US1866736A - Rotary underreamer - Google Patents

Description

July 12, 1932. TRlPLETT 1,866,736

ROTARY UNDERREAMER Filed May 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l vl E v7'0/e Man- 186 3 77.961822 A1- TOENE r y 12, 1932- J. B. TRIPLETT ROTARY UNDERREAMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1926 Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" JAMES B. TRIPLETT, OFIVHIT'EIER, CALIFORNIA; WILLIAM H. CAMPBELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AND WILLIAM H. MAXWELL, OF BEVERLY HILLS, CALI- FORNIA, EXECUTORS OF SAID JAMES B. TRIPLETT, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS T JOHN GRANT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ROTARY UNDERREAMER Application filed May 10,

lvly present invention, like that described and claimed in my copending application,

Serial No. 632,295, filed April 16th, 1923, is-

suing on March 17, 1931 as Patent No. 1,7 96,546 (upon which this invention may be regarded as an improvement) relates to rotary well drilling equipment; and it relates particularly to expanding underreamers adapted to be interposed, at an intermediate level or at the lower endof a drill string, above an ordinary fish tail bit, or a bit of any preferred design, one type of terminal bit having important features of novelty being hereinafter described.

As was observed in my mentioned former application, considerable difiiculty is en countered, in the drilling of oil wells or the like, in maintaining the full diameter of the bore,there being a tendency for the corners and sides of drill bits to wear oil, so

that the resultant hole is not cut to the full intended diameter. It being necessary that the diameter of the hole be maintained, in order that the well casing may descend freely into the well, it is often necessary, un-

der the indicated conditions, to employ an underreamer to enlarge the hole to full diameter; and underreamers employed for this purpose have commonly been of an expanding type, such that they may be lowered through the casing to the point at which they are required to operate; but, in order to employ an underreamer of the mentioned older type, it has commonly been necessary to pull the drill and to attach such underreamer to the lower end of the drill tubing, and then to lower the underreamer into the well. In using that old construction, before drilling can subsequently be resumed, the underreamer must be in turn removed from the well and replaced by the terminal bit; and it can readily be seen that much time is consumed in the changing of tools; and that, in drilling through hard rock, where the drill wears quickly, a large part of the time is spent in the removing and the replacing of tools.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved underreamer which is adapted to be interposed in the indicated 50 manner and used conjointly with a terminal 1926. Serial No. 107,999.

bit, and which may be operated, with high efliciency, without removing the bit fromthe well and either at the bottom of the well or at'an intermediate level.

It is an object of this invention to provide an end-cutting and reaming organization of the general character referred to with parts which are more massive and rugged and durable than those disclosed in my mentioned prior application; and, in preferred embodiments of my invention, I may dispose, within slots within a two-piece hollow body, a plurality of separately rotatable reaming cutters, V the use of three of these cutters being highly advantageous as tendingto a self-centering 65 efl'ect and to a uniformity of wear. I It is a further object of this invention to provide an organization, of the general character described, including reaming cutters which are uniform in cross section and which may be either replaced, in case of breakage or undue wear, or merely turned end for end, relatively to'bearing elements, to eifect an equalization of wear.

It is anobject of my invention to provide an organization of the general character referred to comprisinga hollow main body having a splinedconnection, or the like, with a comparatively massive head which is disposed interiorly there0f,either said body or said head being provided with atpin and the other of these last-mentioned elements being provided with a box,said pin and said box being each provided with a longitudinal passage for a circulating fluid; and, in preferred'embodiments of my invention, I may provide means for delivering said circulating fluid either to a terminal bit, disposed below my reaming organization, or to the mentioned rotatable reaming bits, the latter being pivotally movable within longitudinal slots in said hollow body,or to both or all of said bits. i

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a reaming organization with improved means for the support and positioning of rotatable reaming cutters,each cutter being preferably freely revolublenpon a shaft, and said shaft being provided with novel supporting means at the respective ends thereof; and, in preferredembodiments of 100;

my invention, a support in the form of a pivoted block suitable for use at the lower end of each of the mentioned cutter-carrying shafts may be provided with means for preventing relative rotation of said shaft and with means for so pivoting the same as to permit the top thereof to occupy an inner or retracted position during the lowering of my reaming organization into a well. I It is a further object of my invention to provide, for use in connection with a pivoted block of the general character referred to, a slidable block having a splined or dovetailed connection with a wedge member integrallyor otherwise rigidly connected with the menioned interior head,-this slidable block being'provided with means for limiting its outward movement and with means permitting relative rotation of the mentioned shaft, or of a member thereon, regardless of variations in the inclination of said shaft. i It is a further object of my invention to provide means whereby the encountering of resistance during the lowering of my reaming organization into a well, or as a result of rotating the same in a well, is efiective to cause an expansion of reaming cutters.

