US1733360A - Upshot pipe ripper - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1929. s. P. POWERS UPSHOT PIPE RIPPER Filed Feb. 9, 1924 Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED STATES SAMUEL P. POWERS, OF WOOSTER, OHIO UPSHOT PIPE RIPPER Application filed February 9, 1924.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for withdrawing pipe casings and lost tools from drilled wells, and particularly the class used for ripping apart pipe casings in '5 drilled wells, such as for oil and gas at points a distance below the surface, in order to draw out the pipe casings from the drilled hole, and also to reach and recover bottom joints or sections of casings after separation.

It consists mainly of an up-shot ripper tool adapted to be lowered in the well casing to points below the surface where the meeting ends of the joints of pipe are located, the tool being equipped with a ripper knife adapted to automatically enter the space between the meeting ends of the casing opposite the connecting sleeve or collar in such a manner as to rip open the joint and free the casing from the collar, and thus permit the casing above the joint to be withdrawn from the hole of the well.

It further consists of improved means for stabilizing the ripper tool within the casing, and means for ascertaining the position of tools lost in the well, and for opening up and straightening injured, crooked or flattened casings, and for preventing the tool from being locked in the casing,all as hereinafter fully set forth and stated in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate like parts.

Referring thereto, Fig. l is a side view of my invention, with a portion cut away to bet ter illustrate the frictional members hereafter described, and Fig. 2 is a like view at an angle of forty-five degrees from the view point of Fig. 1, showin in the cut away parts the ripper-knife, and other items mentioned hereafter.

In the drawings, A is the shank portion of my upper-cut pipe ripper (so called), B, the

- body, and C the pilot point thereof. D is the ripper-knife, and G and H are sectional parts of pipe casing, and I is the collar or sleeve into which the adjacent ends of the casings G and H are threaded in the usual well known E is a flat spring mounted in a longitudmal Serial No. 691,855.

slot J in the body P to actuate the ripper knife outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, said knife being pivotally mounted on a strong axle pin 7' fitted transversely thru the lower end of the body portion of the tool, and adapted to swing outwardly and downwardly in said slot as shown by dotted lines D, for a purpose hereafter stated. Said spring E is secured in position near its upper end by the pin 6, its lower end being adapted to engage the no upper end of the ripper-knife for the purpose stated.

F, F is a pair of friction plates mounted in longitudinal slots opposite each other in the Y body B, and each movably held in position therein by a suitable bolt g, passed loosely therethrough into the tool body and adapted to slide outwardly thereon by force of the springs f; a. limited distance, as shown in Fig. 1 so as to bear resiliently upon the adjacent inner surface of the pipe casing G, whereby the tool is prevented from dropping by gravity, and is stabilized for better operation of the ripper knife. Frictional plates as heretofore used for a similar purpose have been defective in not affording suflicient frictional surface to provide the amount of resistance required to hold or stabilize the tool in the casing during the ripping operation, the frictional surface of the bowed plates employed being limited to only the central portion thereof, and such I do not claim broadly, as such are not located nor actuated in the tool body.

My slide plates are movably held in position in opposite longitudinal grooves, respectively, by means of a central bolt 9 loosely fitting an orifice at or near the longitudinal center of the plate, and outward pressure thereon is accomplished by means of a pair of springs ff, one located at or near each end of the plate, substantially as shown in Fig. 1; additional springs may be supplied in like manner intermediate the ends of the plate, and thus the amount of friction required in any case may be regulated accordingly.

The shank A of the tool is preferably squared, as at a, and the joint I) is tapered and threaded in the usual way of connecting well drilling tools.

The lower end of the tool body is tapered to a pilot point C, to serve as a swage within the pipe casing where the latter has been flattened or otherwise injured from without, and also to serve as a feeler for casings yet in the well, or for straightening the casing by entering the upper end of a pipe which may be separated or deflected in the hole of the well.

