US2382094A - Hook wall well packer - Google Patents

Description

J. T. PHIPPS 2,382,094 HOOK WALL WELL PACKER Filed Jan. ,7. 1942 l 37 ".6 6 Yr? Aug 14 1945' J. T. PHIPPs HOOK WALL WELL PACKER Filed Jan, 7. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (ttorneg SY n l l into the Duid Patented Aug.' 14, 194s;

UNITD STATE;

si PATENT wenn B001( WALL m-PACKEB o l Field Application Jennery 1. 1912. Serial No.'425,850

` f! Claims. (CI. 16o-i2) This invention relates to an oiiwell tool and particularly toa hook `tv allvrell packer.

In various operations to drill an oil well. and to pisse it on production well packers are used Some packers which are run into: an. oil well through s casing anpacken; oiithe sleeve type. These' may carry means for Ntrictionnlly s the wsu or oi' which manipulation of the packer structure from the top ot the permit the packer to be anchored with and the aerox-misere packingimemben to be expanded against the welleasin'g to form a sealed barrier between thev packerstructureA and the casing. In devicesI oi' this character .there is a relatively small -dliifeenoe4 inf the `diameters o! the packer sleeve andthe well casing. This causes a small mnufar clearance-space to occur between the packer sleeve andthe casing while the packer is' rbeingt lowered. and since. the 'weil is usually filled with duid when the uw ming and through :ne medium.

me 1 isA s view in elevation acostarme loonrwletltly sssembied packer with lime-1mdk@ away to indicate the bypass' valve in ltsggng i position.

relation to the well casi-ns packer structure is lowered intothe, casing. Pressure may be created against thovpacker sleeve. tendine to detorm the sleeve and to seat it against the wall of the casineprematurehr. It is therefore necessary to lower the packer into the well bore. slowly.` In order to make it possible for wel]V Packers o! this type tn be lowered iliied' to provide au adequate :bypass around the packer sleeve and ait'er which the bypass may be closed to make a.` complteV shut-oi! of lxld through the packer structure, and to then permit. the packer to be set. It is the principal oblect of the present invention. therefore. to provide s well packer structure of the 'bypass type which is compact in its design .and simple in construction. and whereby a maximum amount oij' drilling fluid may bypass the packer sleeve as the device is lowered into the well and the packer may thereafter be closed and set by a simple and direct operationv The present invention contemplates the provision oi a tubular mandrel suspended from a drill string and upon which a packer 'structure and a slip cage are carried. said packer structure and mandrel having cooperating valve parts which may be locked in an opened position with relation to each other, the structure being designed to permit the valve cage and its slips to be temporarily anchored with relation to the well casing, the by-pass valve to be closed, and the packer to be set.

The Invention is illustrated by way oi example 1n the accompanying drawings in which:

casing rapidly it is desirable Hz. Z-Als an exll'axfgegl view in oentra'lslpng tudlnal section showing the upper portiompfntlge packer particularly `the valve andthe packer sleeve in set position.

Fig, z--B is an enlarged fragmentary `viewgln lonzituiinalsectlun the lower porti@ ci, the packer strnotureand. designating the slips andV the slip conein their set positions.

Flg. 3 Ls a view in transverse section through the packer as seen on the line 8- 8 of Fing. i and shows the relative position of the looking-sub and the mandrel.

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse scction'throuzh the packer structure as seen on the line 44-4 of Fig. 2 and shows the relative position foffthe packer head, 'the packer sleeve and the tongues of the locking sub. Y

Fig. 5 is a view in transverse section through the packer stlufslzlirev showing the relationship of the slip cone to the slips.

Fir. 6 lafa tra enten-y view showing a spring latch for the'su j tionle. u

Referring nora particularly to the drswinls. i0 indicates ipsting'oi drlilpipeor tubing It will be thatwhen this'type of packer is used with tdhihg' the wellis'to be placedon production'. ,When it Is" used with drill string or tubini it is common practice to mount o well tool in conjunction withthe packer so that a casing sho test `or production test can be milde', The string o'f pipe i0 is threaded-into a suitable coupling Il. The lower end oi this coupling has a pin section I2V which is threaded into the box end of 'a sub il. A central passageway ll is formed through the coupling il and communicates with an interior bore li ci the sub. The lower end o'i the bore I communicates with a reduced cylindrical bore IG which receives the upper end of a tubular packing mandrel il. Threaded onto the upper end of the mandrel and within the bore ii is a nut i8 by which a suitable packing ring Il is held so that it ,will iorm s huid-tight seal between the wail oi the bore il and the mandrel il. The lower end oi the sub IJ is fitted with a conical valve face 2U which is complementary to a tapered valve seat 2l carried by the packer head 2lA A relatively large central cylindrical bore 2l extends downwardly through the packer supporting head 22. This bore also accommodates a. tubular metallic supporting sleeve Il and the tubular mandrel il.

