Through conduit type valve apparatus

June 25, 1963

H. ALLEN 3,095,007

THROUGH CONDUIT TYPE VALVE APPARATUS

Filed Sept. 6, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1

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/7eMecf n//ez7 INVENTOR.

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June 25, 1963 h. allen 3,095,007

THROUGH CONDUIT TYPE VALVE APPARATUS

Filed Sept. 6, 1960

Sheets-Shget 2

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June 25, 1963 h. allen 3,095,007

THROUGH CONDUIT TYPE VALVE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3

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June 25, 1963

H. ALLEN 3,095,007

THROUGH CONDUIT TYPE VALVE APPARATUS

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United States Patent Office _Palented JTZ

095 007

THROUGH CONDUIT’TYPE VALVE APPARATUS Herbert Allen, Houston, Tex., assignor to Cameron Iron

Works, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas

Filed Sept. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 53,956 5

Claims. (Cl. 137—330)

This invention relates generally to valve apparatus; and, more particularly, to improved valve apparatus for separately controlling flow through three or more side-by- 10 side flowways within a single body. In one of its aspects, it relates to such apparatus which is particularly well suited for use as a master valve of a wellhead “Christmas tree.”

In the completion of a well for producing oil or gas 15 from a single zone, a master valve is installed above the tubing head for controlling the flow of the well fluid from the tubing connecting with the zone to the remainder of the “Christmas tree” above the master valve. For this purpose, it comprises a body having a flowway there- 20 through which, upon connection of the body at its opposite ends in the wellhead, forms a straight continuation of the inside diameter of the tubing, thereby enabling various tools to be passed therethrough into and out of the tubing. Ordinarily, the valve member which is dis- 25 posed across the flowway has an opening through it Which forms a smooth continuation of the flowway when such valve member is in open position.

In the completion of two or more zones of a well by means of parallel strings, each tubing is disposed as close 30 as possible to an adjacent tubing in order to reduce to a minimum the size of the well casing through which such tubings extend. Thus, in the case of three or more strings, they are arranged as a cluster with their centerlines in a generally circular pattern and adjacent tubings 35 spaced from one another by only the thicknesses of their couplings. Although it will vary in different sizes of tubing, this requires that the centerlines of adjacent tubings be spaced apart approximately one and one-half times their average outside diameters. 40

It is, of course, desirable to bring the centerlines of the master valve flowways equally as close together in order to avoid the necessity of oversized heads. This was made possible, in case of dual zone wells, by a master valve having a pair of flowways extending side- 45 by-side through a single body and controlled by means of the through-conduit type gates disposed thereacross. More particularly, the two valve members were arranged in vertically or longitudinally staggered relation in order to maintain -a web of metal between adjacent 50 flow ways which was thick enough to prevent its failure under high pressure. At the same time, this staggering was kept to a minimum in order to avoid an undue increase in the height of the body.

However, the mere staggering of such valve members 55 does not permit the use of a solid block type of master valve in the case of wells having three or more zones completed with parallel strings, because, even with such staggering, a gate will interfere with an adjacent flowway when the centerlines of the flowways are brought 60 within the limits above mentioned. That is, it has not been possible with a solid block master valve of this type to bring the centerlines of the three or more master valve flowways as close together as those of a corresponding number of tubings and yet maintain a web of metal 65 between adjacent flowways.

.....An-object of this invention is to provide Valve apparatus for separately controlling flow through each of three or more parallel flowways through a single body wherein the flowways may be disposed closer together 70 than heretofore possible.

A more particular object is to provide a master valve of this type in which the centerlines of the flowways may be disposed as close together as the tubing strings; and, more especially, wherein the centerlines of adjacent flowways about the circular pattern of their arrangement may be spaced apart a distance substantially no greater than one and one-half times the average diameters of the tubings.

Still another object is to provide a master valve or like apparatus of the type described in the foregoing objects and of such construction as to permit its height to be kept to a minimum.

