US2091225A - Rod hanger - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 24, 1937. 1 EATON 2,091,225

ROD HANGER Filed March 28, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l a mac nfoz Aug. 24, 1937. J. F. EATON 2,091,225

v ROD HANGER Filed March 28, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT GEFIQE ROD HANGER Application March 28, 1935, Serial No. 13,568

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to sucker rod hangers of the type embodying what I term a two step method of handling stands of rod both during pulling and running of pump rods of oil 5 wells. Such a system is disclosed generally in the patent to Tibbetts No. 1,776,605, dated September 23, 1.930, it being the purpose of this invention to provide improvements of considerable importance therein whereby the operations above 1.0 referred to are greatly facilitated and made much more safe both as regards the equipment and the operators thereof.

The improvements referred to above reside primarily in the transfer device which is employed '15 for shifting the rod sections or stands thereof from the hoisting elevator to the rod rack or support arranged in the derrick.

More specifically, my invention comprises a unique brake controlled winch unit, in combination with a supporting rack, so designedthat it may be removably associated with a rack which is either removahly or permanently mounted in the well derrick, and so constructed that said winch may automatically sustain a predetermined stand of rod during the transfer operation but allow unspooling of the line should the weight of the entire string of rods, or more than one stand thereof, be accidentally or otherwise applied, thus preventing overturning of the rack if the transfer elevator is not detached when the main elevator starts down. For purposes of the description I term this particular feature of my invention an automatic overload release brake.

A further'object of this feature of the present invention is to provide adjustments for the brake mechanism such that it may be arranged to handle stands of different lengths according to the height of the particular derrick, the brake being rendered ineffective automatically in any instance where more weight is imposed thereon than that for which the device is adjusted, this action being availed of in the setting of the rod on the lower hoist elevator preliminarily to unscrewing of the stand. In this manner, the usual cranking of the winch to lower the rod or sections thereof is eliminated.

Another object in view is to provide means for applying full braking effort instantly in case of emergency where the adjustment is improperly set, said means being capable of operation to enable dropping of the rods gradually under perfect control of the operator. My invention is further distinguished as regards the winch device in respect to its combination of a suitable gear ratio of the worm gear with a pulley block arrangement on the hoisting cable whereby the load on the hoisting cable may drive the winch in reverse when the brake is released or is ineffective as to its braking function.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a general view of a derrick having my particular rod hanger apparatus installed therein;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rod hanger apparatus alone associated with the main hoisting means for the sucker rod;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the winch used in conjunction with this apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the winch unit, showing particularly the brake feature thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the eccentric supporting pin for the brake lever.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The rod handling system The system involved in the use of my invention comprises three primary elements: (1) the main elevator hoist; (2) the transfer device; and (3) the rod rack.

It is believed that the present invention will be more readily understood from a general description of the method employed in handling of the rod sections and to this end reference is here made particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The numeral I designates the usual oil well derrick in which is mounted the main elevator hoist including the rod or hoisting line 2 which passes over a sheave on the crown block 3 and carries the rod hook 4 adapted to be connected to the main rod elevators 5. Said hoisting line is connected to the main hoist winch 6 located adjacent the derrick floor. By means of this main hoisting device the sucker rod is raised from the well or run thereinto as the case may be. In this operation the rod sections '1 are raised successively, as hereinafter more particularly described, to the height of the rod rack 8, said sections being then taken one at a time by the transfer device, forming the special feature of this in vention and deposited in the rod rack from which they are suspended in groups by the parallel fingers 9 thereof.

The rod rack The rack herein disclosed has a special construction in that the fingers 9 are arranged in two opposing rows, as clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, at opposite sides of the central slot 8, into which slot a guide finger lEl extends longitudinally the full length of said slot. he rod sections may be passed by the transfer device into the slot at one side or the other of this guide finger and moved therealong until opposite the proper slot between the fingers 9, when movement transversely will slide the rod sections into their final seat for suspension by their upper pin ends, as shown in Fig. 2.

This construction of rack is clearly advantagcous for a number of reasons, but since it forms the subject matter of a separate patent, No. 2,032,530, in which it is properly claimed, it sufiices to indicate here only generally its co-operative action with the transfer device later to be specifically set forth.

