US2605845A - Well packer - Google Patents

Description

'Augl5, 1952 1 o. "r. BROYLES 2,605,845

Y WELL PACKER Filed Aug. 16, 1948 i s Sheets-Sheeti- BY 0m INVEAITOR.

3U. HMM,

A TTORNEY g- 1952 o. T. BROYLES 605,845

WELL PACKER Fil-ed Aug. 16. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR.

ATTQR/VEY Filed Aug. 16, 1948 z Sheets-Sheet 5 g- 1952 o. BROYLES 7 2,605,845 I WELL PACKER I ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 5, 1 952 FFICE vvELL PACKER' Otis,-T.-Broyles, Houston, Tex. I

Application August 16, 1948, Serial N6. 44,441

. This invention relates toga well anchor,

An object ofithe invention is to provide a well anchorv of the character "described which is of such] (instruction that it may be run-'into the well in. disengaged position and the anchor then expanded-at the selected point to provide a-si'ipportv for any'desired rpose: e. gL; against which a'ipackerfmay be expanded to forma seal be tween.. an outercasing and an innerstring of pipe,;and which may be released when it is desired 'to "re'm'ove'the anchor from the well.

It is a further object of the invention to pro vide equipment of p the character describ'ed whereby the anchor, when located at th'e de'sired .pointin thejwellmay bejs'et or expanded to pro- ,vide' av support byjajjmOtion in one-directionof the means on which it "is run intofthewell and which, when, desired, may be manipulated 'by a motion of; the runningn eans mine-o posite direction at least a certain distance-butless' than. a greater predeterminedf 'dis'tance to fielease. the anchor and' to mai'ntain the same in released positionv so that the anchor may be moved again with the 'running means moving in said one' direction without setting the anchor in, the well. and which" may thereafter be manipulated by motion of the running means in said Opposite direction beyond, said predetermined distance to return the anchor to' its original can: dition wherein it will be setby a motion-of the running. means in said one direction. r It is still another object f the invention to provide a well anchor which may be lowered into the well with either end uppermost, 'setfre: leased and withdrawn with either an operating stringofpipe or a wire line. Q 1 Another object of the invention isftoj'pr'ovide a -w ell packer incorporating a well anchor of the foregoing type. V

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following, specifications which are illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein-- 7 Figure .1 is a side elev Y e of one form of the invention in which the anchor is incorporated in a well packer and show ing' the packer and the anchor included'therein' in collapsed position while being run'into' the well.

Figure 2 -is a side.elevat rpd biine bp' of the-packer and its anchor as expanded, or

set, inthe well to form a seal between the outer casing and inner-pipe. V t .Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly injs'ection, illustrating the packer and its anchor after the ation, partly in section,

some; (01. ice-12 release and contraction thereof to be removed from the well.

Figure 4 is'a cross-sectional viewtaken'on the 11ne 4- -4 of Figure 3.- 1

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line -5 5'- of Figure 3.

I F1gl11'6"6 iS a side view, partly in section, of another embodiment'of the invention as being run into the w'ell'. I

Figure 7 is-a side elevation, partly in section, of said embodiment upon release of the packer'and its anchor to permit its withdrawal from the well, and:

I F igure 8 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view illustrating another means of lowering and withdrawing the packer and its anchor.

7 'Referring now more. particularly to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates the inner string of pipe, whose lower 'end forms the packer mandrel l-'a.'

On the lower end of the mandrel there is a relatively thick collar 2- and above this collar and surrounding said mandrel there is an expansible packer sleeve 3 formed of rubber or similar expansible material. 1

Around the mandrel and abutting thej'upper end of the sleeve 3'there is a'slip expander 4 whose lower-fend rests on the upperend of the packer sleeve and which tapers upwardly'externally.

'-'Spaced above the expande'r 4 the mandrel has an external coupling 5 and spaced above the coupling ti, the required distance, there is an annular external stop fi secured on the mandrel.

