US2076138A - Rotary drilling mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1937.

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Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNlTED' STATES PATENT OFFICE] K273221235??? Application June 16, 1931, Serial No. 544,863 20 Claims. -(o1.2s4-1se) This invention relates to drilling and has for its principal object the provision of apparatus for rotating a drill pipe while suspending the drill stem by hoistingmeans .connected with the ro- 5 tating means, both being hydraulic, whereby the changes in resistance encountered-by the drill bit transmission embodying two separate units, a variable delivery fluid pump of the tilting box type and a variable speed hydraulic motor, in one and mounted on a substantially stationary multiple.

cylinder barrel and shaft thru which stationary members the propelling fluid is delivered to the cylinders thru a distributing plate attached to and revolving with the drum.

Another important object is to eliminate the pressure between the rubbing surfaces of the piston and cylinder walls due to centrifugal action which is considerable at high speeds in rotary barrel multiple cylinder pumps and motors. I accomplish this by making the barrel stationary 0 thus eliminating all but the reciprocating motion in the pistons and in order to get the necessary relative turning motion between the barrel and shell I allow the latter to turn.

A further object is to eliminate all gearing betweenthe motor and the work by providing the 'revolving shell with various means so that it can be used directly as a hoisting drum, traction wheel,

winch capstan etc.

A still further object is to provide means for 40 more rapidly cooling the propelling fluid as it passes thru the pump which I accomplish by the provision'on the revolving drum shell of the pump as well as on a portion of the drum of the motor of heat radiating fins which increase the transfer of heat thru the shell to the cooling air. The transmissionof power thru any medium is found to be attended with a. loss of energy by friction in ,the form of heat and the emciency of transmission is often limited by the speed of dissipation of this heat. In the old stationary casing pumps and motors of the type with which this application is concerned, it is apparent that the rate of dissipation of heat as compared to mine is very much lower since there is no relative move I movement of the larger motor.

and the heat radiating surfaces except of course the small movement due to convection. Where the radiating surface as in this type of hydraulic machine is solarge as compared to the fluid contacting surface it is quite important that the ra- 5 diating surface be given movement, and also the provision of flns on a moving surface is of much greater relative importance than the provision of fins on an equal stationary surface. In order to still further increase the cooling efllciency the fins may be provided with propeller or fan-like portions which break up the atmosphere that tends to revolve with the drum and also to increase the movement of the cooling air.

A further object of the invention is the provi- 15 A still further and important object of the pres- 25 ent invention is the method of coupling together two hydraulic pumps with two hydraulic motors so that both of the pumps can operate one of the motors when required, where under normal operation one pump operates one of the motors and in the piping between the pumps excess or diminished pressure actuates mechanism which controls the angle of the tilting box in the second pump which in turn causes a relatively small The mechanism just recited also lends itself readily to hand operation since in ordinary drilling the stem is not raised but is lowered as in the judgment of the I operator seemsproper.

Other objects of the invention have to do with the specific design of the various parts all of which contribute to the provision of a power transmittingsystem which obviates the use of brakes and permits an almost instant'ohange of direction of rotation of the motor unit without the slightest shock and which permits in case of drilling the building of the draw-works into a self-contained piece which can be positioned in the derrick as a unit so that in moving the unit from place to place there are no loose parts to be fitted to the derrick such as posts and head boards.

In previous devices for control of the pressure upon the drill bit by cooperation between the rotating and hoistingmechanisms the method of control has been thru changes in the strength of the electric current or by purely mechanical means. The present invention contemplates the elimination of all electrical equipment between the rotating and hoisting means and substituting for the mechanical means of inter-relating the driving and hoisting means of pipe lines conveying the oil of an air-tight closed system from a plurality of pumps to a plurality of means, the latter including a hydraulic motor for rotating the drill stem and a larger motor for raising and lowering the drill stem. The principal advantages gained by the use of the hydraulic draw-works of the present invention are case of operation, assurance of a straight hole, elimination of danger to the workmen because of abrupt stops and step-by-step gradations which are here eliminated, greatly decreased cost of inspection and repairs, and capacity to run for long periods of time without attention while preserving a definite and absolute control of the torque on the rotary and of pressure at the end of the bit, eliminating respectively the many fishing jobs which are required by reason of the twisting oil of sections of the drill pipeand the variations from vertical in the drill-v ing of the hole where inemcientcontrol of pressure at the end of the bit occurs.

In the drawings: Figure l-is a plan view of the lay-out, being partly diagrammatic to show the control system.

Figure 2 is a side elevation. Figure 3 is a vertical axial section thru the hydraulic motor which is the drum.

Figures 4 to 8 are sections taken on lines 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, 1-1, and 8-8, respectively, of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section taken on line 3-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical axial section thru the variable delivery pump.

Figures 11 to 15 are sections on lines H-|l, l2-l2, I3l3, "-44, and l5-l6, respectively, of Figure 10.

Figure 16 is a vertical axial section of a modifi- 5 cation of the motor.

