US1697211A - Well-drilling machine - Google Patents

Description

6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 1, 1929.

6 Sh ts-Sheet 2 NSN Jan. 1, 1929.

l. T. THOMPSON WELL DRILLING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1925 Jan. l, 1929.

l. T. THOMPSON WELL DRILLING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1925 6 Sheets-sheet 5 Amr?? Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,211

|.f'r. THQMPsoN WELL DRILLING MACHINE Filed une 20, i925 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 SQL JJ Jan. 1, 1929.

l. T. THOMPSON WELL DRILLING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 20, 1923 Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,211 A I T. THOMPSON WELL DRLLING MACHINE Filed June 2o, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet e mu\ n Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC T. THOMPSON, 0F AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN WELL WORKS, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A' CORPORATION OF'ILLINOIS.

i WELL-DRILLIN G MACHINE.

Application led June 20, 1923. Serial No. 646,514.l

This invention relates to improvements in machinery designed for the making ofdeep wells. It i's common practice in the making of deep wells in certain localities to use a rotary boring device whichwill operate a suitable boring member and which is also used in raising and lowering the well casing, and it is also common practice touse a cable that carries at its lower end asuitab-le tool or tools that, through the raising and dropping of the cable, act to deepen the well bore. Indeed 1n some oil-well sectionsthe use of the rotary mechanism in the final stages of the wellmaking operat-ion, or the bringing in7 of the well, as it is termed, is prohibited,A so that the use of the cable and the reciprocation Vthereby of tools is a necessary operation. It

n is also customary before using the rotary apparatus to use cable-operated spudding tools in connection with the work that isy done for 'the making of the first fifty to one hundred feet of-the well. The necessity for changing from one method of operation to another in the formation of a single well has heretofore required two separate machines in connection with the'usual derrick with the result of loss of time and money in connection with obtaining the second machine and substituting it for the one-that has been in use.

It is the leading object of my invention to provide a single machine that when installed at the place where the well is to be drilled ean, by comparatively slight shifting of parts of the mechanism, be adapted to effectively operate either of said forms' of Well-sinking apparatus. I accomplish this object as illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described. That which is believedto be new will be set forthin the claims.

In the drawings-- Fig. l is a side elevationof the machine;

Fig. 2 is a. view similar to F ig. l but taken from the other side of t-he machine, and showing a portion of a derrick arranged over an ordinary rotary with which the machine is shown connected;

Fig. 3 chine;

Fig. l'is a section takensubstantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and'illustrating the clutch device that connects a drive pulley with the crank-shaft of the engine, from v which pulley power is taken forV driving the wheel that operates the walking-beam;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 6 is aisection taken substantially on tne line 6'-6 of F ig. 2 and showing the main power shaft and p-arts carried thereto; Fig. 7

is a section taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3 and illustrating one of the clutch devices on the shaft of that one of th'e drums that is driven when the rotary is used; I

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on the line 9 9 of` Fig. l; and y Fig. l0 is a detail illustrating the connection of the ytool-carrying cable with the walking-beam of the machine. y

Referring to the several figures of the vdrawings,'20 indicates the base of the machine, said base comprising longitudinallyextending sidebars and transverse end bars connected therewith, and preferably one or more intermediate longitudinal bars and transverse bars to form a very heavy sup'- porting structure, which structure is preferably provided with front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22 in order that the machine may be readily moved to and from its place of use. Rising from the rear portion ofthe supporting base is a vertical framework 23 that will preferably be braced by diagonally-arranged braces 24 extending between it and the side bars of the main y between the side bars ofthe main frame 20 and bolted or otherwise secured to oneof the -transverse beams thereof is an engine 25,

by an endless belt 29 that extends over an.

other wheel 30 supportedfrom the vert-ical frame 23, such arrangement permitting thev turning-of the valve by an operator located adjacent to the rear end of the machine. A 1s a rear end elevation of the mapiston rod 31 connects at its rear end with the crank portion' of a crank shaft 32 supported 'in suitablevbearings secured to the side bar members of the main frame. 32a -indicates a fly-Wheel secured uponuone end of this power driven shaft. Upon a short pulley shaft 32b frame 20. Located is opened and .closed ,by

that also passes around and drives a large pulley wheel 35 thatis made fast to a shaft 36 journaled in bearings a short distance in rear of the front portion of the main frame.

vbar 37 is a/handle 40, which at its free end will preferably be flattened and provided with a hole through which a rope or chain may be inserted, so that through such rope or chain the handle may be lifted and secured as desired in order to regulate the eX- tent to which the roller 39 will bear against the belt 34. Upon the other end of the shaft 36 from that to which the large pulley7 wheel 35 is secured is aflixed a crank 41 in which,`

as shown in Fig. 1, are a number of holes through any one of which will bel passed and secured a pin upon which is journaled a pitman 42 that at its up-per end will be detachably secured in any suitable manner to one end of a walking-beam 43. As will be understood, the extent of' rocking of the walking-beam will be determined accordingly as the pivot pin that connects the pitman with the crank is inserted in one or the other of the holes in such crank.

