Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of controlling communication between the well annulus and the bore of a pipe string having a reversing valve connected therein, said reversing valve including a housing having port means in the wall thereof and normally closed valve means movable between open and closed positions with respect to said port means, characterized by the steps of: biasing said valve means toward open position; providing a stop means to prevent the opening of said valve means; and disabling said stop means in response to a predetermined minimum number of pressure changes within said housing to enable said valve means to move to open position.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of controlling communication between the well annulus and the bore of a pipe string having a reversing valve connected therein, said reversing valve including a housing having port means in the wall thereof and normally closed valve means movable between open and closed positions with respect to said port means, characterized by the steps of: biasing said valve means toward open position; providing a stop means to prevent the opening of said valve means; and disabling said stop means in response to a predetermined minimum number of pressure changes within said housing to enable said valve means to move to open position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 characterized by the additional steps of : reclosing said valve means in response to an additional change in pressure; and reactivating said stop means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
A normally closed reversing valve means for a well testing apparatus having test tool components adapted to be suspended in a well bore on a pipe string, said apparatus being adapted to communicate the bore of the pipe string with the well annulus and being characterized by means responsive to at least a predetermined minimum number of pressure changes in the pipe string for operating said reversing valve means to enable formation fluids to be removed from the pipe string by reverse circulation of well fluids.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
A normally closed reversing valve means for a well testing apparatus having test tool components adapted to be suspended in a well bore on a pipe string, said apparatus being adapted to communicate the bore of the pipe string with the well annulus and being characterized by means responsive to at least a predetermined minimum number of pressure changes in the pipe string for operating said reversing valve means to enable formation fluids to be removed from the pipe string by reverse circulation of well fluids.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 3 characterized by means responsive to at least one additional pressure change for reclosing said reversing valve means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus of claim 3 or 4 characterized in that said reversing valve means includes a tubular housing having a mandrel slidable in opposite longitudinal directions therein, reversing port means extending through the wall of said housing, and valve means on said mandrel arranged to close said port means in one longitudinal position of said mandrel within said housing and to open said port means when moved to another longitudinal position within said housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
111 words
The apparatus of claim 5 characterized in that said mandrel has piston means sealingly slidable with respect to said housing, said piston means having one side subject to the pressure of fluids in the well annulus externally of said housing and the other side subject to the pressure of fluids within the bore of said mandrel, said piston means being arranged whereby a predominate pressure of fluids in said bore tends to force said mandrel and valve means toward said one longitudinal position; means for shifting said mandrel toward said predominate pressure is reduced; and control means for limiting movement of said mandrel and valve means toward said other longitudinal position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 6 characterized in that said control means includes stop means normally preventing movement of said mandrel and valve means from said one position to said other position; and counter means for disabling said stop means to enable movement of said mandrel and valve means to said other position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
83 words
The apparatus of claim 7 characterized in that said counter means comprises sleeve means rotatably mounted on said mandrel and having channel means engaged by pin means on said housing, said channel means including circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending slots that are connected together by inclined slots in a manner such that as said mandrel slides in opposite longitudinal directions within said housing said pin and channel means cause said sleeve means to rotate with respect to said mandrel in only one rotational direction
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 7 characterized in that said stop means includes lug means on said housing engageable with an end surface on said sleeve means, said sleeve means having recess means adapted to receive said lug means and thereby permit movement of said mandrel and valve means to said other position when said sleeve means has been rotated through a predetermined angle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus of claim 6 characterized in that said piston means provides a first resultant transverse surface that is subject to the pressure of fluids in the bore of said mandrel prior to the opening of said port means, and a second resultant transverse surface that is subject to the pressure of fluids in the bore of said mandrel when said port means is open, said second surface being larger in area than said first surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 10 characterized in that said port means is sized to afford a restriction to flow of fluids from said bore to the well annulus, so that a back-pressure can be developed which acts on said second surface to return said valve mandrel to said one longitudinal position.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
95 words
The apparatus of any one of claims 6-11 characterized in that said counter means comprises concentrically arranged sleeves rotatably mounted on said mandrel, said stop means including lug means on said housing engageable with end surfaces of said sleeves, said sleeves each having a recess that opens through said end surface and is adapted to receive said lug means only when said recesses are aligned with each other and said lug means, and means for rotating each of said sleeves through successive angles that are different from one another until said recesses are so aligned.