Sand cap for oil wells

Application filed October 20, 1924. Serial No. 744.782.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap and simplified construction for use in connection with the sand caps customarily employed in connection with oil' wells, 5 whereby the manual removal of the cap prior to withdrawal of the tool may be avoided; and to provide a trip construction adapted to be operated by the tool as the latter is being withdrawn, so that in the ιθ event of impact of the tool with the cap, the latter may be lifted from its place and carried up with the tool.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in a construction and combination ¹⁵ of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the upper end of the well tube, ²⁰ showing the device in operative position therein.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the device ready to be removed.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the struc²⁸ ture of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4—4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5—5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6—6 of Figure 1.

In carrying out the invention, there is attached to the top of the well tubing 1 the collar 2 interiorly threaded, as at 3, for en35 gagement with the exterior threads on the upper end of the top length of the well tube. The collar 2 is interiorly provided with an inwardly directed annular flange 4 constituting a seat for the sand cap 5, the latter be<0 ing provided with a peripheral beveled edge 6 but at diametrically opposite points being recessed, as indicated at 7, with the floors or bottoms of the recesses at a more acute angle to the bottom face than the peripheral 45 edge.

Tire recesses constitute seats for the terminal arms 8 of toggle members 9, the upper arms 10 of the latter having pivotal connections with the hub 11 -of the cap. In order 30 to provide for the pivotal connections of the toggle-members and to also provide for the ready-disassembling of the parts, the hub 11 ΪΜ diametrically reduced to provide a neck portiKBr'12' embraced by the complement»!

band members 14 having terminal ears 15. ⁸⁸With the damping members disposed in surrounding relation to the neck 12, the ears on the two are properly spaced to receive between them the upper arms of the toggle members and the bolts 16 which pass transversely through the ears and through the toggle members constitute combined clamping and pivotal mounting means for the toggle members.

The toggle members are pivotally jointed ⁰⁸intermediately, as at 17, the pivot pins constituting the connections between the upper and lower arms, and when the lower arms rest in the bottoms of the recesses 7, the noses of said arms engage under the ex- ⁷⁰tremities of the set-screws 18 radially threaded through the collar 2 and projecting from the interior wall of the latter a slight distance above the seating flange 4. With the lower arms engaged under the set-screws, the ⁷⁸pivot points 17 are slightly below the inclined planes passing through the centers of the bolts 16 and the lines of contact between the arms and the set-screws 18 and thus the cap is locked in position on the collar and ⁸⁰the well tube thereby closed at the upper end.

The cap 5 and its hub 11 are axially bored, as indicated at 19, to provide for the free movement of the cable 20 carrying the 85 tool 21 and the hub 11 above the neck is exteriorly threaded, as indicated at 22, for the reception of a cap 23 bored to permit the passage of the cable but snugly fitting the latter and retaining in place the packing 90 24 which will preclude leakage from the well around the cable.

In order that the cap may be released from engagement with its seat upon the elevation of the tool to the top of the well, 95 there is provided in connection with the cap a trip plate 25 provided with a clearance eye or hole 26 for the passage of the cable 20. Adjacent opposite ends, the trip plate is provided with the upstanding studs 27 re- 100 duced at their lower ends, as· indicated at 28, and passing through holes in the trip plate and secured to the latter by riveting or peening over, as indicated at 29.

The studs or posts 27 constitute the trip 105 elements for the toggle members, and to this end pass slidingly through eyes 30 formed in the sand cap and adjacent their upper a

1,588,198 spanning the ears of said clamping members, toggle members having one arm disposed between adjacent ears and pivotally engaging said bolt and the other arms adapted for terminal engagement with the fitting TO to retain the cap on the seat, and tool operating tripping means operatively engaging with the toggle members at the toggle joints.

4, In combination with a terminal fitting T5 for a well tubing constituting a seat for a sand cap, a sand cap having a hub provided with a reduced neck portion, complementary clamping members seated in said neck portion arid provided with terminal ears, bolts 80 spanning the ears of said clamping members, toggle members having one arm disposed between adjacent ears and pivotally engaging said bolt and the other arms adapted for terminal engagement with the fitting to 85 retain the cap on the seat, and a trip plate disposed in obstructing relation to a drilling tool and provided with studs slidably fitted in the cap and terminally engaged with the toggle members at the toggle joints. .

5. In combination with a terminal fitting for a well tubing constituting a seat for a sand cap, a sand cap having a hub provided with a reduced neck portion, complementary clamping members seated in said neck pbr- ⁰⁸tion and provided with terminal ears, bolts spanning the ears of said clamping members, toggle members having one arm disposed between adjacent ears and pivotally engaging said bolt and the other arms adapted for ¹⁰⁰terminal engagement with the fitting to retain the cap on the seat, a trip plate provided with a central opening for the passage of the drilling tool cable, studs carried by said plate and slidably engaging ¹⁰⁵eyes formed in the sand cap, the upper terminals of said studs engaging the toggle members at the toggle joints, and springs disposed in surrounding relation to the studs and bearing on the plate to normally force UO the latter in a direction away from the sand cap.

6. In combination with a terminal fitting for a well tubing constituting a seat for a sand cap, a sand cap having a hub provided ¹¹⁸with a reduced neck portion, complementary clamping members seated in said neck portion and provided with terminal ears, bolts spanning the ears of said clamping members, toggle members having one arm dis- ¹²⁰posed between adjacent ears and pivotally engaging said bolt and the other arms adapted for terminal engagement with the fitting to retain the cap on the seat, a trip plate provided with a clearance opening for ¹²⁸a drilling tool cable, studs mounted in the plate and slidably engaging the openings formed in the cap, said openings being counterbored, glands secured in the counterbores, and a packing disposed in surrounding rela- ¹³⁰ extremities receive transverse pins 31 bearing on the top of the cap to limit downward movement of the studs or posts. The latter are formed with square impact faces 32 en5 gaging angular seats 33 formed on the under sides of the upper arms 10. They are also provided with cam faces 34 engaging-the rounded corners 35 of the lower arms 8.

So long as no upward pressure is ap10 plied to the trip plate 25, the toggle members remain seated in the recesses 7 and the cap is retained in place. Upon imparting an upward movement to the trip plate, how₇ever, the studs or posts 27 are raised with 15 the result that the toggle members are broken at the center, resulting in the withdrawal of the noses of the lower arms 8 from the set-screws, thereby releasing the cap, and if the tool 21 be the means for im20 parting the upward movement to the trip plate, as intended in practice, the cap and all its component parts will be released from the collar and withdrawn from place by the tool. .

In order to impose against the too free movement of the trip plate, the posts . or studs 27 are surrounded by compression springs 36 bearing at their lower ends on the trip plate and at their upper ends on the ³⁰ glands 37 seated in counterbores 38 in the sand cap and compressing the packing 39 which surrounds the studs or posts and prevents leakage around them. The glands are retained in position by the cap-screws 40 35 threadingly engaging the cap 5.