The severing of the casings in the well at any joint therein is accomplished by first letting down the tool with the ripper knife turned downwards so as to pass the joints freely, until the pilot point C shows the easing to be clear, and, having noted this distance, withdraw the tool and turn the ripper knife D so as to point upwardly and rest against the fiat spring E, as shown in Fig. 2, then push the tool down in the casing until the point d of the ripper-knife D drops into the space between the adjacent ends of the casings to be separated. When the knife sets in this position percussive force may be applied upwardly from above the surface until the knife has cut its way'thru the threaded portion of the upper adjacent casing G and turns outwardly above the collar I from which the threaded end of the casing G has been ripped, and is thus disengaged from the casing as it drops by gravity into the slot J,

as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The pipe ripper tool may then be withdrawn, and the casings above the ripped apart joint may be drawn out of the hole quite freely.

It is apparent that the casings may be removed, one joint after another, as may be desired; and being thus removed, access is afforded to reach 'and fish out any sections that are below the removed portion, by the usual and well known gripping and lifting tools in use for the purpose. The point of the ripper knife D is shaped so that it will not cut into or engage the inner surface of the casings except at the joints thereof, as

aforesaid, and the ripper knife is set at such an angle in the slot J, and its terminus (Z is projected laterally and shaped so as to slide upon and over the inner surface of the collar I 'in the cutting operation thereby forcing the knife edge inwardly and upwardly thru the threaded end of the casing, and, at the same time, thereby forcing the latter apart from the collar.

I am aware that devices having some features somewhat similarly operable have been heretofore used, and such I do not broadly claim. My invention is distinguished therefrom by the novel means employed for ripping thecasing and at the same time forcibly separatingit from the collar, improved means for stabilizing the tool body, and means in connection therewlth f'or swaglng and straightening damaged or crooked casings so as to bring the ripping knife into position therein automatically for the purpose, and to further serve as a pilot in feeling for lost tools, and locating them for their removal from the casing after ripping an upper casing from the collar. To rip the casing from the collar, more eiiiciently than has been possible heretofore, and at the same time prevent the ripper knife from penetrating the casing at a point intermediate its ends as heretofore likely, I construct the ripper knife with a laterally projecting point at its terminus, adapted to ride against the collar, with an inward incline suflicient to prevent the sharp end from impinging the inner surface of the casing except at its end, or damaging the collar, while its pressure thereon serves to force the threaded end of the casing apart from the collar in the operation, as aforesaid. The essential shape of such knife point is shown in Fig. 2, an enlargement of that shown in Fig. 1.

By the c'onstruc'tion of the cylindrical body I3 adapted to slide closely up and down in the casing, and lengthened by the addition of the pointed terminus G; and, by means of the opposite spring actuated plates F, set in grooves within the body, the tool is stabilized for the ripping operation better than has been heretofore possible, and much larger frictional surface obtained, without the liability of the springs being broken off on account of their exposure, as in pipe rippers heretofore used.

The pilot point C is aiprolongation of the body of the tool and extends some distance beyond the location of the ripper knife, asshown in Fig. 2, and'serves as a swage andto accomplish the other objects stated, and without this element the tool would, in many cases,

be valueless. I H

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim is 1. An up-shot pipe ripper, comprising combination, a cylindrical tool body terminating at its lower end with a conical point, and provided with a pair of longitudinal slots opposite each other in said body; a longitudinal slot in said body intermediate said'nai'r;

a ripper knife pivotally hung diagonally in.

passed loosely thru the perforation into said body, to guide and limit the movement of said plate, and resilient members set under each plate to impel it outwardly againstthe adjacent pipe casing, substantially as 'set forth.

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2. A tool for disconnecting Well casing at its coupling points comprising a shaft; a dog arranged to project from, and swing in an arc beyond, said shaft, a cutting edge on said dog; and a breaking face on said dog extending from said cutting edge substantially at right angles to the axis of said dog and arranged so that the breaking face will be forced through the casing above the point of initial contact of the cutting edge With the casing.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 7th day of February, A. D. 1924.

SAMUEL P. POWERS.

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