L. S. HAMER
WELL CAPPING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1923
S. HAMCEB) OT OTIiLE&TON, CAXEFOBHtt.
WELX.-CAPPHiTG DETO3E.
Application filed April 4, 1923. Serial So. 638,319.
This invention relates to a well capping device, and it is an object of the invention to provide an effective, improved device of this general character.
6 In my copending application entitled Well caps, filed May 9,1922, Serial No. 559,531, in which application the general type of well cap herein set forth is fully described and is claimed, I have referred to certain situations 10 Avherein it is desirable to quickly place a cap on'or remove it from a casing. During the cementing of a well it is particularly unde"sirable to remove the cap from the casing as this not only interferes with circulation Ib but also allows air to get into the casing and interfere with the cementing operation. The usual cementing processes require the insertion of one or more devices into the casing during the cementing operation, thus 20 ordinarily making it necessary to remove the cap at a time or times when its removal is detrimental.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved construction for quick detach25 able well caps of the general character to which the above mentioned copending application is broadly directed.
Another object of this invention is to prov:cle a device to be used in combination with so a well casing during the carrying out of a cementing process, or the like, which permits of devices or objects being inserted into the we!l casing at any time during the carrying out of the process without removal of the 35 device from the casing. . ~
It is another object of my invention to provide packing means in connection with a well cap for making it tight on a casing, or the like, and means adapted to be operated 40 by an elevator, or the like, for actuating the packing. / . .. '.
The varbus objects and features .of my present invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed de45 scription of a typical preferred form and application thereof, throughout which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view so showing my improved cap in place on a well casing, and in condition ready for carrying , out a cementing pi'ocess, or the like;
Fig. 2 ;s an enlarged plan section, taken as indicated by line 2—2 oh Fig. 1; 55 Fjg. 3 is an enlarged plan section, taken as Indicated by line 3—3 on Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan section, taken as indicated by line 4—4 on Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of Fig. 1; and 60
Fig. 6 .is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 6—6 on Fig. 5.
Throughout the drawings^ numeral 10 designates, •generally, a typical well casing, and numeral 11 designates a coupling mounted 85 on the upper end of the casing 10.
The device provided by my invention includes, generally, a cap 12, adapted to be arranged over the coupling 11; means 13, for releasably securing the cap in position in 70 connection with, the coupling 11; means 14, for packing the cap with the coupling 11; operating means 15, for the packing 14; a magazine 16, in connection with the cap, adapted to hold objects so that they can be W delivered to the casing while the device is in position in connection with the casing and coupling; and means 17, for discharging objects from the magazine structure into the casing. "80
The cap 12 may be a cast member having a main or body part 18 and an annular flange part 19 which projects from the main part 18, and is adapted to receive the coupling 11.
The means provided by the present inven- 8S tion for reteasably securing the cap in c6nnection with the coupling, includes generally, a yoke 20, adapted to more or less closely .receive the casing 10; a gate 21, adapted to close the yoke to retain the casing oo 10 in it; and arms 22, which connect the structure formed by the yoke and gate with the cap. The gate'21 is pivotaBy connected with one side of the yoke 20 by means of a suitable pivot pin 22% and is releasably con- 85 nected with the other side of the yoke 20 by a spring catch mechanism 23. The yoke and gate are designed and proportioned so that they, together, form a ringlike structure which more or less closely embraces the cas- 100 ing 10 when the gate is closed. When a spring latch mechanism 23 is employed to hold the gate 21 closed iihe mechanism may include a T latch 24 pivotally connected with one of the parts, say—for instance—the gate 108 21, by a pivot pin 25, and lugs 26 provided on the other part to cooperate with the head 24a of the.latch. The head 24a of the latch is screw threaded on<the body of the latch so that it can be set against the lugs 26 to set 110 the mechanism against being released. It is desirable to provide a spring 27, or the like,:
in connection with the latch 24 to normally yieldingly hold it in position to cooperate with the lugs 26, and to design and proportion the various parts of the mechanism so 5 that it automatically operates to connect tho gate and yoke upon the gate being closed.
