US2415608A

US2415608A - Hydrostatic bailer for wells

Info

Publication number: US2415608A
Application number: US541003A
Authority: US
Inventors: James J Santiago
Original assignee: Grant Oil Tool Co
Current assignee: Grant Oil Tool Co
Priority date: 1944-06-19
Filing date: 1944-06-19
Publication date: 1947-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 1964-02-11

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb- M, w47' J. J. sANTiAGo HYDROSTATIC BAILER FOR WELLS Filed June 19, 1944 Feb. 11,

J. J. SANTiAGO HYDROSTATIC BAILER FOR WELLS Filed June 19. 1944 ZSheets-Sneet 2 ATTOR N EY.

Patented Feb. 11, 1947 HYDROSTATIC BAILER FR WELLS J ames J. Santiago, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Grant Oil Tool Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application .l une 19, 1941i, Serial No. 541,003

Claims. l

This invention has to do with improvements in hydrostatic well bailers of the general type comprising a body section containing a normally closed charge receiving chamber, and a relatively vertically movable mandrel section operable to open the chamber for reception of a well fluid charge and to retain the charge in the chamber until such time as it may subsequently be removed at the ground surface.

One primary object of the invention is to provide in the body section of the bailer a dump port adapted to be opened and closed by the mandrel section in a manner such that upon reception of the charge into the chamber, the mandrel section retains the charge therein, the mandrel subsequently being movable to place the chamber in communication with the port to permit dumping of the charge. Preferably, the mandrel normally is releasably held in raised position vwithin the body and inY closing relation to the dump port, and as the bailer is bottomed in the hole the charge is taken upwardly through the mandrel into the chamber and retained therein, as by a valve preventing downward flow of the charge through the mandrel. After removal of the bailer from the well, the holding means is released permitting the mandrelV section to move downwardly within the body to a position at which the dump port is placed in communication with the charge-receiving chamber.

Another feature and object of the invention is to provide in the movable mandrel section a closure normally sealing the chamber against entry of the well fluid and adapted to be opened as an incident oi engagement of the bailer with the bottom of the well. For this purpose the mandrel may contain a closure element, such as a frangible disc, and may include relatively vertically movable sections so related to the disc that the latter is broken as a result of relative verticalmovement of the mandrel sections at the charge receiving location of the well.

A further object of the invention is to locate the closure element or disc in the mandrel vsection at a location below the dump port and below the mandrel-carried section valve so Ythat the chamberis closed against escape of the charge both through the mandrel and dump port, at 1ocations above the location at which the chamber normally is sealed 'against iluid entry.

All the various objects and details of the invention will be understood to better advantage from the'iollowing description of certain typi- ,cal and illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings; in which:

Figs. 1 and la are vertically continuing sectional views showing one form of the invention with the mandrel in raised position toclose the dump port;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the mandrel lowered to open the dump port;

Figs. 3 and 3a, are vertically continuing sectional views illustrating a variational form of the invention; and

Fig. l is a fragmentary section showingthe mandrel in lowered position within the body.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 1a, the bailermay be regarded generally as comprising a body section it and a relatively vertically movable mandrei section Ii, itself including relatively vertically movable sections lla and 11b. The body ld comprises a tubular section I2 containing the charge receiving chamber I3 and of sufficient length to accommodate a chamber of the desired volume. As will be understood without necessity for speciiic illustration, section l2 may have a closed upper end connected to a suitable suspension means, such as a cable on which the bailer is run into and out of the well. The lower end of section i2 is connected by threaded joint it with a coupling or sub I5 which in turn is threaded at i6 into the upper end of a tubular barrel il containing one or more dump ports I8. The upper mandrel section Ila includes a tube i9 having suitable clearance at 20 within the lower end of the barrel Il, and connected at 2i with a head 22 having sliding and substantially sealing engagement with the inside 23 of the barrel. The upper end of tube `IS carries an apertured cage 2li containing a check valve 25 which prevents downward fluid flow from the chamber I3 through the mandrel bore 26.

Normally, the flow of well fluid upwardly through the mandrel into the chamber is prevented by a closure, generally indicated at 21, carried by the mandrel section lia, which closure may be of any suitable type and form adapted to be opened by relative upward movement of the lower mandrel section Hb, as later eX- plained. Preferably, the closure 21 consists oa frangible disc 23 clamped between the lower end portion isa of the tube i9 and an internal shoulder 2S on a coupling 3i) having a threaded- Connection 3i with the tube.

