Claims
- 1. An assembly for anchoring and orienting a well tool at a subsurface location in a well tube, comprising:
- (a) tubular receiving means located at a first subsurface location within said tube;
- (b) a first recessed area on the internal surface of said tubular receiving means providing increased internal diametrical clearance within said recessed area relative to the clearance of said tube;
- (c) a second, further recessed, area functionally connected with said first recessed area providing a greater diametrical internal clearance within said tube, said second recessed area being located at a defined, limited, circumferential position on the internal surface of said tube;
- (d) outwardly biased, radially movable latch means for anchoring and orienting said well tool within said receiving means, said latch means being moveable longitudinally through said tube from the surface to the subsurface location of said receiving means;
- (e) a first contour on the external face of said latch means for meshing engagement with corresponding receiving contours formed in said first recessed area whereby said latch means is moveable outwardly into meshing position with said first recessed area when said latching means and said first recessed area are aligned longitudinally;
- (f) a second contour on the external face of said latch means for meshing engagement with corresponding receiving contours formed in said second recessed area whereby said latch means is moveable radially outwardly beyond its radial movement into said first recessed area; and
- (g) rotational stopping means included with said second recessed area to engage and limit rotational movement of said latch means within said receiving means.
- 2. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said first recessed area includes circumferentially developed grooves extending fully about the internal circumference of said receiving means.
- 3. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said second recessed area includes slots extending only partially about the internal circumference of said receiving means.
- 4. An assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said second recessed area includes slots extending only partially about the internal circumference of said receiving means.
- 5. An assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said rotational stopping means includes square shouldered engaging means between said latch means and said slot means.
- 6. An assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said rotational stopping means includes square shouldered engaging means between said latch means and said slot means.
- 7. An assembly for anchoring and orienting a well tool at a subsurface location comprising:
- (a) an internally slotted and grooved tubular receiving segment adapted to be contained at a subsurface location as part of a well pipe;
- (b) a latch assembly carrying latch means and adapted to be lowered through said well pipe to said tubular receiving segment;
- (c) spring biasing means for urging said latch means radially outwardly into engagement with the internal surface of said receiving segment;
- (d) an area of internally formed grooves on the internal surface of said receiving segment;
- (e) a pattern of axially extending slots formed within said grooved area, said slots having bases with greater radial distance away from the center line of said receiving segment that the bases of said grooves; and
- (f) groove matching and slot matching contours formed on the radially outer surfaces of said latch means whereby said latch means are permitted to extend radially outwardly when said groove and slot contours coincide with corresponding contours on the internal surface of said receiving segment.
- 8. An assembly as defined in claim 7, said latch means including at least two latching members with each member having groove and slot matching contours which differ from those of the other member.
- 9. An assembly as defined in claim 8, further including:
- (a) three or more circumferentially spaced latching members, each such member having groove and slot matching contours which are different from those of the other members; and
- (b) three or more circumferentially spaced slot sets in said grooved area, each such slot set having a configuration which will accept the mating configuration of only one of said latching members.
- 10. An assembly as defined in claim 9, further including:
- (a) latch carrying means for supporting said latch members for radial movement within said latching means;
- (b) opposing spring biasing means acting on tapered end surfaces on said latch members for providing radially outwardly exerted biasing forces on said latch members; and
- (c) downwardly directed square shoulder contours on said latch members for engagement with upwardly directed square shoulder contours in said grooved area to prevent downward motion of said latch means when said latch members meet with their appropriate slot sets and spring into their radially outermost position.
- 11. An assembly as defined in claim 10, further including tapered upwardly directed end surfaces on said latch members adapted to engage tapered downwardly directed surfaces on said grooves and slots whereby said latch members are forced to retract radially inwardly when said latch means is pulled upwardly through said grooved area.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application contains subject matter common to that contained in U.S. application Ser. No. 08/496,775, filed on Jun. 29, 1995, entitled INTERNAL PRESSURE SLEEVE FOR USE WITH EASILY DRILLABLE EXIT PORTS, in the names of Larry Comeau, et al.
US Referenced Citations (9)