In. accordance with the preferred form of my invention, there are t\vo arms 22 arranged substantially diametrically opposite
10 each other with relation to the axis of the device, and rigidly connect with the sides of the yoke 20. In practice the arms and the yoke can be advantageously cast or otherwise formed integrally, as I have illus
16 trated in the drawings. The arms 22 extend upwardly from the sides of the yoke to the main part 18 of the cap, and are pi votally connected with the main part of the cap by suitable pivot pins 31. I prefer to provide
20 lugs 32 on the inner sides of the arms at their upper ends concentric with the axis of the pivot pins 31 so that they seat in suitable sockets 33 formed in the cap and operate to relieve the pivot pin 31 of strain when the
25 device is in operation. The arms 22 being connected with the cap and related to the yoke in the manner just described, and as I have clearly illustrated throughout the drawings, connect the yoke with the cap so
80 that it can be conveniently swung out to clear the casing and coupling when the device is being arranged on or removed from position in connection with the .casing and coupling. Further, the gate 21 being pivot
35 ally connected with one side of the yoke, it is necessary to swing or manipulate only one part to clear the casing when the gate is released. Attention is also called to the fact that the arms and yoke form a parties
40 larly rigid, strong, construction, and that the yoke and gate form a. casing encircling structure which is particularly simple and strong, and which may be secured and released by manipulation of a single member,
45 in'the .present case the latch device.
The packing means 14, which I have illustrated in the drawings as typical of that which may be employed in carrying out my invention, includes a body of packing 28, ar
60 i-anged in a recess 29 which extends upwardly in the flarige part 19 of the cap, and a ring 30 slidably carried in the recess 29 back of the body of packing, as I have clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. When the
65 ring 30 is forced or otherwise moved upwardly in the recess it expands the packing 28 between the flange portion of the cap and the coupling 11 so that the cap and coupling are tightly packed together.
00 The packing actuating means IS, in accordance with my present invention, includes plungers 34, carried by the casing encircling structure formed by the yoke and gate so that their lower end portions 36 pro
65 ]ect below the structure formed by the yoke
and gate and are movable to a position where they do not project from said structure. The plungers are slidably carried in suitable'openings 35 formed in said structure and, in the present case, in openings 70 formed in the yoke 20 preferably at or close to the points Avhere the arms 22 connect with the side parts of the yoke. The lower end portions 36 of the plungers in projecting below the casing encircling structure are in 76 position to be engaged by an elevator, or like device, that may be applied to the casing below the device, so that they are moved upwardly upon the elevator being brought up into engagement with the ring struc- 80 tu re. The movement of the plungers is communicated to the ring 30 of the packing means by screw members 37 carried by tho ring 30 so that they project downwardly and are in line 'with the plungers when the 85 device is in position on the casing and coupling. The screw parts may, of course, bo. adjusted' to project various distances from the ring and thereby provide an adj ustment in the packing and packing actuat- 80 ing means. Openings 38 are formed through-the plungers 34.at the upper side of the ring structure, and wedges 39 arc provided so that they can be arranged in the openings 38 to lock or secure the packing 95 in an actuated position. It-will be obvious, of course, that the packing may be actuated or tightened at any time without the employment of an elevator, as I have above described, by driving or otherwise forcing the J(«» wedges through the openings 38. When the wedges 39 are in position holding the packing they can be very easily and quickly released by driving them out of the openings 38. 106
The magazine 16 includes a plurality of sections or parts arranged in connection with the cap 12, preferably in connection with the main part 18 of the cap 12 and so that they are concentric with the casing and 110 collar. The lower section 40 of the magazine 16 is carried by the main part 18 of the cap so that its lower end portion 41 extends into the upper end of the coupling 11 when the device is in place on a casing and 115 coupling. The lower section 40 of the magazine may be formed of a piece of casing, or the like, and, in the present case, is .formed of a piece of casing of the same diameter as the casing 10. However, the exterior of 120 the lower end portion 41 of the section 40 is turned down so that the section fits freely into the coupling 11 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. The lower end portion 41 of the section 40 in extending into 125 the coupling covers the upper end of the coupling so that objects are delivered from the magazine into the casing 10 without danger of being caught by the coupling. In the form of construction illustrated in 13»
the drawings, the section 40 screw threads into the main part of the cap and extends some little distance above tile main part of the cap.'
