US1938690A

US1938690A - Well drilling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1938690A
Application number: US575378A
Authority: US
Inventors: John G Burmist
Original assignee: VICTOR I ZELOV
Current assignee: VICTOR I ZELOV
Priority date: 1931-11-16
Filing date: 1931-11-16
Publication date: 1933-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1950-12-12

Description

Dec. 12, 1933. J. G. BURMxsT WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR John G. Burmlst WITNESS BY @05M FIG. i.

ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1933. J. G, BURMIST WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESS BY @.M

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1933 PATENT OFFICE WELL DRILLING APPARATUS John G. Burmst, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Victor I. Zelov, Philadelphia, Pa., trustee Application November 16, 1931 Serial No. 575,378

13 Claims.

My invention relates to earth-boring apparatus and it has for an object to provide improved means of controlling the pressure applied to the boring implement or drill.

In the boring of wells, more particularly oil wells, rotary drills or boring implements are frequently used. It is common practice to suspend the boring apparatus from a rig by means of a cable, the cable being anchored at one end to the rig, passing through sheaves of uppen and lower blocks, and passing from the upper block to a raising-and-lowering or winch drum. The upper block is supported by the rig and the lower block is connected to the head construction of l5 the drilling apparatus. Tension devices are ordinarily arranged in the cable between the upper block and the rig and in the cable between the upper block and the drum, and the operator controls the drum to keep the tension difference as nearly the same as possible to control the net pressure applied to the drill cutter. In accordance with my invention, the drum is not used as a part of the means for obtaining control of the cutting pressure but merely to hoist and lower the cutting apparatus as required, the cutting pressure being controlled hydraulically, whereby such pressure is maintained continuously and uniformly with boring and unaffected by normal winch operation in raising and lowering. The hydraulic means is operative to impart a pressure lift to the boring or drilling aggregate opposed to the Weight thereof and the fluid pressure may be varied to obtain a desired weight preponderance to give the cutting pressure, and the hydraulic means is constructed and arranged to provide for lowering of the cutting aggregate as material is bored away with maintenance of uniform cutting or boring pressure. Hence my invention makes unnecessary thecable tension devices and the indicating apparatus ordinarily used in connection therewith and it removes from the operator the responsibilityof controlling the drum yso as to keep the correct relation of tension in the two 5 end portions of the cable. Therefore, it is a furf ther object of my invention to provide boring apparatus having these features and advantages. These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be seen from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational View showing my improved drilling apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the head construction;

(Cl. Z55-19) Fig. 3 is a View showing a semi-automatic form of my invention; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail,

I show a drilling rig 10 supporting a rotary drill tube, indicated generally at 11, the latter having the usual rotary cutter (not shown) at its lower end. Water under pressure is supplied through the drill or cutter tube to flush borings and cuttings away from the cutter. The tube 11 is ro tated in the usual way by the turning gear at 12.

A head 14 is arranged at the upper end of the tubular drill shaft 11, the head and tube being suspended by a cable 15 anchored at 16 to the rig 10, passing through sheaves of upper and

lower blocks

17 and 18 and going from the upper block 17 to the winch or hoisting and lowering drum 19. The upper block 17 is suspended from the top of the rig and the cutting apparatus including the head 14 is suspended from the lower block 18. Therefore, the drum may be operated to raise and lower the cutting or boring apparatus. In accordance with my invention, the head 14 incorporates hydraulic means for maintaining a desired boring or drilling pressure, thereby making unnecessary tension devices associated with the cable and very careful opeation of the drum to keep the cutting pressure as nearlyuniform as possible.

The head 14 embodies a body construction 20 provided with a cylinder 21 within which is arranged a piston 22 connected to the upper end of the drill or boring tube 11. Fluid, for example, oil, under desired pressure is supplied to the cylinder space below the piston; and, by controlling the supplied pressure, the force acting below the piston 22 may be made great enough to lift the drilling or boring aggregate including the piston 22, the drill or boring tube 11, and other parts unitary therewith, the pressure force may be made to exactly counterb'alance the weight of the aggregate, or the weight of the aggregate may preponderate over the pressure force to a desired extent to give the proper cutter pressure. In operation, pressure is increased below the piston 22 until the counterbalancing point is reached, the pressure being shown on a suitable indicator or gage 24 in communication with the lower end of the cylinder 21, and then the pressure is reduced sufficiently to give the desired weight preponderance forfthe cutting pressure, the gage being observed soV that a predetermined reduction in pressure suicient for the purpose may be effected.

Fluidfor exerting pressure beneath the piston 22 is supplied by a pump 25, through a supply line 26, to the pressure control device or transformer, at 27, incorporated in the body construction 20. The transformer, at 27, supplies fluid to or exhausts iluid from the lower portion of the cylinder 21 by way of the passage 28. Exhaust and leakage fluid is drained by the return line 29 back to the tank 30 for the pump 25.

