Locking ring for oil well tool

A connection means for securing a tubular member into a tubular housing having a bore, comprising in combination:

• a frusto-conical threaded section on the tubular member having a set of threads, diverging from a smaller diameter at a lower end of the threaded section to a larger diameter at an upper end of the threaded section;
• a generally cylindrical nose section on the tubular member below the threaded section, having a diameter substantially the same as the smaller diameter of the threaded section;
• at least one circumferential recess formed in the bore of the housing, defining an upward facing lower shoulder and a downward facing upper shoulder;
• a collet ring having a set of internal threads, an external downward facing lower shoulder and an external upward facing upper shoulder;
• slot means formed in the collet ring to allow at least the upper portion of the collet ring to expand radially outward;
• the collet ring being initially carried on the nose section, with the internal threads being in a generally cylindrical configuration, and with the lower shoulder of the collet ring positioned to contact the housing lower shoulder as the tubular member stabs into the housing, with further downward movement of the tubular member causing the threaded section to slide on the internal threads of the collet ring, expanding the internal threads into a frusto-conical configuration, and causing the collet ring upper shoulder to engage the housing upper shoulder;
• and
• anti-rotation means in the housing for preventing rotation of the collet ring relative to the housing.

A connection means for securing a tubular member into a tubular housing having a bore, comprising in combination:

• a frusto-conical threaded section on the tubular member having a set of threads, diverging from a smaller diameter at a lower end of the threaded section to a larger diameter at an upper end of the threaded section;
• a generally cylindrical nose section on the tubular member below the threaded section, having a diameter substantially the same as the smaller diameter of the threaded section;
• at least one circumferential recess formed in the bore of the housing, having an upward facing lower shoulder and a downward facing upper shoulder;
• a collet ring having a set of internal threads, an external downward facing lower shoulder, and an external upward facing upper shoulder, the collet ring being carried initially on the nose section, with the internal threads being in a generally cylindrical configuration,;
• slot means formed in the upper section of the collet ring to allow the internal threads of the collet ring to expand radially outward from a cylindrical configuration to a frusto-conical configuration;
• the lower shoulder of the collet ring being positioned to contact the housing lower shoulder as the tubular member stabs into the housing, with further downward movement of the tubular member causing the threaded section to slide on the internal threads of the collet ring, expanding the internal threads into the frusto-conical configuration, and causing the collet ring upper shoulder to engage the housing upper shoulder;
• anti-rotation means in the housing for preventing rotation of the collet ring relative to the housing, enabling the tubular member to be rotated relative to the collet ring to fully make-up the internal threads with the threaded section and to unscrew the internal threads from the threaded section to allow the tubular member to be pulled upward from the housing;
• and
• retaining means on the nose section for retaining the collet ring on the nose section after the tubular member has been unscrewed from the collet ring and pulled upward from the housing.

A connection means for securing a tubular member into a tubular housing having a bore, comprising in combination:

• a frusto-conical threaded section on the tubular member having a set of threads;
• upper and lower circumferential recesses formed in the bore of the housing, the lower recess having an upward facing lower shoulder and a downward facing intermediate shoulder, the upper recess having a downward facing upper shoulder;
• a collet ring having a set of internal threads, an external downward facing lower shoulder, an external, upward facing intermediate shoulder, and an upper rim;
• slot means formed in the collet ring to allow the internal threads of the collet ring to expand radially outward from an initial generally cylindrical configuration to a frusto-conical configuration;
• the lower shoulder of the collet ring being positioned to contact the housing lower shoulder as the tubular member stabs into the housing, with further downward movement of the tubular member causing the threaded section to slide on the internal threads of the collet ring, expanding the upper portion of the collet ring outward, causing the collet ring intermediate shoulder to engage the lower recess intermediate shoulder, and causing the collet ring upper rim to engage the upper recess upper shoulder;
• and
• anti-rotation means in the housing for preventing rotation of the collet ring relative to the housing.

A connection means for securing a tubular member into a tubular housing having a bore, comprising in combination:

• a frusto-conical threaded section on the tubular member having a set of threads diverging from a smaller diameter at a lower end of the threaded section to a larger diameter at an upper end of the threaded section;
• a generally cylindrical nose section on the tubular member below the threaded section, having a diameter substantially the same as the smaller diameter of the threaded section;
• upper and lower circumferential recesses formed in the bore of the housing, the lower recess having an upward facing lower shoulder and a downward facing intermediate shoulder, the upper recess having a downward facing upper shoulder;
• a collet ring having a set of internal threads, an external downward facing lower shoulder for engaging the lower recess lower shoulder, an external upward facing intermediate shoulder for engaging the lower recess intermediate shoulder, and an upper rim for engaging the upper recess upper shoulder;
• the collet ring being carried initially on the nose section in a relaxed condition with the internal threads having a generally cylindrical configuration;
• slot means formed in the collet ring to allow the internal threads of the collet ring to expand radially outward from the relaxed condition to a frusto-conical configuration when tubular member stabs into the housing;
• at least one cavity located in the lower shoulder of the collet ring;
• and
• a pin located on the lower shoulder of the lower recess for engaging the cavity to prevent rotation of the collet ring relative to the housing, enabling the tubular member to be made-up in the housing by rotating the tubular member in one direction and to remove the tubular member from the housing by rotating in the other direction.

A connection means for securing a tubular member into a tubular housing having a bore, comprising in combination:

• a frusto-conical threaded section on the tubular member having a set of external threads;
• a nose section on the tubular member below the threaded section;
• at least one thread member located in the nose section a selected distance below the threaded section;
• at least one circumferential recess formed in the bore of the housing, defining an upward facing lower shoulder and a downward facing upper shoulder;
• a collet ring having a set of internal threads, an external downward facing lower shoulder and an external upward facing upper shoulder;
• slot means formed in the collet ring to allow at least the upper portion of the collet ring to expand radially outward;
• the collet ring being carried in an initial position on the nose section with the thread member engaging at least part of the internal threads to retain the collet ring in the initial position, the lower shoulder of the collet ring being positioned to contact the housing lower shoulder as the tubular member stabs into the housing;
• and
• anti-rotation means in the housing for preventing rotation of the collet ring relative to the housing once the collet ring lower shoulder contacts the recess lower shoulder, enabling the tubular member to be rotated to unscrew the internal threads from the thread member, with further downward movement of the tubular member causing the external threaded section to slide on the internal threads of the collet ring to expand the internal threads into a frusto-conical configuration, and causing the collet ring upper shoulder to engage the housing upper shoulder.