US3467184A - Well packer with resettable anchor and packer means - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 16, 1969 c. R. YOUNG 3,467,134

WELL PACKER WITH RESETABLE ANCHOR AND PACKER MEANS Filed May 22, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.-2B

INVENTOR CARTER FLYOUNG F! c 2 A W m C. R. YOUNG Sept. 16, 1969 WELL PACKER WITH RBSETABLE ANCHOR AND PACKER MEANS Filed May 22. 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGrG INVENTOR CARTER RYQUNG ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,467,184 WELL PACKER WITH RESETTABLE ANCHOR AND PACKER MEANS Carter R. Young, Dallas, Tex., assigmor to Otis Engineering Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 22, 1967, Ser. No. 640,117 Int. Cl. E21b 23/06, 33/12 U.S. Cl. 166-129 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A packer connectable in a well flow tubing string and operable by manipulation of said flow string for closing the annulus between the flow string and the wall of the casing in the well in which the string of tubing is positioned, said packer having resettable anchor and packing means provided thereon, and latch means for expanding and releasably holding the packing means in expanded packing position against movement to non-sealing position by pressure in either direction, said packer having means for releasing said latch means to permit said packing to move to non-sealing position and said anchor means to released position, and the packer to be reset at a difierent location, if desired.

This invention relates to well tools and more particularly to a well packer for sealing between a flow conductor and the casing of a well.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved well packer for closing the annulus between an inner flow conductor, such as a string of tubing, and an outer flow conductor, such as a well casing.

Another object is to provide a well packer which permits the inner flow conductor to be held in tension or compression relative to the packer and which is held in set position regardless of the direction of the force exerted thereon by the pressure differential acting across the set packer.

Still another object is to provide a well packer having a tubular mandrel which is connectable in the inner flow conductor to constitute a section thereof and an outer tubular assembly mounted thereon and which includes expandable packing elements and means for anchoring the outer assembly against movement relative to the well casing and to the mandrel and to hold the packing elements in their expanded sealing position.

A further object is to provide a well packer having a bypass between the mandrel and the packer elements to facilitate the movement of the packer through the outer flow conductor and having means for closing the bypass when the packer is set.

A still further object is to provide a packer wherein the anchoring means includes expansible slips and a pair of opposed expander means for moving the slips outwardly to expanded gripping position with a well casing and wherein one lower expander means prevents downward movement of the slips and the other upper expander means prevents upward movement of the slips relative to the casing.

Still another object is to provide a packer having latch means for releasably holding the upper expander means against upward movement relative to the slips and prevent the packing elements from moving to their retracted position if an upwardly acting pressure differential is exerted thereacross.

Still another object is to provide a well packer wherein the anchoring means and the packing element are easily and quickly movable from their inoperative retracted position to their expanded operative position to set the packer in a well casing and from their operative to their inoperative position to permit removal of the packer from the casing upon limited rotational and longitudinal movement of the string of tubing to which the packer is connected.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURES 1A and 1B are vertical partly sectional views of the well packer embodying the invention, FIGURE 1B being a continuation of FIGURE 1A, showing the elements of the packer in the relative position asumed thereby during downward movement of the packer through a well casing;

FIGURES 2A and 2B are similar to FIGURES 1A and 1B, and show the packer in set position in a well casing;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 33 of FIGURE 1B;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are sectional views taken on lines 44 and 55, respectively, of FIGURE 2A;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a latch element of the packer;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the lower portion of the packer; and,

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on lines 88 of FIGURE 7.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, the packer 20 embodying the invention includes a mandrel 21 having a top section 22 in whose upper internally threaded end portion 24 is securable the lower threaded end portion of the usual section 25 of a string of tubing T, a middle section 26 whose upper end portion is threaded, as at 27, in the top mandrel section, and a bottom section 28 on whose upper end is threaded, as at 29, on the reduced lower end portion 30 of the middle mandrel section.

An outer tubular assembly 32 of the packer mounted on the mandrel intermediate its ends, includes a lower expander assembly 33, a middle or slip assembly 34 and upper or packing assembly 35.

