US2214428A

US2214428A - Mud box

Info

Publication number: US2214428A
Application number: US268090A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-04-15
Filing date: 1939-04-15
Publication date: 1940-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1957-09-10

Description

Sept. 1 0, 1940. W J MlLLER 2,214,428

v MUD BOX PIU- mJe /n /Z C) if 3 J QI 5 o' l T 3) Il Y T rwcm/bofa 1. Z5 y 7 /7 MJMzer 3 ,i

Sept- 10, 1940 w. J. MILLER 2,214,428 MUD Box Filed April l5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [AAJ/Villar Patented Sept. 10, 1940 l UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE MUD BOX William J. Miller, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 15, 1939, Serial No. 268,090

7 Claims.

often the lower end of a pipe or tubing or drill stem is plugged up and in removing the samek from the hole the drill tube or stem is unscrewed or broken down into sections for placement in the derrickv or for changing drill bits or other equipment. When removing the tube or stem with the lower end stopped up or partially stopped, the uid in the tube or stem above the rotary with the present equipment now in use is wasted and splashed over the derrick iloor after a'section is unscrewed. This waste results in a material loss of the mud fluid from the bore or hole. It is an object of my invention to provide a mud box to eliminate this disadvantage.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved mud box whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top planA of a mud box constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of the box as illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View in rear elevation of the box as herein disclosed;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line llof Figure 1 with the box in applied position upon a drill tube or stem;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View in top plan showing my improved box in open adjustment after application to or removal from the drill tube or stem.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, my improved boxv comprises an elongatedv back plate I arcuate in cross section and which has hingedly connected, as at 2, to the longitudinal marginal portions thereofthe side plates 3 also arcuate in cross'section. When the plates 3 are in closed position they coact with the back'or 5 rear plate I to provide a substantially cylindrical box which, when in applied position, surrounds a drill tube or stem D above and below the connection Il between adjacent sections of the tube or stem'D. A

The opposite end portions of the back or rear plate I are provided with the inwardly disposed flanges 5 preferably welded inapplied position and bolted, as at I, to the inner face of each of these flanges 5 is an arcuate packing block 'I 15 preferably of a rubber compound. Each of these blocks 'I is adapted to' tightly contact with a peripheral portion of the drill'tube or stem to which it is applied. The upper and lower end portions of the side plates 3 also have welded 20 or otherwise suitably secured theretothe inwardly disposed llanges 8 to the inner face of each of which is bolted, as at I0, or otherwise securely fastened the additional packing blocks 9 also preferably of a rubber compound and intended to 25 have close contact with the peripheral portions oi the drill tube or stem. The-several blocks I and 9 are so formed that when the side plates 3 are in closed position the blocks 'I and 9 coact to provide packing elements entirely surrounding 30 the tube or stem D at points, as illustrated in Figure 4, above and below the connection or joint 4 between adjacent sections of the drill pipe or stem after said connection or joint has been raised up above the rotary.

The inner marginal portions of the side plates 3 are provided therealongwith the sealing strips II adapted to lap the adjacent marginal portion of the b-ack or rear plate I when the side plates 3 are in closed position thus effectively p-revent- 40 ing leakage between the closed plates I and 3. The outer longitudinal marginal portion of one of the plates 3 also carries a sealing or closing plate I2 to lap 'an adjacent marginal portion ofthe second side plate 3.

The lower portion of the rear or back plate I is provided with a drain nipple I4 to which a hose is adapted to be attached to allow the fluid collected within the applied-mud box to be returned tothe well bore or other place desired. 50

It is believed to be apparent that with my improved mud box in applied position, as the upper section of the drill tube or section is unscrewed or broken down the mud fluid therein will drain out into the applied box and then 55 3 lever I9.

drain out through the nipple I4. By this a full recovery of the mud fluid is obtained and without splashing of the mud over the derrick and surfaces adjacent thereto which would endanger the crew.

The side plates 3 have secured thereto at points substantially midway their ends the rearwardly directed arms I5. The outer end portion of one of these arms I5 is pivotally connected, as at I6, to the end portions of the links II. These links II` extend inwardly of the plate I and have their adjacent end portions provided with openings IS. These openings I8 are adapted to be aligned and the lever I9 freely disposed in said holes.