Slidable on, but in tight frictional engagement with, the mandrel there is a tubular cage support 1 which is provided with'thelupper and lower external stops 8 and '9' at its upper. and lower ends respectively. This cage support I is limited in its downward movement by the stop 6 and'in its upward movement by the external coupling H) on the'string I.

On the support 'I'there is acylindrical cage it having the upper and lower internal annular flanges 12 and I3 which fit closely over the support! and space the cage from said support.

Beneath said cage and support there are the casing engagingfslips l4 Whose inner sides are tapered downwardly" and outwardly in such manner as to 'confo'rmto the taper 'of the expander 4 and whose'oute'r sides are provided w1th upwardly pitched teeth; These slips are 3 suspended from the cage by means of flexible arms I5.

The cage is provided with the external outwardly bowed friction members commonly known as wiper springs I6. The lower ends of these wiper springs are secured to the cage and their upper ends are free and work in external vertical grooves, as H, in said cage. They frictionally engage the inside of the well casing to hold the cageat any selected point in the easmg.

Immediately above the stop 9 the support I is provided with a vertical slot I8 therethrough,

and there is a flexible latch I9 whose lower" end is secured to the stop 9 and whose upper end is free but of substantial arcuate formation.

The mandrel has an external-arcuatehnotch in which the upper arcuate end of the'latch I9 engages when the equipment is ininactive position for being lowered into the well.

In operation the equipment is assembled "as shown in Figure 1 with the cage and cage support in their-upper position and with the'fiexible latch I9 engaged in thenotchifia In this position the equipment may belowered into the well bore with the wiper'springslfi in contact with the well casing; thusholding-the slips I4 in theirupper position out oi contact with the expander 4. When apoint has been reached where it is desired to set the packer 'an upward pull may betakenon the stringI. The wiper springs IB'willhol'dthecage II stationary and the expander 4 will enter,-and -expand, the slips I4 into engagement with the well' casing,"as shown in Figure 2, and the-stop i9 wi1l-engage the lowerendofithe cage so as to-stop the upward movement of the'cage support and uponfurther upward ;rnovement of the string I :thecollar 2 engaging'the'lower end: of the;.packer.sleeve 3 willzexpand saidpacker into close contact-with the surrounding well casing and at the same time will move the notch 20 above the inwardly curved end of .the latch I9 soasto unseat-said latch from :said :notch.- Thesupport or-sleeve I fitsstringl tightienoughto; prevent thesleeve from *moving down under its own weight and unseating the latch before'the cage I Ihaspassed over it.

. The packer .sleeve will. thus form a fluid (tight seal between the :outer well :casing and inner tubing. r I

When it is desired to release the packer and withdraw it from the well the operatingastring' I maybe lowered and since .the support -'I --is fitted closelyabout the string the said support will movedownw'ardlywith theistringwhile the cage II remains lstationary. The outwardly turnedupper end of'the latch I9'willpass 'beheath the lower en'd'of said cage and then upon upward-.mover'nent of the string I "said latch-will engage .underneath'the flange I3, as shown in Figure '3. The support or sleeve I fits string I tightenough so that the force-required -totover come the frictional engagement therebetween and cause the sleeve to slideisjgreater than the force needed .to cause latch I9 to pass'beneath'the lower end ofthe cage on downward movement of the string. This downward movement-of the string I will carry the expander 4 beneath-the slips I I, as shown in Figure 3, permitting. the

packers to collapse or contract-and 11130215111)".

sequent upward-movement of the string I the latch I9 will hold the cage and-slips in elevated position 'relative to the expander and uponengagement of the stop 3 with 'the lower end of the support I the equipment may be withdrawn from the well with the slips securely locked or retained in their position above the expander 4 so that there will be no liability of the slips coming into contact with the well casing.

As illustrated there is shown only one notch 28 and a corresponding flexible latch I9 but in practical use a plurality of latches and notches may beprovided. I v

In the embodiment illustrated iniFigiures 6 and '7 there is a relatively thick "collar 2a screwed onto the lower end of the string of pipe and above this collar and surrounding said mandrel .there'is an expansible sleeve 3a formed of rubber or similar expansible material.

