US3379137A - Bleed valve for pumps - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1968 D. E. HARDER BLEED VALVE FOR PUMPS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 22, 1966 INVENTOR .IIMM @M W April 23, 1968 D. E. HARDER BLEED VALVE FOR PUMPS 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 22, 1966 INVENTOR April 23, 1968 D.,E. HARDER BLEED VALVE FOR PUMPS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 22, 1966 INVENTOR BY 04100 5 Amen-e ZZ M' #rraemsiii April 1968 v D. E. HARDER 3,379,137

BLEED VALVE FOR PUMPS Filed April 22, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I INVENTOR Patented Apr. 23, 1968 3,379,137 BLEED VALVE FOR PUMPS David E. Harder, Tulsa, Okla, assiguor to Dresser Industries, Inc., Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 544,437 5 Claims. (Cl. 103-221) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A well pump for use in a well bore that includes a pump barrel and pump plunger telescopically arranged and adapted to be reciprocated relative to one another. A first one-way valve is mounted in the pump barrel, and a second one-way valve is mounted in the pump plunger. The pump barrel and plunger are movable to a retracted position wherein a first push rod engages the first valve to hold it in the open position, and a second push rod engages the second valve to hold it in an open position simultaneously with the opening of the first valve to permit fluid in the pump and well bore above the pump to be drained downwardly through the pump.

This invention relates to well pumps, and particularly to means for draining the head of pumped fluids from the tubing or casing above the pump to permit release and dry withdrawal of the pump from the well.

This invention finds its most important usage in connection with otherwise conventional types of sucker-rod operated reciprocating well pumps normally installed in connection with suitable pack-off means set within a well casing or adjacent the lower end of well tubing, and has for its principal object the draining of the head of pumped fluid standing in the tubing or casing above the standing and traveling valves of the pump, following pumping operations to enable the pump to be released from the pack-off means, and the pump or both pump and tubing to be withdrawn from the well free of fluid.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages and features of novelty of the invention will be evident hereinafter.

The principal object of this invention is accomplished in general by means, operable by manipulation of the pump through the pump rods from the top of the well, for un- A seating the traveling and standing valves of the pump to permit pumped fluid entrapped in the tubing or casing above the pump to drain therefrom down through the valves and therefrom out through the lower end of the pump into the tubing or casing below the pack-off means, thereby equalizing the static pressure head across the pump which would otherwise impose such forces on the interconnection between the pump and the pack-off means as to preclude such release and withdrawal of the pump from the packing means, and also, if such release were accomplished, would, in cases where the pump is connected to tubing, otherwise necessitate the pulling of a so-called wet tubing string.

In the drawings which illustrate presently preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention, and in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view, with parts thereof in elevation, of a general assembly of the apparatus of the invention in connection with a stationary plunger, reciprocating barrel type of well pump, as it appears in typical operational position within a well casing in a well borehole, and showing the relative positions of the components thereof at which the pump barrel and pump plunger are fully telescoped and the traveling and standing valves are thereby unseated;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of the portion of FIGURE 1 indicated within the encircling line 22;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the same portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2, but showing the relative positions of the components thereof for normal pumping operation, at which the pump barrel and pump plunger are extended relative to one another and the traveling and standing valves are operatively seated;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating a modified form of the apparatus of the invention, and showing the relative positions of the components thereof for normal pumping operation at which the pump barrel and pump plunger are fully telescoped and the traveling and standing valves are thereby unseated;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary and vertically shortened view of part of the same portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 6, but showing the relative positions of the components thereof for normal pumping operation, at which the pump barrel and pump plunger are extended relative to one another and the traveling and standing valves are operatively seated;

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 88 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a cross sectional view taken on line 9--9 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of an element of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 6 and 8, as viewed from the direction indicated by arrow 10 shown in FIG- URE 9, with the surrounding tubular pump barrel removed to expose it to View;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG- URE 6, but showing the apparatus of the invention in connection with a stationary barrel, reciprocating plunger type of well pump; and

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary side elevational wiew of a portion of the apparatus taken on line 12-12 of FIGURE 7.