A further object is to provide valve apparatus of the type above described in which the valve member for controlling flow through each flowway may be easily and quickly moved -through -a side opening in the body for insertion into and removal from a position across the flowway in which it is engaged by an annular seat within such flowway, and more particularly, in which such seat may be replaced through the side opening upon removal of the valve member.

Another object is to provide valve apparatus of the type above described wherein the seats are retained within the flowway for engagement with the valve members in a manner which greatly simplifies the manufacture of the valve body.

A still further object is -to provide valve apparatus having a rotatable ball-shaped valve member and a seat for engagement therewith which is rotated to distribute wear about it in response to opening and closing movement of the valve member by a mechanism which is compact and inexpensive to manufacture.

I have found that these and other objects may be accomplished, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of this invention, by valve apparatus in which the flow through each of three or more flowways extending through a single body, and with their centerlines arranged in the aforementioned generally circular pattern, is separately controlled by means of a rotatable plug type valve member mounted for movement between opening and closing positions within a chamber across the flowway which has an innermost limit curved concavely and at least substantially symmetrically of the flowway intersected by the chamber. More particularly, the innermost limit of each such chamber is curved concentrically of such flowway as well as the inner surface of the valve member therein; There are stems on opposite sides of each valve member received within bearings in the body to mount said valve member for rotation about an axis -transverse, to the flowway. centerline and longitudinally staggered with respect to the axes of rotation of the other valve members.

In a preferred form of the invention, each valve member is ball-shaped so as to not only enable its fabrication at the least possible expense, but also to enable it to be engaged by an annular seat which is symmetrical about its opening. More particularly, the spherical surface of the valve member is adapted to be engaged by a seating surface on an annular seat which is rotated about its opening for distributing wear thereabout. It is also preferred that the inner surface of the chamber for each valve member be hemispherical and concentric of the inner surface of the valve member as this permits the axes of rotation of the valve members to be disposed as close together as possible.

It is further preferred that each seat be sealably slidable within an end of the flowway on one side of the valve chamber which is enlarged with respect to the other end thereof, and that each seat be retained in position to engage the valve member by means of a tubular sleeve fitted within the enlarged end of the flowway. This construction enables the seats to be retained without the necessity of a complex undercutting of the valve chamber

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and an annular groove 19 surrounding the upper ends of the flowways 15. In this manner, additional wellhead equipment may be connected above the master valve and sealed with respect thereto and about the flowways 5 for a purpose well known in the art.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the centerlines or axes of the flowways 15 are arranged in a generally circular pattern. Thus, with each such flowway being of equal size and adjacent flowways being equally spaced apart from ₁₀ one another, the centerlines of the flowway will be disposed in radii extending laterally outwardly from the center of the circular pattern and equally angularly spaced apart from one another.

The flow through each flowway 15 is separately con15 trolled by means of a valve member 20 rotatable within a chamber intersecting the flowway. More particularly, the valve member 20 is a plug type having an opening 22 therethrough and mounted in the body for rotation about an axis extending transversely of the flowway for align20 ing and disaligning the opening 22 with the flowway 15. In this manner, and as will be explained more fully hereinafter, this type of valve member provides a smooth continuation of the flowway 15 in its open position, thereby reducing turbulence and flow resistance with25 in the flowway to a minimum.

The axis of rotation of each valve member 20 is longitudinally staggered with respect to the axes of rotation of the other valve members. Thus, for example, in the arrangement shown, the valve member shown on the left30 hand side of FIG. 2 is in the highest longitudinal position, while the valve member shown on the right-hand side is in the next to the lowest such position. The valve member for controlling flow through one of the other two flowways is disposed intermediate the two shown in solid 35 lines, as shown by the uppermost broken lines in FIG. 2, while the other is disposed at the lowest longitudinal level, as indicated by the lowermost broken lines of FIG. 2. More particularly, and viewing the valve from the top, the valve members are arranged in descending spiral 40 path starting with the left-hand valve member shown in FIG. 2 and continuing in a clockwise direction.

The purpose of this longitudinal staggering of the valve members is to prevent the valve members in adjacent flowways from interfering with one another. More par45 ticularly, the valve members are staggered a distance to prevent the web of metal between the chambers of their adjacent flowways from being less than that shown between them in FIG. 4.

In accordance with the aforementioned preferred em50 bodiment of the present invention, each valve member 20 is ball-shaped and has an inner portion closely adjacent and concentric with an inner hemispherical surface 21 of the chamber in which it is disposed. More particularly, the inner end of the valve member and adjacent cham55 ber surface 21 is hemispherical about a center lying within the centerline of the flowway as well as within a radius which extends perpendicularly with respect to such centerline from the center of the circular pattern of the flowways.

As will be appreciated from FIG. 4, this arrangement enables the centerline of adjacent flowways as well as the axes of rotation of vertically adjacent valve members to be disposed as close together as possible, while at the same time maintaining adequate separation between the cham65 bers. It also provides room for an inner stem 23 on the valve member which, together with an outer stem 24 thereon, securely supports the valve member for rotation without being moved laterally out of position due to pressures exerted thereacross in the closed position of the valve 70 member.

The stems 23 and 24 extend radially of the circular pattern of the flowways through the centerline of the flowway controlled by the valve member. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the inner end of each valve chamber is recessed 75 at 25 to provide a bearing for the stem 23. However, due upon fabrication of the body. More particularly, the enlarged end of the flowway may be formed by a.simple boring operation from the end of the body.

When this valve apparatus is employed as a master valve, and the body thereof is connected at its opposite ends as part of a wellhead, each chamber connects with an opening in the side of the body through which the valve member passes during insertion into and removal from mounted position within the chamber. A bonnet releasably connected to the body across each such opening provides a bearing for a part on a stem on the valve member which extends exteriorly Of the body for manipulation in opening and closing the valve member.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a master valve constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention and adapted for use in controlling flow through four well tubings;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the valve of'FIG. 1, as seen along broken line 2—2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the outer end of one of the bonnets on the valve, as seen along broken line 3—3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the valve, as seen along broken line 4—4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view on an enlarged scale of one of the valve members and the bearing for its outer stem; together with a dog carried by the valve member and cooperable with a groove in the bearing for guided movement into engagement with a seat engageable with such valve member;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of one of the valve members in its open position, together with the annular seat engageable therewith and the dog carried by such valve member for engagement with the seat to rotate same during movement of the valve member between open and closed position; and

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged views of the parts shown in FIG. 6, but viewed along line 7—7 of FIG,. 6 and showing, respectively, the positions of such parts just prior to the end of opening movement of the valve member, at the end thereof, and just after the start of the closing movement of the valve member.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the master valve 10 comprises a body 11 having a central portion 12 which is substantially square in cross-section and connected at its opposite ends to upper and lower flanges 13 and 14, respectively. There are four spaced apart flowways 15 which extend substantially parallel to one another longitudinally through the body 11 from one end to the other.

When the master valve is installed at the wellhead, its lower flange 14 is connected to the upper flange of a tubing head (not shown) to align the flowways 15 with the tubings carried within the head. For this purpose, the flange 14 is provided with holes 16 for alignment with similar holes in the upper flange of the tubing head to receive bolts for connecting the flanges in end-to-end relation. As shown in FIG. 2, there is an annular groove 17 in the lower face of the flange 14 and in surrounding relation to the flowways 15 to receive a seal ring of suitable construction. As well known in the art, this ring is held between the groove 17 and a similar and oppositely facing groove in the upper face of the flange on the tubing head to form a seal about the flowways as the flanges are connected together.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of each flowway 15 is enlarged at 15α to receive the upstanding neck of a tubing string supported from the tubing head. More particularly, and as well known in the art, these tubing necks are adapted to be sealably received within the lower end of the master valve to provide a continuous opening from the tubing into the flowway 15.

The top flange 13 is similarly prepared with bolt holes

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to the radial extension of the inner stems, the sides of this bearing need be no closer to the adjacent flowways than the hemispherical surface 21 of the chamber.

