Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6715541?dq=7,603,356
Timestamp: 2017-01-23 01:56:13
Document Index: 752428446

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8']

Patent US6715541 - Ball dropping assembly - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA ball dropping assembly for dropping an object such as a spherical ball into a wellbore. The assembly comprises a seat for retaining a ball before it is released, a ball retaining lever, and a shaft for turning the lever. In one embodiment, the assembly is attached to a side bore in fluid communication...http://www.google.com/patents/US6715541?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6715541 - Ball dropping assemblyAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS6715541 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/081,062Publication dateApr 6, 2004Filing dateFeb 21, 2002Priority dateFeb 21, 2002Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20030155115Publication number081062, 10081062, US 6715541 B2, US 6715541B2, US-B2-6715541, US6715541 B2, US6715541B2InventorsGerald Dean Pedersen, David Eugene HirthOriginal AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (23), Non-Patent Citations (6), Referenced by (61), Classifications (15), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetBall dropping assembly
US 6715541 B2Abstract
a pin at least partially disposed within the at least one actuation lever; and one or more détentes in the body for mating with the pin. 13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein:
a pin at least partially disposed within the at least one actuation lever; and one or more detentes disposed on an outer surface of the body for receiving the pin. 32. The cementing head of claim 31, wherein moving the pin from a first détente to a second détente rotates the retaining lever from its ball-retained position to its ball-released position.
FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a cementing head 105 showing one embodiment of the ball dropping assembly 50 of the present invention. The ball dropping assembly 50 is shown in a ball-retained position, with a ball 5 disposed therein. The ball dropping assembly 50 is disposed in a side bore 4 that is adjacent to a main bore 6 of the cementing head 105.
The retaining lever 40 is positioned in FIG. 1 such that the first finger 41 is disposed between the main bore 6 and the ball 5 so as to retain the ball within the seat 30. The first finger 41 preferably has a flat outer surface that is flush with the main bore 6 so that it does not interfere with any fluid or object that may be traveling down the main bore 6. In the ball-retained position, the ball 5 is initially maintained between the fingers 41, 42. In this regard, finger 42 is oriented inside of the side bore 4. The outer surface of the second finger 42 can be flat or straight. Preferably, the second finger 42 is curved where a spherical ball 5 is used as the dropped object. It should be appreciated that the two fingers 41, 42 do not have to form a perfect “L”; the angle formed by the two fingers 41, 42 may be less than or greater than 90 degrees. In addition, objects other than a spherical ball may be employed as the dropped object.
FIG. 3 presents the ball releasing assembly 50 in a cross-sectional view. As illustrated in FIG. 3, an actuation lever 70 is connected to at least one end of shaft 45 for turning the shaft 45. Preferably, the actuation lever 70 is disposed on the outer surface of the cementing head 105 so that it may also function as a plug release indicator. A pin 75 is partially disposed in an end of the actuation lever 70 opposite the shaft 45 connection. The outer surface of the cementing head 105 has two detentes 82, 84 for mating with the pin 75. The pin 75 has a biasing mechanism (not shown) that forces the pin 75 into the outer surface of the cementing head 105. When the pin 75 is positioned over one of the detentes 82, 84, the biasing mechanism forces the pin 75 to mate with the détente 82, 84. Once the pin 75 mates with the détente 82, 84, the actuation lever 70 and the retaining lever 40 is held in position until additional force is supplied to force the pin 75 out of the détente 82 or 84.
In operation, the ball dropping assembly 50 is initially in the ball-retained position, with a ball 5 disposed therein. The retaining lever 40 is held in position by the pin 75 mating with a first détente 82. The first finger 41 is disposed entirely within the side bore 4, thereby allowing fluids or objects to travel down the main bore 6 unimpeded by the ball dropping assembly 50. The second finger 42 (visible in FIG. 2) is disposed adjacent the ball 5 and within the side bore 4.
FIG. 4 presents a cross-sectional view of the cementing head portion 105 of FIG. 2. The ball releasing assembly 50 remains in its ball-released position. In this respect, the ball 5 has already been released into the main bore 6 and into the wellbore below. Thus, the ball is no longer visible within the cementing head 105 in the drawing of FIG. 4. Finger 41 of lever 40 is essentially perpendicular to the main bore 6 of the plug container 105. At this stage, drilling fluid may be introduced into the wellbore (not shown in FIG. 4) to clear debris from the annular space. The second détente 84 supplies sufficient resistance against fluid forces to maintain the first finger 41 in the main bore 6.
After the dart 8 is released from a position above the ball dropping assembly 50, the dart 8 travels down the main bore 6 and contacts the first finger 41. FIG. 5 demonstrates the dart 8 further travelling downward into the wellbore. The force from the downward travelling dart 8 releases the pin 75 from the second détente 84 and rotates the retaining lever 40 back toward the ball-retained position. When the pin 75 is moved from the second détente 84, it indicates that the dart 8 was released. Thus, visual confirmation of dart-release is provided to the operator at the surface. Cement or other circulating fluid may subsequently be pumped into the wellbore behind the dart 8.
It may be desirable to release a second dart into the wellbore. Before releasing a new dart, the retaining lever 40 is rotated from its ball-retained position back to its ball-released position. As noted, the retaining lever 40 rotates about pivoting shaft 45 so that it is in position to indicate whether the second dart has been released. In the ball-released position, the first finger 41 of the retaining lever 40 is again disposed in the main bore 6, and the pin 75 is disposed in the second détente 84. Once the second dart is released and contacts the first finger 41, the retaining lever 40 rotates back toward the ball-retained position. The rotation also moves the pin 75 from the second détente 84 toward the first détente 82, thereby indicating that second dart has been released.
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a pump down plug or ball* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification166/75.15, 16/193International ClassificationE21B33/16, E21B33/068, E21B33/05, E21B34/14Cooperative ClassificationE21B33/16, E21B33/068, Y10T16/6298, E21B33/05, E21B34/14European ClassificationE21B33/05, E21B33/16, E21B33/068, E21B34/14Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionFeb 21, 2002ASAssignmentOwner name: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC., TEXASFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:PEDERSEN, GERALD DEAN;HIRTH, DAVID EUGENE;REEL/FRAME:012644/0773Effective date: 20020218Sep 14, 2007FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Sep 7, 2011FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Dec 4, 2014ASAssignmentOwner name: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC, TEXASFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.;REEL/FRAME:034526/0272Effective date: 20140901Sep 23, 2015FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy 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