US2009322A - Feather-type valved well packer - Google Patents

Description

July 23, 1935- E. NELSON, sR

FEATHER TYPE VALVED WELL PACKER Filed Oct. 29. 1934 4 SheetsfSheet l O P O/ O O 00 0 0 D O O 0 o 0 O o O O 5 3 www0 0J wew www 5/ V, M g F .21. w QV 5 w M 3 O a a Q 730W' 9 3.wa 05 @tbox/MAM July 23, 1935, E. NELSON. SR

FEATHER TYPE VALVED WELL PACKER Filed Oct. 29. 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 23, 1935. NELSON, SR

FEATHER TYPE VALVED WELL PACKER Filed Oct. 29, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 23, 1935. E. NELSON, sR

FEATHER TYPE VALVED WELL PACKER Filed Oct. 29. 1954 4 Sheetssheet 4 Patented July 23, 1935 PATENT ol-Flos FEATHER-TYPE VALVED PACKEB Emil Nelson, sr., me charles, Le., ligneier one-fourth. to I. C.'Carter-and one-eighth to Alvin o. ning, me charles, La.

application' october 29, 1934, serial Ne. 150,517

l1 claims. (cl. lss- 10) My present invention relates generally to tools onimplements for use in connection with oil and gas wells, and more particularly to a testing -apparatus useful in instances where a preliminary 'v5 or permanent test for oil, gas or other fluids is desired without cementing the bottom of the hole or sett-ing and drilling a cement plug.

Generally speaking, my invention, which has for its primary object the ready and convenient testing of the well at any point thereof, contemplates a packing device which may?, be lowered into the well -with Vthe usual drill string and expanded into desiredposition with' easeand facility and as quickly and readily collapsedand removed Y when its purpose has been served.

My invention further contemplates a well packer with a valve arrangement permitting of eifectively sealing oil either the lower portion of the hole or any selective or desired area of its length.

With the above in mind, my invention` resides in the several features, with respect to construction, arrangement and operation, to be now described in connection with the accompanying drawings .forming a part of this speciilcation and clearly illustrating my invention, and wherein Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken centrally through my improved valve packer, with the flexible .cover removed, and the feathering blades retracted:

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the packer blades expanded and the ilexible cover in place;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view oi' a portion of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similarly enlarged view 'of a portion of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a fragmentary view having a portion in top plan and the remaining portion thereof in horizontal section illustrating the packer blades extended;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in-horizontal section showing the packer blades collapsed;

Figures l and 8 are sectional views taken respectively on lines 1-1 and H of Figure 1; and Figure 9 is a fragmentary view having portion in vertical section and its remaining portion in side elevation illustrating a slightly modified form of my invention.

Referring now to these' ilgures, my invention contemplates a packer consisting of a main cylindrical barrel or body tube Il whose upper end is externally threaded for engagement by a coupling Il with the lower end of theupper portion of the main drill tubing. or string I2.

lRotatablydisposedaroundthebarrelllal'e upper and lower cylindrical-sleeves I3 and Il, slidable relative to one another, the lower sleeve Il at its upper end telescoping within the upper sleeve i2, and at its lower ,end extending below thelower'end of barrel I0 and externally 5 to receive a coupling l5 connecting the same with 'the lower portion of the drill-string I2a having at its lower end a chiselshapedvfoot anchor It. 'I'he sleeve Il is formed with a peripheral shoulder Il' arranged in the downward path of the 1.0 lower 'end Il" of sleeve I3.l l

At a pointsubstantially below the coupling Il, the barrel Il has anexternal annular rib I1 disposed immediately below an internal rib I 8 on the upper sleeve Il, so that the sleeve, extending at l5 its upper 'end closely adjacent to the coupling i-I is thus connned and held against lengthwise. movement on the barrel, leaving theA latter i'ree to rotate within the sleeve.v v

The lower end of sleeve l2 has aterminal annu- 20 lar rlb'll to engage and limit downward movement of a sliding collar 2li, to the upper end oi which is connectedthe lower end of a spring 2| coiled around sleeve I2. The upper end of this spring is anchored to aring 22 threaded onthe 25 upper end of the sleeve. The collar 2|.has an` annular ,outstanding rib 23, the upper surface of which is grooved as at 24, to receive the pendant rib25 ofaclampingring 28 engagedbyasecond ring 21 threaded on the collar 2l.

