US2142572A - Perforating gun - Google Patents

Description

Jan.3,1939. LHMETZNER 2,142,572

PERFORATING` GUN Filed April 13, 1935l Attorney atented Jan. 3, 1939 PEERFORATHNG GUN iloyde H. Metzner, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application April 13, 1935, Serial No. 16,267

i6 Claims.

This invention has to do in a general way with the art of perforating well casing and is more particularly related to improvements in perforators oi the so-called gun type.

The so-called gun type of casing perforator. consists in a general way of a body member adapted to be lowered into the casing and having therein a transversely disposed cartridge or a plurality of such cartridges which are adapted to be fired through the casing wall by means of an electric current conducted through suitable conductors to the cartridge from the surface of the ground. It is a primary object of this in- Vention to produce a perforator of the general class described which is provided with improved means for iiring the cartridge or cartridges.

It is a further attending object of this invention to produce a perforator of the class described in which the cartridges or the cartridge is fired by mechanical means carried by the perforator body and actuated by movements of the body which are controlled at the surface of the ground. Further in this connection, my invention contemplates a perforatcr which may be equipped with any desired number of cartridges and in which the cartridges may be individually red at any desired point along the line of the casing.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a device of' the class described which is of simple form and construction and which may be easily and quickly loaded and set with a minimum amount of danger to the operator.

The details in the construction of a preferred form of my invention, together with other objects attending its production, will be best understood from the following description of the accompanying drawing, which is chosen for illustrative purposes only, and in which Fig. 1 is a sectionalelevation with parts broken away showing a section of casing with a preferred embodiment of my invention suspended therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation with parts broken away which is taken in a plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1 and illustrates further details in the construction of a preferredv embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan section showing a portion of Fig. 3 and illustrating important details of the firing mechanism contemplated by this invention; l

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken in a plane represented by the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary outsideelevation illustrating a modification of the construction .coni templated by this invention.

More particularly describing the invention as herein illustrated, reference numeral il indicates a well casing within which a perforating member l2 is suspended by means of a cable or any other suitable means, indicated at I3.

The perforator l2 is shown as comprising an elongated substantially solid body or mandrel I5 having a rounded nose member i6 mounted' on its lower end and provided with a connection l1 at its upper end whereby it is attached through the medium of a swivel joint i8 with a suspending bail member Eg.

The body member i5 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced inner chambers 22 which are adapted to receive and contain carf tridge members 23 which are lled with explosive` material indicated at 24. At the outer end of each. cartridge chamber 22 I provide an enlarged threaded recess 2S which receives a threaded plug member 2l. The inner ends of the plug member 21 and that portion of the inner wall of the recess which surrounds the cartridge cham` ber are preferably formed on the frustum of a cone so as to provide mearisfor securely locking a diaphragm 2S composed of lead or other suitable material over the,outlet or discharge end of the cartridge chamber. The plug 2 is provided with a passage 3D formed in axial alignment with the cartridge chamber, such passage containing a. projectile 3i and being closed against the ingress of pressure iluid by means of a button 33, composed of Bakelite or other suitable frangible material, which is pressed into a recess 34 formed about the outer end of the passage 30. The plug 2l is provided with a slot 35 to facilitate its installation and the periphery of the plug is surrounded by a. washer 38 composed of rubber or other flexible material and channeled so as to be spread into engagement with the plug and the surrounding wall surface by the pressure of the fluid in the well.`

For the purpose of iiring the cartridge I provide the same with a percussion cap 50 behind which a ring pin 4I is slldably mounted in a suitably formed passage in the body. The rear end ci the ring pin M extends into what I may term a hammer chamber 62 formed in the body 50 in substantial alignment with the cartridge chamber 22. The outer end of this hammer chamber 42 is shown as being enlarged and threaded as indicated at t3 for the reception of a screw plug d4. Formed on the inside of the screw plug M is a recess 45 which receives the rear end of a guide pin 46 upon the forward end of which a plunger or hammer member 41 is mounted. 'I'his hammer member is adapted to. be driven into engagement with the ring pin vby means of a compression spring 48 and is normally held in retracted position by means of a trigger mechanism, a preferred form of which will now be described.

