US2197064A - Dual control lift mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 1940- R. A. AUCION 2,197,064

DUAL CONTROL LI FT MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 21, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

April 16, 1940.

R. A. AUCIQN 2.197.064

DUAL CONTROL LIFT MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 21,1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 12 .3, Jay. 4. 21 11 .2. fi.fl.flzacaz'rz April 1 1940.

DUAL CONTROL LIFT MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 21, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwuc nkor jiziflacaz'iz R. A. AUCION I 2,197,064 M Patented Apr. 16, 1940 DUAL CONTROL PATENT OFFICE LIFT MECHANISM Riley A. Aucoin, Overton, Tex.

Application November 2 1,1936, Serial No. 112,135

Renewed September 26, 1938 '7 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for use in oil wells whereby oil at low fluid levels can be made to flow by the application of air or gas under pressure and supplied to the interior of the tubing string from the annular space between the tubing and the casing, a dual valve of new and novel construction being-utilized for controlling the action of the air or gas.

With the foregoing and other objects inview which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement 0! parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanyingdrawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings t Figure 1 is a view partly in section and. partly in elevation with parts broken away and illustrating, more or less in diagram, the application of the invention to-anoil well. I

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the dual control valve showingthe parts in one position. p v

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the parts in another position.

a third position.

Figure 5 is another view similar to Figure 4 and showing the parts in a fourth position. Figure 6 is a section on line 6-45, Figure 5.

Figure '7 is an enlarged section on line 1-4, Figure 5.

'Referring to the figures by characters of reference' A designates a well casing in which is suspended a string of tubing indicated at B, the said such as a gas input C. a flow line D, and valves and pressure indicators, etc., as indicated at E 50 and a packer K can be seated in the casing A and around the tubing below the perforations J. It is to be understood that this described construc tion is only one of several which can be used and Figure 4 is a similar view showing the parts 1 well being equipped with'the usual connections,

formed in the tubing above the standing valve with which can be associated the present improve- I ments which, as illustrated at L, can be located at difierent elevations along. the tubing.

Each of the structures constituting the present invention is in the form of a coupling I adapted to be interposed between two sections of tubing so as to join them. This coupling has a casing 2 extending outwardly therefrom and longitudinally thereof, and extending longitudinally through this casing near one side thereof is a bore 3 which can be closed atits upper end in any suitable manner, as by means of a removable plug 4 while seated in its lower endis a lock nut 5 in the form of a ring on whichbears a ring 8 screwed into the bore and constituting a bumper.

The upper portion of the bore 3 is enlargedor counterbored as indicated at I and communi-' cates through a port 8 with the interior of the coupling I.

A second bore 9 is extended upwardly into the casing2 at one side ofthe bore 3. The upper end portion of this bore is reduced in diameter as indicated at l0 and terminates within the casing 2. A port ll connects the upper portion It of bore 9 with the bore 3 and that portion ofthe bore 3 between port H and the counterbore l is screw-threaded asshown at l2 for engagement by a tubular member l3 the lower end of which is flared to provide a valve seat M a portion of which alines with a portion of the wall of the port I I, A lock nut in the form of a ring l5 engages the threads l2 and bears on the tubularjmember l3 for the purpose of holding it in proper position.

At an intermediate point between bumper 6 and port 1 l, the bore 3 has its wall threaded'as shown at [6 and this threaded portion. is engaged by a guide ring and abutment H on which is alsoseated a lock nut l8 in the form of a ring. This combined guide and abutment I! has a socket I9 in its lower face. Mounted to slide within the guide I! is an an- Ari-adjusting nut 24 is mounted on a threaded portion 25 of the stem 20'.) This nut is engagedby 40 gular stem. 20 carrying the main valve 2| which l4. Another angular stem 23 extends upwardly I from the valve so as to work within the tubular one end of a coiled spring 26 mounted on the stem and the other endof which projects into socket l9 and bears against the guide member ll. By means'of a lock nut 21 the adjusting nut 24 can be held in any position to which it may be moved. The lower portion of stem 20 is angular as indicated at 28 and works I within the bumper 6 and its lock nut 5.

Seated in the upper end of the enlarged portion of bore 9 which is below port II, is a screwthreaded ring 29 having a flared lower end 30 forming a valve seat.

At a point below the valve seat 30, the bore 9 has its wall screw-threaded, as shown at 3| and this screw-threaded portion is engaged by a ring 32 flared at the top to provide a tapered seat 33. A lock nut in the form ofa ring 34 -is seated under the ring 32 as shown.