The advantages realized in a master valve constructed in accordance with the foregoing are illustrated by the 5 following comparison of same with a solid block type master valve having its four flowways controlled by conduit type gate valve members:

Diameter of the Valve Bore

Distance from Center 10 of Circular Pattern to Centerline of Flowway

Conduit

Type Gate Ball Valve , Valve 15 l>Me__________________________________________ ___________________________________________

2%s------------------------------------------2¾ .1%

2½

3?ίδ 2He

The outer stem 24 of each valve member 20 rotates within a bearing 26 slidably received within a lateral opening 27 in the body 11 which connects the exterior of the body with the chamber for the valve member. More particularly, and as will be seen from the drawings, the side ₂ j opening 27 is of a diameter to pass the valve member 20 into and out of mounted position within the chamber across the flowway. The bearing 26 is held in place about the valve stem 24 by an annular shoulder 28 on the inner side of bonnet 29 which is releasably connected by bolts ₃₀30 to the body across the opening 27.

The outer end of the stem 24 is provided with a flatsided projection 30« for engagement by a flat-sided groove 31 on the inner end of an extension 32 which is rotatably mounted within a central opening in the bonnet 29. More ₃₅particularly, the extension is held in rotative driving connection with the stem 24 by means of an annular shoulder 33 on the bonnet which, in the connected position of the bonnet, bears upon an oppositely facing annular shoulder 34 about the extension. A Belleville-type spring 35 disposed between the inner end of the extension and an outer side of the bearing 26 yieldably urges the bearing into the position shown and to be described more fully hereinafter.

The outer end of the extension 32 has a nut 36 or similar part attached thereto for connection with a suitable tool for imparting rotation to the extension and thus to the valve member 20. More particularly, there are stop parts 37 on opposite sides of the extension exteriorly of the bonnet but inwardly of the nut 36 which are adapted to engage with stop parts 38 formed on the outer end of 50 the bonnet 29 laterally opposite the stop parts 37. The stop parts 38 on the bonnet form shoulders which are angularly spaced apart approximately 90 degrees to engage the oppositely facing sides of the stop parts 37 on the extension in the alternate opened and closed portions of the 55 valve member.

The upstream or lower side of each valve member 20 is engaged by an annular seat 39 having an opening 40 therethrough adapted to form a smooth continuation of the opening 22 through the valve member in the open posi- 60 tion of the valve member, as shown by the valve member on the right-hand side of FIG. 2. On the other hand, when the valve member is closed, as illustrated by the valve member on the left-hand side of FIG. 2, the inner end of the annular seat 39 is tightly engaged with the solid 65 portion thereof to interrupt flow from the lower end of the flowway to the upper end thereof.

Each seat is retained in engagement with its respective valve member by means of an annular sleeve 41 received within each flowway 15 beneath the valve member. More 70 particularly, each sleeve has an opening 42 therethrough of substantially the same diameter as the upper end of the flowway and the opening 22 through the valve member, as well as the opening 40 through the annular seat 39, to provide a smooth continuous flow path through the master 75 valve. The upper end of each retainer sleeve 41 is spaced from the lower end of the seat 39 to receive a Belleville spring 43 or the like therebetween for yieldably urging the upper end of the seat against the valve member. An annular seal assembly 44 is carried within a groove about each seat, as best shown in FIG. 6, for forming a sliding seal with the flowway in which the seat is received. This, of course, enables the urging of the spring 43 to be supplemented by the upward force of fluid within the lower end of the flowway acting across the lower end of the seat.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the lower end of each retainer sleeve 41 is knurled at 45 or otherwise prepared to form a tight fit within the lower end of the flowway. Thus, upon assembly of the valve, and with the valve member 20 disposed within its chamber, the 'annular seat 39 is first moved into place to engage at its upper end with the valve member. The Belleville spring 43 and retainer sleeve 41 are then moved into the lower end of the flowway, and when the latter is moved into a desired longitudinal position, the knurling 45 will hold it in place until such time that it is desired to remove or replace the seat 39.

