US1652562A - Joint and jointing tool for tube wells - Google Patents

Description

-Dec. 13, 1927:

C. DAY

JOINT AND JOINTING TOOL FOR TUBE WELLS Filed Oct. 4,1924

Fla/f Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

NITED ,fi Ai'lTE S CHARLES DAY, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

JOINT, AND JOINTING. r001. non T U,BE ,wEL s.

Application filed vOctober 4, 1924.. Serial No. 741,672.

r This invention comprises an improved in joint for tube wells or the like in which two coaxial tubes. of, difierent diameters are j oinedbelow ground levehand also a joint ingtoolor plug useful 1n ettectrng a fluid- T tight joint between. the .tubes.

,In sinking a tube well, it is necessary to -.put down a sinking tube of sufiicient inter- V nal d ameter to permit free passage therepipe attachedthereto.

through ofthe strainer and the plain rising If,. for any reason, it is desired to joint the strainer and rising p pe theretromto a casing pipe, suchjoint having tobe made below .ground, and, possibly under water, a specially constructed form of joint must be ema ploy,ed.

.that the upp er part ot'the well be of larger bore than the lower part,.o r strainer, generln modern tube wells it is usually requisite ally because a pump has to be accommodated within the upper part. I Also, it is good pract ce to feed coarse sand or. gravel down and around the strainer,

"while the sinking tube or outer casing pipe 1s be1ng withdrawn.

.Means should also be provided to prevent the sinking tube, outer casing or the like from parting company with the tube well or rising pipe from the, strainer, when the former in withdrawal has reached ,the desiredlevel on-its return journey: from" the full depth of the bore.

. I provide for leaving a portionof the sinking tube in the ground to form the c asing 0t,

the pump.

, In many deep wells it is found necessary to use a relatively large diameter of bore for the first few hundredfeet and to reduce the diameter in steps as the bore procecds. In wells of this, description 1t.1s sometimes v meeessary to line t l1e,bore vith tubing,and

one objectot this invention, is to provide suitable means whereby ,the jointsjbetween the different lengths of different diameters maybe made and also be kept fluid-tight.

, As usually arranged, the joint formed will dinalstress tending to v separate the two tubes, which stress, owing to the fact that it is sometimes advisable to suspend the strainer and pump casing at ground level, ,to, prevent settlement of the liable to he developed therein.

tube well, 7 is lVith the above and other objects in view the invention comprises a means for 'ointing below ground level two tubes of difi'rent diameters wherein the tube ot larger diameter has, preferably ator near itslower end, an internallyprojecting part reducing the internal diameter thereof, said parthaving notches, slots, grooves or serrations on its interior surface. Said notches orthe like extend only'partly through said Jrojeeting part from the upper edge thereo and' the tube of smaller diameter has, preferably at or near its upper. end, two or more, butlpref er ably at least three, outwardly projecting lugs or the equivalent adapted to enter the notches or the likeand tobe engaged'by the unbroken lower portion of'fthe internally projecting part of the larger tube to form a joint therewith.

It will be understood that theinternally projecting and. the, externally projecting parts on the tubes 10f larger andsmaller diameter may be so positioned relatively to the ends of said tubes that when brought into engagement a joint havingan overlap ot desired amount may be formedcbetween the two tubes.

v The internally projecting part of the, tube of larger diameter will :usually be ,part of the cutting edge used for sinking said tube.

The annular space between'the overlapping ends of the two tubes to be joined is lilledwit-hcemeut grout or the like, or with other suitable sealing material capable of setting solid after'being deposited, for example asphalt or pitch, to .complete the joint. i

' The invention also comprises a tool or plug to assist in forming the joint below ground, which plug is lowered "into, position and adapted toengage and seal off. the top of the inner tube'of smaller diameter and'prefer ably also the outer tubeof larger diameter above the annular space formed by the/overlapping of the two tubes,,ai1d providing meanswhereby cement grout ,or' other seal- .lng material may bedlrected to fillthe said annular. space, without entering theinner tube. i i

The plug. comprises means for eflecting fluid-tight contact with the interior surface ofthe pipe or space to b e .sealed,iconstit uted by rings of rubber or other suitable material adapted to be expandedlaterally and radially by p ressure appliedithereto by the, tool parallel to the axis of the tube well, whereby the necessary fluid-tight contact may be made.

