Ram type blowout preventer

Abstract

There is disclosed a ram type blowout preventer wherein the outer ends of guideways radiating from the bore of the body to receive the rams are closed by bonnets bolted to the body and sealed with respect to the body by a seal assembly received in a recess in the inner face of the bonnet for sealing between the inner face of the bonnet and the outer face of the body about the outer end of the guideway to contain internal pressure in the preventer.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A ram type blowout preventer, comprising: 
       a body having a bore therethrough and guideways extending radially outwardly from the bore,  
       rams each slidable within a guideway between inner positions engaging one another to close the bore and outer positions to open the bore,  
       bonnets mounted on the body each for movement between positions opening and closing the outer end of a guideway,  
       operating means including a rod extending through the bonnet for connection to each ram in order to move the ram between opened and closed positions,  
       bolts connecting the bonnets to the body for forcing an inner face of each bonnet against an outer face of the body about the end of the guideway, and  
       means for sealing between the faces of the body and each bonnet in the closed position of the bonnet, including  
       a peripheral wall on one end an end wall on the other of the bonnet and body faces,  
       a metal ring between the bonnet and body for limited axial and radial movement with respect thereto,  
       a first seal ring mounted on a side of the metal ring for sealing against the end wall,  
       means yieldably urging the side of the metal ring toward said end wall, and  
       a second seal ring mounted about the outer periphery of the metal ring for engaging the peripheral wall about an area which is greater than the area of engagement of the first seal ring with the end wall and spaced axially therefrom,  
       the axial length and radical thickness of the metal ring being so related that fluid pressure in the guideway will force its side tightly against the end wall prior to radial expansion of its periphery tightly against the peripheral wall.  
     
     
       2. A preventer of the character defined in  claim 1 , wherein 
       the peripheral wall is on the bonnet and the end wall is on the body, and  
       the urging means acts between the bonnet and the opposite side of the metal ring.  
     
     
       3. A preventer of the character defined in  claim 2 , wherein 
       the metal ring is received in a recess having an end wall in the inner face of the bonnet opposite the end wall of the outer face of the body.  
     
     
       4. A preventer of the character defined in  claim 3 , wherein A ram type blowout preventer, comprising: 
       
         a body having a bore therethrough and guideways extending radially outwardly from the bore,  
       
       
         rams each slidable within a guideway between inner positions engaging one another to close the bore and outer positions to open the bore,  
       
       
         bonnets mounted on the body each for movement between positions opening and closing the outer end of the guideway,  
       
       
         operating means including a rod extending through the bonnet for connection to each ram in order to move the ram between opened and closed positions,  
       
       
         bolts connecting the bonnets to the body for forcing an inner face of each bonnet against an outer face of the body about the outer end of the guideway, and  
       
       
         means for sealing between the faces of the body and each bonnet on the closed position of the bonnet, including  
       
       
         a peripheral wall on the bonnet and an end wall on the body,  
       
       
         a metal ring between the bonnet and the body for limited axial and radial movement with respect thereto, wherein  
       
         the metal ring is received in a recess having an end wall in the inner face of the bonnet opposite the end wall of the outer face of the body,  the metal ring has having holes extending therethrough from its inner to its outer sides, and bolts extend loosely through the holes and into the end wall of the recess and have enlarged outer  ends to retain the metal ring on the bonnet while permitting it to move limited distances radially as well as axially of the bolts. ,  
       
         a first seal ring mounted on a side of the metal ring for sealing against the end wall,  
       
       
         a second seal ring mounted about the outer periphery of the metal ring for engaging the peripheral wall about an area which is greater than the area of the engagement of the first seal ring with the end wall and spaced axially therefrom,  
       
       
         the axial length and radial thickness of the metal ring being so related that fluid pressure in the guideway will force its side tightly against the end wall prior to radial expansion of its periphery tightly against the peripheral wall. 
       
     
     
       5. The blowout preventer as defined in  claim 4  further comprising a spring for urging said metal ring into contact with said end wall. 
     
     
       6. A ram type blowout preventer, comprising: 
       
         a body having an upper end, a lower end, and a bore therethrough and guideways extending radially outwardly from said bore;  
       
       
         rams each slidable within one of said guideways between an inner position to close said bore and an outer position to open said bore;  
       
       
         bonnets each mounted on said body proximally to one of said guideways;  
       
       
         an operating mechanism in each said bonnet, said mechanism including a rod extending through said bonnet and coupled to one of said rams to move said ram between said open and said closed positions, wherein a peripheral area of each bonnet about the operating mechanism comprises a first region between the operating mechanism and the upper end of the body, a second region between the operating mechanism and the lower end of the body, and two side regions;  
       
       
         bolts for attaching each of said bonnets to said body, said bolts for forcing an inner face of each said bonnet into contact with an outer face of said body about an outer end of each said guideway wherein said bolts are disposed only in said two side regions;  
       
       
         a seal positioned between each said outer face of said body and each said inner face of each said bonnet, each said seal comprising a peripheral wall on said bonnet, and an end wall on said body, a metal ring positioned between said bonnet and said body for limited axial and radial movement relative thereto, said metal ring disposed in a recess having an end wall in the inner face of said bonnet opposite the end wall of the outer face of said body wherein said metal ring has holes extending therethrough from its inner to its outer sides, and bolts each extending loosely through one of said holes and into the end wall of said recess, said bolts having enlarged outer ends to retain said metal ring on said bonnet while enabling limited movement radially and axially with respect to said bolts, a first seal ring mounted on a side of said metal ring for sealing against said end wall, a second seal ring mounted about the outer periphery of said metal ring for engaging said peripheral wall about an area which is greater than an area of engagement of said first seal ring with said end wall and spaced axially therefrom, an axial length and a radial thickness of said metal ring being so related that fluid pressure in said guideways forces a side of said metal ring tightly against said end wall before said metal ring radially expands tightly against said peripheral wall. 
       
