US2376605A - Wire line safety control packer - Google Patents

Description

.May 22, 1945' R. R. LAWRENCE WIRE LINE SAFETY CONTROL PACKER Filed Jan. 28, 1942 May 22, 1945- R. R. LAWRENCE WIRE LINE SAFETY CONTROL PACKER Filed Jan. 28, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /'vchomd/ E. Lawrence 2nd/Vga.

ATTORNEYS May 22, 1945. R R, LAWRENCE 2,376,605

WIRE LINE SAFETY CONTROL PACKER wa rg0.

ATTDRNEYS Patented May 22, 1945 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFlcE LINE SAFETY CONTROL PACKER o Richard R. Lawrence, Liberty, Tex.

Application January 28, |1942, Serial No. 428,619

3 Claims. (Cl. 16S-12) This invention relates to a packer adapted to form a bottom hole control valve, to control a well under high pressure.

An object of the invention is to provide a packer which may be lowered into the well by a wire and then the vwire given a slight jerk to set the clamping dogs in operating position whereupon the wire may be removed and a flow pipe inserted, the weight of the pipe holding the clamping dogs in operative position and holding open the control valve so that the uid may pass up through the iiow pipe without lay-passing the packer.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which may be removed easily from the well by replacing the ilow pipe by a special threaded removing tool which turns a nipple having a right thread at one end and a left thread at the other end engaged by threaded sleeves, turning of the nipple moving one sleeveupward and the other downward to release both the upper and the lower clamping dogs whereupon the packer may be easily lifted to the top of the well.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order. v

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various m'odiiications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a packer, constructed in accordance with the invention, being lowered into the well casing.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the packer being given a slight upward jerk in the well casing to set the locking dogs.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional viewof the packer showing the same in working position.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the packer in position to be removed from the well casing by a special removing tool.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'I-l of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a detail view in side elevation of the packer removing tool, and .p

Figure 9 is a detail view in side elevation ofthe intermediate or releasing nipple.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar' parts in the various views, I0 designates a well casing. The packer forming a bottom hole control valve in the casing comprises, a tubular body or packer barrel made up of an upper nipple Il, an intermediate or releasing nipple I 2, and a lower nipple I3, the intermediate nipple having the upper end provided exteriorly with a right thread and the lower end provided exteriorly with a left thread to respectively engage an upper threaded sleeve I4 and a lower threaded sleeve I5, the upper sleeve threadedly engaging the lower end of the upper nipple and the lower sleeve threadedly engaging the upper end of the lower nipple.

A setting tool for the packer comprises a screw threaded collar I9 babbitted to the lower end of a wire line I5 and spring jaws 20 integral with the collar I9 and which extend downwardly and outwardly from the collar I9 and tend constantly to spring outwardly toward the well casing I0. 'I'he spring jaws 20 are provided at their lower ends with inwardly directed projections I9', the top edges of which slope downwardly and outwardly from the inner extremities of the projections to the vertical shanks of the jaws. The free ends of the projections I9' are of less width than the entrance to the groove 29 in the upper nipple Il, as clearly shown in Figure 2, so as to permit the projections to enter the groove. The spring` jaws 20 are also provided on their lower end portions, at points opposite the upper edges of the projections I9', with outer ribs 24 having their upper sides inclining downwardly and outwardly.

An upper slip expander, which surrounds the upper nipple II, comprises spring`dogs 2| and a ring 22. The dogs 2l have their upper ends formed integral with the ring 22, and have their lower ends offset inwardly and serrated to provide jaws 25. The upper slip expander ring 22 is provided near its upper end with an inner annular groove 23 which is similar in cross sectional formation to the contour of the ribs 24 and has a llilorizontal bottom wall and an inclined side wa 'Ihe nipple Il is provided below its upper end with an outer annular flange 21, and it is provided above the iiange with the outer annular groove .29. A coil spring 28, which is normally under compression, is sleeved on the nipple Il between the flange 2'I and the jaws 25 of the upper slip expander. The groove 29 in the nipple II is similar in cross sectional formation to the contour of the projections I9' of the setting tool.

The setting tool is engaged with the packer, preparatory to lowering the packer into the well, byarranging the lower ends ofits spring jaws 20 in surrounding relation to the upper end of the nipple II with the jaw projections I9' directly opposite the groove 29 of the nipple. The spring jaws 20 are then forced inwardly to perm1t the upper slip expanded to be moved upwardly with its ring 22 in surrounding relation to the lower ends of the spring jaws 20. During this movement of the spring jaws 20, the jaw projections I9' enter the groove 29. 'Ihe spring jaws 20 are then released, with the result that they move outwardly with relation to the nipple II to carry their projections I9 out of the groove 29 of the nipple I I and move their ribs 24 into the groove 23 of the slip expander. Immediately after the projections I9 are withdrawn from the groove 29, the spring 28 moves the upper slip expander downwardly with relation to the nipple II until the lower ends of the spring jaws 20 contact with the upper side of the flange 21 of th'e nipple II, as shown in Figure 1. During the application of the setting tool to the packer, the rod I" of the setting tool moved into Contact with the valve 32 and unseated this valve and the valve 31 of the packer.

