US2345836A - Trip tube - Google Patents

Description

pil 4, 1944. Y J, F SHAW l 2,345,836

l l TRIP TUBE Filed July 24, 1942 I |/g :g:

JQ; il f Ja l; g' J /0- J I I Patentecl Apr. 4, 1944 TRIP TUBE.

John F. Shaw, Houstom Tex., assignor to Reed Roller Bit Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application July 24, 1942,` Serial No. 452,166

Z Claims.

This invention relates to an overshot release actuating device.

In the removal of various. tools and instruments from wellsv or the like, and also at times for placing them thereinv it is. customary to use an overshot which has jaws for gripping a portion of the tool or equipment and` which is provided with means adapted. to. be actuated to release the engagement of the jaws with the tool or equipment after it has been properly placed in position. To effect actuation of the release mechanism when desired for any reason, it is customary to drop a tubular element down. along the cable which supports the overshot. Since the cable usually is wound about the drum of a hoisting mechanism it is impossible to thread the end of the cable through the tube for actuating the overshotl release mechanism and consequently in the prior art devices the tube has been split into two component parts which are fastened together about the cable. Such tubes are usually fastened together with screws, bolts or otherl means and the' jobof assembling the two parts of the tube forming the overshot release actuating device is somewhat tedious and diflicult.

The major object of the present invention is to provide an overshot actuating tube which is free from the disadvantages of the prior art as pointed out above.

It is another object of this invention to provide an overshot actuating tube which can be easily and quickly assembled on a cable to be dropped down along the same into actuating position.

With these and other objects in View which will appear more fully hereinafter in connection with the description of the invention and the illustration of the same in the drawing, the in- Vention resides in the parts and combinations hereinafter described and illustrated.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of an overshot release actuating tube constructed in accordance with the present invention and positioned adjacent the cable on which the tube is to be assembled.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1 showing the overshot release actuating tube assembled on the cab-le and locked in position thereon.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an overshot in position in a well with the tube for actuating the releasemechanism of the overshot in a position just before engagemen with the release mechanism.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing there is shown a longitudinal sectional view of a Welll casing I into which is suspended by a cable 2, an overshot 3 having jaws 4 for engaging a spear head 5 of a drilling tool or other Well equipment 6. The jaws 4 yof the overshot are provided with release actu- 1- ating mechanism in the form of levers 'I forming extensions of the jaws 4.

ZThere is also shown in Fig. 4 a tube for actuating the release mechanism of the overshot, which tube is adapted to be assembled on the cable 2 and dropped down into the well along the'cable to a position whereby the lower end of the tube will engage the levers 'I and actuate the same to release the jaws 4 from the spear head 5 of the tool 6.

The present invention is directed to the construction of the tube which is dropped down into the Well along the cable 2 for actuating the release mechanism of the overshot. With reference to the structure of the tube, the latter comprises an elongated body part 8 having an open slot 9 extending longitudinally along one side thereof. This slot is of sufficient width to permit the cable 2 to be passed therethrough sothat the tube may be assembled on the cable as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. As illustrated, the ends I0 of the body 8 are reduced in diameter to provide portions on which end members I2 are mounted. The end members are secured in place by Welding or in any suitable manner and are preferably formed of some material that is harder and more resistant than the material of the body 8 so as to endure the bumps which are encountered by the ends of the structure. These end members are of dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the body 8 in diameter and are likewise formed with longitudinally extending slots I3 which are aligned With and form part of the slot 9 in the body 8.

It will be noted that the end members I2 are of reduced external diameter to form seats on which sleeves I4 are rotatably mounted. Each of the sleeves has an axially extending slot I5 formed in one side thereof of a width corresponding to that of the slots 9 and I3. A ring I 6 is mounted on the free end of each of the end members I2 and serves to retain the sleeves I4 in an assembled position. These rings may be maintained in place by welding or other suitable means and are provided with slotted por- I8 drop into the slots I5 as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

After the release mechanism actuating tube is secured on the cable 2 it is dropped into the Well in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4 and at the end of its stroke the lower end of said tube will en-gage the levers I of the overshot to cause the jaws 4 to release engagement with the head 5 of the tool.

From the foregoing description it will be ap- 1 v-preciated that the present invention provides a as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing the sleeves I4 are rotated so as to move the slots I5 therein y In order to maintain the sleeves I4 in a posi# tion in which theslots therein will be out .of

register with the slots in the end members I 2 the present invention provides lspring actuated means for entering the slots of the sleeves. Remote from the slotted portion 9 of the body member 8 and adjacent each end of said body member, the -body member and the adjacent end members I2 are provided with longitudinally extending recesses in which are mounted springs I8 riveted or otherwise secured by elements I9 to the body member 8. These Springs are ordinary leaf springs and are preferably of a width substantially corresponding to the width of the slotted portions I5 of the sleeves I4. It will be appreciated that when the sleeves I4 are rotated so that the slots I5 therein are directly beneath the springs I8 the latter Will snap into said slots and prevent the sleeves from being rotated back into a position in which the slots I5 are in register with the slots I3 of the end members I2.

In utilizing the structure according to the pres- Ithereof adjusted to the position in which the slots I5 are in register with the slots I3 of the end members and the slot 9 of the body members and the slots I'I of the rings I 6 is assembled on the cable. With the parts in this position, the cable 2 may be easily passed through said aligned longitudinally extending slots and then the sleeves I4 are rotated until the springs simple overshot release mechanism actuating tube which may be easily assembled on a cable along which it is to be dropped and which will be effectively secured on said cable against accidental removal from the same.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An overshot release comprising a tube having a slot therein to receive a cable-like element on which the tube is to be mounted, sleeve means rctatively mounted on the tube and having a slot to register` with the slot in the tube to enable mounting of the tube on the cable-like element and movable to a position wherein the slot in the sleeve means is out of register with 'that in the tube to retain the tube on the cable-like element, and spring actuated means for entering the slot in the sleeve means to latch the latter in retaining position.

2. In an apparatus for engaging tools and implements in wells and including a cable and an overshot suspended thereby and having releasable jaws, a trip tube adapted to be placed on said cable and dropped along the cable to trip the release of said jaws, said tube comprising a tubular body having an' open slot along one side thereof of sufficient Width to receive said cable, tubular end members of hardened material carried by the ends of said body and having longitudinal slots therein aligned With the slot in the body, a longitudinally slotted sleeve mounted on each end member and rotatable from a position in which its slot is in register with the slot in the end member, to permit placing of the tube on the cable, to a position in which the sleeve slot is out of register with the slot in the end member to close the latter slot, and leaf springs carried by the body remote from the slot therein for entering the slots in the sleeves when aligned with said springs to retain the sleeves in positions to close the slots in the end members. s

JOHN F. SHAW.

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