US2916954A

US2916954A - Well tool for determining the torque applied to well pipe sections

Info

Publication number: US2916954A
Application number: US456152A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Philip E Davis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-09-15
Filing date: 1954-09-15
Publication date: 1959-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1976-12-15

Description

Dec. 15, 1959 Filed Sept. 15. 1954 P. E. DAVIS, JR WELL TOOL FOR DETERMINING THE TORQUE APPLIED TO WELL PIPE SECTIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet l PHlLlP E. DAVIS JR.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY BWMW Dec. 15, 1959 P. E. DAVIS, JR 2,916,954

WELL TOOL FOR DETERMINING THE TORQUE APPLIED TO WELL PIPE SECTIONS Filed Sept. 15, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 PHILIP E.

ATTORNEY Dem 1 P. E. DAVIS, JR

WELL TOOL FOR DETERMINING THE TORQUE APPLIED TO WELL PIPE SECTIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 15, 1954 QQQ NK P/7/// o f. Dav/a, INVENTOR.

W v/M United States Patent WELL TOOL FOR DETERMINING THE TORQUE APPLIED TO WELL PIPE SECTIONS Philip E. Davis, In, Houston, Tex.

Application September 15, 1954, Serial No. 456,152

Claims. (Cl. ill-52.4)

The present invention relates to a device for limiting the torque or force applied to a member.

In the drilling of wells by the rotary method, the well hole is cut in the earth by a drill bit which is suspended on a string of pipe, and as the hole is deepened, it is necessary to add sections of pipe to the pipe string.

In order to screw a pipe section into place in the drill string, the pipe section is picked up oif the pipe track, raised into position in the derrick and then lowered vertically in the drilling rig until its end contacts the end of the drill string suspended in the well bore above the drilling platform. A cable, chain or rope is wrapped around the pipe section adjacent the lower end thereof. Pipe tongs are secured to the pipe to which another portion of the same rope, cable or chain is attached.

The other end of the chain or cable is wrapped around a rotatable power shaft, so that when such shaft is rotated the cable is tightened and continues to wrap around the power shaft. The end of the cable wrapped around the pipe section unwinds and as it unwinds it rotates the pipe section and causes it to threadedly engage with the drill string. After the one portion of cable, chain or rope is unwound, the pipe sections are tightened by exerting a pull on the portion of the cable connected to the pipe tongs.

It is extremely time consuming to manually clutch the power shaft and it is even more difiicult to regulate the torque applied to the pipe section as it is screwed to the drill string.

Power operated clutches have been attempted to relieve some of the problems of manual clutching of the power shaft; however, such power clutches often cause the pipe section to screw too hard to the drill string so that it binds and is difiicult to unscrew. Also, such devices have caused thread failure in the pipe sections by placing too much stress and strain thereon.

Also, since it is not uncommon to remove the drill string from the well bore, section by section, to replace a bit, or for other reasons, a great deal of time and money may be lost in tryin to unscrew pipe sections which have been screwed too tightly so that they are stuck together.

Additionally, whether the power shaft is manually or automatically clutched to operatively engage it with the cable, commonly referred to as a jerk line, it is not uncommon to not exert enough force on the cable so as to securely screw the pipe section to the drill string. In such event the drill string may separate in the well here during drilling operations thereby causing further delay and expense.

The present invention overcomes the above difiiculties in that it provides a mechanism whereby pipe sections are screwed a predetermined amount, or to a predetermined respectively.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a device for automatically disengaging a power mechanism from members being rotatably engaged when a predetermined amount of force has been applied to such members.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide in a clutch mechanism for operatively engaging a source of power relative to pipe sections whereby they may be screwed together, means for automatically releasing the clutch when the pipe sections have been screwed a predetermined amount.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which automatically releases a clutch from a power source when the reaction of the power source has reached a predetermined amount.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for automatically releasing a clutch mechanism from a power shaft when the reaction of the power supplied reaches a predetermined point.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for automatically releasing a clutch mechanism from a power shaft when the reaction of the power supplied reaches a predetermined point, said means including a means whereby it may be adjusted for releasing the clutch at any predetermined or desired point.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for disengaging a power mechanism from members being rotatably engaged when a desired amount of force has been applied to such members, said means being adjustable for disengaging at any desired amount of force.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the means for actuating the clutch;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of that form of the invention shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration showing the present invention operatively connected to a line; and

Fig. 5 is an isometric view, partly in section, of the present invention.

The present invention, for purposes of illustration only, is described in detail in relation to making up pipe sections; however, it should be understood that it can be easily adapted for operation with draw works or other power mechanism without departing from the scope of the invention. Generally speaking, it may be used in any situation for controlling the application of energy between a drive and a driven member.

