US2633330A - Rotating rathole head - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1953 w. c. CARLISLE ROTATING RATHOLE HEAD 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed June 5, 1948 Fig. 2

Fig. 7

- ww 4T TORNE' Y5 Margh 31, 1953 w. c. CARLISLE 2,633,330

ROTATING RATHOLE HEAD Filed June 5, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 mm: 0. Gar/isle fa rs Qw A T TORNE Y5 Patented Mar. 31, 1953 ROTATINGTRATHOLE HEAD Willis 1). Carlie-1e, .Hufsmit-h, Tex ,assignor to Macco .Qil Tool Company, Houston, Texas, a

partnership Application June '5, 1948, Serial :No. 31,292

The invention relates to a pipe support fitting for use in the rat-hole on a well drilling rig to facilitate the handlin of the several pieces of pipe which comprise the drill stem and Kelly joint.

In the drilling of wells by the rotary method, a drill bit is rotated by connecting a piece of pipe thereto. .As the bit progresses into the earth, additional sections or pieces of pipe are added to form the drill string. Present day Wells are often drilled to ten and fifteen thousand feet in depth, so that a great number of 30-foot sections of drill pipe are needed.

When the drill becomes worn or iorsome other reason the drill pipe is to be removed from the well, the entire drill string is hoisted and disconnected and the top three or four sections disconnected and placed at the side of the derrick. This operation is repeated until the drill bit is retrieved for replacement or subject to the operation conducted as has been found necessary. The drill pipe is rotated by a non-circular member known as the Kelly joint or grief stem. This grief stem is connected with the swivel by which the drill pipe is supported by being rtated by -the rotary table. The grief stem is gripped by the rotary table so as to turn the drill pipe and bit. The drilling mud used to flush the cuttings to the surface, to cool the bit, and to well up the sides of the hole, is pumped through the swivel and down the drill pipe. When a new section .of pipe is to be utilized, this pipe will be placed at a convenient location close to the rotary table in a vertical position, and such a hole is known as a mouse hole.

When the grief stem or Kelly joint is disconnected irom the pipe, it also must he placed at a convenient location, and to receive such Kelly joint a rat hole is also provided.

The present invention directs itself t a meth- 0d and apparatus to be utilized on the ratand mouse-holes so as to conveniently support the rief stem and pipe sections in the course of the connection and disconnection of such pieces of pipe relative to the drill stem.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a rotatable head on the top of a rator mouse-hole casing in order that the pipe disposed in such hole may be readily rotated in the breaking out and making up of the threaded pipe connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cushion supported rotatable head for supporting a piece of pipe in a rat-hole.

Still another object 01 the invention is to provide an assembly for a rat-hole on drill rigs.

.Still another obiect oi the invention is to provide a -me'ans and method oi-suppor'tin'g pipe sections on a d-rill r ig so that such sections may he expeditiously :connected or disconnected as desired.

still further object of the invention is to provide a removable connecting head for mouseor rat-holes on drilling rigs.

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

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rator mousehole on a drilling rig illustrating the irw'e'ntio'n applied thereto and supporting a pipe section in position.

Figure '2 is a side elevation of the rotatable supporting :head for the mouseor rat-hole.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4 and illustrating a modified term of the rotating supporting head for mouseand rat-holes.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line t oi Figure 5 is broken detailed sectional view of a removable connection for the supporting head, and is taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a transfer section looking down on the modification of Figure 5..

Figure l is a top view looking on a diagrammatic-al arrangement of the derrick iloor of a drill rig.

in Figure 7 the derrick floor 2 is illustrative of the arrangement of the equipment of a drilling rig. The ihoist 3 is usually positioned at one side thereof, whereas the rotary table 4, having a non-circular opening ii and gripping the noncircular Kelly joint 6, isusualiy disposed approximately the center of the drilling rig. This rotary is driven by means of connection I thereto.

When sections of the pipe are to be added or are removed from the drill string or the trebles or fourbles of pipe are to be stacked in the corner of the derrick, the draw works is utilized to hoist the Pipe. The Kelly joint swivel and elevator which are connected to the pipe must be hoisted. It is desirable to have a rat-hole, such as ill, in which to position the Kelly joint when it is not in use. Such a hole is seen in Figure l, and is an opening which has been drilled in the earth and in which the rat-hole casing H been positioned. This hole may be from 30 to 10.0 feet in depth. The derrick floor 2 is shown while th rat-hole is seen at it in Figure 7.

The casing H is provided with suitable means,

such as the threadedconnection 12, which receives a coupling 13. This coupling I3 has the head l3 disposed thereon and which head may be secured to the coupling i 3 by means of set screws l5.

The head 14 includes a support sleeve [6, which is the portion anchored to the coupling l3.

The outer housing section I! of the head It is provided with the slots l8 through which the studs i may extend. In this manner the housing portion I! may be vertically slidable but non rotatable relative to the casing H.

This housing portion l1 supports the cap 28, which is utilized for retaining the support ring 2!, which forms part of the head. This ring or rotatable collar 2| is disposed on anti-friction bearings 22 and is held in place with a hold-down ring 23 formed on the cap 20. A bearing ring 25 is slidably arranged within the housing portion 41, and is supported upon a coiled spring 2! bearing against the upper end of the coupling !3 or an adapter ring 28 on such coupling. In this manner the entire housing portion I1 is resiliently supported while the ring 25 is readily rotatable.

