US2082113A - Well packer - Google Patents

Description

June 1, 1937. v L, A LAYNE ET A 2,082,113

WELL PACKER Filed Dec. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L.A.LAYNE. \.-.C .MuNoT INVENTOR ATTORNEYrS.

Patented June 1, 1937 WELL PACKER Leslie A. Layne and Louis 0. Mundt, Houston, Tex.;- said Mundt assignmto said Layne Application December 3, 1934, Serial No. 755,721

16 Claims.

The invention relates to a well packer and particularly of the type to be set where a maximum expansion is required.

I The packers which are set in open holes are usually required to expand a considerable distance because it is not uncommon that such a packer must be lowered through a pipe or casing before a packer having guide fingers to control the expanding movement and to protect the packer when it is expanded.

Another object of the invention is to provide spaced members on the packing in combination with slits in the packing sothat a maximum expansion of the packing may be had.

Still another object of the invention is to provide slits in the packing so that it may expand radially a maximum distance without straining the material of which the packing is formed.

Another object of the invention is to provide slits in a packing member so as to free the material for radial expansion in such a manner that segmental overlapping portions are formed to complete the packing seal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide staggered slits in the packing material so that irregular spiral segments will be formed as the packing is expanded.

Still another object of the invention is to provide staggered vertical slits in the packing so that regular staggered segments will be formed when the packing is'expanded.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 45 'Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the packer with the parts assembled in position to be lowered into the well.

Fig. 2 shows the packer expanded in the well engaging the formation and illustrating the ar- 50 rangement oi the folding of the segments and expansion of the guide fingers.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking down on the top of the expanded packer and illustrating the arrangement of the Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the packer with the parts assembled ready to be lowered into the well.

Fig. 5 shows the packer of Fig. 4 in expanded position and illustrating the regular arrangement 5 of the expanded segments.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6--6 of. Fig. 5 and illustrating the circumferential arrangement of the segments and the folding of the materiaL- 10 The particular construction of the spacing of the packing and the flexible fingers at the top of the packing is disclosed m the copending application of Leslie A. Layne and Harold C. Block, Serial 755,720, filed December 3, 1934, for a Casing packer and this general type of packer in combination with a whipstock as shown in the patent to Layne 2,020,471, granted November 2, 1935.

The packer is shown in assembled position in Fig. 1 where a pipe 2 is illustrated as extending below the packer. This pipe is threaded at 3 to receive any desired length of pipe which will serve as a base for the packing. The upper end of the pipe 2 is slotted at 3 to form a plurality F of jaws 4 which are provided with teeth 5 to engage corresponding teeth on the mandrel I. These teeth are downward facing, as seen in Fig. 2, so that they will prevent upward movement of the mandrel l with respect to the pipe 2. It is to be understood that the packer is collapsed by relative telescoping movement of the mandrel 1 into the pipe 2.

The mandrel 1 serves as a support for the packing III which is seen in Fig. 1 as having been 5 wrapped about the mandrel in circular layers which may be applied either spirally or longitudinally if desired. The length of the packing as viewed in Fig. l, which is applied to the mandrel, will be varied in accordance with the size of the 40 hole to be packed and the amount of expansion which is required. The upper end of the packing is fixed to the mandrel 1 directly beneath a collar I! by means of wrappings of wire l3 which securely confine the upper end of the packing.

- The lower end of the packing is similarly confined by the wires I 4 on the upper end of the pipe 2 against the reduced portion [5 thereof. In this manner the ends of the packing are confined upon two separate parts so that upon telescoping of these parts the packing will be expanded. 1

A shear pin I I is seen in Fig. 1 as retaining the pipe 2 and mandrel l in assembled position. This pin will be sheared as seen in Fig. 2 when the setting of the packer is to be accomplished by lowering the weight of the. pipe 40 or setting string onto the pipe 2 and mandrel I.

