US1185116A - Well-packer. - Google Patents

Description

P. H. MACK.

WELL PACKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s. 1915.

Patented May 30, 1916.

INVENi'OR -UED STATES PATRICK H. MACK, OF BRADFORD; PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR: TO OIL WELL SUPPLY .COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA.

A wmnracm.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. MACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradford, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certaiii new and usefulImprovements in Well- Packers, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to the class, of devices. commonly termed well-packers, such as are 'used for instance -'in connection with Artesian wells, 'oil wells, or like deep wells,

and particularly adapted for use as plugs for shutting ofl the'water from the lower levels of the well.

The present device relates more particularly'to devices which serve to prevent passage of water, ;etc., from below, being especial-1y adapted for use under conditions which necessitate the presence of a' packer at or in juxtaposition to the bottom of the well in order that the water encountered may be kept from the main portion of the well, the packer having the characteristics of a plug in this respect. In meeting-such conditions, it is essential that not only must the packer retain its position, but it must be of a form which willpractically prevent leakage of the water therethrough. It should also be capable of preventing access of water or gas between the packing and its action of such members acting to. set or to collapse the parts depending upon the direction of threading movement. This arrangement practically dispenses 'with'the utilization of the weight of the superposed tubing in the setting operation, such tubing serving merely to carry the packer or plug to its proper position, after which it is set by such threading action. Where the plug is automatically positioned by devices functioning somewhaton the lines ot the anchor type,

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed Hatch 5, 1915. Serial No. 12,504.

Patented May so, 1916.

' Y the superposed weight may serve' to expand in the lower portion of the packer or plug in these different uses.

To these and other ends, thenature of which will be readily, understood as the invention is hereinafter'disclosed, said inven-.

tion consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully descr bed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying'drawings, in which similar "reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views, Figur.e 1 is a side elevation of apacker' constructed in accordance with my present invention, with the arrangement of parts adapted to operate on the anchor principle, the parts being shown in position for movement through the well; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View, of the same shown in position within the well, the several wall engaging parts being in engaging position; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross sectional views taken on the lines 3-3, 44= and 55 respectively of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the lower portion of the device shown in position in a well,

when modified to operate on the wall principle.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the coupling member whichis carried by the tubing, andwhich is adapted to removably engage pins carried by the upper end of a rod 11, the member 10 being bayonet slotted in such manner as. to permit ready disengagement and at the same time enable rotation of the member 10 to impart a rotating motion to the memberll -for a purpose presently described.

12 designates a cap shaped member which is loosely mounted on the rod 11 and which has a sleeve-like relation to a tubular member 13 which acts as a supportfor the packer 14, herein indicated as in the form of an elongated compressible sleeve of, suitable material such as rubber, the member 12 having an annular flange12 at'its lower end which serves to provide an annular recess within which thepacking 14 extends.

nular recess into which the opposite end of the acking'14 extends. As will be understood, the members 12 .and 16 serve as packing compressing elements, the flanges of. these members tendin to prevent access of water, etcrto the insi e of the-packing'and between it and the tube 13. The member 16 has its lower portion preferably in the form of a hollow truncated cone, the inclined surface of which is adapted to cooperate with the flaredinteriors of the slips 17, these latter being dprefepfibly garliigdtlply on e u e e.

a slip cage18"loeate arrangement being such that upon ap lication of ressure in one direction 0 the length 0 tube 13, the slips will be forced outwardly to engagethe wall of the well,

the opposing inc v med faces of the member 16 and slips 17 providingthis action. If desired, the slips may be arranged to be automatically withdrawn when relative movements of the slips-and member 16 is such as to permit this action.

19 designates a lower cap member for the tube 13, said member and the member 18 beingpreferably complementally formed to provide a gland-like arrangement in connection with an auxiliary packing member 20,.which may also be of rubber, the members 18 and 19 and the packing'20 preferably having complemental confi rations such as. to tend to cause the packing 20 to be firmly clamped about the tube 13 when the packer is set, this arrangement also tending to prevent leakage of water or gas along the exterior of the tube to reach the interior of the packing 14;.

