US2632515A - Sealing means for well packers - Google Patents

Description

SEALI'NG MEANS FOR WELL PACKERS Filed Feb. 14, 1949 v y v l 2 SHEETS-SHEET l qw 4' 2A WL n 2l 2 /8 W MA//M/ March 24, 1953 N. T. BREAUx 2,632,515

- SEALING MEANS FOR WELL PAcKERs Filed Feb. 14, 1949 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Wok/wsr- Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,632,515 sEALING MEANS Fon WELL PACKERS t Neil T. Breaux, Houston, Tex.

Application February 14, 1949, Serial No. 76,318

This invention relates to sealing means for well packers, or the like.

between said abutment and well casing or other surrounding cylinder. I The invention also embodies novel means for supporting, expanding and contracting said abutment. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of the assembly showing the packer collapsed and being lowered into the well casing.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the lower end of the assembly. e

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, `showing the packer set, or expanded, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the lower end of the assembly, as shown in yFigure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral I designates an inner pipe whose upper end is threaded into the lower end lof a tubular nipple 2 which, in turn, is connected to the lower end of the coupling 3. This cou. `pling 3 is screwed into the lower end of the operating string 4 which extends to the ground surface. The inner pipe and nipple form a support for the assembly.

There is a packer supporting ring 5 which is Apinned to the lower end of the nipple 2 by means oi' irangible pins 6 and which is sealed with said nipple by means of the annular seal 1 between them. Beneath the supporting ring 5 there is a resilient sleeve like packer 8 which is secured to said ring 5 in any selected manner, as by pins 9. The lower end of the sleeve-like packer 8 is provided .with a deep annular `end slot I0. which is in alignment with an annular expander II.

The slot I0 forms the lower end of the packer 8 into outer and inner annular lips and reinforc- ,ing the inner lip there is a metallic band I2 sur- .rounding said inner lip and secured aroundthe s claims. (o1. 16s-12) outer side of the band there is a ring I3 whose upper margin forms an annular shoulder.

' The upper end of the expander is provided with an inside annular shoulder I4 which hangs on the ring I3, when the assembly is in collapsed position to prevent detachment of said expander and maintain Ithe same in operative relation with said sleeve.

The supporting ring 5 is provided with suitable outlet openings I5 which, in the present illustration, diverge upwardly to permit the escape of fluid between the sleeve-like packer 8 and the inner pipe I upon expansion of said packer.

Spaced beneath the packer there is a tubular cage I6 which surrounds and is spaced from the inner pipe I and While the assembly is collapsed the lower end of this cage is screwed onto the reduced upper end of a tubular reducing cou- 'pling I1 by means of coarse right hand threads. The cage I6 is provided with vertically extended-external sockets I8 to receive the friction blocks I9. These friction blocks are seated on coil springs 20 which hold the blocks outwardly in frictional Contact with the outside casing, as shown in Figure 2.

The friction blocks 9 are retained in place by the upper and lower bands 2 I, 2| whose margins, adjacent the ends of said blocks, overlap said blocks and form stops to prevent detachment of the blocks.

Around the pipe I and seated on the upper end of the coupling I1 within the cage I6 there is a guide ring 22 which is externally tapered upwardly to form a guide for the cage, in assembly, to assure the intermeshing of its threads with the coarse external threads at the upper end of the coupling I'I.

Fitted into the upper end of the cage I6 and suitably pinned therein there is a slip-supporting ring 23 and above this ring there are the wedge shaped slips 24 which are connected to said ring, and supported thereon, by the links 25 pivoted at their lower ends to the ring 23 and at their upper ends to the corresponding slips 24.

l There is a tubular slip expander indicated generally by the numeral 26 and which surrounds -and is spaced from the inner pipe I and whose 3 the upper ends of the slips 24, as indicated in Figure 2.

The external surface of the slips are provided with teeth which are pitched outwardly and downwardly, as shown, and upon downward movement of the expander relative to the slips said slips will be expanded into engagement with the outer casing as shown in Figure 3.

Thereis an approximately tubularA inside coupling designated'r generally by the numeral30 and whose upper end is provided with an inwardly extended flange 30a. also provided with an external annular groove indicated by the numeral 3% to receive ,the lower end of the expander I I.

