US2384534A - Explosive dump shell - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 11, 1945.

O. E. CHENOWETH EI'AL EXPLOSIVE DUMP SHELL Filed July 23, 1941 2 Shgets-Sheet l 7 05002 15. Chezzoweliz Paul FLewzs INVENTORS ATI'OR'NEY Sept. 11, 1945.

O. E CHENOWETH ET AL EXPLOSIVE DUMP SHELL Filed July 23, 1941 2 Shgets-Sheet 2 Oscaz EChenowelfz Paul FLewz's INVENTORS ATTORNEY yatente Sept. ii, 194

( scar E. Chenoweth,.Borger, Ten, and Paul F. Lewis, Eulsa, Okla, assignors to E. L du Pont de Nemours & Company, ngton, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application July 23, 1941, Serial No.403,670

2 Claims.

shell, closure and dumping mechanism having improved features that prevent leakage and that facilitate charging, discharging and recharging the shell positively and expeditiously without loss of any of the metallic or other parts of the operating mechanism of the shell.

Various forms of shells for this and other purposes have been suggested but they have had the disadvantage of either including obstructing elements which prevent or delay the charging, discharging or recharging of the shell with the explosive material, or the disadvantage of permitting the loss of the closure means, tiller rope or wire used in lieu thereof, and lower link mechanism, or other parts secured to the closure means. Apart from the expense of such intentional loss, these elements when allowed to remain in the well in the presence of explosives constitute dangerously objectionablev obstructions to further loading, or to drilling and bailing operations.

According to our invention these disadvantages are overcome by a new flexibly linked combination of elements inseparably secured together for operative purpose so as to prevent leakage and the loss of parts, heretofore inherent in the formsof shells in use, and which at the same time permit charging, discharging and recharging of the shells, readily with a minimum of hazard.

An important object of this invention therefore is to provide a container having a tight, self-seating closure means at the bottom, which, ogether with its supporting elements, does not obstruct charging or discharge of the explosive contents of the shell, and which will at the same time be held positively in operative position during lowering or raising of the shell in the well until the release mechanism is caused to function at the will of the operator.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a hook and link'mechanism that will be positive and certain in its action of operating the closure means.

These objects are accomplished by the following invention, various embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and 1 partly in vertical section, of one embodiment of our improved explosive shell with its novel form broken away and the elements of the device being shown in the relations they occupy when the shell is ready to be loaded.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 bu1;showing the positions assumed by the various parts when the shell is lowered to the desired level in the well and the explosive or other material is being discharged therefrom.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of hook and link mechanism in conjunction with the same type of closure shown in Figures 1, 2 and '7.

Figure 6 shows a still further modifiedformof hook and link mechanism, whil Figure -7 is an enlarged detail view of the closure means shown in Figures 1 and 2, and also employed with Figures 3, 4 and 5.

In the form shown in Figure 1 the tiller rope I for opening and closing the dart or drop bottom L of the shell B is secured at its upper end to a drop link H which engages a novel form of internally notched hook N, supported in opera-v tive position by a latch rod F. This latch rod F is held in vertical position by bearing G thru which the rod is free to move vertically'within certain limits depending upon the length of the rod and the tension on the lowering cable. In operation, when the shell is lowered to the bottom of the well A, (Fig. 2) and the tension'on the lowering cable is released, the latch rod moves downward slightly to permit the drop link H to follow the track of the internally notched hook. A slight pull on the lowering cable will then cause the drop link H to follow the track to the lowest point because of the hydraulic pressure of well fluids or of the weight of the explosive or other material supported on the closure dart L. The explosive charge or other material is then and 5 double links HH and'H' are, provided, to-

or torpedo hook and dumping 1 1kage,parts being gether :with a double notched tumbler hook secured to the latch rod F, to insure the dump or release mechanism'against operation during lowering of the charge, and at the same time to permit immediate discharge (dumping) of the explosive material when the shell has reached the bottom 01 or desired position in the well. This double notched tumbler hook engages the lower link H to hold the tiller rope tight and the dart L in closed position. This tumbler hook is also provided with notches in such ofiset relation to the vertical axis of the hook that when the operator .slackens tension on the lowering cable the weighted portion or upper part of the hook tends to tumble or rotate, thereby releasing the link H from the upper notch. Then, by slightly raising and lowering tension on the lowering cable the hook is caused to tumble or rotate in the opposite direction, thus completely releasing link H from the hook N which then remains suspended in an inverted position, thereby preventing it from re-engaging the linkage.

It will be seen from the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 that the tiller rope, the linkages, and closure means operate quickly to permit charging, discharging and recharging of the explosive and at the same time are secured to the latch rod in a manner that prevents their loss.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a dump shell which is adapted for wide usage in this art, and which when lowered into a well releases its charge of material positively and without the disadvantages of prior devices intended for similar purposes.

We claim:

1. A dump shell for placing an explosive charge in a vertical bore hole by means of a lowering cable under tension, comprising a shell or casing for containing the explosive charge, closure means for the discharge end of the shell constructed to open outwardly, means for suspending said closure from a point within the container comprising a substantially flexible means secured to the closure means, a bail or bracket secured to the charging end of the shell, mechanism interposed between the lowering cable and said flexi-ble means comprising an internally notched hook having a closed. track and a drop link engaging said flexible means and. operating in the closed track for supporting the closure at a multiplicity of points, and means supported by the bail or bracket to control the movement or: the link from an upper suspension point to a lower suspension point within the track to release the explosive material from the container upon release of tension on the lowering cable.

2. A dump shell for placing an explosive charge in a vertical bore hole by means of a lowering cable under tension, comprising a shell or casing for containing the explosive charge, closure means for the discharge end of the shell constructed to open outwardly, means for suspending said closure from a point within the container comprising a substantially flexible means secured to the closure means, a bail or bracket secured to the charging end of the shell, mechanism inseparably

Images