US2198490A - Oil well bailer - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1940.

w. TARKINGTON OIL WELL BAILER Filed March 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG II FIGIV April 23, 1940.

w. TARKINGTON. 2,198,490

OIL WELL BAILER Filed March 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FIG 1/11 f Patented pr. 23, 19

(FATE OFFICE Application March 20,"

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in well bailers of the pressure type for cleanout purposes, operable by any usual suspension means, which are usually constructed with a closed top' 5 provided with a relief valve, a casing with the upper part of its annular space converted into a pressure chamber, and a valve below the pressure chamber, and attached next below, a. casing having a bailer bottom valve of conventional type, the valve between the chambers operating to prevent fluid in the well bore from entering the empty chamber of the bailer casing containing atmospheric pressure until obstructing matter of a solid or semisolid nature is contacted by the bailer shoe, with consequent opening of said valve; and to load through action of the fluid static pressure within the bore of the well, and to discharge the load at the surface underpressure.

The general object of my invention is to .provide an efiective means for permitting the bailer to descend through the fluid rapidly under adverse conditions, quick and certain loading of the bailer from the sand, shale, gravel, or similar obstructions; to trap same within the casing; to withdraw same from the well, and to rapidly and efiectively discharge the material at the surface by means of pressure trapped in the bailer and brought up from the well bottom.

One other object is to provide a pressure bailer having the facility of bailing wells having a relatively low fluid head pressure, as well as those having a high fluid head pressure. Effectiveness in both types of wells is'essential to general utility.

A further object is to provide an eflicient bailer having as few adjustments as possible that require the operators attention, and to provide a fast operating well tool with a reciprocating 4U sleeve valve between the pressure chamber and the loading chamber, having means of adjusting itself to wells having both high and low fluid levels; a bailer that can be lowered at high speed through the well fluid without danger of opening the valve and communicating the well pressure to the pressure chamber before bottom is encountered, is a primary object. The rapid discharge of the loaded bailer, the closing of the pressure chamber valve and opening the valve for relief of loading chamber alternately for a repeat operation by merely suspending the bailer, are important objects.

A still further object is to provide the noses-- sary parts, viz., a top and relief valve, a sleeve valve for isolating a chamber, and a ballet bot- 1939, Serial No. 262,877

tom valve which combined with the usual pump casing sections on hand at the well to be bailed, an efiicient cleanout pressure bailer may be quickly assembled; the valves also being adaptable to special bailer casings.

Further objects appear herein. 1

Figure I is a longitudinal sectional view of applicants bailer. Figure II is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the valve between the upper or low pressure chamber and the lower or load chamber of applicant's device. Figure III is a section taken on section III-III of Figure II. Figure IV shows a dump key for use in unloading the bailer. -Figure V is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of my invention. Figure VI shows an enlarged sectional view of the valve between the upper and lower chambers of the embodiment shown in Figure V. Figure VII shows a section taken on section VII-VII of Figure VI.

