US1876379A - Core-catching device - Google Patents

Description

` 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. wlNTl-:RBURN CORE QATCHING DEVICE Filed June 5, 1929 Sept, 1932.

Sept 6) 1932- R.' wlNTERBURN CORE CTCHING DEVICE Filed June 5. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l READWINTERBURN, or Los .4L'1\'H`}'I.'1i:s,:GAL'Finitura, As'sIGNoR 'ro SHELL o IL `COM- PANY, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALI'O'RN'IA, A CORPORATION or' cALIFORNIA y contrincante envien nppncaum mea :uns 5, 1929. serialv 110.1368595.,

formed outward by the passage 'therethrough'y y of the core.

It is an object of this invention-toprovide a core-catching. device which'is positweLin its gripping action.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of ga novel core-catching device Voperable at a remote point to exert aj positive gripping action on the core when the core barrel is first raised."

Still another object ofk theinvention; is to provide a core barrel'having two elements, movable relative to each other over a limited*` Y Still other objects of the invention lie in the novel construction of the parts wherein the weight of one of the elements of the.

core barrel is effective in4 exerting' a gripping force on the core. j Further objects and*V advantages of the invention will be evident to thosey skilled inY the art from the following description'.

form of the invention', but it should be understood that I am not limited tov this fornito the exclusion of other similar forms capabley of performing the desirable results made posf sible by my invention. i

Fig. 1 is. a utility view illustrating ythe way in which my core catcher is used. Fig. 2 is a verticalesectional fviewv through the core catcher. j V f Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionaly view taken on the line'3-3 offFig. kv2. v y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged'sectional view of theY core-(catching device. l l

Figs. 5- and 6 are cross-sectional views' taken as'shown by their respective lines of j Fig. 7 is a perspective view oflon'e vof the jaws of my invention. l l j l e y Referring particularly to F ig. (l, I-have illustrated a string of drillV pipe 10 extending downwardV in "a l.well 11 and being rotated by a., -rotary'machine 125 the lower end of this drillV pipe being secured to a core barrel l5 incorporating the features of my invention;

The/details of the core barrel 15 'of my 5invention are'best shown inv Figs. 2 and 6. Referring particularly to Figc-2, a' tool joint 2O is secured to the lower end of the string of drill pipe 10 and provides a threaded cavity 2l which receives the upper end of af support ing member 22. This member is vformed ofY tubular material and provides ahead 23 at the lower end thereof, a hole '24 being formed therethrough which communicates with the interior of the supporting member 22.A i

vFormed on the exterior of thehead-l23 is apair of vpockets .25 which are sectorfshaped' in'h'orizontal cross-section, as bestshown in Fig. 3. Adaptedto verticallyslide inY each pocket isa guide block 27 formed integrally with, or suitably attached to,/an outer tubu'j lar member 30 Ywhich surrounds the head 23, these guide blocks being vertically slidable a distance determined bythe difference in length-of the guideblocks 2'( and pockets 25.' This movement is usually in-thefneigh borhoodof two inches. I

head `23 and the lower end thereof is "exter nallythreaded to receive a core-catching body 32 providing a'bore 33 therethrough. The. outer tubular member 30and the body 32 c0- operate in forming an outer barrel 35 of-my ried bythe lower end ofthe adjusting mem- Th-e outer ktubular member 30 'extends i fd d"v 'd bl'd'tn=f "th: In the drawings, I have illustrated 'one OWHWM a Consl am e 1S' a ce rom e in the threaded cavity 21 between ber 38 is a cage 4() of a check valve 41 of any desired construction which will prevent the passage. of any fluid therethrough and into an inner tubular member 43 suspended therefrom through a cap 44, this check valve readily permitting an upwardl fiow of fiuid from the inner tubular member 43.

This tubular member is formed to loosely slid vin the hole 24 of the head 23 and extends downward therethrough to a point inside the body 32. Here a sleeve 45 is threaded thereto, this sleeve having an external diameter only slightly smaller than the diameter of the bore 33 so as to be slidable thereinwhen a relative movement between the outer member 30 and an inner barrel 46 takes place, this inner barrel being formed of the inner tubular member 43 and the sleeve 45. The sleeve 45 provides an opening which is of substantially the same diameter as the internal diameter of the inner tubular member 43 and which cooperates therewith to provide a core chamber 48, the lower end'of which communicates with a bore 49 of a cutter 50 which n may be threaded to the lower end of the body 32 and which is adapted to loosen the material which is to rise in the core chamber. This cutter may be of any suitable design and is supplied with mud through passages 51 formed through the body 32 and communicating with the annular space between the inner and outer tubular members. The mud is supplied to t-he interior of the drill pipe 10 through the customary swivel 52 and hose 53, this mud passing downward through the .spider 36 and through holes 54 formed through the head 23.

