US2518500A - Well tool - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 15, 1950 I J. P. SMITH WELL TOOL s-sheet-s-sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1945 JOPL/NG F: smry INVENTOR.

Aug. 15, 1950 Filed June 29, 1945 J. P. SMITH WELL TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F is INVENTOR.

' VaPu/va Ran/TH Aug 15, 1950- Filed ,June 29, 1945 .I P. SMITH WELL Toot;

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JOPLING E. SMITH 1N VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 15 1956 1 UNITED STATES WELL TOOL 7 .Jopling P. Smith, Houston, 'ixl, assigns, by 'mesne assignments, to John HJMc'Car'veII 2 Claims. (cl; ite-12')" "This invention relates to new and-luse'ful tim aprovementsina .well tool, .andin particular in a tool which maybe :lowered into .a well to a .desired position and .desi-nably ,set .or. positioned gthenein, and thereafter released .for resetting --and-/or removal .from the .well. The invention isuof .particular :utility .for, .and is disclosed hereinqaS compr g an expansibie packer :to :form :a pack-off between concentric ,:tubular.;strings .in

.a well. 7 v y 7 .The primary :object of the inventionis to provide a-wellgtool that .may be izun into :a well upon an operatingistring which can beqmanipulated :at

the mouth of the well to .set and thereafter rellease (the tool so that operations within the well,

conditioning of the well tor production thereof,

can be accmp1ished.-

.Another object is to provide-a toolof the 131258 described in whichmanipulative rotationgof ithie :ppehating string is unidirectional. Threads which area-adapted .to become disconnected when rotating the operating string. are usually .right hand threads and it is iconte mplated that the 51300.1 of the present invention shallheso constructed that right hand rotation of the operating string can be utilized ;for operating :DHIIPOSBSgiU being understood :of course; thatthe device may :heso constructed that left hand rotationumay be :uti-

lized to serve any specific :punpose.

. A further object :is to provide :a device which ,is simple and inexpensive to construct and main- .tain and onein which the component parts :are

;few in number and are of rugged construction; It is :alsoan: object to ,providea tool having telescopic elements including a .by-pass assembly so that resistance to movement of the device .within a well from the fluids therein is minimized.

A sti-ll further 'o'bjectxis to :provide :a tool including a sliporanchor assembly :and- 1116,8115 for setting or releasing such assembly withtfacility and in a manner to 'obviateahanging up of the 001 within-the well.

A more specific object is to provide a tool having a drag or spring :cage assembly withrivhich selectivecngagement may be ha'd to eifect=desired interconnection or disconnection ofparts of-the device so that setting .or releasing'of the tool may heeffected. The foregoing objects are primary objects which, together with other objects and advantages of the invention, will be more fully apparent from the following description considcream connection with the accompanying adraw-e "ingsin which: H

"fFigs land 2 are .successiile'elevationalviews 2 partly in section of one embodiment of the invention showing the relative position of palfts when: the device is being lowered to a predetermined operating position Within awell; H Fig. 3 isan elevational view in section of a modifiediorm of the lower portion of the device shown in Fig. 2; g I .Figs. and 5 are similar to Figs. land 2 are sectional elevations showing the tool set within a well casingj g Fig. 6 is an elevationalview of the lower portion of the device showing the driving connecuse", between the operating string and the remaied'ersf thedevice whereby the parts of the device are interconnected by rotation trifle string; I g

Figs. 7 and 8 are similar to vFigs. 1 and 2;;b1ut

show a modified form of the interconnecting and releasing portion of th'd evi ce Figs."9 and 10 Show the relative position pi parts of theid evice of Figs. 7 and 8 when the device"is 'set within a well casing. I Like "references are used to identify the respective like parts of the different embodiments shown in the drawings. Referring generally to the drawings the device of the inventionincludes atubin'g or operating string l comprising abypas's' section 2 interposed between the coupling '3 andthe .lift collar 4. Entending downwardly from said collar .is a' section 5 having actuating bins 6 below which thestring extends downwardly at 1 to suchlevel as is deemed-desirable or necessary for theme-boss for which the tool is used'. t t I A packer and she assembly .IU surrounds the string '1", and the lower oifi'dii of this Ti'ssurro'un'd'ed by a springer friction cage ass m- 1Iol'y'3i]whichecdper'atesimm alatch collar 53 thatoperatio'n' of the tool may be eiiecteclby desired manipulation (if thestring I at the rnoltlth of the we'll. v v 3 The upper end 'of tha'ss'enibly it comprises a head ll having an internar'shoulder 1'2 engageable by the lift collar to support the assembly upon the stfihg-=xxihen-goiiig into or coming out of the well. The by-pass section 2 passes duewardly from within thehead H andhas openings 3 therein so' that fluids' may enter "into or exit: from the string through such :openings while the devicelis ibeing movedwithin a well. When the device is: set'within a well; as will more fully appear, and the string .1 iiszlowered until the coupling 3- lies proximateithe upper end of the head H, the 'by-passiopenings-ilzil are within the assembly 30 asfbest seen in .iEig; 4 .and'lhence are closed except for the passage through the string I. Leakage through the head II about the string is prevented by means of packing I4 in the head.

