US2436994A

US2436994A - Sucker rod guide

Info

Publication number: US2436994A
Application number: US551039A
Authority: US
Inventors: J W Gillespie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-08-24
Filing date: 1944-08-24
Publication date: 1948-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 1965-03-02

Description

March 2, 1948.

J. W. GILLESPIE SUCKER RQD GUIDE Filed Aug. 24, 1944 INVENTOR.

JTw.Gu.LEsPu-:

arrozezvey Patented Mar. 2, 1948 UNITED 1 STATES aPATENT OFFICE SUCKER ROD GUIDE J W. Gillespie, Henderson, Tex. Application August 24, 1944, SerialNo. 551,039

clined or spiral so that the string of flexible rods extending into the well is inclined to rub against the tubing 01' pipe through which the oil is being pumped. In order to guide the rods and avoid wear on the tubing suitable guides are connected to the metal rods in orderto center the rods in the pipe or tubing while permitting the flow of oil past the guide.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a sucker rod guide which is made up of an integral block of wood or suitable material which is so grooved and slotted that it can be tilted laterally of the rod, applied thereto and then turned to a positionrooncentric with the rod so as to lock the guide against release so long as it is confined in substantial alignment with the rod. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a non-metallic sucker rod guide having a cross slot adjacent its middle which joins two diametrically opposite slots, one of which is at each end of the guide.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sucker rod guide'having a longitudinal slot extending inwardly from each end thereof where the slots are on opposite sides of the center and where the slots are joined by a transverse recess or groove adjacent the middle of the guide.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sucker rod guide which i's'arranged to be fitted laterally against the rod in an inclined position and then tilted into alignment with the rod to automaticallylock itself against removal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an integral one-piece sucker rod guide which requires no bolts, fittings or attachments and which automatically locks itself to the rod when placed in operating position, d

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one side of a sucker rod to which the guide has been applied and illustrates the locking portions to hold the guide in place. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the other side of the sucker rod guide.

6Claims. 303-4 I 2 Figs. 4 and are sectional views taken on the lines 4-4 and 5--5 of Figs. 1 and 3 respectively.

In Fig. 1 a sucker rod is illustrated at 2 and is usually of steel and may be 30 to 40 feet in length. The rod shown in approximately actual size.

This rod has a squared shank or section 3 thereon. by whichv a wrench or other tool may be applied in order to turn the rod and cause the threaded shank 4 to engage with the socket of the next adjacent rod. The flange 5 abuts against the end'of the socket to form a tight connection.

The [squared section 3 is defined by the enlarged or belied portion 1. I

'The sucker rod guide I 0 is shown as having been applied to the rod so that'the surface H thereof will form a guiding surface and slide on the inner surface of the tubing in which the rod is to reciprocate.

Heretofore various types of guides have been provided which were generally constructed of one or more parts which had to be fixed together about the rod to hold them in place. Considerable diificulty has been encountered with screws and bolts, clamps and other fittings for holding the parts of the guide together because due to' the shock and vibration and the passing stream of oil the guides soon became loosened and very often the parts were dropped into the well.

The present guide contemplates a single body member having no attachments, fittings, screws or bolts which can come loose or fall off. but where the guide can be automatically locked to the rod without any other attachments to either secure it or to thereafter hold it in place.

The drawings show that the guide I0 is made up of a cylindrical body I4 which may be of a suitable material such as hard wood and which has been turned in the form of a cylinder with the rounded ends l5 so that the periphery is merged with the flat end l6.

While it is stated that the guide may be made of hard wood, it seems obvious that it may be made of any suitable material or that it may be molded or cast of suitable materials or metals such as-brass, cast iron, or of non-metallic material. Hard wood or wood treated to harden it as with uric acid may be used.

The guide is of peculiar configuration in order to permit its attachment to the rod without the use 'ofother fittings.

The side view in Fig. 3 illustrates a transverse inclined groove 20 which is of a width somewhat greater than the diameter of the rod 2 and it will be noted that this groove is inclined at about 30 with the horizontal. This groove as seen in Figs. l and2 extends radially inward to the central ehtranceiorthe rod Z-a's best seen in Fig. 5; Theslot 22 may have the straight walls 24 and a beveled or flared entry 25.

somewhat similar slot or opening 23 "formed" therein Where the central opening .ZH'haES-JIUBBHL tilted and moved laterally to pass said inclined slot portion over the rod and the body then turned to pass the first two portions over the rod to locknthe guide to the rod so long as the guide is retained in a pipe, one of said slots being shaped to interfit a portion of the rod to hold the guide fixed on the rod.