Figure 1'7 is a vertical axial section of the control valve.

Figure 18'is a detail. In order to give a comprehensive idea of the invention I will first describe its general application in a well drilling control system such as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1. In this figure the rotary I0 is shown as driven by hydraulic drill motor i2 which receives its power by 5 supply and return pipes l4 and I5 via the fourway valve i6 either from variable delivery drill pump l8, a second-four-way valve I 3 being closed, or from variable delivery pump 26, bothvalves l6 and I! being open, these pumps l3 and 2lbeing arranged so that these may be driven independently or by a common prime mover as will be more fully described hereinafter. The hydraulic hoist motor 23 is connected to the supply pump 20 by pipes 2| and 22 which are also connected to mains l4 and i5 thru valve l9.

The drill motor I2 is controlled by means of a four-way valve 24 moved either manually by handle 25 or automatically by pressure chamber 26. The valve 24 communicates on one side with two pipes 21 and 23 between the mains I4 and I5 at point 23 and on the other side with pipes 30 and 3| to the control cylinder of pump l8; one

end of the pressure cylinder 26 of the valve 24 being connected by pipe 32 to the mains l4 and ii at shunt 33, the other end being open to the atmosphere 45 (see Figure 17).

The hoist motor 23 is controlled substantially in the same manner as motor l2, that is, by' valve 34 which, like valve 24, is connected on one 6 side to mains 2| and 22 by pipes 3'! and 33 at point 33 and on the other side to the control end of pump 20 by pipes 46 and 4|, but unlike valve 24, which has an automatic control that is responsive only to the feed pressure of the motor 10 i2, the valve 34 has a control that is not only responsive to the feed pressure of hoist motor 22 but is also responsive to the feed pressure of motor l2 as well. This is a differential control and is accomplished by connecting one end of the 16 pressure cylinder 36 to the mains 2i and 22 with pipe 42 at shunt 43 and connecting the other end of cylinder 36 to mains l4 and i5 at shunt 44 by means of pipe 45. The shunts 33, 43 and 44 are each provided with two valves in order that 20 pressure may be maintained in the control valve cylinders 26 and 36 regardless'of the direction of fiow in the mains. I

The main shaft 46, mounted in bearings 41, is driven in any preferred manner as, for example, by an electric motor mounted directly on the shaft but as I prefer it and as illustrated this shaft receives power thru a sprocket wheel 46 connected by a chainto a source of motive power 48 which may be gas, electric, steam, or water 30 driven. The hydraulic pump 26 is directly secured to the main shaft 46 by the coupling 66 and follows standard practice, the angle of the tilting box being governed by the position of. valve 34 as will be more fully set forth herein- 35 after.

The cathead shaft 5| is mounted in bearings and has at either endthe usual cathead drum. This shaft receives its motion thru sprocket wheel 62 connected by a chain 53 with sprocket wheel 64 40 which may be caused to rotate with the main shaft 46 by the clutch 55. It will be noted that this chain 53 is the only chain used in the mechanism except for the optional chain to the source of power which is only used in case the motive 45 power is not directly applied to the shaft.

The pump 20 discharges oil under pressure to the hydraulic motor 23 which is the hoistin drum, the discharge pipe being 22 and the corresponding return pipe being 2|. It is extremely so important that the oil within the system shall fill all of the space except that occupied by the metal and it is equally important that the oil shall be free of air or other gas that is compressible. To this end I follow established prac- 5n tice and position an oil reservoir 56 above the oil level in the pump and the motor and while I shield this reservoir from dust and dirt by means of the cap 61 I maintain communication with the outside air in order to preserve atmospheric ca pressure within the receptacle 66.

Considering particularly, Figure 2, the discharge pipe 22 from the pump leads thru a passage 69 to the vertical pipe or passage 60 at the left of the center of the drum while the return 65 pipe 2| communicates with the right hand vertical pipe 6| thru the horizontalpipe 62. When the valve34, and therefore the tilting box of the pump 20, is in neutral position no oil is pumped thru pipe 22 and the hydraulic motor 23 is there- 7c fore stationary since no oil is fiowing and consequently no movement of the drum is possible.

A slight movement of the valve 34 changes the angle of the tilting box of the pump 26 and causes a very slight amount of oil to be pumped 7g by each of the pump pistons giving a slight but constant torque on the drum as will be described later. The pump 20 may be of standard manufacture but I prefer to use one of the type developed by me and to be described farther on in the specification.

Without describing at this time the detailed construction of the hydraulic pump 20 and motor 23 which forms the hoisting mechanism of the device I will now describe the general operation. Drilling. Automatic control: First open valve l6 and close valve l3. Next start pump 23 and adjust the control valve 34 so that motor 23 will exert enough torque thru the hoisting drum to support most of the weight of the drill stem allowing the balance, a certain predetermined weight, to rest on the drill bit. The relative amount of weight taken by the drill bit and by the hoisting drum is governed by standard and well known practice and permits extremely fine changes in actual pressure by the cutting end of the drill stem on the material encountered. The third step is to open and adjust control valve 24 so that pump l6 starts and drives motor l2 and thus rotary it at any desired speed.

