US2720268A - Well pipe cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1955 J. w. JONES WELL PIPE CLEANER Filed April 28, 1953 [fl/e for dam n er M James AZTV United States Patent WELLJFIPECLEANERK Iasper'WfJones, Lake Charles, La.

Application April 28, 1953, Serial No. 351,525 2 Claims. (Cl. 166170) This invention relates generally to improvements in oil well apparatus and is directed particularly to an improved paraffin scraper or cleaner.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved paraflin cleaner or scraper designed to be lowered into and worked up and down in oil well tubing for the purpose of cutting or scraping away from the surface of the tubing deposits of paraffin or other waxes and asphaltic material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a well casing cleaner embodying an elongate body having a number of longitudinal ribs spiraling around the axial center of the body each carrying a plurality of longitudinally spaced radially extending spring fingers which project beyond the longitudinal center of the tool a suflicient distance to engage the surface of the well casing whereby in the up and down movement of the scraper or cleaner through the casing such fingers will cut through deposited paraflin or the Wax to the surface of the casing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a tool of the above stated character a number of long spirally arranged ribs or flanges in each of which a number of longitudinally spaced slots are formed for receiving a portion of a flat spiral spring end of an elastic or resilient scraping finger which is secured to a face of an adjacent rib, said fingers, by reason of their attachment to the spirally directed ribs, providing a substantially cylindrical or circular brush which effectively cuts up and removes waxy deposits from the well casing through which the tool is moved.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing with the understanding that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side eelvation of a parafiin cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention, a portion of the same being broken away and parts being in section.

Figure 2 is a view of the same looking at the bottom end of the tool.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line of 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detailed view in elevation of one spring scraper finger.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the tool bar ready for the cutting of the slots and the attachment of the spring fingers.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing it will be seen upon reference to Figure 1 that the scraper of the present invention comprises an elongate shaft or body which is generally designated 10, which is designed to pass through a well pipe for the performance of a cleaning operation. This. body may be produced from. any suitable. stock and is milled longitudinally through the major portion. of, its length from one. end'to providea plurality of flanges or ribs 12 which curve or spiral around thelongitu'dinal axis of-the body each through approximately one quarterturn'or onefourth" o'ftliec'ircumference of the body-so thatthe ribs, whicharefour in number, have the form in transverse section of a square or Greek cross as illustrated in Figure 3.

A short length of the shaft at the upper ends of the flanges 12 is left un-cut or un-milled forming a head 14 and the upper end of the head is continued in the stem portion 16 of reduced diameter, which is threaded as shown to facilitate the attachment thereto of a suitable weight bar, not shown, which in turn is attached to a wire line for lowering and raising the tool in the Well tubing.

Each of the flanges is provided with .a longitudinally spaced series of slots 18 which are formed through the flange with one side in the plane of the flange perpendicular to the slotted one.

Each of the flanges has threaded thereinto a longitudinally spaced series of spring finger holding screws 20, each of which screws is adjacent to a slot 18 in the adjoining flange.

Each of the screws 20 secures in position on its supporting flange, an elongate spring scraping finger which is generally designated 22 and which comprises a flat spiral 23 at one end while the straight portion 24 forms a cutting blade Which extends tangentially from the outer side of the flat spring 23 and at a slight upward inclination, as shown, when the finger is free of contact with the well casing.

The screw 20 for each spring finger passes through the center of the flat spiral spring, as will be readily seen, so that the fiat spring is held flat against the side of the flange 12 into which the screw is secured and the adjacent slot provides a clearance means for the coil'spring whereby when the blade is flexed downwardly the spring can expand outwardly, as indicated in dotted outlines in Figure 1.

The radial extension of the blades 24 of the scraping spring fingers is such that when the tool is lowered into the well casing or tubing the ends of the blades will scrape against the surface of the tubing and since the spring fingers are arranged spirally around the length of the tool, as shown in Figure 2, they form a substantially circular or cylindrical brush which effectively covers the entire circular area or circular interior surface of the well tubing as the tool is raised and lowered.

A particular advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that because of its unique design it cleans the Well tubing surface both while going into the well and while being pulled out. The many small scraper blades effect the removal of the paraifin in a flaky condition instead of balling up the wax, which would have a tendency to plug the tubing and because of the fact that the wax is cut up in a flaky manner it is easily redissolved in the well fluid and any which may remain undissolved can readily flow out with the fluid.

A safety feature of the present scraper" is that should the scraper become balled up when cleaning Gas Lift wells, because 'of the loss of fluid to wash it clean, the scraper can be removed by applying a steady, hard pull which will unwind or uncoil the spring 23 of the cutters against the body of the tool flanges and allow it to peel out of the ball. Another feature of a safety nature is that should there be an obstruction in the tubing, the tool can be easily forced by such obstruction with heavy spudding action and thereafter return each blade to its normal cutting position.

I claim:

I. A well tube cleaning tool comprising an elongate spring fingers secured to a side of each rib in spaced relation longitudinally thereof and extending outwardly subs'tantially radially' of the bar, said fingers each comprising a relatively long blade having one end in the form of a fiat spring spiral, said spring Spiral lying fiat against the rib, and a securing screw passing through the center of the spiral and threaded into the rib.

2. Theinvention according to claim 1, wherein each of said ribs has a plurality of slots therein for receiving a portion of an adjacent spring spiral; I

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Field Sept. 28, 1880 Lavere Jan. 2, 1923 Black et al Mar. 21, 1939 Smith Dec. 10, 1940 Every Feb. 13, 1945

Images