US2179814A

US2179814A - Adjustable tubing hanger and stuffing box support

Info

Publication number: US2179814A
Application number: US209962A
Authority: US
Inventors: Billy F Conaghan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-05-25
Filing date: 1938-05-25
Publication date: 1939-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1956-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1939. CONAGHAN 2.179.814

ADJUSTABLE TUBING HANGER AND STUFFING BOX SUPPORT Filed May 25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a W 24 I ummm INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 14, 1939. B. F. CONAGHAN ADJUSTABLE TUBING HANGER AND STUFFING BOX SUPPORT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1938 l INVENTOR ATTORN EY NW. 14, 1939. B F. CONAGHAN I 2.179.814

ADJUSTABLE TUBING HANGER AND STUFFING BOX SUPPORT Filed May 25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Watented Nov. H4, 1939 v WED sTATas Billy F. Eonaghan, Tonkawa, @hla.

Application May 25, 1938, Serial No. 209,962

bending stresses imparted to the rodswhere they extend through the stumng box at the top of the well tubing. This dificulty is brought about principally through misalignment of the beam hanger of the pumping unit with the center of the well casing, For example, the pumping unit may not have been properly located with respect to the well hole, or the foundation may have shifted through settling of the ground, throwing the beam hanger out of alignment with the well, or the well casing or tubing may be out of plumb which throws the stufling box out of alignment with the beam hanger. The result is that the polish rod section of the-pumping string buckles and bends during reciprocation through the stumng box in its attempt to follow the area- 25 the rod also increases the power required in operating the rods, and causes extensive wear and strain upon the parts of the stufing box and tubing hanger, consequently the parts soon fail and require shutting down of the well to make the necessary repairs. In extremely deep wells, where a long stroke is desirable, these conditions are aggravated by reason of the long, arcuate sweep of the beam which is required in producing the desired stroke. I

It is, therefore, a principal object of thepresent invention to provide a tubing hanger and stumng box support that is adjustable relatively to the casing so that the polish rod of the pumping string may be kept in alignment with the beam hanger of the pumping unit.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a tubing hanger of this character which is of simple and relatively inexpensive construction; to provide a tubing hanger which permits of adjustment of the tubing and at the same time efiectively supports the tubing and seals against loss of well pressure; and to provide a tubing hanger and stumng box support arranged so that the polish rod is located in any selected position relatively to the axis of the casing,

It is also an important object of the invention to level the tubing hanger with respect to the casing head.

In accomplishing these and other objects of ate movement of the walking beam. Bending of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: i

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pumping well 5 equipped with a tubing hanger and stufling box support embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the tubing hanger and stumng boxsupport on the line 2-? 1c of Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line t-t of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the parts of the tubing hanger in disassembled spaced relatlon relatively to the casing head of the well.

Fig. 5 is a section through the stufling box union on the line t-t of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the parts of the union shownin disassembled spaced relation.

Fig. '7 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line M of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through a still further modified form of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on the line IUW of Fig. 9. 1

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the form of invention illustrated in Fig. 9 and showing the parts in disassembled spaced relation to better illustrate their construction.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates a casing of an oil well having a casing head 2 which carries a tubing hanger 3 that suspendinglysupports a tubing 5 within the casing i. The tubing 5 projects above the hanger and is provided with a T-fitting 6 for connecting a flow line I through which 011 is discharged from the well, 'Carried by the fitting 6 is a union 8 that mounts a polish rod stumng box to close the upper end of the tubing for diverting the oil through the'flow line i.

Reciprocable within the tubing 5 is a string oi sucker rods including an upper polish rod ll! slidable within the stumng box and projecting therefrom to connect with the reins i! of a stirrup it. The stirrup i2 is suspended'from a beam hanger IS on the walking beam M of a pumping unit 65. The pumping unit I! includes a. base frame It that is bolted to a concrete foundation i1 and carries aprime mover ii! for reciprocating the beam i4 through a transmission l9, crank 20,

and a pitman M, as in conventional practice.