Below the annular rib 23, the collar 2. has a circumjacently disposed pivot ring v2l forming al hinge in connection with the -upper reduced ends 2| of the curved downwardly-flaring upper sections Il of. the packer blades. 'I'he collar 20 $5 is provided with sockets 3l (see Figure 5) therearound coope ting with the. blade sections 3l to permit the latter to swing upwardly and out--y wardly from the collapsed position as shown in Figure 2, and direction around the collar during the iirst mene tioned movements.

"I'hebladesections 3l areoilikeformandeach includes a pair of side parts 2l', 30" and an intermediate part 20"' (Figuresf5 and 6). The 45 part Il' is of greater thickness than and is outset with respect to 2l'". 'I he part 2l is of greater thickness than and is inset with re-v spectto part 32"'. 'Ihe inner face of part ll" is positioned against the outer face of sleeve Il. 50 The outer face of part 3l" is iiush with the outer face of part-3V". '111e inner face of each blade section, in proximity to its outer end edge, is formed with a dove-tail groove -22 extending nom the inner lengthwise edge sz' er pm uff 55 vice versa,'and to also swing ina 40 to the lengthwise edge 32" of the part 30'. The outer face of part 30", inwardly adjacent the outer end of the latter is provided with a guide lug 33 of dove-tail form which registers at its outer side edge with the outer lengthwise edge 32" of part 30". The parts 30', 30"' of one section 30, when the sections are non-extended overlap the parts 30", 30" of an adjacent section 39. The lug- 33 of one section 30 is arranged in the groove 32 of an adjacent section 30. The lugs 33 in connection with the grooves 32 slidably couple sections 30 together. The edges 32' and 32 of part 30 are beveled. The outer ends of sections 30 are pivotally connected at 34 with the upper ends of the lower blade 35. Adjacent to the connections 34 are inwardly directed angular spring fingers 36 for a purpose to be referred to.

The lower reduced ends of the lower blade sections 35 are hingedly connected by a-pivot ring 31 in a manner similar to the before-described upper ends of the upper sections 30, to an annular rib 38 integral with and around the lower sleeve I4 at a point substantially above the lower end. This rib 38 has a lower groove 39 receiving the rib 40a of a clamping ring 40 engaged by a second ring 4I threaded on sleeve I4.- In this way the blades may readily expand to the position of Figure 2 upon movement of collar 20 downwardly with sleeve I3, the spring 2i permitting collar 20 to yield upwardly when the bladesengage the wall of the well opening.

A flexible canvas, rubber or other apron 42 (see Figure 2) is used around the several blades to form an eiectlve seal, with its upper and Vlower ends or edges securely clamped to the ribs 2-3 and 38 by the respective clamping rings 26 and 40.

Internally thereof, the lower sleeve I4 has a threaded portion 43, and as shown in Figure 7, these threads are interrupted by vertical grooves 44 so that the similarly interrupted external threads v of the barrel I0, which normally engage threads 43 to hold the barrel in upper position supporting the sleeves I3K and I4 in such spaced apart relation as to hold the blades in the retracted position of Figure l, may, by 4a turning movement of they barrel.' be shifted into the grooves 44 as in Figure 7, permitting the barrel to move downwardly. l

It will be understood that the above described position of the parts with the barrel threads 45 engaging the' lower sleeve threads 43 is the normal locked position of the parts shown in Figure l, in which they are lowered into the well. Sullicient pipe string I2a is attached below the packer so that the latter will be slightly above the point to be-packed oiI when the chisel bit I5 is set in the bottom of the hole, that is, if the test is to be made at the bottom. One or more sections ot screen tubing will in this event be included in the string of tubing I2a below the packer.

when the chisel ba ls is set in the bottom ofl the hole, the barrel I0 is turned to released position with its threads 45 in the grooves 44, and it may then be lowered, carrying the'upper sleeve I3 downwardly with it, to the position shown in Figure 2. At the start of downward movement oi' the sleeve I 3, the spring ilngers 35 initiate out-- stem.

spring 2i which will permitof a yieldable engagement of the packer blades with the wall of the hole so that the apron may seal the hole at the packed oil point.

Obviously in withdrawing the packer from the hole after its purpose has been served, the reverse of the above setting operation may be easily and quickly accomplished to retract the packer blades and restore the parts to the position of Figure l for convenient withdrawal, since the barrel rib I1 forces the sleeve I3 to move upwardly with the barrel and the sleeve rib I9 forces the collar 2B to move upwardly with the sleeve I3.

