US2300438A - Well packer - Google Patents

Description

F. J. SPANG WELL PACKER vNov. 3, 1942.

INVENTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed .Feb. l0, 1940 NOV. 3, 1942. F J, SPANG 2,300,438

WELL PACKER F'I'led Feb. 10, 194.10 2 Sheets-Sheet'I W x l 54 el E 36 9 lrea l 5J' 5i 2125 5/` 5f 75 4b@ x f 13 l o I A ze 'dll 23 "10 :EQ/f5 1 w n v lNi/ElITOR 45 fawn/Kb @M .bmw

' rubber packing element expanded into contact Patented Nov. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT AOFFICE'.

` WELL Packart Ferdinand J Spang, Butler, Pa..

Application February 10, 1940, Serial No. 318,287

(ci. 16e-12) lll Claims.

This invention relates t`o well packers, and its principal object is to produce a packer that may be automatically set by an upward stress of the tubing on which it is run, whereby the tubing is kept inr more perfect vertical alignment than with the conventional well packer operated by compressive force.

Another object is to produce a packer for use with a string of tubing and which, by means of said tubing, may be easily set in position within a well and easily adjusted to unset or released position, when it is desired to remove the same from the well.

,means located above the packing element, a debris cup for the purpose of collecting miscellaneous debris that may enter the well bore abovel the packer. I,

The packer of this invention is constructed for use with a 'string of tubing and broadly comprises a novel combination of the following elements:

An expansible tubular packing element; a wall gripper, including a series of slips and a conical expander for expanding or moving the slips into gripping position; a carrier for the slips and which is provided with a series of wiper springs? which tend to hold the slip carrier against longitudinal as well as rotational movement;'means for positively moving the slips to .unset or contracted position when it is desired to remove the packer from the well, and a debris collecting cup located above the slip carrier.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view mainly in elevation of a packer embodying this invention and in condition to be lowered into position within a casing or a bore Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but may-be;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the packer rounds tubing section II.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 4.

The expansible tubular packing element, to which reference has been made, is numbered I0, is preferably formed of live rubber, and more or less loosely surrounds a relatively short section .of tubing II.' This packing element is located between an end member I2 which is threaded onto the lower end of tubing section I I and a conical s lipexpander I3 which also loosely sur- Packing element I Il preferably has metal band-like members I4-I4 molded into its opposite ends as disclosed in Fig. 3 of United States Patent 820,149, and these bandlike members are secured to end member I2 and slip expander I3 by means of screws I5.

Tubing section II is threaded at its upper end to receive a coupling member I6. This coupling member is provided with an inwardly extending ange I1 atits upper end, and between this ange vand the upper' end of tubing section II, an outcut grooves 2| within which slips 22, formed to fit said grooves, are slidably mounted. The slips are thus dovetailed to the expander and are free to slideA lengthwise thereof. The slips are slid into place through the lower ends of the undercut grooves, and their upward movementA within the grooves is limited by stops 23 located at the upper ends of said grooves. In other words, grooves 2| terminateshort of the upper end of the expander element I3.

A sleeve 24, preferably formed of bronze, and of less length'than tubing section I9 surrounds said tubing section and is provided with a longitudinally extending" internal groove to accommodate a spline 25 which is welded to and projects radially outward from tubing section I9; sleeve and shows the Position of ,the parts as they appear 55 24 being thus splined to tubing sectionr` I3 is caused to mms with nid section while :ne to Sleeve .tbroughoutthemajorpartofits length, is provided with external. square righthandthreadsl.

' 5 The slip carrier abovcereferred to is numbered 21 and preferably takes the form of-a steel tube which surrounds broxus sleeve 24. This steel tube, adjacent its lower end, is provided with square internal threads Il which mesh with 10 threads 2l. Threads 2l are preferably cast in place, from Babbitt or some other suitable metal alloy; the tube being drilled with a number of holes so that during the casting procedure, the

cast metal ilows into said holes. as shown st 2l, 15

and anchors the cast metal in v Aseries (preferably four),-of friction springs It, termed wiper springs in the industry, are

secured at their upper'ends by rivets Il to the slip carrier. These springs which are outwardly bowed and have their lower ends free to slide in contact with the outer surface of the carrier.- are of such size and stillness as to be capable of firmly gripping the inner wall of the casing or of the bore hole as the case may be, and frictionally 25 hold the slip carrier and thereiore the slips. in adjusted position while the packer is being lowered in to position in 'a well. In this adjusted position, the slips are in contact with stops 22.

