US1143430A - Gripping device for well-boring apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

Patented June 1 2 S H EET SS H G. S. MYERS.

GRIPPING 1 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE s.

APPUCATIO 1,143,430. Patented June 15, 1915. 2 EEEEEEEEEEEE 2.

awoemtou Gezwfgc Al en? the said rotary including a s rear GEORGE S. MYERS, ELECTRA,

TEXAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filed April 24, 1914. Serial N 0. 834,189.

To all whom it may concern; 7

Be it known that I, GEoRcnS. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Electra, in the county of Wichita and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gripping Devices for Well- Boring Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. j

his invention relates to gripping devices for well boring apparatus, and particularly to a novel an improved construction of rotary gripping ring or jaw for gripping apparatus of this character.

e present invention appertains especially to that class of well drilling apparatus in which a gripping mechanism, commonly known as a rotary ,is employed, turn table carry mg adjustingdevices rotatably supporting e gripping rings or jaws, whiclrengage the well tubing ordrill stem and cause it to rotate with the table, while permitting longitudinal movement of the stem or tube when a hard formation of strata is encountered. 1.

The gripping devices heretofore employed have consisted of plain rings of tool steel, mounted in opposed pairs on the adjusting devices at opposite sides of the turn table, the inner edges of which rings are adapted to engage and grip the interposed stem or Well tube projecting downward through an opening in the table. These rings, owing to wear or the presence of soft spots, lose their gripping power in a comparatively short period of time, owing to the dulling or wearing oil of their biting edges. This requires their frequent removal from the turn table and dressing down to present new gripping edges, at a sacrifice of time and expense, and after the rings have worn to some extent they can no longer be employed and must be discarded as useless.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel construction of rotary gripping device wherein the gripping rings are so arranged that after their surfaces in use have been worn down to a maximum degree the rings maybe reversed in a ready d convenient manner to present new surfaces for use. a

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein f y described and claimed,

the turn table of the pipe-rotary, havin ing th their sides and peripheral reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which tion of my improved rotary gripping device. Fig. 4: is a horizontal transverse section through the same. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the usual central aperture 2 tical passage of the well tube 3, which table carries at diametrlcally opposite sides the adjusting members 4: carrye gripping devices 5. As shown in the present instance, these adjusting devices may be in the form of screw shafts, each having right and left hand threads for rela tively adjusting the gripping devices thereon toward and fromeach other, the gripping devices being arranged inpairs in the usual manner. adjusting the shafts may be employed. a Instead of employing screw shafts, the gripping devices may be loosely mounted upon supporting rods, and may be adjusted in any other known manner. I have not deemed it necessary to specifically describe any particular form of supporting and adjusting means, as such constitutes no'part of the present invention.

Each gripping device 5 consists, in accordance with my invention of a pair of spaced rings 6, made of tool steel or other suitable material, which rings are mounted upon the end portions 7 of a sleeve or bushing 8, having a threaded passage 9 of suitable form and character whereby it is mounted upon and secured to the supporting rod or shaft 4, so as to allow the gripping device as a whole to have rotary movement. A keyway 9 is formed upon each sleeve or bushing to receive a key 9", fitted in a like keyway in the shaft 4, so that the gripping rings when adjusted will be fixed to the shaft against independent rotation. The rings are formed to present outer and inner gripping surfaces or ridges 10 and 11, at t e intersections of portions, and said rings are disposed and held in properly spaced relation by an interposed bushing 12 carried by a sleeve and preferably formed as Any suitable means for ends of which openings 13 are formed to receive a portion of the screw heads. Seats or openings 15 are provided inthe sides of the rings and intersect their bores, which openings are designed to receive the projecting portions of the screw heads when the rings are arranged to face in either direction, so as to fasten the rings upon the sleeve against casual disconnection, while at the same time allowing them to be removed for reversal, as hereinafter described.

In the use of the device, it will be understood that the outer pripheral edges 10 of the gripping rings of each set of grippers at opposite sides of the turn table are ar ranged in position to grip the stem or tube 3,

' whereby the stem or tube is fixed to rotate with the turn table but is permitted under certain conditions to move vertically, in which vertical movement of the stem or tube the grippers turn with their supporting axles, in course of time the edges 10 become worn, or present soft spots, rendering them inefiective for use for a secure gripping action. The respective grippers may then be reversed, side for side, on thelrsupports to present the corresponding edges of the outer rings for use, and when the outer edges of both rings of each gripper become worn the edges 10 may be presented for use by simply reversing the rings side for side upon the ends ofthe sleeve 7. These modes of adjustment, in addition to the capacity of the rings to be dressed to certain degrees, enables the rings to be employed for a much greater period than gripping rings con structed and mounted in the usual manner,

and also efiects a saving of time and labor in not requiring the work to be stopped and the rings to be-dressecl at such frequent intervals.

I claim 1- 1. A gripper for pipe-rotaries, comprising a supportingsleeve, gripping ringsreversibly mounted upon the ends of the sleeve, means for holding said rings in spaced relation, and fastening means for connecting the rings with the sleeve in either of their operative positions. 7

2. A gripper for pipe-rotaries, comprising a supporting sleeve, gripping rings reversibly mounted upon'the ends'of the sleeve, a

spacing member integral with the sleeve, said member belng of less diameter than the rings to hold'the same in spaced relation, and fastening means for interchangeably holding the gripping rings in either of their working positions. 7 v

In testimony whereof I aifiX my signature in presence'of two witnesses. GEO. S. MYERS.

Witnesses:

' GEORGE F. Kninsnr,

A. N. Tnnncn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

- Washington, D. G

Images