US2212909A - Power unit for multiple oil wells - Google Patents

Description

74. MACHINE ELEMENTS W AND MECHANISMS t: 7, 1940. R. WIKEN' ,2

POWER UNIT FOR MULTIPLE OIL WELLS Filfld Jan. 24. 1958 I NVENT OR. 510% M/rm/ ATTORNEY.

1 lvmbmlit tLtlVltNlb AND MECHANISMS Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ralph Wiken, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to The Falk Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 24, 1938, Serial No. 186,514

7 Claims.

This invention relates to geared power units of the type commonly employed in the oil fields as a single driver for a plurality of oil well pumps and the like.

A typical unit for this purpose, such for instance as that shown in the patent to Percy C. Day, No. 2,054,782, ordinarily includes an operating head adapted to be separately connected in driving relation with a plurality of pumps and mounted to travel about a vertical axis fixed with respect to a supporting housing, the latter serving to support and enclose the gearing by which the head is operated. The device of the patent also includes a self-contained lubricating system by which all of the moving parts, including the operating head, are adequately lubricated by circulating oil supplied from a reservoir in the housing and ultimately returned substantially without loss to the housing.

When driven by a unit of this type, the stroke of each of the several pumps of course corresponds to the course of movement or stroke of the operating head. In the device of the patent, however, as well as in other commercial forms of devices of this type heretofore employed, the stroke of the operating head is fixed, so that the strokes of the pumps cannot be regulated to best suit the conditions of any particular oil field or the changing conditions in a field.

One object of the present invention is to include in a driving unit of the character mentioned a mechanical structure which will afford ready adjustment of the course of movement or stroke of the operating head without reducing the strength or rigidity of the unit or otherwise imparing its capacity to sustain the tremendous loads imposed thereon.

Another object is to provide for the supply and return of lubricant to and from an adjustable head support, in a device of the character mentioned, so as to effect adequate lubrication thereof in all positions of adjustment.

Other objects and advantages will appear, expressed or implied, from the following description of an embodiment of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional view on the line |--l of Fig. 2 of an adjustable rotating driving support for the operating head of a geared power unit constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, on a smaller scale, of the head support shown in Fig. 1.

The operating head shown at It is substantially identical with that shown in the patent above identified and, as in said patent, it is shown journalled upon a vertical pintle II, carried by an arm l2, extending horizontally from the upper end of a vertical shaft [3, projecting above the top l4 of an appropriate housing in which the 5 shaft is rigidly journalled. The shaft I3 is driven at relatively slow speed through an appropriate speed reducing gear train enclosed within the housing, so that the head l0 travels with the pintle II about the axis of the shaft l3. This orbital motion of the head is utilized to drive a plurality of oil well pumps through separate conventional connections engaged in appropriate openings I5, commonly provided adjacent the periphery of the head, so that tremendous loads are thereby imposed upon the head and pintle.

In the arrangement shown, the arm l2 comprises a heavy steel casting removably anchored to the shaft l3. To afford adequate strength and 20 security of mounting, the arm shown is provided with a heavy split hub portion [6, clamped onto the shaft by appropriate bolts l1, locked to the shaft by a heavy key l8, and further clamped to the shaft by a steel disk [9 seated in the hub l6 and clamped against the end of the shaft by bolts 20.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for rendering the head Hi adjustable relative to the axis of the shaft l3, to thereby afiord regulation of its orbital movement and consequently regulation of the stroke of each of the several pumps driven thereby. In this instance this is accomplished in a manner to avoid impairing the strength or rigidity of mounting 35 of the head l0. For this purpose the pintle II is shown rigidly supported upon a horizontally extended heavy base plate 2| seated upon the arm I2 and securely but adjustably fixed thereto.

The base plate 2| is in this instance in the form of a large disk releasably secured to the arm by bolts 22, while preferably extended upwardly through the arm and engage in threaded holes 23 provided in the disk adjacent the periphery thereof. The pintle II is disposed eccentrically of the disk 2| and the latter is preferably provided with a shallow depending central hub 24 fitted in a corresponding recess 25 in the top face of the arm l2 about which the disk may be turned into various angular positions so as to position the pintle II at various distances from the axis of the shaft I3.

In this connection it will be noted that in the position shown in Fig. 2 the pintle II is at a maximum distance from the axis of the shaft I3,

so that when the shaft is rotated the head l0 follows a circular path of maximum radius and the pumps, driven thereby operate at maximum stroke. It will also be noted that, when the disk 2| is adjustably turned about its center through an angle of one hundred eighty degrees from the position shown in Fig. 2, the pintle II is thereby adjusted to cause the head I0 to follow a circular path of minimum radius; and that with the bolt holes 23 arranged in the manner shown, the disk 2| may be fixed in either of the positions above mentioned or in any one of three intermediate positions in a manner to effect corresponding changes in the orbital movement of the head I0 and in the stroke of the pumps actuated thereby.

It will also be noted that the hub 24 of the disk coacts with the recess 25 in the arm |2 in a manner to effect, in all adjusted positions of the disk, a secure interlock between the disk and arm well able to sustain the tremenduous loads imposed upon the head |0, pintle II, and disk, and to prevent any lost motion and consequent wear between the disk and arm.

