US2596774A - Rathole digger - Google Patents

Description

y 1952 c. M. JEFFRIES EIAL f 2,596,774

. RATHOLE DIGGER i 7 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invelibors czmde, uk ries 7 112 E, .sclzeig.

I I Af'i'urlzey y 1952 c. M; JEFFRIES ETAL 2,596,774

RATHOLE DIGGER Filed Feb. 11, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Claude M. kffris Fritz E Sckeig' Ai'borlzey C. M. JEFFRIES ETAL RATHOLE DIGGER May 13, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. '11, 1947 Ira suitors Claude Mkffries Frpli; E. Seize 55 M y 1952 c. M. JEFFRIES ETAL 2,596,774

RATHOLE, DIGGER Filed Feb. 11, 1947 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .1 54' j L J. --'ilr ZJ'TZF} ill Inventors Claude M kffries EH12 E. Sckeig.

Patented May 13, i952 RATHOLE BIGGER Claude M. J eflries and Fritz Earle Scheig,

. Pampa, Tex.

Application February 11, 1947, Serial No. 727,870

Claims.

This invention relates to a rotary drilling accessory and particularly to a rotary drilling rig used to drill or dig a hole in the ground next to an oil well for storing the rotary Kelly joint or drill stem of a string of drill pipe in the oil well.

Heretofore, operators of rotary rigs to drill or dig such a Kelly joint store hole or Rat Hole as it is commonly called, slide the rotary drill table across the derrick floor to a position above where the Rat Hole is to be drilled, raise up one side of the table to a desired angle and then provide a power take-off connection by running a drive chain from the source of power or draw works to a special line shaft and from this shaft to the rotary table. On some draw works there is a special sprocket on a jack shaft that enables a chain drive to be run direct from the draw works to the rotary table in its moved over position. However, by either process the rotary table must be moved out of its regular position, and entails time and extra manpower.

The principal object of this invention therefore is to provide as an article of manufacture, an accessory for oil well drilling rigs comprising a separate hole digger for digging or drilling'Kelly joint store holes or Rat Holes so that the main rotary drill table may be left in its regular position, whereby much time and labor is saved.

Another object is to provide a Rat Hole digger constructed to fit the usual standard Kelly bushings or couplings used to connect with the 'usual Kelly joint.

' A further object is to provide in combination with a novel Rat Hole digger, a novel quick attachable power take-off drive means adapted to be drivably connected with the rotary part of the hole digger, to thereby rotate the Kelly drilling members mounted in the Kelly drive of the digger.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read with reference to the several parts and combinations of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a general perspective View of the floor of an oil well derrick and rotary table with our novel power take-off sprocket inserted in the Kelly drive thereof with our novel Rat Hole digger in driving connection therewith.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the power take-off sprocket and shaft with a partial cross section view of the table, showing how the same is mounted therein.

Figure 3 is a cross section view of the fixed base portion of the digger.

Figure 4 is aside elevation partly in cross section of the digger with the parts assembled and ready for the insertion therein of the usual Kelly drill members.

Figure 5 is a cross section view of the driven sprocket carrying part of the digger.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the part shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a top plan in elevation of the split Kelly drive socket adapted to be driven from the driven sprocket carrying part shown in Figures '5 and 6.

Figure 8 is a cross section view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7, of the Kelly drive socket.

Figure 9 is an elevational view of one half section of the Kelly drive, showing one of the clutch projections or lugs adapted to engage with and between similar lugs on the sprocket carrying part.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view of one side of the digger with the Kelly drive removed to show the bearing mountings between the rotary sprocket carrying part and the fixed base or outer shell of the digger.

Referring in detail to the drawings and first with, particular reference to Figure 1, there is 'shown the derrick floor I 0 of an oil well derrick This table is revolved by the usual power source or draw works, not shown. Centrally located in the table II is the usual opening for receiving drive bushings for connecting with the Kelly joint, not shown. In place ofthe usual Kelly joint there is mounted in the table opening I2 a sprocket shaft I4 having a round plate I5, which fits in the tapered opening I 2 in table 'I I. This is shown in more detail in Figure 2 and also includes a relatively larger square plate I 6 machined to fit in the square part of opening I2 in the top of the table I I. Keyed or welded on the end of the sprocket shaft I4 is a sprocket wheel I8 connected with an endless drive chain I9.

The drive chain I9 connects with another sprocket wheel 22, which is carried by the driven part 23, see Figures 5' and 6, of our novel accessory drill rig for drilling or digging Kelly joint store holes or Rat Holes. This digger or drilling unit comprises a hollow shell 24 supported on a base 25 and extending at an oblique angle therefrom and also oblique to the plane of the derrick floor to which the base is attached by bolts 26. This angle or tilt of the base serves to direct or pilot the drill pipe into the ground at a slant, so as to drill a slanting store hole or "Rat Hole, asit is commonly called in the oil country.

2,596,774 f I" i The driven part 23 is telescopically mounted in the upper portion of the larger shell 24. This driven part 23 comprises a hollow body with a flange 29 around its top edge having sprocket teeth formed on its peripheral edge, clutch lugs 30 and 3| on its top surface and an annular bearing groove 32 formed in its under surface. The lower edge of the driven hollow body 23 is formed with threads 34, to have threaded thereon the ring 35 which is located within the shell 24 below the lower one of a pair of spaced annular projections 36 and 31, which form a roller race for roller bearings 38. Above this race is another race similar thereto for roller bearings 39, which bearings serve to journal the driven part 23 in the shell 24 for rotation therein when drive is imparted to the sprocket 22 from the 3 chain I9.

