US3095644A

US3095644A - Method for attaching overlapped members

Info

Publication number: US3095644A
Application number: US726207A
Authority: US
Inventors: John L Curry
Original assignee: RECTOR WELL EQUIPMENT Co
Current assignee: RECTOR WELL EQUIPMENT Co; RECTOR WELL EQUIPMENT COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1958-04-03
Filing date: 1958-04-03
Publication date: 1963-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 1980-07-02

Description

July 2, 1963 J. CURRY METHOD FOR ATTACHING OVERLAPPED MEMBERS Filed April 3, 1958 John L. Curry ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,095,644 METHOD FOR ATTACHING OVERLAPPED MEMBERS 7 John L. Curry, Fort Worth, Tex., assignor to Rector Well Equipment Company, Inc., Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Apr. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 726,207 5 Claims. (Cl. 29-527) This invention relates to a method and means for attaching overlapping members and is particularly concerned with the joinder of overlapping and interfitted members, one of which is inserted in the bore of the *other, by a metallic ring disposed in coinciding grooves in the overlapped portions of the joined members, which ring is introduced in molten state and allowed to cool and harden therein to form an integral connection between themembers.

This method of attaching overlapped and interfit-ted members has particular application to the joinder of 7 guide noses, screening noses, float shoes and the like to bore'is invariably crooked andirregular in contour and the weight of the casing imposes extreme impact jolts against the nose member, attached to the lower end of the casing as it strikes such irregular surtaces. Such nose 3,095,644 Patented July 2, 1963 2 which has integral parts holding the members against rotation.

A still further object is to provide a connection between ovenlapped portions of cylindrical members which eliminates the need for welding or screw connections.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed specification hereinafter following, and by referring to the drawing annexed hereto. I

Although the description and illustration of the method and means hereinafter described is particularly concerned with connection between a tubular casing section and a screening or guide nose used in well cementing or treating operations, it will be understood that such is merely illustrative and is not intended to confine-the use of the method to the particular disclosure. It will be obvious that such method can be used to join-any two overlapping and interfitting cylindrical elements and would be advantageous in the joinder of any two overlapped'members wherein one member is inserted in a bore provided in the other member.

For instance it could be employed to connect two tubular par-ts wherein one part is inserted in the bore of the other, or it could be employed to connect a solid cylindrical member inserted in the bore of a tubular member or "a recess formed in the end of another solid member.

, In the drawing FIGURE 1 is a sectionalized, elevational view of the lower end of a tubular member, such members are customarily attached to the lower end'section of easing by means of screws or pins inserted through the casing and a telescoped flange on the nose member, or by means of welding. Much ditficul-ty has been encountered by reason of the screws or welding being broken by impact shock. It is often diflicult to weld such shoes to the casing string because of the inaccessible position of the joints. In the case of a float shoethe attaching flange thereof is often inserted some distance into the end casing section where it is not easily accessible for welding or other attachment.

Another difficulty encountered in the attachment of such members to the lower casing section results from the fact that afiter the casing string is run and cemented in place, it is necessary to drill through the guide nose,

screening nose or'float shoe, in order to open up the producing formation. In many instances the nose member or fioatshoe becomes disengaged from the casing by reason of the rupture of the screws or welds holding them "thereto, causing such member to rotate with the drill bit so that it cannot be easily drilled up.

- The improvement constituting the subject matter of invention provides a secure connection between the guide nose, screening nose or float shoe, and the lower casing section, so that it is not easily broken by impact shock I and so that such member will not become disengaged from the casing and rotate relative thereto when it is drilled up. It also provides a connection which is easy to apply and uniformly distributed between the joined members. It provides a joint which is stronger than either of the metallic members whichit joins so that such metallic members will break before the joint.

It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for securely connecting overlapping cylindrical members which will more securely hold the members together against longitudinah rbtational or lateral movement with reference to each other.