Provision is made in the device shown for lubricating the head I0 by means effective to conduct lubricant from the housing It to the head and to return the same to the housing in all adjusted positions of the head. For this purpose a duct 26 is provided which extends upwardly through the disk 2| and pintle H with its lower end disposed centrally of the disk, so as to communicate at all times with a port 21 provided in the arm |2, The port 21 communicates with a duct 28 in the arm |2 which is maintained flooded with oil under pressure from a duct 29 in the housing l4, through a duct 30 in the shaft |3, substantially as disclosed in the patent above identified. Oil from the pintle duct 26 passes upwardly through a pintle cover 3|, pipe 32, and nozzle 33 from which it is free to drain down through and lubricate the bearings 34 on which the head In is journalled.

An auxiliary reservoir 35, carried by the disk 2| and surrounding the depending hub 36 of the head l0, intercepts the oil discharged from the bearings 34 and directs it through a vertical passage 31 through the disk 2| into an annular channel 38 formed in the arm |2, this channel being concentrically disposed with respect to the disk, so as to maintain communication with the passage 31 in all adjusted positions of the disk. Channel 38 communicates at all times with a passage 39 in the arm |2 through which the oil conducted back to the housing l4 through ducts 40 and 4| in the shaft.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head for driving multiple oil well apparatus, an upright pintle on which said head is journalled, a power driven structure including a laterally extending crank member mounted to rotate about a fixed vertical axis, a pintle base mounted on said crank member and horizontally extended in all directions for engagement with said crank member over a wide area of contact, said base being rotatably adjustable upon said crank member, interlocking means disposed about the periphery of said base for rigidly securing said base and said crank memher in all positions of adjustment, said pintle being carried by said base eccentrically thereof and being adjustable therewith to vary the position of said pintle and said head relative to said axis.

2. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head for driving multiple oil well apparatus, a power driven structure mounted to rotate about a fixed vertical axis, a support for said head rotatable with and by said structure and adjustable relative to said structure to vary the position of said head relative to said axis, means including passages in said structure and support and communicating with each other in all adjusted positions of the latter for conducting lubricant to said head, and means including other passages in said structure and support and communicating with each other in all adjusted positions of said support for conducting lubricant from said head.

3. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head for driving multiple oil well apparatus, a power driven structure mounted to rotate about a fixed vertical axis, an upright pintle on which said head is journalled, a circular base rigidly carrying said pintle eccentrically thereof and horizontally extended in all directions therefrom, said base being adjustably mounted on said structure for rotation therewith about said axis and being rotatably adjustable relative thereto to vary the position of said pintle and said head relative to said axis, and a peripheral series of elements interlocking said base with said structure in all positions of adjustment to rigidly secure said support and structure against relative movement under heavy loads imposed upon said pintle and said head.

4. In a power unit the combination of a vertical shaft, a crank arm horizontally extended from said shaft and rotatable therewith, a horizontal disk secured to said crank arm and rotatable into various positions of adjustment relative thereto, a pintle rigidly mounted on said disk eccentrically thereof, a lubricated operating head mounted on said pintle, said pintle being rotatable therein, an oil supply conduit within said shaft and said crank arm, a second conduit within said disk and pintle having its upper end positioned eccentrically of said disk but centrally of said pintle for supplying oil to the interior of said head during all positions of rotation of said pintle and having its lower end disposed eccentrically of said pintle but centrally of said disk for communication with said first named conduit in all positions of adjustment of said disk.

5. In a power unit the combination of a vertical shaft, a crank arm horizontally extended from said shaft and rotatable therewith, a horizontal disk secured to said crank arm and rotatable into various positions of adjustment relative thereto, a pintle rigidly mounted on said disk eccentrically thereof, a lubricated operating head mounted on said pintle, an oil reservoir on said disk receiving oil from said head, a circular channel on said crank arm concentric with said disk, a drainage duct in said disk effecting communication between said reservoir and said channel in all positions of adjustment of said disk, and oil drainage means within said crank arm and said shaft and communicating with said channel.

6. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head for driving multiple oil well apparatus, a power driven structure including a laterally extending crank arm mounted to rof4. MACHINE ELEMENTS AND MECHANlSMS tate about a fixed vertical axis, a circular pintle base horizontally extended in all directions for engagement with said arm over a wide area of contact, a pintle formed integrally with said base and carried eccentrically thereof, said operating head being journalled upon said pintle, said base being rotatably adjustable upon said arm to vary the position of said pintle and head relative to said axis, and a peripheral series of bolts rigidly interlocking said base and said arm in all positions of adjustment of said pintle.

7. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head for driving multiple oil well apparatus, a power driven structure including a laterally extending crank arm mounted uUdl UH F100;

to rotate about a fixed vertical axis, a pintle base rotatably adjustable upon said arm, a pintle carried by said base eccentrically thereof, said operating head being journalled on said pintle, an oil feed duct within said base and pintle shaped to provide an inlet at the axis of rotation of said base and an outlet at the top of said pintle within said head, an oil return duct for conducting oil through said base outside of said pintle, a circular channel in said arm communicating with said outlet duct in all positions of adjustment of said base, and oil feed and return channels within said arm for conducting lubricant to said inlet duct and from said outlet channel.

RALPH WIKEN.

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