An auxiliary valve 35 is located between the two seats 3!) and 33 and has its upper and lower portions tapered as shown at 36 and 3'! respectively. An angular stem 38 extends upwardly from the valve into the reduced portion H) of bore 9 while another angular valve stem 39 extends downwardly from the valve and is guided within ring 32 and nut 3t.

As before stated a series of these valves can be placed along the string of tubing from the surface downward in a well and are indicated at L. In describing the operation of the device it is to be understood that the word gas used is not intended to limit the use of the valve to the control of gas but itis to be considered as sufiiciently broad to apply to either air or gas.

Assuming that the valves are open as shown in Figure 2, gas is introduced into the annular space between the casing A and the tubing B. Thus there will be setup a flow of gas through the ports or openings in the rings 3 -1 and 32 and around auxiliary valve 35 to port H and thence over the open valve 22 and along stem 23 to the upper portion '5' of the bore where it can flow through port 8 into the coupling When the gas reaches a predetermined velocity, due to the difference in pressures on the inside of the tubing and between the tubing and the casing, the auxiliary valve will be'moved against its seat 30, as shown in Figure 3.

It might be stated that while the auxiliary valve 35 was open, as in Figure 2, the main valve 22 was also open as shown in said figure and gas was not only flowing upwardly through the bore 9 to port I! but was also flowing upwardly within bore 53 and around the main valve 2| to the port 8, the pressure of the gas serving to hold the nuts 2 and 27 slightly away from the bumper 6 but the tension of the spring 26 serving to maintain valve 2| away from its seat l4. Consequently this valve 2| will remain open longer than will valve 35 the movement of which is resisted solely by its weight. The action of the spring in keeping valve 2! open will be supplemented by,

the pressure of the gas admitted past the open auxiliary valve 35.

Ultimately the pressure of gas against the auxiliary valve 35 will raise it to its seat 30. Consequently the difference between the pressure inside of the tubing and that outside of the tubing will be increased with the result that the main valve H will be caused to move upwardly against the action of spring 25 until it reaches its seat l4 whereupon gas will be cut ofi from the port 8. During this upward movement of the main valve 2| it will reach a point opposite port H, as, shown in FigureB, at which time the pressure exerted will cause the auxiliary valve 35 to move downwardly from its seat 36. This is shown in Figure 4. Consequently a large charge of gas is rushed around the valve 2 i, causing it to snap against its seat M as shown in Figure 5. valve 35, which has dropped to its lower seat 33, will'remain in this position until a fluid head is built up within the tubing, causing sufiicient pres- The auxiliary sure to be exerted on the main valve 2| to cause it to leave its seat M. The pressure thus exerted, supplementing the tension of spring 26, must exceed the pressure in the space between the cas be used separately as a. flow valve, nevertheless the two valves have been combined in the present instance in order to obtain a wider range of closing pressure differentials. When both valves, numbers 2| and 35, are in their opened positions and gas pressure is applied, the gas will first pass through the auxiliary-valve, forcing valve number 35 away from its lower seat, because there is less resistance through this side than passing through the ports numbers 5 and 6 and forcing up the lock washer number 21, which is held against the port innumber 6 by the tension in the spring number 236. Other hindrances to the passage of gas through the main valve are: the

spring, number 26, spring support and valve stem guide, number ii, and clearance between valve number 2| and the side walls. I

Since gas will first pass through the auxiliary valve and enter the main valve chamber through port number N, a turbulence is created above valve number 2| and valve seat number It. This causes enough force to keep valve number 23 away from its seat until valve number 35 is seated in its upper position. This insures a set differential in pressure before the main valve functions in closing, regardless of the tension in the spring number 26. Immediately after valve number 35 closes and'the turbulence above valve number 2| is stopped, .then valve number 21; moves upward against its upper seat and seals 01f the only port entering the tubing column; At this time, the pressures are equalized in the two valves and the auxiliary valve will drop open.

The cycle will repeat itself as soon as a predetermined differential pressure on each side of the main valve number 2| is reached, and this valve leaves its upper seat.