5 The magazine 16", which I have chosen to illustrate in the drawings, as a typical magazine structure, such as may be employed in carrying out my invention, is intended to carry upper arid lower plugs or swabs 42 and
10 43, respectively, and a stick or timber 44, between the swabs. The lower section 40 is intended to carry the lower swab 43 and means ~is provided in connection with the lower, section to hold or retain the swab 43 in it. I
15 find it convenient to hold the swab 43 in the section 40 by means pi a screw 45 screw threaded in the main part 18 of ithe cap to extend through the section 40 so that it projects into the section under the swab. When
20 it is desired to release the swab the screw
45 is turned until its inner end is withdrawn ftorn within the section 40. The magazine 16 is provided with a middle section 46 to carry the timber 44. The section 46 is a
25 comparatively long section of casing, or the like, in that the timber is usually comparatively long. The section 46 is connected with the upper end of the section 40 by a suitable coupling 47. As a means for holding or re
30 taining the timber 44 in the section 46 I arrange a screw 48 in the coupling 46 so that it can be extended into the magazine" structure under the timber. The screw 48, like the screw 45, may be retracted to release the
35 timber. J
The upper swab 42 js carried in a section 50 mounted on the upper end of the Section
46 by a suitable coupling 51. The section . 50, like the others sections of the magfizine,
40 may be formed of a section of casing and
'may be ot a diameter or size to properly
carry the swab 42. A screw 52 is carried
by the coupling 51 so that it extends into
the magazine in a manner ttf hold or retain
46 the swab 42 in the section 50. In the present form of construction the section 50 is the uppermost'section and is, therefore, closed by a suitable cap 53. Tlie cap is provided with an eye 54 to receive a suitable bail "55, ; 60 and .has a downwardly facing shoulder 56 which can be engaged by an elevator, or the like, arranged around the section 50 if it is desired to lift or handle the device frbm its upper end^
65 With the general arrangement and form of construction which I have just described' for -the magazine 16, it may be made or built
. up to-accommodate any number or arrange. ment ,of objects that may require insertion 60 into the casing 10. For instance, the magazine may be extended by adding sections to it and may be reduced by taking sections xfrom it. In practice, if it is desired tb'in, r sert only a single swab into r the casing the
66 sections 46 and 50 m&y be removed an! the
cap 53 applied directly to the upper end of the section 40. In practice, however, it is desirable to construct the device for one particular class of Avork and to make the magazine structure more or less permanent. 7'i
In the particular form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there are two pipe lines 57 and 58 which are connected into the device through openings 59 and 60 provided in the main part of the cap. The 76 supply lines 57 and 58 are provided with control valves 61 and 62, respectively.
The means 17,, which I have herein set forth for ejecting or discharging objects from the magazine 16, is a fluid pressure 80 means, and includes a pipe connection be- < tweeri the supply pipe 57 and the upper part of each of the sections of the magazine. In accordance with the preferred arrangement the fluid pressure means includes a main pipe 86 63 which has connection with the supply pipe 57, and pipes 64, 65 and 66 which connect the pipe 63 with the sections 40, 46 and 50, respecuA'ely. Means are provided d:or controlling the flow from the supply pipe 57 80 to the sections of the magazine, and, in the present case, includes valves 67, 68 and 69, arranged in the pipes 64, 65 and 66, respectively, as I have clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. When the valve 67 is open fluid pressure fl5 is transmitted from the supply pipe 57 through the pipes 63 and 64 into the upper part of the section 40 so that it will force the swab 43 downwardly in the section and ; into the casing 10. It will be obvious how 100 \ the valves 68 and 69 likewise provide control means whereby fluid pressure from the pipe 57^ may be admitted into the sections 46 and 50 above the timber and swab so that the timber and swab may be discharged from 105 the magazine, as desired. It is to- be understood, of course, that when the control valves are open to discharge the objects from -the magazine that the retaining scfews are manipulated to release,the objects. Hq
In applying the device to a casing and coupling the cap 12 is arranged on the coupling so that its flange part 19 extends over the coupling, while the lower portion 41 of the magazine ssction 40 extends inter the cou- us .jpling. The yokeJ20 is then swung into position Ayhere it .embraces the casing and the gate 21 is closed. The packing. actuating means 15 is then operated to actuate the packing either by bringing an elevator, or 120 the like, up Under the ring structure formed by the yoke and gate to force the plungers 34 upwardly,,or by driving the wedges 39 in the openings 38. The packing is sent in the actuated position by the presence of the 125 wedges 39 in the openings 38. When the device has, thus been mounted on the casing and coupling fluid can be admitted into the_' casing as desired from the supply pipes 57 and 58 through the control valves 61 and 62. Isq
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