US1656582A - Well apparatus - Google Patents

Description

'Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,582

F. HARDER WELL APPARATUS Filed March 9. 1 20 FI f TI '2:

fizvenzor, Prank fi'ardpr Patented Jan. 17, '1928.

UNITED'STATES PATENT ol-"Flea.

FRANK HARDER, OF HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIQNO B TO DUNN MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF OXNARD, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

WELL APPARATUS.

Application filed March 9, 1920. Serial No. 364382.

This invention relates to various tools and well elevators such as are employed in hoisting and handling or screwing or unscrewing well casing and tubing, pipe, sucker rods,

etc., and it has for its object to provide an improved device of this character which will be relatively simple and inexpensive in construction, taken in conjunction with features of superiority pertaining to positiveness and reliability in action, automatic performance in engaging or embracing the work, facility in performance in release of the work, durability and general serviceability. 4

In well elevators as generally used at the present time it is customary to provide a main body member upon which the principal weight of the casing'or tubing or the like is imposed through the agenc of the collar or coupling which is emp oyed to unite sections of the tubular elements. In conjunction with this main or body member a gate or door is employed which is closed around the tubular element and latched or fastened in conjunction with the main body; the main body and the door'or gate being formed to fit around the tubing 01'' other tu-- bular element and providing between themselves a substantially circular opening or bore for that purpose. In elevators of this type it is necessary to manually or voluntarily latch and unlatch the gate or door, and this is sometimes attended with difficulty due to pressure of the pipe or tubular element against the gate or the imposition of part of the weight thereof upon, the gate. Also frequently it. is difficult and unhand to latch the gate due to theiposition'o the tubular element to which the'elevator. is ap- 4 plied. Also in certain. classes of service such as handling tubing used in rotary well boring strings, the elevators are frequently applied to the work while in motion, and this renders it difiicult to latch the gate or door so as to confine the tubular element and prevent its displacement from the elevator.

It is one of the important objects of this invention to provide an elevator of the general character stated, in the operationof which the tubular element is automatically confined and locked in position so as to prevent its displacement from the elevator. Means likewise. are provided whereby the tubular element may readily bereleased from such confined or locked condition, and the closure means withdrawn therefrom.

In practicing the invention I further provide a combination of elevator and suspension means whereby the elevator may be freely turned in the suspension means, which latter consist of the conventional links or other suitable devices; and this enables the elevator to be given a quarter turn from its normal upright-position so that it may be presented to the pipe or other tubular element while the same 'is in substantially horizontal position. In accordance with the present invention pi e and the like lying substantially horizontaliy and merely blocked up slightly at one end may be picked up by the elevator when given a quarter turn from its normal dropped down over' the pipe. The closure means or means for confining the tubing in the elevator automaticall closes after being engaged with the wor Thereupon the elevator may be hoisted away and it will swing in the suspension means and be restored to normal upright position With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, combination, construction, interrelation and relative arrangement of arts, members and features, all as hereina tel; described, shown in the drawing, and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a well elevator constructed and organized to embody the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the-same;

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view of the same, taken upon the line w-w, Figure 1, and looking downwardly, the means for confining the tubular element in theelevator being shown in unlocked and receiving condition;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 taken upon the line v -00, Figure 2, an looking downwardly, the means for confining the tubular element being shown in op erative position and condition, namely, in

position and condition assumed and existing when the tubular element is confined within the elevator;