The lower expander assembly includes a tubular latch body 36, having a lower expander 37 connected thereto, mounted for limited longitudinal movement relative to the slip assembly 34. The body 36 has a pair of diametrically opposed internal lugs 40 which are receivable in a pair of J-slots 41 of the bottom mandrel section which releasably limit downward movement of the mandrel relative to the latch body during the installation of the packer in a well casing.

The J-slots have upwardly opening long leg portions 42, short leg portions 43 and intermediate connecting portions 44. The lower ends of the leg portions 42 and 43, and the intermediate portions 44 of the J-slots are defined by cam shoulders or surfaces 46 which slope downwardly to the surfaces or shoulders 47 which define the lower ends of the short leg portions 43. When the mandrel lugs are disposed in the upper end portions of the short leg portions, downward movement of the mandrel relative to the latch body is limited by the downwardly facing surfaces or shoulders 48 of the bottom mandrel section defining the upper ends of the short leg portions of the J-slots.

The latch body has a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced external recesses 51. The side surfaces 52 of the latch body defining the longitudinal recesses are engageable with the longitudinal edge surfaces of drag springs '54 to prevent their circumferential displacement on the latch body. The drag springs have substantially planar bottom end portions 55 which are rigidly secured to the latch body by screws 57 which extend through suitable apertures in the bottom portions of the springs into threaded bores 58 of the latch body, and arcuate middle portions 59 which inherently assume the positions illustrated in FIGURE 1B wherein diametrically opposed springs have their middle portions spaced a distance substantially greater than the internal diameter of the well casing C. The upper ends of the springs are slidable on the external surfaces 60 of the drag spring body as the springs are deformed or bent inwardly as the packer is inserted into a well casing.

The expander 37 is connected to the upper end of the latch body 36 by an annular cap 62 whose lower reduced portion 63 is threaded in the upper end portion of the latch body, the reduced lower end portion 64 of the lower expander being in turn threaded in the cap.

The lower end portion 65 of the expander below the lower end of the cap is receivable in the internal upwardly opening recesses 66 of a plurality of latch elements 68 to limit the upward and inward movement of their upper end portions relative to the mandrel. The latch elements are biased toward inner contracted positions by an annular spring 70 which extends about the elements and is received in the aligned external recesses 72 thereof. Movement of the latch segments relative to each other and to the latch body is limited by screws 74 whose shanks are threaded in bores 76 of the latch elements and whose enlarged heads are disposed in the lateral apertures 77 of the latch body.

When the mandrel is in the upper position relative to the latch body illustrated in FIGURES 1A and 1B, the latch elements are held in their outer or expanded positions by the engagement of the internal surfaces 80 of the internal bottom flanges 81 of the latch elements with the external latch surface 82 of the bottom mandrel section. The latch elements are provided with internal serrations or teeth 84 and with bottom internal upwardly and inwardly sloping cam shoulder 85 for a purpose to be described below.

The slip assembly 34 of a tubular slip carrier 86 of the slip assembly on whose ends are threaded bottom and top retainer rings 87 and 88, respectively. The bottom retainer ring 'has an internal annular flange 90 whose top upwardly facing shoulder or surface 91 is engageable with the downwardly facing annular shoulder 92 of the external flange 93 of the lower expander 37 to limit upward movement of the slip carrier relative to the lower expander. The lower expander has an upwardly and inwardly extending cam or expander surface 95 which is engageable with the lower internal cam surfaces 96 of a plurality of slips 98 which are mounted in the longitudinal slots or windows 99 of the clip carrier. The slips are biased towards their inner retracted positions, wherein their inward movement is limited by the engagement of their middle intemal arcuate surfaces 101 with the external surface 102 of the bottom tubular section 103 of the tubular body 104 of the packing assembly 35, by an annular spring 105 which extends about the slip carrier and is received in the aligned external recesses 108 and 109 of the slip carrier and of the slips. Bars 110, which are secured to the slip carrier in any suitable manner, as by welding, have end portions which extend into the windows 99 and the outwardly opening end recesses 114 of the slips so that the engagement of the surfaces of the slips defining the inner ends of their end recesses with the bars limits outward movement of the slips on the slip carrier.