. time the slips will be expanded so as to en- 1 As will be readily understood from the above, application of pressure on the cap member 12 will tend to cause the packin 14 to be compressed so as to engage the wal of the well and the tube 13, and at the same gage the wall, thus securing the packer in position. This result is obtained by the particular connectionswhich cooperate with the rod 11, these connections being best shown in Fig. 2, in which the lower end of the rod 11 is shown as threaded into a sleeve or socket element 21, the latter bein .provided with an annular shoulder 21 a apted to be engaged by a suitable member carried by the rod 11, such, for instance, as a pin 22, the sleeve bemg provided with openings v located 'a bearing.

similar. move-.

' meal-nie- 21 which will permit of the ready insertion of the pinthrou h the wall of the s eeve.

" the purpose of this being to prevent the rod 11 'from being entirely withdrawn from the sleeve 21', the pin 22 cooperating with the sh'oulder2l to limit the threading movement ofthe rod in one direction. Said sleeve also carries a rod or stem '23, the

lower end of which is threaded to the cap- 19, said stem having a collar 23 which abuts against aninteriorishoulder carried by the cap 19. It. will be understood, of course,

that the stern 23 and sleeve 21 may be formed integral if desired, the particular construction shown in the drawlng permitting of a simple formof construction, it being preferred that .the stem and. sleeve be secured together against relative movement in order that the sleeve may be held firmly when the rod 11 is being threaded by manipulation of the superposed tubing from-the top of the well: One way of producing this result is to employ a pin which extends through the sleeve and stem. Similarly, the stem may be fixedly secured against rotation relative to cap 19by means of a pin.. I also preferably employ a collar 24 on the rod 11 with 'in the cap 12, this collar permitting sufiicient free movement of rod and cap, but acting to cause the cap to be raised when desired,' thus taking pressure from'the packingmember 14.

The operation of. the parts so far described will be-readily understood. When the packer is to be introduced into the well, the rod 11 is threaded so as to tend towithdraw it from the sleeve, thus practically increasing the distance between the caps 12' and 19, the increase being in the length of .theadjusting element formed by the rod 11, sleeve 21 and stem 23, it being understood that the collar .24, during this movement, contacts with the cap 12 and causes this change in position of that cap. As a result, the parts are in what may be considered as a collapsed condition, both slips and packing 14'b'eing collapsed and thus providing a structure which will freely pass downwardlyin the well. While the superposed tubing isabove the packer, the weight of this tubing, with the rod in the position to expandth'e parts, will not cause the expanding of packing and slips, since'a fixed distance between the two caps would prevent such application of pressure on the caps at either end as would provide the relative movement therebetween which is required to produce the expanding action.

As will be obvious, such fixed length of the, adjusting element formed bythe rod, sleeve and stem will retain the parts in position to freely pass through the well until va change in distance is had'between said Obviously, a co lar-or other suitable device may beemployed in place out the pin,

" ing' the rod 11 into the sleeve-21 the sleeve caps. This change is provided" thread= remaining stationary, the threading action with the result that the cap 12 is forced downwardly on the tube 13 to apply the.

desired pressure. As will be readily understood, this expanding action is dependent movement.

upon the sleeve being held from rotation with the rod 11 in order that the threading action may be provided, and since the packer structure, in addition -.to such threading action, is arranged so as to pass freely within the well, I prefer to employ means which will serve to engage the walls of the well so as to restrict liability of the sleeve turning when this threading action is desired. This is provided in the present embodiment of the invention by the connection ofthe stationary portion of the adjusting element (the sleeve and stem) with the lower cap. 19 in such manner as to prevent're1a-.

tive rotational movement therebetween, thus enabling the member 19 to be employed as a carrier for means to restrict this turning In the drawings, I have shown two forms of devices for this purpose, that shown in Figs. -1 and 2 being in the form of pivoted elements 30 housed within an extension 19' of the lower cap and being adapted'to be moved pivotally and thus cause the lower portions of the member 30. to be swung outwardly by a. hollow cone-shaped member 31 carried on an extension 23 of the stem The sleeve 32 is of any desired length,'that I lower ends of the slot.

