US2173413A

US2173413A - Well pump

Info

Publication number: US2173413A
Application number: US211663A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hubert L Foster
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-06-03
Filing date: 1938-06-03
Publication date: 1939-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1956-09-19

Description

H. L. FOSTER Sept. 19, 1939.

WELL PUMP Filed June 3, -1938 3 Sheets-Sheetn `l sept. 19, 1939. H. L. FOSTER WELL PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 3, 1958 @www E L. Qzzer.

H. L. FOSTER WELL PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 5, 1938 p. e, 5 5 f M wwf. 4 L H wf /w 5 a 6 6 2 7 W af@ @Nm/v 7 if l e H7@ @m ll HIM I WII. 14.- 2 1 Fl, a 6 0 0 iwf; EZ@ f.

SWW/whole Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 claims.

This invention relates to a well pump ofthe type used in oil wells and similar deep wells.

One object of the invention is to provide a pump which is a double acting pump and has pistons and valves associated with it in order that the pump may be operated by ud pressure and caused to have reciprocating motion which will pump oil or other liquid from the well.

Another object of the invention isto provide the pump with valves which are adapted to be mechanically moved to adjustedl position by the reciprocating pistons of the pump, the valves being further held in an adjusted position by the pressure of fluid which imparts movement to the pistons. It will thus be seen that the valves will be positively moved to adjusted positions by action of the pistons and then held in the adjusted positions by uid pressure and prevented from accidentally moving out of their set position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pump of suchconstruction that fluid under pressure may be forced downwardly in the well to operate the pump and exhaust huid move upwardly through the well, the fluid under pressure and the exhaust iiuid having movement through separate channels or chambers and the oil being forced upwardly through a channel or tube which is entirely separate from the fluid channels or chambers so that grit which may be carried upwardly with the oil will be prevented from causing wear upon moving parts of the pump.

It is another object of the invention to provide a pump which will be very efficient in its operation and not be liable to get out of order during use. 'f

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyy ing drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through a well casing and the upper portion of a pump formed in accordance with this invention,

Figure lb is a view similar to Figure la showing the intermediate portion o1 the improved pump in longitudinal section,

Figure lc is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the lower section of the pump and well casing, 1

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1b,

-Figure 3 is a transversesectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1c,

Figure 4 is a sectional `view taken longitudinally through a well pump oi a modified construction, and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-'5 oi' Figure 4.

The well casing; which is indicated in general by the numeral I, may be of any diameter desired and extends vertically in the well in the usual manner. The upper section of the main tube 2 extends vertically in the well casing I in concentric relation thereto and at its lower end a sleeve or coupling 3 connects the lower end of the upper tube section 2 with a coupler 4 having its lower portion 5 reduced in thickness and internally and externally threaded for engagement with an intermediate tube section 6 and an inner auxiliary tube section 1. The intermediate tube section 8 consists oi' upper 4and lower pipe sections threaded to each other, as shown at 8 in Figure l, and upon referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the lower pipe section 6' of the intermediate tube section 6 has its lower end spaced quite a distance from the bottom of the well casing I and formed with longitudinally extending slots 9 which are in opposed relation to each other, as shown in Figure 3. A lower tube Iii is connected with the lower end o1 the' inner tube 1 by a coupling II which serves not only to connect the lower tube with the inner tube but also constitutes a support for a standing valve I2 of a-conventional construction. The standing valve is open at its lower end and at its upper end is provided .with the usual valve ball I3 enclosed in a cage I4 and normally seated in a closed position upon the seat I5 so that, when oil passes upwardly from the bottom of the well through the lower tube I0, through the standing valve and into the lower working barrel It formed by the lower pipe section l of the inner tube 1, this oil will be trapped in the working barrel and prevented from :flowing back into the well.

