US82586A - beach - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l. E. BEACH.

Torpgdo for Oil Wells.

Patented Sept. 29, 1868.

i fvwerzfoz' E. BEACH.

Torpedb for Oil Wells.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

jr wenZZ @w 9 ELIAS OF TITUSVILL-E, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 82,586, dated September 29, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN TORBEDOBS FOR OIL-WELLS.

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TO ALL WHOM I'll-MAY CONCERN:

- Be it known that I, ELIAS BEAOmot' Titusville, in the county of Crawford. and State of Pennsylvania, have.

made certain new and useful Improvements in TorpedoesfonOil or other Wells, of which the following is'a full,

clear, and exact description, refcrenceboing had to the accompanying drawings, whichmake part of this specifics.tion, and in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of my improved torpedo. Figure 2,; a transverse section of the same, at the line :1; a; of fig.-1 Figure 3, a perspective section of the cup, inverted; and Figure 4 a similar section to fig. 1, show ing another derice'for, exploding the torpedo.

In operating' oil-wellm'it has been found that their productiveness may be greatly increascdby theuse oftorpedoes of suitable construction, by the explosion of which in the well,- its diameter is enlarged aud.communication opened with veins of oil in the surrounding rock.

The objectof my invention-is to provide a'simple, safe,'and efiioient torpedo, which can be exploded with certainty'at the momentdesired, and in. which the explosive material will be ignited in such man'ner-as toygive the full effect of'the charge-and when exploded, thetorpedo will be broken into such minute fragments as not to choke the well or to interfere with the pumping-machinery; to which ends my improvements consist First, in constructing; the-shell of the torpedo of glass, sulphur, cast iron, or other brittle substance,

- moulded in sections, and united by-cementing orfusing, so :is vtobe made of any required length, and impervious to water. I

Second, in providing the cap of tho torpcdowitli ajeircnlar projection, of angular or V-shape in crosssection, entering a corresponding groove in'the top of the upper section of the shell, for the purpose of com-. pressing the packing tightly, and preventing the entrance of water.

. Third,-in'the use of friction-primers, placed at difi'crcnt points in'the length 'ofthe torpedo, and connected and operated so as to he ignited at one-and th'e snmc time, thus h'urning all the explosive material in the torpedo. and causing its full cilcct to .be' exerted.

Fourth, in a perforated tube, enclosing one or more of the friction-primers, and extending to or near the bottom of the torpedo, so as to communicate ignition to the explosive material below the lowest primer, in cases where the torpedo is made of such length that itmight be difiicult to explode the primersif continued through its whole extent.

Fifth, in the manner, hereinafter described, of causing the explosion, so as to obviate risk of the same occurring before the proper time. p

In the accompanying drawings, \vhichshow a convenient arrangement of parts for carrying-out the objects of my invention, A represents the shell of the torpedo, which is composed of glass, porcelain, sulphur, glue, .cast iron, 0r other brittle substance, moulded in sections ofas great a length as can be conveniently done, and

united by some strong and water-proof cement, or by fusion.

By constructing the shell of a brittle material, it is broken intosuch minute fragments by the explosion as .not to choke the well, or cause any derangement to the mechanism of the pump; and by making it in section, united in the manner dcscribcd, I am enabledto use glass for a'torpcdo of any dcsired leng th, which could not otherwise be done, on account of the difficulty of moulding glass longer than about sixteen inches.

The torpedo 'is closed by a'cap or cover, A, secured to a flange on its'upper section by bolts and nuts, a, having suitable packing interposed, to make a. water-tight joint. The cap-bolts can rest in vertical slots formed in the periphery of theflahge, if the latter cannot be conveniently drilled.

A ircul r projection, 11, of ngular or V-shape in cross-section, is formed upon the bottom of the capA',

and enters a corresponding groove in the flange or top of the upper section, and when the nuts are screwed up the packing is compressed into the groove and a perfectly tightjointinsured.

A metallic rod, B, is screwed or otherwise firmly fastened to the bottom of the cap A, and extends to the bottom of the torpedo ornearlyso, being perforated with holes at dilferent points in its length, in which frictionamass 2 primers, 6, of ordinary construction are inserted, and secured by tying or other suitable means. Any number of primers desired may be employed,,'.dep ending upon the length of the torpedo. The wires by which the rimers are discharged are connected to a cord, 0, the tension ofwhich isregnlated so that they will all be discharged at one nndlhe some time. By'this means the explosii'e material is iznitedat several points simultaneously, and entirely burned, thus exerting the full eil'ec't of the charge.

The cord 0 passes out through a pipe, I), inserted in the. cap A, and properly packed, to prevent the entrance of water, and is connected to the wire cable D, by which the torpedo is lowered. A safety-string, E, is attached to the'cable D and to a lag. e, in the cap A, so as to bear the weight of the torpedo, the cord C being slack between the upper primer and the cable. A cord, F, is likewise attached to the lug e.

In cases where the torpedo is of so great a length .as would make it diflicult'to operate-the primers if carried through its whole length, Iemploy a thin metallic tube, G, perforated throughout its length with numerous small holes, and extending from the lowest primer to the bottom 'of the torpedo, or nearly so, the hbles being made so small-as not to allow the powder to pass through them. When theprimers are discharged; the fire from the lowest primer is communicated along the tube G; by means of its perforations, to the explosive material below it, which willthus be burned with its full effect, however long the torpedo may be made.

The operation of my torpedo is as, follows: The frod B being secured to the capA', and the primers 6 and cord Cheing placed in position, as shown in fig. 1, the cap is then secured upon the torpedo, which is filled with powder, or otherexplnsivo compound,-through the pipe 6', which isthen properly packed to prevent the entrance of water. The torpedo is then lowered into the well by the cord F until it reaches the fluid, or for a sulficient distance to obviate risk to the operator, when the cord F is slackened and tied to the cable D. The weight of the torpedo being now supported by the cable D and safety-string E, it is lowered to the point where it is desired that the explosion shall take'place, when the safety-string E being fractured by a sudden jerk, the weight of the torpedo comes upon the cord 0, and the primers 6 are simultaneously discharged.

Fig. 4 shows the parts in the positions they occupy -at this moment.

Having thus fully described my improved torpedo, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The perforated tube G, arranged and operating substantially as described, for the purpose of communicating ignition to the explosive material at the lower part of the torpedo, as set forth.

2. The primer-cord G, safety-string E, and cable D, in combination with the primers 15, substantially as described.

3. The supplementary cord F, connected and operating as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The rod B, in combination with the primers 6 and cap A, as set forth.

ELIAS BEACH. Witnesses-z J. SNOWDEN BELL,

FREDK. ANDRE.

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