Wells – Submerged well – Riser
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-29
2001-01-16
Tsay, Frank (Department: 3672)
Wells
Submerged well
Riser
C405S224200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173782
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a connector for use in supporting a riser from cables which extend about sheaves intermediate the riser and a tensioning device located on a floating rig above a subsea wellhead to which the lower end of the riser is to be anchored. More particularly, it relates to improvements in connectors of this type in which the wear point on the cable where it passes over the sheave may be changed from time to time.
Heretofore, this has required that the lower end of each cable be detached from the riser connector and advanced to change the wear point, and a portion of its lower end removed to permit the cable to be reattached to the riser. The attachment and detachment of the cable is a difficult task due not only to the location of the connectors, but also because of the size of the cables, which are often 2 to 2½″ in diameter.
SUMMARY
The object of this invention is to provide a connector of this type in which the cable may be advanced without having to detach and reattach it from and to the riser, particularly from a remote location, as, for example, from the drill floor.
These and other objects are accomplished, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, by a connector which comprises an elongate body having means on its lower end for pivotal attachment to the riser, a longitudinal opening having an upper end to receive the lower end of the cable for extension therethrough, and first gripping means surrounding the cable and supported and arranged within the body opening to grip the cable, and thus support the riser therefrom, in response to the application of upward force to the gripping means. The connector further comprises actuator means having a sleeve surrounding the cable for vertical reciprocation within the body opening between upper and lower positions, and second gripping means supported and arranged within the sleeve to slide over the cable, as the sleeve is moved from its lower to its upper position, and the cable is supported from the first gripping means, and then grip and lower the cable through the first gripping means, as the sleeve is moved downwardly within the body to its lower position. More particularly, means are provided for selectively moving the sleeve means between its upper and lower positions, whereby the sleeve need only be raised and then lowered to lower a desired length of cable through the body opening, and thus change its wear point on the sheave, without need for its detachment and reattachment of its lower end to the connector.
In one embodiment of the invention, the upward force results at least in part from the application of tension to the upper end of the cable. In those instances in which that may not be sufficient, and in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, an auxiliary piston is provided beneath the first gripping means and sealably slidable within the body opening to form a pressure chamber having a downwardly facing pressure responsive piston surface. A port is also provided in the body through which pressure fluid may be supplied to the chamber, in order to add to the upward force due to tension on the cable by lifting the first gripping means, following which it may be exhausted therefrom to permit the first gripping means to as the move downwardly with the cable.
In the preferred and illustrated embodiments of the invention, the sleeve is a piston sealably slidable within the body opening to form upper and lower chambers having upwardly and downwardly facing pressure responsive surfaces, respectively, and the means for moving the sleeve comprises ports in the body through which pressure fluid may selectively be supplied to or exhausted from each of the chambers. More particularly, the piston has an upper cylindrical portion sealably slidable within an upper cylindrical portion of the body opening, an intermediate enlarged diameter cylindrical portion sealably slidable within an intermediate cylindrical portion of the body opening to form the upper pressure chamber, and a lower reduced diameter cylindrical portion sealably slidable with a lower cylindrical portion of the body opening to form the lower pressure chamber.
As also shown, the body preferably has a side recess beneath the lower open end of the opening which has a curved wall against which the cable is guidably slidable.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3493043 (1970-02-01), Watkins
patent: 3517738 (1970-06-01), Petersen
patent: 3709291 (1973-01-01), Hnaes et al.
patent: 4024718 (1977-05-01), Roche et al.
patent: 4272059 (1981-06-01), Noerager et al.
patent: 4540314 (1985-09-01), Falkner, Jr.
Browning Bushman
Dril-Quip Inc.
Tsay Frank
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