Space within the well casing about the lower' end of the main tube must be blocked at the downwardly by the arms 2li of the compressing sleeve 2l, the rings I'I will be expanded for tight tting engagement with the walls of the well casing. A packing ring 22 ts about the pipe lsection 8' above the sleeve 2| and when this packing ring is subjected to pressure of fluid in section 6' of the intermediate tube section i and the lower end of the pressure space 23 will be blocked by the packing ring 22.

The oil delivering tube 24 extends vertically through the main tube 2 concentric thereto and its lower end extends downwardly through the coupling 3 and the coupler 4 into the inner tube 1 of the intermediate tube section 6. This oil delivering tube is spaced from walls of the main tube to provide a space 25 through which fluid under pressure is forced downwardly and through the side ports or openings 26 of the inner tube 1 into the pressure space 23. The lower section 24' of the oil delivering tube is connected therewith by a standing valve 21 in which the usual valve ball 21' and valve seat 28 are provided, and from an inspection of Figure l, it will be readily apparent that, when oil is forced upwardly from the working barrel or chamber 28 dened by the lower section 24' of the delivering tube into theV delivering tube` 24, the standing valve will trap this oil inthe delivering tube and prevent downward flow of the oil.

An upper piston 30 carried by a tubular piston rod 3l operates in the working barrel 29 and the piston rod extends downwardly from the working barrel into the inner tube 1 A bushing 32 is mounted in the inner tube about the tubular pis- '\ton rod with its upper end engaged about the lower end of the lower tube section 24' and this bushing has its intermediate portion internally thickened, as shown at 33, andl snugly surrounding the tubular shank 34 of a slide valve 35. A flange 36 isformed about the upper end of the shank 34 to limit downward movement of the valve by engagement with the upper end of the ithickened intermediate portion of the bushing and upward movement of the valve is limited by engagement of the upper end of the valve with the lower end of the thickened intermediate por- ,tion of the bushing. This slide valve is for blocking and exposing an exhaust port 31 and pressure inlet port 38, and from an inspection of Figure lb, it will be seen that, when the slide valve is in its raised position, the exhaust port 31 will be blocked and the pressure inlet port 38 exposed so that fluid under pressure may flow from the space 25 through the port 38 and into the pressurechamber 39 formed by the portion of the lower end portion of the inner tube 1. When the slide valve is moved downwardly to its lowered position, the port 38 will be blocked and the side port 40 of the valve will be moved into registry with the exhaust port 31 and fluid trapped in the power chamber when the port 38 is blocked may escape through the registering

ports

40 and 31 as the power. piston 4| at the lower end of `the tubular piston rod moves upwardly. This power piston 4l has a second tubular piston rod 42 extending downwardly therefrom and within the power piston is disposed a valve ball 43 normally seated by gravity upon a valve seat44. As the power piston moves downwardly, oil may flow upwardly through the

tubular piston rods

42 and 3|, and as the power piston is moved upwardly, oil trapped above the valve ball 43 will be forced upwardly through the oil delivering tube to a pipe line or suitable container at the top of the well. Downward movement of the power piston moves downwardly.

valve 35 is mechanically accomplished by engagement of the lower end of the piston 30 with the flanged upper end of the valve shank and upward movement of the valve is accomplished by engagement of the upper end of the power piston with the lower end of the valve shank. In view of the fact that the neck 4|' of the power piston fits within the slide valve as it moves the valve upwardly, space will exist between this' neck and the lower end portion of the'bushing through which the special port 38 is formed and as soon as the pressure inlet port is exposed by upward movement of the valve fluid under pressure may enter -the upper end of the pressure chamber and act upon the power piston to force the power pis- -ton downwardly. This fluid under pressure will also act against the valve and hold the valve in its raised position during downward movement of the power piston.

