US 12,071,836 B2
Catcher assembly for a plunger
Garrett S. Boyd, Granbury, TX (US); Mitchell A. Boyd, Haslet, TX (US); and Darrell Mitchum, Oakhurst, TX (US)
Assigned to FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLC, Spring, TX (US)
Filed by FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLC, Spring, TX (US)
Filed on Nov. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/508,696.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/425,231, filed on Nov. 14, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0159129 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. E21B 43/12 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 43/121 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An actuator for a plunger catcher mechanism used to catch and release a plunger in a lubricator mounted to an oil or gas well, comprising:
an actuator housing;
a piston housing that is mounted to or which is a part of the actuator housing;
a piston that is slidably mounted in the piston housing so that it can move between a catch position and a release position;
a cam that is movably mounted on the actuator housing, wherein a first end of the piston is operatively coupled to the cam such that movement of the cam causes the piston to move to the catch position;
a motor having a rotating shaft that is operatively coupled to the cam such that rotation of the shaft causes the cam to move between a catch orientation and a release orientation; and
a cam follower that is removably mounted to the first end of the piston, wherein the cam follower slides along a cam surface of the cam as the cam moves between the catch orientation and the release orientation.