The packer is now ready to be lowered into the well casing IU. After the packer has reached the desired point within the well casing I 0, the wire line I 5' is drawn upwardly. During the initial upward movement of the wire line I5', the packer. with the exception of the lower slip mechanism, which comprises the dogs 42 and ring 46, moves upwardly in the well casing I0. with the result that the conical washer 49 expands the dogs 42 into engagement with the well casing IIl. The engagement of this slip mechanism with the well casing, causes the packer to stop traveling upwardly, with the result that the setting tool and the upper slip expander start sliding upwardly with relation to the nipple II. tool has moved upwardly on the nipple II far enough to carry the projections I9' of the setting tool opposite the groove 29 of the nipple, the inclined upper wall of the groove 23 of the upper slip expander and the inclined upper sides of the ribs 24 of the setting tool cooperate to force the lower ends of the spring jaws of the setting tool inwardly. This results in the ribs 24 leaving the groove 23 and the consequent disengagement of the setting tool from the upper slip expander, and the simultaneous movement of the projections I9' into groove 29 and the consequent en-v gagement of the inclined upper sides of the projections I9' with the inclined upper wall of the groove 29, as shown in Figure 2. The engagement of the projections I9 with the upper wall of the groove 23 holds the spring arms 20 against outward movement and such engagement will be maintained as long as the wire line I5' is held under tension. The upward movement of the wire line I5 is continued until the packer is perfectly set within the well casing I0. After the setting of the packer, the wire line I 5 is slacked off suillciently to permit the downward movement of the setting tool with relation to the nipple II so as to bring about the disengagement of the projections I9' of the setting tool from the upper wall of the groove 29 of the nipple II. When the setting tool is disengaged from the nipple, the lower end of the spring jaws 20 of the setting tool When the setting move outwardly, this being permitted by the downward movement of the upper slip expander by the spring 28 when the ribs 24 are disengaged from the slip expander. Thisvmovement of the upper slip expander causes the slip expander to expand the upper slip mechanism, comprising the ring 44 and jaws 30, into engagement with the well casing I0.

The rod I5" of the setting tool is of sumcient length to reach through the lower nipple I3 and hold open a valve 32 from its seat 33 on the lower end of the nipple While the packer is being lowered into the well casing. The valve stem 34 is yieldably mounted by a spring 35 conned in a casing 36 which depends from a plug valve 31 which is held open from its seat 38 in a nut 39 threaded onto the lower end of the lower nipple I3, by pressure of the stem 34 against the bottom of the casing 36. Thus while the packer is being lowered into the well oil may ow past the open valves 31 and 32, through the lower nipple I3, intermediate nipple I2 and upper nipple II, into the well casing I0 or tubing of the well as the case may be.

A perforated guard 40 is threadedly engaged with the lower end of the nut 39 and houses a helical spring 4I which is permitted to expand from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2 when pressure of the rod I5" on the valve 32 is released and close both the valve 32 and valve 31 while the wire line I5' is being given a slight upward jerk to set the lower set of spring dogs 42 into engagement with the casing I0 to prevent the packer from upward movement in the casing.

The intermediate nipple I2 is provided with two iianges 43 which engage a ring 44 formed integral with the lower ends of the upper set of spring dogs 30, and is also provided with a iiange 45 which engages underneath a ring 46 formed integral with the upper ends of the lower spring dogs 42. 'Ihe ring 44 and spring dogs 30 constitute the upper slip mechanism, and the ring 4B and spring dogs 42 constitute the lower slip mechanism. The spring dogs 42 are provided with serrations 41 which are pointed upwardly and are also provided with cam surfaces 48 which engage a conical washer 49 loose on the lower nipple I3 and disposed on top of a rubber packing washer 50 which is seated on the nut 39. While the packer is being lowered into the well, as shown in Figure 1, the rubber washer 50 is in vertically expanded condition so that it is free from the inner surface of the well casing. During the initial upward movement of the packer by the wire I5 the conical washer 49 engages, as hereinbefore indicated, the cam surfaces 48 of the lower spring dogs 42 and forces the dogs to penetrate the inner surface of the casing and at the same time the rubber packing washer 50 will be compressed to be extended horizontally and form a tight packing in the wel] casing so that no Huid can by-pass the packer.

During the period the packer is being lowered into the well, and while the upper and lower sets of spring dogs 30 and 42 are being set. the wire` is under tension due to the weight of the packer.