It should thus be apparent that the inner barrel 46 is adj ustably supported by the drill pipe 10, and that during the lowering of the core barrel 15 in to the well, the weightof the outer barrel 35 is supported on the guide blocks 27 which at this time rest in the lower ends of their respective pockets 25. As soon as the cutter 50 hits a supporting surface, such as the bottom of the well, its downward motion is arrested, but the inner barrel 46 moves downward a slight distance relative thereto until the blocks 27 move into the upper portions of their respective pockets.

Any rotation of the drill pipe 10 is, of course', transmitted to the outer barrel through the guide blocks 27, and after the core chamber has been partially or, wholly filled with a core sample, the drilly pipe 10 is raised. The first upward movement thereof tends to move the inner barrel 46 upward relative to the outer barrel 35, this relative movement being arrested when the guide blocks 27 lie in the lower portion of their respective pockets 25 after which both `the inner and outer barrels are moved upward in the well as a unit.

This relative movement between the inner and outer barrels T utilize in'moving one or temere more jaws into the core chamber 48 in clamping relationship with the lower portion of the core sample therein. Various linkages may be utilized for connecting the jaws to the inner and outer barrels, and the jaws may be mounted onv either the inner or outer barrels without departing from the broadest concept of this invention. However, T prefer to pivotally mount the jaws 60 in openings 63 formed through the sleeve 45, these openings being of a shape corresponding to the contour of the jaws 60, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

Any number of these jaw members may be utilized, but I prefer to use four of these elements equally spaced around the sleeve 45.

The shape of these elements is best shown in Fig. 7, each jaw being provided with a body 65 having a neck 67 extending upward therefrom.

Formed on this neck are sideward extending pivot pins l68 which are circular in crosssection and which are journalled in semi-circular channels formed in the sleeve 45. These pins are held inv these semi-circular channels by means of a plate 69, legs of which have semi-circular channels therein which cooperate with the semi-circular channels of the sleeve 45 in journalling the jaws 60`on the pivot pins 68, the legs 70` extending downward on each side of the neck 67, as best shown in Fig. 4. The inner faces of the plate 69 are curved to correspond in contour to the curvature of the core chamber 48 and are held in pockets formed in the sleeve 45 by screws 71.

4J aw faces 73 of the jaws 60 may be similar-- by an upward diverging surface 81 and an upf5 wardly converging surface 82, the former being shaped to conform to the rear surface 83 of the jaws 60. The surface 82 provides a shoulder 84 which contacts an angled surface 85 of each of the jaws 60 when the inner barrel 46 is moved upward relative to the outer barrel 35.

Due to thisengagement the jaws 60 are forced into the core chamber 48 against the action of their respective springs and into positions shown by dotted lines 88 of Fig. 4. Such a relative upward movement of the inner barrel takes place when the drill pipe 10 is first moved upward, and the inward movement of the jaws 60 firmly clamps the core retained in the core chamber at this time.

It should be understood that the inward force on the aws 60 is exerted by the weight of the outer barrel 35, the turning-moment on each jaw'due to this force being greater than the turning-moment due to the springs 77. However, should the core occupying the core chamber 48 be extremely hard, the jaws 60 may not move into their extreme'inward position indicated by the dotted linesy 88 .of

Fig. 4, but may be held in an intermediate position. No harm will result, for the pivot structure holding the jaws to the sleeve 4 5 is sufficiently strong to resist the forces thus set up, it being clear that if the jaws do not' move into ytheir dotted line position shown in Fig 4, the guide block 27 will not be effective in supporting the weight of the outer barrel 35.