     
     
       7. A ram type blowout preventer, comprising: 
       
         a body having an upper end, a lower end, and a bore therethrough and guideways extending radially outwardly from said bore;  
       
       
         rams each slideable within one of said guideways between an inner position to close said bore and an outer position to open said bore;  
       
       
         bonnets each mounted on said body proximally to one of said guideways;  
       
       
         an operating mechanism in each said bonnet, said mechanism including a rod extending through said bonnet and coupled to one of said rams to move said ram between said open and said closed positions, wherein a peripheral area of each bonnet about the operating mechanism comprises a first region between the operating mechanism and the upper end of the body, a second region between the operating mechanism and the lower end of the body, and two side regions;  
       
       
         bolts for attaching each of said bonnets to said body, said bolts for forcing an inner face of each said bonnet into contact with an outer face of said body about an outer end of each said guideway, wherein said bolts are disposed only in said two side regions; and  
       
       
         a seal positioned between each said outer face of said body and each said inner face of each said bonnet, each said seal comprising a peripheral wall on one of said inner and outer faces, and an end wall on the other one of said inner and outer faces, a metal ring positioned between said bonnet and said body for limited axial and radial movement relative thereto, a spring for urging said metal ring into contact with said end wall, a first seal ring mounted on a side of said metal ring for sealing against said end wall, a second seal ring mounted about the outer periphery of said metal ring for engaging said peripheral wall about an area which is greater than an area of engagement of said first seal ring with said end wall and spaced axially therefrom, an axial length and a radial thickness of said metal ring being so related that fluid pressure in said guideways fores a side of said metal ring tightly against said end wall before said metal ring radially expands tightly against said peripheral wall. 
       
     
     
       8. A ram type blowout preventer, comprising: 
       
         a body having an upper end, a lower end, and a bore therethrough and guideways extending radially outwardly from said bore;  
       
       
         rams each slideable within one of said guideways between an inner position to close said bore and an outer position to open said bore;  
       
       
         bonnets each mounted on said body proximally to one of said guideways;  
       
       
         an operating mechanism in each said bonnet, said mechanism including a rod extending through said bonnet and coupled to one of said rams to move said ram between said open and said closed positions, wherein a peripheral area of each bonnet about the operating mechanism comprises a first region between the operating mechanism and the upper end of the body, a second region between the operating mechanism and the lower end of the body, and two side regions;  
       
       
         a coupling for attaching each of said bonnets to said body by forcing an inner face of each said bonnet into contact with an outer face of said body about an outer end of each said guideway, each said coupling providing force in said two side regions, wherein said coupling comprises bolts or hinges disposed only in said two side regions;  
       
       
         a seal positioned between each said outer face of said body and each said inner face of each said bonnet, each said seal comprising a peripheral wall on the bonnet, and an end wall on the body, a metal ring positioned between said bonnet and said body for limited axial and radial movement relative thereto, said metal ring disposed in a recess having an end wall in the inner face of said bonnet opposite the end wall of the outer face of said body wherein said metal ring has holes extending therethrough from its inner to its outer sides, and bolts each extending loosely through one of said holes and into the end wall of said recess, said bolts having enlarged outer ends to retain said metal ring on said bonnet while enabling limited movement radially and axially with respect to said bolts, a first seal ring mounted on a side of said metal ring for sealing against said end wall, a second seal ring mounted about the outer periphery of said metal ring for engaging said peripheral wall about an area which is greater than an area of engagement of said first seal ring with said end wall and spaced axially therefrom, an axial length and a radial thickness of said metal ring being so related that fluid pressure in said guideways forces a side of said metal ring tightly against said end wall before said metal ring radially expands tightly against said peripheral wall. 
       
     
     
       9. A ram type blowout preventer, comprising: 
       
         a body having an upper end, a lower end, and a bore therethrough and guideways extending radially outwardly from said bore;  
       
       
         rams each slidable within one of said guideways between an inner position to close said bore and an outer position to open said bore;  
       
       
         bonnets each mounted on said body proximally to one of said guideways;  
       
       
         an operating mechanism in each said bonnet, said mechanism including a rod extending through said bonnet and coupled to one of said rams to move said ram between said open and said closed positions, wherein a peripheral area of each bonnet about the operating mechanism comprises a first region between the operating mechanism and the upper end of the body, a second region between the operating mechanism and the lower end of the body, and two side regions;  
       
       
         a coupling for attaching each of said bonnets to said body by forcing an inner face of each said bonnet into contact with an outer face of said body about an outer end of each said guideway, each said coupling providing force in only said two side regions;  
       
       
         a seal positioned between each said outer face of said body and each said inner face of each said bonnet, each said seal comprising a peripheral wall on one of said inner and outer faces, and an end wall on the other one of said inner and outer faces, a metal ring positioned between said bonnet and said body for limited axial and radial movement relative thereto, a spring for urging said metal ring into contact with said end wall, a first seal ring mounted on a side of said metal ring for sealing against said end wall, a second seal ring mounted about the outer periphery of said metal ring for engaging said peripheral wall about an area which is greater than an area of engagement of said first seal ring with said end wall and spaced axially therefrom, an axial length and a radial thickness of said metal ring being so related that fluid pressure in said guideways forces a side of said metal ring tightly against said end wall before said metal ring radially expands tightly against said peripheral wall.