Patent ID: 8215401

Claim:
A drop ball activated apparatus comprising and being activated by relative movement between an outer sleeve having a first internal cylindrical surface and an inner sleeve engaged with or connected to a ball seat adapted for a drop ball and concentrically and axially slidably disposed within the outer sleeve, wherein the ball seat comprises a plurality of fingers attached to a ring at one end, where each finger extends axially to its other or distal end engaging a radially extending lug, which in a first position abuts the first internal cylindrical surface, the fingers thereby defining a first ball seat diameter less than the diameter of the drop ball, wherein the outer sleeve comprises at least one groove in its internal surface, and the lugs are adapted to move into said at least one groove in a second position, the fingers thereby defining a second ball seat diameter at least as large as the diameter of the drop ball, wherein the ball seat is retained in the outer sleeve by a first release mechanism adapted to release the ball seat and the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve when a first predetermined hydraulic pressure or force acts on the drop ball, the ball seat is engaged with or connected to the inner sleeve by a second release mechanism adapted to pull the inner sleeve while the first predetermined hydraulic pressure is exerted or applied and to release the ball seat from the inner sleeve when a second hydraulic pressure acts on the drop ball, and the ball seat further moves to the second position after being released by the second release mechanism, the ball seat being radially expandable to its second ball seat diameter.