US1435444A - Pumping jack - Google Patents

Description

G. M. ASHTON.

PUMPING JACK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1922.

1,435,444,, I Patented Nov. 14, 1922* Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

enonen M. ASHTON, or NIOBRABA QGUNTY, WYOMING.

PUMPING "TACK.

Application filed January 16, SerialNo. 529,411 I plant by means of cables extending from the plant to the wells respectively, there being sometimes cable extensionsfro'm one'well to another, the power plant being such as to provide an intermittent pull and release upon each of the cables. At each well a device commonly called a jack isinstalled, the jack having for its function the conversion of the horizontal pull of the cable into a vertical pull adapted to lift the pumping rod, the weight of the rod causing it to fall between the intermittent pulls. The" use of a single power plant effects, of course, a. very great saving in production cost, and it is only in isolated instances, as where a particular well is too far from the general plant,

that pumping is done by the mechanism inv cluding the walking beam, and the power I with the'exception" of my improved jack and plant, used for drilling the well. In such instances the plunger rod is connected with the end of the walking-beam directly over the well, and the engine adjacent to the derv rick, and individual to that plant, is kept in tions.

operation so long as pumping is done.

When such a jack as I have hereinabove referred to is installed at the well to be pumped it is placed on the flooring of the derrick immediately adjacent to the well, and objection-ably occupies considerable space at the very center of pumping opera- From time totime the well must be cleaned of the heavy, pasty petroleum 'c'om pound which collects therein, and at such. time the jack must be removed, entailing loss of time and other expense. Such a location of the jackis objectionable on various other grounds, but, so far as I know, thatis the only arrangement thus far suggested. "So far as I know, too, the jacks thus far suggested deliver to the pumping rod a relatively quick and. sudden pull on 'each' work stroke, providing great strain, wear and tear, and frequently breakage of parts.

The chief objects of the present improvements is to provide an arrangement of a jack with the walking beam of the usual well-drilling equipment whereby such object-ions as those .hereinabove mentioned may. be overcome, and to provide a simple, highly effective, strong, durable and relatively cheap form of jack, one which occupies relatively small space, and onewhich may advantageously be used for operatingthe usual Walking beam, and thus toprovide many advantages, as indicated, over prior devices ofthis general'class.

In the accompanying draw1ngs, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation showing fragments of ordinary well-drilling equipment withthe present improvements operatively associated therewith; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of certain parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 .is an elevation of my improved j ack as viewed from left "to right in Fig. 2; Fig. dis atop planof the device of Fig. 3; Fig. 5' is'a view at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a medial vertical section through the device of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a toppl'anof the device'with'thetop pla teremov'ed; and

Fig. -8 is an enlarged section showing a connection at-theyloWer. endof the pitman shown in Fig.1. .1 j

The several structures shown in Figure 1,

its connection andarrangement with. the walking beam and pumping rod, may be consideredas of well known and ordinary form. [For drilling the well the walking beam 15 isj-operatedb-y thejpitnian l6 driven by the crank 17 on the shaft 18 having a walking'beam. will lift the'rod 23, weight drawing it down when the lifting: pressure 1s 'Wl'thClHtWIL v 1 According to these improvements a ack is causedv tooperate the walking beam, and,

in theform shown, the jack is connecteddirectly with the pitman 16.. My improved jack,-in its preferredembodiment, includes a base or main support comprising a ring 25 adaptedto rest upon a suitable support, as flooring, and to be secured thereto as by bolts'26, a central ele-- vated part 27 smoothed oif horizontally on top to provide a bearing surface, and radial vanes 23 and a bearing-support part 29 connecting the central part 27 with the ring. This base is preferably in the form of an iron casting, and in practice may appropriately be thirty to thirty six inches tl-CIOSS,'fOI of other shapes and proportions. it is desirable to make the device strong throughout and the form shown lends itself well to the requirements of strength.

A bearing stud 30 is secured vertically in the middle part 27 of the support in any approved way. On this stud is mounted for horizontal rocking movement a disc-like plate 31 having hub-like extensions below and above to provide thickness at the bearing, a nut 32 and cotter pin 33 maintaining the plate 31 in its operative position. A circular downwardly-directed rack 34 is carried coaxially upon the plate 31, and, since the plate 31 may also be a casting, this rack may well be integral with it.

A. radially-arranged shaft 36 is carried by the support 29 formed to provide bearings, as well indicated in Figures 6 and 7, these bearings having caps 37 and 38 respectively for holding the. shaft in place. A. gear 10 is rigidly secured upon the shaft 36, as by a pin, set-screw or key and is held between the shaft bearings. hen the plate 31 is in its operative position the gear 10 is in mesh with the rack 34.