'Ihe trigger member contemplated by this invention comprises what I may term a cross member 50 which is shown as being rotatably mounted in a cylindrical bore I which extends from an undercut region 52 in the side wall of the body into the body at substantially right angles to the hammer chamber 42. In the form shown the bore 5l is illustrated as being positioned with its axis above the axis of the hammer chamber 42 so that the cross member 50 will normally be interposed between the hammer member 41 and the outer end of the firing pin 4I. The cross member 50 is shown as being provided with an undercut portion or recess 53, the radius of which is equal to or greater than the radius of the hammer chamber so that, when the cross member 50 is rotated or moved into a position at which the recess or undercut portion 53 falls into alignment with the hammer chamber, the hammer is released to be driven into engagement with the firing pin. This operation is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5. The cross member 50 is shown as being mounted in the body member and retained therein by means of a rubber packing cone 56, such cone being provided with grooves 51 which are acted on by the pressure of the uid in the well to pack the cross member securely in place. l

For the purpose of moving or rotating the cross member 5l) to release the hammer, and permit its driving the firing pin forward to re the cartridge, I provide the end of the cross member 50, in this form of my invention, with a lever 60, such lever being contained in the undercut portion 52 and being normally positioned so as to extend substantially atright angles to the longitudinal body, as clearly shown at 601i in Fig. 2.

For the purpose of swinging or turning this lever to its cartridge firing position, I provide the body member with a sleeve 63 which is slidably mounted thereon and has an inwardly extending projection or tongue 64 which rides in a groove 65, such groove communicating with the successive cut-away regions 52 and being in alignment with the respective levers 60. With this arrangement it will be seen that as the body member travels downwardly through the sleeve 63, the trigger or lever members 60 will be successively swung to discharge the respective cartridges as each lever is engaged by the tongue or projection 64.

In order to accomplish this, it is first necessary that the sleeve be held stationary with respect to th body when it is desired to rethe cartridges, and furthermore, in order to prevent all of the cartridges being red through one spot, and also to permit the ring of cartridges at any desired spot in the casing, it is necessary that means be provided for optionally locking the sleeve upon the body during at least one direction of movement or the body.

For the purpose of restraining the sleeve 63 against movement with respect to the body, I show the upper end portion of the sleeve las being provided with a unit composed of a plurality of friction spring members of any conventional type,

such spring unit being indicated generally by refl erencenumber 61, and being shown as having sliding frictional engagement with the interior of the casing. Since the friction between the spring members and the interior of the casing is much greater than the friotional resistance of the body to its movement through the sleeve, it will be seen that under normal circumstances this spring unit will hold the sleeve against movement with respect to the body. p

For the purpose vof optionally locking the sleeve upon the body,` so that downward movement of the body carries the sleeve with it, I show the sleeve as being provided with an inwardly extending projection or a plurality of such projections indicated at 10. These projections are associated with a plurality of longitudinal grooved sections 1|. The longitudinal sections 1I and the pin 10 are positioned so that the pin is traveling through a longitudinal section during such time as the projection or lip 64 is travelingthrough that portionof the groove 65 which contains the trigger member 60. In other words, each time the body is aligned so that the pin falls in the bottom portion of a grooved section 1I, and is then permitted to travel downwardly, the iinger 64 engages the trigger 60 and iires the cartridge at that particular point.