Slip carrier 21 is connected to slips 22 by `ineens 30 of links 32; the upper ends Vof the slips being biurcated to receivethe links which are secured in place by means of pins 38. A member Ilv threaded onto the lower end of the slip carrier is.. provided with a series of pairs of spaced ears 35 2s may be said tolloat between coupling members I6 and Il.

A tubing section u is threaded into s tapped opening in member i2 in line with tubing section i I and is perforated or otherwise constructed to admit oil, when the packer is used in a well having considerable oil and comparatively light gas pressure; under these conditions the packer is used to build up suilicient pressure to cause the well to flow its production. If the packer is notl thus used to build up pressure, a shoe or anchor may be threadedly secured to member i2.

In Figs. l-to 4 inclusive. I i. represents either 60 the inner wall of a casing or the wall of a bore hole.

The slip carrier, the floating bronze sleeve. the slip grooves in the expander and the rotative joint carrying packing 2l are preferably filled 65 time.-

.In order to adjust the packer or make it ready for lowering into a casing or bore hole. the parts are adjusted to the positions shown in Figure l. In other words. the bronze tubular pim s1.- 'rne nip earner n screwed to its bottom position. 'llhisisaccompllshcdbyhoidingllili' carrier 21 ,against rotation while rotating tubing section Il. With tubular member in contact with its top limit stop Il. and the slip carrier screwed to the bottom of tubular member 2|, slips 2/'are retracted. or in other words. are in their innermost position at the upper limit of their travel and in contact with stops 28. At this time, packer `element il is collapsed.

Settingthepackerwithinacasingorbore hole is easily accomplished by merely lowering it to the proper position and then pulling up on the tubing string. Pulling up on the tubing string raises tubing sections Il and il: the wiper springs which tend to hold the slip carrier against downward movement, while the packer is being lowered to position, keep the slips in contact with stops 23. Likewise the wiper springs tend to hold the slip carrier against upward movement when the tubing string is being pulled up.

Pulling up the tubing string ilrst expands the slips against the wall of the casing or bore hole as the case may be, and then foreshortens packing element I0. expanding the same into packing contact with such wall. 'I'he string of tubing is then secured in raised position within the casing head inthe ordinary manner.

When it becomes necessary or desirable to remove the packer from the well, the following procedure is carried'out:

The tubing is first lowered until the lower end t of coupling member il (which cooperates to form the packed rotative joint) contacts with the top of cone expander i2. When this occurs,A

packing element Ill is collapsed toits normal or smallest diameter and slips 22 are likewise contracted to theirssmallest diameter; with the slip carrier 21 in its lowermost position. The string of tubing is then rotated in a clockwise direction, and. since the bronze sleeve is splined to tube section is. it also rotates in a clockwise direction. This rotation of sleeve 24 causes it'to screw downward through the slip carrier 21 until it contacts with the top of coupling'member Ilzj the slip carrier being held against rotation by the wiper springs. 'I'he ilnal unset position, with the slips in fully retracted position, is illustrated in Fig. 4. l j

It is within the scope of this invention to position the packing element Il at some distance from the slip expander I0 and fill the space therebetween with any practical separating or spacing means, in order that the slips may be set within and at the lower end of the casing and the packing element i0 be located at some distance below the casing. in order that it may pack the form-ation for the purpose of separating strata of oil-and gas or of either oil or gas. In this manner the slips may be set in a location where they will be ilrmly held in place yet easily removed; whereas. packing element I 0 may be set 4 in an irregularly formed hole which while practical for packing. would not be practical as a seat for the slips.