The packer sleeve I5 is secured to the head II and has packing rings I6 thereon. This sleeve has a flange H at is lower end to cooperate with a complementary flange I8 on the upper end of the expander I9 which has tapered surfaces 20 at its lower end for engagement with the inner surfaces 2I of a plurality of slips 22 having casing engaging teeth 23. The lower ends of these slips are attached to the upper end of slip collar 24 by suitable means such as the T-slot connection 25 whereby the slips may move radially during the setting or releasing operation of the tool.

It seems apparent that when the collar 24 is permitted to rise relative to the expander I9, the slips 22 will ride upon the surfaces 20, and hence the slips will move outwardly to the position indicated in Figs. 5 and 10. The assembly I0, whether such assembly comprise a packer as shown or other device to be set in a well, may thus be anchored and the operating string I may be lowered therein until the collar 3 engages the upper end of the head II. Obviously further lowering of the string I moves the head II and its associated sleeve I5 downwardly whereby the rings I6 are expanded as indicated in Figs. 4 and 9 and hence form sealing engagement with the surrounding casing 26.

Reference is now made to the construction whereby the latch collar 40 and the slip collar 24 may be interconnected or released by unidirectional rotation of the string I at the mouth of the well. Inasmuch as the operating string such as that shown at I comprises a plurality of sections of tubing interconnected by means of right hand threads, as above indicated, it is desirable that only right hand rotation of the operating string be effected and the construction as shown provides for such rotation both for actuating the tool, for setting when the desired level is reached, and for releasing the tool when it is to be withdrawn from the well or to be reset at a. different level.

The spring or friction cage assembly 30 comprises a plurality of bow springs 3I secured in a suitable manner upon the cage 32 and extending longitudinally thereof. This assembly is floatably mounted upon the collar 24, its limit of movement being determined by flanges 21 and 28. By virtue of its contact with the surrounding casing the assembly assumes lagging position as the tool is moved within a well bore. The upperend of the cage has an ear 33'engageable with a complementary car 34 on the collar 24 when the latter is rotated in a clockwise or right hand direction as viewed from above. Also the lower end of the cage 32 has an ear 35 engageable by the ear 33 on the latch collar 40 when the latch collar is rotated in a clockwise direction relative to the spring cage.

The latch collar 40 has one or more slots 4I therein each including a horizontal portion 42 and a vertical portion 43 which receives the pins 44 projecting radially from the member 24 near its lower'end. The latch collar 40 also has internal recesses 45 which receive the drive pins 6 when the pins 44 are in the portion 42 of the slot 4I. While a generally L-shaped slot is provided by the structure just described it is to be understood that any suitable means may be provided for interconnecting and releasing the component parts of the assembly. This is illustrated in the further lifting unseats the packer.

outwardly through the openings I3. In this manner the fluids are effectively by-passed.

' When the device has reached the level at which the slips 22 are to be set, whether the slips are to be used for expanding a packer within the well or for other purposes, the string I is rotated in a clockwise direction whereby the collar 40 is driven by pins 6 until the pins 44 enter the lower ends of the vertical portions 43 of the slots 4|. The string I is then moved downwardly and first closes the by-pass through the openings I3 after which the collar 3 engages the upper end of the head I I. Continued movement of the string causes the mandrel I9 to move downwardly relative to the slips 22 which together with the collar 24 remain stationary due to resistance of the cage 38 with the surrounding casing 26. During this movement the pins 44 move upwardly withinthe portion 43 of the slots 4I. At the same time the rings I6 are expanded and thus the tool assumes the set position shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

If the device is to be released for resetting at a different level or for removal from the well, the string I is thereafter lifted and the lift collar 4 engages the shoulder I2 on the head ll whereby Thereafter the expander I9 is lifted so that the slips 22 are released. At the same time of course the pins 6 have risen to a position of engagement with the projections 46. Likewise, the collar 40 has been lifted with the string until the pins 44 are opposite the portion 42 of the L-shaped slot 4|. Any additional lifting of the string I moves the string and associated elements upwardly relative to the spring or friction cage 30 whereby the ears 33 and 34 are separated while the ears 35 and 36 are moved into engageable positions.