The pressure in main l4,'proportional to the load on motor I2, is reflected thru the pipe 45 to one end of the pressure cylinder 36 of valve 34 which tends to cause the latter to allow an increased flow of fluid to the control end of pump 20 and thus increase the torque of hoist motor 23.

But this reflected pressure in cylinder 36 is opposed and balanced by pressure in the opposite end reflected from main 22 so that the motor 23 still exerts the predetermined pullor lift on the drill stem. However, if the drill bit should strike a hard strata or-should become wedged and thus increase the load on motor l2 to a greater extent than determined by the original setting of the valves 24 and 34 a back pressure will build up in line l4 and from there will be transmitted to both control cylinders 26 and 36. The increased pressure in 26 will unbalance the forces as determined by the original setting and cause valve 24 to allow pump 16 to increase its delivery of power to motor I2 to take care of the increased load. The increased pressure in 36 via pipe 45 will overbalance the opposing pressure in the cylinder due to the line pressure from main 22 transferred to the cylinder by pipe 42. This overbalance will move the valve 34 in a direction to cause pump 20 to increase the power delivered to motor 23 which in turn will liftthe drill stem but only an amount necessary to relieve the overload on motor l2. Of course as soon as this occurs the valve 34 is automatically turned again to its original setting since the two pressures delivered by pipes 42 and 45 will have returned to their original canceling values and the predetermined rate of drilling will be resumed until further obstacles are encountered by the drill bit.

There will be an opposite effect on the control valves .24 and 34 if the bit strikes a soft strata since this takes the load off motor l2 and increases the load on motor 23. No load on the former means low pressure in'main l4 and thus in pipes 32 and 45. Low pressure in 32 causes valve 2,07o,iss

Drilling. Hand Control: First open valve l6 and close valve I! as in the automatic control. Next start pump l8 and operate valve 24 by hand lever 26 until motor I2 is driven at-the desired speed. 'I'hirdly, start pump 23 and by means of hand lever 35 cause the pump to deliver enough power to motor 23 to suspend some of the weight of the drill stem allowing the rest of the weight to force the drill bit into its work. -If desired the pump 26 and motor 23 may be stopped entirely and the drill may be fed downward by means of the band brake I9 and handle 20'. It will be seen that this operation is very similar to the automatic control and differs therefrom only in that the valves 24 and 34 are no longer responsive to pressure since pressure lines 32, 42, and 45 are shut oif which permits the valves24and 34 tobe controlled entirely by means of hand levers 26 and 35. The sensitiveness of hand control will, of course, depend on the ability of the operator to respond to the reactions of the drill motor I2 and in most cases the automatic control is much better. But for drilling thru soft strata hand control is preferable. l

It will be apparent that valve 24 may be left under automatic control while valve 34 is operated by hand or vice versa.

Hoisting: Since the drill stem is lifted entirely by means of motor 23 it is necessary that motor l2 should be shut down which is done by closing valve l6 and setting pump l8 on neutral or stopping the pump entirely by throwing out clutch 53 on main shaft 46. Then by manipulating handle 35 the valve 34 may be turned so as to supply enough pressure to the control end of pump 20 to cause the latter to deliver the amount of oil necessary to drive the motor 23 at the desired hoisting speed. In raising long heavy drill strings it may be necessary to use both pumps in which case valve I9 is opened and pump I8 is adjusted to deliver power in parallel with pump 20.

Referring now to Figure 3 which shows a vertical section generally thru the axis of the hoisting drum. The two frame pedestals 63 and 64 support the device but it must be remembered that the large portion 66 of the shaft of this motor does not revolve in the bearing of 63 but on the contrary the shaft 66 is held stationary by a plurality of keys 61 which are purposely made not too tight fitting; The bearing in the pedestal 64 on the other hand is a rotatable one and the part supported is the right hand end of the revolving shell which latter in turn supports the stationary torque shaft 10 in self-adjusting roller bearings H housed in the hub 12 of the rotating angle box 13. The central stationary piece, which is substantially if not actually integral and consists of the ported shaft 66, the solid torque shaft I6 and the cylinder barrel 15, is supported at the left in the pedestal bearing 63 to which it is keyed, and at the right by the bearings I I. It is very important that this stationary unit shall maintain the left hand plane face of the cylinder barrel precisely parallel to the engaged face of the rotating portion of the motor, this being true of all devices of this kind.

