US1268964A - Well equipment. - Google Patents

Description

y producing sanding 'CHN HAHN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

WELL EQUIPMENT,

Application led January 5, 1917.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN HAHN, a citizen Aof the United States, residingr at Los Angeles,

in the county o'Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Well Equipment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to equipment def signed to pump oil and other liquid from the earth, and an object of the invention is to ei'ect the pumping and iiowing operation witi minimum disturbance of the oil in the we Violent disturbance of the oil in a well results in several troublesome conditions being established, among these bein liabilityT of of the well and of the producin strata inthe immediate vicinit of the we l, emulsifying of the oil, and dif culty of pumping the 011 by means of a pistonuwhen a piston pump is employed inthe we Another object is to create a reservoir or reservoirs of oil near the bottom of the well so that there will be at all times considerable hydrostatic pressure outward against the oil in the producing strata in order that operation of the pump piston will not produce eX- cessive suction on the producing strata and thereby allow the hydrostatic pressure in the reducing strata to force quantities of oosened sand, shale and the like into the well and thereby cause the pump and pump tubing to be plugged up by the sand.

W'hen there is no pressure maintained from within the well against the oil in the producing strata, the oil and gas, when the pressure is great enough, rush out into the Well and upward `to the surface of the earth in a well known manner to produce a sotermed gusher. Such gushing of th'e well without any control thereover is very detrimental to the pumpin thereof because the velocity ofthe gas an oil is so great that said gas and oil force immense quantities of loosened sand, shale or other debris into the well and pump tubing and clog them up so that frequent pulling of the pump and tubing is necessary to clean them out. V

The difference between the atmosphere pressure at the discharge point of the well and the pressure of oil and gas in the producing strata is so great that when the oil and gas are allowed to freely vent into the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1918.

Serial No. 140,717.

well, and therefrom, when the well is a flowing one, the gas expands so eatly on its way out of the well that the o1l is violently agitated thus producing the troublesome conditions noted above. The oil and gas thus relieved so quickly of a large percentage of the pressure foams and said foam, consisting partly of oil and ossibly some water, sand, shale and the li e, but mainly gas,

rises in the pump tubing and if the well is t being pumped With'a piston pump said foam rises in the pump cylmder. It is clear that when the pump piston is operated it will only be working on a body of foam and conse' quently a very small volume of oil can be pumped,

f A primar object of this invention is to do away witlrt e above described diiriculties.

Another object of this invention is to effect the foregoing objects by a comparatively simple and inexpensive construction.

Other objects and advantages will be disclosed in the subjoined detail description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:

Figure 1 is an elevation mainly in vertical mid section of well equipment embodying the invention, various portions being broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the upper portion of the equipment shown in Fig. 1, portions being broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on a still larger scale of the equipment shown in the lower portion of Fig. 1, portions being broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the piston valve and cage.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of the piston valve seat shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Fig. 6 is an inverted plan section on line indicated by aia-, Fig. 3.

There is provided well casing 1 havin perforations 2 for the admission of oil an gas into the casing from the producing strata indicated at 3. These perforations 2 are preferably a substantial distance above the "lower end of the casing and adjacent the upper end of a pump cylinder 4 which is accommodated in the downwardly expanding bore 5 of 'a coupling 6, said cylinder adjacent said bore 5 having a downwardly reduced portion 7 so that when it is desired to at the upper end of its bore. y is adapted to be engaged by e valve bell 19 vSeid pull the pump the cylinder will readily free itself from sand,

The coupling 6 ie screw thrcudcll onto the pump tubing 8 which extends unwind inside of the cursing 1 to the surfuce o the cin-th so as lo discharge oil fr-|m thu well.

The cou Img 6 is threaded at its lower end onto t e upper end rf an iinperfornte tubular member 9 `forming an upper annular reservoir 10 adjacent and surrounding the ump cylinder 4.r The lo ver ortion 11T of ille ump cylinder l is prefere ly of larger imi e diameter than seul upper portion so as to produce :t clvnrmco space 12 between lower portion und n pump piston or plunger 18. When tlv` coup ing 6 is in place it seals the upper und of the chamber or reeerioir 10 formed between the pump cylin de' 4 and the imperiornte member 9.