The top retainer ring 88 threaded on the reduced upper end portion of the slip carrier has an internal annular flange 117 whose bottom surface is adapted to engage the upwardly facing shoulder 119 of the external annular flange 120 of an upper expander 122 to limit upward movement of the upper expander relative to the slip carrier. The upper expander has an upwardly and outwardly inclined or extending expander or cam surface 123 which is engageable with the internal upwardly and outwardly inclined cam surfaces 124 of the slips 98. The upper expander 122 will tend to expand the slips 98 upon downward movement of the upper expander relative to the slip carrier and the slips. Downward movement of the upper .4 expander relative to the bottom section 103 of the packing assembly body 104 is limited by the engagement of the internal flange 125 of a cap 126 threaded on the top end portion of the upper expander with the top shoulder 128 of an external annular flange '129 of the bottom section 103. The top annular surface 130 of the cap limits downward movement of a plurality of annular resilient packing elements 131 disposed about the section 103 whose upward movement thereon is limited by the engagement of the top end surface of the top packer element with the downwardly facing annular end shoulder 133 of the middle section 134 of the tubular body 105. The middle body section is threaded on the upper end of the bottom section 103 and has an O-ring 136 disposed in an internal annular recess thereof which seals between these two body sections above the packing elements. The middle section body has an internal annular flange 137 which limits downward movement of the middle section on the bottom section 103 and also provides an upwardly facing annular stop shoulder 138 for a purpose to be described below.

The middle body section 134 has an internal upwardly opening annular recess 139 in which a seal assembly 141 is disposed. The seal assembly includes a resilient seal element 142 and a pair of back-up rings 143 disposed above and below the seal element. Downward movement of the seal assembly is limited by the upwardly facing annular shoulder 145 defining the lower end of the recess 140 and its upward movement is limited by the downwardly facing annular shoulder 147 provided by an internal annular flange 148 of the top section 149 of the packing assembly body 104 whose lower portion 150 is threaded on the upper reduced end portion 151 of the middle body section 134.

The seal assembly is adapted to sealingly engage the seal surface 154 of the top mandrel section 22 when the mandrel is in a lower position relative to the packing assembly body as will be explained below.

The top section 149 is provided with a pair of lugs 158 whose inner portions are receivable in the J-slots 159 of the top mandrel section 22. The I-slotshave downwardly opening long leg portions 161 and short leg portions 162. When the lugs 158 are in the short leg portions 162, upward movement of the mandrel relative to the packing assembly body 104 is limited by the engagement of the shoulders or surfaces 164 of the top body section defining the bottom ends of the short leg portions with the legs 158. The middle section 26 of the mandrel is enlarged intermediate its ends to provide an upwardly facing annular shoulder which is engageable by the downwardly facing internal annular shoulder 171 of the section 103 to limit downward movement of the packing assembly body relative to the mandrel.

The mandrel and the packing assembly body 104 provide an annular bypass 177 which is closed at its lower end by an O-ring 178 disposed in an external annular recess of the middle mandrel section 26 which sealingly engages the body section 103 below its shoulder 171. The upper expander and the body section 103 are provided with ports 181 and 182, respectively, which communicate with the bypass 177 above the O-ring 78 so that when the mandrel is in the upper position relative to the packing assembly body 104, as illustrated in FIGURES 1A and IE, it communicates with the casing above and below the packing elements. When the mandrel is in a lower position relative to the body 104 wherein the mandrel seal surface 154 engages the seal 142, the upper end of the bypass is closed.

The bottom portion 103 of the packing assembly body has a plurality of external serrations or teeth 183 on its lower end portion which are engageable by the internal teeth 84 of the latch elements.