For the purpose of locking the sleeve against movementl with respect to the body, I provide the i bottom portion of each longitudinal grooved section 1I with an offset grooved section 12. This offset grooved section is shown as having a cam shoulder 13, the top point 14 of which is shown as being positioned to the left of the center line of the top of the offset section 12. With this arrangement it will be observed that when the pin 10 occupies the dotted line position at the ltop of the offset 12, as shown in Fig. 2, and the body member is lowered with the parts in such position, the sleeve will be moved with the body member to any desired point. As soon as the body member is raised again, however, the pin engages the cam surface 13 and is carried back into alignment with the next succeeding longitudinally extending slot 1l, after which another downward movement of the body permits the pin 10 to travel upwardly through the slotted section 1| and the nger member 64 to engage the trigger and re that particular cartridge. As the body member is continued to be lowered after such a ring operation, the' pin 10 is received in curved oiiset slot located at the upper end of the longitudinal extension of the groove section, such curved groove 15 rotating the body and permitting the pin to be received in the upper end portion of the next oiset 12. In order to permit the body being rotated in this manner, with respect to the finger 64 and its associated groove' 65, it is necessary to provide the groove 65 with cut-away portions whichare indicated at'19.

The operation of the device contemplate by this invention may be brieiiy described as follows: Assuming the parts lto be in the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the pin or pins 10 are contained in the lowermost olset groove 12, the

device is lowered downwardly into the well, the sleeve being carried with the body and being located at the lowermostend thereof. When the device has been lowered to the point at which perforating operations are to be started, the i'lrst operation is to raise the body a slight distance by means of the suspending cable I3 and then lower the same again. This lowering movement, as has been pointed out, is effective to re the rst cartridge, but it will re no more since the continued lowering movement of the body brings the next offset slot 'l2 into engagement with the pin 18, and continued lowering movements merely carries the sleeve to a lower position in the casing. The position of the next perforation may be changed in this manner or it may be obtained by then pulling the body upwardly to bring the bottom of the next longitudinal grooved section il into engagement with the pin 1Q, and continued upward movement will raise the sleeve to any desired point in the casing, after which another lowering of the body is effective to fire' the next cartridge. It will thus be seen that the position of the perforations in the casing may be located either above or below the position of the perforation which has been fired next previous to that which is to be fired.

As an added precaution to insure the movement of-the pin l from the oiset groove I2 and to the longitudinal groove.section Il, I show in Fig. 6 a modied form ofthe invention in which the offset section indicated at 'i2' is shown as being provided with spring 'lingers dii and 8l adapted to guide the pin during its successive movements. The arrows in Fig. 6 indicate the travel of the pin during the successive opposite movements of the bodi7 with respect to the sleeve, or, since the pin actually remains stationary, these arrows more specifically indicate the movement of the groovesv with respect to the pin.

It is to be understood that while I have herein described and illustrated one preferred form of the invention, the invention is not limited to the precise construction described above but includes within its scope whatever changes fairly come within the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

i. An apparatus for perforating well casing embodying: a body adapted to be suspended in the casing and having a transverse chamber therein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to be iired through said casing; a sleeve member on said body; means associated with said sleeve and operative during relative movement between said sleeve and said body for firing said cartridge; means on said sleeve engaging the interior of said casing for restraining said sleeve against movement relative to said casing; and releasable means for locking said sleeve on said body.

2. An apparatus for perforating Well casing embodying: a body adapted to be suspended in the casing and having a transverse chamber therein; a` cartridge in said chamberadapted to be fired through said casing; a sleeve member on said body; means associated with said sleeve and operative during relative movement between said sleeve and said body for ring said cartridge; means on said sleeve engaging the interior of said casing for restraining said sleevei against movement relative to said casing; and releasable means interposed between said sleeve and said body for controlling the longitudinal movements of said body relative to said sleeve.

3. An apparatus for perforating well casing embodying: a body adapted to be suspended in the casing and having a transverse chamber therein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to be red through said casing; a sleeve member on said body; means associated with said sleeve and operative during relative movement between said sleeve and said body for ring said\car tridge; means on said sleeve engaging the interior of said casing for restraining said sleeve against movement relative to said casing; and

a projection in said sleeve adapted for reception in a longitudinal groove in said body, thereby permitting downward movement of said body through said sleeve, said groove having an oiset portion at its lower end adapted to engage said projection and limit the downward movement of said body relative to said sleeve.