As can be seen from the valve member 20 on the righthand side of FIG. 2, the Belleville spring 43 is yieldable to permit the seat 39 engageable with such valve member to be moved downwardly a distance to release the valve member for movement therepast into and out of mounted position. That is, this spring and the spacing between the seat and retainer sleeve 41 will permit the seat to be urged downwardly a distance at least as great as the vertical component of the engagement of the upper end of such seat with the spherical surface of the valve member in the open position of the latter. This, of course, enables the valve member to be removed from and then inserted into mounted position past the annular seat 39. Thus, upon disconnection and removal of the bonnet 29 from the master valve body, the valve member is movable in a radial or transverse direction out of mounted position, and is then movable back into mounted position to permit the bonnet to be again installed and connected to the master valve body. Obviously, removal of the valve member also permits removal and replacement of the seat 40.

As shown in FIG. 2, a grease fitting 45 or the like may be connected with the bearing surfaces between the extension 32 and its journal within the bonnet 29 to prevent the loss of well fluid therepast. Also, of course, a suitable thrust bearing 46 may be disposed between the oppositely facing shoulders 33 and 34 on the bonnet 29 and extension 32, respectively.

Each valve member 20 carries a dog 47 for engaging and rotating the annular seat 39 engageable with such valye member during rotation of the valve member from closed to open positions. More particularly, and as best illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9, the dog 47 is carried by the valve member for engaging and following one of several teeth 47« about the periphery of the seat 39 toward the end of its opening movement to rotate the seat from one rotative position (FIG. 7) to another (FIG. 8). Then, upon return closing movement of the valve member, it moves past such teeth without rotating the seat. In this manner, the seat is rotated to different seating positions during normal operation of the valve member in order to distribute wear thereabout which otherwise would be concentrated across a relatively small portion of the inner periphery of the seat.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, each dog 47 has a pin 48 on one end which is pivotally received within a recess 49 formed on the outer surface of the valve member. As shown in FIG. 5, such recesses may be formed on diametrically opposite positions of the valve member 20 to permit flexibility in assembly, as well as to permit rotation of a seat engageable with the other side of the valve member. The remainder of the dog 47 includes a flange portion 50 extending forwardly of the pin 48 closely adjacent to the valve member for guided movement within

3,095,007 an annular groove 51 formed on the inner end or face of bearing 26. As shown in FIG. 5, the groove is continuous to provide portions on each side of the valve member, again in the interest of simplifying assembly and permitting the Use Of two rotatable seats. As also shown in FIG. 4, the inner end of each bearing is recessed at diametrically opposed locations 26α and to the general contour of the seat 39 to permit the groove 51 to be disposed closely adjacent the valve member for receiving the dog 47.

The flanged portion 50 of each dog has a finger 52 on one side and an enlargement 53 at its opposite side. More particularly, the free end of the flange 50 of the dog defined by these parts is substantially the same width as the groove 51 for guided movement therein as the dog moves into engagement with the teeth 47α on the seat. As shown in FIG. 7, this will direct the finger 52 into engagement with the front face 54 on a tooth so that it will be moved in a clockwise direction between the positions of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 as the dog continues to move with the valve member.

However, central portions of the groove 51 are enlarged at 51α and 51Z> to permit the finger 52 to follow the tooth it engages and the enlargement 53 of each dog to move over the back face 55 following the tooth it has engaged and moved as the valve member is moved from its opened position (FIG. 8) toward its closed position. Thus, the back faces 55 of the teeth 47α are tapered gradually to permit the finger 52 to move thereover as the dog is moved with the valve member from the position of FIG. 8 to that of FIG. 9.

During movement of the dog from the FIG. 7 to the FIG. 8 position, finger 52 will move into groove enlargement 51b, and the tapered back face 55 of the tooth will raise the enlargement 53 of the dog into the enlargement 51α of the groove 51 as the dog moves from the FIG. 8 to the FIG. 9 position. As the dog continues to move counter-clockwise from the position of FIG. 9, the finger 52 will drop freely into the recess provided in front of the face 54 of the next tooth, whereby it will then be guided into the normal confines of the groove 51 during further opening movement of the valve member.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limting sense.