Around the inner pipe and abutting the upper :endof the. sleeve 3a there is an expander 4a which tapers upwardly externally and whose lower end abuts the packer sleeve 3a.

In this form of the invention the lower end of the mandrelrIb which forms .the lower, .-part of'the innerestring abuts. the vupper endof said expander-4a,;asshown inIFigure 6. P p

The-mandrel Ib is outwardly thickened'near its lower end thus forming an upwardly facing, outwardly flared, external annular shoulder '"2 I.

There is a sleeve like cagesupport 22 slidably mounted onlthe mandrel. above said shoulderf2 I Its lower end -is tapered downwardly an'd'inwa'r'dly and its upper end is outwardly. thickened forming an external downwardly facingishoulder 231"and above saidshouldersisiprovided with an external annulargroove :24. I I

0n the support22- there. isasleeveelike cage 25. and depending rroin tliis' cage [there are "the casing engaging slips iifigwhose"innersuifaces are downwardly flared to. conformjinjshapeflto the externalshape oflthe expander 4a and whose outer surfaces are v.tootl-ie'd. fThese 'slips are maintained in place .by the Iflexible arms m whose lowerends are attached to the slips;

. 'These arms-arealso attached toith'e loweren'd of" the'cage and are outwardly boweddorming wipersprings 21 .abovesaidpoint of attachment and their upper ends are .of,arcuate formation forming latches -which.l atch. into the "grooves 24, as illustrated in Figure .6. These "wiper :springs frictionally engage the. well casing while 'the equipment. is being. lowered =or withdrawn "from the well.

The lower endofthe ca'ge'is also providedwith notches, as-28, andsecured, atLtheirupper-en'ds, to thecage :are the flexible spring dogs"29"whose lower ends extend through .said notchesiand are free,

In going into the wellthe embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 and'lmay be. assembled, as shown in Figure 6, and'lowered into the well with the upper ends of the wiper springs 21 seated in-the groove .24 thus latching the cage 25 and the slips 26 in their upper'positionabove theexpander 4a and with the lower ends 'of the dogs 29 resting against the outer surface ,o'f-the support 22.

When the'equipmentlhas been loweredto a point;where it'isdesiredto expand the packer the operating string I may be pulledupwardly but the-support-22, the cage 25 and the slips 26 will be held stationary until the expander 4a engages theinner tapering surfaces of the said slips. Inlthe meantime the shoulder 2I will'have engagedthelower end of the support'22 and said support will have been elevated to unlatch the upper ends ofthe wiperv springs}? from the groove 2-4:. and upon further upwardgmoyement thes'lips 4a will be expanded and the outwardly curved upper ends of' the Wiper. springs?! will have engaged underneath the shoulder 23. Also the lower or free ends of the'dogs 2 9 will have passed beneath the'lower end of the support 22.- A further upward .pull on the operating string I will, in an obvious; manner, cause an expansion of the sleeve 3a to-form a seal with the well casing. Should it now be desired to release the packer the operating string may be moved downwardly thus, relieving the endwise compressive force on the packer sleeve 3a and allowing it to collapse and also carrying the shoulder 2| beneath the lower ends of the dogs 29 and thereafter an upward pull on the string I will cause the shoulder 2| to engage the lower endsof the dogs 29 thus holding the cage 25 and the slips 25 elevated with respect to the expander 4a so that the equipment may be withdrawn from thewen and the engaging slips 21' will be maintained in their retracted position above and out of contact with the expander 4a so that said slipswill not be liable to engage the well casing and the equipment may then be readily withdrawn from the well. 7