In Fig. 3 an elongated shaft 4 is illustrated which is provided at one end with the flange 5 whereby it is adapted to be secured to a suitable extension or power take-off of any suitable power mechanism such as, for example, the draw works or other power mechanism. Such shaft has secured at its opposite end a cathead 6 which may be suitably engaged with the shaft 4 by any means such as the bolts 7 extending through the end 8 of the cathead and engaging in the end 9 of the shaft.

A spool 10 is supported by a sleeve bearing 11 on the shaft 4 which spool has secured thereto the gear ring 12, such gear rnig being secured to the spool by any suitable means such as the bolts 13 as illustrated in the drawings. For the purpose of illustration and description the gear 12 and spool 10 may be termed the driven members.

A drive gear 14 is secured to the elongated shaft 4 and adapted to rotate therewith. As shown in the drawings, such gear maybe secured on the shaft 4 by means of the key 15 which fits in keyways 16 in the gear and shaft A clutch drum 17 is supported by sleeve bearing 18 on the shaft 4 and such drum is provided with pinions 19 which are freely rotatable relative to such drum but are mounted thereon by means of the bolts 2% which extend through the pinions and into the drum 17 as illustrated at 21in Fig. 3. As shown in the drawings, the pinions 19 engage with the drive gear 14 andgear ring 12, and form a driving connection means between the drive gear 14' and the driven members and 12.

A-clutch element is illustrated at 22 and is mounted whereby it may be engaged against the clutch drum 17, such clutch element being supported by the annular lateral projection 23 which is secured to the clutch element carrier 24. The clutch element carrier 24 is in turn supported at its inner periphery by the bearing 25 which rests on the hub 26 of the clutch drum.

The clutch element 22 is of a suitable inflatable type and is provided with an opening 27 with which the passage means 28 communicates whereby such element may be inflated to expand against the annular clutch surface 29 of the clutch drum 17. Any suitable inflatable clutch element of various well known types'may be used and it is not believed necessary to give a detailed description of any of such elements, since the construction thereof is not critical in relation to the present invention; however, one such clutch element commonly used is of the pneumatic type and such type may be employed in the present invention.

Connected to the clutch element carrier 24 is the yoke 31, such yoke having openings 32 through the prongs thereof whereby a bolt 33 may be engaged therethrough and through the opening 34 in the clutch element carrier 24 to position the yoke on the clutch element carrier. A

nut 35 maybe engaged with the bolt to retain it'in engaged position wtih the yoke 31 and clutch element carrier 24; The yoke extends from the clutch element carrier and is secured at its end 36 to the plunger rod 37 which plunger rod extends into the hydraulic cylinder 38. The plunger rod 37 has secured thereto .on the end projecting in the hydraulic cylinder 38 a piston element adapted to force liquid through the conduit 39 in response to movement of such piston element and connected piston or plunger rod 37.

This portion of the invention is more clearlyillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings wherein the conduit 39'is communicated with the gage 40 and is also communicated with the hydraulically'operated air valve 41 and regulator 42. The air valve 41 is operated by the pressure of the fluid in the conduit 39 and when actuated it releases the air from the clutch element 22 so as to disengage the clutch element and thereby disengage the drive gear 14 relative to'the driven gear 12.

When the apparatus'is in the position shown in Fig. l 3 of the drawings, the pneumatic clutch element 22 is deflated and disengaged relative to the clutch surface 29 of the clutch drum 17. When the shaft 4 is rotated by suitable means such as the draw works as previously de scribed, the clutch element carrier 24 remains stationary andthe clutch drum 17 rotates slowly about the elongated shaft 4 as the pinions 19 walk around the gear ring 12.

Since, as above mentioned the clutch element 22 is deflated and disengaged relative to the clutch surface 29' of the clutch drum 17 there is no driving connection between the drive gear 14 and the spool 10, and no power can be supplied from the rotating power shaft 4 so as to rotate the spool 10.

In order to engage the drive gear or member. 14 on rotating power shaft 4 with the driven gear or member12 the pneumatic clutch is inflated whereupon. it engages.

against the clutch drum 17 which forms a drivingconnection between the drive gear 14 and the driven gear ringlZ by means of the pinions 19. This effects rotation I relationship established between the gear connection will be continued until the clutch element 22 has been deflated so that it will release relative to the clutch drum 17. When a work load is placed on the spool 10, the reaction to such load through the pinions to the clutch drum 17 and clutch element carrier 24 causes the clutch element carrier 24 to tend to move or rotate. When movement of the clutch element carrier 24 occurs the fork 31 connected to piston rod 37 is moved whichjalso moves the piston in the;

engages such element from the surface 29 of clutch drum 17. This disconnects the drive and driven relationship in the mechanism so that no additional power is supplied from the shaft 4 through the driving connectionjto the spool 10.

