US1943553A

US1943553A - Hydraulic plunger stop

Info

Publication number: US1943553A
Application number: US592826A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman H Ricker
Original assignee: Hughes Tool Co
Current assignee: Hughes Tool Co
Priority date: 1932-02-13
Filing date: 1932-02-13
Publication date: 1934-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 1951-01-16

Description

Jan. 16, 1934. N, RlCKER 1,943,553

HYDRAULIC PLUNGER STOP Filed Feb. 15, 1932 NORMAN H. RlCKER INVENTOR BY il ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 16, 1934 PATENT;

Price HYDRAULIC PLUNGER STOP Norman H. Kicker, Houston, Tex., assignor to Hughes Tool Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application February 13, 1932. Serial No. 592,826

5 Claims.

My invention relates to plunger lift apparatus and more particularly to the stop provided for the plunger at the lower end of the eduction tube.

The plunger, in devices of this character, drops by gravity from the upper end of its stroke to the lower end of the tube. It is customary to provide sufficient submergence of the tube in the liquid so that liquid will quickly rise in the tube above the seat for the plunger and thereby assure that the plunger hits the liquid before it reaches its seat and thereby prevent the plunger from hitting a dry seat and injuring the apparatus. The liquid acts as a shock absorber and will have a dash pot effect so that no injury will result. It sometimes occurs, however, that through insufiicient liquid in the well or through some slowing down of its flow, the plunger falls upon the seat or stop member with force and 20 injury results.

I have, as an object, the provision of a fluid cushion in the place of the usual stop seat for the plunger, and against which the plunger may strike and break the force of its fall in the tube.

I desire to close the lower end of the tube below the inlet ports for the liquid and to form a dead end into which the lower extremity of the plunger may strike and which will fill with liquid to absorb the shock of the falling plunger.

In the drawing is shown a central vertical section through the lower end of the eduction tube of a plunger lift device with the plunger therein, all illustrating the application of my invention.

The eduction tube 1 is of the usual cnstruction except that a special bull plug or nipple 2 is connected to the lower end thereof by a collar 3. Said nipple is of the full internal diameter of the eduction tube at its upper end and has a plurality of lateral openings 4 therein to admit fluid from the well. Below the openings the walls of the nipple are thickened internally to provide a pocket at 5 into which the lower extension 6 of the plunger 7 will loosely fit. This nipple thus has a closed lower end to receive the liquid from the well. 7

The plunger body 7 is cylindrical to fit the inner bore of the tube 1 and its inner surface flares upwardly to provide a thin scraping edge 9 at its upper end and a downwardly converging streamline passage 10 therethrough.

The lower end of the body '7 has a valve seat member 11 held in place by the upper ring 12 of the support 13. Said support is spaced below the seat by arms 14 between which the fluid may pass. the head 16 of the valve when said valve is open. A stem 17 on said valve extends downwardly through a guide opening 18 in the support, said opening connecting with a laterally extending passage 19 to the outside.

The lower end of the support 13 is of smaller diameter than the body of the plunger and is formed with the extension 6 thereon previously referred to. The accumulation of gas pressure below the plunger when there is suflicient head of liquid above the valve 16 will close the valve and raise the plunger with its load to the surface where the load will be discharged and the gas will exhaust allowing the plunger to fall.

The support is recessed at 15 to receive Meantime the liquid will enter the tube through openings 4 and fill the nipple 2 and will rise in the tube. When the extension 6 on the plunger engages in the chamber 5 in the nipple it will be stopped by fluid therein. The said fluid will escape slowly from below the plunger through the clearance space and will allow the plunger to drop slowly to its seat. The liquid in the lower end of the tube will splash up, as shown at 20, but no damage to the equipment will result even if but little liquid has risen in the tube. The dash pot thus provided prevents the diiiiculties previously experienced due to the plunger striking a hard seat before the liquid has entered in sufficient quantities to absorb the shock of the falling plunger.

What I claim as new is:

1. An eduction tube for plungerlift devices, a. nipple closing the lower end of said tube, said nipple having inlet openings spaced above the lower end thereof, in combination with a plunger, a valve controlled passage therethrough, and a closed extension on said plunger below said valve formed to fit loosely in said nipple, said openings serving to admit pressure fluid to lift said plunger.

2. An eduction tube for plunger lift devices, a nipple adapted to be submerged in the liquid in a well and closing the lower end of said tube, said nipple having inlet openings spaced above the lower end thereof, in combinatiori with a plunger, a valve controlled passage therethrough, and means on said plunger to engage in said nipple and absorb the shock of the downward movement of said plunger, said openings serving to admit pressure fluid to lift said" plunger. V

3. An eduction tube for plunger lift devices, a nipple thereon having lateral openings therein and a closed lower end below said openings,

by pneumatic pressure to raise liquid entering said openings.

5. In a plunger lift device, an eduction tube having inlet openings at its lower end and a closed nipple below said openings to receive and retain fluid, in combination with a plunger in said tube, a valve in said plunger, and an extension on said plunger below the valve fitting said nipple.

NORMAN H. RICKER.