The upper end of the slip expander has-a' wide inside annular groove 26a anddsprovided, atits 1 upper end, with an inside annular flange 2Gb.

The lower end of the coupling 3l! is provided` with an external annular iiange 3I3c which works inthe groove 26a andisengageablefwith the flange-26o to prevent separation of parts.

ThereV is a sectional retain-er ring; designated generally-hy` the numeral 3l and;whichzisfi`ormed of-sections as 31a whoseiends overlap thussat all timesvk forming a continuous ringwhich, ineiect; is,l expansible and contractile.

The upper end of the tubular couplingv 3.0Lis flared upwardly andthe flared portion iszformed witlidovetailed grooves 30d." The'inner 4sidesiof the-'sections 3Ia of-'the retainer'ring are dared upwardly to conform-to the iiarediportio-n .ofthe coupling 30 andto ride thereagainst and` screwed intoV these respective sections Bla; are fthe'screws 31h whose. heads areA dovetailedfinthe lgrooves 30d 'so as vto forma slidable connection-:between the retainer ring and the coupling, 30;

The; upper endof the retainer ring'3l has-an insideV annular; groove; 3Ic to receive the lower end oftheiexoander I I when theY assembly isT in packerexpanding v position, as vshown Ain Figure.

The upper end of 'the'slip expander Zis providedwitlr radial doveta-iled notches 32 which receive correspondinglyy shaped downward ex.- tensions 33 carried by therespeetive sections 3 Ia of the retainer ring. so. as -tormaintain ,these parts looselyconnected. together.

Incorporated. into the inner, pipe I vand spaced `lo-eneaththeV tubular inside coupling 30` thereis an enlargedcoupling 34 of an outside diameter to fit snugly .within the slip expander 25, as `shown in Figure l', and theilower' end ofthiscoupling 34" has an` external, annular upwardly facing shoulder 35.

Fitted'snugly with'in-the-upper end of th'eexpander- 26 there is the tubular couplingsupport 36 Whose-upper end isl provided with an external annular ilange 35a which extends outinto `the groove 26a ofthe expander 26:

In'roperation the packer assembly is assembled, as shown in Figures 1 and 2; with the cage I6 screwed-tothe coupling I'I to maintain'the slips 2&1 in their lowerY inner position andY with the `lowerfend. of the expander zaresting onthe shoulder 35; and with the coupling support 3.5 resting` on the upper endet-the coupling 3d. At the same time the inside1co-upling-30 is supportedY on `thefsupportiiandthe expander II is supported onsaidfcoupling', the 1s1eeveflike;p`acker Bifbeingfpinnedby the pins t to thegnipple `2gand maintained in its upper collapsed position` Thefriction blocksV I9 however remain inrfricltionalicontact with'the rwell casing, as shown, in

Figure 2, andthe retainer ring 3I.will bein its lower position andthuscontracted, as shownin Figure 1.

Said upper end is.,

When a point has been reached Where it is desired to expand the sleeve-like packer 8 the operating string A may be turned to the right and the inner pipe I and the coupling I7 will be correspondingly turned so as to unscrew said coupling I'I from the cage IS. The inner pipe may then be lowered but the slips 24 will be held against downward movement so that said slips willgbe expanded outwardly into contact with the outer casing by.- said expander, as indicated in Figure 3. Meanwhile the sleeve-like packer B, being pinned to the nipple 2 will also move downwardly and the expander II will be received by the slot' I0 and;` the downward pressure on the expander I I will move it downwardly thus forcing the coupling 30 downwardly until said expander II seats in thegroove 3Ic thus causing the ring 3l and the sleeve exp-ander to move downwardly wedging the slips 24 outwardly and stopping the downward movement of the ring 3l and as the coupling. 30- moyes downwardly` relative tothe ring 3i said ring 3I willalsobe expanded outwardly 'intoclose contact withthezwell casing.

