Patent ID: 8662185

Claim:
A subsea wellhead assembly, comprising: a housing having a bore containing at least one generally upward facing load shoulder; a hanger that is lowered into the housing, the hanger having at least one downward facing load shoulder; a first load ring that slidingly engages the downward facing load shoulder of the hanger and having a downward facing shoulder that transfers load to the upward facing load shoulder of the housing, wherein the load ring is carried by the hanger for movement between a retracted position, wherein the downward facing shoulder is spaced radially inward from the upward facing load shoulder of the housing, and an expanded position wherein the downward facing shoulder is in load transfer engagement with the upward facing load shoulder; a centralizing ring fastened to the hanger below the load ring and having an outward facing portion that contacts the bore of the housing; and a hook formed at an upper end of the centralizing ring that exerts an outward force that delays the load ring from moving into the expanded position until the centralizing ring is compressed by a desired portion of the housing.