It should be understood that the rack 8 is sus pended in the derrick by means of suitable bails H, as shown in Fig. 2, at a position about three feet higher than the rod board l2 so that the rack and controls may be conveniently operated by a man standing on said board. The height of the rack and board above the derrick floor depends upon the number of joints to each stand of rods to be pulled, which in turn depends upon the height of the derrick. These stands usually are composed of two, three and four twenty-five foot joints respectively. The rack is ordinarily positioned several feet higher than the length of stand being pulled so that the lower ends of the stands will be slightly above the top of the bell nipple on the pump T.

It is here noted that this rack may be either permanently a part of the derrick construction and thereby fixedly secured in the derrick or, from a standpoint of economy, it may consist of a removable unit which may be moved from one derrick to another when it is desired for pulling the rods of a particular oil well. When in its portable form as herein illustrated, it is preferably connected to the derrick legs by suitable tie-back chains 53 which, of course, leaves it free to tilt, for which reason it is highly important that the transfer of the stand of rods from the main hoisting elevators to the rack should be efficiently and safely carried out.

Transfer device The transfer operation referred to above is somewhat complicated by the fact that the main elevators hold the rod at the fillet under the upset, which is the most logical point, leaving the shoulder above the wrench-square as the only point at which to attach the engaging means of the transfer device, said device comprising an elevat-or winch, hoisting means and brake means as now to be described.

Passing now to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the most practical transfer device includes a small winch generally referred to in Fig. 2 by the reference numeral 54. This device is composed of a casting 55 formed at one end with a dovetailed recess E6 to receive a correspondingly shaped horizontal projection H on one end of the rack 8. The winch is secured upon this interlocking connection by means of a set screw i8. Journalled in the casting l is a shaft l8 upon which is mounted a drum 20 for a small wire hoist 75 cable 2| which extends from the drum over the double blocks 22 suspended from the top of the derrick by the supporting wires 23. It is, of course, to be understood that a single pulley block arrangement may be employed, but for reasons herein given I prefer the double. A transfer elevator 23 is suspended from the lower double block 22 and this elevator is adapted to grip or engage the rod around the wrench-square thereof. Reeling the cable 2| on or off its drum enables the rods to be taken from the main hoist elevator when the latter is raised to a point near the winch and its. supporting rack 8.

Actuation of the drum 2!! for elevating purposes is produced by an important arrangement of gearing now to be described. At its outer end, there is mounted upon the shaft E9 a worm gear 2 3 which meshes with a worm 25 on the crank shaft 25 above the shaft iii. A handle crank 21 is pivotally secured to a sleeve 28 loosely mounted on the crank shaft 26, said sleeve being removably held on the shaft by a collar 29 pinned to said shaft. Intermediate the sleeve 28 and the end of the casting I5 is fixedly mounted a small brake drum 3D, the outer flange of which is provided with suitable openings 3! in which to engage a pin or stud 32 carried by the crank handle. By compressing the spring 33 intermediate the crank 52? and the lug 34 of the sleeve 28, the crank handle may be interlocked with the brake drum and rotation imparted thereto which is transmittcd through the gearing to the cable drum 20 for reeling onto the same the cable 2i. This effects elevation of the transfer elevator in an obvious manner. When the operator releases the handle it will swing automatically on its pivot out of engagement with the drum and the control of the same is then taken over by the brake means.

Before describing this last named means, it is desirable to note that the brake drum is purposefully placed on the worm shaft 26 instead of upon the worm gear shaft l9, because of the fact that a small brake only is required due to the rotation of the drum through the gears. The worm gear ratio employed is preferably low, approximately only 5 to 1, in order that the load on the hoisting cable 2i of the winch may drive the winch in reverse when the brake is released or becomes inefiective. If a high ratio were utilized, it will be obvious that a brake would not be necessary, but the load would not unwind the cable, and the main purposes of this invention under such conditions would thus be defeated. Actually a gear ratio of or 12 to 1 is necessary to lift the maximum required load of about 240 pounds, but I secure this additional leverage by the double pulley block arrangement on the hoisting cable 2! which multiplies the 5 to 1 gear ratio to 10 to 1.