The operating string I is then rotated in a clockwise direction whereby the pins 6 engage the projections 46 at the lower end of the slip collar 24 and the entire assembly I0 is rotated by the string I. Initiation of such rotation also causes the pins 44 to enter the portion 42 of the slot II, the collar 40 being restrained from rotation by interengagement of the ears 35 and 35 on the spring cage and the collar respectively. In this manner the device is released from its set position as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and returned to itsinitial position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that it may be reset in a different level or withdrawn from the well for reuse.

The operation of the device as shown in Fig. 3 is the same as that just described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. In this modified construction, however, the latch collar 40 is provided with inwardly extending pins 44' which enter inverted L-shaped slots 4I in the lower end of the slip collar 24.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive the modified latch collar 40" is constructed to fit slidably upon the operating string below the driving pins 6. This collar has outwardly extending pins 50 which are adapted to enter slots formed in the lower end of the slip collar 24. The upper end of the collar 40:" is also provided with recesses forming surfaces 52 adapted to be engaged by the drive pins 6 whereby the collar may be forced to rotate with the operating string. Thereabove the slip collar 24 is likewise provided with recesses forming surfaces 53 engageable by the drive pins 6 in a manner to be explained. Is is also to be noted that the pins 50 extend outwardly beyond the periphery of the lower end of the collar 24 sothat such pins are likewise engageable with the car 35 at the lower end of the spring cage 30.

In the operation of this embodiment the parts are in the relative positions shown in Figs. 7 and 8 when the device is to be lowered within a well, the pins 50 being engaged within the slots 5| at the lower end of the collar 24. When the device is to be set the operating string l is rotated in a clockwise direction whereby the collar 40" is rotated and the pins 50 are withdrawn from within the slots 5|. Thereafter lowering of the operating string moves the parts to the relative positions shown in Fig. 10 whereby the slips 22 are set and the packer rings l6 are expanded within the casing 25 as shown in Fig. 9.

When the device is to be released for resetting or for removal from the well the operating string is lifted until the driving pins 6 move to a position to engage the surfaces 53 at the lower end of the slip collar 24. At the same time the latch collar 40" is lifted until the pins 50 engage the cars 35 at the lower end of the spring cage whereby the latch collar is restrained from rotation. Continued rotation of the operating string thus causes the slip collar 24 to move relative to the pins 50 so that such pins again become latched withinthe slots 5| and the device is again interconnected in inoperative position.

Broadly the invention comprehends a well tool which may be lowered into a well upon an operating string, which may be manipulated at the mouth of the well to set and to thereafter release the tool by manipulation of the string, any rotation of the string in such operation being unidirectional.

What is claimed is:

1. An oil well tool comprising, an operating string having shoulder thereon, a packer and slip assembly surrounding the string and having a complementary internal shoulder so that the assembly is normally suspended on the string, said assembly including a slip collar extending downwardly about the string, a friction cage slidably surrounding said slip collar, a latch collar surrounding the operating string below the friction cage, a pin and slot connection between the 6 slip and latch collars, there being spaced opposed recesses on said collars, and actuating pins on the string normally engaged within the recesses in the latch collar to hold the slip collar against u-pward movement while the tool is lowered into a Well bore.

2. An oil well tool comprising, an operating string having a shoulder thereon, a packer and slip assembly surrounding the string and having a complementary internal shoulder so that the assembly is normally suspended on the string, said assembly including a slip collar extending downwardly about the string, a friction cage slidably surrounding said slip collar, a latch collar surrounding said slip collar, ears on said collars above and below said friction cage, complementary ears on the friction cage, a pin and slot connection between the slip and latch collars, there being spaced opposed recesses on said collars, and actuating pins on the string normally engaged within the recesses in the latch collar to hold the slip collar against upward movement while the tool is being lowered.

3. An oil well tool comprising, an operating string having a shoulder thereon, a packer and slip assembly surrounding the string and having a complementary internal shoulder so that the assembly is normally suspended on the string, said assembly including a slip collar extending downwardly about the string, a friction cage slidably surrounding said slip collar, an outwardly extending pin on said slip collar, a latch collar surrounding the slip collar and having an L-slot into which said pin projects, there being vertically spaced recesses in said collars, actuating pins on said string normally engaged within the recesses in the latch collar to hold the slip collar against upward movement while the tool is lowered into a well bore, said friction cage slidably surrounding the slip collar above the latch collar and having ears on the ends thereof, and complementary opposed ears on the slip and latch collars for selective interengagement with the ears on the friction cage so that the pin can be released from the latching portion of the L-slot and thereafter reengaged by unidirectional rotation of the operating string.

J OPLIN G P. SMITH.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,803,841 Crowell May 5, 1931 2,352,423 Church June 27, 1944

Images