Mudsaver valve

Abstract

A mudsaver valve for insertion into the upper end of a well casing includes an elongated cylindrical valve body member having a central bore for receiving an elongated generally tubular valve closure member for movement in the body bore between valve closed and open positions. Passages in the closure member open to the outer surface thereof and spaced apart seal members mounted on the closure member prevent fluid flow out of the valve when the closure member is disposed in a closed position in the body. The body supports plural circumferentially spaced spring biased drag blocks or radially deflectable leaf or bow spring members which are engageable with the casing to support the body stationary in the casing so that the closure member may be reciprocated with respect to the body between valve open and closed positions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A mudsaver valve for use in well operations comprising: 
 an elongated valve body member including an axial cylindrical bore therein;    an elongated, generally tubular closure member disposed in said bore in said body member, said closure member including an elongated axially extending passage formed therein and passage means opening to an outer surface of said closure member, said closure member being movable axially in said bore in said body member between valve open and closed positions; and    at least one drag member connected to said body member and engageable with a wall of a well conduit upon insertion of said valve into said well conduit for holding said body member substantially stationary with respect to said well conduit to permit opening and closing said valve by moving said closure member axially in said bore of said body member.    
     
     
         2 . The valve set forth in  claim 1  including: 
 spaced apart seals on one of said body member and said closure member for preventing flow of fluid from said passage means in said closure member in the valve closed position of said closure member.  
 
     
     
         3 . The valve set forth in  claim 2  wherein: 
 said seals comprise annular seal members mounted on said closure member and engageable with a borewall of said bore in said body member.  
 
     
     
         4 . The valve set forth in  claim 3  including: 
 a tapered bore part extending from one end of said body member and intersecting said bore in said body member for engaging said seals when said closure member moves from a valve open position to a valve closed position.  
 
     
     
         5 . The valve set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said closure member is connected at one end to an elongated conduit for conducting fluid to said passage in said closure member from a source of said fluid.  
 
     
     
         6 . The valve set forth in  claim 1  including: 
 a tapered guide member disposed on one end of said closure member for guiding said valve into said well conduit.  
 
     
     
         7 . The valve set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said drag member comprises plural circumferentially spaced drag blocks mounted on said body member for limited movement relative to said body member and operable to engage a wall of said well conduit.  
 
     
     
         8 . The valve set forth in  claim 7  including: 
 resilient biasing means for yieldably biasing said drag blocks radially outwardly into forcible engagement with said wall.  
 
     
     
         9 . The valve set forth in  claim 8  wherein: 
 said resilient biasing means comprises spring means interposed said drag blocks and said body member, respectively.  
 
     
     
         10 . The valve set forth in  claim 7  wherein: 
 said drag blocks each include an axially tapered outer surface formed thereon engageable with said well conduit for camming said drag blocks radially inwardly toward said valve body in response to urging said valve body into said well conduit.  
 
     
     
         11 . The valve set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said drag member comprises a drag assembly including plural circumferentially spaced spring members supported on said body member and engageable with said wall of said well conduit upon insertion of said valve into said well conduit.  
 
     
     
         12 . The valve set forth in  claim 11  wherein: 
 said spring members comprise elongated cantilever spring fingers radially deflectable in response to engagement with said wall of said well conduit and operable to extend partially from an upper end of said well conduit in response to insertion of said valve into said well conduit.  
 
     
     
         13 . The valve set forth in  claim 11  wherein: 
 said spring members are mounted on a support collar adapted to be removably mounted on said body member.  
 
     
     
         14 . The valve set forth in  claim 13  wherein: 
 said collar includes opposed arcuate collar members joined together by a hinge and by a latch for mounting said collar on said body member and removing said collar from said body member, respectively.  
 
     
     
         15 . The valve set forth in  claim 11  wherein: 
 said spring members comprise elongated bow springs radially deflectable in response to engagement with said wall of said well conduit.  
 
     
     
         16 . The valve set forth in  claim 15  wherein: 
 said spring members are connected at one end to a first support collar adapted to be mounted on said body member and said spring members are connected at an opposite end to a second support collar mounted on another body member moveable relative to said body member and relative to an elongated mandrel connected to said closure member.  
 
     
     
         17 . The valve set forth in  claim 16  wherein: 
 said collars each comprise opposed collar members movable relative to each other for mounting and demounting said drag assembly with respect to said body members.  
 
     
     
         18 . The valve set forth in  claim 1  including: 
 an indicator member extending from said body member and operable to extend out of an upper end of said well conduit when said body member is disposed in said wall conduit.  
 
     
     
         19 . A mudsaver valve for use in well operations comprising: 
 an elongated valve body member including an axial cylindrical bore therein;    an elongated closure member disposed in said bore in said body member, said closure member including passage means opening to an outer surface of said closure member, said closure member being movable axially in said bore in said body member between valve open and closed positions; and    a drag assembly connected to said body member and engageable with a wall of a well conduit upon insertion of said valve into said well conduit, said drag assembly including plural circumferentially spaced spring members supported on said body member and engageable with said wall of said well conduit for holding said body member substantially stationary with respect to said well conduit to permit opening and closing said valve by moving said closure member axially in said bore of said body member.    
     
     
         20 . The valve set forth in  claim 19  wherein: 
 said spring members comprise elongated cantilever spring fingers radially deflectable in response to engagement with said wall of said well conduit.  
 
     
     
         21 . The valve set forth in  claim 20  wherein: 
 said spring members are mounted on a support collar adapted to be removably mounted on said body member.  
 
     
     
         22 . The valve set forth in  claim 21  wherein: 
 said collar includes opposed arcuate collar members joined together by a hinge and a latch for mounting said collar on said body member and removing said collar from said body member, respectively.  
 
     
     
         23 . The valve set forth in  claim 19  wherein: 
 said spring members comprise elongated bow springs radially deflectable in response to engagement with said wall of said well conduit.  
 
     
     
         24 . The valve set forth in  claim 23  wherein: 
 said spring members are connected at one end to a first support collar adapted to be mounted on said body member and said spring members are connected at an opposite end to a second support collar mounted on another body member moveable relative to said body member and relative to an elongated mandrel connected to said closure member.  
 
     
     
         25 . The valve set forth in  claim 24  wherein: 
 said collars each comprise opposed collar members movable relative to each other for mounting and demounting said drag assembly with respect to said body members.  
 
     
     
         26 . The valve set forth in  claim 19  including: 
 spaced apart annular seal members mounted on said closure member and engageable with a borewall of said bore in said body member for preventing flow of fluid from said passage means in said closure member in the closed position of said closure member.  
 
     
     
         27 . The valve set forth in  claim 26  including: 
 a tapered bore part extending from one end of said body member and intersecting said bore in said body member for engaging said seals when said closure member moves from a valve open position to a valve closed position.