Quarter turn torque anchor and catcher

Abstract

A tubing anchor for anchoring and catching well equipment in a well conduit to arrest movement in both longitudinal directions and rotation in a first direction. A mandrel connected to the equipment has in one embodiment C or reverse C-shaped grooves when viewed in front elevation for slideably receiving respective pins from a drag body on the mandrel. A slip retainer on the mandrel houses slips for selectively engaging and disengaging the conduit. An initial pull of the mandrel causes the pins to move the drag body toward the slip retainer driving the slips outward to grip the conduit. Rotation of the mandrel in the first direction sets the anchor to arrest movement. Further pulling and a reversed turn of the mandrel maintains the set position. A spring biases the slips outward to maintain their set to catch the well equipment in the event of a break in the string above the anchor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tubing anchor tool for well equipment in a well conduit to arrest movement in both longitudinal directions and rotation in a first direction comprising:
 a mandrel connected to said well equipment, said mandrel having a longitudinal axis of rotation;   a first cone element slidably mounted on to said mandrel, said first cone element having a first conical surface;   a drag body slidably mounted on said mandrel, a drag coupled to said drag body sized to drag against said well conduit, said drag body having a second cone element having a second conical surface;   a slip retainer mounted on said mandrel, said slip retainer housing at least one slip, each slip off said at least one slip having an inner surface, and an opposed outer surface for gripping said well conduit, and a biasing device urging each slip inwardly toward said mandrel and away from said well conduit;   at least one pin connected to said drag body and having a portion of said pin protruding toward said mandrel; and,   said mandrel having at least one groove slideably receiving said protruding portion of said pin in sliding relation in said groove;   wherein a tension applied to said well equipment causes an initial pulling on said mandrel which causes said pin, and in turn said second cone element to move toward said first cone element so that said second conical surface of said drag body contacts said inner surface of each said slip and urges said inner surface of each said slip to contact said first conical surface of said first cone element so that said first and second conical surfaces drive each said slip outward so that said outer surfaces of each said slip grips said well conduit,   
       and wherein said groove has at least one longitudinally extending portion and at least one lateraly extending portion contiguous with and extending laterally of said at least one longitudinally extending portion, wherein said at least one longitudinally extending portion extends along said mandrel and said at least one laterally extending portion extends at least partially around said mandrel,
 wherein said pulling of said mandrel translates said pin to an end of said at least one longitudinally extending portion of said groove so as to said cause said pin, and in turn said second conical surface of said drag body, to move toward said first cone element, 
 
       and further comprising at least one spring configured to resiliently urge said first cone element towards said second conical surface to thereby provide a catcher, wherein a release of said tension caused by a break in said well equipment drives said spring, and thereby said first cone element, so as to engage said inner surface of each said slip and to to drive each said slip outward to said grip the well conduit. 
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said at least one longitudinally extending portion includes laterally spaced apart first and second longitudinally extending portions, and wherein said at least one laterally extending portion includes longitudinally spaced apart first and second laterally extending portions interleaved with said first and second longitudinally extending portions, so as to provide a sequence in said groove of said first longitudinally extending portion, said first laterally extending portion, said second longitudinally extending portion, said second laterally extending portion. 
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 2  wherein said first and second laterally extending portions of said groove require, for said portion of said pin to follow along said groove, that said mandrel be turned in reverse first and second corresponding directions about said axis of rotation. 
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein in said groove, said at least one laterally extending portion extends at least substantially a quarter of a circumferential distance around said mandrel. 
     
     
         5 . The tool of  claim 3  wherein said groove, when said mandrel is viewed in vertical elevation, is shaped as substantially a C-shape or a reversed C-shape depending on the vertical orientation of the mandrel when so viewed. 
     
     
         6 . The tool of  claim 5  wherein a plurality of said grooves are radially spaced around the circumference of said mandrel. 
     
     
         7 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said at least one pin is adapted to shear off to provide a secondary release when said mandrel is pulled in tension in excess of a failure shear resistance of said at least one pin. 
     
     
         8 . A method of anchoring well equipment in a well conduit to arrest movement in both longitudinal directions and rotation in a first direction, and to allow rotation in an opposite second direction, using a tubing anchor and catcher having:
 a mandrel connected to said well equipment, said mandrel having a longitudinal axis of rotation;
 a first cone element slidably mounted on said mandrel, said first cone element having a first conical surface; 
 a drag body slidably mounted on said mandrel, a drag coupled to said drag body and sized to drag against said well conduit, said drag body having a second cone element having a second conical surface; 
 a slip retainer mounted on said mandrel, said slip retainer housing at least one slip, each said slip of said at least one slip having an inner surface, and an opposed outer surface for gripping said well conduit, and a biasing device urging each slip inwardly toward said mandrel and away from said well conduit; 
 at least one pin connected to said drag body and having a portion of said pin protruding toward said mandrel; and, 
 said mandrel having at least one groove slideably receiving said protruding portion of said pin in sliding relation in said groove; 
 wherein a tension applied to said well equipment causes an initial pulling on said mandrel which causes said pin, and in turn said second cone element to move toward said first cone element so that said second conical surface of said drag body contacts said inner surface of each said slips and urges said inner surface of each said slip to contact said first conical surface of said first cone element so that said first and second conical surfaces drive each said slip outward so that said outer surfaces of each said slip grips said well conduit, 
   
       and wherein said groove has at least one longitudinally extending portion and at least one lateraly extending portion contiguous with and extending laterally of said at least one longitudinally extending portion, wherein said at least one longitudinally extending portion extends along said mandrel and said at least one laterally extending portion extends at least partially around said mandrel,
 wherein said pulling of said mandrel translates said pin to an end of said at least one longitudinally extending portion of said groove so as to said cause said pin, and in turn said second conical surface of said drag body, to move toward said first cone element, 
 
       and further comprising at least one spring configured to resiliently urge said first cone element towards said second conical surface to thereby provide a catcher, wherein, a release of said tension caused by a break in said well equipment drives said spring, and thereby said first cone element, so as to engage said inner surface of each said slip and drive each said slip outward to said grip the said well conduit, 
       wherein said at least one longitudinally extending portion includes laterally spaced apart first and second longitudinally extending portions, and wherein said at least one laterally extending portion includes longitudinally spaced apart first and second laterally extending portions interleaved with said first and second longitudinally extending portions, so as to provide a sequence in said groove of said first longitudinally extending portion, said first laterally extending portion, said second longitudinally extending portion, said second laterally extending portion, 
       wherein said first and second laterally extending portions of said groove require, for said portion of said pin to follow along said groove, that said mandrel be turned in first and second reverse directions about said axis of rotation, 
       wherein said method comprises:
 exerting an initial pull on said mandrel to move said pin along said longitudinally extending portion of said groove to extend said slips to grip said well conduit; and, 
 then rotating said mandrel in said first direction to move said pin along said first laterally extending portion of said groove to set said tubing anchor, then exerting a further pull on said mandrel followed by a reverse turn of said mandrel, after said rotation, so as to move said pin along said second longitudinally extending portion and said second laterally extend portion respectively to maintain said tubing anchor in said set position. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein unsetting of said tubing anchor comprises reversing the steps to extend said slips and set said anchor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein a secondary unsetting of said tubing anchor comprises increasing said further pull and/or torque on said mandrel until the failure shear resistance of said pins is exceeded.