The upper rim of the shell 24 has a bearing groove 40 similar to the bearing groove 32 in the under side of the flange 29; and is positioned so that the grooves come togetherv when the driven part 23 is in place in the shell 24, to thereby provide a bearing race for ball bearings 4|. To protect the ball bearings 4| from foreign matter, such as sand, there is a metal hoop 42 mounted around the shell 24 by bolts 44 with an inner ring of flexible packing material 43, such as felt; so that the upper edge of the felt ring is in frictional contact with the under surface of the flange 29 just outside of the bearing grooves, see Figure 10'for this detail. Also,

the roller bearings 38 and 39 may be lubricated by Alemite fittings 46 and 41, which extend into the bearing races from outside the shell 24, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The hollow driven part 23 in turn mounts a Kelly drive 50 formed in two halves 5| and 52. These half sections when put together form a closed hollow body with an outer cylindrical lower skirt portion 53 topped by an annular flange 54. Above the flange the interior bore of the drive 50 is substantially square to drive the Kelly drive bushings, not shown, connected to the -usual kelly, likewise not shown. Insertion of the Kelly drive sections 5| and 52 is facilitated by the pick- up handles 55 and 56 carried by each section. When the Kelly drive 50 has been inserted in the driven part, it appears as shown in Figure 4. Mounted on the underside of the flange 54 of the Kelly drive are clutch lugs 58 and 59 similar to the clutch lugs 30 and 3| on the top side of the flange 29 of the driven part 23. These 'lugs30, 3| onthe part 23 and 58 and 59 on the Kelly drive 50 are spaced and proportioned so as to fit between each other to provide a clutch drive connection between the driven part 23 and the Kelly drive 50.

We have in the foregoing description referred by reference numeral to each constituent part of our accessory drill rig and although the operation should be obvious from the description, we will briefly summarize its operation. For example, assume it is desired to drill or dig a store hole for a Kelly joint or the like. The first step is to remove the oil well drill pipe from the Kelly drive |2 of the table II and insert in place thereof the sprocket l8 and its shaft l4. Then after securing the accessory drill rig shell 24, with the driven hollow body 23, to the jderrick floor l over an opening therethrough to the ground, the-Kelly. drive D-is inserted in the shell and the sprocket I8 is connected with the sprocket 22. Next a Kelly joint is mounted in the drilling rig 4 and power is supplied to rotate the table H and sprocket 22.

As sprocket 22 is revolved the engaging clutch lugs of the driven part 23 and the Kelly joint 50 will rotate the Kelly joint to drill the hole. Usually these holes are drilled to a depth of about 30 feet and at an angle, this angular pitch of the hole being provided by the tilt of the hollow base 24 of the accessory drilling rig,

Thus we have provided a novel article of manufacture which can be sold as an accessory to all standard oil well drilling rigs for digging or drill ing the necessary Kelly joint-store hole or Rat Hole. Also, this accessory is simple and economical to use and manufacture, and saves many hours of labor as hereinbefore explained.

While we have given a specific illustration of our novel device, it is to be understood that we -do not intend to be limited to the specific details thereof, and other variations in the parts and the combinations thereof which will now appear to others skilled in the art are-to be included in the scope of our invention. To determine the scope of our invention reference should be had to the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. Means for drilling a hole to store a Kelly joint or the like, comprising a hollow shell fixed to the derrick floor of an oil well, bearing members around the inner circumference of said shell, a driven part rotatably journalled in said shell, a flange carried by said driven part, means for applying rotary driving power thereto, a bearing groove around the underside of said flange, said groove registering with a similar groove in the top rim of said shell to form a bearing race between said driven part and said fixed shell, spaced lugs on the upperside of said flange, and a drive bushing having a flange around its outer circumference with spaced lugs adapted to fit between said lugs on said flange of the driven part, whereby the drive bushing is rotatable with said driven part when power is applied to said flange.

2. A rotary drilling rig for drilling Kelly joint store holes comprising a fixed hollow member having a base secured to the derrick fioor of an oil well, a driven member journalled for rotation .in said fixed member, means for retainingv said driven member in said fixed member, .a flange carried by said driven member, clutch lugs on the upper surface of said flange, a drive bushing telescopically mounted in said driven member, clutch lugs carried by said drive bushing adapted to fit between each of the clutclilugs on said driven members flange, and means for establishing a driving connection between the regular rotary drill table of an oil well and said driven member and said drive bushing.

3. The drilling rig as described in claim 2, wherein the drive bushing comprises two half sections adapted to telescopically nest within the top of said driven member, each of said sections having handle members.

4. An accessory drilling rig for drilling holes in the earth inclined to the vertical to store Kelly joints or the like, comprising an upright rounding flange having a raceway in its under surface for coaction with the last mentioned bearing raceway, bearing balls within the coacting raceways, upstanding clutch lugs formed upon the top of said flange coengageable with lugs carried by a drive bushing, a drive bushing insertable in said cylindrical member, clutch lugs carried by the drive bushing coengageable with the lugs of said flange, and means coengaging and encircling the lower end of said cylindrical member and coengageable with an element of the lower one of said pair of bearing races for maintaining the cylindrical member within the cylindrical base.

5. An accessory of the character described in claim 4 wherein said means upon the lower end of the cylindrical member comprises a ring threaded upon the lower end of such member.

CLAUDE M. JEFFRIES. FRITZ EARLE SCHEIG.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,031,731 Patten Feb. 25, 1936 2,072,936 Zerbe Mar. 9, 1937 2,131,830 Ackerman Oct. 4, 1938 2,183,526 Abegg Dec. 19, 1939 2,314,323 Alexander et a1. Mar. 23, 1943 2,321,245 Reed June 8, 1943 2,522,795 Mitchell Sept. 19, 1950

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