Downhole safety ball valve

Claim 2

a tubular housing element,

Claim 3

A downhole safety valve assembly for controlling the flow of well fluids, said assembly comprising

Claim 4

A downhole safety valve assembly for controlling the flow of well fluids, said assembly comprising

Claim 5

A downhole safety valve assembly for controlling the flow of well fluids, said assembly comprising 1. a tubular housing element, 2. an inner concentric fluid-conducting sleeve element secured to and spaced from the housing element, said sleeve element forming a well fluid flow passage through said valve assembly, 3. a ball valve for controlling flow through said flow passage, 4. a control piston slidable in the annular space between said housing and sleeve elements and having ball valve operating means at its lower end portion, 5. spring means in said space and extending between said housing element and said control piston for urging said control piston to its valve closed position, 6. a floating piston in said space and above said control piston, 7. control piston retainer means slidably mounted between said pistons, 8. means cooperable with said retainer means for facilitating releasable retention of said control piston in its valve opening position by said retainer means, 9. a port in said housing for supplying fluid under pressure directly to the upper end of said control piston for opening said ball valve, 10. a port in said sleeve element for supplying fluid under pressure directly from the flow passage to the upper end of said floating piston for moving said control piston to its valve opening position via said retainer means, said retainer means thereupon releasably retaining said control piston in its valve opening position, and 11. means on said floating piston for holding said retainer means in its control piston retaining condition.

Claim 6

A downhole safety valve assembly for controlling the flow of well fluids, said assembly comprising 1. a tubular housing element, 2. an inner concentric fluid-conducting sleeve element secured to and spaced from the housing element, said sleeve element forming a well fluid flow passage through said valve assembly, 3. a ball valve for controlling flow through said flow passage, 4. a control piston slidable in the annular space between said housing and sleeve elements and having ball valve operating means at its lower end portion, 5. spring means in said space and extending between said housing element and said control piston for urging said control piston to its valve closed position, 6. a floating piston in said space and above said control piston, 7. control piston retainer means slidably mounted between said pistons, 8. means cooperable with said retainer means for facilitating releasable retention of said control piston in its valve opening position by said retainer means, 9. a port in said housing for supplying fluid under pressure directly to the upper end of said control piston for opening said ball valve, 10. a port in said sleeve element for supplying fluid under pressure directly from the flow passage to the upper end of said floating piston for moving said control piston to its valve opening position via said retainer means, said retainer means thereupon releasably retaining said control piston in its valve opening position, and 11. means on said floating piston for holding said retainer means in its control piston retaining condition.

Claim 7

an inner concentric fluid-conducting sleeve element secured to and spaced from the housing element, said sleeve element forming a well fluid flow passage through said valve assembly,

Claim 8

an inner concentric fluid-conducting sleeve element secured to and spaced from the housing element, said sleeve element forming a well fluid flow passage through said valve assembly,

Claim 9

The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the floating piston is moved into its locked position solely by application of fluid pressure through the flow passage and the port in the sleeve element to the upper end of said floating piston.

Claim 10

The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the ball valve is mounted in the lower end portion of the control piston for rotation with respect thereto, and wherein said ball valve is restrained by the sleeve element against upward movement in the housing element.

Claim 11

a ball valve for controlling flow through said flow passage,

Claim 12

a ball valve for controlling flow through said flow passage,

Claim 13

a control piston slidable in the annular space between said housing and sleeve elements and having ball valve operating means at its lower end portion,

Claim 14

a control piston slidable in the annular space between said housing and sleeve elements and having ball valve operating means at its lower end portion,

Claim 15

The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the lower end of the sleeve element includes an annular valve seat with which the ball valve cooperates to establish a fluid-tight barrier preventing flow of well fluid through the valve assembly when said ball valve is in its closed position.

Claim 16

The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the retainer means comprises a normally contracted, expansible snap ring.

Claim 17

spring means in said space and extending between said housing element and said control piston for urging said control piston to its valve closed position,

Claim 18

spring means in said space and extending between said housing element and said control piston for urging said control piston to its valve closed position,

Claim 19

a floating piston in said space and above said control piston,

Claim 20

a floating piston in said space and above said control piston,

Claim 21

The valve assembly of claim 5 wherein the snap ring is circular in cross-section configuration.

Claim 22

means cooperable with said retainer means for facilitating releasable retention of said control piston in its valve opening position by said retainer means,

Claim 23

means cooperable with said retainer means for facilitating releasable retention of said control piston in its valve opening position by said retainer means,

Claim 24

a port in said housing for supplying fluid under pressure directly to the upper end of said control piston for opening said ball valve,

Claim 25

a port in said housing for supplying fluid under pressure directly to the upper end of said control piston for opening said ball valve,

Claim 26

a port in said sleeve element for supplying fluid under pressure directly from the flow passage to the upper end of said floating piston for moving said control piston to its valve opening position via said retainer means, said retainer means thereupon releasably retaining said control piston in its valve opening position, and

Claim 27

a port in said sleeve element for supplying fluid under pressure directly from the flow passage to the upper end of said floating piston for moving said control piston to its valve opening position via said retainer means, said retainer means thereupon releasably retaining said control piston in its valve opening position, and

Claim 28

means on said floating piston for holding said retainer means in its control piston retaining condition.

Claim 29

means on said floating piston for holding said retainer means in its control piston retaining condition.