ARRANGEMENT TO PREVENT PREMATURE EXPANSION OF SEAL MEANS

摘要

ARRANGEMENT TO PREVENT PREMATUREEXPANSION OF EXPANDABLE SEAL MEANSAbstract of the DisclosureA tubular member is provided with expandable sealswhich are expanded into sealing engagement with a surroundingsurface by a sleeve actuating member on the tubular member.A releasable retaining member is secured to the tubular mem-ber and has shoulder means adjacent one end interlocked withshoulder means adjacent an end of the sleeve actuating memberto retain the sleeve actuating member in nonexpanding sealposition as the tubular member is lowered into position inthe well bore. The shoulder means on the releasable retain-ing member is on a longitudinally extending, radially flex-ible portion of the retaining member. An annular shoulderintermediate the ends of the flexible portion engages theupper end of a liner in the well bore, and moves the flexibleportion radially inwardly to disengage the interlocked shoul-der means, thus releasing the sleeve actuating means toexpand the expandable seals.