The lower uortiou 11 of .the pump cylinder is providcd neer its upper end with perforat'ons a ard near its lower end with perff r'ftions lo allow liquid to flow from the cyli'u'ler to the reef-rvor 10 and from the rese: voir to he cylinder. The liquid in the space l2 lubr Cates the friction surface*l of the piston and cylinder and yet can xfreely escape through th holes ar when the pister aseends so as not to interfere with thearirending movement* The pump piston 13 is hollow and is connected by a ho low outlet coupling member 14 to a sucker rod 15 or the equivalent whereby the piston may be operated.

In the dA awings the sucker rod 15 is hollcr or tubular and is ,provided just above *he outlet coupling with a perforatjon or peroraions c. Tf-e lower end of the piston i 13 ie scre -threaded into n tubular valve cage 16 wnich is of somewhat less outside diameter than the inside diameter of the lower portion 11 of the cylinder 4 :md which in turn ie screwthreaded cinto ay hollow seat member 17 having a half-round valve seat 18 and upward movement of said vulve ball is limited by lugs 20 projecting inward onthe inside of the tubular cage 16. It is clear that when the iston 13' starts on its up stroke fluid insi e of said piston will strike the ball 19 fairly nuits top so :is to force said ball onto its seat to close the inlet 18. It is clear that by having the clearance space 12 the ce e 16 may be screw-threaded onto the outsi e of the piston 13 so that the bore of the valvecage may be a maximumI in order to permit of maximum How of oil through said cage.

Another advantage of having the clearence space 12 and the cage serew-thrended onto the outside of the iston 'is that the upper end of said cage orms an annular shoulder or projection 21 adapted to engage a projection or annular shoulder 22 formed by the lower end of the upper portion of the Y '35 provided with n shoulder 36 on which is The Sent 18 lugs 24 to limit the upward movement ofy n vulv'e bull '25 adapted to engnr e u sont 26 of a hollow sont member 27 whic 1 is inserted in "he lower "nd of the (algo 23 und which is held in Ilm-e by the upper end of zr dischargel conduit or tail pipe 29 screw-threaded into the lower end of rthe valve cage 23. The lower end of the vulve enge 23 provided with a downwardly reduced portion 29 fitting u oomplementarilv downwardly rrduced sent 30 of n hollow sent member 31 which is screwethrruded into n hollow couplin 32 that in turn is screw threaded onto t 1e lower end of the lubuhir' member 9. The seat member 3U is thus supported indirectly by the pump tubing and said seat member detachably supports the valve cage 2l) which in turn Supports the pump cylinder. y

he* sont member 31 is provided with downwardly extending arms 33 adapted to -28 and Said arms ure connected together at their lower ends by n ring 34 screw-threaded into the upper end of u coupling member sented the lower end of en im erforate tubular member 37, the upper enr of said tubular member resting against en annular Shoulder 38 of the coupling member 32. The tubular member 37 1s held in place by reason of the seat member 31 being connected to the ring 34 by the arms 33.

The coupling 35 and tubular member 37 together with nn imperforete tubular inember 39, which is screw-threuded into the coupling' 35, form en intermediate annuler reservoir 40 surrounding the tail The tubular member 39 is screw reuded et its lower end into' an upper head 41 through which the tail pipe 28 extends, said heed 41 closing the bottom of the. reservoir 40 and the upper end of seid reservoir be l ing closed by the cage 23, Seat member 31 i The lower portion of the tail pipe 2B is surounded by im Iinner tubular Ymembie 43 all Bllllll perfor itions sp ced alpnrt 'from the tail pipe to iform' l er lower inner reservoir 44ji ithe 130 upper end of said tubular member 43 being inserted inside of an annular shoulder 45 of the head 41 and the lower end of said tubular member being inserted inside of an annular shoulder 46 of a lower head 47. The annular member 43 is provided near its lower end and preferably just above the lower end of the tail pipe 28 with perforations 48 to allow the oil to flow therethrough into the lower reservoir 44. The lower end of the tail pipe 28 is spaced. from the lower head 47 so that oilcan llow from the loweruportion of the reservoir 44 Aupward through the open lower end of the tail pipe into said tail pipe and thence upward to the pump cylinder 4 and intermediate reser* voir 4U and up er reservoir 10.