2. A sucker rod guide comprising an integral ,body of material,:a slot along theaxis of the body, said-slot being'of an inverted bell shape to have a portion open out through the body for one half for the block, another portion open out through The upper end 21 of the guide body Mahasa ansopposite side for the other half of the body and having an inclined portion joining the tWo extended out through the side orthe body. The, Y

only difference between this upperbpening 2'3 and the lower opening 22 is that the upperhopening must be of a configuration to receive the squared portion"; and ttheiflared pe-rtion 7! which are apart .ofvthe-rodh 1 Ihis stnucturetislbestseen inflig. 1'. where the opening ;2I- .is' flared atim Lto receive; the ,flaredl ort on ii andsquared at .31 iltoireceivelthei square. portion. 3. Thiswslot may. be bevelednat 345 to permitthe.ready entryofltlieiparts;

In ,aotualt use the guide IDL will'sbeptiltedrat :the

same angle as the crosstgroove 2101 with respect. to the axis; of .the-suckerwrodw. .Itwillthenhe. moved-laterallyiagainshthetrod-so that the=gr.oove.

26 passes about the. rod.. The-body -isfthen .tilted so as to move it into axial alignmentiwithmherod to assume the-positions shown ;in, thesldrawings.

As this-tilting; movementoceursthe rodmoves" into the. grooves r22 and.-2=3.-andthe -.fit of the parts is such that kther application aorta-firm pressure will cause the tapered portions 3fl land-1wtonwedge together at tthe 'same timeiathat ithe squared portions :3 (and: :31 move'stogether. the tapereds portion-1 lit-huspfits into-an enlarged eircularrarea -duiinsidei of rthenhody. it seems tobvious that when: thevbody :is: turned; :about the, slotrzilrasthetcenterithat the: grooves 22! and-23. will: move =tot-iencloser-the iportions "of rthevrodz When-the; guide :is: thuseappliedriand the-shod: low;-

ered' into:theztubingiitiseemsxclearzthat the guide cannot thereafter: iti'lti with erespeot. to the rod anywhereinearatl'iieie equired angle oriarcttospermit the. parts .33 21 1 to: move :ont'r of; the (00mplementary'zreeessesziin;the guiderbo'dy. 'I-f the guide cannot tilt rel'ative tori the rod: when itgis in 'the tubing", i then: ot courge; ztlien non circular and fiared E portions: i at: the: rod: andz=1the rguide hold the guidesagainstuongitudinal: sliding movement to such extent.-thatiitxwiihreciprocatewith the rods- I While' the: invention Lhasbe'en :particuiarly described as being a: guide made' of woo'd, it is to he understood that itwan-bemade 'of'metal' or non-metallic 'nrater-ial and that it ma-y 'be of "different sizes and lengths depending up'on the'relativev sizes of theguides and the tubingi Broadly the inventioncontemplates a selfaligning, self-locking sucker rod guid'e which is held in"positionconcentric with the axis of the tube of the sucker rod! What' is claimed is: a 1; Asucker rod guide'cornprisingan integral body of material, a slot along "the axi's ofthe body, saidslotbeing or a-nlinverted bell shape to have a portion open out throu'gh the body for one half of the block another portion open out through" an" opposite side for the other a half of the bodyanii 'havihg-nn inclined portion joining the two first' portibns so -that the body maybetrfirstportionsso that the body may be tilted .and moved .laterally to pass said inclined slot portion 'over "the rod and the body then turned to'cpas'sthe first two portions over the rod to lock the guide to the rod so long as the guide is retainedlin .apipe, one 'of said .first slot portions being contoured to receive the squared area of the :sucker. rod so as to retain the guide against longitudinal movement onlthe rod.

3. selfvretaining and lockingsucker rod guide for: rods having a. squaredarea-land comprising acylindrical body, a circular opening through said body havingv an inverted bell shaped portion to fit .a:complementaryportion on the rod, a slot extending laterally into said opening, said slot being cut to extend in.-'one radius for one half the body, in an opposite-radiusfor the other half of the body andthaving' aninclined portionjoining such halves.

.4; A- self retainingand locking sucker rod guide for rods-comprising ,arcylindrical body, a circular opening through said body, a slot extending laterally; into saidopening,'said slot being cut to extend inrone radiusior one-halfthebody, in an opposite radius for the other half of the body and havingran inclined :portion'joining such halves, anarea oisaid openingbeing of aninverted bell shape to fit a complementary area of the rod.

:5; Aesucker rodguide including-circular body, said rbody having a. central-rod receiving openingincluding aslot radially out through the block in opposite directions in the opposite ends of the block, a lateral slot portion merging said first s1ots-adjaeent thedmiddle of the body so that the. bodyrmay. .be tilted, applied to the rod and then .turned 'toa position concentric with the rod; saidfirst slot havingian inverted bell shaped area-thereincontoured to receive-and retain a complementary portion of the sucker rod.

6; A sucker rod. g-uideincluding circular body, saidbody having a central rodreceiving opening including a slot radially out through the block in-opposite directions in the'opposite ends of the block and aslateral slot-portion merging 'said firstslots adjacent the middle of the body Number Name Date "1,766,070 Garrett June 24, 1930 1,845,365 Thomson Feb. 16, 1932 inyer-ted bell shaped area on the-rod.

J; W. GILLESPIE.

REFERENCES CITED The 'followingreferencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS