Well tool

Well tools for running and setting a well safety valve including a lock mandrel for releasably locking the valve at a no-go landing nipple in a well bore and a running tool for running and setting the lock mandrel. The lock mandrel includes a body provided with a no-go ring, locking dogs on the body, and an expander sleeve movable upwardly in the body for expanding and locking the dogs. The running tool includes a tubular core having an end engageable with an operating tube of the safety valve, an upper latch assembly for engaging the lock mandrel housing to couple the running tool with the lock mandrel, a lower latch assembly for operating the expander sleeve of the lock mandrel to expand the mandrel locking dogs, and a head for connecting the running tool in a wireline tool string. The running tool has locking features which apply a force from a spring of the safety valve to the upper latch assembly to lock the running tool with the lock mandrel. A safety valve is connected to the lock mandrel which is coupled with the running tool. The assembly is lowered in a well to a no-go landing nipple. A control fluid pressure to the safety valve relieves the valve spring force from the running tool core and the running tool is pulled upwardly expanding the lock mandrel dogs and releasing the running tool from the lock mandrel.

This invention relates to well tools and more particularly relates to a 
lock mandrel and running tool for releasably locking a flow control device 
such as a safety valve in a flow conductor of a well. 
In the well art, particularly that relating to oil and gas wells, it is 
standard practice to complete the wells using wireline equipment and 
methods which provides for substantial cost reductions during future well 
servicing operations. Wireline completion methods and equipment are 
illustrated and described in substantial detail in PETROLEUM ENGINEER 
INTERNATIONAL for August 1981 at pages 83-89. Presently available lock 
mandrels for sub-surface safety valves are of the extension hanger type 
which may present several operational problems when used with safety 
valves. Extension hanger locks are set by applying force in the same 
downward direction required for driving the safety valve into the landing 
nipple in which the valve is to be locked. The friction caused by packing 
between the safety valve and the landing nipple may require such excessive 
drive-down force that the lock mandrel is prematurely set. Further, it is 
possible to only partly engage the lock mandrel in the recess, establish 
control line pressure, and remove the running tool used to set the lock 
mandrel without any indication of a serious problem. One remedy which has 
been employed is a spring isolator device which eliminates major problems 
but still may malfunction. The locking sleeve of the extension hanger type 
lock must move in the opposite direction from flow to lock a safety valve. 
It is possible that flow could lift the locking sleeve releasing the lock. 
It is, therefore, a particularly important object of the invention to 
provide a new and improved well tool. 
It is another particularly important object of the invention to provide a 
new and improved lock mandrel and running tool assembly for use in wells 
to releasably lock devices such as safety valves at a landing nipple along 
the flow conductor of the well. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a lock mandrel and running 
tool operable with wireline equipment. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a running tool and a lock 
mandrel which is set by a force applied in a direction opposite to the 
direction of force required to drive the device such as a safety valve 
connected with the lock mandrel into the landing nipple in which the lock 
mandrel is set. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a running tool with a lock 
mandrel which may be driven downwardly with unlimited force without the 
possibility of pre-setting the lock. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a running tool with a 
lock mandrel having a locking sleeve which moves to lock the mandrel in 
the direction of flow in the well thereby preventing well flow from 
releasing the lock. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a running tool and 
a lock mandrel which requires that the lock mandrel be properly set and 
the well tool activated before the running tool can be released. 
It is another object of the invention that safety valve control line 
integrity be established before the running tool can be released from the 
lock mandrel. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved running 
tool for well apparatus such as a safety valve. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a well device running tool 
which cannot be released from the well device until the device is properly 
set and activated in a well bore. 
In accordance with the invention there are provided a lock mandrel for 
releasably locking a well device at a landing nipple in a flow conductor 
and a running tool for running and setting the lock mandrel. The lock 
mandrel includes a tubular body, circumferentially spaced locking keys for 
radial movement between lock and release positions and a key expander 
sleeve movable upwardly behind the keys for expanding and locking the keys 
outwardly. The running tool includes a head assembly for supporting the 
tool in a well, an upper latch assembly for releasably engaging the lock 
mandrel body, a lower latch assembly for releasably engaging the expander 
sleeve of the lock mandrel, and a core having an operating prong for 
engaging the operating tube of a safety valve connected with the lock 
mandrel to hold the safety valve open while running the lock mandrel and 
valve and maintain the mandrel latched to the running tool. The prong 
assembly applies a holding force to the upper latch keys when the running 
tool is coupled with the lock mandrel and safety valve when running the 
safety valve. The prong has locking and release surfaces for manipulating 
the lock mandrel and releasing the running tool from the lock mandrel. The 
safety valve and lock mandrel are driven downwardly into the landing 
nipple until a no-go ring on the lock mandrel engages a shoulder in the 
landing nipple. The running tool is then pulled upwardly expanding the 
locking keys on the lock mandrel. Pressure is then applied through a 
control line to the safety valve in the landing nipple relieving the 
upward force from the safety valve on the running tool prong to release 
the running tool. The running tool is releasable from the lock mandrel 
only after the expander sleeve is in the up position and the control line 
to the safety valve has been pressurized.

Referring to FIG. 1, a lock mandrel M includes a tubular body formed by a 
locking dog retainer sleeve 30 and a packing mandrel 31, radially movable 
locking dogs 32, a locking dog expander sleeve 33, and a packing assembly 
34. The dogs 32 are radially movable in windows 35 provided in the 
retainer sleeve 30. The expander sleeve 33 moves within the locking dogs 
between an upper locking position shown in FIG. 1 and a lower dog release 
position. 
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the locking dog retainer sleeve 30 has an 
internal annular locking recess 40 having an upper end shoulder surface 39 
to receive upper locking keys on the running tool of the invention used to 
set the lock mandrel and safety valve in a landing nipple. The sleeve 30 
has a plurality of circumferentially spaced shear pin holes 41 for 
securing the lock mandrel to a running tool. The windows 35 in the sleeve 
30 are circumferentially spaced, each window being sized and shaped to 
receive and retain one of the locking dogs 32 with the sleeve allowing the 
dog to move radially between an inward release position and an outward 
expanded locking position. The bore of the lower portion of the sleeve 30 
extending within the windows 35 is graduated and shaped to accommodate the 
locking dog expander sleeve 33. A tapered stop shoulder 42 along the 
sleeve bore limits the upward movement of the expander sleeve 33. As 
evident in FIGS. 2 and 3 each of the windows 35 has longitudinal inner 
side retainer recesses 43 which receive retainer flanges along the side 
edges of the locking dogs 32 to hold the dogs in the windows of the sleeve 
30. The lower end portion of the sleeve 30 is internally threaded at 44 
for connection of the sleeve on the upper end of the packing mandrel 31. 
An external annular no-go ring 45 is formed on the lower end portion of 
the sleeve 30 to limit the downward movement of the mandrel M in a landing 
nipple. 
The locking dog expander sleeve 33 is illustrated in FIG. 1 is a tubular 
member having upper and lower guide or bearing end portions 50 and 51. The 
upper end portion 50 of the sleeve 33 slides within the bore of the sleeve 
30 above the stop shoulder 42 while the lower guide portion 51 of the 
sleeve slides within the bore of the packing mandrel 31. The bore of the 
expander sleeve 33 is graduated having an enlarged lower end portion 
providing a tapered operating shoulder 52 for engagement by an operating 
key on the running tool to lift the expander sleeve in moving the locking 
dogs 32 outwardly to lock positions. The outside diameter of the central 
portion of the expander sleeve 33 is also graduated providing an upper 
central portion 53 and a larger lower central portion 54. A tapered cam 
surface 55 is provided on the expander sleeve on the upper end of the 
portion 53. A tapered cam surface 60 is provided on the sleeve 33 between 
the portions 53 and 54. An external annular latch recess 61 is provided on 
the expander sleeve portion 53 to releasably latch the expander sleeve in 
the upper locked position. 
Each of the locking keys 32 as illustrated in FIGS. 4-7 is a circular 
arcuate segment shaped to fit within the windows 35 of the sleeve 30 and 
having an outer locking profile and an inner profile engageable by the 
expander sleeve 33 for expanding and locking the keys. The side edges of 
the locking dogs 32 each has an integral longitudinal retainer flange 62 
which fits the retainer recesses 43 along the windows 35 of the sleeve 30 
to hold the locking dogs 32 in the windows at the expanded positions as 
shown in FIG. 1 of the dogs. Each of the dogs 32 has an outer locking boss 
surface 63 shaped to fit within a locking recess of a landing nipple for 
locking the lock mandrel M in the landing nipple. The inside faces of the 
dogs 32 as particularly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are graduated surfaces 
defined by an upper inside face 64 and a lower inside face 65. The lower 
end of the face 65 has an inside cam surface 70. Between the surfaces 64 
and 65 each dog has a sloping cam surface 71. The face 64 also has a 
latching lip or ridge 72 which is engageable in the latch recess 61 of the 
sleeve 33 so that when the sleeve is in the upper locked position of FIG. 
1, the expander sleeve is releasably locked at the upper position at which 
the dogs 32 are expanded. The cam surfaces 70 and 71 on the inside faces 
of the dogs 32 cooperate with cam surfaces on the expander sleeve 33 for 
moving the dogs outwardly to the locked positions as the retainer sleeve 
33 is lifted upwardly from a lower release position to the upper end lock 
position of FIG. 1. Additionally for latching the sleeve 33 at the upper 
end position the sleeve 33 has an external annular latch flange 73 
provided around the lower end portion 51 of the sleeve while the packing 
mandrel bore has an internal annular latch flange or shoulder 74. At the 
upper locked position of the sleeve 33 the latch flange 73 on the sleeve 
moves above the latch flange 74 within the bore of the packing mandrel to 
further aid in holding the expander sleeve 33 at the upper locking 
position. 
Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the running tool R embodying the features of 
the invention has a fishing neck 80 provided with standard wireline 
features for connection in a wireline tool string including a reduced 
threaded upper end portion 81 and an external annular flange 82. The 
fishing neck has an enlarged lower end skirt portion 83 which has a bore 
84 provided with a reduced internally threaded upper end portion 85. An 
upper setting sleeve 90 is secured along an externally threaded upper end 
portion into the threaded bore portion 85 of the fishing neck. The fishing 
neck skirt 83 and the upper end portion of the sleeve 90 are in concentric 
spaced relation. The sleeve 90 has a pair of longitudinal slots 91 
positioned along opposite sides of the sleeve. The lower end portion of 
the setting sleeve 90 is counterbored at 92 and provided with a shear pin 
hole 93 and a set screw hole 94. Above the set screw hole 94, the sleeve 
90 has an external annular latch release recess 95. A latch key retainer 
sleeve 100 is telescoped in sliding relation over the lower end portion of 
the sleeve 90 into the skirt 83 between the sleeve 90 and the skirt. The 
sleeve 100 has circumferentially spaced windows 101 shaped to receive and 
retain a latch key 102. As shown in FIG. 12 each of the windows 101 of the 
sleeve 100 has longitudinal opposite side key retainer lips or flanges 103 
defining along each longitudinal side edge of the windows a longitudinal 
recess 104. As illustrated in FIGS. 13-16 each of the latch keys 102 is an 
arcuate circular segment having an outer face 105 and an inner face 110. 
The outer face has a locking boss 111 provided With a transverse garter 
spring recess 112 and extending between an upper cam surface 113 and a 
lower cam surface 114. The locking heads of the keys defined by the outer 
bosses 111 have inner bosses 115 extending between a sloping cam surface 
120 and a sloping cam surface 121. As shown in FIG. 16, the longitudinal 
side edges of the keys 102 are each provided with an inside retainer 
flange 122 which fit within the window edge recesses 104, FIG. 12, and are 
engageable with the retainer flanges 103 along the window edges of the key 
retainer sleeve 100 to retain the keys in the windows while permitting the 
keys to move radially inwardly and outwardly. The keys 102 are fitted 
within the windows and held by a garter spring 123 which completely 
encircles the keys and the sleeve 100. The garter spring passes through 
the outer recess 112 in the latching heads of the keys and between the 
keys through a segment of the external annular recess 124 formed in the 
outer surface of the sleeve 100 intersecting the lower ends of the windows 
101. The spring binds the keys within the windows while allowing the latch 
head ends of the keys to move radially between expanded latching positions 
and retracted release positions. The keys 102 are movable longitudinally 
with the sleeve 100 between expanded latching positions and contracted 
release positions. When the latching heads of the keys are aligned with 
the release 95 of the sleeve 90 the garter spring 123 pulls the latching 
heads of the keys inwardly to release positions. 