Figure 6 is a detail vertical sectional view,

taken upon the line mw, Figure 3, and

position and looking in the direction of the appended arrows; and, K

Figure 7 is a detail vertical sectional View, taken upon the line M-m, Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows. Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawing, A designates the main body or load-carrying member of an elevator organized to embody the invention, the same being generally arcuate in form and having an arcuate vertical inner surface or wall 7 of substantially 180 degrees in extent. Such body A is provided with a flat top surface 8.. Ad- 'acent to its opposite terminal portion the ody A is provided with oppositely projecting trunnions 9 with which cooperate suspension means B which may consist of separate links 10 of conventional form, the upper ends of which are curved toward each other and adapted to be engaged by a hook (not shown) and which is suspended from the cable utilized for wells in the derrick for handling the casin and other devices and elements used in rilling'and well operations. These trunnions have downwardly projecting outer end portions 9 and detachable cotter pins or the like 11 are passed through these ends 9 and received in recesses in the body A, thus preventing displacement of the links 10. It will be understood that any other suitable suspension means may be employed in so far-1* as the remaining features of the invention are con cerned. C designates closure means or means for confining the casing, tubing or other structure or element within the elevator; and the same comprise one or more jaws 12 which are mounted and arranged to be swung into position to receive the pipe or tubing or other work presented to same and to swing in step with such work as the work is passed into the bore or chamber described as existing within the member, A, such chamber being confined by a curved wall 7. Further, the jaws 12 are so arranged that when they have swung as stated in step with the work which is introduced within the member A, they provide a barrier against escaping or withdrawal of the work, which barrier is rendered effective by locking means 0 preferably ahead of the work. Thus, when the work has been received in position to be partly surrounded by the member A and partly surrounded by the jaw or jaws 12, and so that the weight of the work is supported in the main upon the top of the member A, the work cannot be withdrawn or released from the elevator until the locking means a have been operatand condition is eflected automatically. To unlock the closure means G, I provide releasing means I) which may be conveniently As indicated in the drawing, a single jaw 12 will suffice to confine the work (which work is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1), but a plurality of such jaws are preferably employed, each being mounted at an opposite side of the member A by a hinge pin or pintle 13. Each of these jaws is arcuate in form and has a curvature conforming generally to that of the wall 7 of the member A. These jaws 12 are normally maintained in open condition and positions by coil springs 14 suitably applied around the pin tles 13, and each bearing at one end upon one of the jaws 12 and at the other' end upon the corresponding end of the body member A. The jaws 12 are hinged apprentmately midway between their ends, so that the outer ends when opened up project materially beyond or forward of the member A. When closed these outer ends come together, and the inner preferably reduced ends ride into a chamber or recess 15 of arcuate form which is produced in the inner wall 7 of the body member A. Any weight of the work imposed upon the jaws 12 is thus transferred to the body member A.

The inner ends of the jaws 12 are provided with looking fingers l6 ada ted to play within the recess 15 and likewise respectively within upper and lower cored-out chambers 17 formed in the somewhat enlarged central portion of the member A, and rearward of which chambers 17 is provided a locking plate 18 held in position by a bolt or rod 19 projecting into a chamber 20 formed in the body member A wherein such bolt is surrounded by a coil compression spring 21 bearing upon the head 19 of the bolt or rod 19 at one end and against the rearward wall of the chamber 20 at the other end. This combination of features results in maintaining the locking plate 18 normally in forward position across the chambers 17. Openings 22 are provided at opposite sides of the locking plate 18, one of the same being shown in Figure 4, the same being in different horizontal planes, and said openings 22- are adapted respectively to receive the end portions of the locking fingers 16 which ride into such open ings, traversing the plate 18, when the work is prevented to the jaws 12 and the inner end portions of the jaws with the work move into the cavity in the member A. When the jaws assume their final closed relation, the locking fingers will have entered the openings 22 in the locking plate 18, and the work will now be in its final position in which it is supported by the elevator, and is confined and prevented from release or displacement by the jaws 12 and the locking means 0 described. The work is now positioned in the bore D, the walls of which comprise the vertical wall 7 of the main member A and the inner faces of the jaws 12. These surfaces and faces are preferably somewhat inclined vertically to produce a resultant bore D which tapers somewhat upwardly. This enables the pipe or tubing or other tubular element to be completely and firmly supported or suspended by the collar or coupling even if the collar or coupling is not exactly true in its position on the tubular element. In other words, if the plane of the lower edge of the collar is slightly out of rectangular relation to the axis of the tubing the tubing is permitted to swingsslightly in the accommodation afforded by the taper of the bore D.

The releasing means I) comprise a rock shaft 23 mounted to turn in the body member A at the rear thereof and midway between the chambers 17, within which chambers is provided a 'lip or cam 24 adapted to bear against the locking plate 18 when the rock shaft 23 is swung b a handle 25 which ranges transversely of the elevator body A exteriorly thereof and at the rear thereof.