Apparatus Referring first primarily to FIGURE 1, an installation of the apparatus of the invention is there illustrated in combination with the assembly of a down-hole reciproeating well pump shown generally at 10, which is positioned on a casing packer 40 set within a well casing 12 in a typical well borehole 14.

The pump assembly 10, as illustrated in its entirely in FIGURE 1, is of the type in which that portion of pump ordinarily considered to constitute the pump plunger portion, is held stationary within the well, and that portion of the pump ordinarily considered to constitute the pump barrel portion is reciprocated relative to the stationary pump plunger portion, and the fluid pumped thereby from below the packer is discharged into the casing above the packer for flow up through the casing to the well head.

The pump plunger portion, shown generally at 15 and which is contained within the interior of the pump barrel portion of the assembly shown generally at 17, mainly comprises an intermediate, elongated, tubular plunger body 16, to the upper end of which is threadedly connected at 18, a flush diametered plunger connector 20, and to the lower end of which is threadedly connected at 22, a flush diametered plunger supporting bushing 24. The plunger supporting bushing 24 is threadedly connected at 26 to the upper end of a pulling connector tube 28 which is in turn connected through a coupling 32 with the upper end of a packer stinger 34. The packer stinger 34 makes releasable coupling connection through a stinger receiving bore 36 provided in the tubular body 38 of a suitable previously set well packer, schematically illustrated generally at 40. Suitable means, not shown, actuatable by rotatable manipulation of the stinger 34 relative to the well packer 40, by means of the pump rods, is provided for inserting and releasably securing the packer stinger 34 within the stinger receiving bore 36, whereby the pump assembly can be lowered into the well on the pump rods and connected to the packer 40 for pumping operations and later detached from the packer 40 and withdrawn from the well on the pump rods, for servicing or other reasons as desired.

Threadedly connected at 42 to the upper end of the plunger connector 20, is a standing valve cage 44 of a one way or check type of standing valve shown generally at 45. Retained within the standing valve cage 44 is a standing valve ball 46, adapted to make seating engagement with an annular valve seat 48 located between the standing valve cage 44 and the upper end of the plunger connector 20.

Closely, axially slidably surrounding the beforedescribed plunger portion 15, which includes the plunger body 16, plunger connector 20 and plunger supporting bushing 24, is an elongated tubular pump barrel 50. The lower end of the pump barrel 50 is threadedly connected at 52 to the upper end of an annular plunger guide 54, the bore of which is axially slidable on the exterior cylindrical surface of the beforementioned pulling connector tube 28. A releasable clutch, shown generally at 56, is provided for rotatably coupling the lower end of the pump barrel 50 through the plunger guide 54 with the upper end of the normally stationary packer stinger coupling 32 .for rotational manipulation of the packer stinger 34 within the stinger receiving bore 36 of the packer 40 for actuation of the beforementioned releasable securing means. The pump packer release clutch 56 comprises one or more rectangular shaped, downwardly facing axially extending, clutch dog notches 58, formed in the lower annular end of the plunger guide 54, which are adapted to engage correspondingly numbered and positioned rectangular, upwardly extending clutch dog members 60 formed in the upper annular end surface of the packer stinger coupling 32, when the lower end of the plunger guide 54 is moved axially downward into near end to end engagement with the coupling 32, as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The upper end of the pump barrel 50 is threadedly connected at 62 with the lower end portion of a pump barrel connector 64 having an annular lower surface 65 and which is, in turn, threadedly connected at 66 with the lower end portion of a traveling valve cage 68 of a one way or check type traveling valve shown generally at 67. Contained within the traveling valve cage 68 is a traveling valve ball 70 adapted to make seating engagement with an annular traveling valve seat 72 clamped between the lower end portion of the traveling valve cage 68 and the upper end of the pump barrel connector 64.

