FR2491989A2 - VARIABLE ANGLE ELBOW CONNECTION FOR DIRECTED DRILLING - Google Patents

Abstract

ELBOW FITTING, ACCORDING TO THE MAIN PATENT, FOR DIRECTED DRILLING. THE AUXILIARY LOCKING MEANS, PROVIDED FOR IN THE MAIN PATENT, INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE 100 RADIALLY RETRACTABLE FING, 107 AXIAL GROOVES AND 103-104 MEANS ALLOWING THE COOPERATION OF THE 100 RETRACTABLE FINGER AND 107 AXIAL GROOVES DURING THE SHAFT OF CONNECTION 20. ONE ELEMENT OF THE UNIT SHAPED BY THE RETRACTABLE FINGER 100 AND THE AXIAL GROOVES 107 IS CARRIED BY THE SHAFT, THE OTHER ELEMENT IS CARRIED BY THE LOWER TUBULAR BODY. APPLICATION TO DIRECTED DRILLING IN SOIL.

Description

The present addition relates to a particular mode of

  angular angle connection for directional drilling, described in

the main request.

  This elbow fitting, whose angle is adjustable from the ground surface, essentially comprises a first and a second tubular element assembled together, the second member being pivotable about an axis forming an angle with the axis of the first element, means for

  to fasten in rotation the tubular elements and telecom-

  in order to change stepwise / angular setting of the second tu-

bular compared to the first.

  More specifically, the present invention provides improvements

  in the embodiments described in the main patent and in its first two additions with registration numbers

respective 79.08803 and 79.08804.

  The invention can be well understood and all its advantages

  will be clear from the following description which is illustrated

  by the appended figures among which:

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the angled connection at a variable angle

  FIGS. 2A and 2B show, schematically and in section, the essential elements of the elbow connector and the locking means, FIG. 3 shows in a perspective view, a portion of the guiding groove, and FIG. in developed view a portion of the groove of

guide.

  Figure I recalls the principle of the elbow fitting described in

the main request.

  This connection consists of two tubular bodies I and 2 interconnected by an interlocking element 2a of axis to, integral with the body

  2. The axis X'X of the upper tubular body 1, the axis Y'Y of the tubular body

  re inferior 2 and the axis t compete at the same point 0.

  The angles (A, X'X) and (A, Y'Y) formed by the axis, & and the

  X'X and Y'Y axes respectively have the same value a. Thus, during the

  tation of the body 2 around the axis A, the angle delimited by the X'X axes

  and Y'Y varies between a maximum value 2a (position of the body 2 represented

  continuous line) and a zero value (position of the body 2 represented

felt in broken lines).

  FIGS. 2A and 2B schematize the main elements of the coupling, that is to say the upper tubular body 1, the lower body

  2 and the connecting shaft 20, in the position where the upper tubular bodies

  laughter and make between them a zero angle.

  As in the embodiments described in the main patent and its first two additions, the upper body I is attached to the end of a drill string (not shown) while the

  lower body 2 is screwed on the bottom motor (not shown).

  For the simplicity of the figure, each of these tubular bodies

  res has been represented in one piece, but it is obvious that everyone

  of them may consist of several elements assembled to facilitate

  the machining and assembly of the fitting.

  At the lower part of the body 1 is machined a bore 11 of axis A. The lower face 12 of the body I is perpendicular to the axis A and the plane containing it passes through the point of concurrence of the axes X'X and AT

  The upper end of the body 2 carries a nesting element

  2a complementary to the bore II and whose axis is with the Y'Y axis of the body 2 an angle a. The body 2 has a shoulder 13 whose face perpendicular to the axis of the nesting element 2a, is contained in a plane passing through the intersection of the axis Y'Y and the axis of

element 2a.

  The tubular bodies I and 2 are held in their interlocking position by a stop 14 supporting the axial forces applied to the connector during its use. The centering of the element 2a in the bore It is achieved by bearings such as those schematized at 15, 16 and 17 which allow the relative rotation of the two tubular bodies. Seals 18 and 19 seal between the two bodies 1 and 2. Inside the tubular bodies I and 2, a hollow shaft 20 is disposed coaxially with the element 2a and the bore 11, it is -to say

  coaxially to the axis at. The shaft 20 and the body I are permanently solidified

  in rotation. This is achieved by the cooperation of a can bore

  The latter is also provided with splines 23 which can cooperate with a grooved bore 24 of the lower body 2.

  when the shaft 20 is placed, by the action of a spring 25, into the position

  represented on the right side of FIGS. 2A and 2B. In this

  position, the body 2 and the shaft 20 are connected in rotation.

  The shaft 20, axially displaceable inside the tufted bodies

  I and 2, carries on its outer face a profiled guide groove 28 which cooperates with at least one guide pin 26 integral with the body 2, to rotate it in rotation around the axea

  when the shaft 20 is moved axially from its relative position

  shown on the right-hand side of Figures 2A and 2B. This groove, re-

  presented in perspective in FIG. 3, makes it possible to obtain a rotation

  stepping of the tubular body 2 about the axis to.