Fig. I shows the combination having a closed top with a relief valve and swivel for cable connection, numerals l-ll, inclusive, and operable by means of a cable and hoist (not shown), the top and swivel being threadedly connected to casing 2. The combined top and swivel is provided with a relief valve comprising a helical spring 8A, a ball valve ll under a set-screw l, and disc t, said set screw threaded for regulating pressure, and a seat for the ball valve H. The seat is threadedly attached into an opening at ill. The swivel comprises a bail l with a head 6 and rod 6, housed in shell 2, said shell being provided with openings 3 and 5 for fluidcirculation. The head 6 cooperating with openings 3 and 5, has free longitudinal movement and swiveling effect to compensate for torque in wire cables when connected to especially the larger sizes of bailers. The shell 2 is cast in two pieces and welded together. Set screw 7 for adjustment of pressure is accessible by special wrench through opening 5. Pressure outlet for relief is shown at 9. a The helical spring 8-A provides for predetermined reserve pressure on valve ball ll operating to retain well pressure in chamber l2 for purposes shown herein. A reciprocating sleeve valve, Fig. II, having concentric outer and inner cylindrical elements is attached by any usual means (preferably threaded) to the bottom of pressure chamber casing l2 at 53, and to the top of loading casing 21. The detail of construction of the reciprocating sleeve valve is shown in Fig. II and Fig. III, the valve' comprising an outer cylindrical element l1 connected to-loalding casing 21 and an inner cylindrical element I connected to pressure chamber casing l2. longitudinal movement of element I4 wlthinelement W is limited by circumferential abutments on element I! oooperating with an external outside circumferential flange I4A on element It intermediate the ends of element 3.. On the lowermost end por= tion of element M an inner valve member l9 with valve ports 23 therein is formed. The limited reciprocal movement of element l4 within element I1 is adapted to reciprocally alternatively open and close ports IS in element i! see Figure 11, as flange i4-A flts snugly yet slidably within element H to act as a. closure for ports l6. An intermediate sleeve valve member 45 is mounted within outer cylindrical element ll below-port l6 and inner cylindrical element 54 is slidably mounted within the intermediate sleeve valve member. Ports 23 in the inner valve member on the lowermost end portionoi element I4 are adapted to register with ports 25 in the intermediate sleeve valve member when inner-cylindrical member I4 is telescoped within/outer cylinder member I! and when the valve parts it and Il are in extended position valve ports 23' are closed being moved into the upper imperforate portion of intermediate sleeve 45. There are four ports 23 in valve member it and four port: 25-26 in intermediate sleeve valve member 5.

The valve parts I4 and l! are telescoped together under the weight of the pressure casing and top attached by any usual means to the valve element l4 to register ports 23 and 25, the inner-valve element l4 being attached to move downwardly within the intermediate sleeve valve member when the shoe 29 on the bottom of bailer valve engages sand or other material of a solid nature while lowering the bailer. Ports 23 and 25 are held in alignment by means'of a key 20 and cooperating key-way it on the elements l4 and II, respectively. A set screw 31 extends through element i! into port 26 in sleeve 45 to hold the sleeve against rotation. Intermediate valve member 45 engages packing gasket 2| and the downwardly facing abutment formed in element I! at one end thereof. The lower end of member 45 rests on the upper end of casing 21 threaded into element ll. Casing 21 is threaded into element l1 and threaded upwardly to flrmly engage and hold the sleeve 45 within element IT. The intermediate inner valve member 45 is constructed of. bronze or stainless steel to prevent corrosion and to permit renewal, and is provided with four longitudinal conduits one being 35-18. to permit passage of fluid from load chamber. Intermediate member 45 has a vertical fluid passage 22A communicating its lower end with port 26 and opening outwardly at the upper end of the member 45 through a shallow channel in the upper face of the intermediate valve member.

To communicate with port It in the outer cylinder element H, the upper portion of fluid passage 22-A is enlarged and in-this enlarged portion is a ball valve seat at the lower end thereot.

side inner valve member is, is provided with solid type packing rings, 38 and 22. Packing ring 39 is followed by close fitting metal sleeve 23--A, having four ports adapted to ali vim the four ports formed in the inside inner valve member it by slot and pin 4BA, a packing ring 22 follows 23-A, and a close fitting metal sleeve 40 follows packing ring 22. The metal sleeve 46 extends slightly past the lowermost part of is to permit adjustment. A metal disc .42 with opening for stud, following 48 and a stud with retain ing nut 24, screwed into lowermost part of is cooperating with slot and pin d--A, provide an adjustment for the packings. When the valve in operation contacts fluid while descen in a well, the action of the fluid pressure against the disc 42, urges both metal sleeves and two packing rings upwardly, operating to tighten both packing rings automatically against the inside wall oi intermediate valve member 45 and the outer surface of the inside inner valve member i9, insuring no slippage of fluid into the empty pressure casing, while submergence is taking place. As the bailer emerges from the fluid, the confined high pressure in the pressure chamber acts to distend the packings 39 and 22 from the four ports one being numbered 23, reserving the pressure in the pressure chamber, the urged packing rings having the same packing effect between the members 45 and it as in submergence.