Continuing with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B, a lower setting sleeve 130 is 
telescoped along an upper end portion into the counterbore 92 of the upper 
setting sleeve 90. A set screw 131 through the lower end portion of the 
sleeve 90 secures the lower setting sleeve with the upper setting sleeve. 
The lower portion of the lower setting sleeve has a plurality of 
circumferentially spaced downwardly extending longitudinal collet fingers 
132 each having a latch head 133. Each of the collet finger latch heads 
has an upper outer tapered cam surface 134 for shifting the locking dog 
expander sleeve 54 in the mandrel M and thereafter for camming the latch 
heads 133 inwardly to release positions. It will be obvious in FIGS. 8A 
and 8B that the collet fingers 132 join the main body of the sleeve 130 at 
the upper ends of the fingers while the fingers including the latch heads 
133 are free to spring inwardly and outwardly for latching and operation 
of the lock mandrel M. A tubular core 135 is telescoped in sliding 
relationship into the upper setting sleeve 90 through the lower setting 
sleeve 130. The core has an external annular release recess 136 which 
allows the latch heads 133 on the collet fingers 132 to move inwardly to 
release positions when the latch heads are aligned with the recess 136. 
When the latch heads are misaligned from the recess 136 and thus are along 
the larger diameter of the core above the recess, the outer surface of the 
core holds the latch heads 133 outwardly at operating positions. The upper 
end portions of the latch key retainer sleeve 100 and the core 135 are 
secured together by a spiral pin 141 which extends from opposite sides of 
the sleeve 100 through the longitudinal slots 91 of the upper setting 
sleeve 90 and the opposite sides of the core 135. The pin 141 secures the 
key retainer sleeve 100 with the core so that the two members are rigidly 
connected together and thus movable as a common unit. Similarly the 
fishing neck and the upper setting sleeve 90 are secured together moving 
as a unit relative to the key retainer sleeve 100 and the core 135. When 
the fishing neck is raised or lowered the upper setting sleeve 90 is 
correspondingly raised or lowered relative to the key retainer sleeve 100 
and the core 135. Movement of the fishing neck 80 moves the upper setting 
sleeve 90 relative to the key retainer sleeve 100 which holds the upper 
latch keys 102 and thus the latch key release recess 95 is moved relative 
to the keys 102. Similarly movement of the fishing neck moves the collet 
fingers 132 which depend from the sleeve 130 so that the collet heads 133 
are moved along the core 135 relative to the release recess 136. The upper 
latch key heads 111 and the lower latch heads 133 on the collet fingers 
132 function to connect the running tool R with the lock mandrel M, 
operate the lock mandrel M, and release the running tool from the lock 
mandrel at the different relative positions of the upper and lower setting 
sleeve, the upper latch keys, and the collet fingers on the lower setting 
sleeve. 
The lock mandrel M and the running tool R are useful for running and 
setting standard remote controlled wireline tubing safety valves in no-go 
type nipples. A typical safety valve with which the lock mandrel tool is 
operable is an Otis type DK tubing safety valve illustrated at page 3998 
of the 1974-1975 edition of the Composite Catalog of Oilfield Equipment 
and Services published by World Oil, Houston, Tex. and an Otis type RQL 
no-go safety-valve nipple shown at page 4004 of the same catalog. In 
operation with the DK Otis safety valve, the lock mandrel M of the present 
invention is substituted for the locking mandrel illustrated at page 3998 
of such catalog. 
In preparation for operating the lock mandrel M and the running tool R of 
the invention, the lock mandrel is secured with a safety valve S as 
illustrated in FIG. 17B by threading the lower end of the lock mandrel 
packing mandrel 31 into the internally threaded upper end portion of the 
housing 150 of the safety valve. The operating fluid system of the safety 
valve, not shown, is connected to a suitable source of control fluid 
pressure which is used to pump the safety valve to the open position at 
which the operating tube 151 of the safety valve is at a lower end 
position as illustrated in FIG. 17B. The operating tube 151 is connected 
with a fluid responsive piston and a spring, not shown, permitting remote 
control of the valve from the surface after it is installed. In downhole 
operation the valve is held open by fluid pressure applied from the 
surface and when the pressure is released the spring closes the valve. 
When the valve is pumped open the spring is compressed applying an upward 
force on the operating tube. 
With the safety valve pumped open, the running tool R is extended to 
maximum length by sliding the fishing neck 80 toward the sleeve 100. The 
running tool is then inserted into the connected lock mandrel M and safety 
valve S. As the running tool is inserted the collet fingers 132 move along 
the lock mandrel until the fingers pass into the expander sleeve 33 past 
the internal cam surface 52 with the collet heads 33 springing outwardly 
into the larger bore of the sleeve 33 below the cam surface 52. The heads 
111 on the latch keys 102 engage the upper end of the retainer sleeve 30 
moving into the bore of the sleeve below the internal tapered shoulder 41 
into the bore portion 40 of the sleeve. The core 135 extends downwardly 
through the lock mandrel into the upper end of the safety valve. The fluid 
pressure holding the safety valve open is then released so that the spring 
engaged with the operating tube 151 of the safety valve urges the 
operating tube upwardly against the tapered end edge surface 138 on the 
prong 137 secured on the lower end of the core. The upward force of the 
safety valve spring lifting the core applies an upward force to the pin 
141 which urges the key retainer sleeve 100 upwardly. The upward force on 
the sleeve 100 urges the upper latch keys 102 upwardly along the outer 
surface of the sleeve 90 above the release recess 95 in the sleeve so that 
the heads 111 of the keys are trapped or captured within the annulus 
between the bore 40 of the sleeve 30 around the sleeve 90 between the 
internal annular tapered surface 41 within the sleeve 30 and the lower 
tapered end edge surfaces 101a of the windows 101 in the key retainer 
sleeve 100. The upward force on the sleeve 100 is applied from the window 
surfaces 101a to the inside end surfaces 121 of the latch key heads 111 
urging the latch keys upward and outwardly so that the upper outer 
surfaces 113 on the latch key heads are urged against the internal annular 
tapered surface 41 within the lock mandrel sleeve 30 locking the running 
tool with the sleeve 30. At the lower end of the running tool the collet 
heads 133 are held at normal positions by the outer surface of the core 
below the core recess 136 so that the surfaces 134 on the collet heads 133 
are engageable with the cam surface 52 within the lock mandrel expander 
sleeve 33. The running tool is manipulated by pulling the fishing neck 80 
away from the lock mandrel slightly until the shear pin holes 41 in the 
lock mandrel sleeve 30 line up with the shear pin holes 93 in the running 
tool sleeve 90. Shear pins are then inserted through the holes 41 of the 
lock mandrel into the holes 93 of the running tool pinning the lock 
mandrel on the running tool. FIGS. 17A and 17B illustrate the safety valve 
and lock mandrel connected on the running tool for running and setting the 
safety valve. It will be seen that the upper keys 102 of the running tool 
are engaged in the sleeve 30 of the lock mandrel M, the collet finger 
heads 133 are engaged in the expander sleeve 33 of the lock mandrel, and 
the expander sleeve 33 is at the lower end position at which the locking 
dogs 32 on the lock mandrel are at inward release positions. The lock 
mandrel and safety valve are then in condition for running into a well 
bore and setting in a landing nipple. 