Considering first the parts that have no rotation,-the larger shaft portion 66 is closed at'the leftas seen in Figure 3 by a pipe flange l1 tapped to receive the two oil pipes 60 and 6| which are -merely horizontal continuations of the previously mentioned vertical pipes 60 and 6| and consequently bear the same numerals. Surrounding the large shaft 66 and in engagement with the pipe flange 11 are shims ill, the number of which will be varied to secure the desired pressure adjustment between the cylinder barrel and the revolving valve plate, this adjustment being arranged thru the keys which, as before remarked. may have movement axially of theshaft, and by a ring I! which engages the outer case". The adjustment may be obtained by means of a plurality of adjusting screws (not shown) spaced around 'the flange II and acting either on the shims II or directly for moving the keys inward against the ring I! to keep the desired pressure on the case ll between which and thesimilar inner case II are a plurality of helical springs equi-spaced about the shaft 86. These springs, which will vary in size and strength with the different sizes of motor, are arranged with their axes parallel to the axis of the shaft 86. The spring nest 82 is not needed when the drum is being revolved but it is very important when the device is not under load as these springs, whose total strength is very material, preserve always the needed firm bearing between the valve plate and the cylinder barrel.

Inward of the spring nest and its two cases are the roller bearings upon which revolves the valve plate 80 to which is secured the annular closure 88 which has an oil tight engagement with the ring 19. Instead of the packing shown in Figure 3 I may use an arrangement similar to that 3 illustrated in Figure 10 which will be described farther on in connection with the pump unit, therefore in Figure 3 in several places I have purposely omitted the packing for the sake of clearness of illustration but it will be understood that 35 the device is made as oil tight as possible at every joint.

The barrel is a relatively short cylinder of solid v metal having within it a plurality of piston receiving cylinders 88 each having one or more ports I1 somewhat radially outward from its axis. Near the left hand end, as seen in the figure, there are ports 02 and 32 opening in fan shape from the passages "I and CI in the solid metal of the shaft 08 and the barrel ll. Since these passages are mere continuations of the pipes l and GI they have been given the same numeral for the sake of clearness so that the numeral SI may be considered the entrance passage for the oil from the pump 20 via the horizontal, pipe section 22. It will be noted that the radius of the arc of the segmental port a: is considerably greater than the "radius of the similar arc of the segment-shaped port 33 so that these two ports may communicate with what corresponds to the elongated ports of the typical valve plate which is here varied materially in order to secure greatly increased strength and to avoid the noticeable hoop tension in the walls of the usual-valve plate.

At the right hand end of the barrel I! is the angles to the axis of the trunnions as both axes I lying in a single plane, here positioned at an angle from the vertical. I preferably provide bushings between the shaft and the trunnions it and on the keys 61 and thus providing ready means torque shaft III which ends just beyond the marbetween the socket ring and the trunnions OI. Two trunnions are integral with the trunnion block I" and two other trunnions are formed at the ends of a pin driven thru the trunnion block so that the non-rotating socket ring has movement about the stationary torque shaft as would a disk which is rockingly mounted at its center upon a point so that the point of dip runs around the circumference but the disk has no angular motion about. the point. Such motion is common in this art but the present device differs from other motors in that in this case it is the torque shaft which is stationary and it is the angle box which rotates.

The swash-plate or socket ring 98 may be a twopiece ring as shown in Figure 10 and as described later on in connection with-the pump but in the modification shown in Figure 3 is a one-piece ring having hubs IIII to surround the trunnions and being cut away as at I02 to clear the enlarged yoke section of the torque shaft III. In this ring are a plurality, in the present case seven, nearly equi-spaced sockets each receiving a bushing I02 cooperating with an intermediate bushing I and a threaded bushing I05 to receive snugly the spherical end its of the connecting rod I01, the other spherical end I08 of which is received in the piston I09 in quite similar manner, again following usual practice, my desire being that the fit of the piston in the cylinder 88 shall be so perfect that I require no rings or packing. The pistons and cylinders are ground and lapped to a smooth working fit and I prefer to follow the approved scheme of cutting narrow and shallow grooves around each of the pistons, preferably having at least three such grooves in each piston so as to trap dirt and also break the fluid leakage lines. o A

The principal rotating parts are the valve plate 80, the drum itself, and the angle box 13, these three parts being substantially integral but actually formed as three separate units which are securely but not permanently secured together since it is desirous of having convenient access to the interior of the drum for repairs and adjustments. The spooling drum is a hollow cylin der having right angular flanges III] and III to which are secured respectively the flange 2- of the angle box I3 and the flange iii of the valve plate, the line of bolts being diagrammatically represented-by the numerals I. The outer cy-'- lindrical surface of the drum may be and preferably is grooved as at iii to fit the size of rope I la (see Fig. 18) It is desired to use rope usually somewhat in excess of an inch in diameter and normally perhaps slightly less than half a mile in length.