' as a casing section or a sub to be attached to the lower tubular member and screening nose after being telescoped and overlapped, and after holes have been drilled through the side wall ofthe tubular member to communicate with the-coinciding grooves in the overlapped portions. FIGURE III is across-sectional plan "view taken on the line IIIIII of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE IV is a cross-sectional view through the nose and tubular member illustrating the methodof; pouring molten metal through the holes in the side Wall of the tubular member to be distributed in the coinciding grooves in the nose and tubular section.

FIG URE V is a cross-sectional, elevational view of the ,joined nose and tubular member after the molten, metallic material hasbeenapplied in the coinciding grooves and has become solidified therein to provide a joinder thercbetween.

FIGURE V1 is a cross-sectional plan view taken on fthe line VI-VI of FIGURE- V.

In, the drawing numeral references are employed 'to designate the various parts shown, and like numerals designate like parts throughout the various figures of the drawing.

The numeral 1 indicates a tubular pipe section which may be attached to the lower end section of a casof steel.

ing or other pipe string. The member 1 is usually made The numeral 2 indicates a guide andscreening nose to be attached tothe lower end of the tubular section 1. The screening nose 2 is preferably made of aluminum alloy or other easily drillable material which :may be drilled up by the drill bit after the casing" string has been run and set by cementing it to the wall of the well bore. v j An annular groove 3 is formed'on the inner side of the lower end of the tubular section 1, and an external annular groove 4 is formed on the outer side of the reduced extension 5 of the screening nose 2. A tapered surface 6 is provided aboutthe lower end of the tubular section 1 which is complementary to a tapered'surface 7 onthe guide shoe 2.

The guide and screening shoe 2 includes an outer conical surface 8 which has apertures 9 through the wall thereof so that well fluid may circulate through such apertures from and to the casing to permit the casing to be floated into a solumn of fluid in the well bore.

After the tubular section 1 and guide nose 2 have been provided with the

coinciding grooves

3 and 4, the reduced extension 5 is press fitted into the lower end of the tubular section 1 so that the

grooves

3 and 4 are in coinciding relationship when the shoulders 6 and 7 are engaged as shown in FIGURE II.

A plurality of holes 10 are then drilled through the Wall of the tubular section 1, at spaced intervals thereabout, to communicate with the coinciding

grooves

3 and 4. At the same time that holes 10 are drilled, recesses 11 are formed by the drill in the bottom of the groove 4.

After the holes 10 have been drilled and the recesses 11 have been so provided, the assembled tubular section 1 and shoe 2 are placed upon a suitable jig (not shown) in horizontal position. Molten metal, indicated at 12, is then poured from a receptacle 13 into a hole 10 which faces upwardly. The molten metal flows downwardly into the lower side of the coinciding grooves as shown in FIGURE IV. After a quantity of such molten metal has been poured through the upwardly facing hole 10 the joined tubular section 1 and nose 2 are rotated to bring another hole to the upper side. Stoppers 14 are placed in the holes 10 at the side and on the bottom of the assembly in order to retain the molten metal in the channel formed by the

coinciding grooves

3 and 4. This procedure is repeated until the coinciding

lgrooves

3 and 4 are tilled with molten material. The molten material is allowed to cool and solidify thereby providing a metallic ring 15 which is, in effect, integral with the tubular section 1 and shoe 2 forming an integral metallurgical bond between these members. When the stoppers 14 are removed the recesses left thereby may be filled with welding to completely fill the holes, as shown in FIGURE V.

It will be noted that the material of the metal ring 15 2 also flows intothe recesses 11, providing integral pin connections, indicated at 17, between the shoe 2 and the ring 15. The pins 17 support and provide anchors between the ring and the shoe 2 to prevent the shoe from breaking loose from the ring under torque.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided an integral ring joint between the joined members 1 and 2, thereby providing a connection which is not easily broken and which will positively prevent the shoe 2 from breaking loose and rotating with reference to the casing section 1, when it is drilled out.

The molten material 12 should preferably be of aluminum alloy so that it is also easily drillable. However, it will be understood that any type of molten metallic material could be employed to form the ring 15. Furthermore it is not necessary that the nose 2 be made of aluminum alloy. The joined members may be of any metallic material which would integrally join with the metallic ring when it is cooled and solidified.