The running tool R is connected at the fishing neck 80 with a wireline tool 
string, not shown, used to lower the running tool, lock mandrel, and 
safety valve through a flow conductor in a well bore, not shown, into a 
landing nipple 160 as represented in FIG. 18B. The landing nipple is 
provided with an internal annular locking recess 161 and a no-go stop 
shoulder 162. The safety valve and lock mandrel are driven downwardly 
using jars in the wireline tool string until the integral no-go ring 45 on 
the lower end of the lock mandrel sleeve 30 engages the no-go shoulder 62 
in the landing nipple. The seal assembly 34 moves downwardly along the 
seal surface 163 of the landing nipple below the shoulder 162. Further 
downward jarring applying downward forces to the fishing neck 80 drives 
the fishing neck downwardly until the lower end edge of the skirt 83 on 
the fishing neck engages the upper end edge of the mandrel sleeve 30 
shearing the pins 155 connecting the running tool with the mandrel skirt. 
FIGS. 18A and 18B illustrate the safety valve and lock mandrel landed in 
the landing nipple on the no-go shoulder and the running tool manipulated 
to shear the pins 155 connecting between the running tool and the lock 
mandrel sleeve 30. The running tool remains coupled into the lock mandrel 
by means of the upper keys 102 and the collet fingers 132. The spring in 
the safety valve continues to exert upward force on the probe 137 and core 
135 which is applied through the pin 141 to the upper setting sleeve 100 
applying the upward and outward force from the sleeve window edges 101a to 
keep the retainer keys 102 tightly expanded in locking relation in the 
lock mandrel sleeve 30 against the shoulder 41 of the sleeve. Upward force 
is applied on the line, not shown, to the wireline tool string. A bind on 
the line greater than the weight of the tools in the string indicate that 
the safety valve S is in position in the landing nipple. The fishing neck 
80 is jarred upwardly pulling the upper setting sleeve 90 and the lower 
setting sleeve 130 upwardly raising the collet fingers 132 between the 
core 135 and the key retainer sleeve 100 which remain held against upward 
movement due to the locking action of the upper retainer keys 102. As the 
collet fingers 132 are lifted the upper edge surfaces 134 on the collet 
heads 133 engage the tapered shoulder 52 within the lock mandrel expander 
sleeve 33 lifting the sleeve 33 within the locking dogs 32. As the sleeve 
33 moves upwardly the cam surfaces 55 and 60 on the sleeve engage the 
internal cam surfaces 70 and 71 respectively in the locking dogs camming 
the dogs radially outwardly to fully expanded positions as illustrated in 
FIGS. 19A and 19B and in FIG. 1. The locking dogs 32 move outwardly until 
the outer bosses on the dogs engage the landing nipple locking recess 161 
locking the lock mandrel M along with the safety valve S against 
longitudinal movement within the landing nipple. The lock mandrel expander 
sleeve 33 moves to an upper end position at which the cam surface 55 on 
the sleeve 33 engages the stop shoulder 42 within the sleeve 30 of the 
mandrel M. At the upper position of the sleeve 33 within the dogs 32 the 
dogs are firmly held in the radially expanded positions illustrated in 
FIGS. 19A and 19B and in FIG. 1. An upward force or bind is then applied 
to the line supporting the wireline tool string and fluid pressure is 
applied to the control line leading to the safety valve S. The control 
line pressure in the safety valve chamber against the piston on the safety 
valve operator tube 151 moves the safety valve operator tube slightly 
downwardly relieving the upward force of the spring in the safety valve on 
the operator tube which has been urging the tube against the running tool 
core holding the running tool locked in the lock mandrel by means of the 
upper retainer keys 102. The upward bind on the wireline then lifts the 
fishing neck 80 pulling the upper setting sleeve 90 and the lower setting 
sleeve 130 upwardly relative to the key retainer sleeve 100 and the core 
135 of the running tool. The upward movement of the sleeves 90 and 130 
raises the release recess 95 of the sleeve 90 into alignment behind the 
retainer key heads 111 and raises the collet finger heads 133 camming the 
heads into the recess 136 on the core. When the release recess 95 is 
aligned with the retainer key heads 111, the garter spring 123 squeezes 
the retainer keys 102 inwardly retracting the key heads 111 from 
engagement with the shoulder 41 at the upper end of the bore portion 40 in 
the lock mandrel sleeve 30 releasing the running tool from the lock 
mandrel. As the running tool is pulled upwardly the cam shoulder 52 within 
the lock mandrel sleeve 33 acts on the upwardly moving cam edges 134 on 
the collet finger heads 133. The collet finger heads 133 are squeezed 
inwardly into the recess 136 of the core releasing the collet finger heads 
from the lock mandrel expander sleeve. The frictional engagement of the 
packing assembly 34 on the lock mandrel M in the seal surface of the 
landing nipple below the no-go shoulder 162 restrains the lock mandrel 
from pulling out of the landing nipple while the lock mandrel is 
manipulated by the running tool for locking the mandrel in the landing 
nipple. If the lock mandrel does not properly release from the running 