Within the barrel I0 and threaded at its upper end internally of the barrel, is a pendant inner barrel 46 and at the upper end of barrel 46 is a cross guide in the nature of a spider 41 through which Ithe upper valve adjusting tube 48 is both rotatable and lengthwise movable axially of the packer. This adjusting tube 48 has the upper portion of its surface threaded to receivean adjusting nut 49 and a lock nut 50, which abut the upper end of aA spring 5I around the tube, and the lower end of which spring .is seated on the spider guide 41.

Below guide 41, the valve adjusting tube 48 is also externally threaded to receive an adjusting nut 52 and lock nut 53 to abut the guide and limit upward movement of the tube. Moreover, tube @i8 is internally threaded at its upper end to receive any suitable adjusting rod (not shown) and has its lower portion internally threaded to adjustably receive the upper end of the valve stem 54 which extends below the inner barrel 48, through a valve cylinder 55, and a valve cage 56, and carries a valve 51, securely fastened onto its lower end' and adapted to seat upwardly against a valve seat 58 formed on the valve cage 56.

The valve cage 56, which is clamped between the coupled'ends of the lower sleeve I4 and the lower tubing string Iza, has a threaded connec- 'tion with, and supports, the valve cylinder 55, and the upper. end of the latter slidably and rotatably telescopes within the lower end of the inner barrel 46. f Thus the inner barrel 46 is free to rotate and shift vertically with the main barrel III to which it is connected.

' The cage 56 carries an internal stem guide 53. The cylinder 55 has an internal annular rib 5l forming a valve seatand, above this rib, is provided with a spider 5I presenting a squared guide opening for cooperation with a squared' portion 62 of the valve stem 54 so that by rotation of the adjusting tube 48, the valve stem 54, in threaded connection therewith and held against rotation, will be screwedvinto or out of tube 4l to lengthen or shorten the eilective length of the stem as desired.

On the valve stem 54 a second valve 63 is slidably disposed at a point below the rib 80 to seat upwardly against the valve seat on said rib, it being noted that valve '63 is positioned to normally seat slightly in advance of valve 51 upon upward movement of valve stem 54, but is yieldable downwardly on said stem against the tension of a spring B4 within the valvewhich spring has its lower end seated on a washer 45 slidable on the'stem and held by a cross pin 55 through th If, as before described, the test is to be taken from the hole below the packer, the tension of spring 5I is so adjusted that upon downward movement of the main barrel' I. and inner barrel 4B, to the position of Figure 2, the valves 51 and 33 will sag to open position, as shown, but il' :incassa4 v relatively movable sleeves, and to which the the test is to be taken from above the packer, spring il is so adjusted by tightening down the nuts 4l and 50, that it will retain sulcient tension to maintain the valves closed in spite of lowering of the barrels.

Incertaininstancesitmaybedesiredtopack oi! a portion of the hole. so as to eliminate oil and gas from above and below that portion from which the testis wanted, two of my improved packers may be used in vertically spaced relation. In this instance the valves of the lowermost of the two packers will be tensioned to remain closed, while the valves of the uppermost packer will be tensioned to open.

As shown inFigure 9,'I may use-in some instances, an arrangement in which but single section packer blades 61 are hinged, in the manner previously explained, to the collar 20a and connectedby pivoted links 6l to the upper end of the lower sleeve Ma. In this ngure, the uppersleeve appears at Ita and the main barrel at lia, and it is obvious the apron before referred to may be employed, one of the apron clamps being shown l ticularly recommends the same,vwhile' its wide range of use, strength, and durability are factors whose importance in practical work cannot be over-emphasized.

The sleeve Il is formed with peripheral spaced ribs Il' lengthwise thereof, and thecollar 2l with vertically disposed spaced grooves 2l' to prevent the collar 2li which accommodates the ribs shifting circumferentially of sleeve I3, but do not inter-` fere with the sliding of collar 2l lengthwise with respect to sleeve I I. The ribs II correspond in length to that of collar 2l and havetheir inner rib positioned at the upper face of the annular 1 l a v What I claim is: A i. In a well packer, expansible and, retractible packer blades, a pair of relatively,'movable sleeves supporting and actuating said a rotatable vertically movable main barrel en by said sleeves and bodilysupporting and carrying therewith oneof said sleeves; and a locking conpacker blades, and clamps carried by said sleeves for supporting said apron.