Instead of running the apparatus into the well on ,a string of tubing as shown in Figures 1-8, the apparatus may be run on a wire line as shown in Figure 8 where the numeral 4| designates a section ofpipe or tubing whose lower end is screwed into the upper end of the coupling I0 and whose upper end is provided with a socket 42 secured thereto by a pin 43. A wire line or cable 44 has its lower end secured in the socket 42. As, in conventional Wire line operations, jars will be used in the wire line so that the apparatus can be positively driven down into the well when its weight alone is insufficient to move it down and so that the apparatus can be drawn upward with greater forcethan the static pull of the draw works at times when the static pull alone is insuificient. At other'times the apparatus will beyoperated simply by raising or lowering it. The reciprocations of the apparatus to actuate it with a wire line, whetherby weight and simple pull alone or by jarring, are the same as when the apparatus is run on a string of tubing. .Since in wire line operations thecable is removed from the well'rather than leftin the well as is the tubing when" the apparatus is run on tubing, provision is made for disconnecting-the cable from the apparatus while the apparatus is still in the well. This is accomplished by breaking shear pin 43 after the apparatus has beenset.

Later, if it is desired to remove the apparatus, a

conventional grappling tool is lowered-into the well and engaged with section 4|, and the 'apparatus may then be operated inthe manner previously described to remove it from the well. Itis-to be.-further notedthat the assembly of either the form shown iii-Figure 1 or the form shown in Figure 6 may be reversed and be lowered and set in the-well and withdrawn.

- =With the'formshown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, if .it be desired to reverse the equipment it may be adjusted into the position shown in Figure 3, prior to lowering into the well and then lowered withthe-cage H at the lower end-and thepacker sleeve 3 atthe'upper end; When the.

pointfwhere the packer is to be, set has been reached the tool is then elevated and the parts will assume the relative positions shown in Figure 1 and then lowered to the set position shown in Figure 2.

lowered in reverse position the parts should be adjusted to the position shown in Figure '7 and then lowered to the desired location and then elevated until the parts assume the position shown in Figure 6. The setting string or setting equipment may then be-lowered and the expander 4a will come into contact with and expand the slips 26 into engagement with the well casing and upon further lowering of the operating string the packer sleeve 3awill be expanded and for a seal with the surrounding casing. The drawings and description are illustrative of what are now considered to be preferred forms of the invention by way of illustration'only and not by way of limitation while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims. In this connection it will be noted that both illustrated embodiments of the invention include a support in the form of the lower end of the inner pipe string including the mandrel,- and that the slip expander is carried on this support, being held against radial movement by its encirclement of the support and against axial movement by the packer, although since the packer is made of rubber, which has a low modulus of elasticity compared to steel, it can be relatively easily deformed which allows'limited axial movement of the slip expander; This combination of support and slip expander may for convenience be called a body assembly;

To the body assembly there is connected in both embodiments a slip assemblyincluding the cage, the friction members or'wiper springs, the slips, and the flexible connecting arms which limit or substantially prevent axial movement .of the slips relative to the'cage while 'allowingradial movement by flexing of the arms.

The connection between the assemblies includes interengaging parts to limit relative radial movement of the assemblies. In both embodiments these parts include the cage surrounding the inner string.

The connection between the assemblies also includes an outer stop in the form of the coupling ID on the'body assembly of each embodiment which limits movement of the slip assembly relativeto the body assembly in the retracting direction, i.. e., the direction separating the slips and expander, and an inner stop in the form of the stop 6 in the first embodiment and the enlarged lower end of section lb in the second embodimerit which limits movement of the slip assembly in the opposite or setting direction. The' inner stop in each embodiment prevents the slips'and' expander from being engaged so far as'to burst the pipe; The outer stop in each case enables the slip assembly to be moved in the well along with the body assembly when the latter is movedin theretracting direction; In order that the slip assembly maybe moved in the Well along with the body assembly when the latter is moved in the setting direction without setting the slips, the connection also includes a middle stop in the form of latch elements on theslip assembly and pipe assembly which when moved into engageable position limit the relative .motion of .the assemblies in the setting direction more than does the inner stop. In the'first embodiment these.

latch elements include the latch" [9 and flange 3.,

In the second embodiment they include the;.d0gsz- 29''and shoulder'Zl.

