US2914786A - Drill pipe wiper - Google Patents

Description

Dec. l, 1959 G. R; HUNT DRILLPIPE wIPER Filed Aug. 27, 1956 2 Shesa1'.s-Sheel:y 1

INVENTOR.

G. R. HUNT 2,914,786

Dec. 1, 1959 DRILL PIPE WIPER Filed Aug. 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

65,6940 j?. .Ka/vr might otherwise occur if rier ring4 and an i i, 2,914,786 rnuIiLrrPEWuunz' N GeraldR:v Hunt, Long Beach, Calif. y Application `Anglian, 195,6, serial No. 695,365, yz'olarms. (Cl. v1`sz1o) Y This invention `relates to a wiper to engage act upon parts engaged ina well and is more particularlyjcon'- cerned with awiper for use lin connectinvwith elementsgib ofa well atthetop or head thereof and'which serve to engage a string of drill pipe engaged or entered in the well in order to wipe or strip material fsuch-*as y,drilling mud therefrom in the, course of being pulled or withdrawn 2,914,7e Patented Dec. 1, 1959 ice the upper end of a casing, a rotary unit `and drilling pipe extending through the unit and into the casing, parts being broken away to showin section, and a wiper construction lof the present invention being shownin operating position. t

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the wiper construe tion that I provide apart from the other elements of the well structure and having a portion thereof broken away to show in section.

.1Fig.3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of a porf -tion of the wiper construction shown in Fig..2 and taken substantially-as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2;

on al pipe and apartfrom other elements of the well i Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the wiper construction showing it engaged on a pipe and apart from the other elements of the well structure. Fig. v5 isa plan view `ofthe wiper construction provided by thepresent invention and showing it engaged from the well.` It is a general object ofthis invention to provide a vwiper construction` or device of the `general character referred, to that can be easily and conveniently engagedA in, operating position, `a structure ,which is hlghly eifectivefin "operation" and which is both easy andfeconomical of manufacture.

i Wipers are commonly yemployed in connection with pipes engaged lin wells for the purpose of wiping 1inateral such las drilling mud and oil from the pipe as, it is withdrawn, from the well and to incidentally check acci .,Thefwiper construction provided by the presentV inven- :tion is adapted to, be used in connection with wellY parts Vand/ori elements, and it is intended to serve as a'wiper for 'removing mud, oil, or other material froma string of drill pipe, or the like, extending from. the well casing. The vwell rstructure in conjunction with which the wiper .isemployed may` involve elements such as a well casing,

dental introduction of smalljhand ,tools into the well whicht the upper end of thewell isopen and unobstructed. fr v The usual wiper is` characterized :by asimple unitary l vdisc having a central opening or hole therein to slidably receive and pass the drill pipe. The V outer diameter of!v thedisc isn;substantially` greater than theywell elements or' the head structure on a casing,z a rotary unit and/ or other like parts of the structure.

In Fig. 1 ofthe drawings, I have shown my wiper con- `struction.; engaged with elementsof a typical Well structure' employedIduringdrilling operations. For instance,

-I have'shownfa casing-10 `terminating below a rotary unit R; and a'string` Siof drill pipe is shown engaged through the rotary unit and entering the casing 10.

: rture' of thisgeneralcharacter and `is shown as involving axbase 11 supporting a table 12 through a suitable bear- The rotary unit R, illustrated, shows a typical strucying-13while a master bushing 14 is carried in the table with or between which the wiper is engaged. The `outer* peripheral portion of theordinary Vwiper, is' reinforced i as by a rmetal ring so that when-itv is in usefitawill not collapse and can oat freely `between the` well parts between which it is located without being fixed or attached to anyone or more of the well parts. f

It frequently happens that ordinarywipers become `worn or torn, rendering them ineiective, with` theresultvthat establishing a central-opening 15 concentric` with the casingf10 Theiop'eninglS is typical'of the opening found in rotaries and is`designedtoI receive slip! bushings which theyffmay have to be replaced during, the operation of pulling a drilling string from a well. Furthermore, the ordinary wiper constructionas above described, involves a large quantity of material which makes it a costly item to manufactureand replace. l