A bailer bottom valve is threadedly attached to casing 21. The valve comprises a shoe 29 with sleeve 28 threaded thereinto and having an opening 3l-A in one side. Shoe as has an opening 3| adapted to register with opening 3l-A in the sleeve 28. Removable combined partition and seat 32 is seated within shoe 29 and carries flap valve 3!! for retaining the load in the loading chamber. Openings are ads. to register by manually operated means by rotating the sleeve 28 relative to the bailer shoe it until opening 3I-A is in alignment with opening 8i which is shown in a peripheral view at Fig. I.

When lowering the bailer shown in Fig. I into an oil well having fluid head with, the pressure chamber casing section oi" the bailer closed to exclude fluid by means of its closed top with relief valve, and the reciprocating sleeve valve in its closed position, the bailer has a buoyanttehdency when submerged in the well fluid. The loing chamber section of the casing attached to the lowermost end oi the reciprocating sleeve valve has provision for free passagenof fluid upwardly through the one-way bottom iler valve, inclusive, through casing 21. hrough ope 22-a and it, into the we as the bailer downwardly, thereby retai ing the reciprocating sleeve valve elements relatively extended with inner valve member ports closed, to prevent fluid from enterin the pressure chamber. The -ar= rested downward movement oi loading chamber casing 21 under weight or pressure chamber cas ing l2 results in a sudden telescopic movement downward of element it with consequent registry of ports 23 with 28, in the intermediate valve member and closing of openings it and 22-h,

thereby communicating the well pressure timh the registered valve ports into the pressure chamber casing i2, causing a dynamic inrush of sand, shale, and fluid thgough the one-way tto bailer valve and intothe section 01 the casing to be trapped by bottom bailer e while er is 1 1 arreaaeo :3

A major porion of the air compressed in the uppermost of easing l2 if fluid pressure is sufficient for loading at one impact will be discharged into the well through relief valve ll, permitting increased influx of the bailed material into the loading chamber. When the bailer is'elevated for a repeat impact should the fluid pressure be low.

or for withdrawal from the well, the telescopic elements in the reciprocating sleeve valve are relatively extended by means of the suspended weight of loading chamber casing 21 and either the well pressure is trapped within the pressure chamber casing 12 or the low pressure retained for successive impacts by means of the closed ports in the inner valve members of the reciprocating sleeve valve. After loading, if an excessive well pressure be trapped in the loading chamber casing 2'! the pressure is permitted to escape while emerging from the well fluid through openings 22-a and IS. The bailer, with the desired retained ejecting pressure or equalized pressure in the pressure chamber 12, and the material in the loading chamber casing 21 trapped by the bottom bailer valve, is withdrawn from the well for discharge in the usual manner. The bottom bailer valve withdrawn from the well mouth is opened by manual rotation on a dump key and the retained pressure in the casing I2 becomes efiective through the opened valve ports of the supported bailer in the loading chamber below with consequent ejection of the bailed material.

Fig. V shows a sectional side view of a modified embodiment employing my invention, comprising a closed bailer top 48 having means for cable attachment, provided with a usual ball relief valve 53, said top being threadedly connected, substantially air-tight to the uppermost end of pressure chamber casing 55. To the lowermost end of casing is attached by'any usual means, a modifled construction of the reciprocating sleeve valve shown at Fig. VI, to the bottom of which is attached a loading chamber casing 16 with a oneway conventional bailer bottom valve connected to the lowermost end of said casing, numerals 78-84, inclusive, Fig. V., The reciprocating sleeve valve shown in Fig. VI, comprises concentric telescopically connected elements 51 and 63 concentrically located and adapted for limited longitudinal movement. A flanged perimeter 5lA formed on 51, is adapted to move between circumferential abutments at 80 and 65 on the outer telescopic element 63, one being on the lower end of the containing nut 59. The reciprocating sleeve valve is shown in a relatively extended position with inner valve ports closed. The elements are adapted to register ports formed in 51-3, to form an inner valve member 88169, and 85, with ports in 83-A of element 63 to form a cooperating intermediate valve member, numerals H, I2, and 14. The ports are held in alignment by means of a key-way in the flange 5l-A formed on element 51, key 6| and co-operating key-way in wall of 63. The cylindrical inner sleeve valve members are concentrically located, the inner 7 sleeve valve member 5l--B being integrally attached or formed on the lowermost end of element 51, and its cooperating intermediate valve member ;63A with ports 68, 69, and 85, being formed on lowermost end portion of element ,SL-B. The inner sleeve valve member 5'I-B is closed at its lowermost end at 88, by any usual means, or preferably formed solid. The intermediate valve member 63A is open at its lowermost end. The partition formed within element i3 having outer conduits 13, 81, and 15 by attaching the threaded loading casing '58 to the valve is provided with openings 61 and 6d. The purpose of said openings are to'form a valve to reciprocally open and close, cooperating with inner sleeve valve members having ports as shown. 'In order i to prevent corrosion from saline elements in the well fluid, the outer valve element 63 with intermediate valve member 63A formed thereon is constructed of stainless steel, and should have a close sliding flt with inner valve member 5.l-B, 1 fluid-tight, and said inner valve memberprovided with bakelite or other composition compression packing rings 66 and 1D, to prevent any slippage of fluid into pressure chamber while under pressure. I