In both embodiments the moved into engageable position by relative .mo

tion ofsthe assemblies of at least a certainhise;

latch, elements tanceinzxthezretracting direction .from theslip setiposition; and in bothassemblies further motion' inxthe same direction beyond a predetermined distance moves the latch elements into nonengageable position. .In both of the particularembodiments shown this is accomplished by means of aisleevememberreciprocably connected to the assemblies, namely, the-tubular cage sup-v port! inthe first embodiment and the sleeve-like cage support 22 in the second embodiment. In both embodiments the sleeveis. semi-locked to one. of the. assemblies to .prevent relative reciprocationthereof except upon exertionof aforce greater than a predetermined amount but less than that needed to. slide the wiper spring in the Well. :Inthe first embodiment the sleeve isfrictionally semi-locked tothe'inner string by the inner portion'of the sleeve which tightly engages the inner'string. .In the second embodiment the sleeve is semi-locked to the cage by the latches formed on the opposite ends of the wiper springs, the'latches engaging the outer portion of the sleeve. These latches when engaged with groove 24 prevent any relative axial motion of the cage and sleeve and when next to the enlarged end of-the. sleeve prevent relative axial motion of the cage. a'nd'"sleeve in the direction tending to reengage' the latches in the groove.

both embodiments the range of relative axial movement between the sleeve and the assembly to which it is not semi-locked isless than the full range. or relative axial movement of the two assemblies as limited by the inner and outer stops, and less than that needed to set the slips and in order to achi'eve the full range'of move-v mentrequired to "set the slips itis necessary to exert enough force to cause axial movement between thesleeve and the assembly to which it is semi-locked. In the first embodiment it is engagement of the stops 8 and fl'with flanges l2 and I3 which restrict relative axialmotion of the cage relative to the sleeve. In the second embodiment it is engagement of the sleeve ends with coupling 10 and shoulder 2| which restrict relative axial-motion of the sleeve relative to the mandrel.

In 'both .embodiments the latch elements of the middle stop are actuated by relative motion of' the sleeve and the assembly to which it is semi-locked and it is the relative-position corresponding to maximum'motion in the retracting direction that corresponds to the non-engageable position "of the latch elements. In the first embodiment the latch I9 is controlled by sleeve 1. When the sleeve is in its outermost position on the-string, i. e., most removedfrom the slip expander, ,the. latch l9 is in notch where the la tchis non-.engageable by,fiange 13. In the second embodiment the dogs .29 are controlled by sleeve '22. When the sleeve is in its innermost position relative .to the cage, i. e., when it is stop. In thefirst embodiment,'when the flange [-3 is rbelowthe' latch l9, as shown in Figure 2, thafiange'cair be movedupwardly past the latch even though it is not" lying .inithernotch 20. In the second embodimentwhen the dogs'29 are below shoulder 2| riding on .npart' I'b' of the string, they can be moved upwardlyzpast the shoulderv even though the sleeve is notin position to keep the dogs radially spacedfroin the string a distance'as greatias the diameter'of part l-b.

\ In both embodiments, the'actuation of the latch elements of the middlestop b'etw'een'the non-engageable and engageable positions is accomplished independent of gravity; the sleeve controlling the latch elements being moved positively by operator applied forces, namely, forces applied by the operator to the string. "This'is important in order that the anchors be operable with either the slipsor the expander uppermost. It is especially important thatthe motion from non-engageable to engageable position be positive when the anchor is positioned with its slips above the expander for in this case upward motion'of the string correspo'ndsto relative motion of-the assemblies-in the'setting direction and.- if the middle stop is not placed in engageable position it will be impossible to get the equipment out'of the well. I

'In the first embodiment the st0ps'8 and 9 on the sleeve 1 are positively engaged by'the flanges l2 and it on the cage so that the sleeve is positively moved, and the semi-locking of the sleeve to the string of the body assembly insures that the motion occius only when the slip assembly, i. e. the cage portion thereof, is in the proper'position. The latch I9 can not be moved out of the notch 20 until the flange l3 has passed beyondthe latch in the setting direction. The latch I9 can not be moved back into the notch'2ll until the flange 13' has passed beyond the latch in the retracting direction so that if motion of the string is stopped before the latch is moved back into the notch, motion of the string can be reversed without setting the slip. I

