US2665444A

US2665444A - Device for wiping pipe

Info

Publication number: US2665444A
Application number: US183699A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman A Nelson
Original assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Current assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Priority date: 1950-09-08
Filing date: 1950-09-08
Publication date: 1954-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1971-01-12

Description

Jan. 12, 1954 FIG. I.

N. A. NELSON DEVICE FOR WIPING PIPE Filed Sept. 8, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

Norm an A. Nelson,

Patented Jan. 12, 1954 DEVICE FOR WIPING PIPE Norman A. Nelson, Houston, 'Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Standard Oil Develop-- ment Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application September 8, 1950, Serial No. 183,699

16 Claims. (01. 15-210) The present invention is directed to apparatus for wiping pipe and other cylindrical surfaces.

The present invention embodies a deformable longitudinal member defining a cylindrical surface which is adapted to embrace the periphery of pipe and the like cylindrical surfaces. The deformable longitudinal member is attached at first and second ends to swivels and the swivels on the first and second ends of said deformable longitudinal member are adaptedto be attached to swivel supporting means which maintain said longitudinal member in operative relationship to:

the periphery of pipe and like cylindrical surfaces when said member is wrapped there-' around.

The supporting means may include a cylindrical housing which may be attached to the casing of a borehole below the rotary table and.-

the blowout preventers. For example, a bellnipple may be modified by attaching thereto swivel supporting means, one of which is preferably spaced above the second of said supporting means. i V

The present invention will be further described by reference to the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view in partial sec-.

tion of apparatus of the presentinvention in operational relationship to a drill pipe; I

Fig. 2 is a detailed showing of the arrangement of the swivel;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of releasable attaching means for the swivel;

Fig. 4 is a view of another embodiment of my invention illustrating a releasable attaching,

means and a modified longitudinal member and clamp therefor; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the clamping means of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1-3, numeral II designates a drill pipe arranged in a borehole and which is connected to other sections thereof, not shown, by a tool joint I2 of the conventional type. Attached to a well casing, not shown, is a bell nipple I3 embodying a cylindrical housing arranged in spaced relationship to drill pipe II and tool joint I2, as shown. The cylindrical housing of bell nipple I3 has attached to it a first swivel supporting means l4 and a second swivel supporting means I 5. It will be noted that swivel supporting means I4 is spaced slightly above the top of bell nipple I3 and offset therefrom while swivel supporting means I5 is spaced above swivel supporting means I4.

A deformable longitudinal member'which is 2 cylindrical in cross-section I6 is attached by swivels I! and. I8, respectively, to swivel supporting mean I4 and" I5. The deformable longitudinal member I6 isattached to swivels I! and I8 by clamps I9 which embrace or circumscribe the longitudinal member I6 and the irregularly shaped members 20 which form 'part of swivels I1 and I 8. Thus the deformable longitudinal member I6 surrounds or embraces the irregularly shaped member 20 which may be inserted therein and the clamps I9 cause a tight fit to be made with swivels I! and I8.

Referring now to Fig. 2 which shows a detail of the means of attaching longitudinal member I6 to one of the supporting members, for example, I5; the swivel I8 is arranged in a link 2| which is attached to a pin 22 carried by the swivel supporting means I 5.

The swivel supporting means I 4 may be connected to member I6 similarly to swivel supporting means I 5 but preferably one of the swivel supporting means is connected to' the longitudinal member [6 by releasable means, such as shown in Fig. 3. For purposes of illustration, it may be assumed that swivel I1 connected to longitudinal means It is releasably attached to swivel supporting means I4 by a hook member 23 which embraces and surrounds pin 24 of supporting means I 4. Hook 23 is provided with a spring latch 25 to allow the longitudinal member Hi to be attached releasably to swivel supporting means I4.

It is to be understood, of course, that both swivels I! and I8 may be releasably attached to swivel supporting means I4 and I5 as has been described. It is to be understood further that other means for attaching swivels may be suitably employed.

The deformable member It should be constructed to be circular in cross-section and should be constructed of a deformable material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, or the deformable member I6 may suitably be a resilient metallic cable, circular in cross-section, constructed of metallic material, such as used in making metallic watch bands. On the other. hand, the resilient metallic cable may suitably be a metallic cable havinga covering of natural or synthetic however, to have the swivel supporting means I4 and I5 spaced vertically at least the distance of twice the diameter of the longitudinal mem- 3 her I 6. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the housing l3 in the shape of a bell nipple forming the mounting for supporting means I4 and 15 may be replaced by other housing means spaced away from the drill pipe II and the tool 5 joint l2. The supporting means 14 and I5 may suitably be vertical rods arranged adjacent the drill pipe, II and; tool, joint l2 rigidly attached to a supporting member of the derrick or the swivel supporting means (4 and 15 may be at; 1Q:

"at right angles to the link passing through the tached horizontally to the derrick substructure.

