US2382770A - Setting tool for bridging plugs - Google Patents

Description

All@ M 3945 D. E. BATCHELDER I 2,382,770

. SETTING TOOL FOR BRIDGING PLUGS Filed March 5, 1942' @a Y ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1945 2,382,770 l s' SETG TOOL FOR BREGING PLUGS liiean E. Batchelder, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner te Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application Marcil 3, 1942, Serial No. 433,128

My invention relates to setting tools for bridging plugs: that is, to devices adapted to lower bridging plugsor other well tools into a well, manipulate the tool to secure it in the well bore and then disengage therefrom. Among the objects oi my invention are:

First, to provide a setting tool which is adapted to be suspended from a cable so that both the setting tool and the well device may be lowered thereby; Y

Second, to provide a setting tool which utilizes a novel compound block or block and tackle arrangement for multiplying the setting force applied to the bridging plug, so that a multiple of the force applied to the supporting cable is made available to set the well device;V

Third, to provide a setting tool which incorporates a precompressed spring so arranged that upon release the parts of the well tool are moved into preliminary contact with the walls of the well bore or well casing, whereby tension may be applied to the cable to actuate the block and tackle and thereby further set or secure the Well device; e Fourth, to, provide spring and block and tackle instrumentalities which are so arranged that no `operation of the block and tackle need take place until all free movement of the'well device required to place the parts in operative engagement has taken place, so that the relative movement of movement a large number of pulley wheels may be employed to provide a maximum mechanical advantage; and

Fifth, to provide a setting tool which incorporates a novelreleasing means adapted to be actuated by an explosive charge.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my setting tool shown attached to a bridging plug suspended from a cable in order to be lowered into a well born;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of my setting tool after it has operated and isv detached from the bridging plug;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional vview of my setting tool taken through 3 3 of Figure 1, indicating fragmentarily the parts of the bridgingplug to winch the setting tool is attached;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal secthrough 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figures 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views taken through 5-5 and 66, respectively, of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken through 'I-'I of Figure 3. My setting tool is particularly designed for setting or securing a Abridging plug within a well bore, but of course may be-utilized with any other well tool which is operated by moving two parts relative to each other'a limited distance. For purposes of illustration my setting tool is shown in conjunction with a bridging plug I such as the type shown in the Quintrell Patent No. 2,249,- 171 issued July 15, 1941. The bridging plug includes a mandrel 2, the upper end of which is shown in Figure 3, on which is assembled a packing element 3, slip expanders 4 and two sets of slips 5. A sleeve 6 bears downwardly on the upper set of slips and the lower end of the mandrel terminates in a head so that by pulling upwardly on the mandrel and pressing downwardly on they sleeve the bridging plug may be set in a well casing.

My setting tool, designated generally by II, comprises a tool body which, as shown, includes an end member I2, a shell I3 and a sleeve 21.

The end member I2 is tubular and counterbored Y to fit over vthe upper end of the sleeve 6. The upper end of the end member I2 is externally threaded for attachment to a. shell I3. Housed within the shell I3 and longitudinally slidable therein is a compound block system comprising a lower or travelling pulley block I4 and upper or anchor pulley block .|5. The lower block is provided with a stem I6 which extends downwardly and is attached to the upper end of the mandrel 2 of the bridging plug by a shear pin I'I. The

blocks I4 and I5 are each provided with a series` .of pulleys I8, around which is wrapped a wire line or flexible tension member preferably in the form of a steel tape I3. The pulleys are graduated in size as shown so that several may be provided in each block arranged in tandem. The blocks may be formed of cylindrical bars, the confronting ends of which are slotted longitudinally', that is, bifurcated to receive and journal the several pulleys. The pulleys have iiat 4pelxiplling means to an anchor bar 24, carried by the block I5, while the free end passes over an idler pulley Isa and through a central bore in the upper block I to a pull bar 2I. 'Ihe lower end of the pull bar 2| is provided with a clamp 22 adapted to receive and secure the free end of the tape I9.

The upper end of the shell I3 is provided with upwardly facing internal wickers 23. The upper block I5 is provided with splitV catch rings 24 which are beveled on the outer surfaces at angles adapted to t those of the inner surfaces of the wickers. These rings are carried in the block I5 in annular channels under radial compression and are thus adapted to expand into and interlock with the wickers 23 upon upward movement of the block I5 to form a one-way clutch so that the upper block I5 may move upwardly with respect to the shell I3 as hereinafter described. but is locked against relative downward movement.

The upper pulley block I5 is provided with a` shoulder 25 so that its upper portion forms a snug sliding fit in the shell I3, while its lower portion is reduced in diameter. fIhe lower block is equal in diameter to the reduced Portion of the upper block so as to slide in the end member I2 and define with the shell I3 an annular space. Between the shoulder 25 and the upper internal end of the end member I2 is mounted a helical l spring 26. Initially, as illustrated in Figure 3, the spring 26 is under compression and tends to raise both the upper block I5 and lower block I4 asa unit, all without movement of the tape around the pulleys I8. I'his .tends to move the parts of the bridging plug from the position shown in Figure l to a partially collapsed or set position with the slips 5 and the packing element 3 in contact with a surrounding casing before the pull bar 2l moves away from the upper block. However, this motion is initially restrained by the pull bar 2| acting in compression between the block I5 and a locking arrangement fixed to the upper end oi the sleeve 21 as hereinafter described.