The walking-beam 43 is pivotally mounted at 44 upon the upper end of a heavy post 45 that rises vertically from the main frame 20 adjacent to the rear end thereof and also adjacent to one of the side bars thereof, such post being, in the construction shown, lbraced in position by a long diagonal brace 46 ex- -tending toward the front of the machine,

and by another brace bar 47 extending toward that side of thefmachine opposite to that'from which the post 45 rises. 48 indicates a head on the upper end of the post, and upon that head rests a heavy plate 49 centrally through which projects a stud 50. This heavy pla-te has formed with it oppositely-located vertical ears 51 in which are journaled the trunnions or pivots 44 that are formed with the member 52 that is secured t`o and depends from the central portion of the walkingbeam 43. This construction of course, as will be understood, permits the .walking-beam to have its usual rocking motion vertically and also, by reason of the pivotal connection 50 enables such rocking beam to be turned laterally when, as hereinafter explained, such walking-beam is not to be used. When it is in use, however, it is re strained from an v lateral movement by means of bolts 53 that lock the parts 48 and 49 together, as clearly shown in Fig. 9.

Journaled in brackets that are secured to the vertical members of the frame 23 that rises from the rear end portion of the main frame 20 is a main power shaft 54, upon which are mounted the various sprockets that, through suitable sprocket chains, drive the drums hereinafter referred to around which the respective cables are wound that support the tools and casing that are rotated by the rotary device, vand also'that support the tools that are vertically reciprocated when the cable rig, so'called, is used in place of the rotary. -This main power shaft 54 is driven from the shaft 32 by a chain 55 that passes over a sprocket 56 fast on the power driven shaft32 and a sprocket 57 fast on the shaft 54. Near one end of the shaft 54 is a sprocket 58 over which passes a chain 59`that also passes over a sprocket 60 carried, as usual, by the rotary which, in Fig. 2,. is indicated generally by 61. This rotary may be of any ordinary construction, and will be supported in any usual manner over the mouth of the well that is being formed and will rotate the usual drill rod, or will also be employed to rotate the Well casing itself. The sprocket 58 is loose on the shaft 54 but is adapted to 68 indicates a largev drum mounted on a` .shaft r69 extending transversely of the machine and mounted in bearings carriedby the upright members 23 of the said vertical frame. Loosely mounted upon this shaft 6 9 near opposite ends thereof are two sprockets 70, 71, respectively. Over the sprocket 70 runs a chain 72 that also runs over a sprocket wheel 73 fast-ou the main power shaft 54, and over the sprocket 71 runs a chain 74 that also runs over a sprocket 75 fast on the shaft 54. The sprocket 73 is larger than the ksprocket 75, and the sprocket 71 is larger than the sprocket 70, whereby different speeds may be imparted to the drum 68 accordingly as the vdriving iscifected through eitherY one or the other of the sprocket chains 72 or 74,

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as will be understood. In order that the driving of the drum may be effected alternatively by either of these driving connections from the shaft 54, I have provided separate clutch mechanisms in connection with two sprockets on the drum shaft. Each of these sprockets on the drum 'shaft 69 is loosely mounted on said shaft and has its hub formed to constitute a clutch member adapted to be engaged by a cooperating clutch member slidingly mounted on the shaft. The sliding clutch member that cooperates with the sprocket 70 is indicated by 6, and it is opcrated, in the construction shown, through an ordinary shifting lever 77 that has pivotal connection with a bracket 78, to the outer end portion of which shifting lever is pivotallyA sprocket 71 is indicated by 82- and can be manipulated by a shifting lever 83 that projects rearwardly and Within convenient reach of the operator. I thus provide variable speed hoisting mechanism driven by the shaft 54,.for use in connection with the operation of the rotary drilling device.