In order to control the expansion and obtain the desired diameter of packing a plurality of spaced wires or other confining means I! are arranged about the outer periphery of the packing as seen in Fig. 1. During the expanding operation of course these wires restrain the packing at spaced points so that it is caused to be collapsed in the form of the folds l8 of Fig. 2. The folds will increase the diameter of the packing substantially half the distance between the spaced wires I! so that by positioning these wires on the packing at the desired intervals different diameter packing seals may be obtained. It will be particularly noted that adjacent the upper and lower ends these wires I! have been spaced more closely together so as to control the diameter of the folds and in this manner the smaller folds I9, 20 and 2| are obtained. In this manner the packer in expanded position provides a gradually expanded sealing body, as seen in Fig. 2, which will tend to form a more perfect seal. The intermediate folds 2| and 22 may be of the same diameter so that they will abut against each other in packed relationship to form a perfect seal.

In order to guide the expansion of the packer and to insure its proper positioning as well as to guard it against injury while it is being lowered into the well and while it is in expanded position a ring 30 has been positioned both above and below the packer. Each of these rings is formed with the spring fingers 3| which overlie the first few folds of the packing and will be caused to expand as the packing expands. These fingers serve as a protecting cover for the packer and confine it between the two sets of fingers as seen in Fig. 2. These fingers insure that the packer will assume the form desired when it is collapsed and have been found to be exceptionally satisfactory in actual use.

It will be appreciated that when the packing is wrapped about the mandrel 4 the expansive movement upon collapsing is limited by the material which accumulates during the collapsing operation. In order, however. that the expanding movement may be unrestrained and the ma terial may fold outwardly a maximum amount a plurality of slits such as 35 have been formed in the packing intermediate the spaced wires l1.

As seen in Fig. 1, these slits 35 are in more or less staggered relationship to define independent segments of the packing material. In Fig. 1 each segment 36 is somewhat in the form of a parallelogram, the upper end 31 of which is staggered with respect to the lower end 38 so that an irregular folded segment is formed as best seen in Fig. 2; these segments being irregular will overlap each other in irregular lines so that they abut against each other to form a complete and solid seal against the wall 39 of the well bore 38. As previously pointed out the spacing of the wires Il determines the diameter of the fold which will be obtained upon expansion of the segments.

In operation the device will be assembled as seen in Fig. 1 and lowered into the well bore until the desired elevation is reached. It is usual to extend the pipe on the lower end of the connection 3'- the desired length so that the packer will be positioned at the desired elevation. Thus when the pipe on the connection 3' engages the bottom of the hole or an obstruction the pipe 2 will be restrained against any further downward movement. The packer will be lowered into the well by a string of pipe 40 which is connected into the coupling l2 and continued lowering of this string of pipe will cause the mandrel I to telescope inside of the pipe 2. The teeth 5 will click past the teeth 6 and the packer will be gradually expanded. The folding operation will occur so that the segments take the position shown in Fig. 2 and the folds will move outwardly against the wall 39 of the formation. The teeth 5 restrain the mandrel I from moving upwardly and'h'old the packer in this collapsed or expanded position. The fingers 3| overlie both the upper and lower ends of the packer during this expanding movement and guide it to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The construction and operation of the modified form of the packer shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is almost identical with that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, with the exception of the particular formation of the segments of the packing. In Fig. 4 it will be seen that the slits 50 are substantially vertically arranged between the spaced wires I! so that vertical rectangular segments 5| are formed. These segments are staggered as respects each tier 52 and 53 so that when the packer is expanded they will assume the position shown in Fig. 5. The abutting edges 56 and 51 of adjacent segments will be forced into close contact with each other to form the desired seal. A packer of this sort will obtain a maximum expansion without distortion of the material because of the slots 50. In Fig.6 the open spaces 55 between any two segments in the same tier will-of course be' closed by'the staggered segment in the next tier. In Fig. 6 the edge of the staggered segment beneath the opening 55 is illustrated at 58.