The outer end of the shaft 36 is made square at 2 and a nut 43 holds the crank arm 44 upon the shaft. This crank arm is provided with the plurality of holes 1-9 at different distances from the shaft 36, as shown in Fig. 6,'to provide for a longer or shorter stroke as may be desired, and a pair of connecting rods or links 45 are secured upon the crank arm as by a crank pin 46, shown in the form' of a simple bolt passing through one of the holes mentioned. The flat rods or links 45 extend upward and. are connected on opposite sides of the lower end of the pitman 16 by a bolt at (Fig. 8) pass ing through a bushing 50, the bushing being provided to fill up the eXcess of space of the large hole at the lower end of such pitman adapted to receive the crank pin of the driving crank 17.

Around the periphery of the plate 31 I provide a plurality of holes 53 adapted to receive a bolt 54 of a clevis 55 to which is connected the pull member 56 shown as a cable which is to be understood. as leading to the distant central power plant. The connection with the cable 56can thus'be made at a great many places around the edge of the plate 31 whereby the desired pulling force may be had from any one of a plurality of widely divergent substantially horizontal directions determined by the relative locations of the power plant and the Well.

The top plate 31 is simply a specialized form of lever, the effective end of which is at any particular one of the holes 53 which may accommodate the clevis bolt 5 1;. Being made plate-like it avoids the necessity of adjustments of the lever to adapt the device for use in connection with the cable coming from any particular substantially horizontal direction. It also forms a protective cover for the gears, provides a useful table for various purposes when the device is not in use, and gives to the device as a whole an advantageous form. In installing my improved jack it is preferably located. at a place adjacent to an area substantially beneath the rear end of the pitman l6 and with the shaft 36 directed at right angles to the up and-down move ment of the pitman and with crank arm 414C positioned to rock in planes parallel with the up-and-down and forward-and-back motion of thepitman. The pumping stroke is normally from sixteen to twenty inches long, which is not nearly that of the stroke used for drillin so that a relatively small move- 2'37 ment of the .valking beam 15 takes place.

In connecting the jack with the pitman initially the pump rod 23 is adjusted to its desired lowermost position with. the rear end of the walking beam 15 slightly raised from the horizontal, say eight to ten inches, and thereupon the links 45 are connected to the pitman with the jack crank arm 1 in a vertical position. Thereupon the pullcable 56 is connected approximately tangentially to the plate 31 at one side or the other of its vertical axis of movement as may be preferred.

When the periodical pulling impulses are made upon the cable the plate or lever 31 is correspondingly moved on its axis, the circular gear or rack 34i transmits motion to the gear 40 and the crank arm 14 is moved arcuately downward, drawing the walking beam down and raising the pump rod Upon subsidence of the pull the weight of the pump rod restores the parts to their first relative positions, and thus the pump ing is done continuously so long as the intermittent pulls are made upon the cable.

The rack 34 is made in circular form for various reasons. This construction avoids the necessity of any adjustmentwhen the parts are assembled. It also provides a large number of teeth on the rack which may be used throughout the life of the device, although only a relatively small number are being used at particular time; and it thus also provides for a continuance of the device in use should one tooth of the rack become broken or even should various teeth break here and there, it being only necessary that a suiiicient number remain good. it provides also for an equalized wear upon the teeth, both of the rack and of the gear,

since in assembling the.devicefromltimetotime the crank 44 may be applied to-th'e shaft '36 with the teeth of thelever plate 31 in various relative operative positions with respect to particular teeth of the gear 4-0; The gear a0 is an easily" replaceable element should a breakage of any of its teeth occur- Since,'h0wever, all of these parts are susceptible of being made quite strong, thedanger from breakage s reduced to a mlni-v mum and theconstruct-ion'shown results'in lubricatin the ear members and the bearings of the shaft also through the spreading of the grease. v

An important feature of this system of pumping wells resides in the fact that the down pull upon the'rear end of the walking beam may begin with anexceedingly small amount of movement,'thus. relieving all of the parts frorn'theviolentstrains due to a sudden application of pulling force. When it is considered that the weight of the pump:- ing rodalone may be. thousands of pounds the advantage. or such a slowand gradually-increasing application of lifting force will be clear. .Furthermore,xthe long walk-r.-

ing beam'provides a' very desirable and advantageous up and down movement for pumping in that the arc of its swing, "for connections can be made in less than five.

the relatively short stroke employed departs but slightly from a tangent- With the regular drilling walking beam or. any

other distantly-overhead walking beam used as herein suggested the floor of the derrick about the well is always clear for many desired operations. It is pointed out, also, that where a jack is applied near the well on the derrick floor, it must be adjusted carefully to place each time it is reset after being taken away, and that such (l1SCOI1IlGC-'.

tion and replacement will ordinarily consume several. hours by a crew of men, the pumping being necessarily delayed by that much time, whereas, according to these improvements the necessary disconnections and minutes.

