US1912478A - Well spudding attachment for use with rotary rigs - Google Patents

Description

June 6, 1933. F. J. HINDERLITER 1,912,478

WELL SPUDDING ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITH ROTARY RIGS I Original Filed May 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 6, 1933. F. J. HINDERLITER 1,912,478

WELL SPUDDING ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITH ROTARY RIGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original FiIed May 20, 1929 Patented June 5, 1933 PATENTi OFFICE FRANK J. HINDERLITER, O1 TULSA, OKLAHOMA WELL SPUDDING ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITH ROTARY RIGS Continuation of application Serial'No. 364,515, filed May 20, 1929.

This application filed November 14, 1931.

Serial No. 575,073.

ine present invention relates to the spudding of wells and more particularly to a well spudding device adapted for use in connection with a draw works to enable a string of e cable tools to be used in the spudding opera- Also it is to be noted that the sub ect matter of the present invention constitutes a continuation of that disclosed in my copend: ing application, Serial No. 36%,515, filed May 20, 1929.

It is well known in the drilling field that in drilling a well hole where the format-ion hard on the top of the hole or well it is very hard on a rotary rig as it does not have sufficient weight to get through this hard formation. Hence, in some localities they frequently have to move in a drilling machine and spud in the first five or sir; hundred feet. Thereafter the drilling machine is removed from the derrick and a conventional rotary rig is installed. Now, although this method of drilling is very costly it has been heretofore the only way to make time in such a drilling operation and to get a straight hole to start with. After the hole is drilled with the rotary string to the top of the sand, the rotary tools are usually removed and the rig is reconditioned for cable tools which thereafter drill through the sand.

An object of my invention is to pr vide a spudding attachment for use with a draw works whereby a. well can be drilled with rotary tools much cheaper than it can where it is necessary to move in a drilling machine. I propose to provide a spudding device which can be connected to the main shaft of the draw works and which will cooperate with the rotary rig to spud the well to any depth. Thereafter the spudding device can be taken off and the well drilled to the top of the sand with the conventional rotary tools at which time, if it is so desired, the spudding attachment can again be installed for use in the derrick and the well can be spudded through the sand with the cable tools.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a novel spudding attachment for operative association with a conventional draw works in a derrick for enabling a string of cable tools to be used to spud the well.

A further very important objectof this invention relates to the provision of means for exerting a retarding action on the spudding movement during the raising of the string of tools whereby the lifting of the string is slowed up to such an extent as to take out the slack and whip in the cable string and the cable string of tools is thereafter free to move much faster and more effectively on its down ward or spudding stroke.

in accordance with the general features of my invention there is provided an eccentric designed to be clamped to the main shaft of the draw works and having a resilient connection with the free end of a pivoted fulcrum lever which end of the lever is also connected by the means of a spudding cable and shoe to the line carrying the string of cable tools.

The above, other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a derrick illustrating the application of my novel spudding attachment to the rotary draw works shaft and also showing the connection between the fulcrum lever of this attachment and thecable carrying the string of cable tools.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View of my novel attachment showing all of the parts thereof in elevation and showing the main draw works shaft in section.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View of my novel attachment partly in section clearly illustrating the eccentric of imparting an oscillatory movement to the fulcrum lever.

Figure 4;.is an enlarged view partly in section and partly in elevation of a fluid actuated device for retarding the raising movement of the string of cable tools on the upward stroke of the latter.

Reference character 10 designates generally the frame work of a derrick including a base 11. Associated with the central portion of the base 11 is a conventional rotary table 12. Positioned to one side of this table 12 is an idler pulley 13 suitably carried by the base of the derrick and disposed on the pposite side of the table 12 is a main draw works shaft 14 and a main draw works cable drum 14. Also connected to the idler 13 is a cable line 15 extending from the rotary draw works drum 14 over the pulley 13 up to the pulley 16 at the top 17 of the derrick and then passing downwardly into the well where it is connected to a string of cable tools in a well known manner. That is to say, the end of the cable 15 in the well may be connected toany of the well known standard cable drilling tools.