Above the handle 25 is provided a safety.

handle 26 which is fast upon the body mem ber A and in its, position-overlying the handle 25 protects the same against the engagement of any object which might otherwise fall on the handle and trip it or cause the releasing means 6 to be operated to release the jaws 12 inadvertently or accidentally. At the front of the member A are provided vertical hand grips or handles 27 which may be conveniently employed in manipulating the elevator or lifting it from point to point, and also in guiding and directing the elevator to present it to the work while the pipe or work is in upright position. When it is desired to disengage the work from the elevator as in laying the work down upon the floor of the derrick, the elevator turns upon its trunnions 9, and when the work has been brought to position to be released the handle 25 is manually moved and the releasing means I) tripped to swing out the plate 18 and free the locking fingers 16 from the openings 22. The elevator then may be hoisted away from the work and its 'aws 12 will open, permitting the work to e released from the elevator and escape the jaws 12. The springs 14 will now hold the jaws open in position to be again utilized when engaged with work in thenext job in order. The jaws 12 are so fitted in V recesses in the body A at 28, where they are mounted upon the pintles 13, that they can freely turn within the limits described, but

' any further outward swing is prevented by shoulders 29 outward of said recesses 28.

Stop fingers 30 are provided for the looking plate 18, ranging rearwardly and angularly toward each other, from the rearward portion of the body A.

It will be seen from a consideration of the elements and features and structural parts of the invention and its embodiment above discussed and shown in the drawing, that I provide an elevator entirely automatic in operation in so far as engaging and confining and holding the work is concerned, and whereby the elevator need merely be presented to the work in proper relation, whereupon the closure means will receive the work, in an action accommodating final movement of the work into the elevator structure, which closure means will ultimately become locked so as to hold the work in the elevator positively and effectively until the releasing means I) are manipulated to free such closure means and permit the closure means to again accommodate movement of the work out of the elevator. elevator the same may readily be moved or drawn away from the work by the handle member 25, after such handle member has been utilized to release the jaws 12 through the releasing means 6. Thus the disengagement of the elevator from the work may be conveniently and expeditiously accomplished without removing the hand from the unlocking means. The handle 25 ma be given a quick depression and then a pu l in a direction away from the work, and the elevator will quickly open up and leave the work.

It is obvious that many variations and adapted to hold the work to the main body and within a recess therein; said closure means being movably" mounted in position to be actuated upon presentation of the body to the work; locking means for the closure means, said locking means being automatically operated when the work has been brought into the recess in the body, and means for releasing the closure means from locked condition; said closure means comprising a member hinged adjacent to said recess in said body, a locking finger upon said hinged member, and a locking device mounted in connection with said body and over which said locking finger rides when In the manipulation of this all the hinged member is moved in conjunction with the work entering said recess; said releasing means comprising a cam device mounted in connection with said body and provided with a handle projecting rearwardly of said body and which handle may likewise be employed to manipulate the device in withdrawing the same from the work.

2. A. device of the character disclosed, comprising a main body and closure means adapted tohold the work to the main body and within a recess therein; said closure means being movably mounted in position to be actuated upon presentation of the body to the work; separate locking means for the closure means ahead of the work, said locking means being automatically operated when the work has been brought into the recess in the body, and means for releasing the closure means from locked condition; said body being provided with oppositely projecting trunnions with which suspension means may be combined to permit the device to be swung upon such trunnions.

3. In a device of the character disclosed, a body provided with a recess adapted to re ceive the work, closure means for maintaining the Work within the recess, locking means for the closure means ahead of the Work, and

releasing means for the locking means including a handle projecting from the body; the body likewise being provided with a safety handle overlying sa1d releasing means handle.

4. In a device of the character disclosed, a body provided with a recess adapted to receive the work, closure means for maintaining the work within the recess, locking means for the closure means ahead of the work, and releasing means for the locking means including a handle projecting from the body; the body likewise being provided with a safety handle overlying said releasing means handle; the body being likewise provided. with another handle for manipulating the device in presenting the same to the work.

5. In a device of the character disclosed, opposed hinged members each having an end portion which engages the work at one side of the hinge and a further end portion with which cooperates locking means, together with said locking means; said end portions with which said locking means cooperate be- FRANK HARDER.

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