In use, the mandrel of the packer is connected to the lower end of the section 25 of the string of tubing T and is lowered into the well casing with the elements thereof in the positions relative to one another illustrated in FIG- URES 1A and 1B, wherein the lugs 40 of the latch body are in the upper ends of the short leg portions 43 of the J-slots 41 of the bottom mandrel section so that the downward movement of the mandrel relative to the latch body 42 is limited by the engagement of the shoulders 48 with the lugs. The drag springs 54 are compressed or deformed resiliently inwardly as the lower end of the packer is inserted into the well casing C since the normal inherent position of the arcuate intermediate portions 59 of diametrically opposite drag springs is greater than the internal diameter of the well casing. If desired an additional tail pipe or section of tubing, or another well tool such as a valve and the like, may be connected to the lower threaded end portion of the mandrel.

The top end of the bypass 177 is open so that the downward movement of the packer through liquids present in the well casing is facilitated since such fluids may flow upwardly through the bypass past the external restriction aiforded by the packing elements. The slip carrier 86 will be held by gravity in the lower position on the packing assembly body being supported thereon by the engagement of the shoulder 110 of the top cap 88 with the upwardly facing shoulder 119 of the top expander 122. Downward movement of the upper expander on the packing assembly body in turn is limited by the engagement of its cap flange 125 with the shoulder 128 of the bottom body section 103 and downward movement of the packing assembly body on the mandrel is limited by the engagement of the shoulders 170 and 171.

When the packer is moved downwardly to the desired location in the well casing at which it is to be set, the string of tubing is raised upwardly and rotated in a clockwise direction, FIGURE 3, at the surface. Movement of the latch body is now resisted by the frictional engagement of the drag springs 54 with the well casing. The mandrel is freed for upward movement relative to the latch body as the long leg portions 44 of the slots move into alignment with the lugs 40. The cam'shoulders 46 help to guide the lugs into alignment with the long leg portions.

The string of tubing is then lowered at the surface and since the latch body is now frictionally held against downward movement relative to the casing, the slip carrier assembly and the packing assembly move by gravity with the mandrel downwardly relative to the lower expander. The camming engagement of the expander surface 95 of the lower expander with the lower cam shoulders 96 of the slips causes the slips to move outwardly until their external serrations or teeth 186 engage the internal surfaces of the well casing and the outward movement of the slips is arrested. The slip carrier is then held by the slips against further downward movement in the casing. Continued downward movement of the string of tubing then causes the expander surface 123 of the top expander to engage the upper cam shoulders 124 of the slips and this tends to move the slips further outwardly due to the weight of the expander itself and of the packing assembly which is now supported against downward movement by the upper expander since the packing element resiliently resists longitudinal compression thereof. During the downward movement of the mandrel relative to the packing assembly, the lugs 158 move into the downwardly opening long leg portions of the J-slots 159 of the top mandrelsection to permit such continued downward movement. Continued downward movement of the string of tubing then causes the mandrel to continue to move downwardly relative to the packing assembly and its seal surface 154 moves downwardly within the seal ring and engages the seal 141, and the'top end of the bypass 177 is thus closed. Downward movement of the mandrel is continued relative to the packing assembly until the bottom shoulder 188 of the top mandrel section engages the top shoulder 138 of the internal fiange 137 of the section 134 of the packing assembly body 104. When the shoulder 188 of the mandrel engages the shoulder 138 of the packing assembly body 104, a downward force is exerted on the packing assembly body and, since the packing elements 131 resist deformation, a downward force is exerted on the upper expander 122 to cause it to further increase the force with which the slips are moved and held outwardly. Further downward movement of the upper expander is arrested when the further outward movement of the slips is arrested due to their engagement with their internal surfaces of the well casing.