The invention further comprises means for forming a fluid-tight joint to close off the lower end of the said annular space for grouting or sealing the same.

In the accompanying drawings Fig' 1 is a longitudinal section showing one embodiment of the joint with the plug in position for grouting the joint;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line li-l.i of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the upper end oi the rising pipe from the strainer or the upper end of the smaller and lower of the two pipes to be joined; and

Fig. 1 is a cross-section on the line K-Il of Fig. 1.

1 is a projecting portion, wnich preferably may be the cutting shoe, the inner diameter vof which is smaller than the inner diameter of the sinking tube or outer casing 2 which is to be jointed but larger than the outer diameter of the rising tube from the strainer or the lower section of the other tube 6 to be joined.

The interior surface of this projecting portion or cutting sho 1 is grooved, notched or serrated as shown at 3, 3, the grooves or serrations increasing the diameter of the inner surface so that, at the bottom of said grooves, it is equal to the internal diameter of the casing 2. The grooves or serrations do not extend the full depth of this projecting portion from its top edge, so that the part 5 just above the inner bevel l of the cutting edgehas its minimum internal diaameter and at this point has an unbroken surface, not being reduced by the notches,

I serrations, grooves or the like.

A short distance below the top end of the rising tube 6 two or more, but preferably at least three, projecting lugs 8, 8, are riveted or otherwise connected to the rising tube.

' These lugs may conveniently take the shape f small pieces of angle iron. The outstanding legs of these lugs or the like are of such length that the lugs will act as centering means for centering the top of the inner or rising tube 6 and maintaining itsubstantially coaxial with the outer tube 2. That is to say, the outer diameter outside these lugs will be slightly less than the internal diameter of the casing 2, but distinctly greater than the internal diameter of the part 5. l Vith this arrangement the two tubes 2 and 6 cannot part company, because if it is attempted to draw the outer tube, in withdrawing, when its cutting edge comes opposite the lugs 8 on the inner tube 6, the

lugs will enter into some of the grooves or serrations 8 and W111 be engaged by the part 5. The outer tube 2 is thus adapted to engage the mner tube 6 in such a manner that further withdrawal of the outer tube would cause the inner tube to rise with it.

Gravel or other suitable material may be fed down the annular space 9 between the two tubes during the process of withdrawal of the outer tube, so that in the final position thelower tube may be surrounded by a layer of gravel or the like separating this tube from the wall of the bore hole. In certain parts of the bore this space may be filled with an impervious material such as cement grout, the gravel or the like only being used in the neighbourhood of the strainer.

.lt will be seen that a strong joint, capable of resisting tensile forces. is effected, space is left for feeding down graveh'and the serrations inside the cutting shoe permit any lengths of pipe which may have been screwed to the top of the tube well to be run screwed without rotating the sinking tube.

To stop the entry of sand which might rise up between the overlap of the two tubes, I. fill the space between them with Portland cement grout, the grout acting a filler only.

Or I may use lead shot or any other tiller.

In filling the annular space provision is made for blocking the flow of grout both up wards and downwards, and confining it as far as possible to the annular space between the overlapping parts of the pipes.

An annular rubber packing 10 may be inserted from above and caused to take up a position resting on top of the lugs 8, 8 in the annular space between the overlapping parts of the pipes 2 and 6. If preferred, this rubber packing ring may be fitted or fixed to the pipe 6, or to either pipe, in its desired position before the pipe is lowered in position. v v

Preferably a metal ring or washer 11 gin ing suitable clearances is first placed upon the tops of the lugs 8 so as to give sufficient support to the rubber packing 10.