A sleeve 21 is attached to the upper end of the shell I3 and receives at its upper end a collar 26. The upper end of the pull bar 2I is provided with a head member 29, the upper end of which is ex` ternally threaded and forms a gun barrel 30. The gun barrel screws into a gun body 3I and defines therewith a cartridge chamber 32 which receives a cartridge 33. An electrical conductor 34 extends from the upper end of the body into the cartridge chamber 32 and the cartridge is provided with means (not shown) whereby it may be ignited electrically. The upper end of the gun body is attached to a cable head 36 which in turn is attached to a cable 31, which has a conductorI (not shown) for connection with the conductor 34.

The gun barrel 30 is provided with a bore which receives the stem 38 of a keeper member 39. Below the gun bore in the gun barrel 30 the head member 29 is counterbored, as indicated at 40, and the lower end of the keeper 39 is provided with a conical head 4I. The collar 23 and head member 29 are provided with key holes 42 and 43, respectively, which register as shown in Figures 4 and 5 and receive key balls 44. The head 4I of the keeper is initially so positioned that the key balls are mainly within the key holes 43 and extend only partially into the key holes 42 of the collar 26, so that the collar and head member are initially locked together. When the keeper is moved downwardly the balls are permitted to move inwardly far enough to clear the holes 42 and thus to free the head member 29 and bar 2l for longitudinal movement within the collar 25. Set screws 45 in the key holes 42 prevent the balls from falling outwardly. The keeper 39 is secured at its upper end to a shear disk 46 which is clamped between the end of the gun barrel and the gun body. 'I'he shear disk initially holds the keeper in its upper position, but upon ignition of the cartridge it is ruptured and the explosive force drives the keeper downwardly. In order to minimize the resistance oiered by liquid, should the setting tool be submerged when in operation, slots 41 are provided along the counterbore 40.

The operation of my setting tool is as follows: The bridging plug I andthe setting tool II are initially assembled as shown in Figure 1. In this initially assembled condition the spring 26 extending between the upper end of end member I2 and the shoulder 25 of the block I5 is fully compressed and held in this fully compressed condition by the pull bar 2| which initially functions as a compression strut between the block I5 and the collar 28 fixed to the upper end of the sleeve 21. Thus the compressive force of the spring 26 is opposed by compressive stress carried through the pull bar 2I, which force is in turn resisted by equal tensile stress in the sleeves 21 and I3.

After the bridging plug I and the setting tool II have been lowered to the desired position in the bore hole where it is to be set, the explosive cartridge 33 is then red by an electrical current conducted to it through the insulated conductor 34 as beforedescribe'd. The resultant discharge of the cartridge 33 ruptures the disk 46 at the point of attachment of the keeper stem 38, allow- 40 ing the keeper 39, together with the conical head 4I, to be driven downwardly within the slotted head member 29. The conical head 4I is thus carried downward out of contact with the key balls 44, thereby releasing said key balls for inward movement through the holes 43 in the head member 29 to positions clearing the adjacent key holes 42 in the collar 28. .The head member 29 and the bar 2I are thus freed for upward movement through the collar 28. The bar 2I thus being freed for upward movement, its restraint upon block I5 is thereby removed and the spring 26 is then able to force the two traveling blocks I4 and I5 upward together as a unit, within the shell I3, with the result that relative longitudinal motion is thus imparted between the shell I3 and the stem I5. This relative longitudinal motion results, in effect, in the transference of the spring force downward through the shell I3, end member I2 and sleeve 6 to the upper ends of the upper slips 5, and equal force upward on the lower ends of the lower slips 5 through the mandrel 2, shear pin I1'and stem I6. This initial upward motion imparted to the blocks I4 and I5 by means of the spring 25 is at the same time suiilcient to bring the rings 24 in block I5 into locking engagement with the wickers 23 in the upper end portion of the shell I3. The block I5 is thus looked in the shell I3 against subsequent downward motion.

The spring 26 is made sumciently strong in applying pressure to the upper a'nd lower ends oi' the slips 5, as before described, to force the slips outwardly'along the slip expanders 4 into contact with the surrounding casing, and to axially compress the packing element 3 slightly to thereby effect a preliminary engagement between the bridging plug I and the well casing.

