, each of said ball members having one end surface thereof around one end of its axial flow passage that is engaged with its associated valve seat when said ball member is in its said passage-opening position and one side surface thereof that is engaged with its associated valve seat when said ball member is in its said passage-closing position, each of said ball members further including an outwardly-facing opening in the other side surface thereof having a first transverse edge portion spatially disposed to one side of its said pivotal axis and at the intersection of the other end of said axial flow passage with said one side surface and a second transverse edge portion spatially disposed to the other side of its said pivotal axis and at the intersection of said opening with said other side surface;
• means cooperatively arranged on said housing for selectively moving said mandrel assembly from its said first position to its said second position;
• a first actuator cooperatively arranged on one side of said housing between said upper and lower ball members and adapted upon movement of said mandrel assembly toward its said second position to be engaged by said first transverse edge portion of one of said ball members and to be progressively received within the adjacent portions of its said axial flow passage and its said opening for imparting sufficient torque thereto to rotate said one ball member from its said passage-opening position to its said passage-closing position;
• and
• a second actuator cooperatively arranged on the other side of said housing between said upper and lower ball members and adapted upon movement of said mandrel assembly toward its said second position to be engaged by said second transverse edge portion of said one ball member and moved thereby against said first transverse edge portion of said other ball member and to be progressively received within the adjacent portions of its said axial flow passage and its said opening for imparting sufficient torque thereto to rotate said other ball member from its said passage-opening position to its said passage-blocking position.