The lower'mandrel section Hb consists of a tubular disc breaker 32 normally supported on a pin 33 terminating in the coupling 30 and eX- tending through elongated slots 34 in the tube 32. The latter may carry longitudinally extending surface projections 35 engaging the bore of the coupling 30. To the lower end of the disc breaker tube is attached at 36 a nose 3l carrying a rotatably adjustable metering ring 38 of the usual type containing openings 39 adapted to be adjusted with relation to openings 0 to regulate the size of the passages through which well fluid may be taken in through the openings to dilute or lubricate the charge of well fluid, sand, cuttings and the like, displaced upwardly from the bottom of bore 42 through the mandrel assembly into the chamber I3.

While the bailer is being run'into and .out of the well, the mandrel section H is releasably retained in the raised position of Figs. l and la by a holding means which may be of any suitable type capable of release to drop the mandrel when the charge is to be dumped. Merely as illustrative, such holding means, generally indicated at 43, may comprise a ring 4d surrounding the tube I9 and having an upwardly extending arm 45 projecting within recesses 46 in the barrel l1 and resting upon surface 41 to support the ring. The latter carries a lock washer 43 and the ring and washer assembly normally is maintained in the inclined posi-tion illustrated, by a spring 49 pressing downwardly against the washer so that its sharp inner edge at 59 engages against and holds the mandrel against downward movement..

full charge is received, valve 25 seats to retain the charge and the bailer is removed from the well. When at the ground surface, the charge may vbe dumped simply by pressing ring 44 and the look washer 48 upward against the resistance of spring 49, permitting the mandrel to drop to s vthe position of Fig. 2 in which the head 22 has uncovered the dump port i8 to allow the charge vto flow out from the chamber I3.

jIn the form of the invention Shown in Figs. ,3, 3a and e, the body section 53 comprises a barrel v54! connected at 55 to a coupling 56 corresponding to the sub l5 in Fig. l. As illustrated, the barrel contains upper and lower openings or ports '51 and 5,8, the lformer of which normally is closed against iiuid escape from the charge receiving chamber 59.

The mandrel section Si) comprises a tube 6l carrying a sleeve S2 closely engaging the bore 63 of the bailer. IAbove tube 5I is a head E4 containing bore B5 and a check valve 66 seated by .coil spring 6'! contained within a spider or apertured plug 68 threaded into the upper end of the head. Frangble 4disc 63 is clamped between the head 54 and the upper end of tube 6I, and the ,ahead normally is maintained in engagement with the coupling shoulder 1l), by taking up a releasable, threaded connection at H between the tube and the lower end portion of the barrel 5d. The upper mandrel section 68 also includes a coupling 12 threaded at v'i3 on the lower end of tube 6l as shown in Fig. 3a. The lower mandrel section 14 comprises a tube 'l5 movable vertically within the coupling I2 and normally supported in the .depending position of Fig. .4 by engage'- ment of the head I6 with the internal coupling shoulder TI. Coupling 18 connects the lower end of tube I5 with the tubular nose 'I9 carrying the adjustable metering ring 811. The disc breaker Si integrally attached to the tube 15 as by spider webs 82, projects upwardly within tube 6| and has a sharp end portion 83 to be engaged by the disc B9.

The tool is run into the wel-1 with the upper mandrel section EB in the position of Fig. 3 and the lower mandrel section 14 supported on coupling 12 in the position of Fig. 4. After the nose 'F9 bottoms in the hole, the disc 69 is impacted down against the head 83 of the breaker, whereby the disc is ruptured and the'- charge is taken upwardly through the mandrel, past check valve 53 into the chamber 5S. After removal of the bailer from the well, the connection at 'Il is unscrewed, permitting the mandrel section 60 to drop down to the position of Fig. 4, at which the head 64 is brought below opening 51 to permit the chamber contents to discharge therethrough.

For the purpose of inserting a new disc 69 in place, the head 64 may be held in the position of Fig. 3 by insertion of a tool through opening 84 into recess 85, and tube 6I fully dropped to allow the disc to be inserted through opening 5.5. Thereafter, the connection at 1| may be taken up to restore the parts to the position of Fig. 1 for the next run.

