US2263564A - Wrench for threadless drill pipe - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 25, 1941.

A. rBoYN'roN WRENCH FOR THREADLESS DRILL PIPE Filed. sept. @22, 1938 2 sheets-Sheet 1 By ,6. (im

A rroRA/Eys Nov. 25, 1941. A. BoYNToN 2,263,564

wRENcH FOR THBEADLEss DRILL PIPE 'l Filed sept. 22, 193s 2 heats-sheet '2 Flg: 6.' LEXA/van? sommi/v v of? TTOR/VEYS.

Patented Nov. `25, 1941 UNITED STATE S PAT EN T 'OF F I C E WRENCH `FOR THREADLESS DRILL PIPE Alexander Boynton, San Antonio, Tex. Application September 22, 1938, Serial No. 231,212

6 Claims.

`on handles in orderlto develop the `necessary S Kforce required .to make up or break out pipe connections, (3) a wrench whichmay be quickly applied without having to yengage completely around the pipe, (4) a `wrench which may -be employed in connection with the invention in my said co-pending application in a manner that will not mash, score, or otherwise damage the pipe, (5) a wrench that acts to hold itself in operating position `without the employment of reciprocating means, and, (6) a wrench that is always l tree to be .released `and which never sticks or freezes to the pipe.

A U-,shaped portion, with keys or projections adapted to engage the drivenmember, is engageable over .the pipe Vby lateral movement and has attached Ato it another element, also adapted to be engaged upon .the pipe by lateral movement, and further adapted to become secured about 'the coupling 'by aslight longitudinal movement,

Ywhich movement and slight rrotation engages to- 3 gether the driving and driven members and, at the Lsame time, secures the wrench in operating position.

I attain vthe foregoing objects by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in 'which- Fig. '1 is a top viewvof -the assembly shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is an isometric View of the wrench em.-

ibodying this invention.

Fig. 3 is an outside view of one form of my threadless drill stem connection for which this wrench is adapted.

Fig. 4 isa longitudinal section on Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the key 3 in Figs. 2, 4, and 6.

Fig. 6 is a bottom View of assembly shown in Fig. 2.

the line 4 4,

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The upper shell member l may be threadedly connected to lower shell'member2, the upper `end of which locks against the flange Ic, as appears in Figs. 2 and 4. The 'uppermember I has a U- shaped upper end Id with llateral opening lf wide enough to receive the drill pipe 6, Fig. 3, ywith slight clearance. The lower member 2 also has a lateral opening 2a, likewise wide enough to receive the drill pipe with slight clearance, the openings or distances lf and A2li being equal, but the lower member in its circumference describes somewhat more than -a semi-circle, `and has an inside diameter slightly-greater than the outside diameter of the coupling 1, Fig. 3, in order to provide that the member 2 will have a free slidable t over the coupling.

The member l, Figs. 2 and `4, has dovetailed openings in its lower end, adapted to closely receive the lkeys 3, having lower extensions 3a, adapted .to be-engagedwithin the slots 8b of the head `3a of spiral key member 8, the inner slope of the extensions 3a being at the same Vangle as the slots 8b and the upper end of head 8a. The dovetailed upper lportion of the keys 3 taper inwardly so that the keys may be lplaced from the outside into lconforming slots in the lower end ,of member I, where these `keys will be secured by and within the threaded upper end of mem.- ber 2, as clearlyappears in Fig. 4, also appearing in Figs. 1 and 6.

The handles 5 are connectedby a semi-circular band 5a, having an opening kwithin its inner side to slidably receive the dovetailed `rib la, which rib is integral with the member After the semi-circular band 5a has been engaged over `the semi-circular rib la, as in Fig. 2, the bumpers 4 are slidably engaged over each end cf the rib la and secured there by welds 4a, Figs. 2 and 6.

Toplace the wrench in operating position upon .the drill pipe connection, such as illustrated in Fig. 3, the assembly, as shown in Fig. 2, is placed relative to Fig. 3 in the position occupied by the section in Fig. 4, i. e., the assembly is moved laterally over the drill pipe '6, which is admitted through the side openings lf and 2a, the lower end member 2, having its bottom end internally `beveled at 2b to facilitate engaging over the coupling, being then somewhat above the coupling 'l and the head 8a. The assembly is then moved downward, the lower shell member engaging over the coupling 'l until the internally beveled lower end I g of the upper shell member 55 rests upon the similarly beveled upper end of head 8a. If, in this movement, the lower end 3a of the keys should engage the head 8a between the slots 8b, slight rotation of the wrench assembly, of course, will cause the key extensions 3a to find and engage within the slots 8b in which the key lower extensions are adapted to engage, the lower beveled surface of the key extensions being at the same angle as the inclined slots Bb.