Upward movement of the power piston is accomplished by fluid under pressure flowing from the chamber 25 through the side port 45 of the lower pipe section 1 of the inner tube 1 into the lower end of the power chamber 39, and in order to control this flow of pressure fluid, there has been provided a lower slide valve 46 which fits snugly within the pipe section 1 and is formed with

ports

41 and 48 for registering with the port 45'when the valve is in a raised position, When the valve is inthe lowered position shown in Figure 1b, the port 48 registers with the exhaust port 49 so that fluid trapped in the lower portion of the power chamber may be forced out `as the A tubular shank 50 is provided for the slide valve 46 and this tubular shank operates through a bushing 5l mounted in the pipe section 1 and constituting means for limiting reciprocating movement of the slide valve and its tubular shank. The lower end portion of the tubular shank is enlarged internally and` provided with a side port 52 for registering with an exhaust port 53 so that, when the pump head or piston 54 at the lower end of the tubular piston rod 42 moves upwardly, fluid trapped in the power chamber 55 may escape through the exhaust port 53 All of the exhaust ports communicate with the space within the well casing and exhaust fluid will flow upwardly through the w'ell casing about the main tube to the top of the wall. An inlet port 56 for fluid under pressure is provided so that .by engagement of the lower end 'of the power piston with the upper end of the slide valve 46 and upward movement of these valves is accomplished by engagement of the upper end of the pump head or piston 54 with the lower end of the valve 51 and when these valves are in the raised position and the exhaust-port 53 closed, the fluid under pressure in the power chamber 55 will serve to maintain the valves in the raised position as well as acting upon the piston or pump head 54 to force the same downwardly.

When this pump is in use, it is mounted in the well as shown by Figures l, 1b and 1, and oil enters the lower tubing I0 and has a tendency to flow upwardly into the lower working barrel i6 if the oil is of sumcient depth. Fluid under pressure which may be either liquid or gaseous uid passes downwardly through the pressure space 25 between the oil delivering tube 24 and the upper section of the main tube 2, and thisy .previously explained and each time the pumping mechanism formed by the pistons and the tubular rod connecting the same reaches the limit of its movement in one direction the valves will be adjusted to cause movement in an' opposite direction. Upward movement of the pumping mechanism creates a vacuum in the lower work#- lng barrel and oil will be drawn upwardly from Athe lower tubel I0 past the standing valve I2 into the lower working barrel. The pumping mechanism then moves downwardly and since the valve ball I3 oi' the standing 'valve I2 will thenA be closed the oil will move upwardly from the lower working barrel through the tubular piston rod 42 to raise the valve ball 43 of the power piston 4I and flow upwardly through the tubular piston The pumping mechanism will then move upwardly to draw a fresh charge of oil into the lower working barrel and as thepumping mechanism moves upwardly the valve 43 will close and oil will be forced upwardly through the upper working barrel 29 past the standing valve 21 and upwardly through the oil delivering tube 24 to the top of the well. The oil will thus be progressively drawn into the lower working barrel from the lower tube I0 and moved upwardly to the top of the well for delivery to a filling tank or pipe line. The fluid under pressure cannot escape from the pressure chamber or space about the tubing or cylinder-in which the pumping mechanism operates except through the inlet port. and the exhaust fluid is delivered through the exhaust port into the space between the main tubing and the well casing. The oil can not enter the spaces or chambers in which the valves and other moving parts of the pumping mechanism operate and damage to moving parts which might be caused by grit in the oil will be prevented. The well pump will thus be very efficient in its operation and actuated by fluid pressure which may depend upon its natural pressure or have the desired pressure imparted to it by means of a pump at the top of the well In Figures 4 and 5, there has been illustrated a modified form of pump. In this embodiment of the yinvention, the lower end of the oil delivering pipe 59 is connected with a casting 90. A tube 6I extends vertically through the casting 60 centrally thereof and its upper portion is oi an internal diameter corresponding to that of the pipe 59 in order that the .piston 62 at the upper end ofthe tubular piston rod 63 may have reciprocating movement in the tube and the pipe. An exhaust chamber 64 surrounds the tube 6I and an exhaust pipe 65 leads from this chamber while communication is established between the' 1I for limiting upward movement of the slide position,` the ports 66 will be blocked but when the valve is moved downwardly by engagement of the piston 62 with the upper end of the shank 69, the ports 68 will be moved 'into registry with the ports 66 and fluid can escape from the power chamber 12 through the registering ports into the exhaust chamber and pass out through the exhaust pipe 65.