Upon the drum 68 will be Wound the cable-indicated by 84-Which, as represented in Fig. 2, will be led over pulleys, as usual, supported by anordinary dcrrick and attached to a swiveled head 'which is in engageinent with the drill rod and thereby supports such drill rod as it is rotated and lowered. Y

It Will be understood, of course, that when the rotary device 61 is being used in connection ,with the formation of the Well the walking-beam 43 Will be-Wholly out ofuse, and to render it inoperative -its pitman 42 Will be disconnected from the crank arm 41. Also, the bolts 53 will be removed that bind the head 48 and the plate 49 together, atter which the Walking-beam, as will be understood, can be turned laterally on the pivot bolt 50 so as to swing it away 'from the der- 'rick. At this timethe pulley wheel 35 should of course, not be driven, and to thro-W it out of operation there is provided a sliding clutch member 85 (see Fig. 4) adapted to engage with a fixed clutch member .86 fast on the projecting end portion of the shaft 32 that is directly connected with the pitnian oi the engine. This shift-ing of the clutch member 85 is effected through an ordinary shifting lever 87 that is -pivoted at 88 to a bracket 89 secured to one of the members of the main frame.

lVhen the drilling of the Well is to be conv tinued Without the ,use of the rotary, but with the aid of the Walking-beam for reciprocating connected to one end of a cable such, for example, as shown in Fig. 10,'Wherein the cable is indicated by A90 and is shown connected with ain ordinary adjustable screw-threaded device indicated generally by 91 which at its upper end is connected in the usual manner with an -end portion of the Walking-beam. As'usual, such cable will be looped through the device 91, so as to provide the required amount .of slack in the cable to compensate the drilling tools', such tools will be, as usual,

for the progress made by the drilling tools. This cable 90, as shown in Fig. 10, will be led over a pulley block 92 and down to and Wrapped around a drum 93 that extends across the machine and, in the construction shown, arranged at some little distance forward of the other drum 68 that has been described. This drum 93 is driven by means ot' a chainv94 that passes over a sprocket 95 fast on the shaft 96 upon which said drum y93 is secured, said chain. also passing over a sprocket 97 that is loose on the drive shaft 54. This sprocket 97 is adapted to be connected with and driven by said shaftv 54 by means of a clutch member 98 that is slidingly mounted on said shaft'and engages with the cooperating clutch member projecting from the face of the hub of the sprocket 97, as Will be clear from an-inspection of Fig. 6. This sliding clutch member 98 is moved by a shifting lever 99 that is pivoted at 100 to a bracket 101, the shiftinglever heilig pivotally connected With one end of a rod 102 that at its other end is connected with a handle bar 103 that is Within easy reach ofthe operator.

As the Weight imposed upon the cables that Wind around these two drums is of course very great, it is necessary to provide very effect-ive means for so braking the drums that their rotation is at all times under control of the operator, and inasmuch as only one of the two drums is in operation at any one time, of course, I have been able to provide a single operating means for the two braking devices as Will now be described. At 104 is shown a rock-shaft extending parallel With the shafts of said two drums and supported in bearings secured to the longitudinal members of the main frame. Around each head of the drum 68 is Wrapped a brake band 105, one end of cach of Which is made fast to any suit-able support-the rock-shaft itself in the construction shown in Fig. 2-a1id the other end of which is turned and engaged by a screw 106 that is pivotally connected, as shown in said Fig. 2, to a crank arm 107 that extends out from said rock-shaft. The other drum 93 is shown (see Fig.2) as havingone` of its heads surrounded ,Aby a similar brake band 108., one end of which, in the construction shown, is made fast to a suitable support such as the bar 109, While its other end is turned and engaged by a 'screw 110 that is pifvoted to la crank arm 111 similar to the crank arm 107. Thile only o'le brake band is shown in connection with the drum 93, it of course might have a brake band at each end, just as in the case of the drum 68. Aiiixed tothe rock-shaft104 is a handle bar 112 (sce Fig. 3) Within convenient reach of the operator, .and it will be'evi'dent from an inspection of Fig. 2 that a turning of the rock-shaft 104 will set the braking devices on either drum. Of course, hoWe'ver,`When either drum is not in use becauseof the use ofthe apparatus controlled by the. other drum, then its brake band will be disconnected from .operative position, which, by reason of the bands being connected to their respective screws, can be very quickly and readily effected.