The annual s oulders 45 and 46 of the upper and lower heads respectively are screw-threaded into the upper and lower ends of an outer tubular member 49 prt vided near its upper end only with erfora'- tions 50 aadapted to admit li ui therethrough om the casing into t e annular space 51 orming a lower outer reservoir 'between the tubular members 43 Vand 49.

The tubular member 49 and shoulders 45, 46 thus hold the tubular member 43 in place.

The lower head 47 is provided with outwardly projecting lugs 52 adapted to con tact or nearly contact with the wall of the casing 1 to maintain the lower head 47 and parts connected therewith centrally of the casing. The head 47 closes the lower `end of the lo er reservoirs 44, 51 and closes the upper en of a chamber 53 formed partly by the head 47 andpartly by an imperlorate tubular member 54 screw-threaded onto thehead 47, said tubular member 54 being open at its lower end.

If for any reason the pump tubing and the parte depending therefrom shoul'd drop within the basing, 1t is readily understood that when the tubular member 54 enters the liquid in the well, said liquid will rise in the tubular member 54 and adually compress whatever gas or air t ere is in the chamber 53 so as to gradually retard the downward motion of said pum tubing and parts i n order to minimize s ook on the pump tubing and parts connected therewith and thus avoid injuryV thereto. The head 47 and tubular member 54 thus form a buoy.

thus releasably and frictionally hold said tail pipe against u ward movement tending to be given it y the normal upward movement of the piston when it reciprocates in the pumping operation.

In practice, assumin that the sucker rod l5 is connected to suita le operating mechanisln, not shown, the oil and gas will enter the casing 1 through the perforations 2 and will fill the reservoir 51 and will flow through the perforations 48 from said reservoir into the reservoir 44, thus lillin said f reservoir 44. The oil will flow from t e reservoir 44 upward into the tail pipe 28 and whatever gas separates from the oil in the reservoir 44 will find exit through the gas outlets d. The oil will ascend in'the tail pipe28 as hi h as the level of the perforations 2 and i there is sufficient gas ressure in the producing strata, said oil wil ascend above said level 'and into the pump tubing. Sonie ofthe oil will flow through the perforations 42 so as to lill the intermediate reservoir 40, and some of the oil will flow through the perforations b into the upper rrservoir 10.

If fluctuations in pressure now occur in the'producing strata, because of the lowering of pressure therein due to partial relief of said pressure through the well, the reservoirs 10, 40, 44 and 51 tend to minimize fluctuations in the flow and consequently minimize disturbance of the oil. The weight of the body of oil in the reservoirs 10, 40, 44 and 51 produces pressure outward against the oil and gas in the producing strata so as to minimize the tendency of the oil and gas to flow in surges, such surges being detrit iental as the produce a 'tation and consefent emulsililcation of t e oil, when Water is present, and said surges also lower the pressure at intervals so as to free the li hter gaseous hydrocarbon dissolved in t e oil which is of great value. The surges are harmful for the further reason that they tend to carry great quantities of loosened sand, shale and other debris into the casing and thence into the pump and pump tubmg, thus cloggin the same.

