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Title: Hydraulically operated valves

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5475405

A blowout preventer ram is described for use in a blowout preventer having a housing with a bore therethrough and chambers which intersect the bore and in which the ram is received for reciprocation within one chamber between an inner position in which it engages another ram reciprocable in the other chamber to close the bore and an outer position in which it is withdrawn into the one chamber to open the bore. The ram consists of a body having packing extending across the front to engage the front packing of the other ram, along the sides of the ram body outwardly and over the top of the ram body to connect the outer ends of the side packing, so that when the rams are moved inwardly to closed positions, the packing forms a continuous seal between the ram and the other ram and the one chamber in which it reciprocates, a groove in the lower side of the ram body to fluidly connect the bore of the housing beneath the closed rams with the chamber on the outer end of the ram body, and a passageway in the ram body connecting the outer end thereof within the area circumscribed by the continuous seal to connect the chamber with the bore above the closed rams. The passageway is of larger minimum cross-sectional area than the groove, whereby relatively high fluid flow resistance through the groove and relatively low fluid flow resistance through the passageway ensure fluid pressures in the chamber on the outer end of the ram much lower than fluid pressures below the rams when fluid flow occurs.

Assignee:
Koomey Blowout Preventers, Inc., Houston, TX
Patent Number(s):
US 4589625
OSTI ID:
5475405
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 27 Dec 1983
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English