After the bridging plug has been placed in preliminary engagement with the well casing, as before described, with sufhcient firmness to hold the bridging plug in place against upward movement and the block i has been moved upward into locked engagement with the wickers 23, tension is then applied to cable 31 which is attached to th'e cable head 36, such tension being suillcient to lift the cable head 36 and gun body 3| oil? the upper end of the collar 28, and thus to impart upward motion through the attached gun body 3|, gun.

barrel 30, head member 29, pull bar 2|, and clamp 22 to the upper end of the flexible tension member or line I9. In thus imparting upward motion to the pull bar 2| the lower end thereof is moved upwardly from the block I5 and the flexible tension member i9 is thus withdrawn from the compound block over the idler pulley |8a to forcefully draw the lower traveling pulley block I4 upward toward the anchored upper anch'or pulley block I5. The force thus applied between the blocks I4 and i5 of the compound block is respectively transmitted to the packer in tension from traveling block Id through the stem I6, shear pin il and mandrel 2 to the lower set of slips 5, and in equal compression from the anchor block I5 through' the Wickers 23, shell I3, end member I2 and sleeve 6 to the upper set of slips 5. Upward travel of the cable 31 is continued until the tension transmitted through the stem I6 and mandrel 2 from the compound block to the bridging plug is greater than the shear strength of the shear pin I1. Th'e strength of the shear pin il is made such that before shearing, sulcient force may be applied to the elements of the bridging plug from the compound block to effect complete and final setting thereof in place in the well bore.

Upon shearing of the pin the stem I6 is thereby detached from the mandrel 2 and th'e compound block |4|5 and its enclosing shell I3, together with the sleeve 27 and all the associated mechanism above the sleeve 6 is then free to be detached from and lifted ofi. of the shell 6 by continued upward motion of the cable 37.

Alt-hough not essential, it is preferred that the pull bar 2| and the sleeve 21 `withinrwhich it is slidably housed be made sufilciently long that throughout the range of its motion required for complete operation of the setting tool the pull bar remains within the sleeve 2l. In order to remove any load on the flexible tension membeg` I9 when ilnally pulling th'e setting tool from the well bore after shearing the pin i?, a small shoulder 48 may be provided at the lower end of the pull bar adapted to make contact with the interior of the collar 28 at the upper extremity of its upward motion therein. The collar 28, for this purpose, may

have an internal diameter slightly smaller than the sleeve 21 to engage the shoulder 48 and stop the outward movement'of the pull bar.

A particular advantage of the apparatus of this invention resides in the fact that by reason oi the plurality'of pulleys comprising the compound l block, it is possible to exert a setting force on the bridging plug equal to several times the stress that can be taken on the cable 31. Another obvious advantage of the apparatus of this invention resides Ain its being lowered into the bore j hole and operated by means of a cable, thus obviating the necessity of employing casing and tubing in connection with the bridging plug setting operation.

While a bridging plug is illustrated as the device flexible tension member to cause relative displace of th'e well device are brought into preliminary operative contact with the well casing, after which a final forceful movement of these elements is required for completion of the operation, may be operated by my setting tool.

I claim:

1. A setting tool for Well devices having elements requiring forceful displacement relative to one another for effecting operation Within a well bore, said tool comprising a tool body, a compound block system having an anchor block and an oppositely positioned traveling block, means for operatively connecting and transmitting displacement of said traveling block to one of said well device elements, means between said anchor block and said tool body for transmitting any displacement of said anchor block toward said traveling block through said tool body to the other of said well device elements, a flexible tension member passing around and extending between pulleys on said blocks, the dead end of said tension member being anchored to said tool, a cable connected to the free end of said tension member, releasable means associated with. said tool body to initially restrain said cable and said free end of said tension member from movement with respect to said tool body, and means for releasing said restraining means while said tool is in a well -bore whereby tension in said cable may be operatively applied through' said flexible tension member to cause relative ment of said blocks.

2. A setting tool as defined by claim 1, in which said means for operatively connecting and transmitting displacement of said traveling block to one of said well device elements includes a member releasable upon application of a predeter mined maximum force therethrough. f

3. A setting tool for well devices having elements requiring forceful displacement relative to one another for effecting operation within a well bore, said tool comprising a tool body, a compound block system having an anchor block and an oppositely positioned Vtraveling block, means for operatively connecting and transmitting displacement of said traveling block to one of said and said free end of said tension member from,

movement with respect to` said tool body, and means for releasing said restraining means while said tool is in a well bore whereby tension in said cable may be operatively applied through said ment of said blocks.

4. A setting tool for well devices having elements requiring forceful displacement relative to one another for effecting operation within a well bore, said tool comprising a tool body, a compound block system having an anchor block and an oppositely positioned traveling block, means for operatively connecting and transmitting disdisplace-` free end of said tension member from movement with respect to said tool body, and means for releasing said restraining means while said tool is in a well bore whereby tension in said cable may be operatively applied through said flexible tension member `to cause relative displacement of said blocks.

5. A setting tool as defined by claim 4, in which said means for operatively connecting and transmitting displacement of said traveling bloc to one of said well device elements includes a m ber releasable upon application o1' a predetermined maximum torce therethrough.

DEAN E. BATCHELD

Images