The driving of the main power shaft 54 from which power is taken for driving the rotary and the drums 68 and 93, as herein explained, is through the chain 55 that runs over the sprocket wheels 56, 57 on the shafts 32 and 54, respectively. The large spools 116 that are shown on the end portions of the shaft 54 are provided merely for use in connection with any other apparatus which it may be desired to use in-connection with the mechanism. They, of course, have no necessary connection with the present invention.k

While the spudding incr-drilling at the commencement of making a well might be performed with the aid of the walking-beam in muchl the same way that such walkingbeam is employed as herein described in connection with the jumping of the tools, yet it is more desirable to employ other means because of the fact that the first fifty or one hundred feet or so of the boring operation can Well be performed generally much more rapidly than is possible with the use of such walking-beam. To that end I provide themachine with special means for perform- Y -ing this spudding operation, vwhich means comprises a rock-shaft 117 (see Fig. 1),wl1ich is journaled in suitable bearings depending from the-main frame 20. Keyed to this shaft and rising therefrom is a heavy arm 118, to

the upper end of which there is pivoted the rear end of aV comparatively long link 119, shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1, and which at its forward end is pivotally connected with the crank 41 which at other times is,

as before described, connected with the pitman 42. As best shown in Fig. 5, there is also keyed to this rock-shaft 117 another arm 120 that stands at an angle to the arm 118, so that the two in effect form a bell-crank lever. Through the forward end portion of this arm 120 extends a pin upon which 'is rotatably mounted a grooved pulley 121 around which passes the cable -90-that, as before explained, is Wrapped around the drum 93, and which cable, under other conditions ofuse, carries the drilling tools that are used in connection with the employment cf the walking-beam as before described. This cable 90, in the use now being described, will pass up over and around the pulleys supported from the derrick, ,as in F igi 2. and at its' end will support the usual spudding tools.' 'Notwithstanding that the pitman 42 is disconnected from the crank 41, so that the walking-beam is of course out of operation and swung laterally ou't. of the Way, the 'large pulley wheel 35 will of course be driven through a proper manipulation 4of the clutch member 85, and hence as such pulley wheel and its shaft are` rotated'the long link 119 that has been connected to the crank 41 will,

through the arm 118, so rock the rock-shaft 117 as to swing the grooved pulley 121 in 'until the depth reached and the nature of the ground being worked will cause the1r operator to thereafter connect up the devices so as to drive the rotary in the manner already described. Y

By my invention I provide a machine that,

after being placed in position Where a well y is to be drilled, can perform all of the operations incident to the making of a well by the use of spudding tools, the rotary, and a cable rig for reciprocating drilling tools, and can also at any time be used for withdrawing from the well the tools or any casing that has been inserted therein. For these withdrawing purposes the engine, of course, will be reversed, so`as to rewind upon its drumythat one of the cables that is being used, and such reversal as here shown will be effected (see Fig. 1) throughmechanism comprising a lever 122 with which is connected a rod 123 that leads back within convenient reach of the operator. All of the various lever devices for throwing the several clutches that control the several devices, asjhereinbefore explained, are also under the control of a single operator stationed at the rear end of the machine, which, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is the end adjacent to the derrick over the lWell that is being drilled.

The construction and'arrangement of the several parts as herein shown and described provides a sin le mechanism so organized as.,

to be adapted for drilling by the use of either reciprocating or rotary devicesf-the reciproeating means being actuated as usual through the frictional power-transmitting medium of a belt and a pulley over which the belt passes, and the rotary means being positively driven, in the usual manner, through sprocket and chain members, and either of said drilling means being independently adapted to be l readily connected with the power producing means.

What I claim as my invention and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent, is-'- vl. In a well drilling machine, the combination With a frame, a' power driven shaftmeans for driving the latter shaft from said power driven shaft, and drilling mechanism driven by said main power shaft.

2. In a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame, a power driven shaft mounted thereon, a. walking beam mounted on said frame and a. pulley wheel for actuating the same, of a pulley supported by said frame, a belt connecting said pulley with said pulley wheel, clutch mechanism for driving said pulley from said power driven shaft, a

main power shaft mounted on said frame,

means for driving the latter shaft from said power driven shaft, hoisting mechanism mounted on the'frame, and clutch controlled sprocket wheel and chain power transmitting mechanism carried by said main power shaft, for driving said hoisting mechanism.

3. In a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame, a power driven shaft mounted thereon,a walking beam mounted on said frame and a pulley wheel for actuating the same, of-a pulley supported by said frame, a belt connecting said pulley with said pulley wheel, clutch mechanism for driving said pulley from said power driven shaft, a main power shaft mounted on said frame, means for driving the latter shaft from said power driven shaft, and sprocket wheel and chain mechanism for driving a rotary drilling device from said main power shaft.

4. In a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame, a power driven shaft mounted thereon, a walking beam mounted on said frame, and a pulley wheel for actuating the same, of a pulley supported by said frame, a belt connecting said pulley with said pulley wheel, clutch mechanism for driving said pulley fromsaid power driven shaft, a main power shaft mounted on said lframe, means for driving the latter shaft from said power driven shaft, sprocket wheel and chain mechanism for driving a rotary drilling device from said main power shaft, and clutch mechanism for controlling the operation of the latter mechanism.

