Patent ID: 6959766

Claim:
A ball drop apparatus for use in a tool string, comprising: a housing; a ball drop cage disposed in the housing; an actuating ball releasably disposed in the ball drop cage, wherein the actuating ball has an outermost dimension, the ball drop cage being movable in the housing from a retaining position, wherein the actuating ball is retained in the ball drop cage, to a releasing position, wherein the actuating ball is released and can move downwardly in the tool string; and a seat in the housing adapted to receive a releasing device; wherein the releasing device has an outermost dimension smaller than the outermost dimension of the actuating ball, the actuating ball is released into the tool string when the releasing device engages the seat and pressure in the tool string is increased to a desired pressure, and the released actuating ball can engage a downhole tool located in the tool string.