It is a gene'raliobjectof my invention toprovide a wiper construction tobe related to one or more elements of a well structure and including an outer reinforced carinner expendable work;l engaging wiper element. l i

A furtherobjectof this invention is to `provide awiper A construction of the general character referred to having a novel reinforced means for the carrier ring and a novel coupling means between the carrier ring and the wiper element. t

` rubber.

are distinguished from master'bushings 'by beingrelatively light, simple, andeasy tohandle and in practice,

the 'slip bushings, `fnot shown in' the drawings, are fre-` quently arranged in and removedfrom the table, whereas the 4master bushing 14 is commonly left in the table over long periodsof time. o f

The wiper construction` W provided by the present invention is shown as including an annular carrier ring Ztl and'a disc-shaped wiper element 21 carried by the ring i 20 anduhaving a central'opening 22 passing the pipe S.

Inpractice, the ring 20 and wiper 21 may belvformedfpoff' It is to berunderstood that in referring tothe 4iriiig'jZlltandwiper 21 being formed of rubber, it is inltende'dl to include rubber substitutes or rubber-like compositions, In practice, 1 preferl to employ a so-called synthetio rubber" which `is notappreciably affected by oil or 'the like.` lThis type of material is desirable in the situa- It s another object of this invention tol provide-a-carl rier ring which is strong and durable and a wiper element which is of minimum size` and is such thatv it is light, simple, and inexpensive of manufacture.

The various objects and features of my'invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typicalpreferred form"`and application of my invention,tthroughout which description reference is made tothe accompanying drawings, 'in which;

lL isga-jview illustrating the top'ofa nivell showing f1 tion illustrated in thatthe material wiped fromthe` string- 'is often laden with oil;

In Yaddition to the above, the wiper constructionV fprovided by the present inventionfurther includes a novel rreinforcingmer-ms 23 for the carrier ring 20 and a novel coupling means 24l releasably securing the wiper element Z1 in working relationship with the carrier ring.`

lThe mounting ring 20 that I provide ris a simplematerial body of rubber freely engaged around vthe string `S of drill pipe to occur between the rotary unit R and the casing'llo. The ring 20 is shown as having flat horizonvtally-,disposed top and bottom walls`25 and 26' and subi. `stantially vertically disposed inner and outerperipheral walls-27 and 28. The ring is larger in outside Ydiameter effective life of the carrier ring.

' tion andthe string S is being elevated or withdrawn from the'tubing 10,1the mounting ringltleng'ages and is held against vertical movement and displacement byv themasv ter'bushing l14 ofthe rotary unit R.

The reinforcing' means 23 for'the carrier ring 20is adapted-V to provide the ringwith sufficient strength and rigidity 'so that the ring will not collapsey or yield when 'Y it islurged into bearing vengagement with'the-:masterw bushing lland in such a"rn`anner as wouldv permitVV the wipermconstruction W` from being drawn through.; the

opening"15"ofthebushing 'and` out 'of working position.

The reinforcingfmeans 23 is shownas including a at horizontally disposed coil"29of spring steel rod orrwire" and a plurality of circumferentially spaced clips 30 env gaging and holding they adjacent portions-of the coill29 in fixed relationship toeach other. The wirecoil 29 with the clips 30 is in the nature of an annular corel inthe ring 20^and` is imbedded in'the mass or'b'odyof rubber .c

establishing the ring to`oc'curfmidway between'thelf'top and bottomsurfacesl 25 and-26 of the ring andti'n spaced -position between the inner and outer peripheral wa11s27 and 28 thereof. v

'In practice, the ring 20' is establishedrby a suitable lmolding operation and the coil 29 is engagedv in the ring 'Y 20 during the molding operation with the result thatlthe rubber establishing the ring flows around Aand isv bonded to the coil. i In the preferred carrying out'ofthe inven- Ition, itis desirable that theadjacent portions oftheZ-'wirev or rod establishing the coil29-'be spaced radiallylapart Vfrom veach.` other a slight distance' soas. to permit the 35 rubber, during the fonnation of the ring, toy How therebetween. v