Because of the free gas eing allowed to escape from the oil in the reservoir 44 and because of the hydrostatic pressure of the oil in the various reservoirs, the oil as it ascends into the' pump cylinder 4 and enters the piston 13, will be comparatively quiet so that the pump pistou will effectively pump the oil and will not be merely working on a body of gasor body of foam. It is readily understood that the foaming of the oil is liable to occur, when provision is not made to prevent it, because of the comparatively sudden and great reduction in pressure of the gas and oil in the ordinary well as it leaves the producing strat'- and flows to or is pumped to the surface of the g5. mmubnr in Mdm' t )unimi-.ae stabilisation i'ur maui thv my# attach@ hmm, @he mmkgr wdisl y'mil 'he drawn upward mislierwfw '1 -mmbuf with t n www n of 3. In nogahimnn, mvg tunning :L ne erfr hvmg :m inkt., a dssearnrga mnduii. A A y into the munir halma* l'lml, und mma farming a sec-w t ma ehlur ml. mld msm'uh rivm perfnmmnm in the. mnduit. Lining inw um m 4 In melma rmilg u ns;- epvmr haring an inist, mmm. farming Vn mail? n bme like first4 named me swap, pump tlhung, an@ means foaming wnhnnus ntgmmunia'hnn imam the mt l hemmen secmd resul-mir tubing- .@L, wrpbmtm mean! fnrnng' n m5- ewil.' hrung m ni semnd mm-voir @han W211i: n im r #11111 u www mw"- w'l I BWP am; clljmmluni- `gli mid mamma 8. n ,mbinnom a. pump eymdern i ser 1p anni yw der pm'fid It lhs immer and with 1 plum r vane, aan .impurmwlf tubular mem' r s md und :gul-cumming mid cylinder, L gylmer having perfnmtimnspenn lim space hemmen nid cykfnglmam buhsmhr nmmbev heb da phmgqr mkg?,

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between ndimenp a space between a portion of said cylinder and the plunger, meansforming a reservoir around the cylinder, there being perforations in the cylinder affording communication between said space and reservoir below the plunger valve, and a Standing valve affording communication with the lower end of the pump cylinder.

9. In combination, a pump cylinder having an internal shoulder, a tubular plunger in the cylinder having a plunger valve at its lower end, there bein a space between the plunger and the portion of the cylinder below said shoulder, means formin an external shoulder on the plunger in saidA space,

means forming a reservoir around the cylinder, there being perforations in the cylinder affording communication between the cylinder and said reservoir below the plunger valve, and a standing valve affording communicatiori with the lower end of the pump cylinder.

10. In combination, a p ump cylinder having an internal shoulder, a plunger in the cylinder, a valve cage fastened to the lower end of the plunger and forming a shoulder on the outside of the plunger adapted when the plunger is raised above its normal pumping posi-tion to engage the first shoulder, a seat-forming member, pumptubing connected with the seat-forming member, and a standing valve cage having a seatforming member and connected with the cylinder, said seat-formino' member engaging the first named seatormin member.

11. In combination, a pump cylinder having an internal shoulder and having perforations adjacent said shoulder, a reservoir outside of the cylinder, a plunger in the cylinder, there being a space between the plunger and the portion of the cylinder below said shoulder, and means forming an external shoulder ou the plunger in said space.

12. In combination, a pump cylinder havin a perforation and having a downwardly reduced portion, pump tubing, an imperforate tubing outside of the cylinder, a seat member connected with the imperforate member, a valve cage engaging the seat member and fastened to the cylinder, and a plunger in the cylinder.

13. In combination, a pump tubing, a couplin member fastened to said pump tubin an provided with an upwardly reduce bore, a cylinder having an external downwardly reduced portion adjacent the re-V duced bore portion, a plunger in the cylinder, a valve ca e fastened to the cylinder, and a seat mem r engaging said valve cage and connected with the coupling member.

14, In combination, Va' pump cylinder, pump tubing, means detachably connecting the cylinder to the pump tubing, a plunger in the pump cylinder, and means bo reciprocate said plunger, the lower portion of said pump tubing being of greater diameter than the upper portion of said tubing for a. sufficient length to accommodate the pump cyl- A inder with substantial clearance between the n cylinder and said enlarged portion when the cylinder is ulled through said enlarged portion, and t e diameter of the reduced portion of the pump tubing being' but slightly greater than that of the cylinder.

