US1608711A

US1608711A - Whipstock

Info

Publication number: US1608711A
Application number: US108973A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert A Mueller; Gray Ellsworth
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1926-05-13
Filing date: 1926-05-13
Publication date: 1926-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 1943-11-30

Description

Npv. .30 ,-192e'.4

R. A. MUELLER ET AL WHIPSTOCK Filed May 13, 1926 (RAM 2 .M 21

i l the side wall of the well.

Patented Nov. 30,1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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Application, flied Kay 13, 1928. Serial No. 108,973.

Our invention relates to whipstocks for use in well drilling operations for deflecting a drill or cutter so as to side-track or, 1n

. other words, to cut. throughthe casing or I side wall of the well to drill a new hole.

Whenever a well has been clogged with tools, due to a twist-ofl' of the drill stem, or from dropping tools accidentally, or for some other reason, it is desired to cut a hole 01! to one side of the original bottom of the well hole, a whipstock may be introduced into the well and employed in deflecting the drill or milling cutter so that an inclined opening may be cut through the casing, or

The drill may thus be sidetracked to drill another hole at one side of the original well bore. The difficulty with most whipstocks is. that they cannot be anchored in the bottom of the junked hole so as not to rotate. Then when themilling cutter or drill is lowered into contact with the whipstock, it will only rotate with the drill and the cutter cannot be deflected against the pipe or casing so as to cut it open at one point and allow the passage of the drill.

It is an object of our invention to provide a whipstock having means to positively lock it from rotation in the hole. It also desired to so form the anchoring means that it may be set at any desiredelevation' in the hole and the cutter may be thus directed to cut a hole through the casing at any point desired.

It is also an object to allow a passage for liquid past the whipstock when the device is in use.

In the drawing we have shown a referred form of the invention. Fig. 1 ilustrates the same as set in a casing, part being in elevation and part in central longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device removed from the casing. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the plane 3-3 of 'Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofthe anchoring member. Like numerals are employed to designate like parts in all the views.

The body 1 of the whipstock shown is preferably a solid block of steel, the outer surface 3 of which is cut approximately cylindrical. The upper end is then cut at an incline from one side downwardly, as shown at 2, said inclined surface bein cut' on an arcuate plane, as indicated in 1g. 3, so as to conform to the shape of the rotary cutter ordinarily used.

The lower end of the body of the wh1pstock is beveled on opposite sides to form a wedge. One side 4 is cut on a shorter bevel than is the opposite side 5, the short side s being on the same side as the surface 2 above it. This has the effect. of throwing the side 6 of the body against the casing 7, as will belater noted. 05

The anchoring means comprises a tubular head 8, the lower end of which may have therein a threaded socket 9 to receive a pipe section 10 of any desired length. .The upper end is forked and formed at its extremity with jaws 11 on each of the forked ends. Said jaws have their outer faces curved to conform to the curvature of the casing 7, and are toothed at. 12, the teeth being inclined to engage the casing and resist rota- 7 tion in a right hand direction, as viewed from above. The upper ends of the jaws are beveled upwardly on their inner faces as seen in Fig. 4 and the jaws are also tapered to a point centrally-of each jaw, as is indicated at 14. WVhen the device is used, the anchoring member is first lowered into the well, and may be provided with the proper length of pipe 10 to bring the anchoring jaws to the desired level in the casing. The whipstock may then be dropped into the casing. A water channel 15 is cut in the side of the body to allow the water to flow past the device as it hits the liquid and sinks beneath it. The whipstock will hit 0 the anchoring means with same force and, because of the tapered ends of the jaws 11, the 'lower wedge of the whipstock will be guided to its wedging position, shown in Fig. 1, and will force the jaws tightly against the casing, gripping it so as to effectively prevent rotation of the whipstock. As the said whipstock is wedged in position, it will be held by the short bevel 4 atthe lower end with the longer side 6- firmly against the casing, so that when the'rotary cutter is then introduced, it will strike the inclined face 2 of the whipstock and be guided against the wall of the casing toward WhlCh the inclined guide 2 faces and will thus cut into and mill a hole through the casing. By holding the whipstock firmly against rotation the operation of sidetrackln becomes a simple one and may be accomplished simply and quickly.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Let cers Patent is:

1. A whipstock having its lower end wedge-shaped, in combination with an anchorlng means having two spaced jaws beveled to receive said wedge-shaped end between them, and longitudinal pipe-engaging teeth on said jaws.

2. A whipstock having a cutter deflecting upper face, and. a wedge-shaped lower end, in combination with an anchoring means comprising a head, a forked upper end having opposite spaced jaws thereon to receive said wedge-shaped end, and means on said jaws to resist rotation in a well.

3. A whipstock having a cutter deflecting upper face, and a wedge-shaped lower end, said wedge-shaped end having its opposite sides beveled at different angles relative to the axis of the whipstock, in com-' bination with an anchoring means comprising a head, a forked upper end having opposite spaced jaws thereon to receive said wedge-shaped end, and means on said jaws to resist rotation in a well. I I

4. A whipstock having a cutter-deflecting upper end, the face of which is inclined downwardly toward one side, a wedgeshaped lower end on said whipstock, one side below the lower end of said inclined facebeing cut on a shorter bevel than the opposite side, whereby the extremity of said end is out of the axial center of the whipstock, and an anchoring means having a symmetricall cleft upper end to 'receive said wedge-s aped end of said whipstock.

5. A whipstock having a cutter-deflectin upper end, the face of which is incline downwardly toward one side, a wedgeshaped lower end on said whipstock, one side below the lower end of said'incline'd face being cut on a shorter bevel than the opposite side, whereby the extremity of said end is out of the axial center of the whipstock, and an anchoring means having a 7. A whipstock having an inclined cutterdeflecting-face at its upper end, and a tapered lower end thereon, in combination with an anchoring means having upper jaws expanded to grip the walls of the well when engaged by said tapered end of said whipstock.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures this 5th day of May, A.- D. 1926.

ELLSWORTH GRAY. ROBERT A. MUELLER.