5. In a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame, 4a power driven shaft mounted thereon, a walking beam mounted on said frame, and a pulley wheel `for actuating the same, of'a pulley supported by said frame, a belt connecting said pulley with said pulley wheel, clutch mechanism for driving nation with a frame, a power driven shaft 'mounted thereon, a walking beam mounted onsaid frame, and a pulley wheel for actuating the same, of a pulley supported by said frame, a belt connecting said pulley with said pulley wheel, clutch mechanism for driving said pulley from said power driven shaft, a main power shaft mounted on said frame, means for driving the latter shaft from said power driven shaft, a hoisting drum also mounted on said frame, sprocket wheel and cha-in mechanism for'.driving said hoisting drum from said main power shaft, and clutch mechanism on said main power shaft for controlling the operation of the latter mechanism. p

7. In a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame, a -power driven shaft mounted thereon, a walking beam mounted on said frame, and a pulley wheel for actuating the same, of apulley shaft mounted on said frame in alinement with said power driven shaft, a pulley mounted on said pulley shaft, clutch mechanism for connecting and ydisconnecting said shafts, a main power shaft mounted on said frame, means for driving the latter shaft from said power driven shaft, and drilling mechanism driven by said main power shaft.

8. In a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame, a power driven shaft mounted thereon, a walking beam mounted on said frame, and a pulley wheel for actuating the same, vof a `pulley shaft mounted on said frame in alinenient with said power driven shaft, a pulley mounted on said pulley shaft, clutch mechanism for connecting and. disconnecting said shafts, a main power shaft mounted on said frame, means for driving the latter-shaft from said power driven shaft, clutch controlled sprocket wheel and chain power transmitting mechanism mounted on said main power shaft, and drilling mechanism driven by said main power shaft.

9. In al well drilling machine, the combination of a frame, a power .driven shaft mounted thereon, a main power shaft mounted on said frame, means for driving the latter shaft from said power driven shaft, ,a hoisting drum also mounted on said frame, and means for driving said drum from said main power shaft at different rates of speed comprising a pair of sprocket wheels mounted on the main power shaft and driven thereby, a pair of sprocket wheels respectively mounted adj acent to the opposite end portions of said drum,

clutch mechanism for connecting either of the latter sprocket wheels with said drum inde'- ,pendently of the other, and means for separately driving the latter sprocket wheels from said main power shaft through one or the other of the sprocket wheels thereon, the driving means associated with one end of said drum being arranged to drive said drum at a different rate of speed from the driving mechanism associated with the other en d of said drum.

10. In a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame, a power driven shaft mounted thereon, a pulley wheel driven from ,said shaft, a crank rotating with said pulley wheel, a vwalking bea-m, and a pitmanadapted to be connected with said crank for driving said walking beam, of spudding mechanism comprising a "rock shaft mounted o n said frame, a pair of arms fixed tov said rock shaft and extending at an angle to each other, y,a pulley carried by one of said arms a cable or supporting and actuating spudding devices, said pulley engaging a bight of said cable and operating to take upor pay out the slack thereof as said rock shaft rocks in one direction or the other, and a link adapted to connect the other arm of said rock shaft with said pulley wheel crank.

11. yIn a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame,a power driven shaft mounted thereon, a pulley mounted on said for supporting and actuating spudding de vices, said pulley engaging a bight of said cable and operating to take up or` pay out the slack thereof as said rock shaft rocks in one direction or the other, and a link adapted to connect the other arm of said rock shaft with said pulley wheel crank.

12. In a well drilling machine, the combination with a frame, a power driven shaft mounted thereon, a walking beam mounted on Said frame, and a pulley wheel for actuating said walking beam, of a pulley supported by said frame, a belt'connecting said pulley with said pulley wheel, clutchmechanism for driving said pulley from said power driven shaft, a ymain power shaft mounted on said frame, hoisting mechanism, and variable speed mechanism for driving said hoisting l mechanism from said main power shaft.

13. In a well drilling machine, the com bination with-a frame, a power driven shaft mounted thereon, a walking beam mounted on said frame and a pulley wheel for actuating the same, of a pulley supported by said frame, a belt connectingsaid pulley with said pulley wheel, clutch mechanismfor driving /said pulley from said power driven shaft, a main power shaft mounted on said frame, means for driving the latter shaft from said power driven shaft, hoisting mechanism mounted on the frame, and clutch controlled variable speed sprocket wheel and chain power transmitting mechanism carried by said main power shaft, for driving said hoisting mechanism.

- ISAAC T. THOMPSON.

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