tool, the mandrel and safety valve will be pulled back upwardly when the 
running tool is lifted. For example if the control pressure is not 
properly applied to the safety valve, the upward force on the probe 
surface 138 will not be relieved so that the upper latch keys 102 will not 
release from the lock mandrel shoulder surface 39. Similarly if the 
locking dogs 32 are not expanded into locking relation in the landing 
nipple locking recess 161 the expander sleeve 33 cannot be pulled upwardly 
thereby restraining the collet finger heads 133 which cannot be pulled 
upwardly along the core to align with the release recess 136 and therefore 
the running tool will be restrained in the lock mandrel at the collet 
fingers 132. In the event that such malfunctions occur allowing the 
running tool with the lock mandrel and the safety valve to be pulled 
upwardly from the landing nipple, the running tool, lock mandrel, and 
safety valve are forced back downwardly into the landing nipple repeating 
the required steps for setting the lock mandrel in the landing nipple and 
releasing the running tool. After proper release of the running tool from 
the lock mandrel, the lock mandrel is left releasably locked in the 
landing nipple and the safety valve is under the control of the control 
pressure operated from the surface for opening and closing the safety 
valve as required by operating conditions of the well. The expander sleeve 
33 of the lock mandrel M is restrained against accidental release by 
engagement of the latch lips 72 within the dogs 32 in the latch recess 61 
of the sleeve and by the annular latch flange 73 along the lower end 
portion of the sleeve being positioned above the internal annular latch 
flange 74 within the packing mandrel 31 of the lock mandrel. 
It will be recognized that the apparatus of the invention comprising the 
lock mandrel M and the running tool R provides well tool structure adapted 
to running and setting in a no-go type landing nipple by application of a 
downward force and releasably locking of the lock mandrel M to hold the 
safety valve in place in a well bore by application of a reverse upward 
direction force. Accidental release and possible inadvertent locking or 
other malfunction during the driving of the lock mandrel downwardly into 
position in a landing nipple is avoided. 
The lock mandrel M with the safety valve S is removable from the landing 
nipple by use of an Otis conventional GR or GS pulling tool as illustrated 
at pages 3988-3989 of the 1974-1975 "Composite Catalog of Oilfield 
Equipment and Services", supra. Such pulling tool is equpped with a prong 
connected with the pulling tool core for engaging and releasing the lock 
mandrel expander sleeve 33 by pushing the sleeve downwardly and for 
engaging the operating tube 151 of the safety valve S to hold the valve 
open while the mandrel and valve are being pulled. 
A fail-safe feature of the running tool will permit release of the mandrel 
dogs 32 for pulling the running tool, mandrel M, and safety valve back out 
of a well. The set screw or screws 131 are selected to shear for releasing 
the lower setting sleeve 130 from the upper setting sleeve 90. If there is 
a malfunction, for example, in control fluid pressure to the safety valve 
after the mandrel is locked, an upward pull on the head 80 will shear the 
screws 131. The head is then driven downwardly which forces the upper 
setting sleeve downwardly against the lower setting sleeve and against the 
expander sleeve 33 which is forced down to a lower end position from 
behind the dogs 32 releasing the dogs to move inwardly. The head 80 is 
then pulled upwardly, but since the lower setting sleeve 130 has been 
released from the upper sleeve 90, the collet fingers 132 are not pulled 
up in the expander sleeve 33, and thus the expander sleeve is not moved 
behind the dogs 32 which remain released as the pulling tool, mandrel, and 
safety valve are pulled. The mandrel can therefore be pulled without 
resetting the locking dogs. 
A second embodiment of the running tool of the invention is shown in FIGS. 
20A and 20B through 33 which illustrate a running tool R2. Referring to 
FIGS. 20A and 20B, the running tool R2 has a top sub or head 200 provided 
with an externally threaded pin 201 for connecting the running tool with a 
tool string such as operated on a wireline for lowering the running tool 
and the lock mandrel secured to a well tool such as a safety valve in a 
well bore. Included in the running tool supported from the top sub are an 
upper latch assembly 202 for releasably coupling the tool with a lock 
mandrel body and a lower latch assembly 203 for releasably connecting the 
running tool with the expander sleeve of the lock mandrel. The upper and 
lower latch assemblies are supported from the top sub along a core 204 
which transfers an upward force from the operator tube of the well tool 
connected with the lock mandrel such as a safety valve to the upper latch 
assembly so that the upper latch assembly remains coupled with the lock 
mandrel body until a control line pressure opens the safety valve 
supported from the lock mandrel. The core also has structural features for 
operation of the lower latch assembly to set the lock mandrel in a landing 
nipple and release the running tool from the lock mandrel. 
As shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B the top sub 200 has a tubular skirt 205 
defining a bore 210 having a reduced internally threaded upper end portion 
211. A plurality of bypass ports 212 are formed in the top sub opening 
into the upper end of the bore 210 for fluid flow through the running tool 
as the tool is lowered and raised in a well bore. An upper setting sleeve 
213 is seoured in concentric spaced relation within the top sub oonnected 
by an externally threaded upper end section into the threaded portion 211 
of the top sub bore. The upper setting sleeve has an enlarged lower end 
section 214 provided with an internal annular locking recess 215. The 
upper end edge of the sleeve enlarged portion 214 defines an external 
annular stop shoulder 220 around the upper setting sleeve. The upper 
setting sleeve is provided with two longitudinal slots 221 aligned along 
opposite sides of the sleeve for sliding longitudinal movement of a roll 
pin 222 the purpose of which is described hereinafter. The upper latch 
assembly 202 includes a retainer sleeve 223 slidably telescoped between 
the skirt 205 and the upper setting sleeve 213. The retainer sleeve has a 
head portion 224 provided with an internal annular shoulder 225 which is 
engageable by the shoulder 220 on the upper setting sleeve 213. The upper 
end portion of the core 204 is telescoped into the upper setting sleeve 
and pinned to the retainer sleeve by the roll pin 222 so that the core, 
roll pin, and retainer sleeve move as a unit. As shown in FIG. 21 the 
retainer sleeve has diametrically positioned holes 230 for the roll pin 
222. The lower end portion of the retainer sleeve 223 is provided with 
four circumferentially spaced latch key windows 231 which communicate at 
the lower ends with longitudinal slots 232 extending along the surface of 
the retainer sleeve below each of the windows 231 opening at the upper end 
into the window and having a longitudinal axis coincident with the 
longitudinal axis of the window. The bottom of the lower end portion of 
each of the slots 232 is provided with a circular recess 233. An external 
annular recess 234 is formed around the retainer sleeve intersecting the 
longitudinal slots 232 between the circular recesses 233 and the central 
portion of the slots 232. As shown in FIG. 20B a latch key 235 is 
positioned in each of the windows 231 biased radially inwardly by a flat 
leaf spring 240. A retainer band 241 in the annular recess 234 holds the 
leaf springs in position. The configuration of each of the keys 235 is 
shown in FIGS. 24, 25, and 26. As evident in FIGS. 24 and 25 the outer 
locking end portion, the lower end portion of FIG. 20B, of each of the 
keys is provided with two laterally aligned locking bosses 242 spaced on 
opposite sides of a spring recess 243. The longitudinal side edges of the 
keys 235 are each provided with spaced retainer lips 244 which hold the 
keys in the windows 231. The inside surfaces of each of the keys 235 as 
illustrated in FIGS. 25 and 26 are defined by cylindrical concave surfaces 
which fit around the portion of the lower setting sleeve 203 within the 
keys. As seen in FIG. 20B showing a side longitudinal edge of one of the 
springs 241, each of the springs lies along a central flat portion in a 
slot 232 below the window 231 of the retainer sleeve with an upper end 
portion of the spring resting in the recess 243 of the key 235 in the 
window 231 while a lower end portion of the spring bent at 90.degree. to 
the flat body portion of the spring engages the round recess 233 opening 
into slot 232. The retainer band 241 around the flat portion of the 
springs holds the springs in the slots 232 with end portions of the 
springs each resting in one of the slots 243 of the adjacent key 235 
biasing the lower ends of the keys inwardly against the outer surface of 
the lower setting sleeve within the keys. The keys 235 function to couple 
the running tool R2 with the body of the lock mandrel M2 as shown in FIGS. 
34A-37B. The keys 235 as shown in FIG. 20B are in the outward lock 
positions at which the mandrel M2 is locked on the running tool. 
Referring to FIGS. 20B, and 27-29, the lower setting sleeve 203 telescopes 
in sliding relation into the upper latch assembly 202 performing a duel 
function in the operation of the running tool including release of the 
latch keys 235 as well as operating the lock mandrel M2. The lower setting 
sleeve has a reduced upper end portion 250 which slides on a reduced upper 
end portion 251 of the core 204 above an external annular stop shoulder 
252 on the core. The upper end portion 250 of the lower setting sleeve 203 
has circumferentially spaced windows 253 each sized and shaped to receive 
a transfer lug 254 which serve release and coupling functions between the 
lower setting sleeve 203 and the upper setting sleeve 213. At radially 
inward release positions the transfer lugs 254 move along inward portions 
into an external annular release recess 255 formed around the core 204 
above the shoulder 252 on the core. Further details of the windows 253 on 
the upper end portion of the lower setting sleeve 203 and the transfer 
lugs 254 are shown in FIGS. 28 and 30-33. The lugs shown in FIGS. 31-33 
are substantially enlarged in size compared with the scale of the setting 
sleeve as shown in FIGS. 27-30. Each of the lugs is a circular segment 
having outer latching bosses 254a and end flanges 254b as shown in FIG. 33 
for holding the lugs within the windows 253. The depth of each of the lugs 
is substantially greater than the wall thickness of the sleeve portion 250 
at the windows so that the bosses 254a of the lugs may extend outwardly 
beyond the outer surface of the sleeve portion 250 when the lugs are at 
fully expanded positions. At inward positions of the lugs as shown in FIG. 
20B the outer surfaces of the bosses 254a are in alignment with the outer 
surface of the sleeve portion 250 and thus are at release positions. 
As seen in FIGS. 20B and 27, the lower setting sleeve 203 has an external 
annular upper latch key release recess 255 which permits inward movement 
of the upper latch keys 235 when the recess 255 is aligned within the 
keys. The lower end portion of the lower setting sleeve 203 is provided 
with circumferentially spaced windows 260 each of which receives a locking 
lug 261 for releasably locking the lower setting sleeve with the locking 
sleeve of the lock mandrel M2 when supported on the running tool. The 
locking lugs 261 have the same shape as the lugs 254 shown in FIGS. 30-33 
including end flanges for holding the lugs within the windows 260 while 
permitting the lugs to expand outwardly sufficiently to releasably engage 
the lock mandrel setting sleeve when the setting sleeve is disposed around 
the lower setting sleeve 203 of the running tool. The lower setting sleeve 
203 is also provided with circumferentially spaced upwardly extending 
integral collet fingers 262 which are radially flexible and provided with 
external unlocking shoulders 263 and internal operating bosses 264. The 
unlocking lips or shoulders 263 on the collets 262 are engageable with the 
end edge of the locking mandrel locking sleeve for unlocking the mandrel 
with the running tool in the event that it is necessary to retrieve the 
mandrel with the running tool. The internal bosses 264 on the collets 262 
are engageable with the outer surface of the core which provides a metal 
backup to securely the collet fingers outwardly at the unlocking 
positions. 