The control device Jor transformer, at 27, embodies a lower valve cylinder 32 and an upper cylinder 33 of larger diameter. The valve cylinder has a lower pressure port 34 communicating with the pressure supply line 26 and an upper exhaust port 35 connected to the drain passage 36 leading to the drain or return line 29. A piston valve 37 ts the cylinder 32 and it is provided with a port 38 arranged to have its upper edge just lap the lower edge of the exhaust port 35 and its lower edge just lap the upper edge of the pressure port 34 when the valve is in cut-off position.

The piston valve port 38 is connected by the passages 39 and 40 with the upper cylinder 33 below the piston 42 connected to the valve 37 and fitting the cylinder 33. The lower ends of the cylinders 33 and 21 are connected by the passage 28 already referred to. The effect of fluid pressure acting below the piston 42 is to move the latter and the valve 37 upwardly to cut off the supply of fluid under pressure from the line 26 and then to place the lower portions of the cylinders 21 and 33 in communication with the exhaust. y

Spring means is arranged above the piston 42 for opposing fluid pressure acting therebelow, and the spring means is adjustable to give a desired counterbalancing fluid pressure. As shown, a spring 44 is arranged above the piston 42, the lower end of the spring abutting a thrust bearing 45, which, in turn, abuts the upper end ofthe piston 42, and the upper end of the spring abutting the follower 46 held in position by a screw 47 threaded to the cylinder cover 48. The upper end of the screw 47 is provided with an actuating handle 49 and a jam nut 50 holds the screw in\ adjusted position. The spring force acting down on the piston 42 may, therefore, be variedas desired, and, whatever the spring force is, it is balanced by an equal fluid pressure force acting below the piston 42. l

Assuming that the weight or gravity force of the cutter aggregate is :z: pounds and that y pounds is the desired drilling or cutting pressure, then a lift or fluid pressure force of :n minus 1l pounds must be applied to the aggregate. To effect this relation, the operator adjusts the spring force until the fluid pressure force acting below the piston 22 balances the weight of the cutter aggregate, the gage pressure sumcient for this being observed; and then the screw 47 is backed to an extent suicient to reduce the fluid pressure to an amount `corresponding to a: minus y pounds lift, whereupon the desired lift relation to give y pounds cutting pressure is made effective and maintained by the pressure transformer, at 27. Spinning motion is preferably imparted to the piston 42 and the valve 37 to overcome static friction and to make the device more sensitively responsive to changes in pressure. To this end, I show passages 52 in the piston 42 for supplying fluid under pressure from below the piston to the reaction jets of nozzles 53 above the piston. InK

this connection, it will be observed that leakageIVY of fluid as well as fluid utilized by the spinning jets tends to reduce the pressure below the

pistons

22 and 42; however, any such tendency immediatelyl results in downward movement of the piston 42 and of the valve 37 under influence of the spring 44 to place the lower portions of the cylinders 21 and 33 in communication with the pressure port 34. In practice, the pressure port 34 communicates with the lower portions of such cylinders to 8L keep the pressure in balancing relation with the spring 44.

In practice, the drill tube 11, except for parts immediately adjacent to the head construction, at 14, is made in lower sections 55 (one being shown) and an upper section 55a, the latter having a slidable and non-rotatable connection with the turning gear 12, as is well known in the art. In operation, when the cutter aggregate has been lowered incident to cutting or boring for about the length of the tube section 55a, the latter is then detached from the adjacent section 55 and an additional section 55 is inserted in the aggregate, whereupon the apparatus will again be ready for drilling or boring.

As shown, the drill or cutter aggregate includes, in addition to the cutter and the

tube sections

55 and 55a, the piston 22 and a depending tubular member 56 unitary with the piston and extending below the body construction 20. A water tube 57 extends through the body construction 20, the piston 22, and the tubular member 56, the upper end of the tube being secured to a supply connection 58 and the lower end thereof extending below the tubular extension or member 56. A yoke coupling member 60 is connected to the lower end of the tubular member 56 and it has a lower tubular portion 61 provided with a coupling end 62 for attachment to the tube section 55a. An upper gland 63 prevents leakage of oil from between the tubular member 56 and the telescoping water tube 57 and a lower gland 64 between the water tube 57 and the tubular portion 61 of the yoke prevents leakage of water. Also the yoke construction and the spaced glands prevents possible admixture of water with the oil.