The power chamber 12 is formed by a cylinder 13 having its upper end connected with the lower end of the casting 69 and its lower endprovided with ahead 14 having a depending neck uniting it with a head 15. The neckconnecting the two heads .is formed with ports 16 in order that fluid under pressure may enter the/lower end oi the power chamber from a pressure chamber 11 provided about the cylinder 13 by a jacket 18 havingits lower end threaded to the head 15 and its upper end in threaded engagement with the walls of the casting about the exhaust chamber 64. -A pipe 1B delivers fluid under pressure into, the pressure chamber and whenl fluid under pressure enters the power chamber through the ports 16 it will 'act upon the power piston v19 to force this piston upwardly in the power chamber. There have also been provided ports 13 and 13b through which fluid under pressure -is delivered into the upper portion of the power chamber to force the piston 19 downwardly. The ports 13*l are closed when the slide valve 61 is shifted downwardly and fluid will escape into the exhaust chamber 64 during upward movement of the power piston. The piston 19 is connected with the lower end of the piston rod 63 and also connected with the upper end of a depending tubular piston rod 86. A valve ball 8i is mounted in the power piston to act as a gravity control check valve corresponding to the valve 43 and prevent downward flow of oil after the oil has been forced upwardly into the tubular piston 63.

A tube 82 extends downwardly from the center of the head 15 and in this tube operates a slide valve 93 which is formed with ports 84 movable into and out of registry with ports 85 formed in the upper end of the tube 82 so that, as the piston 19 moves downwardly, fluid forced downwardly thereby may enter the exhaust chamber 86 and escape through the exhaust pipe 85 leading from a side of the casing 81 which together with the partition 88 defines the exhaust chamber 86. The tubular shank 89 of the slide valve 83 fits snugly about the depending piston rod 80 and is surrounded by a bushing 90 mounted in the tube 82, and below the bushing the shank 89 is enlarged to form a lower slide valve 9i formed with a port 92 for registering with the exhaust outlet .93 of the power chamber 94 formed by the portion of the tube 82 below the exhaust. The portion of the casing 81 below the partition 88 defines a pressure chamber 95 with which communicates a pipe 96 for delivering fluid under pressure into this chamber, and in order -to establish communication between the pressure chamber 95 and the power chamber 94, there has been provided a port 91 which is adapted to be closed bythe slide valve 9I when the valve isn its lowered position. It will thus be' seen that, when the valve 9| is in its raised position, fluid under pressure may enter the chamber 94 and act upon the piston 98 at the lower end of the tubular piston rod 80 to force the same downwardly and that, when the valve is moved to its lowered position and the piston is moving up` wardly, fluid may be forced from the chamber 44 through the exhaust 93l which communicates with the exhaust pipe 99 leading from the casing 8l at the opposite side thereof from the pressure supply pipe 96. The piston 88 corresponds to the piston or pump head 55 and at the lower end of the tube 82 there has been provided a standing valve corresponding to the standing valve I2. It will thus be seenthat, when this embodi ment of the invention is in use, oil may be drawn up past the standing valve as the piston or pump head 98 moves upwardly and during downward movement of the pumping mechanism the oil trapped in the lower portion of the tube 82 by the standing valve |00 will .be forced upwardly through the piston rod 80 past the valve 8l and upwardly through the tubular piston rod 63 into the pipe or tube 59 so that, as the pumping mechanism again moves upwardly, the oil will be forced upwardly to the top of the well. In both embodiments of the invention fluid pressure constitutes the means for operating the pumping mechanism and the`valves are adjusted by the action of the piston.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. In a well, a well casing. a delivery tube in said casing, a cylinder extending downwardly in the casing from said tube and communicating with the tube, a pressure chamber surrounding .raid cylinder for fluid underpressure, space in the casing about the pressure chamber and tube constituting an exhaust chamber, a barrier for the lower end of the exhaust chamber held in operative engagement with walls of the casing by pressure of fluid in the pressure chamber, said cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports communicating with the pressure chamber and the exhaust chamber, pumping means in said cylinder adapted to be operated by fluid pressure admitted through the inlet ports and force fluid upwardly from the cylinder and through said delivery tube, and valves for said ports actuated by the pumping means.