It is important to note that I am able, by this arrangement, to take advantage of the load operation of the hoisting cable in order to eliminate hand cranking when it is desired to lower the load and in order that an overload can be made to unspool the line to prevent possible overturning of the rack 8. With this brake drum I employ a special form of brake which will hold only a certain load and will slip when a greater load is applied to the hoisting line of the winch drum.

Specifically, the brake mechanism comprises the brake shoe 35 with a suitable friction lining 36 pivotally connected to the lower end of the extension arm 37 of a brake lever 38, in turn mounted upon the eccentric head 39 of the supporting pin. ill rotatably carried by the bracket ll of the casting l5. This pin is shown in detail in Fig. 6 of the drawings and is formed with a grooved end to facilitate its adjustment, said pin being held at its adjusted position by means of a set screw 42.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be apparent that the most effective braking effort is attained when the center line through the brake lever pin 40 and brake shoe pin 63 approaches perpendicular. When the eccentric brake lever pin is revolved to the adjustment which may be desired so that its center line is at an angle to the drum, however, the braking effort is decreased, as this angle increases, finally becoming zero when the center line becomes tangent to the drum. Pressure to the right on the handle 38 applies full braking effort at any brake adjustment, in case of emergency or enables full control of the brake and the operation of the winch drum when lowering the load under the control of the operator.

The normal application of brake pressure is produced by means of the adjusting rod M which is threaded to receive the intermediate adjusting nut 45 and the end adjusting nut 45. This rod passes through an angle plate 4i and carries an inner expansion spring ,8 and an outer expansion spring 39 bearing against the plate and the respective nuts. The spring 48 applies pressure to thebrake shoe in a line transverse to the axis of the brake drum, while the spring 49 tends to remove pressure therefrom and is designed to render the manual operation of the brake lever easy and quick. Movement of the handle 38 to the right compresses the spring 49 and allows instant braking eifort to be exerted. Now by an adjustment of the nuts referred to the brakeshoe is provided with a sufficient pressure to hold only one stand of rods but if a greater load than that of one stand is imposed on the transfer hoist line 2|, the brake will not hold and the line will run in reverse or unspool. Of course, when the length of the rod stands is modified, as hereinbefore set forth, to take care of a stand composed of a greater or less number of rod sections, the eccentric pin to must be adjusted accordingly to change what I term the angle of attack of the brake lever to the braking surface of the drum.

Operation of rod hanger apparatus With the hanger properly installed in the derrick, the operation of pulling and running rods according to the present invention Will now be described. It may be stated that once installed, the operation of both portable and permanent hanger apparatus is identical.

After removal of polish rod and pony rods, not shown, the main hoisting elevator is attached to the first sucker rod section in the conventional manner. The hook is then attached to this elevator and the string of rods lifted until the number of joints equivalent to one stand has been removed from the tubing, at which point the hoisting elevator should be at approximately the same level as the rack 3 of the hanger in the derrick. The number of joints per stand depends upon the height of the derrick, as previously described. The man on the rod board now attaches the transfer elevator 23 to the wrench-square of the pin end above the hoisting elevator. At the same time, the operator on derrick floor snaps a second hoisting elevator on the rods below the joint to be broken, and the string is then lowered until the weight of the rods in the tubing is supported by the lower elevator resting on the bell nipple. In this lowering action the brake of the winch of the transupper'hoisting elevator 5.

fer device is ineffective because of the fact that the load of the rod is greater than that for which the brake is adjusted to sustain.

During this lowering action of the string, the operator on the rod-board must adjust the height of the transfer elevator so that will support the weight of the stand'of rods in the derrick to prevent buckling when the rod section remaining in the tubing comes to rest on the elevator.

With the-transfer elevator carrying the weight of the stand, the derrick operator unlatches the This free elevator then starts downward, and the wrench man on the derrick floor begins to unscrew the joint. The joint is completely unscrewed before the rod hook and empty elevator have reached the floor. While the stand is being unscrewed, the transfer elevator carries the weight of stand and the ball thrust bearing in the elevator allows easy rotation of the stand.

