Patent ID: 8434569

Claim:
A shortened mud saver comprising: a. a cylindrical housing having an axial passageway, a shoulder, a box end adapted to threadingly engage with the pin end of a drive disposed above and a pin end adapted to threadingly engage with the box end of drilling pipe disposed below; b. a fixed seal assembly having a plurality of vane-like arms attached to an upper portion of the cylindrical housing, said fixed seal assembly comprising a retrievable plug having at least one passageway thereto, a flexible washer disposed over the top of the passageway of said retrievable plug, an upward projecting spear attached to said retrievable plug and a downward facing, ring-shaped, tapered valve seat; c. a cylindrical-shaped movable seal assembly having a central bore for the passage of fluids therethrough, said movable seal assembly slidably disposed in the axial passageway of said cylindrical housing, said movable seal assembly comprising an upward facing, ring-shaped, tapered valve seat configured to matingly seal with the downward facing, ring-shaped, tapered valve seat of the fixed seal assembly; d. a compression spring comprised of a stack of disc shaped spring washers operatively disposed between the cylindrical-shaped movable seal assembly and the shoulder of the cylindrical housing for urging said cylindrical-shaped movable seal assembly upward into mating sealing engagement with the fixed seal assembly.