The modified bailer shownin Figure V, is lowered into the. well by means of cable'or' other means (not shown) until the material to be bailed is contacted. When the bailer encounters the fluid'head in descending into the well bore, 2 passage for fluid is permitted through the oneway bottom bailer valve, and the bailer loadin casing 16, and through openings El and 64, intothe well fluid in order to permit rapid descent through fluid head adding momentum and ve- 2 locity to the empty pressure chamber, preventing the telescopic contraction and opening of the reciprocating sleeve valve portions in the inner sleeve valve members before sand, shale, .or other material to be bailed is encountered. The fluid 3 pressure against the closed head 88 acts also to prevent telescoping of the telescopic elements before the arrest of shoe 82. The packing rings 63 and 10 carried on inner valve member 5? by means of fluid pressure, applied to one edge and 3 the inside surface of said rings, tighten against the wall of the inner valve member 63A formed on element 63 and on one side of the ring seat to prevent fluid slippage through ports and into the pressure chamber. In emerging, the rings 4 distend by pressure in the pressure chamber through the ports and operate to hold the pressure in the chamber. The momentum of the loading chamber with the free passage of fluid accelerates the momentum of the empty pressure 4 chamber carried above. When the material or obstruction in a well is contacted by shoe 82, the telescopic elements of the modified reciprocating sleeve valve are relatively telescoped' and the ports 68, 69, and 85, register with ports H, '12, 5 and is, closing openings 64 and 61 permitting a dynamic ingress of fluid from the loading chamber into the pressure chamber, with consequent loading under pressure of the loading chamber from the sand, shale, or other'obstruc- 5 tion. When the bailer is elevated for a second impact should the fluid be low or to be withdrawn from the, well, the reciprocating sleeve valve inner ports are closed by the suspended,.. weight of the loading casing, the high or low 0 pressure is reserved in the pressure chamber, but the pressure is released from the loading casing through openings 64 and 61 when the bailer is emerging from the well fluid. If repeat impacts are essential to loading, the remainder of the 6 empty pressure chamber is reserved, until the pressure breaks under the'bottom shoe of the bailer to complete the loading operation. The I bottom bailer valve on reaching the surface is permitted to rest on any suitable holding key 7 usually a rod (not shown) passed through openings 83 and 84 with the ends of the rod held securely, while the sleeve 19 is rotated to register I port with Ht-A. The pressure from the pressure chamber casing 55 or the supported bailer is I Ill subsequently communicated downwardly through the loadingchamber through registered ports in the inner valve members, the downward movement of 63 reciprocally closing port openings 64 and 81 and permitting no escape of the air or gas contained in the bailer through said openings. This causes the quick ejection of the matter in the loading chamber of the bailer, if pressure is suiflcient, in the same manner of operation explained pertaining to Figure I the first embodiment described.