The operation of the packer of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is the same as previously described. Either form of the packer may be used depending upon the expansion desired, the formation encountered or such other circumstances as may necessarily cause the use of one or the other forms of the invention.

The outer surface of the mandrel 1 in Fig. 5 is shown as smooth without the ratchet teeth. It is intended that with this construction the weight of the pipe Ill will be suflicient to collapse the packer and maintain it in the expanded position.

What isclaimed as new is:

1. An open hole packer for wells including a mandrel, a packing, means to-fix said packing to one end of said mandrel, a sleeve telescopically arranged over the other end of said mandrel, cooperating ratchet teeth on said sleeve and mandrel to hold the packer collapsed after telescoping of said sleeve and mandrel, slots in said packer and a series of expansible fingers overlying the upper and lower ends of the packing to guide the initial expansion thereof and to maintain the packing against movement after expansion. 2. An open hole packer for wells wherein a maximum of expansion is required including a support, a slotted packing positioned thereon, means to expand the packing including a setting sleeve, and means at each end of the packing to confine the packing in expanding position.

3. An open hole packer for wells wherein a maximum of expansion is required including a support, a fabric packing positioned thereon, slotted portions in said packer, means to expand the packing, means at each end of the packing to means on the packing to determine the folding thereof as the packing is expanded.

4. A packer for wells where a maximum expansion is required including a support, a fabric packing positioned thereon, slots in said packing, means confining the packing at spaced distances to determine the maximum diameter of the packing when it is expanded, and sets of flexible fingers above and below the packing to overlie and protect the packing.

5. A packer -for wells including a support. a packing thereon, spaced means encircling the exterior of the packing to confine the packing to a predetermined diameter as it is expanded, and slots in the packing to allow expansion.

6. In a well packer, a body of packing material,

and slots cut in the packing at spaced points so that the packing may fold radially outward whenexpanded.

I 7. Ina well packer, a circular body of packing material, spaced means to determine the folds of the packing as it is expanded, and slots in the packing between said means so that the packing will expand in segments.

8. In a well packer, a packing support, a body of packing material on saidsupport, and slits formed in the'packing in staggered relationship whereby the packing constitutes staggered segments when expanded.

9.- In a .well packer, a packing support, a body of packing material on said support, and slits formed in the packing in staggered relationship whereby the pachng may expand radially when collapsed longitudinally.

10. In a well packer, a-packing support,.a body of packing materialon said support, and-slits formed in the packing in staggered relationship whereby the packing may expand radially when 40 collapsed longitudinally, and spaced means to determine the expanded diameter of thepacking. 11. A well packer including a body of packing material, a support around which said body is positioned, andstaggered spiral slits on the packing to facilitate its expansion.

12. A well packer includinga body of packing material; a support around which said body is positioned, and staggered vertical slits on the packing to facilitate its expansion.

13. A well packer including a body of packing material, a support around which said body is positioned, and staggered spiral slits on the packing to facilitate its expansion, and spaced means to confine the packer at the ends of said slits.

14. A well packer including a body of pack 15 ing material, a support aroimd which said body is positioned, and staggered vertical slits on the packing to facilitate its expansion, and spaced means to confine the packer at the ends of said slits.

15. A packer for wells where a maximum expansion is required including a support, a packing positioned thereon, meansto collapse the packer, and means confining the packing at spaced distances to determine the maximum diameter of 'the packing when it is expanded, the spacing of said means being varied to determine the contour of expanded packing.

- 16. In a well packer, a packing support,

of packing material on said support, and slits a-body,

formed in the packingin stag" cred relationship whereby the expanded packing constitutes staggered segments ,forced into the formation of well bore to cause the formation to be forced into the spaces between the segments of the packing body; thereby interlocking .the formation .and the packer.

' LESLIE A. LAYNE.

LOUIS C. MW. 0

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