I claim:

1. A method of joining overlapped members, at least one of which has a hollow bore, comprising the steps of: Forming an annular groove on the inner side of the hollow bore of one member; forming an annular groove about the outer surface of the other member; inserting the second named member in the bore of the first named member in position so that the grooves coincide; forming a plurality of holes at approximately equally spaced intervals through the wall of the first named member to communicate with the grooves; introducing molten metallic material through said holes into the grooves, allowing the molten material to cool and solidify to form an integral metallurgical bond between the members; and filling the portions of the holes which are not filled with the molten material with welding material after the m ten material has cooled and solidified.

2. The method of joining a hollow nOSe member of aluminum alloy to a tubular aluminum alloy member comprising the steps of forming an annular groove about the inner side of the tubular member; forming a reduced extension on the hollow nose member; forming an annular groove about the reduced extension; inserting the reduced extension into the tubular member in position so that the grooves coincide; forming a plurality of holes spaced at approximately equally spaced intervals through the wall of the tubular member communicating with the grooves; introducing molten metal material through the holes into the grooves; and allowing the molten material to cool and solidify to form an integral metallurgical bond between the tubular member and the nose member.

3. The method of joining a hollow nose member to a tubular member comprising the steps of forming an annular groove about the inner side of the tubular member; forming a reduced extension on the hollow nose member; forming an annular groove about the reduced extension; inserting the reduced extension with a pressed fit into the tubular member in position so that the grooves coincide; forming a plurality of holes spaced at approximately equall spaced intervals through the wall of the tubular member communicating with the grooves; introducing molten metal material through the holes into the grooves; and allowing the molten material to cool and solidify to form an integral metallurgical bond between the tubular member and the nose member.

4. The method of joining a hollow nose member to a tubular member comprising the steps of forming an annular groove about the inner side of the tubular member; forming a reduced extension on the hollow nose member; forming an annular groove about the reduced extension; forming complementary beveled shoulders on the end of the tubular member and on the end of the nose member; inserting the reduced extension into the tubular member in position so that the grooves coincide and the beveled shoulders are in contact; forming a plurality of holes at approximately equally spaced intervals through the wall of the tubular member communicating with the grooves; introducing molten metal material through the holes into the grooves; and allowing the molten material to cool and solidify to form an integral metallurgical bond between the tubular member and the nose member.

5. -A method of joining overlapped members, at least one of which has a hollow bore, comprising the steps of: Forming an annular groove on the inner side of the hollow bore of one member; forming an annular groove about the outer surface of the other member; inserting the second named member in the bore of the first named member in position so that the grooves coincide; forming a plurality of holes at approximately equally spaced intervals through the wall of the first named member to communicate with the grooves; introducing molten metallic material through said holes into the grooves; and

- allowing the molten material to cool and solidify to form an integral metallurgical bond between the members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 123,954 Trumbore Feb. 20, 1872 415,694 Bastian Nov. 26, 1889 758,278 Rapp Apr. 26, 1904 1,642,981 Weiss et al. Sept. 20, 1927 1,911,775 Smith et a1 May 30, 1933 2,313,312 Bakewell Mar. 9, 1943 2,335,414 Hinrichs Nov. 30, 1943 2,440,298 Ronay et al. Apr. 27, 1948 2,450,232 Campbell Sept. 28, 1948 2,746,141 Hobrock May 22, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,668 Great Britain June 10, 1909

Claims

5. A METHOD OF JOINING OVERLAPPED MEMBERS, AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH HAS A HOLLOW BORE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF FORMING AN ANNULAR GROOVE ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE HOLLOW BORE OF ONE MEMBER; FORMING AN ANNULAR GROOVE ABOUT THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE OTHER MEMBER; INSERTING THE SECOND NAMED MEMBER IN THE BORE OF THE FIRST NAMED MEMBER IN POSITION SO THAT THE GROOVES COINCIDE; FORMING A PLURALITY OF HOLES AT APPROXIMATELY EQUALLY SPACED INTERVALS THROUGH THE WALL OF THE FIRST NAMED MEMBER TO