Blowout preventer and rams

A ram type blowout preventer, comprising:

• a housing forming a central bore extending generally vertically through the housing, and a pair of ram bores extending radially outwardly in opposite directions through the housing and intersecting the central bore;
• a steel bodied ram positioned in each of the pair of ram bores to provide opposing rams, the ram having a front end portion, a rear end portion, a top portion and a bottom portion and being adapted for sliding movement in the ram bore between an extended position, with the front end portion extending across the central bore and the rear end portion within the ram bore, and a retracted position within the ram bore, each ram being configured with a front face to seal against the front face of the opposing ram and to accommodate a tubular member or rod, if present in the central bore;
• a ram actuating mechanism connected to the rear end portion of the ram for extending and retracting the ram between the extended and retracted positions;
• a primary rope packing seal formed on the ram from a first length or loop of rope packing, the primary rope packing seal extending across the front face, then rearwardly, and then either or both of upwardly over the top portion and downwardly over the bottom portion, at a position rearwardly of the front end portion, the primary rope packing seal being held in, so as to protrude radially outwardly from, a continuous first groove formed in the ram;
• and
• the primary rope packing seal extending across the front face of the ram with a vertical offset relative to the primary rope packing seal on the front face of the opposing ram, such that in the extended position, the primary rope packing seals on the opposing rams seal against each other but with the vertical offset;
• whereby, in the extended position, the primary rope packing seals on the opposing rams seal against each other, against the tubular member or rod if present, and also seal the central bore.

A ram type blowout preventer, comprising:

• a housing forming a central bore extending generally vertically through the housing, and a pair of ram bores extending radially outwardly in opposite directions through the housing and intersecting the central bore;
• a steel bodied, full bore ram positioned in each of the pair of ram bores to provide opposing rams, the ram having a front end portion, a rear end portion, a top portion and a bottom portion and being adapted for sliding movement in the ram bore between an extended position, with the front end portion extending across the central bore and the rear end portion within the ram bore, and a retracted position within the ram bore, the ram being configured with a front face to seal against the front face of the opposing ram and to accommodate and seal against a tubular member or rod, if present in the central bore;
• an actuating mechanism connected to the rear end portion of the ram for extending and retracting the ram between the extended and retracted positions, each ram comprising:
• i. a body component forming the bottom portion of the ram, the body component having a front portion, a rear portion, a front end and a rear end;
• ii. a seal component forming the top portion of the ram and extending rearwardly of the front end portion of the ram, the seal component having a front portion, a rear portion, a front end, a rear end, and a front face;
• iii. the body component having a cut-out in its front portion to provide a seal support surface to support the seal component, the seal support surface being inclined front to rear such the seal component rides upwardly and rearwardly on the seal support surface;
• iv. the seal component having an inner surface which generally conforms to the seal support surface of the body component;
• v. the body component and seal component combining, in an assembled form, to form the full bore ram, which when out of the extended position has the front end of the seal component forming a leading edge portion which protrudes a horizontal distance beyond the front end of the body component, and which leaves a gap between the rear end of the seal component and the body component;
• and
• vi. connectors for connecting the seal component and the body component while allowing the seal component, in the extended position, to be pressed against the seal support surface of the body component and to ride upwardly and rearwardly on the seal support surface;
• and
• a primary rope packing seal formed on the seal component of the ram from a first length or loop of rope packing, the primary rope packing seal extending across the front face of the seal component, rearwardly, and then upwardly over the top portion of the ram at a position rearwardly of the front end portion of the ram, the primary rope packing seal being held in, so as to protrude radially outwardly from, a continuous first groove formed in the seal component, the primary rope packing seal extending across the front face of the seal component with a vertical offset relative to the primary rope packing seal on the front face of the seal component of the opposing ram, such that in the extended position, the primary rope packing seals on the opposing rams seal against each other but with the vertical offset;
• such that, in the extended position, the primary rope packing seals on the opposing rams seal against each other, against the tubular member or rod if present, and also seal the central bore.