Upon urthermovement .of the`r operating string 4i downwardly the resistanceiof the sleeve-like packer 8; inits expanded position, willcausethe pins E to shear: and said nipple 2willpass on down. through th-ersleeve-,likepacker. 8 and its lowerendwill enter the inside'coupling 30 thus formingan inside `support for saidpacker 8* and the lower end ,offthe external coupling .f3iwillland on the -upperend of the supporting; ring 5 so that the desired weight Amay beappliedto -thepacker fto fully expand it. Thefamount ofrthis 'weight may -becontrolled by the-,operator-.`

The lower end of the expander` I I- is ,Y down? wardly andtoutwardly flared as indicatedin Figure;1 1 so` that thei outer lip f of the :packer` 8 will be forced outwardly into secure sealing relation with the wellcasinggas: is indicated Vinlig'ure 3.

As is well` known rubber or similan resilient material when placed under compression .will flow and in order. 13o-preventv this the sectional, expansible ringr3! has been providediwith means for expanding 'saidiringfwhen the packer sleeve 8 is: expanded, as aboveY described, to effectively prevent the flowing downwardly ofLsaid'sleeve to thus eiect a more eiicientseal.

The drawings anddescription'V disclose-whatis now'considered to vloeI a-preferred Aform of 'the Vinvention; howeverby 'way of `illustration merely. The broad principle of the invention will uvbe defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a well packer assembly, an inner pipe, a sleeve-like'packer` onI said'pipe, anv expansible ring adjacent oneaend of the packer, expanding meansfwithin and vconnected tothe ringf and having a fiaredportion to expand thering upon movement of theexpander in one direction'to close the space between the 'assembly anda Well casing means operable by movement ofthe inner pipe in said one direction for anchoring the ring tothe casing, said expander and ring forming an abutment, when the ring is expanded, means on theinner pipe for applying an endwise'compressive force against the `packer to move said endl of therpacker against `the abutment and to thereby expand the packer and means onsaid inner pipe engageable with said anchoring'means upon movement of said inner pipein the other direction,to releasev said anchoring means from the casing.

2.. In a well rpackerrassembly, an inner 4tubular supportadapted to be connected to an operating string, an expansible sleeve-like packer around said support, an expansible ring adjacent one end of the packer means releasably carried by the inner pipe and operable by downward movement of the inner pipe upon release from said means to anchor the ring to the casing, expanding means within and slidably connected to the ring for limited longitudinal movementrelative to the ring, meanson the support for applying endwise compression to the packer to move the packer against said expanding means and to actuate said means to expand said ring against a surrounding well casing to form an abutment and to prevent ow of the packer material when under compression and means on the inner pipe engageable with said anchoring means to release the anchoring means from the casing upon upward movement of the inner pipe.

3. In a packer assembly, an inner tubular support adapted to be connected to an operating string of pipe, means around the support engageable with a well casing and including casing engaging slips and an expander' releasably connected to the support and operable by longitudinal movement of the support for moving the slips into engagement with the casing, a ring expander mounted on the slip expander, an expansible ring around the ring expander and adapted to be expanded thereby, upon longitudinal movement'of the ring expander in one direction relative to the ring, into contact with the well casing; means forming a slideable connection between the ring expander and ring and operable upon limited longitudinal movement of the ring expander in the other direction relative to the ring to cause the ring to move out of contact with the casing, an expansible sleeve-like packer around the support spaced from the ring expander, means on the support for applying endwise compressive force to the `packer upon longitudinal movement of the support, in one direction, to force the packer against the ring expander and to thereby expand the ring into contact with the casing to form an abutment for the packer to causeV further expansion of the packer upon further movement of the support in said one direction and means on the support engageable with the expander upon movement of the support in the other direction to release the slips from the casing.

4. In a well packer assembly, a support, a sleeve- 'i like packer on said support whose lower end has an annular slot, an expansible ring adjacent one end of the packer, expanding means within the ring having a flared portion to expand the ring upon movement of the expander in one direction to close the space between the assembly and a well casing means forming a slideable connection between the expander and ring and operable upon movement of the expander in the other direction to cause the ring to move out of engagement with the casing, means connected to the ring and operable by movement of the support in said one direction to anchor the ring to the casing, said expander and ring forming an abutment, when the ring is expanded, means on the support for applying an endwise compressive force against the packer to move said end of the packer against the abutment and to thereby expand the packer and a packer expander on the abutment positioned to be received by the slot upon such movement of the packer to further expand the packer and means on the support engageable with said anchoring means upon movement of the support in the other direction to release said anchoring means from the casing.