I claim:

1. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body to open and close said port, valve means carried by said mandrel for preventing downward flow of fluid therethrough, a closure carried by the mandrel below said valve to normally prevent upward ow of well fluid through the mandrel into said chamber, and means for opening said closure.

2. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a, charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a tubular ymandrel movable vertically within the body to open and ,close said port, Valve means carried by said mandrel for preventing downward .flow of fluid therethrough, a closure `carried by the mandrel below said valve to normally prevent upward flow of well uid through the mandrel into said chamber, means for opening said closure, and means for releasably holding the mandrel in its port closing position.

3. A hydrostatic well bailer `comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body to open and close said port, valve means carried by said mandrel for preventing downward -flow of fluid therethrough, a disc carried by the mandrel below said valve to normally prevent upward flow of well fluid into said chamber, means for breaking said disc, and means :for -releasably holding the mandrel in its port-closing position.

4. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said cham. ber, a depending tubular mandrel having a head movable vertically within the body to open and close said port, a. check valve carried by the mandrel to prevent downward flow of fluid therethrough from the chamber, a disc carried by the mandrel below said valve for preventing upward flow of fluid therethrough into the chamber,

means normally and releasably holding said mandrel in its port closing position, and a tubular disc breaker carried by said mandrel and movable upwardly relative thereto to break said disc.

5. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a depending tubular mandrel having a head movable vertically within the body to open and close said port, a check valve carried by the mandrel to prevent downward ow of iluid therethrough from the chamber, a disc carried by the mandrel below said valve for preventing upward flow of fluid therethrough into the chamber, means normally and releasably holding said mandrel in its port closing position, and a tubular disc breaker depending below the mandrel and movable upwardly therein to break said disc and permit the ow of well fluid through the disc breake and mandrel into said chamber.

6. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a depending tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body to open and close said port, valve means carried by the mandrel for preventing downward fluid flow through the mandrel, a closure in the mandrel below said Valve means for normally preventing upward flow of well iiuid through the mandrel into said chamber, and means below said valve means and closure operable independently of the valve to open said closure and permit such flow by virtue of downward movement of the bailer after the mandrel has engaged the bottom of the well.

7. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a depending tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body to open and close said port, a closure in the mandrel normally preventing upward iow of well uid into said chamber, said mandrel having a bore above said closure to pass well fluid upwardly into the chamber when said closure is opened, a valve carried by the mandrel above said closure for preventing downward iiow of said fluid through the mandrel, means below said bore operable independently of the valve to open said closure and permit such flow by virtue of downward movement of the bailer after the mandrel has engaged the bottom of the well, and means for releasably holding the mandrel in its port closing position.

8. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a tubular mandrel movable vertically within 6 the body to open and close said port, valve means carried by the mandrel for preventing downward iow of iluid through the mandrel, a closure carried by the mandrel and normally positioned below said port to prevent upward flow of well fluid into said chamber, said mandrel having a bore above said closure to pass well fluid upwardly into the chamber when said closure is opened, and means below said bore operable independently of the valve to open said closure and permit such ow through the mandrel by virtue of downward movement of the bailer after the mandrel has engaged the bottom of the well.

9. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a depending tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body to open and close said port, a disc carried by said mandrel and normally preventing upward flow of well fluid through the mandrel into the chamber, a check valve carried by the mandrel above the disc to prevent downward fluid flow through the mandrel, means below the disc and valve for breaking said disc to permit such upward fluid flow into the chamber, and means for releasably holding the mandrel in its port closing position.

10. A hydrostatic well bailer comprising a body containing a charge-receiving chamber and having a dump port communicable with said chamber, a tubular mandrel movable vertically within the body and comprising an upper tubular section and a lower tubular section slideably connected together, said lower section depending below the lower end of said upper section, said mandrel normally closing said port and being movable to open the port and permit fluid discharge therethrough from the chamber, a check valve carried by said upper section to prevent downward flow of uid therethrough from the chamber, and a disc carried bysaid upper mandrel section below said valve to normally prevent upward flow of well uid therethrough into said chamber, said lower section when bottomed in the well being directly engageable with said disc to break the disc when the bailer is further lowered after said lower section has bottomed.

JAMES J. SANTIAGO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,214,350 Santiago Sept. 10, 1940 2,059,629 Erwin et al Nov. 3, 1936 2,098,520 Santiago Nov. 9, 1937