Barrier with rotation protection

Abstract

A barrier includes a housing and a valve member disposed in the housing. A flow tube within the housing and an actuator disposed in the housing are in operable communication with the flow tube. The flow tube is configured to rotate within other components of the barrier without imparting rotational torque to the actuator or the other components. A method of drilling through a barrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A barrier comprising:
 a housing;   valve member disposed in the housing;   a flow tube within the housing; and   an actuator disposed in the housing and in operable communication with the flow tube, the flow tube configured to rotate within other components of the barrier without imparting rotational torque to the actuator or the other components.   
     
     
         2 . The barrier as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising an actuator coupling operatively connected to the flow tube through a bearing or bushing so that the flow tube is rotationally independent of the actuator coupling. 
     
     
         3 . The barrier as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the actuator coupling is operatively connected to the actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The barrier as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the actuator is a piston rod and cylinder. 
     
     
         5 . The barrier as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a spring, the spring interactive with a bearing or bushing at a first end of the spring, a bearing or bushing at a second end of the spring, or both. 
     
     
         6 . The barrier as claimed in  claim 5  further comprising a spring coupling at the second end of the spring. 
     
     
         7 . The barrier as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the spring coupling comprises a circumferential groove therein receptive to a pin extending from the actuator such that the spring coupling and actuator remain axially fixed together while rotationally independent. 
     
     
         8 . The barrier as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising an alignment component, fixed to the housing and including a groove interactive with a lug attached to the actuator such that the actuator is axially movable and rotationally fixed relative to the alignment component. 
     
     
         9 . A barrier comprising:
 a flow tube axially positionable by an actuator of the barrier and rotationally independent of other components of the barrier.   
     
     
         10 . A drilling barrier valve for a downhole operation comprising:
 a housing;   a valve member;   a flow tube in operable communication with the valve member;   an alignment component rotationally fixed to the housing   a spring in operable communication with the flow tube and the housing;   isolation components operable to isolate rotational movement of the flow tube from the housing, valve member, and spring.   
     
     
         11 . A method of drilling through a barrier comprising:
 running a drill string through a barrier having a structure such that a flow tube of the barrier is rotationally independent of other components of the barrier; and   decoupling any rotational input imparted to the flow tube from the drill string from other components of the barrier.