Locking apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10018009-B2
Application number	US-201514632259-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2015
Priority date	Feb 26, 2015
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus includes a blowout preventer housing, a ram movable within the blowout preventer housing. The apparatus further including a rod configured to move the blowout preventer ram and including an outer surface and a piston configured to move the rod. A friction assembly is configured to engage the outer surface of the rod and prevent movement of the rod and the ram when engaged.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a blowout preventer housing;
a blowout preventer ram moveable within the housing;
a rod configured to move the blowout preventer ram and comprising an outer surface;
a piston configured to move the rod; and
a friction assembly comprising:
a coil element positioned around the rod and movable between an engaged position to engage the outer surface of the rod to prevent movement of the rod and the ram, and a disengaged position to disengage the outer surface of the rod to enable movement of the rod and the ram; and
an actuation assembly to apply an axial force to the coil element and move the coil element between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the rod comprises a connecting rod extending from the piston towards the ram and a tail rod extending from the piston away from the ram; and
the friction assembly is engageable with an outer surface of the tail rod.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the friction assembly further comprises:
a friction assembly housing;
the coil element positioned within the friction assembly housing; and
the coil element engageable between the friction assembly housing and the outer surface of the rod to prevent movement of the rod.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the coil element positioned around the rod is configured to tighten around the outer surface of the rod to engage the rod.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the friction assembly housing comprises a tapered inner surface and the coil element comprises a tapered outer surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuation assembly is biased towards the disengaged position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuation assembly comprises an engagement member to apply the axial force to the coil element.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the friction assembly further comprises a biasing mechanism to bias the coil element towards the engaged position.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the friction assembly further comprises a seal assembly positionable between the friction assembly housing and the rod.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to send a signal and receive a reflection of the signal from an end of the rod to measure a position of the rod with respect to the sensor.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a rod comprising an outer surface; and
a piston movable within the housing and configured to move the rod;
a friction assembly comprising:
a coil element positioned around the rod and movable between an engaged position to engage the outer surface of the rod to prevent movement of the rod, and a disengaged position to disengage the outer surface of the rod and enable movement of the rod; and
an actuation assembly to apply an axial force to the coil element and move the coil element between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the rod is configured to move a blowout preventer ram within a blowout preventer;
the rod comprises a connecting rod extending from the piston towards the blowout preventer ram and a tail rod extending from the piston away from the blowout preventer ram; and
the friction assembly engageable with an outer surface of the tail rod.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the friction assembly further comprises:
a friction assembly housing;
the coil element positioned within the friction assembly housing; and
wherein the coil element is engageable between the friction assembly housing and the outer surface of the rod to prevent movement of the rod when engaged.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the coil element positioned around the rod is configured to tighten around the outer surface of the rod to engage the rod.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the actuation assembly comprises an engagement member to apply the axial force to the coil element.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the friction assembly further comprises a biasing mechanism to bias the coil element towards the engaged position.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Kroesen Gerrit

Classifications

• F15B15/261

  using positive interengagement, e.g. balls and grooves, for locking in the end positions · CPC title

• E21B33/062 Primary

  with sliding rams · CPC title