2. In a well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a cylinder extending downwardly in the casing from said tube and communicating with the tube, a pressure chamber surrounding said cylinder for fluid under pressure, space in the casing about the pressure chamber and tube constituting an exhaust chamber, said cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports communicating with the pressure chamber and the exhaust chamber, pumping means in said cylinder adapted to be reciprocated therein by fluid admitted through the inlet ports and force uid upwardly from the cylinder into the tube, valves for said ports adapted to be actuated by said pumping means to reverse reciprocation thereof, and a barrier for the lower end of the exhaust chamber said casing, a cylinder extending downwardly in' the casing from said tube and communicating with the tube, apressure chamber surrounding said cylinder for fiuid under pressure, space in the casing about the pressure chamber and tube constituting an exhaust chamber, said cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports communicating with the pressure chamber and the exhaust chamber, pumping means in said cylinder adapted to be reciprocated therein by fluid admitted through the inlet ports and force fluid upwardly from the cylinder into the tube, valves for said ports adapted to be actuated by said pumping means to reverse reciprocation thereof, and a barrier for the lower end of the exhaust chamber comprising a lower abutment, cam rings about the pressure chamber above said abutment, expansion rings between said cam rings adapted to be expanded into binding engagement with the well casing when the cam rings are forced downwardly, said pressure chamber having vertical slots in its walls, a sleeve slidable vertically in said pressure chamber and having arms projecting outwardly through the slots and resting upon y l the upper cam ring, and a packing ring in the pressure chamber' resting upon said sleeve, the 20 packing ring and sleeve being shiftable downwardly by fluid in the pressure chamber for -forcing the cam rings downwardly and expanding the expansion rings.

4. In a well, a well casing, a conduitextending communicating with the conduit, said cylinder being surrounded by a jacket forming a pressure 'chamber communicating with said feed pipe, a

standing valve at the lower end of said cylinder, an expansible barrier for blocking space between said well casing and the lower end of said jacket 3,', having pressure applying means extending into said pressure chamber for actuation by fluid under pressure, the space in the casing above said barrier constituting an exhaust chamber, said cylinder having inlet ports leading from the pres- 40 sure chamber and exhaust ports leading to the exhaust chamber,` reciprocating pumping means in said cylinder adapted to be actuated by fluid under pressure admitted through the inlet ports and force fluid upwardly from the cylinder into 4:,

the conduit, and valves for the inlet and exhaust ports adapted to bemoved into and out of closing relation to the ports by the pumping means during reciprocation of the pumping means.

5. In a well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a cylinder extending downwardly from said tube and communicating with the tube, a pressure chamber surrounding said cylinder, said cylinder having inlet ports leading from said pressure chamber and outlet ports, pump means in said cylinder mounted to reciprocate vertically therein and force uid upwardly from the cylinder into the tube, said Dump means hat-- ing a hollow intermediate piston and end pistons, tubular piston rods extending from ends 'go of the intermediate piston through the end pi'stons, an upwardly opening check valve in said intermediate piston, and slide valves movable longitudinally of the cylinder into and out of closing relation to the ports by said pistons dur- 05 ing reciprocation of the pump means.

6. In a well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a standing valve for the delivery tube, a tube surrounding the delivery tube and forming the upper portion of a pressure chamber,

inner'and outer tubes about the lower portion of the delivery tube below the upper tube and forming the lower portion of the pressure chamber, said inner and outer tubes extending below the delivery tube and the inner tube forming a cylinder communicating with the delivery' tube and having inlet ports communicating with the pressure chamber and outlet ports'communicating with an exhaust .chamber formed by space between the tubes and walls oi the well casing. a lower standing valve for said cylinder. p ump means adapted to reciprocate longitudinally in said cylinder and force duid upwardly into the delivery tube, and valves for said ports movable into and out ci closing relation thereto by the pump means during reciprocation thereof.