Other objects of my invention may be best appreciated from the following description of an advantageous embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, lIIWlllCll Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic general View, showing an embodiment of my invention as employed in the enlargement of a well hole at a level below the end of a casing therein, but above the bottom ofsaid well hole.

Fig. 2 is, for the most part, a central section through a reaming organization illustrating my invention, with parts broken away, a reaming cutter being shown as occupying a retracted position, as during the lowering of the same into a well.

' Fig. '8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2,

but showing a reaming cutter as occupying an expanded position.

. Fig. 4 is a'horizontal section, taken substantially as indicated by the line el4l of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively similar sections, taken at the respective levels indicated by the lines 5- 5 and 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a'section, comparable with Fig. 6, but taken, as indicated by the line 7-7 of 3 at the time when reaming cutters occupy an expanded position.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of an upper or slidahle bearing block for a rotatable reaming cutter, as hereinafter described.

Fig.9 is an elevational view of one advantageous type of terminal cutter or bit, suitable for use with an organization suchas is shown in preceding figures, this terminal cutter or bit being of a fish-tail type, and provided with what I may term impeller blades,

-for a lifting or resistance effect hereinafter described.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially as indicated by the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Referring to the details of that specific embodiment of my invention chosen for purposes of illustration, I show a comparatively massive two-part hollow body 11 as comprising a lower section 11a and an upper section 11?) (the latter having a threaded connection with the former at 12) these sections cooperating in the provision of a chamber 13 in which an interior member comprising a head 14 and a shaft 15, preferably integral therewith, is vertically movable, although incapable of relative rotation. To prevent such relative rotation, the head 14: and one section (as the lower section 11a of the mentioned hollow body) may advantageously be splined together in the general manner indicated in Fig. 5; and, assuming a lubricating liquid to be downwardly delivered, as through central passages 16 and 17, provided respectively in the shaft 15, or its equivalent, and in a terminal bit-carrying extension 18, at the lower end of the section 11a, or its equivalent, such circulating fluid may advantageously be excluded or substantially excluded from the chamber 13, or from an upper part thereof by the provision of an annular packing, as at 19, below a collar 20,-shown as having, at 21, a threaded engagement with the shaft 15,. On the lower end of the head 14, or its equivalent, and preferably integral therewith, I may provide a downwardly-diminishing wedge member 22, suitable for use in imparting lateral movement to slidable bearing blocks 23,-threeof these blocks being shown (see FigspS and 7) as having at 21, a splined or dovetailed connection therewith, to cause, during a lowering of the head 14 relatively to the hollow body 11, an expansion of any rotary or other cutters (as the substantially cylindrical reaming cutters from a position such as that in which the same are shown in Fig. 2 to a position suchas that in which they are shown in Fig. 3.

As indicated, I consider it advantageous to 7 give to these reaming cutters a substantially 1 cylindrical form, roughening the surface thereof and forming the same of a comparatlvely hard and wear-resisting material;

and in order to permit of not only a rotative but a pivotal movement of these reaming cutters (three being an advantageous number as tending to a self-centering effect) I may employ, in conjunction with the upper slidable bearing block 23, or its equivalent, 'a pivoted lower bearing block 26; and, assuming the cutters 25, 'or equivalent cutters, to be tubularin form, I may permit the same freely'to rotate upon separate shafts 27 optionally holding these shafts agains'trotation by means such'as a pin or pins 28. Using this or a similar construction, the blocks 26 being shown as pivoted upon pins 29, the cutters 25 may rotate upon the shafts 27 without imparting movement thereto, and the upper ends of these shafts, whether the same are integral with hearing elements 30, or are rotatable therein or are pivoted thereto, as by means of pins 31, may be laterally movable by engagement within ample bearing apertures 32, in the lower surfaces of the slidable blocks 23, or in equivalent laterally movable members, the blocks 23 being shown as provided not only with dovetailed slots 24 but with upwardly extending heels or lugs 33; and these lugs 33, or their equivalent, may serve not only to limit the outward movement of said sliable blocks, as by engagement with the interior surface 34 of the lower section 11a of the hollow body in which the mentioned reamers are secured, but also to close, when said reaming cutter occupy the retracted position in which they are shown in Fig 2, inclined passages 35, through which, when said reamers occupy an expanding position such as that in which they are illustrated in Fig. 3, a circulating fluid may be delivered thereto.