The angle box is somewhat hemispherical between lts flange I I2 and its hub I2. The angle of this box corresponds exactly to the angle of the socket ring, that is, for example, about 20 or 30 from vertical. The angle box which revolves about the axis of the shaft "-10 is provided with thrust and roller bearings II I and III in suitable races one member I20 being common to both. The hub 12 of the angle box 13 has secured to it at the right hand end in Figure 3 a drum closure I2I integral with an outwardly extending shaft I22 supported by outboard roller bearings I23 in an outboard bearing box I25 which in turn is closed by an outboard bearing closure I28 having a grease inlet 'valve I21. The outer race of the bearing I23 is made floating to allow for the necessary but extremely slight axial and angular movements of the rotating parts.

posed passages I33 with the inner port I34 which in turn communicates with the'port 83 in the cylinder barrel. n the other semi-circular half of the valve plate the groove I48 corresponds with I38, the ports I are similar in size and position with the ports I3I but the radial ports I43 are considerably shorter than the corresponding ports I33 since the former lead to the port I44 which communicates with the port 92 in the barrel.

An important feature of the invention is the continuance of the ports I34 and I44 as shallow grooves I38 and I45 respectively, these two grooves together insuring that the oil under pressure shall at all times completely encircle the contacting faces of the valve plate and cylinder barrel thereby relieving these two faces of the huge pressure exerted at times by the reaction to the thrust of the connecting rods I81. Space I41 provides a clearance between the valve plate and the casing. The small round ports are used for strength, otherwise the port wall would have to be very heavy because of the large radius of the port walls from the center.

The operation of the drum is believed to be quite apparent, the action being as follows:

Upon increase in pressure in the pipe I4 and therefore in the control pipe 45 connected thereto, the control valve 34 of the pump 28 is operatedin a manner described below, thereby causing a slight additional amount of oil to-discharge from the pump 28 thru pipe 22. This fluid-continues thru the passage 88 in the larger shaft portion 88 of the stationary member of the drum, passes upwardly in Figure 3 and to the right as in Figures 4 and 5, passing into the segmental shaped port 82 of the cylinder barrel and from thence into the alined port I44 at the right of Figure 4 and in the upper half of Figure 3, from here passing thru the radial passages I43 to the series of ports HI and passing from here into the alined ports 81 leading to a plurality of the cylinders 88, causing these pistons I88 to move to the right in Figure 3 which movement causes the upper end of the socket ring to move to the right, this in turn causing a rotation of the angle box so as to increase the tension on the hoisting drum rope.

While this action is takingplace the lower portion of the socket ring 88 is moving to the left as seen in in Figure 3 and this forces oil thru the lower ports 81 in the cylinder barrel to the alined port I3I in the valve plate, the oil from here passing radially inward thru the ports I33, then thru the port I34 in the valve plate to the fan or segment-shaped port 83 in the cylinder barrel, this port being constantly in communication with the passage 8| which leads to the oil return pipe 82, returning the oil thru the pipe 2| to the pump 28. This is the normal drilling operation but when it is desired to raise the entire drilling stem, the valve I3 is opened and the valve I8 closed. In this way the rotary drum 23 is driven by the combined action of the pumps 28 and I8, mypreference being that the pump 28 shall be of say twice the power of the pump I8 and that the drum 23 for full power shall require the combined horse power of the pumps 28 and I8, whereas the needs of the motor I2 shall always be satisfled with the delivery of fluid from the pump I8. When raising the stem the stop valyes in the auxiliary lines 32, 42 and 48 are closed when the valve I8 is closed and the tilting box control valves 24 and 34 are operated by hand to give the required speed to the drum.

The improvements pointed outin the above description of my hydraulic motor are also present in my variable-delivery pump as will be apparent on consideration of Figure 10 which is a central sectional view of the new pump. As in the motor the pump is provided with a stationary cylinder barrel 18 which may be integral with the shaft 88 as in the motor but for large capacity machines is preferably made separate and provided with a large central bore for fitting over the reduced end of shaft 88 to which it is keyed.. The barrel has a plurality of cylinder bores 88 parallel to the axis of the stationary shafts 88 and 18 and communicating by cylinder ports 81, valve plate ports I38, I3I and barrel ports 82 and 83 with the passages 88 and 8| .of the shaft 88. Each cylinder bore 88 carries a piston H8 fitted with a connecting rod I81 having spherical ends I88, working in a socket ring of two pieces -I88--I8I clamped about the ends I88 and mounted to wabble on the main stationary shaft 18' by means of a universal Joint as in the motor.

Between the two parts I88 I8I of the socket ring are clamped the bushings fitting the trunnions 88 and there are also clamped the split bushings I82 against the bushings I83 which provide sockets for the ends I88. The part I8I has the same thrust and .side bearing structure as the socket ring described above in connection with Figure 3 and therefore cooperates in the same manner with the roller bearings H1 and H8 mounted in the tilting box I84.

