US2187845A - Clean-out tool - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 23, 1940. E TATALOVICH 2,187,845

CLEAN-OUT TOOL Filed Aug. 14, 1939 INVENTOR TTORNEY.

I m: and intendedlfunctions.

Patented Jan. 23, i

3 UNITED CLEAN-OUT roon Eli Tatalov-ich, nerrin; nrql "OF-F og.

Application August 14, 1939,. Serial No. {289,989

4 Claims (or. "166- 19) shell suitable screws or theflilge l0, and whichis connected through a conventional eleca This invention relates generally to oil-well operatingflequipmentl and, more particularly, to a certain new-and useful improvement in such equipment oi ,the type,,c0mmonly known as g; clean-out tools for removing from the well sludge, sand, mud slime, and the-like.

My invention has for its primary objects the provision of av tool of. the typeand for the purposes statedwhich is selfoontained, compact,

10; and durable, which is easily .and conveniently usable, which is economical in operation and maintenance; which is=,ca'pable of effecting, the removal speedily and efiiciently of relatively large quantifies of ,sludge; sand, mud,- and the like from the depths of a wellgwhich automatically provides a. [signal for' visual indication of. full loadingcf. the tool, ,which may be simply and quickly discharged or unloaded, and which is" highly efficient in; the performance of its stated 7 And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides. in the 'novel features of: form,v construction, arrangement; and combination'ofv parts presently describedand pointed out -in-theclaims.-- 25 In theaccompanying drawing xfiguretgilis .a longitudinal sectional View of a clean-out tool constructed in: aaccordance with andflembodying my present invention;

tFigures5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentarysideeleva-tional views f the discharge end of thetool,

3 illustrating inzdetail" the manner in which the and detached from the body of the tool;

Figure 7'isan inverted plan view of: the lower or working end of the tool; and

Figure 6. i l v v "Referring'now in more-detail and by reference characters: to the drawing, which illustrates a 45 preferred embodiment of my present invention,

elongated cylindrical tube I: threadedly or other wise detachably connected-to which at its upper end-is a relatively short tubular extension 2, in I turn, at its upper end threadedly provided with a closed end cap 3 having a projecting eye-4' for receiving a tool supporting cable 5. v i

At-its lower'end, the tubular extension 2 is I provided with a transversely disposed partition 5 B fixed inplace by means of a screw or the like and disposedin the tubular -ex tension 2 above the partition 6; is] a hermetically sealed-gas,

water, and oilproof-- chamber or compartment 8 for housing an electric motor 9, the casing of which is preferably fixed to the container 8' and Figures 2,3, and. 4 aretransvierse sectional;

sludge-retaining plug removably' engaged with V l the tool, generally designated asAgcomprises an purposes presently fully appearing. p

Suitably fixed, as by means of screws or the like '31 in, and extending transversely across the trica-l conduit H hermetically sealed in, and extending through, the cap 3 to a suitable source of power (not-shown) located at. the surface of the-well; the conduit ll beingconventionally lashed to the, supporting cable 5 and connected at ':.surface inseries with a conventional ammeter i=2; all as best seen; in Figurejl and for purposes presently fully appearing; v .The motor :9 is equipped with a-drive-shaft l3 extending axially downwardly through a cen trally disposed opening M in the partition 6 and through also a conventionalpacking ring [5' and stufling box llihmounted onthe under side of the partition fi,'the shaft 13 being provided at its outer orwfree' "end. with a'conventional coupling flangel 'li v 1 Fixed. within the tube or shell l by means of upper andlowei'. sets of. radially disposed bolts l8" and spacersor bushings I 9; is a oo-axially ex- 1 tending innertubeof substantially smaller is y diametral size. than the tube I and terminating at its upperand. lower ends,respectively, a short distance inwardly fromwthe upper and lower ends otthetube l2.

At its lower end; the tube l is counter-bored in the provision of .a -recess 2| and provided with a pair of: diametral-ly opposite bayonet slots 22 fnr retentively receiving the radially outwardly presented lugs 23 of a closure plug 24 provided witlra central bore-oraperture 25 of snug-fitting embracing engagement around the lower end of the inner tube; r

fits outer-"falte the plug 24 isprovided also with a pair of? internally threaded recesses 26 for receiving l'ocking screws 21 when the plug is in placetopprevent accidental or unauthorized removal thereof.

At-its' lower end; the plug 24 is provided with a diametrally"enlarged stop or limiting flange 28 for endwise abuttingengagement with the lower marglnotthe tube 1', the plug 24' being also providedwi'th a pair of diametral'ly opposed downwardly extending anti-rotation prongs 29 and beenlarged funnel-shapedmouth orjintake orifice 30, all as best seen in Figures 1. and5 and or upper end of; the tube or shell I a short distance upwardlyfrom the upper end of the inner tube '20, is a second partition 32 transversely provided centrally with v an anti-friction bearingsleeve 33' and formed on its under facewith an annulardefiection channel 34 preferably of suit- .ablearcuatecross section.

