Plunger for well casings and other tubulars
AssigneePaal, L.L.C.
InventorsWindel O. Mayfield, Robert L. Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plunger for well casings and other tubulars comprising: An elongate body having a flow passage with a lower inlet port and an upper outlet port; an internal valve positioned between the ports; at least one first flexible sealing member positioned around the body below the outlet port; an actuator which urges the first sealing member against the interior wall of the casing when the valve is closed; at least one second flexible sealing member positioned around the body and providing an outwardly expandable sealing chamber; and at least one flow port positioned below the valve and providing fluid communication between the flow passage and the sealed chamber. The second flexible sealing member(s) being outwardly expandable by increasing pressure in the sealed chamber.
Claims14
A plunger for well casings and other tubulars having an interior wall comprising:
- a plunger body having an interior flow passage, said interior flow passage having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port positioned above said inlet port;
- a first valve element positioned in said interior flow passage between said outlet port and said inlet port;
- a valve rod slidably provided in said plunger body;
- a second valve element positioned on said valve rod for engaging said first valve element to close said interior flow passage when said valve rod moves to a closing position;
- a flexible sealing member positioned around said plunger body below said outlet port, said flexible sealing member having at least one longitudinal end;
- and
- an actuator comprising a plurality of legs extending radially from said valve rod through apertures provided in said plunger body such that, when said valve rod moves to said closing position, said legs will move said one longitudinal end in a longitudinal direction on said plunger body effective to flex said flexible sealing member uniformly outward around said plunger body.
A plunger for well casings and other tubulars having an interior wall comprising:
- an elongate body having a lateral outer circumference and an interior flow passage, said interior flow passage having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port positioned above said inlet port;
- a first valve element positioned in said interior flow passage between said outlet port and said inlet port;
- a valve rod slidably positioned in said elongate body;
- a second valve element positioned on said valve rod for engaging said first valve element to close said interior flow passage when said valve rod moves to a closing position;
- a first flexible sealing member positioned around said elongate body below said outlet port, said first flexible sealing member having at least one longitudinal end;
- an actuator operated by said valve rod for moving at least said one longitudinal end in a longitudinal direction on said elongate body effective to compress said first flexible sealing member such that said first flexible sealing member will flex uniformly outward around said lateral outer circumference of said elongate body;
- a second flexible sealing member positioned around said elongate body and providing an outwardly expandable sealed chamber around said elongate body;
- and
- at least one flow port positioned below said first valve element and providing fluid communication between said interior flow passage and said sealed chamber,
- wherein, when said valve rod moves to said closing position and said second valve element engages said first valve element, said actuator will also be operated to flex said first flexible sealing member outwardly into engagement with said interior wall such that fluid flow both around and through said elongate body will be blocked in a manner effective for producing a pressure increase within said expandable sealed chamber which will cause said second flexible sealing member to expand outwardly into engagement with said interior wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.