7. In a well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a standing valve for the delivery tube, a tube surrounding the delivery tube and forming the upper portion of a pressure chamber, inner and outer tubes about the lower portion of the delivery tube below-the upper tube and forming the lower portion of the pressure chamber, said inner and outer tubes extending below the delivery tube and the inner tube torming a cylinder communicating with the delivery tube and having inlet ports communicating with the pressure chamber and outlet ports communicating with an exhaust chamber formed by space between the tubes and walls of the well casing, a lower standing valve for said cylinder, pump means adapted to reciprocate longitudinally in said cylinder and force iiuid'upwardly through the delivery tube, said pump means comprising a hollow intermediate power piston, upper and lower tubular piston rods extending from opposite ends'oi' said piston, a check valve in said power piston opening upwardly, upper and lower pistons carried by said piston rods and constituting pump heads, the lower pump head operating in the cylinder andthe upper pump head operating in the lower end of the delivery tube, and valves movable into and out of closing re-` tube and having inlet ports. communicating with the pressure chamber and outlet ports communieating with an exhaust chamber formed by space between the tubes and walls ot the well casin. a lower standing valve. for said cylinder, pump means adapted to reciprocate longitudinally in said cylinder Yand force iluid upwardly through the delivery tube, said means comprising a hollow intermediate power piston, upper and lower tubular piston rods extending from opposite ends of said piston, a check valve in said piston opensavana ingupwardly. upper and lower pistons carried bysaid piston rods and constituting pump heads,

the lower pump head operating in the cylinder and the upper pump head operating in the lower end. of the delivery tube, bushings in said cylinder. and slide valves in said cylinder having tubular shanks itting snugly about the piston rods through the bushings. said valves being shiltable longitudinally into and out of closing relation to said ports by said pistons during reciprocation of the pump means and having ports registering with certain of theports when the valves are in certain positions of adjustment.

9. Ina well, a well casing, a delivery tube in said casing, a standing valve for the delivery tube, a cylinder extending downwardly from said tube and communicating with the tube, a pressure chamber surrounding said cylinder, said cylinder having inlet ports leading from the pressure chamber and exhaust ports, reciprocating pump means in said cylinder for forcing fluid upwardly through the tube, and valves in said cylinder shiftable by the pump means into and out ot closingl relation to said ports and held out oi' closing relation to the inlet ports by uid under pressure entering the cylinder from the pressure chamber to actuate the pump means.

10. Ina well pump, a cylinder having a power .chamber intermediate its length and upper and lower tubes extending i'rom ends o! the power chamber, pressurechambers and exhaust chambers surrounding the power chamberand said tubes and communicating therewith through ports, a hollow power piston in said power chamber, hollow piston rods extending from said piston into said tubes and together with the piston constituting a conduit for conducting iiuid from the lower tube into the upper tube, pump pistons carried by said piston rods and operating in the tubes,.and valves movable into and out o! closing relation to said ports by action of said pls'- tons.

Il. In a well pump, a power chamber, upper and lower tubes extending from upper and lower ends of said power chamber, pressure chambers surrounding the power chamber and the lower tube, exhaust chambers for the power chamber surrounding the tubes at ends of the power cham'- ber, the power chamber and said tubes vhaving inlet ports for duid under pressure and exhaust ports, a hollow 'power piston operating in said power chamber and having tubular-rods extending into the upper and lower tubes and together with the' power piston constituting a conduit for delivering iluld into the vupper tube, pump lpistons carried by said tubular rods and operating in the upper and lower tubes, and slide valves lor said ports slidable' in said tubes and actuated by the pistons. 1

HUBERT r..