Positive latch wire line core barrel apparatus

A wire line core barrel inner tube assembly moveable through a drill string to the inner end of a bore hole and having a central axial extending axis, comprising an axially elongated latch body, a latch mounted by said body for movement betwen a latch release position and a latch seated position, said latch body having a fluid bypass channel that includes an axially extending bore, an outer port opening exterior of the latch body and to the bore, and an inner port opening exterior of the latch body and to the bore axially inwardly of the opening of the outer port to the bore, annular fluid seal means on the latch body axially between the opening of the ports exterior of the latch body for substantially forming a fluid seal with a drill string, valving mechanism extending within the bore and mounted for limited movement in the bypass channel between a first position blocking fluid flow through the bypass channel and a second position permitting fluid flow through the channel to bypass the fluid seal means, a tubular member having the latch body extended into and axially moveable a limited amount relative to each of the valving mechanism and the latch body and moveable in one axial direction to abut against the latch in its release position to limit the movement of the tubular member in said one direction relative to the latch body to a first limit position as the latch body moves toward the inner end of the bore hole and being further moveable in said one direction when the latch is in its latch seated position, resilient means acting against the latch body and the tubular member in said one direction, including past the said first limit position when the latch is in its seated position, the valving mechanism and tubular member having cooperating means that in conjunction with the latch body limit axial movement of the tubular member and the valving mechanism relative to the latch body in the opposite axial direction wherein the valve mechanism blocks the bypass channel, and to permit the valving mechanism to move relative to the tubular member and latch body to unblock said channel to allow axial outward flow in said bore when the tubular member is retained in its first limit position, and to move the valve mechanism to open said fluid channel when the spring means moves the tubular member in said one axial direction past said limit position and the latch is in its seated position.

A wire line core barrel inner tube assembly moveable through a drill string to the inner end of a bore hole and having a central axial extending axis, comprising an axially elongated overshot coupling subassembly that has a fluid bypass channel and an annular fluid seal portion for substantially forming a fluid seal with a drill string as the assembly moves to a position at the inner end of a bore hole, the fluid channel including an axially elongated bore extending through the fluid seal portion, an outer port opening to the bore and exterior of the subassembly outwardly of the fluid seal portion and an inner port opening to the bore and transversely outwardly exterior of the assembly inwardly of the fluid seal portion, valving mechanism extending within the fluid channel and mounted for movement between a first position blocking inward fluid flow through the channel, a second position inwardly of the first position that at most permits only limited inward fluid flow through the channel and a third position fully opening the fluid channel, the valving mechanism being mounted by the coupling subassembly for movement from the valving mechanism first position to its third position only after the exertion of inwardly fluid pressure on the valving mechanism to move the valving mechanism towards its second position and than decreasing said fluid pressure being exerted to full open said channel, first means in said bore for constantly resilient biasing the valving mechanism to its second position, a latch body extending inwardly of the coupling subassembly, a latch mounted by the latch body for movement between a latch release position and a latch seated position, means for resiliently urging the latch to its latch seated position and second means mounting the latch body to the coupling subassembly and moveable relative to the latch body between a first position retaining the valving mechanism in its first position until the latch is moved from its latch release position to the latch seated position and then moveable to a second position to permit the valving mechanism moving to the valving mechanism second position.

A wire line core barrel inner tube assembly moveable through a drill string to a position for recovering a core sample and having a central axis, comprising an axially elongated latch body having an outer end portion, an inner end portion and a latch slot, means attached to the latch body to extend inwardly thereof for recovering core, an axially elongated latch having an axial outer portion, an axial intermediate portion and an axial inner portion, each of the latch axial outer, intermediate and inner portion having a transverse inner, axial extending edge, and a pivot member extended through the latch intermediate portion for mounting the latch to the latch body for pivotal movement between a latch seat engaging position and a latch release position, the latch member having a beveled first edge that extends inwardly in a transverse outer direction and a transverse outer, generally axial second edge, that when the latch is in its latch seat engaging position, is located more closely adjacent to the central axis than either of the maximum transverse spacing of the said first edge and the intermediate portion from the central axis, and the intermediate portion having a latch seat engaging part, and the latch inner end portion having an axial outer part that has a transverse outer, axially extending edge and a terminal foot part inwardly of the latch inner portion axial outer part which in the latch seat position extends in the same transverse direction away from the central axis that the latch outer portion extends away from the central axis and more remote from the central axis than the latch inner portion outer part and in the latch release position extends in said direction transversely outwardly of the latch body and more remote from the central axis than the latch outer portion.

A core barrel inner tube assembly fluidly propellable to the inner end of a bore hole regardless of the drilling direction and having a central axis, comprising an axially elongated latch body portion having an axially elongated latch slot, a latch extending within the latch slot and mounted to the latch body portion for movement between a latch seated position and a latch retracted position, first means extending axially relative to the latch body portion for forming a fluid seal with a drill string and defining a fluid bypass channel, valving mechanimm moveable relative to the first means between a first position blocking inward fluid flow through the channel and a second position fully opening the channel, and second means axially moveably in one axial direction from a first position for permitting the valving mechanism moving to allow axial outward flow through the channel while blocking axial inward fluid flow through the channel as the assembly moves toward the bore hole inner end, to a second position relative to the latch body portion to move the valving mechanism to the valving mechanism second position only after the latch has moved from its retracted position to its seated position and axial inward propelling fluid pressure is substantially decreased from that when the assembly is being propelled inwardly, the second means in its first position abutting against the latch in the latch retracted position to prevent the second means moving in said one direction.