Plug-dropping container for releasing a plug into a wellbore

A plug-dropping container within a head member for releasing a plug into a wellbore, the plug-dropping container, comprising:

• a tubular housing;
• a canister disposed within and generally aligned with said tubular housing so as to define an annulus between said tubular housing and said canister, said canister having a top opening and a bottom opening, and said canister being movable axially within said housing between a lower position and an upper position;
• a channel within said canister, said canister channel being configured to receive the plug therein;
• a bypass proximate to the said top opening of said canister for permitting fluid to flow into said annulus when said canister is in its lower, bypass-open position, and said bypass being substantially shut off when said canister is raised to its upper, bypass-closed position within said housing;
• a plug-retaining device disposed within said tubular housing below said canister, said plug-retaining device having a first end, a second end, and a wall therebetween;
• a channel within said plug-retaining device for placing said first and second ends of said plug-retaining device in fluid communication;
• and wherein said plug-retaining device is movable from a plug-retained position to a plug-released position, such that said wall of said plug-retaining device substantially blocks the plug from exiting said canister when said plug-retaining device is in its plug-retained position, and said channel of said plug-retaining device is in substantial alignment with said channel of said canister when said plug-retaining device is in its plug-released position, thereby permitting the plug to exit said canister and to travel downward through said channel of said plug-retaining device.

A cementing head having a plug-dropping container for releasing a plug into a wellbore during a cementing operation, the cementing head having a bore therein for receiving fluids, the plug-dropping container, comprising:

• a tubular housing having a top opening and a bottom opening, said housing being in fluid communication with the bore in the head member;
• a canister disposed within and generally aligned with said tubular housing so as to define an annulus between said tubular housing and said canister, said canister also having a top opening and a bottom opening, and said canister being movable axially within said housing from a lower position to an upper position;
• a channel within said canister, said canister channel being configured to receive a plug therein;
• a bypass proximate to the top end of said canister for permitting fluid to flow into said annulus when said canister is in its lower, bypass-open position, said bypass being substantially shut off when said canister is raised to its upper, bypass-closed position within said housing;
• a plug-retaining device disposed within said tubular housing below said bottom opening of said canister, said plug-retaining device having a first end, a second end, and a wall therebetween;
• a channel within said plug-retaining device for placing said first and second ends of said plug-retaining device in fluid communication;
• and
• at least one pivoting connection for rotating said plug-retaining device from a plug-retained position to a plug-released position, such that said wall of said plug-retaining device substantially blocks the plug from exiting said canister when said plug-retaining device is in its plug-retained position, and said channel of said plug-retaining device is in substantial alignment with said channel of said canister when said plug-retaining device is in its plug-released position, thereby permitting the plug to exit said canister and to travel downward through said channel of said plug-retaining device.

A plug-dropping container for dispensing plugs into a wellbore during a cementing operation, the plug-dropping container being connected to a cementing head having a bore therein for receiving fluids, the plug-dropping container, comprising:

• a tubular housing having a top opening and a bottom opening, said housing being in fluid communication with the bore in the cementing head;
• an upper canister disposed within and generally aligned with said housing so as to define an annulus between said tubular housing and said upper canister, said upper canister also having a top opening and a bottom opening, and said upper canister being movable axially within said housing from a lower position to an upper position;
• a channel within said upper canister, said channel of said upper canister being configured to receive a top plug therein;
• an upper bypass between said top opening of said upper canister, and the bore for permitting fluid to flow into said annulus when said upper canister is in its lower position, said upper bypass being substantially shut off when said upper canister is raised to its upper position within said housing;
• an upper plug-retaining device disposed within said housing below said bottom opening of said upper canister, said upper plug-retaining device having a first end, a second end, and a wall therebetween;
• a channel within said upper plug-retaining device for placing said first and second ends of said first plug-retaining device in fluid communication;
• a lower canister disposed within and generally aligned with said housing and below said upper plug-retaining device so as to define an annulus between said housing and said lower canister, said lower canister also having a top opening and a bottom opening, and said lower canister also being movable axially within said housing from a lower position to an upper position;
• a channel within said lower canister, said channel of said lower canister being configured to receive a bottom plug therein;
• a lower bypass between said top opening of said lower canister, and said upper plug-retaining device;
• a lower plug-retaining device disposed within said housing below said bottom opening of said lower canister, said lower plug-retaining device having a first end, a second end, and a wall therebetween;
• a channel within said lower plug-retaining device for placing said first and second ends of said lower plug-retaining device in fluid communication;
• said lower plug-retaining device rotating between a plug-retained position and a plug-released position, such that said wall of said lower plug-retaining device substantially blocks the bottom plug from exiting said lower canister when said lower plug-retaining device is in its plug-retained position, and said channel of said lower plug-retaining device is in substantial alignment with said channel of said lower canister when said lower plug-retaining device is in its plug-released position, thereby permitting the bottom plug to exit said lower canister and to travel downward through said channel of said lower plug-retaining device;
• and
• said upper plug-retaining device rotating between a plug-retained position and a plug-released position, such that said wall of said upper plug-retaining device substantially blocks the top plug from exiting said upper canister when said upper plug-retaining device is in its plug-retained position, and said channel of said upper plug-retaining device is in substantial alignment with said channel of said upper canister when said upper plug-retaining device is in its plug-released position, thereby permitting the top plug to exit said upper canister and to travel downward through said channel of said upper plug-retaining device.

A plug-dropping container within a head member for releasing a plug into a wellbore, the plug-dropping container, comprising:

• a tubular housing;
• a canister disposed within and generally aligned with said tubular housing so as to define an annulus between said tubular housing and said canister, said canister having a top end and a bottom end, and said canister being movable axially within said housing from a lower position to an upper position in order to move said canister from its bypass-flow position to its open-flow position;
• a channel within said canister, said canister channel being configured to receive the plug therein;
• a bypass proximate to the top end of said canister for permitting fluid to flow into said annulus when said canister is in its lower position, said bypass being substantially shut off when said canister is raised to its upper position within said housing;
• a diverting mechanism that forces said canister to move from its bypass-open position to its bypass-closed position;
• and
• a plug-retaining device disposed below said canister, said plug-retaining device selectively movable from a plug-retained position wherein the plug is restricted from exiting said tubular housing, to a plug-released position wherein the plug may exit said tubular housing.

A plug-dropping container within a head member for releasing a plug into a wellbore, the plug-dropping container comprising:

• a tubular housing;
• a canister disposed within and generally aligned with said tubular housing so as to define an annulus between said tubular housing and said canister, said canister being movable axially within said housing in order to move said canister between a bypass-open position and a bypass-closed position;
• a channel within said canister, said canister channel being configured to receive the plug therein;
• a bypass at an end of said canister for permitting fluid to flow through said annulus when said canister is in its bypass-open position, said bypass being substantially shut off when said canister is moved to its bypass-closed position within said housing;
• a plug-retaining device disposed below said canister, said plug-retaining device selectively movable from a plug-retained position wherein the plug is restricted from exiting said tubular housing, to a plug-released position wherein the plug may exit said tubular housing;
• and
• a diverting mechanism that forces said canister to move from its bypass-open position to its bypass-closed position.

A plug-dropping container within a head member for releasing a plug into a wellbore, the plug-dropping container, comprising:

• a tubular housing;
• a canister disposed within and generally aligned with said tubular housing so as to define an annulus between said tubular housing and said canister;
• a channel within said canister, said canister channel being configured to receive the plug therein;
• said canister being movable within and along the longitudinal axis of said housing from a bypass-open position to a bypass-closed position;
• one or more ports in said canister for permitting fluid to flow through said annulus when said canister is in its bypass-open position, said bypass being substantially shut off when said canister is moved to its bypass-closed position;
• a plug-retaining device disposed below said canister, said plug-retaining device selectively movable from a plug-retained position wherein the plug is restricted from exiting said tubular housing, to a plug-released position wherein the plug may exit said tubular housing;
• and
• a diverting mechanism that forces said rotational movement of said canister.