The structure thus far described is conventional to present day well pumping equipment and, if the stroke is not too great and the beam hanger l3 centered over the well, operates satisfactorily in pumping oil from the well. However, errors may have occurred in constructing and locating the foundation |1 so that the base frame I6 is not properly aligned with the well, with the result that the beam hanger I3 is not positioned directly over the axis of the casing Consequently the polish rod l must bend or flex at the point where it passes through the stufllng box upon each oscillation of the beam I4 on its fulcrum. Even though the foundation l1 and pumping unit I 6 were originally installed with the beam hanger l3 properly aligned with the axis of the casing, the ground may shift or the foundation settle sufficiently to cause misalignment of the hanger l3 with the axis of the casing. The polish rod therefore bends and binds during oscillation of the beam. Binding of the polish rod is also aggravated when the beam is operating to produce a long stroke on the rods for the reason that the hanger shifts a material distance laterally of the well axis to follow the arcuate movement of the beam. As above pointed out, it is a principal object of the present invention to construct the tubing hanger and stuff ing box support to'adjustably locate the polish rod in axial alignment with the beam hanger and thereby reduce tendency of the polish rod to bend at the point where it passes through the stufilng box,

In carrying out the invention, the tubing hanger 3 includes a ring-like body or bowl 23 having a substantially frustro-conical exterior aligning with the axis of the casing and provided with a frustro-conical bore or slip seat 25 having its axis offset with respect to the axis of the casing as best shown in Fig. 2. Depending from the bowl 23 is an annular collar 26 conforming in diameter to the inner diameter of the casing and having an outwardly and downwardly flaring periphery for seating within an annular groove '21 of the casing head 2 as in conventional practice, and which has a lower face 28 seatingly supported above the shoulder 29 of the groove 21.

In some installations the shoulder 29 of the casing head may be out of level with respect to the perpendicular, with the result that the body or bowl 23 tilts and to overcome this difiiculty I provide a pair of adjusting washers or

shims

30 and 3| that are of greater thickness on one side than the other so that when they are rotatably positioned relatively to each other, the tubing hanger is brought to a level position. A packing ring 32 is inserted between the upper shim 3| and the seating face 28 of the collar 26 to sealingly engage with the cylindrical wall of the groove 21 for preventing leakage from the casing about the periphery of the tubing hanger.

The bowl 23 is retained in concentric relation with the axis of the casing by set screws 33 having their shanks threaded in radial openings 34 of the casing head for engaging the flaring periphery of the collar 26. Since the bore 25 is ofi center with respect to the axis of the casing, the body of the hanger may be adjusted so that the bore will cover any cross-sectional area of the casing by simply turning the body 23 relatively to the casing head.

Seated within the tapered bore 25 is a slip carrying ring 35 having a tapered outer face corresponding with the taper of the bore 25. Formed in the ring 35 in' laterally offset relation with the axis of the tapered exterior face 36 is a downwardly tapering bore 31 for mounting a set of slips 38. The slips 38 have inner, arcuate faces 39 provided with teeth 48 adapted to engage the periphery of the tubing incidental to contraction of the slips about the tubing as the slips move downwardly in the bore 31 under the weight thereof. It is thus obvious that the eccentric relation of the slips with respect to the axis of the ring 35 provides for location of the tubing in any position within the casing merely by rotating the body 23 with respect to the casing head and rotating the ring 35 with respect to the axis of the body 23.

Sleeved over the tubing and seated within a cylindrical upper extension 4| of the bore 25 is a packing ring 42. The packing ring 42 is formed of resilient" material and has an opening 43 conforming in diameter to the tubing, and is offset relatively to the axis of the exterior circumference in the same manner as the eccentric relation of the slip receiving bore. The packing is compressed by a follower ring 45 having an eccentric opening 46 which freely passes the tubing, and has an outer circumference that fits within the upper portion of the bore 25. The follower ring is urged into pressing relation with the packing by an anchoring ring 41 having a concentric opening 48 in registry with the axis of the bore 25. The anchoring ring is of suflicient diameter to overlap thebore extension 4| and is provided with openings 49 registering with threaded sockets 56 in the body 23 to pass fasteningv devices such as cap screws The union 8 includes a coupling flange 52 having an axial collar 53 that is threaded as at 54 to the upper end -of the tubing. Extending through the coupling flange in axial registry with the tubing is a bore 55 for passing the polish rod Formed in the upper face of the flange is a recess 56 for seating a packing washer 51. Adjustably supported on the packing washer 51 is an upper flange 58 having an axial opening 59 of larger diameter than the opening of the lower flange to accommodate the polish rod upon positioning of the stui fing box 9. Extending upwardly from the flange 58 is an internally threaded collar 60 to threadingly mount the tubular body 6| of the stuffing box. The flange 58 is retained on the packing ring by a clamping ring 64 having an inner diameter 65 somewhat larger than the diameter of the collar 60 and an outer diameter substantially conforming to the diameter of the flange 52. The ring 64 overlies the upper face of the flange 58 and is drawn into clamping relation therewith by fastening devices such as bolts 66 which extend through openings 61 in the clamping ring through notches 68 in the flange 58 and through registering openings 69 in the flange 52, as shown in ,Fig. 2, the notches 68 being of suflicient size to permit adequate adjustment of the stuffing box.