5. In a well packer assembly, an inner tubular support adapted to be connected to an operating string, an expansible sleeve-like packer around said support, means for securing one end of the packer to the support, an expansible ring adjacent the other end of the packer, expanding means within the ring means connected to the ring and operable by downward movement of the support for anchoring the ring to a surrounding casing, means on the support for applying endwise compression to the p-acker to move the packer upon movement of the support in one direction against said expanding means and to actuate said means to expand said ring against a surrounding well casing to form an abutment' and to prevent flow of the packer material when under compression, means forming a slideable connection between said ring and said rexpand-- ing means and operable upon movement ofsaid support in the other direction to move the ex'- panding means with the support to cause said ring to move out of contact with the casing', said securing means being disruptable, upon application of said compression to allow the support to move downwardly through the packer and means on the support engageable with said anchoring means upon upward movement of the support to release said anchoring means from the well casing.

6. In a well packer assembly, an inner tubular support adapted to be connected to an operating string, an expansible sleeve-like packer around said support, means for securing one end of the packer to the support for movement with the support, an expansible ring adjacent the other end of the packer, expanding means within the ring means connected to the ring and operable by downward movement of the support for an` choring the ring to a surrounding casing, means on the support for applying endwise compression to the packer to move the packer against said expanding means upon downward movement of the support relative to the ring to actuate said means to expand said ring against the surrounding well casing to form an abutment and to Eprevent flow of the packer material whenunder compression, means forming a slideable connection between said ring and expanding means and operable upon upward movement of the support relative to the ring tomove the ring out of contact with the casing, said securing means being disruptable, upon application of said compression to allow the support to move downwardly through the packer, said support having an enlargement which enters the packer, upon such downward movement, and forms an internal support for the packer and means on the support engageable with said anchoring means upon upward movement of the support to release said anchoring means from the well casing.

'7. In a packer assembly, an inner tubular support adapted to be connected to an operating string of pipe, means around the support engageable with a well casing and including casing engaging slips and an expander for the slips, a ring expander mounted on the slip expander, an expansible ring around the ring expander and connected to the slips and adapted to be expanded by the ring expander, upon longitudinal movement of the ring expander, into contact with the well casing, an expansible sleeve-like packer around the support spaced from the ring expander and having an end slot, means on the support for applying endwise compressive force to the packer upon longitudinal movement of the support, in one direction, to force the packer agzaginsia-1the,v ring; expander and. toA thereby` expandthefring intol contact with the casing to form an abutmentfor the'packer to cause further expansion of thepacker uponfurther movement of.v the support'in said direction. packer expanding-.j means on the abutment adapted to be received by said slot, meansforming a slideable connection'between the ring and ring expander and operable upon longitudinal movement ofthe support in the other directionto move the ring outlof engagement with said casing, and means on the `-sup-port engageable with the slip expander upon longitudinal movement of the support in saidv other direction to release `said slips from the vcasing.

8. In'afdevice of the character described shaped tooperate in a'tubular member, an inner support, anexpansible sleeve.-like packing element around said.support, an expansible ring adjacent Yone end of .said'packing element anchoring means operable'vbylongitudinai movement of the support to anchor the.-ring to said tubular member, expanding-means Within the ring, means on vthe support adapted to cause the expandingv means `to expand said ring-into contact with the tubular member, upon application of pressure to the opposite end of the packingelementto. form a seal with the tubular member and prevent flow ofthe materialvof the element past the seal, means forming a slideable connection betweenthering and expanding means and operable upon longitudinal movement of the support in the other direction to move the ring out of contact with the tubular member, and means on the support engageable with said anchoring means upon longitudinal movement of the support in said other direction to release said anchoring means from the tubular member.

NEIL T. BREAUX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe iile` of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,173,887 Robinson Feb. 29, 1916 1,262,107 Sheasley Apr. 91918 2,052,785 Meyer Sept. l, 1936 2,249,171 Quintrell July 15, 1941 2,382,455 Turechek Aug. 14, 1945 2,531,791 Silvey Nov. 28, 1950

Images