Having a shank 35 engaged with the flange I! by a flexible coupling 36 and rotatablein the convoluted cutter blades 38 terminating, in turn jg a short distance above the lower extremity of the anti-rotation prongs 29, all as best seenimFigures 1 and'6. i

In use and operation, the tool A is lowered by 7 means of the cable 5 into the particular well' 'casing until the tool comes to rest at the bottomor foot of the well, when, the cable 5 being relaxed, the anti-rotation prongs 29, under the weight of the entire structure, willbecome embedded in the mud and slime at the casing bottom. Thereupon, the motor 9 being energized and the material conveyor 31 set in rotation, the cutter blades 38 will diginto the mud and silt at the casing bottom and propel the same upwardly through the intake orifice 30 and inner tube 20 into the deflection :channel 34, from which the :silt and the like will be directedoutwardly and downwardly into 'the'outer or so-called bucket'chamber b of the .shell -I.-.- .As thebucketchamber b fills, the entrained air and gases will be exhausted through vent apertures 12, preventingthe tool A from becominggas locked,- As soonas thebucket cham-- ber b has beencompletely filled, the load on the material conveyor 3Lwill increase sharply,:efiect-' ing a corresponding increase in the amperage consumed by the'motor .Such increased amperage consumptionwill. result in a marked do,

fiection of the ammeter [2, thereby visually indicating to the, operator thatthestoolrhas become filled to capacity. The operator thereupon shuts off the current to the motor-9zand elevatesthe tool ,Aout of the well casing. Y, .1

Upon removal from the casing, the loaded tool A ,may be swung over a suitable discharge ,pit

and ,the locking screws 21 removedfrom the, plug.

A again lowered into the ,wellircasing ,for a sue-z cessive excavating, operation-r it being; of course," obvious that such operations ;may:be successively repeated any number of times, ;dependi ng upon theamount of mud, sludge, and siltqwhich has collectedin the casing bottom.v I

, It will be evident that,,by my invention, 1 pro: vide a clean-out tool which is not only; simple and economical in construction, but which is also speedy and efficient in operation and extremely rugged and durable. It willbe furthernoted that themotor and motorv bearings are securely prol-= tected against damage by, water,;oil, or gas, and;

that the tool ,automaticallyprovides a signal indicating to the operator that the tool is filled .to;

capacity and should-be withdrawn.

It should be understoodthat changes and modifications in the form,,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the tool may be made and, substitutedfor those, herein shown and describedwithout departing from the nature and principle ot my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A clean-out tool of oil wells and the like comprising an elongated shell, a tube disposed coaxlally within the shell ,in the-provision intermediate thelshell and tube of anarinular bucket chamber, means including a screw-conveyor :'-;rotatable in the tube for propelling a stream of excavated material upwardly through the tube,

means mounted transversely within the shell in spacedgelation to the upper end of the tube and having an arcuately shaped annular channel for deflecting the stream of excavated material from the tube into the bucket chamber, and a closure removably mounted on the shell at the bottom oi. the bucketchari'iber.

i 2. A clean-out-tool for-oilwells-and the like comprising an elongated shell having a compartmentin'one endthereof, a'itube disposed co-axiall-y within the shell in the provision intermediate the shell and tube of an'annula r-bucket chamber, means including a primemover located in saidcompartment and ascrew-conveyor rotatable in the tube and drivenby said prlmemover for propelling a stream of excavated material upwardly through the tube, means disposed transversely within the shell in spaced relation to-the upperend-of'thetube and'having an arcuately shaped annular channel-for deflecting the stream of excavated material from the tube into the bucket chamber, and a closure removably mounted on the shell-at the bottom of the bucket cham- 3. A clean-out tool for oil wells and the like comprising an elongated shell havinga compartment in oneend' thereof, a tube disposed co-axially within the shell in the provision intermediate the' shell andtube ofan annular bucket chamber, meansincludinga .prime mover located in said compartment and a screw-conveyorirotah able in the tube anddrlvenbysaid prime mover for propelling a stream ofv excavated material upwardly throughthe tube, means disposed transversely within the shell in spaced relation to the upperiend of, thevtube, and having an arcuately shaped 1 annular channel for deflecting the stream of excavated material .from the tube into the bucket Y chamber, 1. and. .a closure removably mounted on the shellat thebottom of the bucket chamber, said closure having an enlarged intake orifice openinginto the lower endcotthe tube.

4. A clean-out toolgforoil wells and the like comprising. an: elongated shell having a compartment in one endthereof a tube, =disp0sed coaxially within the shell in the provision intermediate, the shell and tube oran annulargbucket chamber, means including a prime movenlocated in said compartment, and a screw-conveyor; rotatable in the tube and driven by said prime mover for propelling a stream of excavated material of excavated material from; the tube into the bucket chamber, and a closure removably mounted on the shell atthe bottom of the bucket chamber, said; closurehaving an enlarged intake orifice opening into the lower end of the tube and being provided with apluralityyof downwardly projecting prongs for well engagement for preventing rotation of the shell. 1

ELI- TATAibi IICH.

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