23. The cone-shaped member 31 is carried by a sleeve 32 having slots 32 Within which pins 23 carried by extension 23 extend, these slots serving to limit the length of' movement of the sleeve on said extension.

shown in the drawings being such as .,to project slightly belowthe lower end of the extension 23 when the The sleeve 32is normally in its lower position, as shown in Fig. 1, being retained in such position by its weight, at which time the inclined surfaces provided by the member 31 are ineffective to cause projection of the members 30, the latter thus being housed and consequently permitting free downward movement of the packer within the well. As the structure reaches the bottom of the well or comes in contact with material which may be contained therein, the sleeve 32 contacts therewith, the result being that further downward movement of the packer causes the member 31 to operate members 30 and project them outwardly into engagement with the walls of the well, this being the position shown in Fig. '2. As

pins 23 are at the I shown in Fig, '5, the members 30 move out- .thereby permlttmg the threading action to take place and setting the packer in position. This particular arrangement provides an operation along the lines of the anchor type of structures and operates automatically when 'the bottom of the well is reached.- Obviously, the length of the sleeve 32 will control the distance from the bottom of the well at which the packer or plug .is to be placed, and to permit this length to be adjustable, the sleeve 32 is .shown as threaded to permit the addition of other lengths for controlling this distance.

In connection with the anchor type of operation, it should be noted that the particular formation of and the manner in which the members 30 are projected, causes these'members to also act as supports tending to prevent downward movement of the packer, thus taking the support of the packer to a considerable extent off of the sleeve 32,- these members thus forming an auxiliary to the packing 14 in sustaining the packer in position. Consequently, a settling of material beneath the sleeve will be practically inefl'ective to change the position of, the packerafter having been set, thus tending to eliminate liability of stripping of the packing such as may ensue under similar circumstances with the anchoring devices of which I have knowledge.

Where the packer is to be installed at a point considerably above the bottom of the .well so that an extension of the sleeve 32 would be of inordinate length, I preferably employ a structure such as shown in Fig.

'6, in whichthe cap 19 'is provided with a ,on the operator to determine the point at which he desires the packer to be located, whereupon, he simply provides the threading operation heretofore referred to, the wheels 35 serving to retain the sleeve 21 against rotation while the rod 11 is operated from the top of the well. 7

As will-be readily understood, the packer is firmly held against movement under pressures by both slips and packing, in addition to which the form shown in Fig. 2 will provide against movement in a downward direction, the setting of the packer being provided by the threading operation referred to, upon completion of which the member 10 is disengaged and the superposed tubing taken out. I

. Shouldit be desired to remove the packer, it would be necessary only to reengage the member 10 and rod 11 and rotate the rod in the direction to increase the distance between the caps 12 and 19, whereupon, the expand ing pressures will be released, permitting the slips and packing to collapse and thus freeing the packing and permitting its removal,

it being assumed that provision is made to cause the slips to collapse when such pressure is relieved. Where the arrangement is as, shown in Fig. 6, a release of the pressure will permitthe packer to be. readily withon a spring 37, this arrangement tending to' form a cushion fol-this tube and preventing undue pounding, etc. during movements of the packer into and out of position.

; While I have herein shown and described preferred means for carrying out the present invention, it will be readily understood that changes and modifications therein may be required or desired to meet the exigencies of use, and I reserve the right to makeany and all such changes as may be found necessary for this purpose in so far as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is I 1. In a packing plug and in combination, opposing end members, slips and a packing member between said end members, and means for adjustably connecting said end members to increase or decrease the distance therebetween at will, the relative movements of said end members to decrease such distance serving to expand the packing member and the slips.

2. In a packing plug and in combination, opposing end members, slips and a packing member located between said end members, and threaded elements connecting said end members and cooperating to vary the distance therebetween at will, the varying movements in one direction serving to expand the packing member and the slips.

3. In a packing plug and in combination, opposing end members, slips and-a packing member located between said end members, and threaded elements connecting said end members and cooperating to vary the distance therebetween at will, the varying movements in one direction serving to expand the packing member andthe slips, and means adapted to engage the walls of a well for retaining oneof said threaded elements against rotation.

4. In a packing plug;and in combination,

opposing end members, slips and a packing member located between said end members,

and threaded elements connecting said end members and cooperating to vary the distance therebetween at will, the varying movements in one direction serving to expand the packing member and the slips, and means adapted to engage the walls of a well for retaining one of said threaded elements against rotation, said latter means including a plurality of pivotal members adapted to be automatically projected outwardly whenthe plug has reached a predetermined osition.