As the mandrel moves downwardly relative to the packing assembly and the now stationary latch body 36, its latch surface 82 moves downwardly of the internal flanges 81 of the latch elements 68 and the latch segments are pivoted downwardly and inwardly toward retracted positions as the upwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder 190 of the bottom mandrel section moves downwardly of the bottom internal cam shoulders of the latch elements. Continued downward movement of the mandrel and of the packing assembly body 104 relative to the packing elements, whose downward movement is now prevented by the now stationary upper expander 122, results in their longitudinal compression and radial expansion into sealing engagement with the casing. During the downward movement of the packing assembly body relative to the latch body, the external teeth or serrations 183 of the bottom section 103 of the packing assembly body moves downwardly relative to the latch elements and into engagement with the teeth 84 of the latch elements. The camming engagement of the upwardly and outwardly inclined bottom surfaces of the serrations 183 with the downwardly and inwardly inclined top surfaces of the serrations 84 of the latch elements pivots the latch elements upwardly and outwardly to permit such downward movement of the packing assembly body relative to the latch segments. When the packing elements are in their fully expanded positions, the engagement of the abrupt downwardly facing shoulders of the serrations of the latch elements with the similarly abrupt top surfaces of the serrations of the bottom section of the packing assembly body prevents upward movement of the packing assembly body relative to the latch elements and therefore relative to the latch body. The packer is now in anchored and sealing engagement with the well casing as illustrated in FIG- URES 2A and 2B.

A pressure differential in the well casing which exerts an upward force on the packing assembly body will not result in release of the packer, since the packing assembly body 104 is now held against upward movement relative to the latch body by the engagement of the serrations 84 of the slips with packing assembly body so that the lower expander holds the slips in their expanded positions and the packing elements are held in their expanded positions. A downwardly acting pressure differential which may exert a downward force on the packing assembly body will of course now merely exert a greater downward force on the packing elements since downward movement of the upper expander is prevented due to its engagement with the upper cam shoulders of the slips and in turn holds the slips in expanded position.

It will thus be apparent that neither an upwardly nor a downwardly acting pressure differential will tend to cause the packing elements to move out of sealing engagement with the casing or the anchoring assembly out of the gripping and anchored engagement with the internal surfaces of the well casing.

If it is desired that the string of tubing be held in tension during production of well fluids or other operations of the well, the string of tubing is rotated in a counter clockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 2A to cause the short leg portions 162 of the J-slots 159 of the top mandrel section to move into alignment with the lugs 158 and then an upward movement is imparted to the String of tubing at the surface until its upward movement is arrested by the engagement of the lugs 158 with the shoulders 164 of the mandrel, as is illustrated in FIGURE 2A, whereupon the upward movement of the bottom end of the string of 7 tubing is arrested. If it is desired that the string of tubing be in compression, it is lowered at the surface until the shoulder 188 of the top mandrel section engages the shoulder 158 of the packing assembly body whereupon downward movement of the bottom end of the string of tubing is arrested and as much of the weight of the tubing string as is desired may then be supported by the packer.

If it is desired that the tubing be suspended at the surface of the well and the mandrel be free to move longitudinally to the outer tubular assembly 32 of the packer, as, for example, to accommodate variations in the length of the string of tubing due to changes of temperatures, the string of tubing is rotated to position the long leg portions 161 of the J-slots 159 in alignment with the lugs 158 and the string of tubing is then moved longitudinally to an intermediate position relative to the outer assembly where the seal 142 engages the seal surface 154 at its middle portion. The seal 142 will then maintain the bypass closed even though the seal surface 154 moves longitudinally within predetermined limit. The length of the seal surface in this case is chosen to accommodate the expected variations in the length of the tubing so caused.

If it is thereafter desired to remove the packer from the well, the string of tubing is rotated and moved longitudinally as required to free the mandrel for upward movement relative to the packing assembly body, i.e., to move the J-slots 159 of the top mandrel to seal position so that their long leg portions 161 are in alignment with the lugs 158, whereupon the string of tubing and the mandrel are moved upwardly. During this upward movement, the seal surface 154 of the top mandrel section moves out of engagement with the seal 142 and the top end of the bypass 177 is opened by any existing pressure differential across the packing elements and the packing assembly body is now eliminated by fluid flow through the bypass. The outer tubular assembly is then held in anchored and sealing engagement with the well casing until the pressure thereacross is equalized.