However, while in the motor of Figure 3 the axis of'the drum with which it turned in the case of the pump as shown in'Figure 10, the angle is not fixed but is made adjustable by mounting the tilting box I84 to turn on diametrically positioned trunnions I88 which are studs screwed into the casing I88 and provided with sockets I81 so as to be replaced and adjusted from the outside of the casing (see Figure 15). On the two ends of a diameter perpendicular to-thatpassing thru the trunnions I88 are provided lugs I88 which are preferably integral with the tilting box I84 and to which are connected, either by ball and socket joint or otherwise, the connecting rods I81 socketed at their opposite ends in the control pistons I88 mounted in-cylinders I88.- As shown in the drawings the cylinders I58 maybe integral with the revolving casing I88 as well as integral with the auxiliary casing I88 which fits over the portion I82 of the inward extension I83 of the valve plate I84; the auxiliary casing, however, is slightly spaced at I88 from the remainder of the extension I83 as well as from the barrel 18 most of, which. it telescopes. A connection with the pressure lines is provided for each cylinder I89 one of which may be traced from the cylinder end-at I81 along the casirfg at I88 down tionary stuffing box I18 where a threaded bore 48 provides means for connection to a line 48 leading to one of the four way control valves 24 or. 34. The other pressure connection may be traced from the lower cylinder I58 in a similar manner to bore H in the stufling box I18.

Itwill readily be seen that the positions of the control pistons I58 determine the angle of the tilting box I54 and that by varying the relative pressures onthe control pistons the stroke of the pump pistons may be positively adjusted. Therefore by means of one of the above mentioned four-way control valves, I connect the control cylinders I58 to the previously described pressure mains I4 and I5 (or 2I and 22) and then by moving the valve and admitting oil under pressure to the cylinders I can determine the delivery of the pump, the casing I58 of which is driven at a constant speed by means of a gear or pulley connected on the end I18 of the driving shaft I14. Instead of connecting thecontrol cylinders to the pressure mains I may connect them to a separate source of control pressure thus making the control independent of the pressure in the mains which may be desirable for starting the pumps from neutral when the pressure in the mains is too low to move the pistons I58 but after starting the pump the pressure lines may be again connected to the mains if desired.

Referring to the left hand side of Figure 10, it will be seen that the annular valve plate I84, surrounding shaft 88 and engaging the vertical surface of cylinder barrel 15, is integrally supported on the end of the cylinder-like projection I18 of the drum closure I88 which is bolted to the drum or casing I58 by means of bolts II4. Within the cylindrical projection I18 are the roller bearings 85 held in inner and outer annular races I82 and I83, respectively. The outer race I82 is held against a ring-like projection I84 on the rear of the valve plate by the cylindrical projection, I85 of the annular closure I88 bolted to the drum closure I88. Within and spaced from the projection I85 and engaging the stationary shaft 88 is a nest of springs 82 held between twof'rings 88 and 8|, the latter of which engagesithe racev I88, Asfully described in connection with Figure 3 the tension of the springs is adjusted by moving the condi- 1a to the right either by shims 18 between flange 11 and keys 81 orby screws projecting thru flange 11 into engagement with the keys 81. The closure I88 also carries a stufilng box I88 within which is the leather U-packing I88, filler ring I88 and packing gland I8I all of which make an oil-tight closure for the casing. If any oil should leak by the inner annular lip I82 of the valve plate and find its way to the ball races it would not force its way out thru the stufling box 188 because passages I88 are provided for draining it into the casing by way of the above mentioned space I85 between the casing I88 and the plate and barrel. As I intend to have all space filled with oil it will be seen that additional leakage into the casing I58 will raise the pressure, therefore two ball checks I85 are provided for relieving this pressure. Two checks are provided (one in each main I4l5 or 2I-22) in order that there will always be a low pressure main connected to the inside of the casing, for example,

by wayof passage I88 regardless of the direc-' tion of flow. As will be seen in Figure 10 I locate these check valves at the end oi the bores I4-I5 and by providing the set screws I81 with kerfs or sockets I88 I am able to set or to adjust the valves from the outside by means of a long shanked socket wrench I88 which I insert thru a. hole in the manifold 11 which hole, of course,

is ordinarily plugged.

In order that the heat from the transmitting fluid may be quickly dissipated I provide radiating fins 28I onthe revolving casing I58 and for protection of the workmen enclose the whole in a perforated casing 282.

Referring to Figure 16 wherein is shown a modification of the motor illustrated in Figure 3 it will be seen that most of the parts are identical with my improved pump described in the preceding paragraphs from which it differs essentially only in replacement of the tilting box I54 by the stationary angle box 18 of my other modification and, of course, the absence of the control cylinders and pistons as well as the elongated stufflng box I18. The drum is substantially the same as that of Figure 3 but in order to provide additional means for taking power from the motor I use an extended shaft I14 having means at I18 for attaching a pulley. sear, coupling or any other power transmitting device.

In some types of work it may be desirable to build the gear or. pulley directly on the drum, also in traction work the drum may constitute the hub of the driving wheel.

Altho most any one of several types of presure responsive valves 24-44 may be used in my system diagrammatically shown in Figure 1, I prefer the one shown in detail in Figure 17 which comprises two main parts, a four-way valve 24 and a pressure cylinder 28, the latter being divided into two expansible chambers 2I8 and 2 by the reciprocating piston 2I2 provided with the usual air-tight or fluid-tight gaskets 2 and 2I5. The compartment 2I8 is provided with a port 32 for connection to pressure line 82 while compartment 2 has a port 45 which maybe either connected to a pressure line 45 as is cylinder 88 of Figure 1 or may be left open to the atmosphere as is cylinder 28 of Figure 1. The piston 2I2 is carried on rod 2I8 connected at one end to the hand lever 25 and at the other end to the piston 2I1 of the four-way valve 2|.