The regulator 42 may be placed in the line and set so that the valve 41 will trip at a pre-set or desired pressure. In this manner the pressure at which the valve 41 may be tripped can be varied or adjusted by adjustment of the regulator, so that if in some situations it is more desirable to have a release of the clutch effected at a different pressure or condition, then the regulator 42 may be adjusted so that it will in turn trip the valve 41 when the pressure in conduit 39 has either built up to a greater orlesser degree according to its setting.

While it is believed that the operation of the invention is apparent by reason of theforegoing description, it will be assumed that the apparatus is to be applied for use in screwing together pipe sections such as commonly encountered in the drilling of an oil or gas well.

In order to screw adjacent pipe sections together, one end portion 55 of the cable or rope 60 is adapted to be wrapped around one of the pipe sections 56, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Another end portion 57 of the cable or rope is secured to the tongs 58 which tongs are also engaged drum 17 and thereby operatively connect the spool 10 v to the shaft 4 through the

gear connections

14, 12 and 19. As the spool 10 is thereby rotated, force or energy is applied or transmitted to the cable 60 connected therewith so as to rotate the pipe section 56 and connect it with the next pipe section. As the pipe sections are screwed together, the rope end 55 unwinds and disengages from the rotatable pipe section 56. Force is then transmitted to rotate thepipe section through rope end 57 and tongs 58. As the pipe sections are thus screwed together tighter, a greater loadbuilds upon the spool 10 and as this occurs the reactive force occurring through the gear 12 7 Since clutch drum 17 and clutch element carrier 24 are in effect connected together by the expanded element 22, such reactive force is in turn transmitted to the clutch element carrier 24 to cause incremental rotational moveand pinions 19 to the clutch drum 17 increases.

ment thereof. As the clutch element carrier 24 moves,

the yoke 31 and piston rod 37 are also moved which in turn moves the piston in the hydraulic cylinder 38 to buildup a pressure in the line 39. Whenv the pressure in line 39 has built up to a point to trip the hydraulically operated air valve 41, the pressure in line 28 will be dissipated thereby effecting deflation of the clutch elemeat 22 which disconnects the drive portion of the assembly, namely, power shaft 4 and drive gear 14 relative to the driven portion of the mechanism, namely, gear ring 12 and spool 10. This in turn releases the energy exerted by the spool on the cable and the pipe sections being screwed together to prevent such pipe sections being screwed together too hard or having too much force applied thereto beyond that predetermined force set by the regulator 4-2.

As additional sections of pipe are added -to the drill string, the apparatus will screw the sections of pipe together up to a predetermined amount of force and will thereupon release to prevent any additional force being applied thereto to prevent galling or undue sticking or binding of the members together.

Also, the mechanism permits sections of a drill pipe to be connected together and screwed together to a uniform predetermined amount of force.

Heretofore serious difliculty has been encountered in attempting to make up drill string wherein a power operated clutch such as that described herein is used in that no satisfactory mechanism has been provided for releasing the clutch after the pipe sections have been screwed together a certain amount. The automatic clutches or other power operated mechanisms heretofore used in making up the pipe sections have caused galling and binding of the pipe sections because they would not release after the pipe sections had been made up to a suitable point, but would continue to apply a torque or force to the pipe sections until the rope of cable had been'manually released either from the pipe section or the spool. Of course, since the mechanism continues to apply a force to the pipe section by means of the cable, release of the rope is impossible since it is wound around the spool and is also wound tightly around the pipe section, However, the present invention overcomes this difliculty in that it provides a mechanism which permits the automatic clutch to be used in making up the pipe and then releases or disengages the driving mechanism relative to the driven mechanism after the pipe section has had a predetermined force applied thereto. This serves to limit the force applied and prevents over application of force and binding of the pipe sections together. Suitable oil seals as illustrated at 52 may be provided in the apparatus.

Furthermore, the device may be used to also measure the amount of torque exerted in a mechanism by the pressure gage 40 which reading may be desirable under certain circumstances.

The invention has been described in detail as being particularly useful in screwing sections of pipe together to form a drill string, however, such is to serve merely as an illustration of the invention and is in no way intended as a limitation upon the uses for the invention.

The construction of the regulator 42, as well as valve 41 is of any suitable well known type and it is therefore not deemed necessary to give a detailed description thereof.

In some situations, it may be desirable-to trip valve 41 by means of a fluid such as air, steam or the like.

