US1716885A - Well elevator - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1929; J. GRANT 1.516.885

WELL ELEVATOR Filed April 13, 1922 Patented June 11 1929.

UNITED STATES v p 1,716,885 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GRANT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO BYRON JACKSON PUMP ('30., OF WEST BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- TION OF DELAWARE.

WELL ELEVATOR.

Application filed April 13, 1922. Serial No. 552,264.

This invention relates to means for lifting and lowering tools and materials in wells, and for handling and operating the same generally, such as tongs, wrenches, elevators, clamps and other devices for pipe, casing, polished rods, tubing and other objects, articlcs and mechanisms.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device that can be securely attached to a string of tools or casing.

Another object is to provide an elevator that can be used for supporting proportionally small tools and pipes on the open top end of relatively large casing.

Another object is to provide a relatively large supporting base for an elevator of this t pe.

Another object is to provide latch members operative by the action of resting or lifting the elevator in relation to the top end of the well casing.

Another object is to provide latch members that will normally close by reason of balance.

Another object is to provide a locking lever on the door of the elevator or other device that can be used for opening the door.

Other objects will appear from the following description as well as from the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a erspective illustration of an elevator embo ying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on approximately line 22 of Fig. 1 of the door of the elevator, illustrating the relative position of the locking means between the door portion and the main body portion of the elevator.

F ig.'3 is a front elevation of a slightly modified form of latch member for the attaching links of the elevator, a portion of the main body of the elevator being shown in vertical midsectional View, with a link member in engagement in the hook end of the body.

The main body 4.- of the elevator, illustrated in Fig. 1, is provided with an inner or engaging face 5 of a size and shape to easily engage over the tool or article for which it is intended.

Devices of this type are in general used for lifting and handling working tools, rotarly ipe, and other heavy articles, used in we 1 drilling, operating and pumping wells, and the use of the invention in an elevator is only one of many uses that may be made thereof.

In lifting working tools from the well, or in lowering the tools into the well, it is of great importance that an elevator can be applied to the tools so as to securely hold the tools. A string of tools is preferably smooth in order to avoid a catching of the tools when being passed through the wellcasing. Such smooth outside of the tools, however, offers little or no means for attaching an elevator. Thousands of feet of tools, on the other hand, represent a tremendous weight. It is therefore obvious, in order to be practical, such an elevator must embody strong clamping means for securely engaging a string of tools wherever for a moment a secure grip is desired.

An elevator of this type must furthermore be designed so as to make it applicable without unnecessary loss of time.

Certain features of this invention are the Slll)]6CtS of a divisional application Serial No. 636,101, filed by me May 2, 1923. The main body 4 is provided with an openmg m one side, indicated between the points 6 and 7, of a size that a string of tools, or other similar articles for which the device is designed, can easily be disposed in the hollow of the main body 4. This opening is normally closed by the door 8. The door is permanently engaged at one end with the main body, as indicated at 9, for a swinging movement in relation to the body, so as to have body and door in suitable relative engagement for quick and convenient handling, though, of course, it is not impossible to make the pin in this engagement removable or exchangeable.

A yoke 10 encircles the opposite end of the main body, being pivotally engaged. in the rear side of the main body, as indicated at 11, and being large enough to engage over the free end of the door. The engagement over the rear of the body is made to provide a strong and stable engagement between the body and door, on the one hand, and to provide as large a radius as possible for the swinging movement of the yoke, on the other hand.

A locking lever 12 is pivotally engaged with the free end of the door, as indicated at 13. This lever is provided with on aging means 14 and cam-means 15. The hoo -portions 14 are designed so that the yoke 10 may easily be swung into engagement with the hook-means of the locking lever, serving to engage with the main body for forcing the door into its closing position. The locking and engaging end of the lever 12 appears in top plan view in the illustration of Fig. 2, from which it will be noticed that the bore 16 in the engaging end 17 of the lever 12 is suitably larger, in order to allow free movement of the lever in relation to the door and to the body 4. The normally upright portion 18 of the yoke 10, however, forms a practically stationary fulcrum about which the lever swivels or swings when engaged for closing and locking the door in relation to the body 4. A bolt is pivotally engaged to the common pivot or pin of the door and body, as indicated at 9. The bolt comprises the pivot and socket-end 19, the screw-end 20, and the head 21. The screw-end screws into the socket-end 19. A washer 22 is inserted between the head 21 and the lever 12, of a shape to engage with the concave face 23 in the lever. Head and washer are of a size that they will properly engage with the lever at the point where the concave face is provided, but will easily disengage from the lever between the two arms 24 of the lever, since the bolt mechanism is designed so that they can swing close to the door to allow the lever to swing free towards the left.

When the lever 12 is so disengaged from the bolt, the lever is free to swing to the left to such an extent as to disengage the engaging members 14 from the yoke 10, the yoke being then free to swing to the left to free the door. The lever may be moved to the left until the engaging members or hooks 14 touch the front edge 25 of the body, when, on continuing the movement in that direction, the door may be forced open by a wedging action of the lever between the edge 25 and the pin 13, see Fig. 2. I

For closing the device, the yoke 10 is first engaged with the hooks 14 of the lever, and the lever is then moved in the opposite direction towards the door. The cam-portion 15 of the lever 12 is designed to touch the door, so that, on further pressing or moving of the lever in this direction, the door is wedged into the opening of the body for closing the elevator. The upright portion 18 of the yoke being practically a stationary fulcrum on the body 4, as described above, the door is forced into closing position by, the wedging action of the cam 15 between the stationary fulcrum 18 and the door. This wedging action can be increased by engaging the bolt with the lever 12 as described above, and by turning to force the lever towards the pin or pivot 9.