'Ihis lever I9 is also freely disposed through an eye 29 carried by an end portion of a shank 2| which threads within the Clevis 22; This clevis 22 is pivotally engaged with the outer end portion of the second arm I5. I'he lever I9 is of desired length and extends lengthwise of the back or rear plate I and has its upper end portion pivotally connected, as at 23, between the outstanding ears 24 carried by the upper portion of the back or rear plate I. This lever I9 has a portion 25 extending above the pivot 23 and which portion 25 constitutes a stop for contact with the back or rear plate I to limit the extent of upward swinging movement of the lower portion of the It is to be stated that this extent of swinging movement of the lever I9 also depends upon the distance between the pivot 23 and the back or rear plate I plus the length of the portion 25.

As the lower end of the lever I9 is swung outwardly the side plates 3 will be swung into their open positions as illustrated in Figure 6 whereupon the box may be readily placed upon the drill tube or stem D after which the lever I9 is forced inwardly and swinging the side plates 3 into their closed position with the various packing blocks 'I and 9 in close contact with the drill tube or stem above or below the connection or coupling 4.

The shank 2| provides means whereby such adjustment can be made as required to obtain the most effective tension to hold the box around the drill pipe or stem after the inner ends of the links and the shank 2| engaged with the lever I9 have passed inwardly beyond the swinging center of the lever I9.

In practice the extent of movement at the points of engagement of the links I'I and the shank` 2| with the lever I9 is only about three inches and the distance between the pivot 23 for the lever i9 and the. portion of the lever with which the links II and shank 2| engage is approximately three feet. Therefore, the lever I9 may be readily swung away from the rear or back plate i a distance sucient to impose an. approximately three inch pull upon the links I'I and the shank 2| before the stop 25 contacts with the back or rear plate I.

It is also to be pointed out that the openings in the links I'l and in the eye 29 through which the lever I9 is directed are of diameters slightly larger than that of the portion of the lever I9 extending therethrough so that the resultant looseness of the engagement between the lever I9 and the links II and the shank 2| will readily allow the desired swinging of the lever I9 without binding of the parts.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a mud box constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, side plates hingedly connected to the back plate, packing blocks carried by the opposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to tightly engage the drill tube when the box is enclosed therearound, rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a lever pivoted tothe back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, and members operatively connected with the arms and with the lever for moving the side plates upon movement of the lever toward the back plate to close the mud box and for opening said mud box upon movement of the lever away from the back plate.

2. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, side plates hingedly connected to the back plate, means` carried by the opposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantially close the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drill tube, rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a lever pivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, and members operatively connected with the arms and with the lever for moving the side plates upon movement of the lever toward the back plate to close the mud box and for opening said mud box upon movement of the lever away from the back plate, the pivotal connection between the lever andthe back plate being at a point above the arms.

3. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, side plates hingedly connected to the back plate, means carried by the opposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantially close the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drill tube, rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a lever pivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of` said back plate, and members operatively connected with the arms and with the lever for moving the side plates to close the mud box upon movement of the lever toward the back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of the lever away from the back plate, one of the members connecting the lever with an arm being so constructed and arranged to provide means for varying the tension of the contact of the blocks upon the drill tube.

4. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising aback plate, side plates hingedly connected to the back plate, means carried by the opposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantially close the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drill tube, rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a lever pivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, members operatively connected with the armsand with the lever for moving the side plates to close the I mud box upon movement of the lever toward the back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of the lever away from the back plate, one of the members connecting the lever with an arm comprising a shankhaving an eye through 75- which the rod is directed, and a clevis pivotally connected to the arm, the shank threading into the clevis.

5. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, side plates hingedly connected to the backr plate, means carried by the opposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantially close the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drill tube, rearwardly disposed arms carried .by the side plates, a lever pivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, and members operatively connected with the arms and with the lever for moving the side plates to close the mud box upon movement of the lever toward the back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of the lever away from the back plate, the pivotal connection between the lever and the back plate .being outwardly offset with respect to the back plate to allow the lever when moved toward the back plate to move beyonda center into locking position.

6. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, side plates hingedly connected to the back plate, means carried .by the opposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantially close the ends vof the box when the box is enclosed around the drill tube,

rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a lever pivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, and mem- .bers operatively connected with the arms and with the lever for moving the side plates to close the mud box upon movement of the lever toward the back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of the lever away from the back plate, the pivoted end portion of the lever being ex- `tended toy provide a stop for Contact with the back plate to limit the extent of swinging movement of the lever proper away from the back plate.

7. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, side plates hingedly connected to the back plate, means carried by the opposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantially close the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drill tube,

rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side h' plates, a lever pivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, and members operatively connected with the arms and with the lever for moving the side plates to close the mud box upon movement of the lever toward the back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of the lever away from the back plate.

l WILLIAM J. MILLER.