US1889787A - Device for controlling pressures in oil wells - Google Patents

Description

B. S. MINOR Filed June 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOR EY.

Dec. 6, 1932.

DEVICE FOR commune PRESSURES IN OIL WELLS Dec. 6, 1932. B. s. MINOR DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING PRESSURES IN OIL WELLS Filed June 9. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTOR.

BuRr- MINOR ATTORNEY.

mechanism described and claimed: in my ap Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES. PATENT oF'FIc-Ef Application, filed June 9, 1926. Serial No. 114,605.

This invention refers more specifically to oil Well packing mechanisms for controlling excessive gas or fluid pressures in oilwells and relates to improvements in a packing locking ring for locking the same to the easing head member. Formed on theinterior 1 surface-of the casing head memberdirectly above the vented openings is an annular seat for the reception of'thepacking mechanism. This mechanism is here shown as consisting of a pair of apertured metallic disk members, and an apertured disk member formedof a compressible material interposed therebetween, the lower disk member being normally disposed upon the annular seat formed, on the head member. Extending downwardly from the upper end of the tubular member and? on its interior surface are a plurality of plication for U. S; Letters Patent entitled Blow-out device for oil wells bearing Serial No. 80,439 filed in the U. S. Patent Ofiice January 11, 1926.

In the above application I described and illustrated a packing mechanism mounted in the well casing head adapted to be expanded to pack off thewell casing and drill stem by impact of an annular abutment formed on the drill stem. Such mechanism has proven satisfactory in Well drilling operations with the single exception that the in.- sertion and removal of the packing mecha nism to and from the head has entailed considerable labor and consequentloss of time.

In my improved device the packing mechanism may be quickly guided into seated position within the casing head, and by the provision of a locking ring rotatably and deta'chably secured to the head, the packing mechanism can be securely locked therein, ormay 'beas quickly removed therefrom without detaching the lockingring.

An important object ofthis invention is to provide a packing .mechanism for casing heads that may be quickly locked into position in the head, and as readily removed therefrom when it is desired to withdraw th stem with its bit from the well. v A further object is to provide a packing mechanism for casing heads in Which means are provided forpreventing its accidental rotation during a drilling operation.

A still'further object is to provide'a means on the packing mechanism locking ringfor automatically guiding the packing mechanism into a seated position within the casing head when the same is lowered into position.

Briefly, the invention consists of a vented casing head member adapted to be detachably secured to the upper end of astring of well casing. The upper endof this member 0 is provided with a plurality of offset lockvpa g h 't p 1t1 thelugs wlth ing lugs equally spaced apart and adapted to respectto the1r seats on the caslnghead. 'co-operate with similar lugs formed on a thedrawmgs whereln certain embod 1100 gaged by V shaped lugs formed on theedge oftheupper metallic disk; member, the seated lugs preventing an accidental rotation of the packing mechanism during a drilling operlocking ringv is formed a plurality of lugs equally spaced apart adapted .to engage-the upper endsof the V shaped lugs formed on the upper metal disk of the packing mechajnism'iwhen the ring is. rotatedto-lockthe packing mechanism in the casing head. 7 The drill stem and kelly attach d to the upper end thereof pass through the disk apertures, and the packing mechanism is'adapted to be engaged byan annular-abutment formed on J the drill stem when the sameispulled up,- wardly thereagainst to expand thecompres sible disk into. fluid tight, engagement with the stem and the head-on the developmentof an excess'pressure rin the well. I, y a In orderto position the V. shaped lugs formed on the upper metallic disk members with respect to their seats formed ,on vthe casing head, a ,plurality of positioning lugs of inverted V shape are formed on theupper face of the locking ring. By means ofthese lugs the V shaped locking lugs formed on the upper metallic disk member, the packing disk is rotated and the lugs are guided into (.95 the seats of the casing head, thus avoiding the necessity of manually rotating the heavy V shaped recesses, or seats adapted to be-en- 5 V ation. Around the circular opening in the F ments of the invention are disclosed by way of example: I

Fig. l is a central vertical section through the casing head showing the packing mechanism in unexpanded position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the packing mechanism expanded.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with the locking ring rotated to an unlockedposition.