The piston 2" as well as the piston 2I2 are biased to an upward position partly by the hand lever 25 but mostly by the spring 2I8 on which the piston 2I1 rests. The tension of this spring 2I8 therefore provides a way for adjusting and adapting the pressure cylinder to operate with systems of difierent pressures and with different connections, for example, if port 45 is to be left open to the atmosphere as is the case with cylinder 28 of Figure 1 the spring tension should be made large to balance the pressure in line- 82 but where both ports are connected to pressure lines as are 42 and '45 of cylinder 88 the spring tension neednot be so large. A ready means for regulating the spring tension is provided by the plug 228 in the base of the four-way valve. The usual stufilng boxes are provided at 22I, 222 and 228 so that no oil will leak out around the piston rod.

The operation of the valve will be apparent when considered with the description of the operation of the system as a whole given near the beginning of this specification.

Certain details and instructions have purposely been omitted from this specification but will be apparent to those skilled in the art and to whom the specification is addressed, for example, in all such mechanisms it is necessary to provide relief valves to keep the oil pressure from rising ab ve that which is necessary to overcome normal resistance in hoisting and consequently such valves are to be added to the present device being such, for example, at 1100#, the valves-being merely spring pressed check valves preferably of the type where the pressure can be altered. Upon excess pressure the oil escapes from the high pressure port passage into the drum space and from here passes into the low pressure port thru a suitable check valve. What I claim is:

1. In combination, a hydraulic pump of the type having a tilting box, a change of angle of which causes flow of fluid from the pump in chosen direction and amount, a hydraulic motor l5 cooperating therewith having an angle box characterized by the barrel of the hydraulic motor being stationary while the shell is flxed to and revolves with the angle box, said shell forming a hoisting drum, and a fixed shaft secured -to the barrel and serving as a support for the barrel and the shell, said shaft having bores therein for tgonducting operating fluid to and from the mo r.

2. A brakeless hoisting drum for drilling operations, consisting of a hydraulic pump motor unit in which the motor and the pump are of the swash plate type, said pump and motor each having a stationary piston barrel, a revolving shell enclosing said pump, a revolving shell enclosing said motor, an angle box carried by each shell, means on the pump shell for tilting the angle box carried thereby, a control rod for controlling said meansto vary the stroke of the pump pistons, the angle of the sdck'et ring of the motor being constant, the pistons of the motor acting as a drum brake in response to changes in position of the control rod of the Pump.

ii a hydraulic motor hoisting drum, astationary shaft consisting of an end section having a pair of fluid passages there'thru, a barrel substantially integral with said shaft, and having ports communicating with said passages, and a torque shaft, a socket ring oscillating about a trunnion block carried by the torque shaft, pistons reciprocating within the barrel, connections between the pistons and the socket ring, and a revolving unit mounted to turn about said stationary shaft and consisting of a valve plate, a

drum and an angle box.

4. In a hydraulic motor hoisting drum, a valve plate, a cylinder barrel, communicating ports in said barrel and'valve plate characterized by the ends of each of the ports being continued annularly about one of the contacting faces as a shallow groove, thru whichthe fluid under pressure may circulate to reduce the friction betweenthe valve plate and the barrel, a valve plate port consisting of an arcuate shallow groove, a plurality of axial bores extending from said shallow groove, a port radially inward from said bores and in communication therewith.

5. A valve plate having on each half an arcuate groove, having'ln one-half an arcuate port of a chosen radius and having on the other half an arcuate port of different radius, and radially disposed channels establishing communication between said grooves and one onlyof said ports at each side. 7

- 6. A hydraulic motor, the outer shell of which is a hoisting drum, a cylinder barrel, a socket ring having oscillating movement with respect to the cylinder barrel, an angle box fixedly secured to and forming one end of said drum, a

75 valve plate secured to and constituting the other end of said drum, and means for holding the cylinder barrel against rotation, said means comprising a drum supporting bracket and a shaft secured to the bracket and to the barrel.

7. In a hoisting drum revolving motor, a cylinder barrel, a shaft substantially integral with the cylinder barrel, a valve plate mounted to revolve about the shaft, distributing ports in the rotating valve plateand fluid passages thru the shaft and the cylinder barrel for delivering fluid from a pump to the distributor ports in the valve plate and from thence to the cylinders of the cylinder barrel. 1

8. A constant stroke. swash plate type hydraulic motor in which the trunnion block has a fixed angle, of oscillation and the outside shell of the motor revolves while the cylinder barrel is held stationary and an angle box fixedly secured to said shell and cooperating with the trunnion block to maintain said fixed angle. I

9. In a hoisting drum, a stationary torque shaft, an angle box having a hub rotating about the axis of the torque shaft, a roller bearing between the end of the torque shaft and the hub, a shaft extending from the angle box, a stationary frame, and a floating roller bearing supporting the end of the angle box shaft in said bearing.