Referring to FIGS. 20A and 20B, the core 204 is slidably disposed within 
the lower setting sleeve 203 and the upper setting sleeve 213. The core is 
secured at the upper end with the upper end of the retainer sleeve 223 by 
the roll pin 222 which passes through the diametrically opposed slots 221 
in the upper setting sleeve so that the core and the retainer sleeve move 
together as a unit. A coil spring 265 is confined between the upper end 
edge of the core within the bore of the upper setting sleeve and a 
downwardly facing surface at the end of the head assembly bore biasing the 
core downwardly. The core is provided with longitudinally spaced external 
annular release recesses 270 and 271 positioned to receive the internal 
bosses 264 on the collet fingers 262 and the locking lugs 261, 
respectively, at the release position of the core relative to the lower 
locking sleeve 203. A running prong 272 is threaded on the lower end of 
the core below the lower end of the lower setting sleeve 203. The upper 
end edge 273 of the prong engages the lower end edge 274 of the setting 
sleeve 203 in the relative positions of the running tool parts shown in 
FIGS. 20A and 20B. The lower end of the prong is provided with an inwardly 
tapered annular surface 275 for engagement of the prong with an operator 
tube of a well tool below the running tool such as a safety valve. 
Referring to FIG. 34B, the running tool R2 is operable with the lock 
mandrel M2 for setting the lock mandrel in a landing nipple to support a 
well tool such as a safety valve in a well bore below the landing nipple. 
Mandrel M2, FIG. 34B, is functionally identical to the lock mandrel M of 
FIG. 1 differing only in minor structural features. The lock mandrel M2 
has a tubular mandrel body including a main section 280 provided with 
circumferentially spaced windows 281 and a lower section 282 threaded into 
the lower end of the section 280. The section 280 has an external annular 
stop shoulder 283 which stops at and seats on a seat surface in a landing 
nipple, not shown, similar to the landing of the mandrel M in the landing 
nipple 160 at the shoulder 162 as shown in FIG. 18B. A radially expandible 
locking dog 284 is disposed in each of the windows 281 of the mandrel body 
section 280. An expander sleeve 285 is slidably disposed within the 
mandrel body sections within the locking dogs 284 for movement between a 
lower end position at which the dogs are retracted as shown in FIG. 34B 
and an upper end position at which the dogs 284 are expanded as 
illustrated in FIG. 37B. The body mandrel 290 of a safety valve, not 
shown, is secured at the upper end thereof into the lower end of the body 
section 282 of the mandrel M2 for supporting the safety valve from the 
mandrel. The safety valve has an operating tube 291 having a downwardly 
and inwardly convergent upper end edge 292 which is engageable with the 
lower end surface 275 on the running prong of the running tool R2 for 
holding the running prong and core of the running tool at an upper end 
position when the running prong on the core engages the safety valve 
operating tube during the running, and landing of the mandrel M2 prior to 
pumping the safety valve fully open with operating fluid from the surface. 
When using the lock mandrel M2, an annular seal such as a seal 34 as shown 
in FIG. 1 is located on the safety valve body rather than on the mandrel 
body as shown in FIG. 1. Otherwise the mandrels M1 and M2 are essentially 
identical in both function and structure. The body section 280 of the 
mandrel M2 has an internal annular locking recess 293 for the retainer 
dogs or latch keys 235 on the running tool R2. 
To run and set the mandrel M2 at a landing nipple in a well bore with a 
safety valve supported from the mandrel, the mandrel and running tool R2 
are assembled at the surface by inserting the running tool prong 272 and 
core 203 and the retainer sleeve 223 with the retainer dogs 235 into the 
mandrel body and locking sleeve as shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B. The running 
tool may be coupled with the lock mandrel using the following procedure. 
The lock mandrel is made up to the safety valve and the entire assembly is 
placed in a vice with the lock mandrel in a locked condition at which the 
locking keys 284 are fully expanded. The running tool is then inverted 
with the top sub 200 down and the prong 204 extending upwardly. The prong 
is pulled upwardly and the lower setting sleeve 203 should drop freely so 
that the retaining dogs 235 may retract and the locking lugs 261 are free 
to retract. The safety valve, not shown, is then pumped open with a hand 
pump. The running tool is inserted into the lock mandrel until the 
retaining dogs 235 are within the locking recess 293 of the lock mandrel 
body section 280. The unlocking collets 262 on the lower setting sleeve 
snap into place with the unlocking shoulders 263 engaging the end edge of 
the lock mandrel expander sleeve 285 and the locking lugs 261 are aligned 
with and engaging the expander sleeve operating shoulder 295 in the 
general relationship shown in FIGS. 35A and 35B except that the locking 
sleeve of the lock mandrel M2 is at the position of FIGS. 37A and 37B. A 
set of wireline type jars and a short section of stem are then attached to 
the threaded end 201 of the top sub 200. With the safety valve still 
pumped open, the running tool is jarred toward the lock mandrel M2 until 
the expander sleeve 285 of the lock mandrel is driven toward the safety 
valve to the unlocked position of FIGS. 34A and 34B. This also shifts the 
lower setting sleeve 203 to the position of FIGS. 34A and 34B at which the 
retainer dogs 235 are held outwardly in locking positions within the 
recess 293 of the lock mandrel body section 280. The pressure is then 
released on the safety valve permitting the spring in the safety valve, 
not shown, to urge the operating tube 291 of the safety valve against the 
end edge 275 of the running prong 272. The force of the safety valve 
operating tube against the running prong holds the running prong at an 
upper position as shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B at which the recess 255 is 
aligned with the transfer lugs 254 so that the lugs are free to move 
inwardly into the recess and cannot be engaged by the upper setting sleeve 
213. The running tool is then checked by first pulling the top sub 200 of 
the running tool outwardly away from the lock mandrel M2 to a position of 
full extension as essentially shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B and pushing the 
top sub toward the lock mandrel to essentially the position of FIGS. 35A 
and 35B to insure that the top sub will move through the full length of 
travel without engaging the transfer lugs. At this stage the running tool, 
lock mandrel, and safety valve assembly are ready to run into a well bore. 