As the upward movement of the mandrel continues, the cam shoulder 190 of the bottom mandrel section above its lock or latch surface 82 moves into camming engagement with the bottom cam shoulders 85 of the latch elements and the latch elements lower ends are pivoted outwardly and their internal serrations 84 move out of engagement with the serrations 183 of the bottom section 103 of the packing assembly body 104. After the latch elements have been moved out of locking engagement with the serrations of the packing assembly body, the packing assembly body is freed to move upward relative to the latch body. Continued upward movement of the string of tubing and the mandrel, then causes the shoulder 170 of the middle mandrel section to engage the internal shoulder 171 of the packing assembly body, whereupon the packing assembly body is moved upwardly with the mandrel relative to the slip assembly 34 and the upper expander 122. The packing elements are then freed for resilient movement to their retracted positions.

As the upward movement of the mandrel is continued, the shoulder 128 of the packing assembly body engages the flange 125 of the cap 126 secured to the upper expander. Further upward movement of the mandrel then results in upward movement of the upper expander therewith and relative to the slip carrier and the slips until the expander moves out of engagement with the slips and its shoulder 119 engages the shoulder 118 of the cap 88 secured to the upper end of the slip carrier.

Continued upward movement of the mandrel now causes the slip carrier to move upwardly which tends to move the slips 98 also upwardly and relative to the lower expander 96 which is still held against upward movement by the frictional force of the drag springs. The slips may drag a very short distance along the internal surface of the well casing but since even a very short upward movement of the slips relative to the expander surface 95 of the lower expander frees them for inward movement, they are moved inwardly by the force of the spring 105 and the slip carrier is then freed for upward movement in the well casing with the mandrel. Continued upward movement of the mandrel then causes the J-slots 41 of the bottom mandrel section to receive the lugs 40 of the latch body, the lugs being guided thereinto by the cam shoulders 46 and 46a as upward movement of the mandrel relative to the latch body continues, until the bottom surfaces 47 defining the lowermost end portion of the lower J-slots engage the lug 40 whereupon upward movement of the mandrel also results in the upward movement of the latch body.

If it is found, that the teeth or serrations of the slips have hit deeply into the well casing, or it is desired that absolutely no dragging of the slips relative to the casing take place during the release of the packer, once the mandrel has moved upwardly to the position wherein the lugs 40 of the latch body are in the J-slots 41 of the bottom mandrel section and before the shoulder 119 of the top expander 122 has engaged the flange 117 of the top cap, the string of tubing is rotated in a counter-clockwise manner, as seen from above, to position the short leg portions 43 of the J-slots 41 in alignment with the lugs 40. A downward movement is then imparted to the string of tubing which now causes the latch body and the lower expander 93 to move downwardly relative to the slips to release them for inward movement. Once the slips have been moved to their inner retracted positions, the string of tubing is again raised upwardly, the shoulder 119 of the upper expander then engages the flange 117 of the top cap before the lugs 40 engage the shoulders 47 defining the bottom ends of the J-slots and the slip carrier is then moved upwardly with the mandrel.

Once the slips have been released for inward movement, either by such straight upward movement of the string of tubing and the mandrel or the alternative method just described, the packer may be moved, upwardly through the casing for removal therefrom or the packer may again be set in the casing in another location therein by rotating the string of tubing in the mandrel to cause the short leg portions 43 of the J-slots 41 to be aligned with the lugs 40 of the latched body so that downward movement of the packer will again cause the elements of the packer to asume the positions illustrated in FIG- URES 1A and 1B. The packer can then again be set at such another location in the same manner as described above.

It will be seen that the described and illustrated packer embodying the invention may be easily moved longitudinally through the well casing because it has a bypass which is held open during such movement, and that the anchoring means is set upon simple downward movement of the mandrel relative to the outer tubular assembly 32 of the packer and only then in the by-pass closed upon further non-rotational downward movement of the mandrel into engagement with the seal 141. It will also be seen the seal surface is also moved out of engagement with the seal upon non-rotational upward movement of the mandrel relative to the packing assembly body before the anchoring means and the seal packing elements 131 are released for movement to their retracted inoperative positions. This longitudinal non-rotational movement of the seal surface relative to the seal during setting and release of the packer precludes damage to the seal such as could occur if the mandrel had to be rotated several revolutions relative to the seal during the setting or the release of the packer. It will be noted that only when it is desired to place the string of tubing under tension is there necessity for imparting rotational movement of the mandrel relative to the seal while it is engaged with the mandrel seal surface but that such rotational movement is limited to degrees or less so that during normal opera tion of the packer during its setting release or resetting the wear of the seal is minimized.