The body 6| of the stufflng box has an internal annular shoulder 18 for seating a series of packing rings 1| that are sleeved over the polish rod and retained in sealing relation therewith by a follower 12 pressed by a spring 13 engaging under an inwardly extending annular flange on a cap- 'like nut 14 that is threaded on the upper end of the stufiing box body. The spring 13 has suflicient action tov normally retain the follower 12 in sealing relation with the packing rings to prevent leakage of well fluid through the stufling box incidental to reciprocation of the rods.

. In assembling the parts described, the body 23 of the tubing hanger is applied to the casing head to seat upon the packing 32, the shims and it being adjusted to level the body 23 and retain the axis of the bore 25 in perpendicular position. The slip carrying ring is then in serted in the bore 25. The tubing is then run into the well through the bore of the ring 35 as in conventional practice. It is possible that the axis of the tubing will not align with the beam hanger and in this case the body of the tubing hanger is rotated so that the axis of the bore 25 comes into as close alignmentwith the beam hanger as possible. Further adjustment of the tubing may be made by rotating the bushing ring within the bore 25 so that the axis of the bore Bl is as near in registry with the beam hanger as possible. The slips are then inserted in the conical bore of the ring 35 and moved into gripping engagement with the tubing while the tubing is being supported. Upon release of support for the tubing, the weight of the tubing, settling into the slips, efiects suficient gripping action to suspend the tubing from the hanger. The packing ring #2 is then sleeved over the upper end of the tubing and moved into the cylindrical portion M of the bore 25 to seat against the upper ends of the slips, after which the follower ring 35 is sleeved over the tubing and moved into engagement with the packing ring, the follower ring being placed over the tubing so that it will enter the cylindrical portion M in the same manner as the packing ring. The anchoring ring ll is then applied over the end of the tubing and located so that the openings therein register with the threaded sockets in the body of the tubing hanger. The cap screws are then applied and drawn tight to compress the packing ring and prevent leakage through the tubing hanger about the periphery of the tubing and between the slips. The union 8, which includes the flange 52, eccentrically positioned flange 58, and clamping ring 6 15, is mounted on the upper end of the tubing, after which the body of the stufiing box is applied to the collar 58 and the rods are run therethrough into the well. The packing H and gland it are then inserted in the body of the stufiing box, followed by the spring 13 which is compressed to move the packing upon application of the cap M. It is possible that the polish rodv may not be in alignment with the beam hanger and to complete alignment thereof the bolts 66 may be loosened so that the collar may be shifted laterally until the polish rod is in perfect registry with the beam hanger. The bolts 66 are then tightened. The polish rod is then connected with the reins ii to complete the assembly.

Upon actuation of the beam the rods are reciprocated through the stuffing box with a minimum bending tendency for the reason that the axis of the stufing box aligns with the beam hanger and the pull on the rods is directly therethrough. Should the beam be thrown out of position, as in the instance of shifting or settling of the foundation, realignment may be obtained by adjusting the flange 58 to position the stufilng box with respect to the axis of the tubing. Should this adjustment not be sumcient then the tubing may be adjusted within the hanger by rotating the hanger body 23 thereof within the casing head and adjusting the eccentric bushing ring in the bore 25. The adjustment of the flange it may be effected merely by loosening of the bolts 66, shifting the flange and retightening the bolts, however, the adjustment of the tubing hanger must be efiectedby lifting the tubing to loosen the slips by gripping the tubing with a suitable elevating mechanism (not shown).

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8 is substantially the same as in the preferred form with the exception that the eccentric bushing is'omitted and the slips l5 are shaped to conform to the conical bore of the tubing hanger. The common axis of the gripping faces of the slips is located so that it is eccentric with respect to the bore 25 to effect adjustment of the tubing in substantially the same manner as the preferred form, however, the construction of the slips is made more difficult because of the off center relation of the arcuate gripping teeth. In other respects the parts are identical and the designating numerals applied to the preferred form are also applied to the corresponding parts a respect to the axis of-the casing by rotating the bushing ring within the bore 16. The tubing is then adjusted with respect to the axis of the bore 18 by rotating the slips within the bore until the tubing is in desired position. This form of the invention requires an outer packing ring 80, having its outer periphery conforming to the upper diameter of the bore 56 and having an eccentric opening 8| corresponding to the eccentricity of the bore 18 as shown in Fig. 9. Engaged within the opening 81 of the packing ring is a second packing ring 82 having an opening 83 for accommodating the tubing which con forms to the eccentric relation of the teeth of the slips. The inner ring 82 is retained in compressing relation with the tubing and with the upper ends of the slips by a similarly shaped follower ring 84 which is urged in compressing relation with the packing by an outer ring 85 conforming in diameter to an annular flange 86 projecting from the periphery of the hanger as shown in Fig. 9. The ring at has an inner opening 81 corresponding in eccentric relation with o the eccentric relation of the bore 18 and retained by an inwardly extending flange 88 on aligning

