US1584390A - Jack for derrick legs - Google Patents

Description

May 11 1926.

J. D. M EWEN JACK FOR DERRICK LEGS Filed Dec. 19, 1924 'wrmas szs' Patented May ll,

JOHN D. IVECE'WEN, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 LEE 0. MOORE 8;

COMPANY, INC., 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, COEPORATIGN 0F PENNSYL- VANHL.

anon non DERRICK Lnes.

Application filed December 19, 1924-. Serial No. 756,955.

This invention .relates to derricks for oil wells and the like. More particularly the invention relates to reinforcing or supplementary legs adapted to be used with a permanent steel derrick tower for the pun pose of strengthening it during the drilling of a well, but intended to be removed after the well is finished. More particularly still the invention relates to means for adjusting the length of such supplementary or r'einforcing derrick legs.

The objects of the invention are to provide an extensible member or jack, adapted to be positioned in the reinforcing legs of a derrick, whereby the length of the supplementary leg may be adjusted to insure the carrying of its proper part of the derrick load. The specific objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from a consideration of the following specification and the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is-a side view of the two legs forming the corner of a well drilling derrick, as when the permanent tower is reinforced with supplementary legs, the adjusting jack of this invention being app-lied to the reinforcing Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sech the jack and the leg sections to which it is plied.

in building steel derricks for oil wells it has been found that the iderrick necessary to support the drilling operation is much stronger than is required after the well is completed, for maintenance purposes, such as pumping, etc. lln recent years the practice has arisen of erecting a light steel derrick tower, of suficient strength for maintenance purposes, but not strong enough for drilling operations, and then temporarily reinfo cing the legs of this light derrick by additional legs attached to the permanent ones, these reinforcing legs being used only until drilling is completed. They may then be removed. Should conditions at any later time require stronger derrick, the reinforcing legs may be replaced. as in the first instance.

There has existed in such construction a driving-wedges under the lower ends of the able base or foundation, and it supports in a socket the permanent tubular leg sections 2,

placed end upon end and clamped together in well known manner. At the top, castings 3 are positioned on the tubular leg members for attaching to the upper terminal structure of the derrick. Clamps 1 are. attached to the leg sections 2 and to these clamps by means of tongues 5-5, and 6, are attached braces and girts extending to adjacent legs, in well understood manner. The clamps themselves are held on the leg sections by means of compression bolts 7.

The supplementary or reinforcing legs to be used forstrengthening the derrick during drilling operations are formed of leg sections 10, preferably tubular in form. The lowermost of these seats over a retaining lug 11 positioned on the upper face of the casting 1, and the reinforcing leg is attached to the permanent leg by means of U-shaped loops 12, extending around the two legs and clamping them together by means of terminal cross members 13 and nuts let. Wedge shaped spacers 15 are positioned between the tubes, all as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This particular construction is no part-of the present invention.

In order to secure proper adjustment of the reinforcing leg made up of the sections 10, T position between any two convenient adjacentsections a jack construction, illustrated in detail in Fig. 2.

This comprises a nut 20 having a knurled head, and a concentric extension 21 adapted to fit inside the lower end of one. of the tubular sections 10, the tube end seating upon a shoulder formed between the. head 20 and extension 21, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The extension 21 has a threaded hole tapped therein, for receiving a set screw 22, the

head of which is adapted to be positioned in an opening 23 in the lower end of the tube When the set screwis in position as shown in Fig. 2 it efiect ally locks the nut in the lower end of that section, keeping it from falling out, and also preventing its rotation.

A screw 25 is threaded through a central bore in the nut above described. The lower end of this screw is tapered, and adapted to have secured thereon a. knurledhead 30, retained rigidly on the screw by means of a locking pin 31. Holes 32 and 33 extend through the head and the screw 25, as

illustrated. The .outer periphery. of the rick is first erected with the legs 2, suitably connected by cross braces, etc. Then the re-v inforcing leg is built up by positioning the leg sections 10 at any convenient point,

usually near the top of the derrick; clamp 4 is slipped over the uppermost of these leg sections; the jack member is positioned at the top of the uppermost section; the next sectionlO isthenpositioned on the ack, as

shown in Fig. 2 and succeedingleg sections are positioned and clamped together in normal manner.

- 10 bears against the lower face of the terinforcing leg tocause it to carry its part of minal casting 3. In order to extend the re the load, the set screw 22 is positioned, thus locking the nut 20 against rotation in the leg sections10. A pin is then inserted through one of the holes 32 or 33, and the head 30 is rotated, driving the screw 25in the nut20, ina direction-to raise the nut. The jack is turned up until the properressurer-is obtained on the reinforcing eg. Then the driving pin is removed, the clamp 40 is raised until itcovers the two knurled por- The uppermost leg section tions 20 and 30, and it is clamped in p051- tion to grip both of those knurledsurfaces, thus locking them in fixed relative position.

When the well has been completed and it .is desired to remove the reinforcing legs, the

clamp 40 is loosened and lowered, the head 30 is turned in reverse direction to release the screw presnue, and this permits rea'dy rcmovalof the reinforcing legs.

While I have illustrated and described a tubular derrick, modifications can be made. I

in the jack adapting it for use with any type of legs built up of sections.

I claim:

1. The combination with a sectional leg for derricks of a jack screwhaving a fixed head adapted to engage oneend of the leg section and a rotatable nut adapted to engage the end of an adjacent leg section, and

a clamp adapted to. engage the peripheries 1 of the head and nut to hold them in sid justed position. I

2. The structure described in claim. 1

. further characterized by the fact that the said head and nut have knurled peripheries for engagement by the said-clamp. 3

3. The combination with a leg for derricks of a jack screw adapted to vary the length of the said leg, said screw havinga relatively rotatable nut adapted to engage the end of one leg section, means to attach the nut to the leg section, a fixed head on'oneend of the screw, sa'id head being adapted to engage. theend of an adjacent leg section and-be rotatable in respect thereto, and a clamp adapted to engage the said head and nut to prevent relatim rotation thereof.

4.,The combination with al sectionalleg for .derricks of a jack screw having a-fixeid head adapted to engage one end of a leg section, and a rotatable nut adapted tof engage the end of an adjacent leg section. i

5. The combination witlra tubular sectional leg. for derricks of a jack screw hav-' ing a fixed head adapted-to fit into and be attachedto one end of-a legsection, and a rotatable nut-adapted to engage'the-end of an adjacentleg section. I H p In testimony whereof, I'sign my name.-

JOHN n McE'WEN.

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