US1671474A - Water-pressure underreamer - Google Patents

Description

May 29, 1928.

1,671,47 F. w. JONES l WATER PRESSURE UNDERREAMER Original Filed Nov. 7,. 1925 MMU Patented Mey 29, 192s.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.V4

wArna-rREssURE UNDERREAMER.

Application med November 7, 1923,seria1No. 673,282. Renewed February 29, 192s.i

This .invention relates to well cutting or boring tools and is more particularly directed to underreamers utilized for enlarging the bore of the well to permit the lowering of aA Well casing.

An object of this invention is to provide a form of well cutting or boring device with cutters, the relative positions of which can be positively controlled at will from the l1H top of the well so that the cutters may be advanced or retract from the cutting or reaming position at any time and without necessarily changing the vertical position of the underreamer in the well.

Another object of this invention is to provide a. cutting device for Wells provided with cutters actuated by means which will yield when the cutter encounters an overload or commences to ream more rapidly in the hole than the safety of the cutting or reaming device permits so thatr the cutters of .the device may automaticallyl retract from the cutting position on the over-load to preserve the cutter and reaming device. Another important object of this invention is to provide a cutting device or an underreamer with hydraulic means for advancing or retracting the cutter of the device to or from the reaining position, which hydraulic means may be controlled and operated from the top yof the well without requiring any vertical motion'of the rea-ming device to eii'ect the operations of the cutters.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred eX- ample embodying the invention and will present themselves through use or the practice of the invention. l

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invern tion.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the underreaming device shown in Figure 1 taken at right angles to Figure 1 and illustratin the reaming device in position in a well ole with the cutters translated to 4the reaming position.

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Figure 2 with the cutters illustrated inthe non-reamingposition and with the lower section of the reaming device-broken away.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section at right angles to Figure 3.

tobe translated in a vertical direction rela-- Fig. 5 is a transverse section with the cutters in thel reaming position.

In the drawings, 2 designates the `body portion of the device which carries the operating elements of the tool, said body is preferably provided with a tool, joint 3 at the top by which the device may be attached to a stand of drill with a similar tool joint 5 in its lower end to which other sections of the pipe or tools, such as indicated at 6, may be attached.

pipe indicated by 4 and.

The @body 2 is provided with a vertical bore ating elementsv` of the roaming device or tool.

11 indicates a hydraulic'piston mounted the bore 7 of the body and thus adapted tive tothe body 2. .Preferably said piston is provided with one or more packing rings 12 between the piston and Walls of the body 2. The lower sectioof the 'piston 7 engages a seat 13 which is vieldingly urged upward in the reaming device by a coil spring 14 seated in the spring receiving chamber` 9.

15 indicates two opposed cutters mounted by the body which cutters are adapted to be translated to and from a reaming or cut'-y ting position. Said cutters are preferably of plate shape or form and disposed to move in a horizontal plane'. The cutters are preferably of a length substantially equal to the width of the body 2 and are supported in transverse ways 16 in the body so that the same may be translated in a direction radial with respect to the body to expose their cutting edges. The piston 1.1 of the device is provided with a flat walled opening 17 in its lower end through which the cutters 15 pass, said opening 17 being 'of a width substantially equal to the cornbined width of the cutters 15 so that the cutters engage the flat walls and are iirmly held against tilting in the device.

To provide means for actuating said critters to and "from the reaming position by the motion of the piston 11, said piston y is preferably provided with members in each cutter extending in y sition,

form of pins 18 extending through the lower section of the piston and transversely to the plates 15.'l said members or pins 18 extend through'and engage the walls of angled camways 19 in the cutters 15, the cam-ways in th'e'same parallel direction, but angled in a direction opposed to the ,cam-Ways in lthe opposed cutter `15.

The cutting edges of the cutters 15 are each Figure 3, where thecutting edges of the vcutters 15'are held from lprotruding from the walls of the body 2 of the device and the Same may be readily lowered through acasto the position where it is desired to infr rem. Fluid is then pumped down the stand of pipe aga-inst the top of the piston.

11 which under suflicient pressure is forced downward against the coil spring 14, forcing the-pin 18 against the Walls of the angled cam-ways 19 in the cutters 15, thereby causing the cutting edges of the cutters to be translated radially beyond the outer walls of the body and into the cutting positions as shown in Figure E2, where at the cutting edges of the opposed cutters are on opposed sides of the body 2 of the underreamer. The' underreamer is then rotated to cut or ream the hole while the water pressure 1s maintained on the pistony 11. It 1s not necessary to vertically translate the body of the under-` reamer to translate the cutter 15 of the reaming device to and from the reaming pobut the position of the cutters may be controlled atvwill from the Vtop of the well by proper application of the fluid or hydraulic pressure on the underreamer.

It is to be seen also that I have provided a form of cutting device wherein the cutters 31st da of October, 1923.

may be yieldingly maintained in the reaming position by proper application of the hydraulic pressure on the piston 11, but such cutters are .not necessarily positively locked in such reaming position during the reaming or cutting operation but may yield under an excess load or inthrust to retract the cutting `edge from -the formation and thus under f such excess load the cutting edge of the rea'mer will not be destroyed and the life of the cutter laccordingly increased.

While I have described one form in which I this invention may be embodied, various modifications may be made in the form and details of construction of the device Without vdeparting from the spirit of the invention. This invention is of the scope set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim: 1. VA rotary underreamer comprising a body, a rigid cutter mounted by the body, means for translating the cutter to change the position of its cutting edge relative to the axis of the body, and a dbris by-pass cut in said cutter back of its cutting edge. 2. In a rotary underreamer, the lcombination of a body, a hydraulic operated piston mounted to reciprocate vertically in said body, a spring lnormally urging the piston to upward posltion, vertical slots in the piston and body, opposed plate forming cutters positioned in said slots, the cutters being radially movable to and from a reaming position, pins carried by the piston and engaging angled cam-ways in the cutters operative to actuate the cutters throughreciprocation of the hydraulic piston. 1

3.`In a rotary underreamer the combination of a body, ahydraulic operated piston mounted to reciprocate vertically in said body', a spring below the piston normally urgingI the plston to anupward position, registering vertical slots in the pisto and body, opposed plate-form cutters positioned in said slots, the cutters being radially movable to and from a reaming position and restrained against vertical movement by `engagementy with the ends of the vertical slots in the body, pins carried by the piston and engaging angled camwa'ys in the cutters thereby operative to actuate the cutters upon reciprocation of the hydraulic piston.`

YSigned at Los Angeles, California, this.

F EDERICK WILLIAM JoNEs.

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