I- provide is highly 'eiective tostiienfthe rin'g 20 against collapsing or.y the like and' yet is such that it jcanyield slightly when excessive forces are `applied thereto. lThis feature/'ishighly significant since Vit .materially reduces the possibility of the n'ng becomingdamaged and/ or-mutilated Lunder severe working conditions and increasesfthe he'clips 30 of the means; 23,-adapted toimaintain'the coil"29 in proper coiled condition, are shown as` simple radially Vinw: a.1dly opening ...and horizontally disposed {Je-shaped members formed of strip steel and havingrupper arid'lowerlegs 31 and 32 engaging or occurringadjacent 50 the upper and lowersides or surfaces ofthe coil 29. In

the preferred carrying out of thejinvention, the ends of f the legs 3x1-fand 32 of'therclips 3l) project radiallyin- 'i wardly fromthe coil 2Q a substantial distance andestabllsh a part of the coupling means' 24 ,as will herein- 5 after befdescribed. Y'The disc-shaped wiperelement 21 of my construction,v`

carried by the-ring 20 and having a centraljopening 22` f therein tof receive and pass the string of drill pipeS, .is

ycharacterized by flat horizontally disposed top and bottom 6 surfaces 33 and 34 anda substantially vertically disposed wouter peripheralwall 35.

e The central opening 22 extending through the wipen. element 2G is slightly smaller than vthe outside diameter of the pipe S with the result that it establishes snug-engagement therearound. In practice, the wiper element is A'formed of rubber orv other like material that is sufficiently i resilienttoallow for expansion of the wiper so that jointsV I -of or on the pipe S maybe passed through the wiper Y in the `vcourse of pulling the strings vertically fromA the vwell casing 10. I

The wiper-element Z1= is substantially smaller' inoutside `fliameterthanthe inside diameter of the ring 20 so that: f '1t caribe freely cngagedwithin the ring with substantial jworkmg clearance, as clearly illustrated inthe, drawings.

It will be apparent that thereinfor'cingmeans`r that' '4 The wiper element is preferably slightly lesswin vertical extent or thickness than the ring 20 so that when it is engaged in the ring and is connected thereto by the coupling means 24, it is maintained in spaced relation- Ship between the top and bottom surfaces 25 and 26 of the ring and does not project therefrom where it could become damaged.

The coupling means 24 securing the wiper element 21 in working relationship with the carrier ring 29 includes a plurality of horizontallydisposedand circumferentially spaced eyes 36 fixed to and projecting radially outwardlyV fromthe wiper1member-21, a plurality of radially inwardly openingrecesses 37 in the carrier ring and freely receiving the eyes on the wiper member,

15 a plurality of vertically disposed openings 38 through the ring and intersect the recesses, and a retainer pin 39 n is engaged in each opening to extend through the recesses -37 lrelated thereto andV throughthe5eyes-36 of the wiper element 21' engaged' in the-recesses. l

; wiperfelement. T jln practice, the wiper element 2l is -'form`edby asuitable molding operation at which time ftheflugs 1139--areestablished thereon with the` loops or rings establishing-the eyes-36 engaged therein.

wardly opening notch 40 adjacentfeach recess-'37 to freely-*receiver the lugs` l139 projecting from the wiper 'felemenh Y In practica-the inner-engaged- -relationship of the A`-l1.1gs'1o'r1thewiperelementinfthe notches inthe carrier v-ring serves-tolfacilitateorientingthe wiperelement in the 1#partici-"Kringandalso: serves to interrupt theannular space between the wiper' element and the carrier ring/so as to prevent'or restrict the 'passage-Lof small toolsand the 'L like therebetween.

40 yInfpractice, the clips 300i the reinforcingrings 23 for `vThe-legs` y 31 and 32 ofthe-.clips are lprovided with openings--41which register-'with the opening-@S inthe ring to receive the retainer jpins 139.i '-With' this relationship of parts it will bebe apparent thatatheretainer pins 39, engagedthrough the recesses in the ring-20 and serving to :'-Lmainta'in the eyes'. 36 fofV -thewiper element' Zll-Fengaged in V-the recessesi37, are coupled with thereinforcing coil V29.I in the carrier ring, through'zt-he clips,- and are not subject tolbeing-pulled or torn out of engagement with the ring 20' when the structurev` is in operation.