  The lower end of the shaft 20 is, for example, equipped with a control mechanism (not shown) which may be of the type of

  those illustrated in the aforementioned applications for certificates of addition.

  The elbow fitting is provided with a locking device

  which comprises at least one finger 100 retractable radially against the ac-

  tion of a spring 101, this finger being placed in a housing 102 machined in the shaft 20. A ring 103 sliding on the shaft 20 which it is integral in rotation holds the finger 100 inside its housing when the shaft 20 secures in rotation the lower body 2 and the body

  upper 1, that is to say when the shaft 20 is in the position rep-

  on the right side of Figures 2A and 2B and during the

  relative to the bodies 1 and 2. In this position, the ring 103 is made axially integral with the shaft 20 by a ball device 104, which cooperates with a groove 105 made in the ring 103. The ring 103

  is also provided with orifices 106 whose usefulness appears later-

is lying.

  Inside the body 2 are machined grooves 107 parallel to each other.

  the axis of the device and not identical to that of the groove pro-

spun 28.

  The operation of the device is shown below, assuming that the elbow is in the position shown on the right side of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the axes of the tubular bodies being aligned and that the borehole has reached the desired depth.

deflect the direction of drilling.

  It causes the axial displacement of the shaft 20 downwards

  FIGS. 2A and 2B against the action of the spring 25.

  The finger 26 which was first in the position 26a (FIG 4), reaches the position 26b. In this position, the grooves 23 of

  the shaft 20, and 24 of the lower body 2, are disengaged from each other

  the shaft 20 and the body 2 are de-solidified in rotation. The axial displacement of the shaft 20 continues and the finger 26 reaches the position 26c, causing the body 2 to rotate about the axis A by an angle 6. 2 n (n being an integer), the tubular bodies 1 and 2 of the elbow

  then making between them a determined angle between 0 and 2 a.

  Simultaneously, the end of the ring 103 comes into contact with the fingers 26 which prevent additional axial displacement

of this ring.:-

249 1989

  Further movement of the shaft 20 causes the unlocking

  the ring 103, allowing the retractable fingers to be placed

  facing the openings 106 formed in the ring 103. Under the action of the

  101 spells, the fingers 100 come out of their housings and their ends penetrate in the grooves 107 linking in rotation the shaft 20 and the body 2. As shown in the left part of FIGS. 2A and 2B, the fingers 26

  are then in position 26d (Fig. 5).

  The shaft 20 is then subjected to the sole action of the spring 25.

  The shaft 20 is pushed axially upwards of FIGS. 2A and 2B. gRA-

  this with the cooperation of the fingers 100 and the grooves 107, the finger 26 is

  moves axially from position 26d to position 26e (FIG 4), that is,

  that is to say without relative rotation between the two tubular bodies 1 and 2.

  At this moment, the ring 103 comes into contact with a shoulder 108 of the body 1 which immobilizes it axially. The additional displacement of the hollow shaft 20 causes the fingers 26 to move from the position 26e to the position 26f (FIG 4) as well as the penetration of the fingers 100 into their housings 102 by means of an inclined guide ramp 111, and the locking-ring 103 on the shaft 20. The assembly is then

  in the position illustrated on the right side of Figures 2A and 2B.

  A new rotation 8 of the body 2 can then be obtained by

  repeating the above operations.

  Modifications may be made without departing

  shot of the frame of the present invention.

  For example, it will be possible to provide control means for

  ensure that after its displacement, the shaft 20 has returned to its position

initial introduction.

  For this purpose, it will be possible to use a magnetic part 109> such as a permanent magnet, fixed on the hollow shaft 20 and a switch

  flexible blade marketed by RADIOTECHNIQUE under the reference R 22.

  This switch secured to the upper body 1 is connected to an electrical circuit not shown and its control by the magnet 109 indicates that

  the shaft 20 has made all of its axial displacement.

  In the example shown above, the retractable fingers 100

  are carried by the shaft 20 and the axial grooves 107 by the body 2.

  It is nevertheless possible to realize the axial grooves in the shaft

  , the retractable fingers being then carried by the lower body 2.

Claims (4)

R E V E N D I C A T I-0 N S   1. - Elbow fitting according to claim 11 of the main patent,   characterized in that said auxiliary locking means comprise at least one radially retractable finger, axial grooves and means for cooperation of the retractable finger and axial grooves when the connecting shaft has caused the rotation of the tubular body. lower after being removed from its locking position, the cooperation of the finger and grooves being maintained until the return   said shaft in its locking position.   2. - A coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that said retractable finger is carried by said shaft and said axial grooves are   formed in said lower tubular body.   3. - A coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that said retractable finger is carried by said lower tubular body and said   axial grooves are formed in said shaft.   4. - Fitting according to claim 3 of the main patent, characterized in that it comprises means for detecting the return of said shaft in its locking position.