The upper end of the traveling valve cage 68 is provided with an integrally formed, upwardly extending, threaded pin shank 74 Which makes threaded connection with an internally threaded rod coupling box 76 integrally formed at the lower end of a pumping rod 78 which, as shown in FIGURES l and 2 comprises the lower end of one section of a conventional pumping rod string which extends therefrom upwardly through the well casing or tube, as the case may be, to conventional well pumping apparatus exterior of the well head (not shown). Referring next more particularly to that portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, shown in enlarged detail in FIGURES 25 inclusive, the upper end portion of the standing valve cage 44 has threaded into it at 80 the lower end of a coaxially, upwardly extending, traveling valve unseating push rod 82, having an upper end 84, and having fixed to an intermediate section thereof, by

4 suitable means such as by welding shown at 88, an annular push rod carried stop 86.

Supported On the traveling valve unseating push rod 82, and axially slidable thereon between the lower annular shoulder of the push rod carrier stop 86 and an upper annular cage shoulder 92, formed at the top end of the standing valve cage 44, is a standing valve unseating push rod carrier shown generally at 94 which comprises a guide sleeve 96, axially slidably retained on the push rod 82 and carrying at its upper end, as best shown in FIG- URES 2 and 5, a crosswise-extending carrier head 98 formed with diametrically opposite arcuate ends 100 and 102 which make free sliding fit within the adjacent portion of the bore 104 of the pump barrel 50. Attached to and extending axially downwardly through an opening 105 in one of the arcuate ends 102, of the carrier head 98, such attachment being by welding as shown at 109, is a standing valve unseating push rod 108 having an upper end surface 110. The push rod carrier 94 is limited in its maximum upper position by the push rod carrier stop 86 such that the lower end portion of push rod 108 always extends'guidingly downwardly into at least a portion of one of the fiuid fiow side openings in the sidewall portion of the standing valve cage 44, for example, opening 114, as best shown in FIGURE 4. A helical spring 106 which coaxially surrounds the lower portion of the push rod 82 and guide sleeve 96, acts under compression between the lower face of the carrier head 98 and the cage shoulder 92 of the standing valve cage 44, normally, during pumping operation, to maintain the push rod carrier 94 in its uppermost position shown in FIGURE 3, with the carrier head 98 hearing against the lower annular shoulder 90 of the push rod carrier stop 86, at which position the standing valve unseating push rod 108 is maintained in its uppermost position, just out of unseating engagement with the standing valve ball 46.

Also during such normal pumping operation, the traveling valve and the standing valve are separated axially relative to one another a distance which is considerably greater than that apparent in FIGURE 3, as indicated by the break shown at 107 in the length of the pump barrel 50,at which separation the upper end 84 of the traveling valve unseating push rod 82 is widely separated from unseating engagement with the lower surface of the traveling valve ball 70. In operation of this invention the upper end 84 of the push rod 82 is moved into unseating engagement with the lower surface of the traveling valve ball 70 and at the same time the top end of the push rod 108 is moved into engagement with the lower annular end of the pump barrel connector 64 with sufficient force to slide the push rod carrier 94 downwardly on the push rod 82, in opposition to the force of helical spring 106 sufficiently far to bring the lower end portion of the push rod 108 into unseating engagement with the standing valve ball 46 as shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring next primarily to FIGURES 6-10 inclusive, an installation of a modified form of the apparatus of the invention is shown in a combination with the assembly of a down hole reciprocating well pump of the same type generally shown at 10 and hereinbefore described in connection with FIGURES Il-S inclusive.

In this latter modified version of the invention the upper end portion of the standing valve cage 44 of the standing valve shown generally at 45, has threaded into it at 30, the lower end of a coaxially upwardly extending, traveling valve unseating push rod having an upper end 122 and having fixed adjacent the lower end thereof,

by suitable means such as welding shown at 124, an annular push rod guide retainer 126. Firmly fixed on the traveling valve unseating push rod 120 and clamped between the lower annular shoulder 128 of the push rod guide retainer 126 and the upper annular shoulder 92 formed at the top end of the standing valve cage 44, is a generally disk shaped, push rod guide plate 130. An axially downwardly extending traveling valve unseating push rod 136 is attached at its upper end to the downwardly facing annular end surface 132 of the pump barrel connector 64, by suitable means such as welding shown at 134.