These closing and opening actions can be accomplished very easily and without much toss of time, since the screw is only to be operated for a short distance, the head easily slipping through the space between the two arm-portions of the lever as described above to permit opening of the door.

The body 4: of the elevator is preferably provided with open hook-like members 26 to engage with the links 27 and with a rela tively large base plate or member 28.

The lever 12, bolt device 19, etc., and yoke 10, and attendant features all serve to positively grip and hold the casing or other work.

The large base member 28 is provided for the purpose of eliminating the use of catching or supporting tongs, or forks, or slips, otherwise necessary with this type of device.

Well casings are often of relatively large inner diameter. The Working tools, or drillpipes, or other similar articles, operated within the casing, however, are normally of diflerent standard sizes of casings, and of relatively small outside measurement. The main portions of an elevator of this type are therefore eventually so small that the whole elevator might fall in. to the casing. The forks, tongs, and slips, above referred to, are therefore normally used to catch the elevator above the upper end of the large casing.

Providing the small elevator with the large base member is therefore very convenient and time-saving, without adding too much weight to such a device.

Pawls 29 are provided pivotally engaged at 30 to the elevator one at each side, having weight-members 31 projecting beyond the pivots 30 so as to automatically obstruct the open hook-like ends 26 of the elevator for holding the links 27 engaged with the elevator, and preventing an accidental disengaging. Whenever the elevator is lowered to the floor, the pawls automatically move and the links can then be removed.

A slightly modified form of this pawlstructure is illustrated in Fig. 3 The pawl 32 is also pivotally engaged with the baseplate 33 in this form. The weight-portion 34 of the pawl in this form, however, is shaped to form a suitable continuation of the base, so that the base can be extended by means of the pawl. The pawl portion 32 in this form swings into the recess 35 in the body 4 when the device is in resting position, as indicated in dotted lines.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the general character -disclosed, a body having an open side, a door engaged with the body for closing the open side ofv the body, a closing yoke engaged with the body, a locking lever engaged to the door having means to engage with the yoke and having other means for wedging between the yoke and the door, the locking lever being pivoted near the front edge of the door so as to wedge against the front edge of the body for opening the door when the lever is moved away from its closing and locking position towards the edge of the door and body.

2. In a well elevator as disclosed, the combination with a body having a closing door and a closing member associated with the body, a locking lever associated with the door and cooperating with the closing member to move the door relative to the-body; the lever being provided with a projecting portion adapted to engage with the body for moving the door in an opening direction.

3. In a well elevator as disclosed having a body and a closing door, a lever mounted upon the door and having a projecting portion adapted to engage with the body to open the door.

4. In a device of the general character disclosed, in combination with a body having a closing door and a closing member associated with the body, a locking lever associated with the door and cooperating with the closing member to move the door relative to the body; in combination with a swinging bolt device cooperating with the lever to increase the leverage action thereof.

5. In a device of the general character disclosed, in combination with a body having a closing door and a closing member as sociated with the body, a locking lever associated with the door and cooperating with the closing member to move the door relative to the body; in combination with a swinging bolt device cooperating with the lever to increase the leverage action thereof; said bolt device being associated with the door at the zone of pivotal support, said door being pivotally connected with the body.

6. In a well elevator, the combination with a body having a pivoted closing door, of a closing member adapted to be swung in front of the door when the same is closed, a lever carried by the outer face of the door and adapted to engage with said closing member,

and a tensioning member carried by the body and adapted to engage said lever to move the same into binding engagement with the door using the closing member as a fulcrum.

7 I n a well elevator, the combination with a body having a pivoted closing door, of a closing member carried by the body and adapted to be moved in front of the door, a lever loosely mounted on a pivot carried by operating with said member for wedging the door into engagement with the work carried by the elevator.

9. In a well elevator, the combination with a door pivoted to the body of the elevator of a swinging yoke member ada ted to be moved in front of the door when it is closed, a lever loosely pivoted to the door and adapted to engage said yoke, and means for enga 'ng said lever to cause the same to move 0. out the yoke as a fulcrum to wedge the door against the work.

10. In a well elevator, the combination with a door pivoted to the body of the elevator of a swinging yoke member adapted to be moved in front of the door when it is closed,

a lever loosely pivoted to the door and adapted to engage said yoke, and a bolt device carried by the body and adapted for quick engagement and quick disengagement with said lever for forcing the same against the body to move the door against the work.

1]. In a well elevator, the combination with a body having a pivoted door, of a. yoke member carried by the body and ada ted to be swung in front of the door when t e same is closed, a lever loosely pivoted to the outer face of the door and having projections on opposite faces thereof and a recess adjacent the projection on the outer face of the lever for engaging with the yoke member, means carried by the body for engaging the lever to move the same about the yoke member as a fulcrum and to cause the projection at the inside of the lever to engage the door, and the said projection on the outer face of the lever when the lever is released from said last mentioned means being adapted to engage with the body to assist in the opening action of the door.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name.

JOHN GRANT.

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