15. In combination, pump tubing, an inserted deep well pump frictionally housed at the' lower end of the pump tubing, said pump having a cylinder and a plunger therein, there being a space between the cylinder so and plunger, a shoulder on the lower end of the plunger substantially closing the lower iend of said space, there being perforations in the cylinder to supply the space with fluid for fluid packing and lubrication of the pump when the saine is in operation.

16..In combination, a cylinder having an internal shoulder and having a perforation, a plunger in the cylinder, ump tubing, means detachably connecting t e cylinder to the pump tubing, a valve cage screw-threaded onto the outside of the plunger and adapted to engage the shoulder to detach the cylinder when said plunger is raised for'that purpose, and a reservoir surrounding the pump cylinder.

1,7. In combination pump tubin a, sealing coupling 6 at the lower end of t e pum tubing, a cylinder inserted thro h sai coupling, and a seat for the cylin er, said coupling being downwardly and outwardly tapered.

18. In combination, a reservoir having a head closing its upper end, a tail ipe extending down through Said head into the reservoir, and a tubular member extending up from said head, there being inlet perforations for the reservoir and a gas outlet perforation in the head communicating with the reservoir and there 4being perforations in the tail pipe communicating with the interior of the tubular member.

19. In combination, well casing, pump tubin in said casing, a tubular member connecte with the ump tubing and provided with an inlet, a discharge conduit connected with the pump tubing and extending into the tubular member, and a head on the lower end of the tubular member having outwardly projecting lugs adapted to center the head in the casing.

20. In combination, well casing, pump tubin in said casing, a tubular member connec with the pump tubing and provided with an inlet, a discharge Vconduit connected with thepump tubingiand extending into the tubular member, a second tubular member, and a head closing the upper end of the -second tubular member and fastened to the with outwardly projecting lugs udnpieil io center the head in the easing.

2l. In ,eombinatioin pump tubing, a seal in coupling 6 nt the lower end of the pump tuliing, n sont member below [he Scaling coupling, a cylinder having perlomtious near its upper and lower ends und r-.uateil on 'the Seat member, u hollow plunger in the cylinder, and an iinperforute tubular member connecting the eouiling with tu.: mit member, to form a cham ier or reservoir out side of the cylinder.

22. In combination, pump tubing. :i seuling coupling 6 at tho lowor end of the pump tubing, a sont member below the sealing oouplin, a cylinder seated on the Seat member, a ollow plunger in the cylinder, and an imperforate tubular member conneoting the coupling with the sont member to form a chamber or reservoir outside of the cylinder, there boing n perforf-ition in the fylinder to supply the ehambor with iuiil.

2li. In combination` u lesvl'voir having a head closing itu upp^r end. u` tail ipe extending down through Said head into the rvsrrvoir, a tub-ulm' member extendin up from the head, there boing inlet por orations for the reservoir und a gas outlet perforation in tho howl communicating with 1hr reservoir and here being a perforation in the tail pipo roun'nunicating with the interior oi the lxboiau membri, a cylinder oonnertod with [he tail pipe, und a plunger working in .will cylindvr.

Signed tt Lob Angeles, California, this 29th (luy of December, 1916.

JOHN HAHN lVitneb'ses (lnouoi. ll. Hmm, A. lf. SonMnnnAUmi.

Itis hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,267,964, granted May 28, 1918, upon the application of Theodore E. Bisson, of Bellingham, Whshington, for an improvement in Calipers, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, lines 27 and 51, for the reference-numeral 1d read 1"; same page, lines 81 and 53, for 2d read 2b; lines 33 and 62, for 2b read 2d; line 37, for 3d read 3b; line 55, for 5d, 5d, read 5b, 5b; and line 63, for 3b read 3d; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent OHice.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of December, A. D., 1918.

[SEAL] F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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