Protector sleeve 30 extends downwardly to enclose the spring 21 and exclude drilling mud therefrom.

Figure 1 shows a pipe 32 as resting upon the housing portion I! in rotatable position. As a matter of fact, an elevator 34 encloses the pipe 3.2, and the enlarged box portion 35 rests directly on the elevator. In this manner the elevator may rotate with the pipe 32 or it may remain stationary.

The pipe 3'! is merely illustrative of a Kelly joint or adapter which is connected to such kelly. An elevator 38 is shown as supporting the kelly when it is to be connected to or at the time it is disconnected from the pipe 32. In same instances the pipe 32 may be the Kelly joint.

The purpose is to provide a rotatable rat-hole connection which supports the pipe so that it is readily rotatable in making up the thread connection 46 between the pipes 32 and 37 regardless of what type of pipe these portions may represent.

The present practice is to rotate the pipe section 31 by means of a cat-line wrapped around the pipe and upon which a pull is exerted in the making up or breaking out of the threaded portion 48.

It is diilicult to rotate the pipe 31 because the weight thereof is supported from the crown block in the top of the derrick by the hoisting cable,

the traveling block, and, in some instances, the

swivel. Any rotation of the pipe 31 tends to rotate on this equipment, which is heavy and cumbersome.

With the use of the present invention the pipe 32 may be engaged, and is readily rotatable because its weight may approximate only 600 pounds and may be rotated on the bearings 22 in the head I! with ease. In the operation of the invention in this manner the pipe 31 is lowered to rest in and engage the pipe 32. This compresses the spring 21; however, as the pipe 32 is rotated so as to threadedly engage pipe 31, the compression of spring 21 tends to urge pipe 32 upwardly into engagement with the pipe 31.

A lubricant fitting may be provided on the cap 20 so as to insure the proper lubrication o the bearings'22.

In some instances on the larger rigs, to expedite the adding of sections of pipe to the drill string, because of the high speed of the penetration into the earth, it is desirable to have an auxiliary rat-hole convenient to the rotary table 4, and Figure '7 shows such an opening in the form of a mouse-hole 42. This mouse-hole may or may not be similarly equipped with the present invention of the rotating head so that the section of pipe 32 therein will be readily rotatable; however, it is preferable that it be so equipped.

While the cushion for the rotating head is illustrated as a coil spring 21, it seems obvious that various other types of cushion or resilient supports may be used.

Figures 3 and 4 show a modified form of the rotating telescoping head I4 wherein body 50 is connected to the upper end of the rat-hole casing H by suitable means, such as threads or welds, and has an outstanding flange 5! to receive the thru bolts 52. If desired, the body 58 may be formed by an extension of the casing H. These thru bolts support a flange sleeve 53, which confines the supporting springs 54 so that the sleeve 53 is resiliently mounted.

The standard portion 55 of the sleeve is slidably arranged within the body 50, and has the studs 56 slidable in the slots 51 so as to hold the sleeve 53 in non-rotatable position.

The support ring 58 is mounted on anti-friction bearings 59 carried by the upper face of the sleeve 53. A hold-down ring 59' having a lip 68 is affixed by the bolt 6! on the sleeve 53. This is a suitable assembly which can be readily removed by unscrewing the body 50 from the easing i i when the rig is being moved.

In some instances it is desirable to avoid any upstanding obstructions on the derrick floor 2, and Figure 5 shows a modified connection of the head 15 to the casing 50 wherein the body 50 of Figure 3 has been made in two parts, the lower one of which, 62, is threaded on the casing ll, while the upper portion 63 is aiiixed to such .lower portion by the bolts 64.

In Figure 3 the adjusting nuts on the thru bolts 52 may be advanced in order to compress the springs 54 in order to support the contemplated load of pipe so as to provide a resilient support.

Broadly, the invention contemplates a rotatable rat-hole connection for-drilling rigs wherein pipe being added to or taken from the drill string or other sections of pipe to be used are resiliently and rotatably supported.

What is claimed is:

'l. A rat hole connection for well drilling rigs comprising a rat hole casing, a support sleeve secured to said casing, a housing fitting about said support sleeve, there being slots in said housing, studs projecting from said support sleeve and extending through said slots whereby said housing is slidable but non-rotatable relative to said support sleeve, a ring on the inside surface of said support sleeve, a spring resting thereon, a bearing ring resting on the top of said spring and mounted with said housing to move therewith, a protector sleeve mounted inside said bearing ring to enclose said spring, bearing means above said bearing ring, a rotatable collar mounted on said bearing means, and an annular hold down ring connected to the top of said housing and engaging with the rotatable collar to prevent movement therecf away from said bearing means.

2. A rat hole connection for well drilling rigs comprising a rat hole casing, a support sleeve secured to said casing, a housing fitting about said support sleeve, there being slots in said housing, studs projecting from said support sleeve and extending through said slots whereby said housing is slidable but non-rotatable relative to said support sleeve, a ring on the inside surface of said support sleeve, a spring resting thereon, a bearing ring resting on the top of said spring and mounted with said housing to move therewith, a protector sleeve mounted inside said bearing ring to enclose said spring, bearing means above said bearing ring, a rotatable collar mounted on said bearing means, and an annular hold down ring connected to the top of said housing which engages said ring, said ring resting on top of said spring comprising a bearing ring and a rotatable collar, anti-friction bearings disposed between said bearing ring and collar whereby said collar is rotatable relative to said bearing ring.

WILLIS C. CARLISLE.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images