I contemplate as included in the present invention various departuresfrom what is specifically herein illustrated and described,

as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. Ina system for pumping 'oil from a well, the combination of a, relatively long.

walking beam substantially horizontally mounted for vertical rocking movements and having its front end directly over the well to be pumped a pull member having an m- 29 of the as:

t'erinittent substantially horizontal pulling it motion and extending to a place in'the-Sucinityofthearea below the rearend of the walking beam, and means for pulling-the rear end of the walking beam downward with an intermittent movement,':said pulling means ihcludingea lever to which the pull member may be secured "for operative effect a when the pull-memberektends to saidlever from any one of a plurality of widely divergent substantially horizontal directions};

" 2. In; alsystemfor 'pumping oil from well; the combination of a relatively. long walking v i beam substantially 1 "horizontally mounted for vertical rocking movements and having its front end directlyoverthe well motion and extending toTa 'placelinjthe Vlr. c1n1ty of the area below the rear end oitthe walkmgbeam, a rocking arm mounted to ment adjacent to a place below the'rear end portion of. the walking Fbeam; connection means between said rocking arm' and the to be pumped, apullmemberhaving an in; termittent substantially horizontal pulling flrockwith annpward and downward moverear end portionof the walking beampand means ntermediatesald roclnngjarm'anct said pull; member for rocking the rocking arm downward to move the i'earend of the walklng beam dowvnwardwhen} a pull 18.

made by said 'pull member; said Llastf-nientione'd means including a lever member i adapted Itobe moved by pullingstrains' said pull member to -operate thedevicewhen said pull member extends to the leverpmem vergent substantially horizontal directions." 3. In a pumping jack, the combination of a base, 'a lever member mounted for rocking movements thereon on a substantially vertie her in any one of a pluralityot widely'di- I ik cal axis,".meansassociated withisaid lever a horizontally-disposed shaft carried by. said base for rocking movements, a gear mem f her on said shaft, said lever member havlng va'rack meshing with said gear, and a crankarm carried by said shaftf 4-. In a pumping ack, the combination of. a base, a.lever member mounted forrockin'g member adapting it to be moved bypulling strains from a pull member extending to 'itfrom any one of a plurality of widely di a 'vergent substantially horizontal directions,

inoveinentsthereon on a substantially verti- I cal axis, means associated with said lever member adapting it to be moved by pulling from anyone of a plurality of widely divergent substantially horizontal directions, a circular rack carried by said lever concert tric with the axis of lever movement, a gear mounted to rockon a su'bstantiallyhori-f 1 20 strains from a pull member. extending to it;

zontal axis and in meshwith said rack, and I means including a crank arm operatively connected wlth said gear for giving a clownward pull by the crank arm when said lever is rocked by a substantially horizontal pull.

5. In a pumping jack, the combination of a base having a bearing member substantially vertically upstanding therefrom, a wheel-like lever member mounted on said bearing member, the lever member having means around its peripheral portions for connecting a pull member thereto at'various places thereon, a rack in arcuate form carried by said lever member, a gear meshing with said rack and mounted for rocking movements, and means including a crank arm mounted for downward pulling movements operatively connected to said gear, the arrangement being such that a substantially horizontal pull upon said lever mem her will produce a down pull movement by said crank arm. I l 1 6. In a pumping ack, the combination of a base, a substantially flat plate-like lever member mounted thereon for rocking movements in a substantially horizontal plane, an arcuate rack carried on the underside of said lever member, a gear mounted upon the base on a substantially horizontal axis with the gear in mesh with said rack, and a crank arm positioned for downward pulling movement operatively connected to said. gear.

7. The combination of a walking beam, a substantially vertically disposed pitman connected at one end thereof, a crank arm mounted to move with a pulling motion and substantially in line with the pitman, a link connection between said crank arm and the lower end of said pitman, a lever mounted to move with rocking motions in a substantially horizontal plane, and means operative between said lever and said crank arm for converting a horizontal pull upon the lever into a down pull uponsaid crank arm.

8. In a jack of the character described, the combination of a lever mounted to rock in a substantially horizontal plane, a crank arm mounted to rock in a substantially vertical plane, and means including gearingoperatively associated with the lever and crank arm ioi' converting a horizontal movement of the leverinto a vertical movement of the crank arm.

9. In a pumping ack, the combination of means adapted to be connected with a walking beam of the character described for pulling one end of such walking beam down ward to cooperate in producing an up-anddown movement of such end of the walking beam, a lever member adapted to be connected to a pull, member and to be operated thereby when said. pull member extends to said lever member from: any one of a plurality of widely divergentsubstantially horizontal directions, and means intermediate the lever member and said first-mentioned means for converting such substantially horizontal pulls upon the lever member into downwardly-directed pulls, by said firstmentioned means.

, GEORGE M. ASHTON.

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