The running tool R2 with the lock mandrel M2 and safety valve are assembled 
in a wireline tool string and lowered in a well bore into a landing nipple 
such as represented in FIG. 18B. The lock mandrel enters the nipple and is 
jarred downwardly until the stop shoulder 283 on the lock mandrel body is 
seated against the no-go shoulder such as the shoulder 162 in the landing 
nipple represented in FIG. 18B. The running tool and mandrel with the 
safety valve are lowered as represented in FIGS. 34A and 34B. During the 
lowering of the tool assembly the top sub with the skirt 205 and the upper 
setting sleeve 213 remain telescoped to the upper end position illustrated 
at which the shoulder 225 of the retainer sleeve hangs on the shoulder 220 
of the upper setting sleeve. As the lock mandrel enters the landing nipple 
and is jarred downwardly the top sub is telescoped downwardly over the 
retainer sleeve and upper end portion of the core to the position shown in 
FIGS. 35A and 35B at which the lower end edge of the top sub skirt 205 
engages the upper end edge of the lock mandrel body section 280 for 
driving the lock mandrel into the landing nipple against the no-go 
shoulder. After the lock mandrel is against the no-go shoulder the 
relative positions of the parts of the running tool and lock mandrel are 
seen in FIGS. 35A and 35B. The control line pressure to the safety valve 
is then increased to the level required to fully open the valve which 
moves the operating tube 291 of the safety valve downwardly to the 
position shown in FIGS. 36A and 36B thereby removing the upward force from 
the running tool core 204. With the core no longer forced upwardly by the 
safety valve operating tube, the spring 265 in the top sub expands 
shifting the core 204 downwardly moving the release recess 255 below the 
transfer lugs 254 so that the surface of the core above the release recess 
expands the lugs into the recess 215 of the upper setting sleeve 213 as 
illustrated in FIGS. 36A and 36B. The increase of the control line 
pressure opening the safety valve must be done at the time that the top 
sub of the running tool is still at the lower end position and thus before 
an upward pull is applied to the top sub so that the upper setting sleeve 
213 will be telescoped downwardly around the transfer lugs as illustrated. 
An upward force is then applied to the top sub telescoping the top sub 
including the skirt 205 and the upper setting sleeve 213 upwardly relative 
to the retainer sleeve 223 and the core 204. When the upper setting sleeve 
is pulled upwardly to the position of FIGS. 37A and 37B the transfer lugs 
within the recess 215 of the upper setting sleeve are lifted raising the 
lower setting sleeve 203 for expanding the locking keys 284 of the lock 
mandrel M2 and releasing the retainer keys 235 of the running tool from 
the lock mandrel body section 280. This sequence of operation will be 
better understood by reference to both sets of FIGS. 36A and 36B and 37A 
and 37B. As the upward force is applied to the lower setting sleeve the 
lugs 261 are pulled upwardly against the shoulder 295 within the lock 
mandrel locking sleeve 285 forcing the sleeve upwardly within the locking 
keys 284 expanding the keys to the positions shown in FIGS. 37A and 37B 
which lock the mandrel M2 in the landing nipple. By the time that the 
locking sleeve 285 is lifted to the locking position, the lugs 261 are 
aligned with the release recess 271 in the running tool core 204 so that 
the lugs 261 are cammed inwardly to release positions into the recess 271 
thereby releasing the lugs from the locking shoulder of the locking 
sleeve. Simultaneously the unlocking collets 262 on the lower setting 
sleeve are cammed inwardly into the release recess 270 of the core 204. 
Also simultaneously the upward movement of the lower setting sleeve aligns 
the release recess 255 of the lower setting sleeve with the retainer keys 
235 which are squeezed inwardly by the springs 240 releasing the keys from 
the locking recess 293 in the body section 280 of the lock mandrel M2. 
These release positions of the lugs 261, the unlocking collets 262, and 
the retainer keys 235 are illustrated in FIGS. 37A and 37B. With the 
running tool released from both the body of the lock mandrel M2 and the 
locking sleeve of the lock mandrel, the running tool is telescoped 
upwardly out of the lock mandrel and pulled back to the surface by the 
wireline leaving the lock mandrel M2 with the safety valve locked at the 
landing nipple in the well bore. 
If an operational problem prevents the control line pressure from fully 
opening the safety valve and thereby removing the upward force of the 
safety valve operating tube from the prong and core of the running tool, 
it will be apparent that the core will remain in the positions of FIGS. 
34A and 34B and will not be shifted upwardly to the position of FIGS. 36A 
and 36B. Thus if the control line pressure does not fully open the safety 
valve, upward jarring on the running tool will not lock the lock mandrel 
M2 in the landing nipple but rather will extract the lock mandrel M2 and 
the safety valve from the landing nipple because the relationship of the 
top sub will be as shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B the parts being at positions 
at which the transfer lugs 254 cannot be engaged by the upper setting 
sleeve and thus the lock mandrel M2 cannot be locked in the landing nipple 
but rather will be pulled from the nipple by the running tool. This of 
course is one of the principle procedures of the invention which precludes 
leaving the lock mandrel and safety valve in the well bore if the safety 
valve is malfunctioning. 
If after the tool operator has extracted the running tool R2 from the lock 
mandrel M2 some condition develops which indicates that the lock mandrel 
and safety valve should be retrieved, the running tool may be used as a 
pulling tool. It is required however when so using the running tool that 
the safety valve be operational because the safety valve must be pumped 
fully open with the operator tube 291 of the safety valve at the lower 
position represented in FIGS. 36A and 36B and 37A and 37B. In such event 
the running tool is lowered and telescoped back into the lock mandrel 
entering the lock mandrel in the condition represented in FIGS. 37A and 
37B so that the retainer dogs 235 may enter the body section 280 of the 
lock mandrel and the lugs 261 as well as the unlocking collets 262 are at 
inward positions for entering the lock mandrel. When the unlocking collet 
heads approach the locking sleeve 285 of the mandrel M2 in essentially the 
position of FIGS. 37A and 37B, the unlocking collets expand outwardly 
until the shoulders 263 on the collet heads engage the end edge of the 
locking sleeve 285 so that further downward force on the running tool top 
sub drives the lower setting sleeve 203 with the unlocking collets 
downwardly moving the locking sleeve 285 downwardly to the release 
position represented in FIGS. 36A and 36B. The downward movement of the 
lower setting sleeve also moves the release recess 255 around the sleeve 
below the retainer dogs 235 shifting the full diameter surface of the 
lower setting sleeve behind the dogs which are expanded back into the 
recess 293 of the lock mandrel body section 280. After the control line 
pressure on the valve has been decreased and the operating member 291 of 
the safety valve moves up, an upward force on the top sub will pull the 
running tool and lock mandrel with the safety valve back upwardly out of 
the landing nipple.