What is claimed is l. A dual control valve including a coupling Q for well. tubing having a liquid .fiow passage therethrough, an extension thereinhaving a main bore opening at its upper end into the coupling and at its lower end into the space outside the coupling, there being a supplemental bore in the extension opening at itslowe'r end into said space and at itsother end into the main bore, a normally open spring restrained valve in the main bore, an auxiliary valve in the supplemental bore, and upper and lower seats cooperating 'therewit said auxiliary valve normally engaging its lower seat by gravity;

2. A dual control valve'includinga coupling .for well tubing having a. liquid flow passage therethrough, an extension therein having a main bore opening at its; upperend into the coupling and at its lower end into the space outsidethe coupling, there being asupplemental bore in 'theextension opening:v at its lower end into said space, a valve seat in the main bore, upper and lower valve seats in the supplemental bore, there'being a'port opening into the main bore below the valve seat therein and into the supplemental bore above the upper valve seat therein, a spring restrained main valve in the main bore below and normally removed from its seat, and an auxiliary valve in the suplemental bore between the seats in said bore and normally resting by gravity on its lower seat.

3. A dual control valve including a coupling for well tubing having a liquid flow passage therethrough, an extension therein having a main bore opening at its upper end into the coupling and at its lower end into the space outside the coupling, there being a supplemental bore in the extension opening at its lower end into said space, a valve seat in the main bore, upper and lower valve seats in the supplemental bore, there being a port opening into the main bore below the valve seat therein and into the supplemental bore above the upper valve seat therein, a main valve in the main bore below and normally removed from its seat and movable across the port below the seat, an adjustable spring for holding the main valve normally spaced below its seat, and an auxiliary valve in the supplemental bore between the seats in said bore and normally resting by gravity on its lower seat.

4. A' dual control valve including a coupling for well tubing having a liquid flow passage therethrough, an extension therein having a main bore opening at its upper end into the coupling and at itslower end into the space outside the coupling, there being a supplemental 1 bore in the extension opening at its lower end.

into said space, a valve seat in, the mainvbore',

upper and lower valve seats in the supplemental bore, there being a port opening into the main bore below the valve seat therein and into the .supplemental bore above the upper'valve seat therein, a main valve in the main bore below and normally removed from its seat and movable across the port below theseat, a stem depending therefrom, a spring on the stem, means adjustably mounted on the stem and in the bore respectively for varylngthe normal tension of the spring, said spring constituting-means for holding the valve normally spaced downwardly from its seat, an adjustable bumper in the bore for limiting the downward movement of the valve from its seat, and an auxiliary valve in the supple-f mentalbore between its seats and normally resting by gravity on its lower seat. I

5. The combination with a well casing and tubing sections suspended therein forming an annular space between the casing and tubing, of a series of superposed couplings each joining two sections of tubing, each coupling including a side extension having main and supplemental bores extending upwardly therein and opening at their lower ends into said space, there being a port connecting the upper portion of the main and spaced from its seat, and an auxiliary valve in the supplemental bore between the upper and lower seats and normally resting by gravity on the lower seats '6. The combination with a well casing and string of tubing sections therein forming an annular space between the casing and tubing, a series of superposed couplings each joining two sections of tubing, each coupling including a housing having a lateral extension, a vertical passage thru said extension, means to close one end of said passage, an inlet from the passage in the extension into the interior of the coupling, a valve stem slidablein said passage, a valve on said stem, a valve seat in said extension below said inlet to receive :said valve to close said passage in the coupling, a valve spring about said stern below said inlet; means on' the stem to receive oneend of said spring, means in said extension and'below said valve seat to receive the other end of said valve spring so that said spring normally exerts a force to hold said valve 7 open, and an entry into the vertical passage in said extension at the bottom thereof for fluid under pressure from the annular space between the casing and tubing which fluid passes said valve so that the valve maycontrol the flow of fluid. H

7. The combination with awell casing and string of tubing sections therein forming an annular space between the casing and tubing, a series of superposed couplings each joining two sections of tubing, each coupling including a housing having a lateral extension, a'vertical passage thru said extension, means to close one I end of said passage, an inlet from the passage into the interior of the coupling, a valve stem slidable in said passage in the extension, a valve on said stern, a valve seat in said extension below said inlet to receive said valve to close I said passage in the coupling, a valve spring about said stem below said inlet, means on the stem I to receive one end of said spring, means in said extension and below said valve seat to receive the other end of said valvespring so that said, spring normally exerts a force to hold saidvalve open, and an entry into the vertical passage in said extension at the bottom thereof forfluid" underpressure from the annular space between the casing and tubing which fluid passes said valveso that the valve may control the flow of 'fluid, said means on the valve stem beingadjustable to vary the force of the spring.

RILEY Aoo'om.

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