openings

90 and 9! in the ring 85 and flange 86 respectively, the packing rings are drawn into sealing contact with each other, a with the eccentric bushing and with the upper ends of the slips to prevent loss of fluid through the tubing hanger.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a tubing hanger and stufflng box support which may be, readily adjusted to position the tubing in the casing and the polish rod within the tubing so that the polish rod may be kept in alignment with the beam hanger, thereby reducing the amount of weave and bending tendency incidental to actuation of the beam.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a supporting member having a central opening and an eccentric opening for passing a cylindrical member, an adjusting member in said eccentric opening and having a registering opensaid eccentric opening in the supporting member, slips carried in the opening of the adjusting member for engaging said cylindrical mem ber, and means drawing the adjusting member into sealing engagement with the supporting member including means for sealing said slips.

2. In a device of the character described, a supporting member having a central opening for passing a cylindrical member and an eccentric opening, an adjusting member in said eccentric opening and having a registering opening arranged with its axis ofiset with respect to the axis of said adjusting member and adapted to be moved over the eccentric opening of the supporting member to adjust one of said openings relatively to the other, gripping means carried in the opening of the adjusting member for engaging said cylindrical member, and means drawing the adjusting member into rigid. engagement with the supporting member.

3. In a device of the character described, a bowl, means supporting the bowl in concentric relation'with a casing head, tubing supporting slips eccentrically positioned in the bowl, a tubing'carried in said slips, a rod reciprocable in the tubing, a stufiing box for said rod, and means supporting the stufling box eccentrically with respect to the tubing.

4. In a device of the character described, a

bowl having an eccentric tapered bore, a slip supporting member rotatably seated in the eccentric tapered bore and having a tapered bore eccentric with respect to the axis of the tapered bore in said bowl, slips seated in said tapered bore of the slip supporting member, packing means received in the tapered bore of the bowl and resting upon the slip supporting member, and means for pressing the packing into sealing contact with a tubing supported in said slips.

5. In a device of the character described, a bowl having an eccentric bore, a slip supporting member rotatably seated in the eccentric bore and having a tapering bore eccentric with respect to the axis of the eccentric bore in said bowl, slips seated in said hereof the slip supv porting member, a packing ring received in the bore of .the bowl and having an eccentric open-' ing registering with the slips and resting upon the slip'supporting member to seal said slips with respect to the bowl, a follower ring and having an eccentric opening registering with the opening of the packing ringsupported on the packing ring, a clamping ring on the follower ring, and means connecting the clamping ring with the bowl for pressing the packing ring into sealing contact with a tubing supported in said slips.

ing arranged with its axis offset with respect to 6. In a device of thecharacter described, a bowl having a tapered bore eccentric with respect to the axis of the bowl, a slip supporting member rotatably mounted in said bore and having an eccentrically positioned slip receiving bore, slips in said last named bore, a packing ring seated in the bore of the'bowl and resting upon the slip supporting member and having an opening concentric with the slip receiving bore, and means pressing the packing ring to effect a seal about a tubing supported in said slips.

7. In a device of the character described, a bowl having a bore eccentric with respect to the axis of the bowl, a slip supporting member rotatably mounted in said bore and having an eccentrically positioned slip receiving bore, slips in said last named bore, a packing ring seated in the bore of the bowl and resting upon the slip supporting member and having an opening concentric with the slip receiving bore, a followerwasher engaging the packing ring, a clamping member seated on the washer, and fastening devices securing the clamping member for press? ing the packing ring to effect a seal about a tubing supported in said slips.

8. In a device of the character described, a bowl having an eccentrically positioned tapered bore, a slip carrying ring in said bore and having a slip seat, slips in said seat having gripping faces arranged eccentrically with said bore, a

packing ring having an eccentric opening and seated upon the slips, and means for pressing the packing ring into sealing engagement with a tubing carried by said slips.

9. In an apparatus for positioning a sucker sucker rod within the tubing.

10. In combination with a casing, a tubular member and a rotksupported therein, of means for adjustably positioning the rod in the tubular member including a support on the casing, a pair of eccentric members carried by the support and arranged one within the other, means on the inner eccentric member for grippingly engaging the tubular member, a stufling box engaging the rod, and eccentric means shiftable on the tubular member and carrying the stufling box.

BILLY F. CONAGHAN.