- In the second embodiment the ends of the sleeve '22- are positively engaged by the coupling Hi and shoulder 2| so that the sleeve is positively moved, and the semi-locking of the "sleeve to the cage of the slip assembly insures'that'the motion occurs .only'when'the body assembly, i. e. the string portion thereof is proper position. The dogs 29cannot be movedbfi' the sleeve 22 until the shoulder Zlon the String is adjacent the sleeve causing the dogs to pass over to partlfi beyond the shoulder 2| in the setting direction. Thedogs 29' cannotbe moved back ontosleeve 22 until the dogs 29 have passed beyond shoulder 2| in the retracting direction, for the latch ends of the wiper springs abut against the underside of the enla'rgedupper end of the sleeve containing the depression or groove 24, this disposa1 of parts constituting part of the semi-locking of the sleeve to the slip assembly as beforeset forth. It isoniy when the upper end of the sleeve contacts the coupling ID that the dogs can once againbe moved onto the sleeve, but this is long afterthe dogs have passed-beyond 'shoulder 2l so that if desired the motion of the string can be reversed after the dogs have p'assed'the'should'er and be; fore they have 'moved onto the sleeve again,*and the string can then be moved in'the well the Slip setting direction "without setting the slip WhatIclaim is: J 1. A well anchor comprising at including a support adapted to beconn'e'cted to' means-for running, the-anchor into thewell, and a slip expander carried by the support; a slip assembly including a slip adapted to engage "a well body 1 assembly tive-radial movement of said assemblies, stop means limiting relative axial -movement .of said -assemblies to a certain range near'fone extreme of which said slip is wholly disengaged from said expander and near the other extreme of which said-slip is engaged by said expander-sufficiently to-cause the slip to -movera'dially outwardly to set by engagement with the; pipe, latch-means in engageable position-restricting 'said'r-ange-to prevent motion toward-said'other extreme far enough to allow said slip to set and in non-engageabl'e' posi'tion permitting motion over the full extent of said range, and control means positively actuable solely by reciprocation of said means fol-running the anchor into the well and independent of'gravity to control the position of said latch means.

2. A well anchor comprising'a body assembly including a support adapted to-be connected to means for running the anchor into the well, and a slip expander carried by the support; a slip assembly including-a slip adapted to engage a well pipe when moved thereagainst by said-expander, a friction element to engage the pipe, and'a connection between-said element and said slip restricting relative movement therebetween in a direction parallel to the pipe axis while permitting radial motion of the slip relative to the pipe axis; and a connection between said slip assembly and said-body assembly includingmeans limiting relative radial movement of saidassemblies, stop means limiting relative axial movement of said assemblies to a certain range' near one extreme of which said slip is whollydisengaged from said expander and near the other extreme of which said slip is engaged by saidexpander 'sufiiciently to cause the slip to move radially-outwardly to set by engagement with the pipe, latch means in engageable position restricting said-range to prevent motion toward said other extreme far enough to allow said slip to set and in non-engageablepo- 'sition permitting motion over the'full extent of saidrange, and control means to move said latch means to the engageableposition positively'ac- ,tuated independent of gravity solely by axial translation of said body assembly relative to said slip assembly from the position in which the slip is'feet; at least a certain distance inthe direction said bodyassembly including means limiting relative radial movement of said assemblies, .stop

- means,limitingarelativeaxial movement of said assembliesto a certainrange near-one extreme of which said slip is wholly disengaged from said expander and near the other extreme of which said 'slipis engaged by said expander sufiicient to cause the slip ,to move radially outwardly to set by engagement with the pipe, latch means inengage- .ableposition restricting said range to prevent motionitoward said other extreme far. enough. to allowsaid slipto set. and in. non-engageable positionperrnittingzmotion over the full. extent of said: range, and control means positively actuable solely by reciprocation of said means for running :the anchor into the well and independent of gravityF to; control the position ofsaidlatch means,

