# US 6,719,057 B2 · Downhole subsurface safety valve device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,719,057 B2 - Document ID: US6719057B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/004,863 - Filed: 2001-12-07 - Published: 2002-07-04 - Granted: 2004-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 2000-12-07 - Assignees: FMC Kongsberg Subsea AS - Inventors: John A Johansen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6719057B2 ## CPC - E21B 34/045: {adapted to be lowered on a tubular string into position within a blow-out preventer stack, e.g. so-called test trees} - E21B 34/10: operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole - E21B 2200/05: Flapper valves - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A downhole subsurface safety valve device, where an actuator is mounted on the outside of the well on the Christmas tree and the valve is operated by a mechanical transmission which may be linear (an hydraulic actuator) or rotary (an electric motor). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A downhole subsurface safety valve device, comprising: a valve element (8;80) inserted in a production tubing (4) in a well a distance below the well's Christmas tree (20;40), an actuator (30;30′;50;50′) for operation of the valve, and a connecting device mechanically connecting the actuator and the valve element, wherein, in that the actuator (30;30′;50) is mounted on the outside of the Christmas tree and the connecting device (12;52) is a non-hydraulic longitudinal member which extends through the tubing's pipe hanger (3;41) and along the outside of the tubing (4). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal member (12;52) is a rod. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (30;30′) is a hydraulic actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A device according to claim 3, wherein the actuator comprises a device for manual operation of the valve by an ROV. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (50;50′) is an electric actuator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A device according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal member is a rod (12) is connected to the actuator by a rocker (13). ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A device according to claim 5, wherein the rod (12;52) is connected to the actuator by a spline connection (56). ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) A device according to claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises a device for manual operation of the valve by an ROV. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a device for manual operation of the valve by an ROV. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A device according to claim 9, wherein the longitudinal member is a shaft (52) connected to the actuator by a rotary transmission (54). ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A device according to claim 9, wherein the rod (12;52) is connected to the actuator by a spline connection (56). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A device according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal member (12;52) is a shaft. ### Claim 13 A downhole subsurface safety valve device, comprising: a valve element inserted, in use, in a production tubing in a well at a distance below a well Christmas tree; a rigid non-hydraulic longitudinal member connected, at a first end, to the valve element; and an actuator connected to a second end of the rigid member, the actuator being mechanically linked to the valve element via the rigid member and configured to mechanically control the valve through the mechanical connection with the rigid member, the actuator being accessible externally to the Christmas tree. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein, the rigid member is a rigid rod, and the valve element comprises: a flap valve; a hinge between connected to the flap valve; a kelly bushing connected to the flap valve and to the rigid rod, the flap valve movable between a closed horizontal position and an open position by the actuator mechanically causing the rigid rod to vertically move the kelly bushing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the actuator comprises a screw rod extending outside a body of the actuator and providing an external manual override operable to open and close the valve element. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the actuator comprises an electric motor with a drive shaft extending outside a body of the actuator, the extending drive shaft providing an external manual override operable to open and close the valve element. ### Claim 17 A downhole subsurface safety valve device, comprising: a valve tube piece inserted, in use, in a well production tubing at a distance below a well Christmas tree, the valve tube piece comprising a valve mechanically operable to open and close off flow through the well production tubing; an actuator, accessible externally to the Christmas tree, for opening and closing the valve; and a non-hydraulic vertical rigid member operatively connected, at a first end, to the valve and operatively connected, at a second end, to the actuator, the rigid member mechanically linking the valve and actuator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein, the rigid member is a rod; and the actuator comprises a rocker arm connected to an upper end of the rod, an actuator rod connected to the rocker arm, and a means for moving the actuator rod to causing the rocker arm to move the rod to open and close the valve. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein, the rigid member is a rod terminating with a first pinion; and the actuator comprises an actuator rod terminating with a second pinion, the first pinion engaged with the second pinion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The device of claim 19, wherein the actuator further comprises a reduction gear attached to the actuator rod, and an electric motor attached to the reduction gear.