1While I have shown and described the jaws 60 as being pivoted to the sleeve 45, it should be understood that my invention is not limited to this feature. These jaws may be slidably mounted in the sleeve, ror may be formed of resilient material secured to the sleeve at their upper ends and tending to normally assume a Vretracted position in the annular cavity 80. Furthermore, it is not necessary to make the-sleeve separate from the inner tubular member 43, this construction being utilized only for the sake of simplicity.

rI`he relative position of the inner and outer barrels may be adjusted by turning` the nut 39, thus raising or lowering the inner barrel relative to the outer barrel and thus changing the position of the jaws 6() relative to the core chamber 48. It is not necessary that the angular relationship between the inner and outer barrels be accurately fixed for the provision of the annular cavity 80 permits the jaws 60 to be positioned therein in any desired angular relationship.

Due to the fact that the jaws 60 are entirely withdrawn from the core chamberk 48 when in retracted position, no projections are present hindering the upward passage of' the core in the chamber.

The Yquick and positive gripping action exerted by the jaws 60 due to a relative movement of the inner and outer barrels is a very important part of this invention and is not necessarily predicated upon the use of the particular embodiment shown in the drawings, inasmuch as various means for accomplishing this end will be apparent to those skilledin the art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination in a core barrel for taking a core froma bore hole: walls forming a core chamber; hinged vertically hanging y jaws mounted adjacent said core chamber in a manner to be movable thereinto and means for withdrawing said jaws from said chamber when said core barrel is lowered into contact with the bottom of said bore hole and for moving said Vhinged vertically hanging jaws into/said chamber when said core barrel is raised-from said bottom of said bore hole.

2. In combination in a core barrel: an inner barrel providing a rcore chamber open at its lower end;v jaws carried by the lower portion of'sa-id inner barrel and movable into and from said core chamber;` means for supporting said inner barrel; an outer barrel longitudinally slidable relative to said inner barrel between fixed limits, said outer barrel extending below the lower surface of said innerbarrel and being in a lower position when said means isfsupporting said core .barrel but bei-ng movable into an upper position when` ber; means for supporting said inner barrel; l

an, outer barrel longitudinally slidable relative to said inner barrel between :fixed limits, said outer barrel extending below the lower surface of said inner barrelvand being in a lower position when saidmeans is supporting said core'barrel butfbeing movable into anY upper` position when said outer barrel engages a supporting surface; and means on Vsaid outer barrel engaging said jaws during the movement ofsaid outer barrel from an upper position into a lower position for moving said jaws into said core chamber.

4. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which said jaws are pivotally mounted rela-v tive to said inner barrel, and including spring means for retaining saidjaws in a retracted position substantially removed from said chamber. Y

5. A combination as defined in claim 2 including a cutter mounted on said outer barrel.

6. In combination in a core taking device,

inner and outer barrels, said inner barrel prof viding a core chamber open at its lower end,

jaws hanging from hinges attached to the inner barrel and movable into said core chamber bypmeans of the weight of the outer bar-v rel. i

7. In combination in a core taking device,

inner and outer barrels, said inner barrel providing a core chamber open at its lower end, jaws hanging from hinges attached to the lower portion of said inner barrel and movable into said core chamber.

9. In combination in a core taking device, inner and outer barrels, said inner barrel providing a core chamber open at its lower end, jaws hanging from hinges attached to the lower portion of said inner barrel and movable into said core chamber and adjustable means whereby the relative position oi the barrels one to the other is controlled.

10. ln combination in a core taking device, nner and outer barrels, said inner barrel providing a core chamber open at its lower end, jaws hanging` from hinges attached to the lower portion of said inner barrel, adinstable means whereby the extent of movement of said jaws is controlled.

ll. ln combination in. a core taking device, inner and outer barrels concentrically mounted, jaws hanging vertically from hinges attached to said inner barrel and means whereby said jaws may be turned toward the longitudinal airis of the barrels.

l2. ln combination in a core taking device inner and outer barrels concentrically mounted jaws hanging` vertically from hinges attached to said inner barrel, springs to normally retain said jaws in position and means whereby the jaws may be turned toward the longitudinal axis of said barrels.

13. A core taking device comprising inner and outer barrels, slidably mounted one within the other7 adjustable means whereby the relative position of the barrels may be controlled, vertically hanging jaws attached to the lower portion of said inner barrel, a cutter attached to the lower portion of said outer barrel and means whereby the weight of the outer tube actnates said jaws to move inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of said barrels.

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 31st day of May, 1929.

READ VVINTERBURN.

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