US1621876A - Flow nipple - Google Patents

Description

Patented 22; 1927.

tours n. nouns, or immune, cannon FPLE- Application filed June 2, 1924. Serial No. M7248.

My invention relates to the art of control- Referring to the drawing which is for at ling the flow from oil wells. In the oil industry it is quite common to bring in large wells which have a high gas pressure and I from which the oil is expelled with considerable force. If these wells are allowed to flow freely, they sometimes do considerable damage to the casingor the various fittings about the well and they usually sand up in a very short time, This sanding up may be due to the entry of large quantities of material into the well itself, or it may possibly be due to a clogging of the format-ions around the welL. It is, of course, highly desirable to prevent the well sanding up and for this and other purposes it is com-'.

mon practice to provide a flow -nipple,'especially on wells having high gas pressure, this flow nipple consistmg of a member hav- 29 ing a constricted orifice, the member being placed in the flow line from the well and being utilized to hold a considerable gas pressure on the well, thus reducing the rate of flow and preventing'damage to the well and sand'troubles.

Many types of flow nipples have been invented that'consist usually of a block of steel c having an orifice from one-eighth to one inch in diameter. This block of steel is usually hardened to resist wear, but nevertheless due tothe high velocity of the oil and gas through the orifice, a very rapid wear takes place therein.

In the conventional form of flow nipple a heavy valve is provided between the well and the flow nipple, and'as the nipple wears or when it is desired to replace. it with one having a difierent orifice, the usual method is to close this valve and then remove the flow nipple or a bushing thereof. This necessitates shutting down the well for a short period and is therefore objectionable.

It is an object of my invention toprovide r a flow nipple in which anew orifice may be presented without it being necessary to shut oil the How of the well.- This new orificemay be of the same size or a number of different size orifices may be provided, any one of which may put in service so that the pressure built upon the well and the rate of flow of the well can be quickly controlled without shutting the well down.

Further objects and advantages will be made/evident hereinafter.

illustrative purposes only,

Fig, 1 is a side elevation partly in section through one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof showing the control handle.

Fig. 3 is asection on a plane represented by the line 3-4 of Fig.1, showing the valve in one of its operating positions.

Fig. 4 is a section on a plane represented by the line 34 of Fig. 4 showing a position the valve assumes during its change from one position to another. r

In the form of the invention illustrated, 11 is a valve body which is secured to a ipe 12 leading to the well to be controlle a valve not shown being preferably inserted in the pipe 12. A convenient location for the flow nipple is directly above the casing, head of the well. Threaded at 13 in the member 11 is a nipple 15 which in turn is threaded at 16 in a pipe 17 used as the flow line of the well. The nipple 15 in the form shown is provided with six orifices 18 which extend longitudinally therethrough and which may be all of the same size or which may .be of different sizes, as shown. Seated on the inner end 19 of the nipple 15 is a valve '20 which is held centrally and turns about a pin 21. Formed on the valve 20-is a hub 22 having a square hole therein. I he valve 20 is also provided with an opening 23 which is somewhat larger in diameter than the the body 11. Packing 37 compressed by a.

threaded gland 38 is provided about the valve stem 30 to prevent the escape of oil therearound. Secured on the outer end of the valve stem 30 by means of a bolt 41 is a handle 40. The handle 40 has an inwardly projecting member 42 in which an enlarged head 43 on a bolt 44 is free to slide. The head'43 has a projecting pin 45 adapted to seat in holes 46 formed on the end of the member 11. The pin 45 is forced into the holes 46 by a compression spring 47. For the purpose of locking the pin 45 in the holes 46, a guard 50 is provided, this guard being pivoted at 51 on the handle 40 and being so shaped that it covers a nut 48 on the bolt .44- when it is in. the position shown in the drawings. The guard 50 has a slot formed therein through which a staple 55 can project andan ordinarypadlock 56 is provided to lock the guard in the position shown.

The method of operation is as follows:

The holes 46 are so placed that when the pin 45 is in any of these holes the opening 23 in. the valve 20 registers with one of the orifices 18 in the flow nipple The oil entering the interior of the body '11 through the pipe 12 is forced to flow through the opening 23 and the orifice 18, the triotion of the oil passing through this orifice being suflicient to buildup a substantial pressure on the interior of the body 11 and on the well. This pressure may amount to several hundred pounds per square inch. Should the orifice 18 which is in service wear to a sufiicient degree to allow this pressure to be reduced; or should it be desired to change this pressure by changing the flow to a difi'erent size orifice, this can be accomplished by turning the valve 20. To

do this it is necessary to remove the padlock.