As material is cut away by the drill or cutter, the latter should be lowered with maintenance of the desired drill or cutter pressure. To provide for the continuous maintenance of the de- 9 sred cutterpressure, the piston 22 has a range of movement downwardly relatively to the cylinder 21, and, when the limit of this range is reached, the cylinder 21 is lowered relatively to the piston. y

The body construction 20 and the cylinder 21 are lowered by controlling the drum 19 to pay out'cable 15; and, as hereinafter pointed out, control f the drum 19 to secure intermittent lower'- ing of the body construction 20 and the cylinder 130 21 may be automatic or semi-automatic. Even though the cylinder volume below the piston 22 is increased when the cylinder is lowered, the predetermined lift pressure will be maintained, for, as soon as the volume starts to increase, the pressure drops and the spring 44 moves the piston 42 and the piston valve 37 down to increase the supply of fluid under pressure to the underside of the piston 22. These operations would be concurrenty with just sufficient pressure drop to secure operation of the piston valve, so that for all practical purposes the pressure or lift is maintainededuring the time that the cylinder 2l is lowered. l

In Fig. 1, I show a full automatic arrangement for lowering the body construction 20 and the cylinder 21, the automatic operation being effected by a make-and-break switch, at 65, and the winch or hoisting motor 66. When the cutter aggregate moves down incident to cutting and its tive to the cylinder 21, the switch, at 65, is

` closed and the motor is rendered eifective to pay out cable to lower the body construction 20 and the cylinder 21; and, whenthe latter reaches the lower limit of its movement relative to the piston 22, the switch, at 65, is opened, whereupon the body construction and its cylinder are held in iixed position until the piston 22 again moves down incident to cutting until the limit of downward movement thereof relative to the cylinder is reached.

The tube 57 is restrained from rotation with the tube system proper by the pivoted

links

68 and 69, the link 68 having a hinge connection 70 with respect to the water inlet member 58 and the link 69 being hinged at 71 to the body construction cover 48.' The linkage holds the

tubular elements

57 and 58 against rotation and permits of movement of the latter with the cutter aggregate relatively to the body construction 20. A thrust bearing 72 prevents relative axial movement of the water tube 57 and the piston 22.

The make-and-break limit switch, at 65, preferably includes a rocker make-and-break contact element 73 pivotally connected to a rod 74 having adjustable upper and

lower stops

75 and 76 thereon. An actuator 77, movable axially with the cutter aggregate but restrained from rotary movement by the linkage just referred to, moves between the abutments. When the lower limit of movement of the piston 22 relative to the cylinder 21. is reached the actuator 77 contacts the lower abutment 76 to tilt the rocker 73 downward to close the circuit for the winch or drum motor, whereupon the body construction and the cylinder 21 are lowered until the upper abutment 75 contacts with the actuator and the rocker is tilted upward to open the motor circuit.

In Fig. 3, I show a semi-automatic embodiment of my invention, which is similar to Fig. 1 except that the limit switch, at 65a, controls an alarm system instead of the winch or drum motor and the operator is guided by the indicator or alarm system in operating the winch or drum. For example, I show a suitable signal or alarm 80, which becomes effective when the limit of downward movement of the piston 22 relative to the cylinder 21 is reached and it remains effective until the operator operates the drum to lower the body construction 20 and the cylinder 21 relative to the piston 22 and when the limit of the latter movement is reached the signal or alarm circuit is broken by opening of the switch, at 65a.

scribed for exerting lift on the cutter aggregate should be ineffective, then the apparatus is capasion difference to keepl the cutting pressure as uniform as possible. With no fluid in the cylinder 21 sustaining the piston 22, the latter rests on the thrust bearing 83 carried by the bottom of the cylinder provided by the body construction 20, the latter, of course, being carried by-the cable suspension. The thrust bearing 83 permits of ready relative rotation of the cutter aggregate with respect to the body construction of the head,'at 14. Y

From the foregoing, the operation of my improved well boring apparatus will be apparent. Obtaining and maintaining the cutter pressure is merely a matter of fluid pressureV adjustment and requires n'o further attention on the part of the operator. The arrangement may be fully automatic or semi-automatic, and, in either case, the lift pressure having been initially adjusted, 85 the operator does not have to concern himself with maintenance of the cutting pressure. Furthermore, the improvements do not prevent the operation of the apparatus in the usual way by controlling the cable drum in accordance with the tension devices.