The downwardly-diminishing member 22- is shown as provided, at its lower end with a coaxial short pipe 36 (glands being preferably provided at 37 and 37') projecting into the mentioned chamber 17, communicating with the interior of a terminal bit 38 of any preferred character. The shaft 15, guided by the upper portion of the hollow body section 11?), carrying the gland 37, is shown as provided with a pin P; and the extension 18 is shown as provided with a box B, in order that the described reaming organization may be easily interposed, at an intermediate level or at the lower end of a rotary drill string, above any suitable rotary bit. In order that the rotation of the described organization, and the consequent rotation of said bit, may be effective, when such action is desired, to produce a relative upward thrust of the mentioned hollow body comprising sections 11a and 116, this bit may be of the general character separately illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 that is to say, assuming it to be a bit of fish tail type, it may be provided with a diagonal impeller blade or blades 39, 39, so disposed upon its respective faces as to give the entire bit (which may be provided with one or more outlet openings 40, 40, for a circulating fluid) an up ward thrust whenever the described organization is rotated, in a well hole, and even though said bit shall contact only with a fluid, not being at the bottom of the well hole; and it will be obvious that the use of cylindrical cutters on a conical surface cut thereby, involves a relative slippage or grinding efiect which is highly efficient in its cutting action.

Although I have herein described a single complete embodiment of my invention, it should be understood not only that various features thereof might be independently employed, but also that numerous additional modifications might be devised, by those skilled in the art to which this case relates, without the slightest departure from the spirit and scope of my invention, as the same is indicated above and in the following claims. 1 j

This application is similar in subjectmatter to my prior application SeLNo 632,- 295, filed April 16, 1923, the present application containing certain improvements upon the structure of the former. 'Allcommon subject-matter is claimed in said prior application,'the claims of this application being directed to said improvements.

I claim as-my invention:

l. A well reaming tool comprising: a s10 ted hollow body provided, at one end, with a guide for ashaft;'an d provided, at its other end, with meansfor the attachment of a bit; reaming cutters pivotally movable in the slots ofsaid hollow body, between retractedpositions and outwardly inclined positions; blocks holding the outer parts of the reamer cutters so that they are movable; and means, comprising an interior head having a splined connection with said body and slidable connection with said blocks, for laterally shifting said blocks. I

2. In an underreamer, a hollowibody having a longitudinal opening, a roller cutter for operation in the opening,a mounting for the cutter including a supporting member rotatably carrying the cutter having its lower end pivotally supported and a block movable rel ative to said member and carrying the upper end of said member, and means for moving the block outwardly, the mounting including a part engaging the body to limit outward movement.

3. In an underreamer, a hollow body having a longitudinal opening, a roller cutter for operation in the opening, a mounting for the cutter including a supporting member rotatably carrying the cutter having its lower end pivotally supported and a slidably supported block carrying the upper end of said member, and means for moving the block outwardly, the mounting including a projection cooperating with the body to limit outward movement.

4:- In a well reamer of the general character described, a main body provided with longitudinal slots, reaming cutters pivotally secured at their respective lower ends within said slots, and slidable bearing blocks carrying the outer end parts of said cutters and provided also with means limiting the outward movement thereof, said .slidable blocks being movable by a wedge member which is circulating fluid therethrough, said slidable blocks being so movable relatively to said passages as to close the same when said blocks occupy a retracted position.

5. A well reamer of the character described including, a body having longitudinal slots, reaming cutters pivotally held at their lower ends to operate in the slots, blocks carrying the outer end parts of the cutters, and a wedge member cooperating with the blocks to move them and having fluid passages therein, the blocks being related to the passages to close them when the reamer is unactuated.

6. In a rotary underreamer, two relatively longitudinally movable body parts rotatively locked together, expansible cutters mounted on the body parts and adapted to be expansively moved by relative longitudinal movement ofsa-id parts, oneof said parts adapted for connection to a rotary drill stem, a rotary drilling bit rigidly attached to the other body part,and said bit having vanes thereon adapted by rotative reaction with a liquid to move the bit and the connected body part longitudinally.

7 In combination with a rotary drilling tool having a longitudinally movable rotatable actuating part, a drill bit rigidly attached to said part and having thereon a diagonal vane adapted by rotary reaction with liquid to move the bit and connected part longitudinally.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 27th day of April, 1926.

JAMES B. TRIPLETT.

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