Broadly, the invention relates to an apparatus for limiting the energy or power supplied from a drive to a driven member and more particularly to an apparatus which automatically releases the drive member relative to the driven member when a predetermined force has been applied to such driven member.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for releasing a drive member relative to a driven member when a predetermined force is exerted between the drive and driven members comprising, a power shaft for supplying power to the drive member inflatable clutch means operative associated with said power shaft whereby said shaft may be engaged for transmitting power between the drive and driven members, and additional means associated with said clutch and operable to disengage said shaft relative to the driven memher when a predetermined force is exerted between the drive and driven members, said last named means including valve means for releasing said inflatable clutch means when a predetermined force is everted between the drive and driven members. I

2. Apparatus for releasing a drive member relative to a driven member when a predetermined force is exerted between the drive and driven members comprising, a power shaft for supplying power to the drive member, inflatable clutch means operatively associated with said power shaft whereby said shaft may be engaged to transmit power between the drive and driven members, additional means associated with said clutch and operable to disengage said shaft relative to the driven member when a predetermined force is exerted between the drive and driven members, said last named means including valve means for releasing said inflatable clutch means when a predetermined force is exerted between the drive and driven members, and additional means for regulating said valve means to control the force exerted between the drive and. driven members necessary to effect release of the drive relative to the driven member.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said additional means also includes means to instrumentally measure the force exerted between the drive and driven members when said inflatable clutch releases to disengage said power shaft relative to said driven member.

4. In a torque transmitting apparatus, a drive member, said drive member including a power shaft, gear means mounted thereon to rotate therewith, a driven member rotatably supported on said power shaft for relative rotation therebetween, a gear ring mounted on said driven member to rotate therewith and in spaced, aligned relation to said gear means on said power shaft, a clutch drum rotatably supported on said power shaft for relative rotation therebetween, and pinions rotatably supported on said drum and engaged with each said power shaft gear means and said driven member gear ring whereby torque may be transmitted from said drive to driven member when relative movement between said clutch drum and power shaft is arrested.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 including means to arrest relative movement between said clutch drum and power shaft.

6. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein said arresting means includes an inflatable clutch adjacent said drum and adapted to be inflated to engage said drum to arrest relative movement between said drum and power shaft.

7. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein said arresting means includes an inflatable clutch, a clutch element to support said inflatable clutch adjacent said drum, a clutch element carrier rotatably supported on said clutch drum, but locked for rotation therewith when said inflatable clutch is inflated against said drum, said drum and clutch element carrier rotatable in response to reaction force exerted between said drive and driven members, a piston means secured to said element carrier and movable upon rotation of said carrier in response to reaction force, a cylinder in which said piston is mounted, a fluid conducting conduit communicating with said cylinder whereby movement of said piston by rotation of said carrier in response to reaction force creates a pressure in said cylinder and said fluid conducting conduit, hydraulically operated air valve means mounted in said conduit and communicating with said inflatable clutch whereby said valve means releases said inflatable clutch from engagement with said drum in response to the pressure created in said fluid conduit in response to the reaction force created, regulating means mounted in said conduit to regulate the fluidl pressure in said conduit at which said valve means actuates to release said inflatable clutch, and means to instrumentally note the reaction force exerted between said drive and driven means when release is effected.

8. Ina torque transmitting apparatus, a drive member, said drive member including a power shaft, gear means mounted thereon to rotate therewith, a driven member rotatably supported on said power shaft for relative rotation therebetweema gear ring mounted on said driven member to rotate therewith and in spaced, aligned relation to said gear means on said power shaft, a clutch drum rotatably supported on said power shaft for relative rotation therebetween, pinions rotatably supported onsaid drum and engaged with each said power shaftgcar means and said driven member gear ring whereby torque may be transmitted from said drive to drivenmember when relative movement between said clutch drum and power shaft is arrested, means to arrest relative movement between said clutch drum and power shaft,,said arresting means including an inflatable clutch adjacent said drum and adapted to be inflated to engage said drum to arrest relative movement between said drum and power shaft, and additional means associated with said inflatable clutch and operable to disengage said drive member relative to said driven member when a predetermined reaction force is exerted between said drive and driven members, said last named means including valve means for releasing said inflatable clutch means when a predetermined reaction force is exerted between said drive and driven members.

9. The combination recited in claim 8 wherein said additional means also includes means to instrumentally measure the reaction force exerted between the drive 0 U and driven members when said inflatable clutch releases.

10. The combination recited in claim 8 including addi tional means for regulatingsaid valve means to control" the reaction force exerted necessary to effect release of saididrive relative to said driven member.

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