Mechanism for dropping a plurality of balls into tubulars used in drilling, completion and workover of oil, gas and geothermal wells, and method of using same

摘要

A housing is attached to a tubular sub located within a tubing string suspended in an earth borehole, the connection being an angled ball channel connected between the housing and the tubular sub. A ball carrier is provided within the interior of the housing which can be moved in two opposite directions either using pneumatic or hydraulic pressure against one or two pistons. The ball carrier can have either two balls or three balls. The movement of the ball carrier by the applied pressure causes one of the pockets holding the balls to be aligned with the ball channel which allows the balls to be successively dropped into the ball channel and thus into the interior of the tubing string. The ball carrier includes a sequencing apparatus for providing and ensuring that the balls are dropped in the proper sequence.