US1346939A - Method of sampling - Google Patents

Description

R. E. CARMiCHAEL.

METHOD OF SAMPLING.

APPLICATION map DEC. 1. 19:9.

Patented July 2%, 1925).

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METHOD OF SAMPLING. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1, 1919.

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ROB11E..LAWF1|C.HAE L, Svwewboz wow;

ROBERT E. CARMICHAEL, OF DAMON, TEXAS.

METHOD or SAMPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1920.

Application filed December 1, 1919. Serial No. 341,667.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. CAR- MICHAEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Damon, Brazoria county, Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods of Sampling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 1

My invention relates to an improvement in methods of obtaining samples of the material being drilled in the boring of wells for water, oil, sulfur, etc., in earth, rock and other similar formations.

In the boring of wells in deep strata, and especially in a formation having lateral fissures and crevices therein, it is impossible with an ordinary drill to obtain complete samples of the material. It has been found that the cuttings from the drill will find an outlet laterally into the crevices of the strata and very little will be brought to the surface. It is hence necessary where a log of a well is to be obtained to use a core bit and to conduct the broken pieces of the core upwardly in the drill stem to the surface.

An object of my invention is to provide a method of operating an ordinary bit where-' by the cuttings from the bit will be carried up to the surface with sufficient force to prevent the entrance of the same into the side crevices and caverns in the strata andto conduct them to the surface. Further objects and advantages will appear in the description which follows.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification and wherein like numerals are applied to like parts throughout the views, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through the lower part of the drill stem to be used with my invention and showing the bit in elevation; Fig. 2 is a central lon itudinal section through the swivel used with this device, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, certain parts being broken away to show the manner of assembling the apparatus used in my invention.

In the carrying out of my invention I contemplate employing any ordinary drill bit such as is now in use. This bit may be a rock bit or an ordinary fish tail bit, such as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This bit 1 is attached to a length of drill stem 2 of ordinary constructi n by means of an attaching drill practically collar or coupling 3. The upper end of the length of drill stem 2 is threaded externally for attachment to the lower end of a compound coupling 4 which is enlarged at the upper end and threaded interiorly at 5 for attachment to an outer pipe 6. On the inner edge of the upper face of the compound coupling is an annular recess 7 forming a seat for a downwardly projecting flange 8 on the lower end of an upper extension 9 of the drill stem. This outer pipe 6 and drill stem 9 extend upwardly to the surface of the ground and are supported at their upper ends in the usual swivel block 10 which is suspended by means of a bail 11 to the traveling block 12 in the derrick 13.

As shown in Fig. 2 the outer pipe 6 is secured at its upper end to a block 14 which rests rotatably upon the swivel block 10 and is separated therefrom by means of roller bearings 15. Immediately below the swivel block is a second swivel connection 16 com prising an outer sleeve'resting at its lower end upon a bearing ring 17 fixed to the pipe by means of a set screw 18. The pipe 6 and the ring 17 are adapted to rotate while the sleeve .16 is held stationary thereon. The usual stufiing box 19 maintains the upper and lower ends of the sleeve 16 in fluid tight connection with the inner rotating pipe 6. An inlet nipple 20 is formed on one side of the sleeve to provide a threaded interior attachment at 21 for an air pipe 32 leading to an air compressor, not shown. Air entering by means of this opening into the chamber 22 inside the sleeve 16 will be allowed entrance into the pipe 6 through a series of openings 23 in the rotating pipe 6.

The upper end of the pipe 9 is supported rotatably upon the cap 24 on the top of the pipe 6. A hearing member 25 fixed to the pipe 9 serves as a support resting on the upper end of the cap 2%. A stuffing box 26 furnishes a fluid tight connection between the inner and outer pipes in an obvious manner. The upper end of the pipe 9 is adapted to be supplied with fluid through a pipe 27 connecting the same with a pump shown diagrammatically at 28.

The upper end of the well in the use of I my invention is preferably provided with an outer casing 38 which fits tightly within the well and supports the upper walls thereof. The top of this casing has a water tight fit around the upper end of the outer .pipe 6 and has a branching lateral ducts the flushing water.

pipe 29 leading to a receptacle adapted to receive the cuttings from the bit.

In the operation of my invention the pipes 6 and 9 are rotated by means of the usual rotary 30, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3. The upper end of the interior pipe issupplied with water from the pumps through the pipe 27 and the upper swivel connections. The current of water passes downwardly throu h the pipes 9 and 2 to the upper shank of the bit and is delivered through channels 31 against the bottom of the hole, servin to flush away the material from the bit. i current of air from an air compressor is also pumped in through the lateral pipe 32 by means of the swivel connection 16 through the o enings 23 into the outer pipe and passes ownwardly to the lower coupling 4 and then through a series of perforations 33 into the ipe which conrom thence it is carried down by the strong current of water-through the channels 31 in the bit and bubbles up outside of the drill stem to the surface, thus forming an air lift for the mixture of the flushing water and cuttings from the bit. This causes a strong upward current carrying with it all the particles of matter cut away by the action of the drill. The stream of water and suspended cuttings passes out through the upper casing 28 and the lateral branching pipe 29 into a receptacle where the cuttings may be preserved.

The idea of usin an air lift to raise cuttings in a core drill upwardly and deliver the same at the surface is not thou ht to be new and claim is not made broad y to the use of air for the purpose of raising the cuttings to the surface. My invention involves the use of any ordina bit now used in well drilling and providing outside of the drill stem a pipe concentric therewith and of pumping air under pressure through the outer pipe and discharging itinto the inner pipe at a point toward the bottom of the hole. I find that if the water is pumped downwardly through the drill stem at some velocit and then the air is forced inwardly throug perforations in the drill stem toward the lower end thereof that the air will be carried downwardly by the water current through the channels of the bit so as to bubble up outside of the bit instead of rising up through the central passage in the drill stem. And when the air is thus discharged through the bit the upward current of combined air, water and cuttings is so strong as to prevent the loss of any of the material in the lateral fissures in the strata. After the current has once been started in this manner the pressure upon the pumps may be greatly reduced and the action of the combined stream of Water and air will continue with the same efliciency as before, thus enabling the driller to obtain the entire log of the well.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of raising the cuttingsfrom an earth boring drill to the surface comprising forcing a stream of flushing liquid downwardly through the drill stem and through channels in the bit to the bottom of the hole, forcing downwardly outside of the drill stem a current of compressed air, forcing the same into the drill stem toward the lower end thereof and causing the air to pass downwardly through the bit to unite with the flushing liquid and lift the cuttings and flushing material to the surface outside said drill and drill stem.

2. A method of raising the cuttings from an earth borin drill to the surface comprising the forclng of air and flushing liquid downwardly through the drill stem and bit, discharging the same into the bottom of the hole and thus causing a strong upward current of air and liquid in the hole.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my ROBERT E. CARMICHAEL.

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