4. An apparatus for perforating well casing embodying: a body adapted tobe suspended in the casing and having a transverse chamber therein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to be fired through said casing; a sleeve member on said body; means associated with said sleeve and operative during relative movement between said sleeve and said body for firing said cartridge; means on said sleeve engaging the interior of said casing for restraining saidv sleeve against movement relative to said casing; and a projection in said sleeve adapted for reception in a longitudinal groove in said body, thereby permitting.

downward movement of said body through said sleeve, said groove having an oiset portion at its lower end adapted to engage said projection and limit the downward movement of said body -relative to said sleeve, and said offset portion having a cam surface adapted to engage said projection and direct the same into said longitudinal groove during an upward movement of said body.

5. In an apparatus for perforating casing, the combination of:y a body adapted to be suspended in said casing and having a transverse chamber therein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to be red through the wall of said casing; mechanical means for tiring said cartridge; a sleeve member slidably mounted on said body; means on said sleeve operative during longitudinal movement of said body relative thereto for actuating said ring means; movement restraining means mounted on said sleeve and engaging said casing; and means interposed between said body and said sleeve for controlling the longitudinal movement of said body relative to said sleeve.

6. In an apparatus for perforating casing, the combination of: a body adapted to be suspended in said casing and having a transverse chamber therein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to be fired through the wall of said casing; mechanical means for firing said cartridge; a sleeve member slidably mounted on said body; means on said sleeve operative during longitudinal movement of said body relative thereto for actuating said firing means; movement restraining means mounted on said sleeve and engaging said casing.; and means interposed between said body andsaid sleeve for controlling the longitudinal movement of said body relative to said sleeve,

said last mentioned means comprising a projection in said sleeve adapted for reception in a longitudinal groove in said body, said groove having an oiset portion at its lowerend adapted to engage said projection and limit the downward movement of said body relative to said sleeve.

7. In an apparatus for perforating casing, the

combination of: a body adapted to be suspendedin said casing and having a transverse chamber therein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to be iired through the wall of said casing; means 4for firing said cartridge; a sleeve member slidably mounted on said body; means on said lsleevev operative during longitudinal movement of said body relative thereto for actuatingvsaid ring means; movement restraining means mounted on said sleeve and engaging said casing; means interposed between said body and said sleeve for controlling the longitudinal movement of said body relative to said sleeve, said last mentioned means comprising a projection in said sleeve adapted for reception in a longitudinal groove in said body, said groove having an offset portion at its lower end adapted to engage said projection and prevent downward movement of said body relative to said sleeve; and means for rotating said body to swing said projection from said oiiset into alignment with said longitudinal groove. l

8. In a perforator 0f the class described the combination of a longitudinal body having a transverse cartridge chamber; a cartridge in said ,Y

' body, said groove having an offset portion at its lower end adapted to engage said projection and prevent upward movement of said body relative to said sleeve; and cam means in said offset portion adapted to swing said projection into alignment with said longitudinal groove during an upward movement o f said body through said sleeve.

9. In a casing perforator of the class described the combination of: a longitudinal body adapted to be lowered into said casing and having a' transverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridge chamber; a firing pin slidably mounted in said body behind said cartridge chamber; a hammer chamber formed in said body behind said firing pin in axial alignment therewith; hammer means slidably mounted in said hammer chamber; a cross pin rotatably mounted in said body across said hammer chamber between said firing pin and said hammer to releasably hold the latter in a retracted position, said cross pin having a cut-out portion adapted for alignment with said hammer chamber to release said hammer; means for imparting seg'- mental rotation to said cross member to align said cut-out portion 'with said hammer chamber and release said hammer; and sealing means interposed between the outer end portion of said cross member and said body.