The apparatus of the present invention as; i1 lustrated by Figs. l-3 operates in the following manner:

The longitudinal member- ,15; may have one, end, such as that carrying'swivel |8,rigidly at tached to swivel supporting means l5 and the other end releasably attached., ,.;togswiveL supaporting means [4. With the drill pipe ll in the, borehole, the longitudinal member I6 is wrapped around the drill pipe, as shown in Fig. l, and the swivel. I! attached. by suitable means, such: as. shown in Fig. 3', toiswivelisupportng means i 4:

As the Vpipeis. pulled.-.up( out .01": theholethe deformable member. lfirr'oll's" onithe pipe surface and wipes Vtheimud :offi ithfi. pipes in a wringere type action. The vcharacteristics of the deform-l able member. andthe. particular arrangementof; the present, ,inventionrpermit an initial tension to be.applied,to,theewiperitotallow the drilling mud to be WipBd therefrom-l Referring -noW.=. ;to F gs-1A ands, numeral. 13-. designates a bell nipple as in Figs. i tor-3 having a swivel supportin meansfill attached there- Wiv L.suppqrtins means; 3fli c1 desa a k t I ith; race 3 .1;and n lud n fork arrangement; 33 which is alsahracedwith a brace 34. Pork arrangement;33.adsfi s as ot v3 through which the swivel is attached in a man; her to be described; 4O mabl l n itudinal, member, 6.: is rate; diq a swiv -1;Wb ;13; sa rov dedw tliza v s n 3 T W9 3. efine a. h d zfi sh. attached. th etoa, A. c ventional type hose-clamp lO-gfits; over the de: formablelongitudinal m m 35 ,jlr te which the;

' h osss azen-ifls stinger: 38 ssrtske a V whichclamps over the deigrma 1 longitu mal e r ;fit v ?;;t s;;sh ul. ins .3 tight into between the ball be 31 and the,deformablelongitudinal v V v The other'hendiof itlrie v eff ble' lonfg itud al member '38" is attached to a similar ballbe g.- SWWBI imto ide swi a s ul over which. clamp llflj 'is inged; swivel ll is,

similarly provided with a, bulbous ,nqsenstingen os 38 which is insertedin,mernben 3B. The swiv 41 i hed ,tolfa been member." m rina a support '44, bracket means 43 being attached to bell nipple v [3. Upstandingsupporjts, 45 are provided with a pin lli which attaches the swivel so ll to the upstandingm embers 45.

The deformable longitudinal; member 3fi may T be suitably provided witna second deformable; member i'l which -may -be-a tubular deform able memberwhich: fits around the deformable member. 36; for example, when -thedefor-mable member 36 isconstructed 0f rubber,-a rubber; hose. of. largerinside' diameter. may be-fitted over 7 the deformable mex'nbersilfis Thus when the de formable membenfili is -inntension the deform able member 41.. may; roll .freely'thereon and provide a wiping action. foiqa pipe coming -out of the borehole when the deformable members-f 35 and 41 are 'wrappe' -therearound as illustrated Attached to the swivel 3! is a link chain 48 which is releasably attached through slot 35 to fork 33; thus, for example, when it is desirable to use the device of the present invention, as embodied in this figure, on different size pipe, it is possible to lengthen or decrease the effective length of: the appratusgbyi hooking the chain 48 by different link s in the slot 35. The manner of attaching the chain A8 in the slot 35 is very simple, a link of the chain being turned $1 1; 1 35,; thus efiectively hooking the chain at ins n The' deyice of Figs. 4 and 5 operates in a similar mannergto .the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3, the only ,di er,ence: being that the deformable members 36 and 41 both can rotate freely, exerting awiping actionon the pipe as it comes out of the hole. A further difierenoe is the means of attaching the deformable means 36 to the swivel. When it is desired to employ the apparatus of the present invention, the longitudinal member ;36 either carrying or 'not carrying am additional longitudinal member il may; be wrapped around a stand of pipe, such as II ,-in; a borehole and the chain 48. clamped 'at the desiredpointin-slot 35. As; the pipe" is pulled; out ot-the holea rolling or wringer action-is exerted thereon and the pipe is freedofmud;

The device as illustrated in Figai was used on about: 3000 .'feet-of- 5-inch drill-pipe in a borehole in the Gulf Coast of Texas and satisfactorily removedmudtherefrom.

