Patent ID: 7874353
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: E21B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A system for use in drilling a well, comprising: a housing including a sidewall structure having a tapered bearing assembly seating surface within a central bore thereof; a ram disposed within a passage extending through the sidewall structure, wherein the passage extends substantially perpendicular to a centerline axis of the central bore; displacement means coupled between the ram and the sidewall structure, wherein said displacement means is configured for selectively moving the ram along the passage in a direction toward the central bore and for selectively moving the ram along the passage in a direction away from the central bore a bearing assembly configured for being disposed within the central bore of the housing, wherein the bearing assembly includes an outer barrel having a ram engagement surface configured for being engaged with the bearing assembly engaging surface of the ram and includes a tapered housing engagement surface configured for being engaged with the bearing assembly seating portion of the housing, wherein the ram engagement surface of the outer barrel and the bearing assembly engaging surface of the ram are jointly configured for forcibly urging the tapered housing engagement surface of the bearing assembly into engagement with the tapered bearing assembly seating surface of the housing when the ram engages the outer barrel with the bearing assembly seated in the central bore of the housing, and wherein a maximum insertion depth of the bearing assembly within the central bore of the housing is jointly and entirely defined by the tapered housing engagement surface and the tapered bearing assembly seating surface.