While for clarity of description the string of tubing has been described as being rotated to cease engagement of the lugs 40 in the short leg portions of the J-slots 41 and the lugs 158 in the short leg portions of J-slots 159, in actual operation only downward movement of the string of tubing need be imparted thereto at the surface to cause the lugs 40 to be cammed into the short leg portions of the J-slots 41 by their engagement with the surfaces 46 and similarly only a downward movement of the string of tubing will cause the mandrel to rotate to position the short leg portions of the J-slots 159 in alignment with the lugs 158 due to the engagement of the downwardly facing surfaces defining these J-slots with the lugs 158, since the long string of tubing will twist to permit this limited rotation of the mandrel. Subsequent upward movement of the string of tubing will cause the lugs 40 to engage the surfaces 47 or the lugs 158 to engage the surfaces 164 since such movement is normally of suflicient speed to cause the lugs to be positioned in the lower end portions of the short leg portions of the J-slots before the string of tubing can untwist in the opposite direction.

It will further be seen that, if desired, the bypass may be opened while the outer tubular assembly 32 is in anchored and sealing engagement with the well casing which may be desired in certain instances where it is desired to circulate fluids between the annulus and the string of tubing, as by pumping fluids at the surface into the tubing while permitting flow from the annulus, by raising the string of tubing to position the mandrel at an intermediate position wherein the mandrel seal surface 154 is above the seal 142 and the cam shoulder 190 is still below the shoulders 85 of the latch elements so that the packing assembly body is still locked against longitudinal movement in the casing and relative to the latch body and the slip carrier.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A packer including: a tubular mandrel; a packing assembly including a tubular body slidably disposed on said mandrel for limited longitudinal movement relative thereto; expandable packing means on said body, said body and said mandrel providing a bypass inwardly of and past said packing means and externally of said mandrel when said mandrel is in a first longitudinal position relative to said body, said mandrel being movable longitudinally relative to said body from said first position to a second longitudinal position relative to said body, said mandrel and said body having co-engagable seal means for closing said bypass when said mandrel is in said second longitudinal position relative to said body, said mandrel and said body having stop means limiting longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative to said body; anchor means on said body operable upon longitudinal movement of said body relative to said anchor means for causing said anchor means to move to expanded position, said anchor means and said mandrel having first co-engageable means for selectively preventing longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative to said anchor means and disengageable to permit said mandrel to move longitudinally relative to said anchor means and said body to said second position to move said body relative to said anchor means, said anchor means and said body having means for expanding said packing means upon further longitudinal movement of said body relative to said anchor means; l-atch means on said body and said anchor means engageable for locking said body against longitudinal movement relative to said anchor means when said packing means is in expanded position.

2. The packer of claim 1, wherein said mandrel has means co-engageable with said latch means for moving said latch means to disengaged inoperative position wherein said latch means permits longitudinal movement of said body relative to said anchor means upon predetermined longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative to said anchor means.

3.The packer of claim 2, wherein said anchor means includes a slip carrier, outwardly movable slip means carried by said slip carrier, and expander means for moving said slip means to expanded position.

4. The packer of claim 3, wherein said latch means includes a latch body mounted on said body and having enternal drag means and wherein said expander means includes a first expander carried by said latch body and engageable with said slip means for moving said slip means itno expanded position upon longitudinal movement of said slip carrier and slip means relative to said latch body and a second expander mounted on said body between said slip means and said packing means, said second expander and said body having means limiting longitudinal movement of said second expander relative to said body, said second expander being movable into engagement with said slip means to move said slip means outwardly toward expanded positions upon longitudinal movement of said second expander toward said slip means, said second expander and said body having spaced shoulder means engageable with opposite ends of said packing means for compressing said packing means longitudinally and expanding said packing means radially outwardly upon longitudinal movement of said body relative to said second expander.