10. In'a casing perforator of the class described the combination of;` a longitudinal body adapted to be lowered into saidcasing and having a transverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridge chamber; a firing pin slidably mounted in said body behind saidcartridge chamber; a ,hammer chamber formed in said body behind said'firing pin; hammer means member slidably mounted on said body adapted to frictionally engage. the interior of the casing.

11. In a casing perforator of the class described the combination of: a. longitudinal body adapted to be lowered into said casing and having a transverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridge chamber; t a firing pin slidably mounted in said body behind said cartridge chamber; a hammer chamber formed in said body behind said firing pin and in substantially axial alignment therewith; hammer means mounted in said hammer chamber; sealing means in the outer end of said hammer chamber, a cross member rotatably mounted in said body between said ring pin and said hammer to releasably hold the latter in a retracted position; said cross member having a cut away position adaptedl for alignment with -said hammer chamber; means for shifting said cross member to align said cutaway position with said hammer chamber and thereby release said hammer; and sealing means interposed between the outer end portion of said cross pin and said body.

12. In a casing perforator of the class described the combination of: a longitudinal body adapted to be lowered into said casing and having a transverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridge chamber; a firing pin slidably mounted in said body behind said car- 'tridge chamber; a hammer chamber formed in said body behind said firing pin; hammer means mounted in said hammer chamber; sealing means in said hammer chamber behind said hammer, a cross member rotatably mounted in said body between said firing pin and said hammer to releasably hold the latter in a retracted position; said cross member having a cut-away position adapted for alignment with said hammer chamber; means for rotating said cross member to align said cut-away position with said hammer chamber and thereby release said hammer; said last mentioned means including a lever on said cross member, and a sleeve member on said body adapted to engage and swing said lever during relative longitudinal movement of said body through said sleeve; and sealing means interposed between the outer end portion of said cross member and said body.

13. In a casing perforator of the class described, the combination of an elongated body adapted to be lowered into said casing; a sleeve member slidably mounted on said body; restrainingr means on said sleeve adapted to engage the interiorof said. casing; a plurality of longitudi.

nally spaced and transversely disposed cartridges y mounted in said body; cartridge ring means in said body associated with each cartridge; a trigger member for independently releasing each of said firing means; and means on said sleeve for actuating the successive trigger members.

14. In a casing perforator of the class .described, `the combination of; an elongated body adapted to be lowered into said casing; a sleeve member slidably mounted on said body; restraining means on said sleeve adapted to engage the interior of said casing; a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely disposed cartridges mounted in said body; cartridge ring means in said body associated with each cartridge; a trigger member for independently releasing each of said ring means; means on said sleeve for actuating the successive trigger members; and means for controlling the longitudinal movement of said body relative to vsaid sleeve. e

15. In a casing perforator of the class described, the combination of: an elongated body tridges mounted insaid body; cartridge firing means in said body associated with each cartridge; a trigger member for independently releasing each of said firing means; means on said sleeve for actuating the successive trigger members; and means interposed between said sleeve and said body, and operative by opposite longitudinal movements of said body for controlling the movement of successive trigger bearing sections of said body relative to said sleeve.

16. In a casing perforator of theclass described, the combination of: a longitudinal body adapted to be lowered into said casing and having a transverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridge chamber; a ilring pin slidably mounted in said body behind said cartridge chamber; a hammer chamber formed in said body behind saidring pin in axial alignment therewith; a plunger hammer in said hammer chamber; sealing means in the outer end of said hammer chamber; spring means engaging said hammer for driving same into engagement with said ring pin; and means for releasably holding said hammer in a retracted position comprising a cross member rotatably mounted in said body at substantially right angles with said hammer chamber and extending therethrough between the retracted position of said hammer and said ring pin, said cross member having a cut out portion adapted for alignment with said hammer chamber to release said hammer, and means for 'rotating said cross member to release said hammel'.

IDYDE H. METZNER

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