US2017717A - Stuffing box casing head - Google Patents

Description

Oct. Y15, 1935.

C. C. HEETER STUFFING BOX CASING HEAD 'Filed May 1G, 1953 ICT NNN NN H .,.MUWHH Hw w y INVC'ENTOR 47%@ ,I .um f

Patented oer. 15,1"1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2Claims.

My invention relates to a stuiiing-box casing head, in particular, to a casing head for gas wells.

Several types of stumng-box casing heads have been known heretofore closing the space between the upper end of an outer well casing and an inner. casing. The'most commontype of prior art head is that embodying split cast iron construction.l The installation of this type of casing head involves practically no1 dlfdculty. After the inner casing is lowered to the desired depth, the casing head is merely placed around the two casings and bolted together, while the inner casing is either suspended by the elevators or is permittedto restonthe bottom of the well. The objections to this type of head, however, are that it is very heavy, quite costly, and involves some diiiiculty in assembly, sirceithe two parts of the split head must be accurately alined prior toacterized by ample strength for all practical pur-- poses andby a weight and cost much less than those of the older type of split cast iron head.

'I'he usual` method of using the steel head is to lower the inner casing into the outer casing, rest it on the bottom-of the well, disconnect the elevators from the inner casing. and attach the tubular casing head to the outer casing. The suspension for the inner casing is then reattached tothe elevators and the inner casing raised to the desired level before the space between the inner casing and the outer casing is finally closed by a' packing gland\ j The tubular steel casing head has proved -quite satisfactory for certain installations.

increasing depth of present day wells, however,

it has become impractical to use this type of .cas-

ing head rbecause it is not safe to rest the long .h after the inner casing has been lowered.

I have invented a tubular steel casing head designed particularly fordeep wells where the inner casing must be permanently suspended. In accordance with my invention, I provide a tubu- With the I 4for attachment to the-upper end of the outer casing. A- gasket-compressing ring is threaded on to the upper end of the head. The head is attached to the outer casing before the inner casing is lowered and theinner casing descends l5 throughthe casing head and gasket-compressing ring. After the inner casing has been lowered to the desired depth, the gasket-compressing ring is removed and split packing elements are disposed about the inner casing within the cas- 10 ing head. As the gasket-compressing ring is screwed home, the packing is compressed into Aengagement with the inner casing.

For a complete understanding of the invention. reference is made to the accompanying drawing 16 illustrating a present preferred embodiment. In the drawing: v

Figure 1 isea vertical, `axial, sectional view showing the parts of the packing gland in spaced relation in order of their application to 4the cas- 20" ving head;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in assembled relation;

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the packingA elements; and j 25 Figure 4 is a similar view of another oi' the packing elements. Referring now in detail to the drawing, the invention comprises a short sectionof steel tube 1u having its ends threaded as at 1| and 12. The S0 f der IIi provides a seat for a split two-part. gasket- 0' supporting ring I1. A compressible gasket ring I8 is adapted to rest on' the ring I 1. A split gland ring I9 is provided for applying downward pres-` sure to the gasket ring to compress the latter and cause it to engage an inner casing indicated at 20 to form a gasket-tight joint therewith. The gland ring has an out-turned ila'nge or shoulder 2| adjacent its upper edge which overhangs the upper end of the Vtube I0 when in position thereon. A gasket-compressing ring, 22 is threaded 50 l internally for cooperation with the threaded upper end II of the tube IU. lI he ring 22 has an inturned shoulder or ange 23 adjacent Vits upper -lar steel casing head` having a port intermediate f end. The shoulder 2.3.overhangs the shoulder 2| its ends, the lowerl end of the head being adaptedoI.' the gland ring andthe upper end of the tube `lli .when screwed. thereon. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate one half of the split gland ringand gasket-supporting ring.

It will be apparent that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2, the gasket-compressing ring 22, on being screwed home, by the engagement of the flanges 2i and 23, causes'the gland ring I9 to exert suflicient pressure on the gasket I8 to force the latter into close contact with the periphery of the inner casing 20.

In the application of the device, the tube III is first attached to the top of the outer`casing I3 and the ring 22 is partially screwed on to the upper end, -as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the gasket, its supporting ring and the gland ring being-removed. The inner casing 20 is then lowered through the ring 22 and the tube I0 to the desired depth, being supported by the elevators at all times. When the inner casing has been properly positioned, the ring 22 is unscrewed and raised sufficiently to permit introduction of the two halves of the gasket-supporting ring II.- The halves of the ring II have an external, peripheral groove therein. After the two halves have been pressed together abutting the inner casing, they may be heldin assembled relation by tying a cord therearound, the cord lying in the external, peripheral groove. When the ring I1 is properly seated on the internal, annular shoulder I6 adjacent the upper end of the tube I0, the gasket ring 4I8 is placed thereon. The two halves of the gland ring are then placed on `the gasket ring. The ring 22 is lowered and screwed on to the upper end o f the tube I0. As previously explained, the engagement of the intumed flange 23 on the ring 22 with the out-turned flange 2| on the ring I9, forces the latter into engagement with the gasket as the ring 22 is screwed home, to compress the gasket into gasket-tight engagement with the inner casing 20.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the invention is characterized by numerous advantages over the stufling-box casing the desirable characteristics of previous tubular steel casing heads inA that it is light in weight and low in cost compared to the old split type of cast iron head. It has the further advantage that the inner casing string need not be rested on the bottom of the well to permit the application of the head to the outer casing. As already pointed out, this is of great importance in view of the increasing depth to which wells are being drilled,

and the fact that it is not safe to rest the entire 5 weight of the inner casing string on the lower sections thereof. The invention, therefore, is applicable in many cases where the previous structures could not be used.

Although I have illustrated and described herein but one preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious that changes in the construction disclosed may be made without depart g from the spirit of the invention or the scope f the appended claims. i5

I claim: A

1. In a casing head, a. tubular section adap d to make threaded connection with an outer casing, and dimensioned to receive a Suspended inner casing string with its couplings, a gasket adapted 20 to seat in the head, a gland adapted to engage the gasket, said gasket and gland being split to permit their installation while maintaining the inner casing suspended, and. a clamping ring engaging the gland and threaded ontothe section, 25 the gasket and the gland having inside diameters sufllcient to pass said inner casing land its couplings.

2. A stuffing-box casing head comprising a tube having a. port intermediate its ends, the lower end of the tube having means for attachment to an outer well casing, a gasket-support- A ing ring seated within the tube, means projecting inwardly of the tube for supporting the ring therein, a gasket positioned on the ring, a.l gland ring superposed on the gasket and having means projecting outwardly thereof, and a gasket-compressing ring screwed directly onto the upper end of the tube, the gasket-compressing ring having means projecting inwardly for engaging the out.- wardly projecting means on the gland ring for forcing the latter against the gasket as the gas-l ket-compressing ring is screwed ontothe tube. heads known to the prior art. The invention has* to cause the gasket to engage an inner wellcasing extending through the tube, said gland ring being of suflicient-diameter to pas; said inner casing and its couplings.

COLONEL C. HEETER.

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