56 and turn the guard back about the pivot 51 so that the operator can pull to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, on the nut 48, thus pulling the in 45 out of the hole 46v with which it sufficiently large to prevent complete shut-' tin ofi of all orifices at any time. The ori ce 23 starts to open an orifice 18 before it entirely'leaves the orifice with which it has previously been connected. This allows the well to flowcontinuously, and if the valve is turned in the usual manner no material change in pressure takes place upon the well. Obviously, a greater or lesser L number of orifices 18 than shown may be employed, and where it is not desired to change the pressure on the well but it is merely desired to give a long life to the flow nipple 15, a number of orifices all of the same size may be used. The pressure of the well acts upon the valve 20 tending to hold it on its seat. The flow nipple 15 can, of course, be readily removed and replaced when it is entirely worn out by closing a valve in the pipe 12.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of a hollow body constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through which to receive fluid under pres-- sure and provided with an outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in said 0 ning in fixed relation to said body and aving ormerly' registered. The valve stem 30 can now be turned by means.

a plurality of orifices of different relative diameters through which fluid may be discharged from said valve chamber, said body and nipple bein adapted to be incorporated in and form a xed portion of a flow line;

and valve means within said chamber and freely operable in relation to said fixed body and nipple to close all but one of said orifices.

2. In a flow line device for a flowing well,

' the combination of: ahollow body constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through which to receive fluid under pressure and provided with an outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said body and having a plurality of orifices of difierent relative diameters through which fluids may be discharged from said valve chamber, said body. and nipple being adapted to be incorporated in and form a fixed portion of a flow line; and

valve means within said chamber and freely operable in relation -to said fixed'body and or orifices through which fluid may be discharged from said valve chamber, said body and nipple being adapted to be incorporated in and form a fixed ortion of a flow line; and valve means within said chamber and freely operable in relation to said fixed body and nipple to close all but one of said orifices, said valve means being formed to at all times maintain a continuous flow through at least one of said orifices.

4. In aflow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: a hollow body constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through which to receive fluid under pressure and provided with an outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said bodyand having a plurality of orifices of different relative diameters through which fluid may be dis charged from said valve chamber, said body and nipple being adapted to be incorporated in and from a fixed portion of a flow line; and valve means within said chamber and freely operable. in relationto said fixed body and nipple to close all but oneof said orifices, said valve means being formed to at all times maintain a continuous flow through provided with an outlet openmg; a rig1d neaaave flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said body and having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may be discharged from said valve chamber, said orifices extending from the inner face of said flow nipple and said body and nipple being adapted to be incorporated in and form a fixed portion of a flow line; a freely rotatable disc valve engaging said inner facp of the flow nipple and having an opening adapted to register with one of said orifices; and means for operating said disc valve.

6. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: a hollow body constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through which to receive fluid under pressureand provided with an outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said body and having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may be .discharged from said valve chamber, said orifices extending from the inner face of said flow ni ple and said body andnip le being adapte to be incorporated in anc form a fixed portion of a' flow line; a freely rotatable disc valve engaging said inner face of .the flow nipple and having an openlng adapted to register with one of said orifices; and means for operating said disc valve, said valve being axially movable in relation to said operating means and adapted to be maintained in close contact with the inner face of the flow nipple by the pressure within the valve chamber.

7. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: a hollow body constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through which to receive fluid under pressure and provided with an outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said body and having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may be discharged from said valve chamber, said ori fices extending from the inner face of said flow ni ple and said body and nipple being adapte to be incorporated in and form a fixed portion ofa flow line; a freely rotatable disc valve en aging said inner face of the flow nipple and aving an opening adapted to register with one of said orifices; and means for operating said disc valve, said means comprising a stem associated with said valve and extending outwardly from thgl body and having a handle at its outer en 8. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: a hollow body constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through which to receive fluid under pressure and provided with an outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said body and having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may be discharged from said valve chamber, said orifices extending from the inner face of said flow nipple and said body and nipple being adapted to be incorporated in and form a fixed portion of a flow line; a freely rotatable disc valve engaging said inner face of the flow nipple and. having an opening adapted to register with one of said orifices; means for operating said disc valve, said means comprising a stem asociated with said valve and extending outwardly from the body and .having a handle at its outer end; and means for locking said operating means in any one of its several selective positions. a

9. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: a hollow body constituting a valve chamber having an. inlet through which to receive fluid under pressure and provided with an outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said body and having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may be discharged froin said valve chamber, said orifices extending from the inner face of said flownipple and said body and nipple being adapted to be incorporated in and form a fixed ortion of a flow line; a freely rotatable dlsc valve engaging said inner face of the flow nipple and having an opening adapted to register with one of said orifices; and means for operating said disc valve, the opening in said valve being of sufficient area to communicate with any two of said orifices so as to at all times permit a flow of fluid through the device.

-lln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 24th day of May, 1924.

Lotus n. nonan.

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