Having Ythus described my invention. what I elegir; as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten l. In a packer for oil and gas wells, an exy pansible packing element mounted on a tubular body, a slip assembly mounted above said packing element comprising a slip expander. a cylindrical slip anchor threadedly engaged to the inner of member 24 is moved up into contact with cou- 75 a pair of sleeves for limited vertical movement,

means on said cylindrical slip anchor to prevent rotation and means on the inner of said sleeves to cause rotation whereby the relative vertical relationship of said sleeves may be changed from an active position to any inactive position. 2. A slip assembly for anchoring a well tubing comprising a slip expander, multiple slips, a slip actuator comprising an outer internally threaded tubular member and an inner externally threaded tubular member cci-actively engaged therewith for limited relative vertical movement, means for restraining ,movement of the outer tubular member during rotation of the .inner tubular member whereby their relative vertical positions may be altered to change said slip actuator froma position of activity to a position of non-activity.

3. In combination with a slip assembly as claimed in claim 2, a sediment cup for collecting debris falling from above said slip assembly.

4. In a slip assembly for well tubing, multiplev slips mounted on an expander and connected to the outer of a pair of telescopic sleeves threadedly engaged together and mounted on said tubing for limited vertical movement, means for rotating the inner sleeve, and wiper springs carried by the outer sleeve for restraining the rotation thereof whereby said sleeves are relatively repositioned from an active to an inactive position.

5. In an anchoring assembly for welltubing,

multiple slips mounted on an expander and connected to an internally threaded sleeve restrained against rotative movement in the well bore; said internally threaded sleeve being threadedly engaged with a. second sleeve mounted on the well tubing for limited vertical movement and positive rotative movement therewith whereby rotation of the tubing moves the two sleeves from a position of vertical activity to a position of nonvertical activity.

6. In a packer for oil and gas wells, an expansi. ble packing element, a slip assembly above said packing element and which includes slips and a slip expander; a pair of telescopically arranged tubular members above the assembly and provided with interengaging means for changing their relative longitudinal position by relative rotation thereof, means for holding the outer of said tubular members against rotation and means for rotating the inner tubular member.

7. In a packer for oil and gas wells, an expansible packing element, a slip assembly mounted above said packing element and including slips and a slip expander; a pair of telescopically arranged tubular members having interengaging threads, means connecting the outer tubular member to said slips, means for rotating the inner of said members and.l means for resisting the rotation of the outer of said members.

` 8. In a packer 'for oil and gas wells, anexpansible packing element mounted on a. tubular body,

a slip assembly above said packing element and including'slips and a slip expander; a. tube section aligned with said tubular body,'means wnstructed and arranged to hold. said body and tubesections together against lengthwise separation but to permit relative rotation thereof, a .pair of telescopically a1 :anged tubular members surrounding said tube section and provided with inte'rengaging threads for changing their relative longitudinal position by relative rotation thereof, means for holding the outer of said tubular members against rotation and means for rotating the inner tubular member.

9. In a gas and oil well packer of the type having an expansible packing elementmounted on a tubular body and a slip assembly above said element and in which the slips of said assembly aremoved to operative position and the packing element expanded by an upward thrust exerted on said tubular body; the combination with said slip assembly of means for positively moving' its slips from operative'to inoperative position, and which includes outer and inner threadedly 4engaged tubular members, means connecting the l body and which is of such construction as to cause said body and tube section to move together vertically butwhich permits relative rotation therebetween, and means ,for restraining movement of the outer tubular member during rotation of the inner tubular member by said section of tubing whereby the relative vertical positions of said tubular members may be altered. 10. In a gas and oil well packer of the type having an expansible packing element mounted on a tubular body and a slip assembly above said element, and in which the slips of said assembly are moved to operative position and the packing element expanded by an upward thrust exerted on said tubular body; the combination with said slip assembly of means for positively moving its slips from operative to inoperative position and which includes outer and inner threadedly engaged tubular members, means connecting the outer of said members to said slipameans lfor. rotating the inner o! said members and FERDINAND J. SPANG.

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