Blowout preventer locking apparatus and method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I claim: 1.
Locking apparatus in combination with a ram type blowout preventer having a housing with a passageway through which a tubular member may pass; ram means movable between a non-sealing position in said housing, in which said passageway is open, and a sealing position in which said passageway is sealingly closed; and operator means for moving said ram means between said non-sealing and sealing positions; said locking apparatus comprising: a.
rod means connected to said operator means reciprocable between first and second terminal positions in response to movement of said ram means between said non-sealing and sealing positions, respectively; and b.
locking means comprising slip means non-longitudinally and radially movable from a retracted position, not engaging said rod means, to a contracted position engaging said rod means, when in said second terminal position to lock said ram means in said sealing position, said locking means comprising wedge means engaging said slip means and movable from a first position, holding said slip means in said retracted position, to a second position holding said slip means in said contracted position.
2.
Locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said locking means comprises mutually engageable cooperating teeth on said slip means and said rod means to positively lock said ram means in said sealing position.
3.
Locking apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said wedge means comprises a piston assembly mounted in a cylinder movable in response to pressure applied to said cylinder to effect said longitudinal movement of said wedge means.
4.
Locking apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said wedge means is carried on a piston assembly surrounding said rod means and disposed within a cylinder for reciprocal movement between first and second terminal positions, in which said wedge means is in its first and second positions, respectively.
5.
Locking apparatus in combination with a flow control device having a body with a flow passage therethrough, hydraulic cylinder means in which is disposed piston means for movement between first and second terminal positions and closure means connected to said piston means and movable in response thereto from an open position in which said flow passage is open to a closed position in which flow passage is closed thereby, said locking apparatus comprising: a