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the locking ring rotated to a locked position.

5--5 of Fig. 1 with the locking to an unlocked position.

Fig. 6 is a central vertical section through the'casinghead with the drill stemand packing; mechanism removed. 'Fig'. 7 is a side elevation of the paclnng mechanism.

Fig. 8 is' a: transversesection through the casing headtakenzon line 88 of Fig. 1.

V Fig. 9'is an enlarged detail-sectional view oflthe upper wall of the casing head showing the means for rotating the locking ring and preventing its detachment from the head. Referring more specifically to the drawings 1O designates a tubular casing head, interiorly threaded on its lower end for attach ment totihe upper threaded end of a string ofwell casing. This head is provided with a pair of internally threaded openings 11, 12 for the reception of the usual pipe lines (not shown) and directly above these openings is an annular seat 13, for the reception of the packing mechanism. The upper end of the casing head is provided with a plurality of segmental outwardly extending locking lugs 14, equally spaced apartadapted to co-operate with similar inwardly projecting lugs 1'5 formed on the downwardly extending circular flange 16, of a flat detachable locking ring rotated ring 17,'the length of said ,lugs being slightly less than the space between the lugs 14 formed on the casing head in-order that the lugs '15 may freely pass therebetween: Thelugs 15 are disposed in a plane directly below the lugs l4,"so that when the ring is rotated to a locked position the lugs will register with and engage the lugs 14; tolock the ring tothe locking head. Formedaround the inner circular edge ofthe flat ring 17 are a plurality of segmental lugs 18 equally spaced apart designed to form abutment-s for the lugs on the upper metal disk of the packing mechanism when the drill stem is drawn upwardly to expand the packing disk on a development of an unexpected or excessive pressure, and

'to lock the packing mechanism within the head.

' The'packing mechanism preferably consists of a plurality of ap'er'tured rings d1sposed one upon another, the lower metal ring 20 having a convexed uppersurface and a conical'external portion 19, while the upper metal ring 21, is convexed on its lower face. The packing ring 22 is formed of an elastic material such as rubber and is concaved on its upper and lower faces, the convexed surfaces of the metal rings snugly nesting within the concavities of the packing ring. Detachably secured to the oppositely disposed ends ofthe drill pipe 23 and" the kelly 24 is a shorthollow sleeve 25 provided at its lower end with an annular abutment 26 adapted to engage and contact with the lower metal disk Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line,

When the'drill stem and packing mechanism connected thereto is lowered into the well casing the locking lugs 31 formed on the upper metal disk member are oftentimes out of alinement with their seats formed on the-casing head, and as the packing disks are of heavy construction and 'difiicult to rotate 'manually, a positioning or guiding means has been devised for automatically rotating the disk member to guide the lugs'formed thereon into their seats. This guiding means 1s here shown as consisting of a plurality of inverted V shaped lugs 32 formed integrally with the upper face, of locking ring 17, the lugs being-disposed between some of the re.- cesses 30 of the locking ring.v During a lower- 1ng operation of the drill stem should the lugs 31 of the disk 21 be out of alinement with their seats formed on the casing head, the moment the pointed ends of the lugs of the disk member engages the lugs 32 their inclined surfaces .33will rotate the disk 21 and guide the lugs 131 into: their seated position. Byforming a conical external surface 19 on tlie lowermetal packing ring 20 it will be apparent that the packing mechanism'may be easily guided into position within the head when the'drill stem'is lowered into the well casing. V

Locking ring 17 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed handles 35 that are attached to the flange 16 of the ring in order that the ring may be easily rotated to a locked or unlockedposition, the inner ends 36 of the handles projecting beyond the inner peripheral surface of the flange 16 engage the under 7 surface of the lugs 14 when the ring is rotated to an unlocked position to prevent the accidental detachment of the ring 17 from the head on a withdrawalof the packing mechanism from the well casing.