To remove the wire from the packer after the packer has been thus set at the desired position in the casing, the wire is, as hereintofore stated, slacked so that it is relieved of the weight of the stationary packer whereupon, due to the tendency of the spring jaws 20 to constantly spring outward, the jaws disengage from the circumferential groove 29 and free the holding tool and the `asvaeors wire from the packer so that the wire and holding tool may be raised to the top of the well leaving the packer in position to form a `bottom control valve for the well.

At this time a flow tube I, see Figure 3, is lowered into the well on the bottom of a string of :well tubing 52, the tubing being of suiicient length to extend through the upper intermediate and lower nipples and hold open the valves 32 and 3'I against the pressure of the spring 4I so that fluid may pass into the flow tube through,

perforations 53 at the bottom thereof and flow up through the flow tube into the well tubing 52. The flow tube is equipped with spaced conical washers 54 and 55`ibetween which is clamped a rubber packing washer 56 disposed on the iiow tube. The upper washer is threadedly engaged with the tubing 52 and the lower washer is seated on a conical seat 5l formed on the upper end of the upper nipple II. Thus fluid is blocked oft' by the packing washers 50 and 56 and is confined to flow through the ow tube 5I.

When it is desired to remove lthe packer from the well the flow tube is rst lifted from the well and then a special packer removing tool 58, see Figure 8, is lowered into the well by a string yof tubing 59. The tool 58 is provided with a conical lower end 60 which is exteriorly threaded to engage' a conical tapered socket 6I formed in the upper end of the intermediate nipple I2 which, as heretofore stated, is externally threaded at the top with a right thread and at the bottom with a left thread. When the tool 58 is rotated axially by the string of tubing 59 the intermediate nipple I2 will Ibe rotated axially with the result that the upper sleeve I4 is threaded upwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4 and lifts the upper spring jaws 2 I vertically against the pressure of the controlling spring 28 whereupon the icam surfaces 26 of the spring jaws, heretofore mentioned, disengage from the companion cam surfaces 63 on the intermediate set of spring dogs 30 and free the dogs from clamping engagement with the casing II). Simultaneously the lower sleeve I5 is threaded downwardly on the intermediate nipple I2 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4 thereby moving the conical washer 49 from in back of the cam surfaces 48 of the lower spring dogs 42 so that these spring dogs are disengaged from clamping engagement with the casing III and since the packer is no longer held stationary in the casing the rubber packing washer 50 may expand to its nor-` scribed as the description of the parts progressed, ,Y

resilient depending jaw shanks detachably connected with the said body and ring, the said shanks having outwardly directed projections engaging in the ring groove and inwardly directed projections engaging with the tubular body immediately below the groove in the body, the said projections and grooves 4being provided with cooperating inclined surfaces interchangeable upon an upward jerk of the jaw tool forcing the inner projections on the to-ol upwardly and inwardly into the groove in the body and maintain the projections in the groove while the jaw shanks are subjected to upward tension, the said shanks being adapted to spring the projections outwardly to clear the body for withdrawal of the jaws when the jaws are relieved of tension.

2. A l-well packer comprising a tubular body, a normally seated valve within the lower end of the body, a normally retracted lower slip on the body, cooperating means on the body and slip to connect the body and slip for relative vertical movement, cooperating means on the body and slip whereby relative movement of the body and slip will cause the slip to expand into operative position, a normally retracted upper slip on the body, cooperating means on the body and upper slip to hold the slip and body against relative vertical movement, an expander for the upper slip provided with an inner annular groove, said expander being located on the body above the upper slip and movable downwardly on the body to effect the expansion ofthe upper slip into operative position, jaws carried by the expander for engagement with the |body on the expansion of the upper slip, an outer flange on the body near the upper end of the body, the body being provided above the flange with an outer annular groove, a setting tool suspended from the earths surface having a plurality of resilient depending jaw shanks resting on the flange, the shanks having outwardly directed projections engaging in the groove of the expander and inwardly directed projections contacting with the body below the groove in the body whereby to hold the expander against downward movement, the outwardly directed projections and the groove of the expander being provided with cooperating inclined surfaces adapted upon an upward movement of the setting tool and expander with relation to the body to move the inner projections into the groove of the body and thus withdraw the outer projections from the groove of the expander to effect the release of the expander from the setting tool, the inner projections and the groove of the body being provided with cooperating inclined surfaces to establish engagement between the setting tool and the body upon the entry of said projections into the groove whereby the body may be moved by the setting tool upwardly with relation to the lower slip after the release of the expander, and spring means for moving the expander downwardly on the body after its release to effect the expansion of the upper slip.

3. A well packer as set forth in claim 2, additionally comprising a rod carried by the setting tool, the rod extending into the body and contacting with the valve to hold the valve opened while the packer is being loweregyinto the well.

RICHARD RT IRWRENCE.

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