The beforementioned disk shaped guide plate 130, is fixed relative to the standing valve cage 44 such that it serves to rationally orient the standing valve unseating push rod 136 and the pump barrel connected therewith through pump barrel connector 64, such that whenever the pump plunger and pump barrel are moved axial-1y relative to one another from a widely extended, pump operating position as illustrated in FIGURE 7 to the fully telescoped position shown in FIGURE 6, the lower end portion of the standing valve unseatin-g push rod 136 is directed by the guide plate such as to enter one of the several fluid flow side openings 110, 112 or 114 formed in the sidewall portion of the standing valve cage 44, as shown in FIGURE 6.

As best shown in FIGURE 9 the guide plate 130 which, as beforementioned, is generally disk shaped in form, is provided in its edge with three equally circumferentially spaced-apart, radially outwardly facing entrance slots 138, and 142, which, in the installation as shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7, are axially aligned with the side openings 110, 112 and 114, respectively of the valve cage 44. The top surface of the guide plate 130 is formed with three, equally circumferentially spaced-apart, axially upwardly facing, push rod diverting wedges 144, 146 and 148, each of such wedges being positioned intermediate adjacent ones of said entrance slots 138, 140 and 142, and each being formed with a pair of axially upwardly facing, upwardly diverging plane surfaces as shown at 150 and 152, which join in an axially upwardly facing, relatively narrow, radially extending apex ridge as shown at 154 in FIGURE 10. Each of the plane surfaces 150 and 152 of each push rod diverting wedge slope downwardly toward and into each of the beforernentioned entrance slots 138, 140 and 142 in the guide plate 130.

In operation when the lower bevelled end 156 of the standing valve unseating push rod 136 is moved down from a position of disengagement as shown in FIGURE 7. toward a position of possible engagement with the upper surface of the guide plate 136, then in event the push rod 136 is out of axial alignment with any one of the fluid flow openings 110, 112 or 114 in the sidewall portion of the standing valve cage 44, the lower bevelled end 156 of the push rod 136 will approach the guide plate 130 in some such manner as illustrated in broken lines 136 in FIGURE 10, and encounter one of the plane surfaces 150 or 152 of one of the push rod diverting wedges 144, 146 or 148, for example surface 150 of diverting wedge 144. This will result in a lateral force being applied between the bevelled lower end 156 of the push rod 136 and the push rod guide plate 130 such as to force the pump plunger portion 15 and the pump barrel portion 17 to rotate relative to one another about their common axis sufliciently to align the push rod 136 with one of the entrance slots 138, 140 or 142, for example slot 142 in the guide plate 130 as illustrated in FIGURE 9. The push rod 136 will thereby be aligned with one of the fluid flow openings 110, 112 or 114 in the sidewall portion of the standing valve cage 44. The push rod 136 can then continue to move downwardly relative to the standing valve cage 44 to the position shown in FIGURE 6, at which position the side of the lower end portion of the push rod 136 engages the standing valve ball 46 and forces it sidewise into a position of disengagement from the standing valve seat 48. At the same time the upper end 122 of the traveling valve unseating push rod 120 will be brought into engagement with the lower side of the traveling valve ball 70, thereby lifting it upwardly from seating engagement with the traveling valve seat 72.