Positioned between the table 12 and the idler pulley 13 is a fulcrum lever 21 comprising a part of my novel spuddin g device designated generally by the reference character 20. The lower end of this lever is pivotally connected to a bracket'22 secured to the base 11 of the derrick. The upper or free end of the lever 21 has pivotally'connected to it clevis 23 fastened to oneend of a spudding rod 24, the other end of which rod is connected to a standard spudding shoe 25 slidably mounted on the cable 15 near the idler pulley 13. Attention is directed to the fact that the upper end of the lever 21 has a plurality of holes 26, whereby the clevis 23 may be connected to difierent portions of the upper end of the lever to vary the spudding stroke.

Also connected to the lever 21 at an intermediate point is a rod 28 having one end bifurcated at 29 to straddle an intermediate portion of the lever 21. A pin 30 extends through one of the openings 26 in the lever 21 and through the parts of the bifurcated end 29 of rod 28 to pivotally secure this rod to the lever. t will be evident that by providing a plurality of holes 26, it is also possible to adjustably connect the rod 28 to the fulcrum lever 21.

The other end of the rod 28 extends through an opening 31 defined by two clamping elements 33 and 34. These clamping elements are enlarged at an intermediate portion to provide a circular pocket or recess 35 for receiving an eccentric 36. The two clamping members 33 and 34 are fastened together by a plurality of bolts and nuts 37 The eccentric 36 comprises two parts 37 and 38, fastened to the main shaft 14 of the draw works by means of the bolts 39.

The free end of the rod 28 has fastened to it an annular head 40 disposed in a chamber 41 defined by the two cooperating clampmounted upon the rod 28 in the chamber 41 is a spring 45, which serves at all times to force the rod 28 in a direction towards the shaft 14. This spring constitutes a shock absorbing device for my attachment 20. Secured to an outer end of the clamping elements 33 and 34 is a connection to which is pivotally connected a piston rod 51 carrying on its free end a piston 52 reciprocable in a fluid tight chamber 53 (Figure 4).

The chamber 15, as best shown in Figure 1, is pivotally carried at 54 upon bracket means 55 secured to an extension 56, added to the derrick 10. This support for the chamber 53 is of such a character as to enable the piston rod 51 to be substantially alined with the eccentrically operated rod 28.

Referring again to Figure 4, it will be noted that the chamber 53 has associated with its upper side a pair of ports 59 and 60 disposed in communication with a U-shaped pipe construction 61. Disposed in one leg of the U-shaped pipe construction 61 and in communication with port 59 is a valve 62 having a conical seating face adapted to engage a seat 63 when the valve is in a closed position. A stop 64 serves to limit the upward movement of the valve when it is forced to its opened position.

Associated with the other and under side of the chamber 53 is another U-shaped pipe construction 68 having its legs or ends in communication with ports 69 and 70 of chamber 53. Disposed in this U-shaped pipe construction 68 adjacent the port 70 is a threaded nipple 71 defining a restricting orifice 7 2 through which fluid, such as oil, in the system comprising the chamber 53 and U-shaped pipe constructions 61 and 68 is adapted to pass.

Now it will be evident that when the piston 52 is actuated in the direction indicated by the arrow, or in other words, is being operated on the raising stroke of the spudding action, the fluid or oil will be forced through the restricted orifice 72 on account of the fact that the valve 62 is forced shut by the suction thereunder as well as by the oil flowing in the pipe 61. It, therefore, follows that the movement of the piston and parts connected thereto will necessarily be retarded on account of the restriction in the by-pass pipe construction 68. This means that the reciprocatory movement of the eccentric rod 28 and piston rod 51 on the lifting of the spudding tools will be against the pressure of the oil or fluid in the chamber 53, whereby any slack or whip in the cable line 51 is taken up.

On the other hand when the piston 52 is moved in the other direction by the eccentric 36 of the spudding attachment, the valve 62 will be forced open by the oil and the oil will flow through the U-shaped pipe construction 61 in preference to the U-shaped pipe construction 68. It necessarily follows that due to the fact that the pipe 61 does not have a restricted orifice like the orifice 7 2, the piston is free to travel faster on this stroke, or in other words, the stroke on which the cable tools are allowed to drop to the bottom of the well in the spudding of the well. Thus, this construction permits of a quick and rapid dropping of the spudding tools on the spudding stroke and of a slow return or lifting of the tools when the cable is being wound up on the draw works drum 14.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my spudding device enables a conventional rotary rig to be used to spud the well to any depth desired at which time the spudding attachment can be, removed from the main shaft 14 and the well drilled to the top of the sand with the conventional rotary rig tools. Thereafter, the spudding attachment can again be mounted on the shaft 14 and the well can be spudded through the sand with the cable tools on the line 15.