5. The packer of claim 4, wherein said first coengageable means limiting longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative to said anchor means includes J-slot means in one of said mandrel and said latch body and lug means receivable in said J-slot means carried by the other of said mandrel and said latch body.

6. The packer of claim 5, wherein said mandrel and said body have second selectively co-engagea'ble means for limiting longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative to said body from said second position when said anchor means is in expanded position whereby said mandrel may be held in said second position while said packing means is held in expanded position.

7. The packer of claim 6, wherein said latch means includes latch elements movably mounted on said latch body and engageable means on said tubular body engageable by said latch elements.

8. The packer of claim 7, wherein said latch means includes means biasing said latch elements toward engagement with said engageable means.

9. The packer of claim 8, wherein said mandrel is provided with means for moving said latch elements out of engagement with said engageable means to release said tubular body for movement relative to said anchor means upon predetermined longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative to said latch body when said packing means is in expanded position.

10. A packer including: a mandrel; a tubular assembly slidably disposed on said mandrel intermediate the ends thereof, said tubular assembly comprising a packing assembly body, packing means onsaid body expandable outwardly from said packing assembly body for engaging internal surfaces of a flow conductor in which said packer is insertable, an anchor assembly below said packing means mounted for limited longitudinal movement relative to said packing assembly body, said anchor assembly having outwardly expandable anchor means, said anchor assembly and said packing assembly body having means engageable with said packing means for expanding said packing means upon downward movement of said packing assembly body relative to said anchor assembly, said anchor means being expansible into engagement with internal surfaces of a flow conductor for preventing movement of the anchor assembly in the flow conductor, and a latch body extending below and mounted for limited longitudinal movement relative to said anchor assembly, said latch body having expander means engageable with said anchor means for moving said anchor means to expanded position upon downward movement of said anchor assembly relative to said latch body, said latch body having outwardly extending drag means engageable with internal surfaces of said flow conductor in which the packer is insertable for yieldably resisting movement of said latch body in said fiow conductor, said mandrel being movable longitudinally with respect to said tubular assembly between a first upper position and a second lower position; first co-engageable means on said mandrel and said latch body for releasably holding said mandrel in its first upper position relative to said tubular assembly and said latch body in a lower position relative to said mandrel and said anchor means, said packing assembly body and said mandrel providing a fluid bypass therebetween, when said mandrel is in said upper position relative to said packing assembly body, said mandrel and said packing assembly body having co-engageable seal means for closing said by-pass when said mandrel is in said second lower position relative to said packing assembly body; and latch means on said latch body and said packing assembly body engageable for releasably holding said packing assembly body in a lower position relative to said latch body when said packing assembly body is moved downwardly relative to said latch body for holding said packing means in expanded position.

11. The packer of claim 10 wherein said mandrel and said packing assembly body have second co-engageable means for releasably holding said mandrel in its second lower position relative to said packing assembly body wherein said bypass is closed by said seal means.

12. The packer of claim 11, wherein said anchor assembly includes a carrier body and said anchor means is mounted for lateral movement on said carrier body, upper expander means movable longitudinally relative to said packing assembly engageable with said anchor means for moving said anchor means toward expanded position upon downward movement of said upper expander means relative to said carrier body, said upper expander means and said packing assembly body having co-engageable stop means limiting downward movement of said upper expander means relative to said packing assembly body, said upper expander limiting downward movement of said packing means on said packing assembly body.

13. The packer of claim 12, wherein said mandrel has means engageable with said latch means to disengage said latch means to permit said packing assembly body to move upwardly to permit said packing means to retract and said anchor means to move to released position.

14. The packer of claim 13, wherein said mandrel is movable upwardly to an intermediate position wherein said seal means opens said bypass before said latch means is disengaged to release said packing assembly body for upward movement relative to said latch body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,279,542 10/1966 Brown 166-139 3,357,489 12/1967 Brown 166-139 JAMES A. LEPPINK, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 166138, 182

Images