US1663578A - Automatic switch for oil-well motors - Google Patents

Description

March 27, 1928.

W. WERNER AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR OIL WELL MONK-S original Filed April 6, 192 s" Patented Mar. 27, 19 28.

WILLIAM WERNER, OF MEXIA, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH. FOR OIL-WELL MOTORS.

Application filed Apri 6, 1926, Serial No. 100,090. Renewed Kay 8, 1927.

My invention relates to switches for opening and closing the electric circuit in which an electric motor is placed. It is particularly adapted for the control of electric I motors employed in operating pumping 1nstallations in the production of oil.

It frequently occurs, in the pumping of 011 from producing wells, that the 011 does not flow into the well fast enough to supply the pump with fluid continuously. Thus, in order to pump the well economically the pump must be operated lntermittently. This involves the services of an attendant who has to start and stop the motor for the pump according to the amount of liquid present in the well to be pumped.

It is an object of my invention to provide an automatic means for controlling the operation of the motor in a pumpmg equ pment for oil wells that will depend in 1ts action upon the rate of flow of oil into the well.

It is an object to provide a float-operated switch adapted to start or stop the motor 5 under control of the flow of oil from the well which is being pum d.

Referring to the drawing herewith, wherein a preferred embodiment of the-invention is disclosed, Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a float-operated switch employing my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, I have shown asection of an electric circuit in which the operating 85 motor for pumping the well is understood as being connected. One of the wires in the circuit is represented at 1 in the drawing. The wire has two branches 2 and 3,

' indicated in the drawing, and in each of the branches, I have placed a switch, indicated at 4 and 5 respectively. Said switches include a block of insulating material 6 having a central conical opening therethrough in which are fitted two spaced plates 7 of conducting material. The wires in each of the circuits are connected with the edges of the said plates.

I contemplate opening or closing the connection between the two plates by means of contact members 8 and 9 in the two branches 2 and 3, respectively. These contact members are mounted upon rods 10 or 11, made of insulating material and adapted to be automatically operated to close the connection between the plates 7 in the manner which will be presently described.

The switch and a pair of float chambers adjacent thereto are housed within a casing 12, the said casing having a dome shaped top 13 thereon protecting the switch from IIIJIIIy.

There are two float chambers 14 and 15 placed closely adjacent to each other and separated from the switch box by means of a partition 16. The said float chambers are connected together at a point adjacent to their upper ends by a short pipe 17.

The fluid which is being pumped from the producing well flows through the pipe 18 into the upper end of the float chamber 14 and has an outlet from said chamber through two separate pipes. An upper pipe 19 of comparatively large diameter furnishes an outlet for most of the liquid on the level even with the opening 17 connecting the two chambers. A second outlet is formed by the pipe 20 at the lower end of the float chamber 14. A valve 21 in said pipe 20 allows the control of fluid passing through said pipe.

A float 22 in the chamber 14 is connected to the lower end of the rod 10 and when the chamber 14 is filled to the proper level with oil, the switch 8 will be held in position to close the circuit through the branch 2.

The float chamber 15 has an outlet at its lower end by way of a pipe 23 of comparatively small diameter. A valve 24 in this pipe serves to control the amount of flow through said pipe. A float 25 in the chamber 15 is connected to the lower end of the rod 11 and when the chamber 15 is filled with fluid to the proper height, the said float will act to raise the contact member 9 and open the circuit through the branch 3. Both of the outlet pipes 20 and 23 discharge into the pipe line 19 connected with the upper portion of the float chamber 14.

In the operation of pumping the well, the circuit will be closed through the branch 2, it being understood that the wire 1 and its two branches comprise only a short section of one of the wires in a circuit including a motor and a source of electricity. When the circuit is thus closed, the motor will be started. thus operating the pump and effecting a flow of liquid from the well through the pipe 18 into the float chamber 14. The two chambers 14 and 15 will be quickly filled with liquid to the level of the pipes 17 and 19. The bulk of the liquid being pumped will overflow through the pipe 19 and will be conducted to storage.

maller amounts of the liquid will find an outlet through the pipes 20 and 23 to the pipe 19. This operation will keep up until the liquid in the well begins to run low. The amount of liquid flowing into the chamber 14 will be gradually reduced until the level of liquid in chamber 14 will tall below the outlet 19 and the remainder will pass out through the outlet 20. As the flow still further diminishes, the level bf liquid in the chamber 14 will be lowered sufliciently to allow the float 22 to drop and move the contact member 8 downwardly to 0 en the circuit through the branch 2, thus 5 utting down the motor.