The outer surface of the casing head is provided with a pair of stops 40, in the form of lugs, and the locking ring is provided with a lug 41 formed integrally with the under surface of one of the ring locking lugs 15. By means of the above the ring 17 may be rotated readily into a locked or unlocked position, the stops limiting its movement in either direction of rotation.

From the above description it will be apparent that the drill stem with the packing mechanism may be readily inserted within the wall casing, and as easily removed therefrom without the necessity ofunscrewing collars or other mechanism from the casing head, as in my former construction.

The operation of the packing mechanism is substantially as follows. The packing mechanism which consists of the metallic rings with an elastic ring interposed therebetween is mountedon the drill stem, and the ring 17 is rotated to bring the lugs 18 out ofregister .with the lugs 31 on the upper metal packing disk. The bit and drill stem with the packing mechanism is then lowered downwardly into the well casing, the lower metal disk of the packing mechanism resting on the annular inner flange 13 of the head and the lugs 31 of the upper metal ring resting in the recesses at the top of the head, the locking ring is then rotated in a reverse direction to bring the lugs 18 into register with the lugs 31 to lock the packing mechanism in the head. The drill stem is then rotated in the usual manner, and when an excess fluid pressure is encountered in the drilling operation the stem is drawn rapidly upward out of the well until the annular abutment 26 of the sleeve contacts with the lower surface of the metallic ring 21 to expand the elastic member 22 into packed relation with the head and sleeve as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. WVhen the casing head and stem have been packed off to control the excess pressure of the well semifluid mud of a denser consistency than the mud usually employed in drilling operations is forced downwardly under pressure through the hollow drill stem into the well above the excess pressure to control same. The introduction of the heavy semi-fluid mud in the well is usually sufficient to control any premature blow-out, the mud circulation being controlled through the valve outlets 11 and 12 in the casing head. As soon as the excess pressure has been sufiiciently controlled the stem may be again lowered into the well and drilling operation resumed.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a well drilling mechanism provided with an abutment, of a vented casing head having a plurality of seats formed around the upper end thereof, said head adapted to be detachably secured to the upper end of a string of well casing, a packing mechanism including a pair of aperwithin'said head, and means formed on said ring for guiding the, offset lugs on the upper disk member into the seats formed on the casing head when the drilling mechanism is loweredinto the well. 1

2. In combination with a drilling mechanism including a stem having an annular abutment formed thereof, of a vented casing head having an annular seat formed above the vents therein and a plurality of bearing 1 seats around its interior upper end, an expansible packing mechanism comprising a pair of metallic disks and an expansible disk interposed therebetween, the lower of said disks engaging thevannular seat of the casing head, the upper disk being provided with a plurality of bearing lugs each having inclined surfaces adapted to engage the seats formed on the casinghead, a locking ring detachably secured to the upper end of said casing head, said ring being provided with a plurality of offset lugs around its inner periphery adapted to engage and register with the lugs formed on the upper disk member of the packing machanism to lock said mechanism within said casing head, and a plurality of positioning lugs each having inclined surfaces formed on the'upper face of the locking ring around its opening and in register with the oflsetlugs, whereby when the packing mechanism is lowered into the casing head the positioning lugs on the locking ring will rotate the upper packing ring and guide the lugs formed thereon into their seats on the casing head. 7

3. A packing mechanism for oil well casing heads comprising an open ended vented body member adaptedfor attachment to an upper string of oil well casing, a compressible packmg mechanism disposed in'the upper end of said head above the vents, said packing inechanism being provided with openings therecompress the packing around said meansto form a seal, and amechanism carried by the upper end of said head for holding the packing mechanism against upward movement.

4. A packing mechanism for oil well casing heads comprising an open ended head adapt through to permit of the free passage of the a ed to be mounted on a casing having a drill stem and kelly" bar disposed therein, a compressible packing member mounted in the upper: end of said head, a detachable abutment member having a cylindrical portion securedbetween the drill stem and kelly for compressing the packing around the cylindrical portion of the abutment member on an upward movement of the drill stem, and means secured to the upper end of said head for holding thepacking mechanism against upward movement.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th dayof May, 1926. V

p BURT SPMINOR.

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