Referring next principally to FIGURE 11, the apparatus of the invention is there shown in an adaptation to the type of well pump in which the pump barrel portion is held stationary within the Well and the pump plunger portion is reciprocated relative to the stationary pump barrel and in which the pumped fluid is usually delivered from the pump to a tubing string which extends from the pump barrel up through the well bore hole to the well head. In this latter version of the apparatus, the pump plunger portion shown generally at 15a, and which is contained within the interior of the pump barrel portion of the apparatus shown generally at 17a, comprises a lower, elongated, tubular plunger body 160, to the upper end of which is threadedly connected at 162, a flush diametered plunger connector 164. Threadedly connected at 166 to the upper end of the plunger connector 164 is a traveling valve cage 168 of a traveling valve shown generally at 169. Retained within the traveling valve cage 168 is a traveling valve ball 170 adapted to make seating engagement with an annular traveling valve seat 172 clamped between the lower end portion of the traveling valve cage 168 and the upper end of the plunger connector 164. The upper end of the traveling valve cage 168 is provided with an integrally formed upwardly extending threaded rod coupling pin 174 which makes threaded connection with an internally threaded rod coupling box 176 integrally formed at the lower end of a pumping rod 178 which comprises the lower end of one section of a pumping rod string which extends therefrom upwardly through the well casing or tubing, as the case may be, to conventional well pumping apparatus exterior or the well head (not shown).

Closely, axially slidably surrounding the beforedescribed plunger portion 15a, which includes the tubular plunger body 160 and the plunger connector 164, is an elongated tubular pump barrel 180. The lower end of the pump barrel 180 is threadedly connected at 182 to a pump barrel supporting bushing 184, the lower end of which is in turn threadedly connected at 186 with a coupling 188 which may be connected to a packer mandrel or to a packer stinger releasably coupled into a previously set Well packer in a manner similar to that shown in FIGURE 1. The upper end of the pump barrel 180 is connected by a suitable reduced connector portion 181 with the lower end 183 of a tubing string which extends upwardly through the Well borehole to the well head.

Threadedly connected at 190 to an upwardly extending, reduced diametered upper end portion of the pump barrel supporting bushing 184, is a standing valve cage 192 of a standing valve shown generally at 193. Retained within the standing valve cage 192 is a standing valve ball 194 adapted to make seating engagement with an annular standing valve seat 196 clamped between the lower end portion of the standing valve cage 192 and the upwardly extending reduced diametered end portion 193 of the pump barrel supporting bushing 184.

The upper end portion of the standing valve cage 192 has threaded into it at 198, the lower end of a coaxially, upwardly extending, traveling valve unseating push rod 200, having an upper end 202, and having fixed adjacent the lower end thereof, by suitable means such as by welding, as shown at 204, an annular push rod guide retainer 206. Retained on the traveling valve unseating push rod 200 and nonrotatably clamped between the lower annular shoulder 208 of the push rod retainer 206 and the upper annular shoulder 210, formed at the top end of the standing valve cage 192, is a generally disk shaped push rod guide plate 130 which is of the same form and construction as guide plate 130 hereinbefore described in connection with the apparatus adaptation illustrated in FIGURES 610, inclusive.

Attached at its upper end to the downwardly facing annular end surface 212 of the plunger connector 164, by suitable means such as by welding as shown at 214, is an axially downwardly extending, standing valve unseating push rod 216 which is similar in arrangement and I construction to the push rod 136 hereinbefore described in connection with FIGURES 6 and 7.

In operation, the guide plate 13% serves in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described in connection with guide plate 130 in the apparatus adaptation of FIGURES 6-10, inclusive, to rotationally orient the standing valve unseating push rod 216 and the plunger portion of the pump connected therewith, such that whenever the pump plunger and pump barrel are moved axially relative to one another from an extended pumping position similar to that shown in FIGURE 7, to the fully telescoped position shown in FIGURE 11, the lower bevelled end portion 217 of the standing valve unseating push rod 216 will engage the guide plate 130 and will be guided thereby into one of the several fluid flow openings formed in the sidewall portion of the standing valve cage 192 as shown in FIGURE 11. In such latter position the side of the lower end portion of the push rod 216 engages the standing valve ball 194 and forces it sidewise into a position of disengagement from the standing valve seat 196. At the same time, the upper end 202 of the travelling valve unseating push rod 290 engages the lower side of the travelling valve ball 170 thereby lifting it upwardly from seating engagement with the traveling valve seat 172.