The wrench assembly being engaged over the drill pipe 6 and coupling 1, as described in the preceding paragraph, the spiral key member 8, having its spirals engaging between the spiral lands 6a of the drill pipe and opposite lands in the coupling, may be rotated in one direction to remove it or in the opposite direction to replace it.

'I'he play between the handles 5 and bumpers 4 enables the connection to be made up tightly, or easily broken out, by a quick rotary jar in one direction or the other, as may be required; In breaking out ordinary rotary drill pipe, itis frequently necessary to hammer the couplings or tool joints and, in making up the joints, it is common practice to screw the threads together as tightly as possible with a wrench, and then to strike the wrench handle several times with a sledge hammer to make sure the joints are tight enough. It is then frequently necessary to strike the wrench handle on the opposite side to get the wrench loose. Much time is thereby Wasted and accidents frequently happen. The

built-in jarring or shocking means of the wrench herein disclosed is believed to save much time, promote safety, and increase eiciency, as compared to the now employed means for making and breaking drill pipe connections. The openings 5b are to receive a cable for the purpose of suspending the wrench balanced against a weight in order that the wrench may be quickly and easily applied for the purpose of making up or breaking out the drill stem, such balancing.

means being generally employed on drilling rigs for wrenches too heavy for convenient manual handling. The openings 5c are for attaching a rope or cable if more than manual force, in some cases, should be required.

Great speed is desired in making and breaking all drill pipe connections and to enable such speed to be attained the U-shaped upper end Id between the flange Ib and connection band 5a is provided for a cat line to be wrapped around. In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6 the outermost position of the drill pipe is indicated by the line le. It will be observed that the cat line, in being wrapped about the U-shaped upper end, will clear the drill pipe for the obvious purpose of avoiding unnecessary friction between the rope and drill pipe.

It is obvious that mechanical changes may be made in the structure, and that equivalents may be substituted for the parts shown; and I reserve the right to make such mechanical changes, substitutions, and adaptions within the scope of the invention, as comprehended by the stated objects and appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wrench for connecting and disconnecting vdrillpipe sections which are coupled together with a locking bushing comprising a body, an open side therein to t said body laterally about the pipe, a seat in said body to rest on said bushing, keys projecting from said seat to be received by said bushing when said body is moved along the pipe against said bushing, and handles on said body to rotate the wrench and bush- 2. A wrench for connecting and disconnecting drill pipe sections which are coupled together with a locking bushing comprising a. body, an open side therein to t said body laterally about the pipe, a seat in said body to rest on said bushing, keys projecting from said seat to be received by said bushing when said body is moved along the pipe against said bushing, handles on said body to rotate the wrench and bushing, and means loosely mounting said handles on said body so that a jar may be imparted to the body to start or complete the turning of the bushing.

3. A wrench of the character described including upper and lower body portions, keyways in the base of the upper portion, keys in said ways, threaded areas on said portions to lock said keys in said ways when threaded together, a handle on said wrench, and a jar connection for said handle including a dove tail guide ring on which the handle is slidable about said body.

4. A wrench of the character described including upper and lower body portions, keyways in the base of the upper portion, keys in said ways, threaded areas on said portions to lock said keys in said ways when threaded together, a handle on said wrench, and a seat on said wrench to receive a cat line to spin the wrench.

5. In a wrench of the character described to t a pipe coupling having slots therein, an upper shell having a lateral longitudinal opening to admit a pipe, a lower shell threadedly connected therewith and having a lateral longitudinal opening adapted to register with said first opening, said second shell being adapted to fit axially over the pipe coupling, keys dovetailed into said upper shell and extending therebelow to engage the slots in the coupling, said keys being bevelled so as to be removably secured by said lower shell, a circular bevelled rib about the eX- terior of said upper shell, a handle member dovetailed with and slidable upon said rib, bumpers at either end of said rib to limit the movements of said handle member and to transmit the shock thereof to said keys and coupling, means to connect a cable for suspending said wrench in operative position, means for connecting a cat line to said handles, and means upon said rupper shell to receive and support a cat line.

6. In a wrench of the character described to fit a pipe coupling having vertical slots therein, an upper shell having a lateral longitudinal opening to admit a pipe, a lower shell connected therewith and having a lateral longitudinal opening adapted to register with said rst opening, said second shell being adapted to fit axially over the pipe coupling, keys in said upper shell and extending therebelow to engage the slots of the coupling, a ribbed exterior on said upper shell, a handle member slidable upon said rib, bumpers at either end of said rib to limit the movements of said handle member and to transmit the shock thereof to said keys and thence to the coupling, and means upon said upper shell to receive and support a cat line.

ALEXANDER BOYNTON.

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