. '.The retainer vpins-'39 arek preferably formedof soft l .malleable materialiand.v are provided with heads'42 at one zend. The Ypins -arenengaged linitheringiZO kto extend ';:through. tbe=clips30 kand the leyes-f36, and have their free ends bent to prevent them from dropping out or being 0'= accidentallyv displaced .from-the f ring. In-fthe case illus- .tratedpathe .openings `.41'1 in the vclips 130- slidably receive ..the; shanksgof. the. pins-39 :but :will not pass the heads :.42Lthereofwhile'- the Vopenings-38#inl-thering r20 are of sucient diameter to freely receive the heads of the pins.

:with-this.frelationshipfoftparts irzwiirbe. apparent that the heads of the pins v 39engage-;and :establish metal-to-metal contactwith the clipsi30 and arejcompletely recessed in the ring 20 so that they` are notsubject tobecoming worn .or damaged when the wiperfconstruction is in operation, as clearly. ,illustrated inthe drawings.

In the case illustrated,and. to ,facilitate bending the 'free ends ofthe'shanks Vof the-pin39,either.for the pur- Vpose of making'them fast or for the purposeof removing them, and also to protectthem from being damaged or fromcreating a hazard when thestructure is in operation t I have shown the upper or top surface 25 of the ring 20 provided with an elongate recess 45 adjacent each opening 38 in the ring and adapted to receive and accom- `modate the shanks of the retainer pins 39 when they are bent. In practice, similar recesses could be provided in the lower surface 26 of the ring 20 if desired and in which W that I provide can be subjected to and withstand severe` Working conditions which would rapidly mutilate and/ or Wear out thel ordinary one piece wiper construction,

In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have illustrated how the wiper element 21 can ilex and shift relative to the carrier ring 20 in a vertical plane, while in Fig. 5 I have illustrated how the wiper element 21 can flex and shift relative to the carrier ring in a horizontal plane.

In practice, when the wiper element 21 becomes worn or mutilated, it can be easily and conveniently disconnected from the carrier ring 20 by removing the retainer pins 39. The wiper element removed can then be replaced by a new one by simply reversing the operation set forth above. It will be further apparent that in cases where the size of the drill pipe is changed and a wiper element having a central opening of a different size must `be employed, a wiper element of proper size can be easily and advantageously engaged with the carrier ring in thepmanner set forth above and without requiring replacement of the wiper ring.

In the particular form of the invention illustrated and to prolong the service life of the carrier ring and to reduce the frictional drag between the ring and the master bushing 14, I have provided a plurality of circumferentially spaced upwardly projecting wear-receiving ribs 50 on the upper surface 25 of the carrier ring as clearly illustrated throughout the drawings.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application `of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but

wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A wiper for an object extending through an opening in a rotary located above a well including, a continuous annular bodily expansible wiper member of flexible material defining a central opening and adapted to slidably pass the object, a continuous annular carrier ring of rubber surrounding the wiper element with working clearance and adapted to engage the underside of the rotary, reinforcing means in the carrier ring, and coupling means securing the wiper member to the carrier ring for limited axial and radial movement therebetween, said reinforcing means including a at coil of metal rod and a plurality of .circumferentially spaced clips engaging the coil and maintaining adjacent portions of the coil in spaced relationship to each other, said coupling means including a plurality of circumferentially spaced eyes projecting from the wiper member and engaged in the clips of the reinforcing means.

2. A wiper for an object extending through an opening in a rotary located above a Well casing including a discshaped wiper element of flexible material expansible as a whole and having a central opening slidably passing the object, a rigid annular carrier ring surrounding the wiper element with clearance and adapted to engage the underside of the rotary, and coupling means including circumferentially spaced lugs on the exterior of the wiper element, vcircurnferentially spaced notches on the inside of the carrier ring and receiving the lugs, radially inwardly opening recesses in the notches, radially outwardly projecting eyes on the lugs and extending into the recesses, and retainer pins carried by the carrier ring and extending through the recesses and the eyes engaged therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,198,698 Fitzmeyer Apr. 30, 1940 2,392,146 Hall Jan. 1, 1946 2,620,504 Slater Dec. 9, 1952 2,666,621 Hunt Ian. 19, 1954 2,667,929 I-Iunt Feb. 2, 1954

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