Operation The operation of the apparatus of FIGURES 1-5, inclusive, is as follows:

During normal pumping operation, the pump plunger portion 15 and the pump barrel portions 17 are slidingly extended axially relative to one another with the standing valve widely separated sufficiently axially from the traveling valve 67 as indicated in FIGURE 3 to permit the reciprocation of the plunger and barrel relative to one another through a predetermined pumping stroke without bottoming. When it is desire-d to detach the pumping assembly from the packer and hoist it by the pump rods to the top of the well, pumping operation is discontinued and the pump plunger portion 15 is lowered by the pump rods relative to the pump barrel portion 17 below the lowermost point of normal pumping travel until the lower surface of the traveling valve ball 70 is brought down into contact with the upper end 84 of the traveling valve unseating push rod 82, whereby the traveling valve ball 70 is lifted off of the traveling valve seat 72 and into engagement with the inside top end of the traveling valve cage 68 as shown at 69 in FIGURE 2, thereby opening the traveling valve 67. At the same time, the

lower annular surface 65 of the pump barrel connector 64 is brought into engagement with the upper end surface 109 of the standing valve unseating push rod 103, and the push rod 108 and push rod carrier 94 are thereby forced to slide downwardly together upon the lower portion of the traveling valve unseating push rod 82 in opposition to the force of the helical spring 106, thereby carrying the push rod 108 downwardly relative to the standing valve cage 44 from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to that shown in FIGURE 2, at which the side of the lower end portion of the push rod 108 engages the standing valve ball 46 and forces it sidewise into a position of disengagement from the standing valve seat 48, thereby opening the standing valve 45. Both the traveling valve 67 and the standing valve 45 being thus simultaneously opened, the previously pumped column of fluid accumulated in the well above the packer 40 may then flow downwardly through the traveling valve 67 and the standing valve 45 and thence through the packer coupling 32, packer stringer 34 and through the packer 46 into the portions of the well borehole therebelow. When the column of fluid above the packer has thus been reduced in height, the pumping assembly may then be disengaged from the packer 40 by manipulation of the pump rods as hereinbcforc described, and hoisted to the well surface.

The operation of the apparatus of FIGURES 610, inclusive, is as follows:

During normal pumping operation, as hereinbeforementioned in connection with the apparatus of FIGURES 15, inclusive, the pump plunger portion 15 and the pump barrel portion 17 are extended axially relative to one another with the standing valve 45 sutficiently axially separated from the traveling valve 67, .as indicated in FIGURE 7, to permit the reciprocation of the plunger *and barrel relative to one another through a predetermined pumping stroke without bottoming. When it is desired to detach the pump assembly from the packer and hoist it by the pump rods to the top of the well, pumping operation is discontinued and, the pump plunger portion 15 is lowered by the pump rods relative to the pump barrel 17 below the lowermost point of normal pumping tnavel until the lower bevelled end 156 of the standing valve unseat-ing push rod 136 approaches the push rod guide plate in the manner illustrated in broken lines 136 in FIGURE 10. In event the push rod 136 is misaligned with any one of the entrance slots 138, 140 or 14 2, of the push rod guide plate 130, the push rod 136 will be deflected laterally by the action of such one of the plane surfaces or 152 of the diverting wedges 144, 146 and 148. Thus, the pump plunger 1'5 is rotated relative to the pump barrel 17 about their common axis suflieiently to align the push rod 136 with one of the entrances 138, 140 and 142, Continued downward movement of the pump plunger relative to the pump barrel will then move the traveling valve unseating push rod 136 downward through one of the fluid flow side openings 1-10, 112

or 114 of the standing valve cage 44 to the position shown in FIGURE 6, at which the side of the lower end portion of the push rod 136 engages the standing valve ball 46 and forces it sidewise into a position of disengagement from the standing valve seat 48 thereby opening the standing valve 45. At the same time, the upper end 1122 of the traveling valve unseating push rod 120 is brought into engagement with the lower surface of the traveling valve ball 70 causing it to be lifted out of engagement from the standing valve seat 72 and into engagement with the inside top end of the traveling valve cage 68 as shown at 69 in FIGURE 6.