In .order .7 to illustrate the inventioniurthen a l-inch :diameter. rubbericable was equipped with harness-type swivels on each end. Ropes-were attached. toieach: of. theswivelsand. the rubber cable .wasrtheniwrapped around al5-inch .drill pipebeing pulled out of-a borehole-inan oil wellzbeingdrilled in the Texas Gulf-Coast. A rolling action not the. rubber cable was efiectedd andlisatisfactory'. wipingofamud from the 13113.61 resulted x The invention described and claimed herein-- has theifollowing znoteworthyadvantages ;-over pipe wipers currently. employeds Theimproved apparatus-provides maximum view of the bore hole iso that themud level in the; annulus be tween the drill pipe and thecasing can-beob;

served. The improved apparatus including {the longitudinal member; can be quickly and simply inserted or removed without, damaging it Arrrnadrsntass .ihaither llms a t on o t ii l d m mber. l su s i t-a m se Din ear. ndn 'ih rm r g ar d tion l minimized since the improvedapparatusisnot; Q iaqtwit s ttomp th r t y bus ns- The eifective wiping area may also be changed by anchoring the ,freewend, of the longitudinal member at different. points, and; by: 1 different, mean 991, 6; u in t that w h-h se ngs ss j sdua pveu The nature and objects ;oi .the present invenm v ticn havingbeen fully described and illustrated, what; desire to claim asnew and. useful and-to secure by Letters Patent ise l. Apparatus for,wipingpipeand other cylin s drical suria ces which comprises, in, combinatio a deformable longitudinal; member: defining a a1 suriace adap ted ,.to. .embrace-rotatab e P lmhg'w P ss and e an-, ndrita s rfaces, swivels attached -to ,first and second .ends;; visigmem r"and fi s z a d s l= u porting means for said swivels, said first su r naies nsb ias erased-awe and. ad sta apart from the second supporting means, said swivels being movably attached to said supporting means, and said supporting means being adapted to maintain said member in operative relationship to the periphery of pipe and other cylindrical surfaces when said member is wrapped therearound and to allow only limited vertical movement of said member with respect to said supporting means.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the deformable member is a natural rubber cable.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the deformable member is a synthetic rubber cable.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the deformable member is a resilient metallic cable.

5. Apparatus for wiping pipe and other cylindrical surfaces which comprises, in combination, a deformable longitudinal member defining a cylindrical surface adapted to embrace rotatably the periphery of pipe and other cylindrical surfaces, swivels attached to first and second ends of said member, first and second fixed supporting means for said swivels said first supporting means being spaced above and a distance apart from the second supporting means, said swivels being movably attached to said supporting means and said supporting means being adapted to .maintain said member in operative relationship to the periphery of pipe and other cylindrical surfaces when said member is wrapped therearound and to allow only limited vertical movement of said member with respect to said supporting means, and releasable means on at least one of said swivels for releasably attaching said swivel to said supporting means.

6. Pipe wiping apparatus comprising, in combination, a housing adapted to be arranged in fixed relationship to a stand pipe in a borehole, a deformable longitudinal member defining a cylindrical surface adapted to embrace rotatably the periphery of said pipe and having a first and a second swivel attached, respectively, to first and second ends thereof, first and second swivel supporting means rigidly mounted on said housing, said first supporting means being spaced above and a distance apart from the second supporting means, and attaching means movably connecting said swivels to said swivel supporting means to allow only limited vertical movement of said member with respect to said housing.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the deformable member is a natural rubber cable.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the deformable member is a. synthetic rubber cable.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the deformable member is a resilient metallic cable.

10. Pipe wiping apparatus comprising, in combination, a housing adapted to be arranged in fixed relationship to a stand of pipe in a borehole, a deformable longitudinal member defining a cylindrical surface adapted to embrace rotatably the periphery of said pipe and having a first and a second swivel attached to a first and a second end of said member, first and second swivel supporting means rigidly mounted on said housing, said first swivel sup porting means being spaced above said second swivel supporting means a distance at least equivalent to twice the diameter of said longitudinal in cross section adapted to embrace the periphery of said pipe and rotate thereon, a first and a second swivel attached, respectively, to first and second ends of said cable, first and second swivel supporting means rigidly mounted on said housing, said first swivel supporting means being spaced above said second swivel supporting means a distance at least equivalent to twice the diameter of said rubber cable and also spaced a dis- -tance apart from said second swivel supporting means, and attaching members movably connecting said swivels to said swivel supporting means to allow only limited vertical movement of said member with respect to said housing.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 in which at least one of said attaching members ,releasably connects one of said swivels to one of said swivel supporting means.

13. Pipe wiping apparatus comprising, in combination, a housing adapted to be arranged in fixed relationship to a stand of pipe in a bore- :hole and adapted to be attached to a well casing arranged therein, a first deformable longitudinal member cylindrical in cross section adapted to embrace the periphery of said pipe and to rotate thereon, a first and a second swivel attached, respectively, to first and second ends of said first member, first and second swivel supporting means, the first swivel supporting means being spaced above and a distance apart from the second swivel supporting means and rigidly mounted on said housing, a second deformable longitudinal member cylindrical in cross section embrac ing rotatably said first member, first attaching means movably connecting said first swivel to said first supporting means and second attaching means movably connecting said second swivel to said second supporting means, said attaching means allowing only limited vertical movement of said members with respect to said housing and said swivels allowing said members to rotate when said second member is in contact with said pipe.

14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 in References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 428,799 Breul May 27, 1890 478,824 Shostak July 12, 1892 2,014,293 Riley Sept. 10, 1935 2,892,490 Maruri Jan. 8, 1946 2,480,371 Kalhoefer Aug. 30, 1949