During unscrewing, the derrick operator throws a slight tension in the stand by taking up on the transfer elevator line 2! with the winch, which tension causes the box or coupling on the lower end of the stand to lift clear of the pin as soon as the joint is unscrewed. The derrick operator is now ready to lift the stand and to set it in the rack. While the stand is being racked, the wrench man attaches the rod hook to the lower elevator 5 and another stand is then pulled out of the tubing. By the time the first stand has been racked and the transfer elevator removed, the hoisting elevator carrying the second stand has reached the level of the rack, and the derrick operator then attaches the transfer elevator 23' to it. The operations are then repeated. An experienced rod crew can so synchronize the steps outlined above that practically no time is lost.

By virtue of the use of my automatic overload release brake in the winch device, the transfer elevator may be attached to the rods when the hoisting elevator is at or near its maximum height, and before it drops back to set the rods on the lower elevator. All slack may be quickly removed from the line and the weight of the full string allowed to unwind the winch until the bottom joint touches the elevator. The winch will then be automatically set to support the weight of the stand in the derrick and all danger of buckling eliminated. The derrick operator need not bother about adjusting the height of the transfer elevator and has only to lift the stand to a position from which it may be decsited quickly by merely releasing the brake and without cranking.

Since the derrick operator knows the order in which the rods were set in the rack, they may be taken out and run in in the same order, or in a diiferent order if desired. The operation of running in the rod is the exact reverse of the pulling order and for this reason it is unnecessary to describe the use of this apparatus for such particular purpose.

Many advantages accrue from the use of this apparatus, such as the prevention of injury to rod joints, reduction of engine, clutch and belt wear, loss of time required to pull and run rods, elimination of danger of kinking rods, and others.

1. In a rod hanger apparatus for oil well derricks, the combination of a rod rack, a rod handling device coacting with said rack and comprising a winch device including a cable drum, a drum shaft, a crank shaft geared to said drum shaft, a brake drum on said crank shaft, brake means coacting with said brake drum and normally engaging the drum and permitting free movement of the cable drum in one direction, said brake means being automatically effective to hold said cable drum against movement in the reverse direction, means for tensioning the brake to normally hold it in brake relation to the brake drum for a predetermined load and permitting unwinding of the drum for a greater load, and separate means for adjusting the brake means to increase or decrease its effective braking effort under control of said tensioning means.

2. In a rod hanger apparatus for oil Well derricks, the combination of a rod rack, a rod handling device coacting with said rack and comprising a winch device including a cable drum, a drum shaft, a crank shaft geared to said drum shaft, a brake drum on said crank shaft, a brake shoe coacting with said brake drum, means for sustaining said shoe in braking position against the drum, means for adjusting the angular relationship of the brake sustaining means to control the angle of attack of the brake sustaining means, and seperate tension means effective transversely of the sustaining means to maintain normal braking effort on the shoe.

3. In a rod hanger apparatus for oil well derricks, the combination of a rod rack, a rod handling device coacting with said rack and comprising a winch device including a cable drum, a drum shaft, a crank shaft geared to said drum shaft, a brake drum on said crank shaft, a brake shoe coacting with said brake drum, a lever pivotally connected to the brake shoe for supporting the shoe in contact with the brake drum, and tension means for shifting the lever transversely of the drum axis to control the normal braking effort expressed on said drum.

4. In a rod hanger apparatus for oil well derricks, the combination of a rod rack, a rod handling device coacting with said rack and comprising a winch device including a cable drum, a drum shaft, a crank shaft geared to said drum shaft, a brake drum on said crank shaft, a brake shoe coacting with said brake drum, a brake lever eccentrically mounted on the winch to which lever the brake shoe is pivotally attached, said lever being freely shiftable to clamp the shoe more or less against the brake, the eccentric mounting of said lever being adjustable to change the angle of attack of the brake lever, and tension means coacting with the lever and shoe, tending to hold the brake effectively against the brake drum in the various adjustments of the brake lever.

JOHN F. EATONv

Images