While I have shown two embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without departing from L4the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specically set forth in the 'appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Inboring apparatus, a rotary boring aggregate having a piston, a body member having a cylinder fitting the piston, means for supporting the body member, and means for maintaining a predetermined liquid pressure in the cylinder below the piston vso that the weight ofthe aggregate preponderates over the liquid pressure force to an extent sufficient to (give a desired, boring pressure, said means including uid pressure supply andv exhaust ports, a valve member movable in one direction to effect communication of the cylinder with the pressure supply port and movable in the other direction to eiect communication ofthe cylinder with the exhaust port. an abutment face subject to cylinder pressure for moving the valve member in .the direction to eifect communication of the cylinder with the exhaust port, and a spring whose force opposes the fluid pressure force exerted on the abutment face. e

l2. In boring apparatus, a rotary boring aggregate including a piston, a cylinder tting the piston, suspension means for the cylinder, means for supplying liquid under predetermined pressure to the cylinder below the piston to exert Alift;- ing force on the aggregate to reduce to a predetermined extent the effect of theweight of the aggregate in providing cutting pressure, means operable in response to downward movement of Y the piston relative to the cylinder to a predetermined extent to lower the cylinder, and means operable in response to relative lowering of the cylinder with respect to the piston to a predetermined extent to limit lowering of the cylinder.

3. In boring apparatus, a rotary boring aggregate including a piston, a cylinder for the piston, suspension mechanism for raising `and lowering the cylinder and including an operating motor, means for supplying liquid to the cylinder below the piston including means for maintaining the pressure uniform and providing for variable piston displacement with approximate maintenance of the uniform pressure, means responsive to downward movement of the piston relative to the cylinder to a predetermined extent to render the motor effective to lower the cylinder, and means responsive to lowering of the cylinder relative to thepiston to a predetermined extent to stop the motor.

piston, admission and exhaust ports for the cylinder space below the piston, a valve controlling communication of said space with the admission Y and exhaust ports, means responsive to pressure in said space for moving the valve to establish communication of the space with the exhaust port, spring means for moving the valve to establish communication of said space with the admission port, means for supplying liquid under pressure to the admission port, and suspension means for the cylinder. n

5. In boring apparatus, a rotary boring aggregate including a piston, a cylinder for the piston, suspension means for the cylinder, admission and exhaust ports for the cylinder space below the piston, means for supplying liquid under pressure to the admission port, a valve movable in one direction to effect communication of said space with the admission port and movable in the other direction to eilect communication of said space with the exhaust port, means responsive to pressure in said space to move the valve to effect communication with the exhaust port, spring means acting in opposition to the pressure responsive means and effective when it overcomes the pressure responsive means to move the valve to eiect communication with the admission port, and means for adjusting the compression of the spring means.

6. In boring apparatus, a boring aggregate including a piston, a cylinder for the piston, suspension means for the cylinder, a piston valve cylinder having pressure and exhaust ports, means for supplying liquid under pressure to the pressure port, a piston .valve fitting the' valve cylinder and having a passage communicating with the space of said cylinder below the piston, a pressure responsive element connected to the piston valve and responsive to pressure in said space for moving the piston valve to place its passage in communication with the exhaust port, and spring means acting on the piston valve in opposition to the pressure responsive means for moving the piston valve to place its passage in commimication with the pressure port.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 with means forvarying the compression of the spring means in order that the pressure of liquid in the space ofthe cylinder below the piston may be varied:

8. In boring apparatus, a rotary boring aggrel gate including a piston, a cylinder for the piston, suspension means for th cylinder including means for raising Iand lowering the cylinder, means for supplying liquid under pressure to the space of the cylinder below the pisto and including valvev means responsive to pressure in said space above a predetermined pressure to exhaust liquid from the space to limit the pressure therein and responsive to decline in pressure in said space below the predetermined pressure to increase the pressure supply to prevent lowering of pressure in said space, means responsive to lowering of the piston relative to the cylinder to a predetermined extent to render the raising and lowering means eil'ective to lower the cylinder, and means responsive to lowering movement of the cylinder relative to the piston to a predetermined extent to stop the lowering movement of the raising and lowering means.

9. In earth-boring apparatus, a rotary boring aggregate including a piston; a cylinder within which the piston is disposed; suspension means for the cylinder; fluid pressure supply and exhaust ports; a valve member cutting off communication of the cylinder space below the piston with the exhaust and uid pressure supply ports when it is in intermediate position, movable in a first direction from intermediate position to place 'saidcylinder space in communication with the exhaust port, and movable in a second direction from intermediate position to place said cylinder space in communication with the pressure supply port; and means for controlling the position of the valve member including an abutment face subject to cylinder iluid pressure force for movingv the valve member in said lrst 'direction and a spring for moving the valve member in said second direction.

10. The combination as 'claimed in claim 9 with means for adjusting the force of the spring.

11. The combination as claimed in'claim 9 with manual means for adjusting the compression ot the spring and with a gage for indicating the cylinder space pressure.

12. In boring apparatus, a rotary cutter aglgregate, suspension means for the aggregate including a cylinder, a piston connected to the aggregate and arranged in the cylinder, a source of uid under pressure, valve mechanism including movable valve means for controlling the admission of fluid from said source to the space of the cylinder below the piston and for controlling the exhaust of iluid from such space, means responsive to uidpressure in said cylinder for moving the movable valve means to ad-