Both the traveling valve 67 and the standing valve 45 being thus simultaneously opened, the previously pumped column of liquid accumulated in the well above the packer 40, may then flow downwardly through the pump to the lower end of the well below the packer 40 as hereinbeforede'scribed.

The operation of the apparatus of FIGURE 11 is substantially the same as that hereinbefore described in connection with the apparatus of FIGURES 6-10, inclusive, and is as follows:

During normal pumping operation, the pump plunger portion shown generally at 15a, which in this arrangement is reciprocated, and the pump barrel 17a which is exterior to the pump plunger and is held stationary, are extended axially relative to one another with the standing valve 193 sufficiently widely separated axially from the traveling valve 169 to permit the reciprocation of the pump plunger and barrel relative to one another through a predetermined pumping stroke without bottoming. When it is desired to detach the pump assembly from the packer and hoist it by the pump rods or tubing to the top of the well, pumping operation is discontinued and the pump plunger portion 15a is lowered by the pump rods relative to the pump barrel portion 17a below the lowermost point of normal pumping travel until the lower end portion of the push rod 216 guided by the push rod guide plate 130, as hereinbefore described, moves down through one of the fluid flow side openings in the standing valve cage 192 of the standing valve 193 to the position shown in FIGURE 11 at which the side of the lower end portion of the push rod 216 engages the standing valve ball 194 and forces it sidewise into a position of disengagement from the standing valve seat 196 thereby opening the standing valve 193. At the same time, the upper end 202 of the traveling valve unseating push rod 200 is brought into engagement with the lower surface of the traveling valve ball 170, causing it to be lifted from the traveling valve seat 172 and into engagement with the inside top end of the traveling valve cage 168 as shown at 171 in FIGURE 11 thereby opening the traveling valve 169.

Both the traveling valve 169 and the standing valve 193 being thus simultaneously opened the previously accumulated column of liquid in the well above the packer 40, may then flow downwardly through the valves and the pump to the lower ends of the well below the packed 40 as hereinbefore described. The pump assembly may then be detached from the packer and hoisted by either the pump rods or the tubing 183, preferably in this case by the tubing, upwardly out of the well.

It is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative only and that the invention is not limited thereby, but may include various modifications and changes made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a well pump adapted to be operated within a well bore hole and having a pump barrel element and a pump plunger element axially telescopically reciprocal relative to one another between extended pumping positions and a predetermined retracted position, a first oneway valve in one of said elements and a second one-way valve in said other of said elements, said second one-way valve including a valve cage having one or more fluid flow openings formed in the sides thereof and a valve ball contained in said valve cage, and means for reciprocating said plunger and barrel elements axially relative to one another, apparatus comprising:

a first push rod carried by and extending axially from one of said elements and positioned to engage and open said second valve in said other of said elements when said plunger element and barrel element are positioned in said retracted position;

a second push rod carried by said other of said elements and positioned to engage and open said first valve when said plunger element and barrel element are positioned in said retracted position, whereby said first and second valves may be simultaneously maintained open when said plunger element and barrel element are in said retracted position; and,

orienting guide means carried by one of said elements and normally disengaged from said second push rod when said first one of said elements and said second one of said elements are extended in said pumping position relative to one another, said guide means being engageable by said second push rod when said one of said elements and said other said elements are moved into said predetermined retracted position for applying a force to said second push rod sufficient to rotate said first one of said elements and said second one or" said elements relative to one another about their common longitudinal axis to align said second push rod with one of said valve cage openings.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said orienting guide means includes a disk-like member mounted on said first push rod, said disk-like member having:

a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots on the periphery thereof aligned with the openings in said cage and arranged to receive said second push rod; and,

a pair of sloping guide surfaces on said member adjacent each said slot arranged to guide said second push rod into one of said slots.