, saidrcontrolfmeans including a memberz-axially *reciprocably connected to said assemblies adapted in one. axial .p'ositionto hold said latch elements so that they cannot engage'andin another axial position to move said latch elements into engageable position, semilocking means other than said latch elements to hold said member toone of said assemblies to prevent relative reciprocation thereof except upon exertion of a certain forcethereon greater than a predeterminedforce but less than that required to slide said friction element 1 in the pipe, and inter-engaging stops on said member and the other of said assemblies to limit relative axial reciprocation thereof in order that said certainforce may be exertedon said member causing separation of the slip and expandersufficient to unset the slip and to move said latch means to the non-engageable position positively actuated independent of gravity solely by further axial'translation of saidbody assembly relative to said slip assembly to at least a predetermined greater distance from the slip set position toward the slip disengaged position. l v

3. A well anchor comprising a body assembly including a support adapted tobe connected'to means for running the anchor into thewell, and a slip expander carried by the support; a slip assembly including a slip adapted to engage a well pipe when moved thereagainst by said expander, a friction element to engage the pipe, and a connection between said element and saidslip re- I bytranslation'of said other assembly, said semilocking means being effective inat least-two different relative positions of'sa id member and said one assembly correponding'to engageable position i slip assemblyiincluding a slip adapted to engage a well pipe when moved thereagainst by said expander, a friction element to engage the pipe, and a connection between said element and said slip restricting relative movement therebetween in a direction parallel to the pipe axis while permitting radial motion of the slip relative to the pipe axis; and a c'onnection between said slip assembly'a'ndfsaid body assembly including means limiting relative jradial movement "of said assemblies, stop means limiting relative axialn'iovement of saidassemblies to a certain rangenear-one extreme of which said slip is wholly disengaged from said expa'nder and nearth'e'other extreme of which said slip' is engaged by said expander sufiiciently to cause theslip to move.;radially outwardly to set by engagement with the pipe, latchmeans in engageable position restricting said'range to prevent a motion toward said other extreme far enough to allow said slip to set and in nonengageable position permitting motion over the full extent of said range, and control means positively actuable solelyby reciprocation of said means for running the anchor into the well and independent of gravity to control'the position of said latch means, said control means includinga member axially reciprocably connected to said body assembly, the'last saidconnection making ajtightfrictioned engagement between said member and saidbody assembly preventing even relative axial translation thereof except "uppn'exertion of at least a certain force, said semblies, an aperture in said body assembly beneath said member, an aperture in said member which in oneposition of said member relative to said body assembly coincides with the aperture in said body assembly, said latch means including a spring latch mounted on said memberin said aperture therein and urged by'the spring thereof against said bodyassembly, said latchextending into the path of axial recipro-' cation of saidaslip assembly relative torsaid member at a point between said'stops. and preventing relative motion pastsaidl latch in the slip setting direction except when said member is in position such that its aperture coincides with that of said body assembly in which position said latch moves into said aperture in said body assembly and outof said-path of axial.

reciprocation of said slip assembly relative to said member. r v

5. A well anchor comprising a body. assembly including a support adapted to be connected to means for running the anchor into thegwell,

and a slip expander carried by the support; a

slip assembly including a slip adapted to engage a well pipe when moved thereagainst by said expander, a friction element to engage the pipe, anda connection between said element and said slip restricting relative movement therebetween in a direction parallel to the pipe axis while permitting radial motion of the slip relative to the pipe axis; and a :connection between said slip assembly a-nd said 'body, assembly including means limiting relative radial movement of said assemblies, stop means limiting relative axial movement of saidassemblies toga certain range near one extremeof which said slip is wholly disengaged from said expander and near the other extreme of whichsaidslip is engaged by-said expander sufficiently to cause the slip to move radially outwardly to set by engagement with thepipe, latch means in engageable position restricting-said range to prevent motion toward said other extreme far enough to allow said slip' to set andv in non-engageable position permitting; motion ;over the full extent of a d a s and omm rme si i l actuable solely by reciprocatienof saidmeans for running the anchor into the well and independent of gravity tocontrol theposition of said latch;means said control means including thereof in the direction t'e'nding'to move 'said' spring latch into said depression "except upon exertion'of at least a certain" force,fsaid certain forces being less than thefor'ce' requiredto overcome the resistance of said friction element to move the slip assembly axially in the "well; said 12 "member being axially reciprocably connectedto said body assembly, stops on saidbody assem- #blyv limiting relative axial reciprocation of.,said