It has been found from experience that with this spudding attachment, a well can be drilled with rotary tools much cheaper than it can where it is necessary to install a special drilling machine for spudding in the first five or six hundred feet of the well. Heretofore, despite the fact that the expense incident to the installation and use of such a drilling machine was prohibitive, drillers have found it necessary to resort to that machine due to the inability of the rotary rig to drill through hard formations. For this reason, it is believed that the present attachment will not only simplify the drilling operation, but will materially cheapen the cost of drilling a well through hard formation of stone, rock or the like.

I claim:

1. The combination with a string of well tools and a rotary draw works for drilling a well of means for imparting a spudding action to the string of tools, means for connecting said first mentioned means to the rotary draw works shaft, said first mentioned means including a pivotally mounted fulcrum lever having one end connected by a cable to the string of tools, and fluid actuated means for exerting a braking action on said means during the up or return stroke of said string of tools, said latter means including a closed fluid circulatory system, an impeller for moving the fluid in said system,

' valve means in said system adapted to be forced shut by said fluid during said return stroke and fluid flow restricting means arranged in said system to be operated during the time said valve means is closed to retard the flow of fluid in said system and thus cause a slowing up of the return of said string of tools.

2. The combination with a string of well tools and a rotary draw works for drilling a well of a device for imparting a spudding action to the string of tools, means for connectingsaid device to the rotary draw works shaft, said device including a pivotally mounted fulcrum lever having one end connected by a cable to the string of tools, and being also connected to said last mentioned means through a shock absorbing spring.

3. In combinationin a well drilling apparatus, arotary draw works including a rotatable'shaft, a string of cable tools connected by a cable to said draw works, a cable connecting said string of tools to said draw works, a pivotally mounted fulcrum lever positioned between the draw works shaft and cable, a spudding connection between one end of said lever and said cable, an eccentric on said draw works shaft, and means connecting said eccentric to said lever, said rotary draw works including a drum for said cable disposed adjacent said eccentric.

4. In combination in a well drilling apparatus, a rotary draw works including a rotatable shaft, a string'of cable tools connected by a cable to said draw works, a cable connecting said string of tools to said draw works, a pivotally mounted fulcrum lever positioned between the draw works shaft and the cable, a spudding connection between one end of said lever and said cable, an eccentric on said draw works shaft, means connecting said eccentric to said lever includ ing a shock absorbing spring through which a reciprocatory movement is imparted to said lever to alternately raise and lower the string of tools, and fluid actuated means connected to said eccentric for exerting a braking action thereon during one direction of its movement.

5. In a rotary rig, the combination with a string of well tools and a rotary draw works for drilling a well of a spudding attachment for disposition between the draw works and said strin of tools comprising a reciprocatory device connected to the rotary draw works to be actuated thereby, a fulcrum lever mounted at the bottom of the rig, a rod connecting said reciprocatory device to said lever whereby the lever is actuated by said device, and a second rod connected to said lever and having a spudding shoe associated therewith for cooperation with the cable of said string of tools.

6. In a rotary rig, the combination with a cable string of well tools and a rotary draw works for drilling a well and which includes a drum to which said cable is con nected of a spudding attachment for disposition between the draw works and said cable string of tools comprising a reciprocatory device connected to the rotary draw works to be actuated thereby, and means between said device and said cable string of tools including a spudding shoe slidably disposed over the cable, whereby said device upon actuation by said draw works imparts a reciprocatory movement to said string of tools to raise and lower the string of tools in the well.

7. In a rotary rig, the combination with a cable string of well tools and a rotary draw works for drilling a well and which includes a drum to which said cable is connected of a spudding attachment for disposition between the draw works and said cable string of tools comprising a reciprocatory device connected to the rotary draw works to be actuated thereby, means between said device and said cable string of tools including a spudding shoe slidably disposed over the cable, whereby said device upon actuation by said draw works imparts a reciprocatory movement to said string of tools to raise and lower the string of tools in the well, and means for exerting a retarding action on said device so as to slow up the upward or raising movement of said string of tools.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook County,

Illinois.

FRANK J. HINDERLITER.

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