Figure II shows a sectional side view of the reciprocating sleeve valve which is best adapted to the operation of the larger diametrical sizes of the bailer illustrated in Figure I in which embodiment I prefer to construct the reciprocating sleeve valve with an interchangeable valve sleeve. In another embodiment shown in Figure VI, the reciprocating sleeve valve is employed above the loading chamber and below the pressure chamber of a pressure bailer, same as shown at Figure I. The type of construction of the reciprocating sleeve valve shown at Figure VI has the advantage of more readily loading and unloading through the inner member ports of the reciprocating sleeve valve when constructed in the smaller diametrical sizes, and may be constructed of stainless steel in smaller and more efiicient diametrical sizes to correspond to many well bores.

In both constructions of the reciprocating sleeve valve, its performance is similar, whether operated by a cable (not shown) or other means.

The present invention may take other forms of construction, but the constructions herein presented with the appended claims, are only embodiments, therefore, I do not wish to be restricted in the practice of my invention as applied to well clean-out tools, or limited in the claims thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressure bailer for bailing oil wells, an upper or prmsure chamber and a lower or loading chamber connected together by a telescopic sleeve valvecomprising inner and outer tubular elements slidably connected together for limited longitudinal movement to open or close the valve, a tubular partition fixedly mounted in the outer element at a point intermediate its ends and snugly mounting the side ported lower end portion of the inner element for slidable movement therein, the lower end of the inner element being closed, side ports in the partitionopening inwardly thereoi. at a point intermediate its ends and opening downwardly into the loading chamber, a. side port in the outer element above the partition, a flange on the inner element above the partition, an abutment on the upper end of the outer element limiting upward movement of the inner element as the flange engages the abutment, cooperating means on the inner and outer elements permitting relative longitudinal movement but preventing relative rotative movement of the valve elements operable to align the side ports in the partition and the inner element to 7 I open the valve when the elements are telescoped,

an auxiliary longitudinal'passage in the partition spaced from the main bore thereof and communicating the loading chamber with the outer element above the partition, a spring pressed upwardly opening valve in the 'aumliary passage,

scoped to communicate between the upper and lower chambers.

2. In a pressure bailer for bailing oil wells, an upper or pressure chamber and a lower or loading chamber, connected by a telescopic sleeve valve comprising inner and outer tubular eleinents slidably connected together for limited longitudinal movement to open or close the valve, said elements having ports in each adapted to register, said inner element connected to and communicating with the pressure chamber above the valve and extending downwardly and snugly fitting within the ported partition in said outer element communicating to the load chamber, said inner element provided with packing means carried on the lowermost end thereof, comprising solid packing rings associated with metal sleeves, said packing rings being mounted above and below the ports and spaced by means of a metal sleeve having corresponding ports and means to prevent relatively rotative movement of said metal sleeve on the inner element and slidably mounted thereon, fixedly held between a flanged shoulder and a cooperating nut and washer, and operating so that when the bailer is exposed to well fluid pressure the packing means are pressed upwardly relative to said inner element, and the imperforate cylindrical wall of said outer element to form a seal between the pressure and loading chambers. i

3. In a pressure bailer for bailing oil wells, an upper or pressure chamber and a lower or loading chamber connected together by a telescopic sleeve valve comprising inner and outer tubular elements slidably connected together for limited longitudinal movement to open or close the valve,

a tubularpartition fliredly mounted in the outer element at a point intermediate its ends and snugly mounting the side ported lower end portion of the inner element for slidable movement therein, packing means carried above and below the side ported end of said inner element, the lower end of the inner element being closed, side ports in the partition opening inwardly thereof at a point intermediate its ends and opening downwardly into the loading chamber, a side port in the outer element above the partition, a flange on the inner element above the partition, an abutment on the upper end of the outer element limitingupward movement of the inner element as the flange engages the abutment, cooperating means on the inner and outer elements permitting relative longitudinal movement but preventing relative rotative movement of the valve elements operable to align the side ports in the partition and the inner element to open the valve when the elements are telescoped, an auxiliary longitudinal passage in the partition spaced from the main bore thereof and communicating the load chamber with the outer element above the partition, a downwardly and upwardly opening valve in the auxiliary passage, the flange on the inner element opening and closing the passage in the outer element partition alternately when the valve is reciprocated to establish and break communication between the upper and lower chambers.'

' WILSON TARKING'I'ON;

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