For blocking the annular space on top there is used a tool or plug comprising a central part 12 which is mounted on a central hollow shaft 13 so that it can freely rotate on the latter. An upper sleerela 3.110. a lower sleeve 15 are also mounted on the shaft 13, engaging, respectively, a right-handed and a left-handed screw-thread 16 and 17 on the exterior of the shaft 13. Means such as studs 18 or pins 19 may be provided which enter sockets in the part 12, preventthe two sleeves 1 and 15 from rotating relatively to the part 12. A cup 20 holds theparts together. Rubber ring or other suitable packings 21 are inserted in a d pression or gland 22 between the parts 12 and 14:, these rings being adapted upon co1n pression to expand laterally and radially and to form a fluid-tightcontact between the plug and the inner surface of the tube 2.

Other rubber rings 23 inserted in a depression or gland space 21 between the parts 12 and 15 are adapted upon compression to expand laterally and radially and to form a fluid-tight contact between the plug and the inner surface of the tubes 6.

The upper edge of the inner tube 6 is provided with slots 25 adapted to be engaged by projections or pins 26 fixed to the part 12. The parts 15 and 20 of the plug may be coned to permit the plug to enter freely the upper part of the tube 6.

The plug is fixed to a hollow down pipe by which the tube 13 may be rotated and through which cement grout may be poured.

An eye-bolt 28 is suspended by a wire or the like 29 inside the bottom .of the hollow tube 13. On this bolt are strung rubber washers 30 which may be expanded laterally and radially by tightening up the nut 31 to engage the interior of the hollow shaft 1.3 and form a fluid-tight joint therewith.

The hollow shaft 13 has perforations 32 for grout or the like to pass through and to find its way through passages 33 to the annular space 34 between the overlapping portions of the two tubes 2 and 6 to be joined.

The stopper constituted by the washers 30 is of such length that when resting on the edge of the cup 20 its upper end does not cover the holes 32 in the tube 13.

A. spring 35 attached to the stopper 30 may pass through a hole 36 in the cup 20 and the shape and length of this spring and the hole in the cap may be so arranged that if the stopper 30 is drawn up by pulling on the cord 29 this spring will be drawn through the hole and will spring outwards and engage the interior upper surface of the cup when the stopper 30 is sealing off the holes 32.

In action, the two tubes 2 and. 6 being in their desired relative positions and the washer 10 being in position, the plug is lowered until it enters the top of the tube 6. It is then slightly rotated until the pins or the like 26 drop into the slots 25 in the top of the tube 6 which will prevent further rotation of the central part 12 of the plug relatively to the tube 6. This action also revents rotation of the parts 14 and 15.

he shaft 13 is then rotated further to cause the two parts 14 and 15 to approach each other. This action may be due to the right and left handed threads on the said parts and the corresponding threads 16 and 17 on the shaft 13. Or, if preferred, one part, preferably the upper 14, may merely be compressed against a collar 37 by the movement of the other part towards it. In either case the action is such that the rubber rings 21 and 23 are expanded to make fluid-tight joints with the two tubes 2 and 6 and to isolate the annular space to receive grout.

Grout is now poured in to fill this space and the rubber stopper 30 may then be partly withdrawn to close off the perforations 32 and to prevent any leakage of grout as the tool is being withdrawn.

lVhat I claim is In a well tube, a molded joint comprising two co-axial tubes of different diameters entering one within the other with the lower end of the outer tube overlapping the upper end of the inner tube of less diameter, leaving between the overlapping ends an annular space, an annulus fixed to the exterior of and extending below the lower end of said outer tube, the extension of said annulus being formed with a contracted zone of an internal diameter less that the internal diamv R cter of said outer tube, the inner face of said annulus being provided above the part of maximum contraction with longitudinal grooves, lugs fixed to the exterior of said inner tube above said zone of maximum con- CHARLES DAY.

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