US 12,320,211 B1
Systems and apparatus for orienting one or more tools in a tool string and methods of manufacture, assembly and use thereof
Terrell Cray Saltarelli, Weatherford, TX (US); and Dan Salkhai Ang, Keller, TX (US)
Assigned to SWM International, LLC
Filed by SWM International, LLC, Pampa, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/137,738.
Int. Cl. E21B 17/16 (2006.01); E21B 17/043 (2006.01); E21B 19/16 (2006.01); F16L 19/00 (2006.01); F16L 19/02 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 17/16 (2013.01) [E21B 17/043 (2013.01); F16L 19/005 (2013.01); F16L 19/0206 (2013.01); E21B 19/161 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An orienting tool for connecting and orienting a first set of interconnected tools of a tool string with and relative to a second set of interconnected tools of the tool string prior to deployment of the tool string in a borehole, the orienting tool comprising:
a main body connectable to and disconnectable from at least one among the first and second tool sets;
a collar connectable to and disconnectable from at least one among the first and second tool sets, wherein, in each particular use of the orienting tool, the collar is configured to be connected to whichever tool set the main body is not connected to, further wherein the main body and collar are interconnected so that, in a setup configuration of the orienting tool, at least one among the main body and collar, along with the respective tool set connected thereto, are rotatable relative to the other; and
a locking ring associated with at least one among the main body and collar and configured, in the setup configuration, to allow at least one among the main body and collar, along with the respective tool set connected thereto, to be rotated relative to the other, and wherein the locking ring, in an operating configuration of the orienting tool, is configured to allow the main body and tool set connected thereto to be rotationally locked relative to the collar and tool set connected thereto,
wherein the main body has an uphole end and a downhole end, the collar is configured to be slidably engageable over the main body from the uphole end thereof and the locking ring is slidably engageable over the main body uphole of the collar and configured to be rotationally lockable to the main body, further wherein the locking ring is unthreaded and configured to slide over the main body until at least one flat of the locking ring aligns over at least one flat of the main body to rotationally lock the locking ring to the main body.