The liquid in the chamber 15 will continue to flow outwardly through the pipe 23 and I contemplate regulating the flow of liquid through thispipe so that the chamber 15 will not be drained of its liquid for a predetermined period of time, depending upon the rate of flow of liquid into the well. Thus, if the well fills up rapidly after the pump is shut down, the flow of liquid from the chamber 15 will be more rapid than when the well fills up slowly.. Within the period of time that it takes to fill up the well again, the chamber 15 will have been emptied sufficiently to allow the float 25 to drop, bringing the contact member 9 between the terminal plates 7 of the switch 5, thus again closing the circuit and starting the motor. When the flow of liquid from the pump has filled the chamber 14, the switch contact 8 will also be forced into its seat closing the circuit at that point. The chamber 15 will also soon fill u and the contact member 9 will be unseate the parts again resuming the position shown in Fig. 1.

It will thus be seen that the motor operating the pump will be automatically controlled so that it will be shut down when the supply of fluid in the well has been temporarily exhausted, but will be again started and placed in operation when the well has again filled up. The device is capable of regulation by means of the valves 21 and 24 for use in wells having difl'erent rates of flow or to adjust the device for varying rates of flow in the same well. This will obviate the necessity of an attendant to constantly watch the well and will be an economy in labor and also in wear and tear upon the operating equipment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, an electric circuit including aconductor having two branches, a switch in each of said branches, comprising two spaced plates, a. rod of electrically insulating material, a contact member on said rod shaped to fit bemosaics tween said plates, float chambers, floats therein connected with said rods, said chamhers having inlets and outlets for liquid arranged to open or close said switches controlled by the amount of liquid delivered to said chambers.

2. In a device of the character described, an electric circuit including an electric conductor divided for a short distance into two branches, a switch in each branch, rods of electrically insulating material connected with each switch, float chambers below said switches, floats in said chambers connected with said rods, liquid inlets to said chambers, outlet pipes of smaller diameter than said inlets, said floats adapted to open or close. said switches depending upon the amount of liquid delivered to said chambers.

3. In a device of the character described, an electric circuit including an electric conductor divided for a short distance into two branches, a switch in each branch, one switch opening upwardly and the other opening downwardly, rods of electrically insulating material connected with each switch, float chambers below said-switches, floats in said chambers connected with said rods, liquid inlets to said chambers, outlet pipes of smaller diameter than said inlets, said floats adapted to open or close saidswitches depending upon the amount of liquid delivered to said chambers.

4. In a device of the character described, an electric circuit including an electric conductor divided for a short distance into two branches, a switch in each branch, rods of electrically insulating material connected with each switch, float chambers below said switches, floats in said chambers connected with said rods, liquid inlets to said chambers, outlet pi es of smaller diameter than said inlets, said floats adapted to open or close said switches depending upon the amount of liquid delivered to said chambers, said upward] opening switch operating to close in a pre etermined time after the other has been opened.

5. A fluid operated electric motor control comprising a conductor having switches therein, in combination with float chambers, floats in said chambers, means connecting said floats with said switches, means to admit fluid to said chambers, means to allow outlet of liquid therefrom, and means to regulate the outlet of liquid, whereby said circuit will be opened when the liquid level is at a predetermined low point in one of said chambers, and closed when the level is at a predetermined low point in the other chamber.

6. A fluid operated electric motor control comprising a conductor having switches therein, in combination with float chambers,

floats in said chambers, means connecting said. floats wlth said switches, pipes deliver- Ill ing liquid from a pumping well to said chambers, separate pipes discharging liquid therefrom, and means to regulate the outlet of liquid, whereby said circuit will be opened when the liquid level is at a predetermined low point in one of said chambers, and closed when the level is at a predetermined low point in the other chamber.

7. In"a device of the character described, an electric circuit, a conductor having two branches therein, a separate switch in each branch, rods on said switches, a float connected with each switch, float chambers for said floats, and means controlling the outlet of liquid from said chambers, whereby said switches are actuated to open said circuit when the liquid. supply is cut off from said chambers, and said circuit is closed again a predetermined period thereafter.

8. A fluid operated electric motor control comprising an electric circuit having switch means therein in combination with a float chamber, a float in said chamber, means connecting said float and said switch means, and means to admit fluid pumped from a well into said chamber to actuate said float, whereby said circuit may be opened when the liquid level is low in said chamber, and means controlled by the supply of water to again close said circuit after a predetermined interval of time.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 2nd day of April A. D. 1926.

WILLIAM WERNER.

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