Patent ID: 9243469
Filing Date: 2016-01-26
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. 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, 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; 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 seal on the steel bodied ram, the seal extending across the front face, then rearwardly, and then either upwardly over the top portion or downwardly over the bottom portion, at a position rearwardly of the front end portion; and the front face of the steel bodied ram forming a leading edge portion located either above or below the seal so that, as the opposing rams are moved into the extended position, the leading edge portions of the opposing rams abut and press against each other, imparting a generally vertical movement to the opposing rams so that the rams rotate upwardly or downwardly through an angle relative to a center axis of the ram bores to bring the seals on the front faces into sealing engagement with each other and to energize the seals extending over the top portion or the bottom portion against the ram bores; such that, in the extended position, the seals on the opposing rams seal against each other, against the tubular member or rod if present, and also against the ram bores to seal the central bore.