3. In a well pump adapted to be operated within a well bore hole and having a pump barrel element and a pump plunger element axially telescopically reciprocal relative to one another between extended pumping positions and a predetermined retracted position, a first one-way valve in one of said elements and a second one-way valve in said other of said elements, said second one-way valve including a valve cage having one or more fluid flow openings formed in the sides thereof, and means for reciprocating said plunger and barrel elements axially relative to one another, apparatus comprising:

a first push rod carried by and extending axially from said one of said elements and positioned to engage and open said second valve in said other of said elements when said plunger element and barrel element are positioned in said retracted position;

a second push rod carried by said other of said elements and positioned to engage and open said first valve when said plunger element and barrel element are positoned in said retracted position, whereby said first and second valves may be simultaneously maintained open when said plunger element and barrel element are in said retracted position; and,

orienting guide means carried by said one of said elements and normally disengaged by said second push rod when said first one of said elements and said second one of said elements are extended in said pumping position relative to one another, said guide means being engageable by said second push rod when said one of said elements and said other of said elements are moved into said predetermined retracted position for applying a force to said second push rod sufiicient to rotate said first one of said elements and said second one of said elements relative to one another about their common longitudinal axis to align said second push rod with one of said valve cage openings.

4. In a well pump adapted to be operated within a well bore hole and having a pump barrel and a pump plunger axially telescopically reciprocal relative to one another between extended pumping positions and a predetermined retracted position, a standing valve in said plunger including a valve cage having one or more fluid flow openings formed in the sides thereof, a travelling valve in said barrel, and means for reciprocating said plunger and barrel axially relative to one another, apparatus comprising:

a first push rod carried by and extending axially from said plunger and positioned to engage and open said travelling valve in said barrel when said plunger and barrel are positioned in said retracted position;

a second push rod carried by said barrel positioned to engage and open said standing valve when said plunger and barrel are positioned in said retracted position, whereby said travelling and standing valves may be simultaneously maintained open when said plunger and barrel are in said retracted position; and,

orienting guide means carried by said plunger and disengaged from said second push rod when said plunger and barrel are extended in said pumping position relative to one another, said guide means being engageable with said second push rod when said barrel and plunger are moved into said retracted position for applying a force to said second push rod sufficient to rotate said plunger and barrel relative to one another about their common longitudinal axis to align said second push rod with one of said valve cage openings.

5. In a well pump adapted to be operated within a well bore hole and having a pump barrel and a pump plunger axially telescopically reciprocal relative to one another between extended pumping positions and a pre determined retracted position, a standing valve in said barrel including a valve cage having at least one fluid flow opening formed in the side thereof, a travelling valve in said plunger, and means for reciprocating said plunger and barrel axially relative to one another, apparatus comprising:

a first push rod carried by and extending axially from 11 said barrel and positioned to engage and open said travelling valve in said plunger when said plunger and barrel are positioned in said retracted position; second push rod carried by said plunger and positioned to engage and open said standing valve when said plunger and barrel are positioned in said retracted position, whereby said travelling and stand ing valves may be simultaneously maintained open when said plunger and barrel are in said retracted gageable with said second push rod when said barrel and plunger are moved into said predetermined retracted position for applying a force to said second push rod sufficient to rotate said plunger and barrel relative to one another about their common longitudinal axis such as to align said second push rod with one of said valve cage openings.

References Cited position; and, 10 NITED STATES PATENTS orienting guide means carried by said barrel and dis- 880,019 2/1908 Futhey 103-221 X engaged from said second push rod when said plung- 9841084 2/1911 Farrah 103221 er and barrel are extended in said pumping positions ROBERT M WALKER Primary Examiner relative to one another, said guide means being en- 15

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