10. A shaft, a valve plate, a cylinder barrel substantially integral with said shaft, a roller bear-,

ing between said valve plate and said shaft, a frame, a key engaging said frame and said shaft to prevent rotation of the shaft, 9. spring nest to resiliently hold the valve plate against the cylinder barrel, and means including said key for altering the pressure exerted by said spring nest.

11. The device of claim 10 in which the spring nest consists in a plurality of helical springs placed annularl'y about the shaft with their axes parallel to that of the shaft.

12. A valve plate having two spaced ports,.one on either side of a diameter to establish communication with the cylinders of a cylinder barrel, said ports being characterized by the provision of spaced-barscommunicating with a shallow groove in the faceof the valve'plate and communicating thru separated passages with the intake and exit ports, whereby the strength of the valve plate is greatly increased over that given by a single opening port.

13. In a well drilling system, a hydraulic pump,

of the swash plate type, a stationary cylinder barrel, 9. swash plate carried by said barrel, a revoluble shell coaxial with and enclosing said barrel and plate, an angle box plvotally supported by said shell, a pair of cylinders and pistons therein carried by said shell, said pistons being connected to diametrically opposite points on said angle box whereby the relative positions of said pistons control the angle of said box, a pipe connection between one of said pair of cylinders and the pressure side of said pump and a second connection between the other of said pair and the return side of said'pump and means in said pipe connection for regulating the pressure between the pump and the cylinders whereby upon the rise of pressure to a predetermined limit the pistons are moved to change the angle of the angle box to thereby reduce the stroke of said pump.

14. In a well drilling system, a hoisting drum comprising a pair of spaced alined supports, a

stationary shaft carried by one of said supports,

of said supports, a cylinder barrel secured to said stationary shaft and located in the opposite end of said drum, and having a projection journaled in said drum head, a swash plate trunnioned in said shaft, and an angle boxcarried by said drum.

15. The device of claim 14 in which said stationary shaft is provided with passageways for carrying fluid to and from the cylinder barrel. 16. The device of claim 14 in which said stationary shaft has a central bore extending thru said barrel and to said swash plate, a bore on each side of said centralbore acting as conduits for transferring fiuid to and from said cylinder barrel, 15 said barrel having a semi-annular groove in one face communicating with one of said conduits, and a second semi-annular groove of the same radius communicating with the other conduit, an annular groove surrounding said semi-annular grooves and'communicating with the cylinders in saidbarrel, a valve plate having ports for cooperating with said grooves to control the fiow of liquid between the barrel cylinders and the conduits, and a hub on said stationary shaft between its support and said plate.

' 17-. In a well drilling system, a hydraulic machine of the swash plate type, a pair of spaced supports, a stationary shaft in one of said supports, a stub shaft alined with said stationary shaft and iournaled in the other of said supports,-

a hub journaled on the free end of said stationary shaft and secured to said stub shaft, a cylinder barrel secured to said stationary shaft, 9. second hub journaled on said stationary shaft between its support and the cylinder barrel, a drum mounted on said hubs and forming therewith a fluid-tight enclosure forsaid barrel, an angle box secured to said drum, a swash plate trunnioned in said stationary shaft, pistons reciprocally mounted in said barrel and connected with said plate, said stationary shaft having conduits therein for transmitting work fluid to and from said barrel and a valve plate secured to said drum for controlling the fiow of fluid thru said conduits.

secured to said head and journaled in the other 18. In a hydraulic motor hoisting unit of the swash plate type, a stationary shaft fixedly supported on one end, a winding drum journaled on said shaft, a cylinder barrel fixed to said. shaft intermediate the ends of the drum, a swash plate pivoted to said shaft for cooperating with said barrel, an angle box forming one end of the drum and cooperating with said swash plate, and a valve plate forming the other end of the drum, said shaft having bores from the fixed end for conducting operating fluid to and from the cylinder barrel.

19. In combination with a winding drum, a hydraulic motor of the swash plate type including a shaft fixedly supported on one end, and a cylinder barrel fixed to said shaft, said shaft having bores therein from said one end to said barrel, one end of said drum consisting of a valve plate for controlling the fiow of fluid between said bores and the cylinders in said barrel, said winding drum forming the enclosing shell for said motor.

20. In a well drilling system, a hydraulic machine of the swash plate type adapted to operate as a pump when mechanically driven or as a motor when hydraulicly driven and comprising a support, a shaft fixedly secured to said support, a swash plate and a cylinder barrel secured to said shaft, a cylindrical housing Journaled at one end on said shaft and enclosing said barrel and said swash plate, an angle box pivoted in said housing for cooperatingwith the swash plate, a

therein for conducting actuating fluid to said pressure responsive means.

' VICTOR W. ZILEN.

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