3. In a well packer, expansible and retractible packer blades, a pair of relatively, slidable blade actuating sleeves, a vertically movable rotatable main barrel bodily carrying one of said actuating sleeves, a locking connection between the barrel and the other actuating sleeve for locking the barrel from vertical movement and releasable by rotation of the barrel, and a member having a spring controllingl connection with'one o! said packer blades are hinged at one end. s

4. In a well packer, expansible and retractible packer blades, a pair of relatively slidable blade actuating sleeves, a vertically movable rotatable main barrel bodily-carrying one of said actuating sleeves, a locking connection between the barrel and the other actuating sleeve for locking thebarrel arranged within said sleeves and bodily carrying one of the sleeves, a locking connection between the barrel and the other sleeve for locking the barrel front vertical movement and releasable by rotationof the barrel.

6. In a well packer, expansible and retractiblepacker blades,a pair of cylindrical upstanding relatively movable sleeves'having'actuating connections with said blades and one telescoping within the other,` a rotatable vertically movable barrel arranged within said sleeves and bodily carrying one of the sleeves, a locking connection between the barrel and the other sleeve for locking the barrel from vertical movement and releasable by rotation of the barrel,and a valve carried by the barrel for controlling inilow into the lower end of the barrel.

7. In a well packer, expansible and retractibleV ing the barrel from vertical movement and re. leasable byrotation of the barrel, and a valvel carried by. the bari'elior controlling inilow into the lower end of the barrel, and connections for opening the valve upon release and sliding move--l ment o! lthe barrel. 8. In a well packer, expansible and retractible packer blades, a pair of cylindrical upstanding relatively movable sleeves having actuating connections with said blades and one telescoping within the athena rotatable vertically movable barrel arranged within said sleeves and bodily carrying one of the sleeves, a locking connection between the barrel and the valve sleeve for locking the barrel lfrom vertical movement and releasable by rotation of the barrel, and a valve carried by the barrel for controlling inflow into the lower end of the barrel, and connections ior opening the valve upon release and silding movement of the barrel, said lastl named connections being adjustable to hold the valve closed in both positions of the barrel. y

9. In a well packer, expansibleand retractible packer blades, a pdr of relatively movable members to which the blades are hingedly connected, each of said members'having a groovedhaving its ends overlying the said' ribs, claxrping rings ,e the apron ends and having portions coacting u riizh4 the grooves of the ribs, and rings standing rib, an apron around the packer blades o threaded on said members for seating and hold-. l

ingaidclmvingrln'g' 1 'i 10. Inawellpackenacylindricalbarrelthreaded at its upper end for attachment to drill tub ing, upper and lower sleeves in rotatable relation on said barrel, the lower sleeve being threaded at its lower end for attachment to drill tubing, the barrel and the upper sleeve having engaging Portions securing the same together for simultaneous lengthwise movement, and the barrel and lower sleeve having engaging portions forming a lock against their relative lengthwise movement and releasable by rotative movement of the barrel within the sleeves, expansible and retractible packer blades in a series around and between said sleeves and hingedly connected at their lower ends to the lower sleeve, a collar on the upper sleeve to which the upper ends of the blades are hingedly connected, said upper sleeve having an annular rib abutting the lower end of the collar, and a spring around the upper sleeve between a portion thereof and the upper end of the collar yieldably permitting the latter to move in an upward direction.

il. ln a well packer, a. cylindrical barrel threaded at its upper end for attachment to drill tubing, upper and lower sleeves in rotatable relation4 on aooaeaa said barrel, the lower sleeve being threaded at its lower end for attachment to drill tubing, the barrel and the upper sleeve ,having engaging portions securlng the same together for simultaneous lengthwise movement. and the barrel and lower sleeve having engaging portions forming a lock against their relative lengthwise movement and releasable by rotative movement of the barrel within the sleeves, expansible and retractible packer blades in a, series around and between said sleeves and hingedly connected at their lower ends to the lower sleeve, a collar on the upper sleeve to which the upper ends of the blades are hingedly connected, said upper sleeve having an annular rib abutting the lower end of the collar, and a spring around the upper sleeve between a portion thereof vand the upper end of the collar yieldably permitting the latter to move in an upward direction, said collar and the lower sleeve having outstanding annular ribs, a exible apron around the series of packer blades, and means for clamping the ends of said apron in connection with the said ribs.

mm. NELSON, Sl-

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