member and said body assembly. to a rangewhich .is less than said full rangeof relativemotion between said assemblies, said latch means including a spring dog carriedby said slip assembly and which when-said member is in a position relative to said'slip assemblyother than that in .which said spring'latch is in said dep ression V isrengageablyzby thev one of the last said stops -.that limits motion of the sleeve and theslip assembly to qwhichit is semi-locked relativev to 'saidsbody assembly in the slip setting direction, said member when in a position relative to said slip; assemblyin which said spring latch is in said depression extending beneathsaid dog and holdingit from engagement by the last said 6. A .well anchor comprising a cylindrical body carrying a conical slip expander, "a sleeve around said body in tight frictional engagement therewith but axially reciprocable'thereon upon exertion of a force large enough to overcome the friction, -,a cage around sad sleeve reciprocable axially thereon, slips carried by said cage adapted to engage said expander, stops on said body limiting reciprocation of said sleeve on said body, stops onsaid sleeve limiting reciprocation of said cage on'said sleeve, a notch in said body, an aperture in said sleeve, a spring latch on said sleeve, urged by its spring into said notch when 7 said aperture overlies said notch but otherwise projectinginto the path of travel of said cage on said sleeveto further restrict the range of reciprocation of said cage on said sleeve, and friction means carried by said cage to engage a well wall. '7. A well anchor comprising a cylindrical body carrying a conical slip expander, a sleeve around said body axially reciprocable thereon, a cage around said sleeve axially reciprocable thereon, slips carried by said cage adapted to engage said expander, said sleeve having an enlarged end with an annular groove therein, said cage carrying a spring latch, the spring of said latch urging itradially inward, said spring latch being adapted when disposed ,in said groove to hold said cage against axial movement relative to said sleeve except upon exertion of a force large enough to overcome the spring of said latch and said spring latch being adapted when disposed on said sleeve adjacent said enlarged end to prevent relative axial movement of said sleeve and cage in the direction tending to move said latch intosaid groove except upon exertion of a force large enough to overcome the springof the latch, said cage carrying a spring dog'that rests on said sleeve when said latch is in said groove but which otherwise extends beyond the sleeve and rests onsaid body, said body having anenlarged portion near the expanderbeyond which said sleevevcannotmove but of no larger outer diameter than said sleeve and forming a shoulder engageableby said dog'when on the smaller portion of the body, a stop on the smaller portion of said body limiting travel of the sleeve in the direction away from the large portion of the body, a stop-on the larger portion of the body limiting motion of the cage relative thereto, and a stop on the sleeve preventing motion of the cage thereon in the direction toward the'en larged endof the sleeve beyondengagementof s'aid' latch in said groove, and-friction means carried by said cage to engage a well wall.

" 8. A well anchor comprising a body assembly including a support, means at the upper end of the support for connecting the support to means for running the anchor into the well, and a slip expander carried by the support having a slip engaging surface flaring downwardly toward the lower end ofthe support; a slip assembly including a slip adapted to engage a Well pipe when moved thereagainst by said expander and having an expander engaging surface flaring in the same direction as the slip engaging surface of the expander, a friction element to engage the pipe and a connection between said element and said slip restricting relative movement therebetween in a direction parallel to the pipe axis while'permitting radial motion of the slip relative to the pipe axis; and a connection between said slip assembly and said body assembly including means limiting relative radial movement of said assemblies, stop means limiting relative axial movement of said assemblies to a certain range near one extreme of which said slip is wholly disengaged from said expander and near the other REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:-

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,173,351 Bradshaw Sept. 19, 1939 2,300,438 Spang Nov. 3, 1942

Images