5. In a packing opposing end mem ers, a packing member located between said end members, and

threaded elements connecting said end'members and cooperating intermediate the end members to vary the distance therebetween at will, the varying movements in one direction serving to expand the packing member.

6. In a packing lug and in combination, opposing end mem ers, slips and a packing member located between said end members,

-member located between said end members,

and means for adjustably connecting said end members to vary the distance therebetween at will, the varying movements in one ug and in com ination,

direction serving to expand the packing member and slips, said means serving to prevent expanding of the packing member and slips by application of superimposed weight, .said ad usting means comprising threadedelements one of which is adapted to be retained against rotational movement, by contact with the well wall.

8. In a packing plug, and in combination, upper and lower end members, a slip cage adjacent the lower end member and carrying slips, a packing member adjacent the upper end member, a slip expanding member between the packing member and the slips, and threaded elements adjustably connecting said end members to vary the distance therebetween, said adjusting movements in one direction acting to expand the packing member and slips.

9. In a packing plug and in combination, upper and lower end members, slips and a packing member positioned between said end members, and threaded elements connecting said end members, whereby the superimposed weight will be applied to the 'lower end member to prevent setting of the between said end members to expand the slips and packing member at will.

10. In a packing plug and in combination, a tubular member, opposing end mem-' bers positioned thereon, slips and a packing member carried by said tubular member, and threaded elements extending through said tubular member and adapted to vary the distance between the end members at will, whereby the threading action of said elements in one direction will expand the slips and packing member.

11. In a packing plug and in combination, opposing end members, slips and a packing member interposed between said end members, and means for adjustably connecting said end members to vary the distance therebetween at will, said means comprising a socket member carried by one end member, and a rod carried by the other end member and threaded to said socket member, the threading of said rod in one direction acting to expand the slips and packing member.

12. in a packing plug and in combina-' tion, opposing end members, slips and a packing member interposed between said end members, and means for adjustably connecting said end members to vary the distance therebetween at will, said means comprising a socket member carried by one end member, and a rod carried by the other end member and threaded to said socket member, the threading of said rod in one direction acting to expand the slips and packing member, said rod and. sleeve hav-- ing complemental meansto limit the threading movement of the rod in the opposite direction.

13. In a packing plug and in combination, opposing end members, slips and a packing member interposed between said end members, and means for adjustably connecting said end members to vary the distance therebetween at will, said means comprising a socket member carried by one end member, and a rod carried by the other end member and threaded to said socket member, the threading of said rod in one direction acting to expand the slipsand packing member, said rod and sleeve having complemental means to limit the threading movement ofthe rod in the opposite direction, said rod-also carrying a member adzpt 1 ed to move an end member when the r threaded in the latter direction.

14. In a packing structure and in compacker.

pressure, each packing member having one of its faces adapted to act as a packing face, the packing face of one member being on a side opposite the side having the similar face of the other member, and means for adjustably connecting said end members to increase or decrease the distance therebetween, the relative movements of said end members to decrease such distance serving to position the packing faces of both members in packing relation, whereby. one of said members will act as a leakage guard relative to the other member.

15. In a packing structure and in combination, opposing end members, a packing member and a supplemental packing element between said end members, and means for adjustably connecting said end members to increase pr decrease the distance therebetween at will, the relative movement of said end members to decrease such distance serving to expand the packing member and compress the packing element.

16. In a well packer, the combination of a packer having a body member, a supple mental compressible packing member, a support for the packing member, said body member of the packer and the support for the packin member being relatively movable longi udinally of the packer, and means adjustable at will for applying pressure to the packing member to compress the latter against the body member of the 17.111 a well packer, the combination of a packer having a body member, a supplemental compressible packing member, a su port for the packing member, said he y member of the packerand the sup ort for the packing member being relative y movable longitudinally of the packer, and

means adjustable at will for applying pressure to the packing member to compress the latter against the body member of the. v

packer, said means being rendered active .by the packer setting movements of the packer structure.

In testimony whereof, I afiix mysigna ture in presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK H. MACK. Witnesses: S. A. MGFARLAND,

Homer: G. Snrrz.

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