-screwed onto the lower end o! the mandrel iltszlntotl'lehereofthepackerheadI2withaV slidlngiltandisheld'aaainstrotationbyapin 21 which Jasojeoizinto .a longitudinal slot 2l of thesleeve andisthreaded'through newallorthepaxler ofthexleevelisthreadedintoa packer-collar. Theupperendolthiscollar.

isilttedwlthnsltlblc shoulder 3l against which apackersleevestructm'ell mayrest. similar shoulderlisprovldedatthelower endo! the pachnrheadilmndrests against the upper end ofthepackerslceve structure Il. Itistobe understoodthatthepacker sleeve structure Il may be inthe form ot a continuous-cylindrical rubber sleeve or may constitute a plurality of separate packing rings formed o! rubber or other suitable deformable packing material. In any ntegralwiththepackeroollarllisaslipexpanding cone Ii. This slip expanding cone tlonllandthusnxestheconerelativeto mandrelas well as the packer collar 2l packer supporting sleeve Il. Extending longitailed ribs I'l ofw'lkered slips lll.

olalinkll. Theupperendot. in the slot to a transverse pivot lower-.end oi' each of the links.

tweenlugsMcarrleduDona-rinzllandls ally connected by a lili Il. The withnanammlargroovellformed taceoftheuppercollarolaslipcase" slip case Il includes a cylindrical tendingdownwardlyandterminatingina 4l atitslowerend. 'Ihecollars have.l central borehaving'a relation to the lower mandrel Formedthrouzh-thewalls sprinasiinpoaition. .'Ihesprmasextend oftheoagellandtheir ,longitudinalportionoftheseslotswhilethe ina'sleevellbymeunsofthetongues vassauts faces substantially conform to the circumferentialfaceoitheboreli. Thelowerendsolthe tongues are semicircular and bear against an end race It which extends transversely oi' the end il of the packer supporting sleeve Il and parallel thereto. One end of each of the i'aces Il terminates in an arcuate shoulder Il. *me other end of each of the races 5I has'a downwardly' curved arcuate portion l2 which adJoins al longitudinally extending face 6l of a alot Il. The slot Il is cut longitudinally or the supporting sleeve Il and is oialengthgreatcrthanthelenzthofthetonsue IIwhichistoextendintoit. Theslotilhas ajwall IS, parallel to the wall il and spaced therefrom a distance to accommodate the width or the tongue 5l which is to extend into it. Thus when the tcnsueil is in position within the not um supporting sleeve uwm be heldsgainst rotation with relation to the sub Il and while the tongue l1 is out of register with the'slot il the valve element Il will be supported in spaced relation to'the'valve seat 2| and will permit free circulation of iiuld through the packer head 22, the supporting sleeve Il. and through bypass'openinzs il which are `formed in 4the cone Il. c

In operation oi' the present invention tlm structure is assembled as shown inthe drawings, and prior to lowering the packer intothe-well the slip cage I1 is rotatcdlwith relation to the tubular mandrel section Il and the lugs 43 are seated within the recess -detined by' the shoulder il 4ofthe J-slots Il.. Whentheslip cage l1 isin this Ditionthe slips 3l will be retracted inthe ways ll'upon the cone 3l and will be in their contracted position with relation to the well casing Il so that they will not engage the casing while the bow springs II yieldingly and frictionally engage the casing. At the same time 40 the sub Il will be rotated with relationto thcmandrel Il and the packer supporting sleeve'll so that the endsvot the-mules Il will substantially rest against the shoulder faces I8 of the supporting sleeve Il and will be rotated BBI-lili* the stop shoulders Ul. It is to beunderstood that one or more of the tongues $1 are provided, although in the drawings .two are shown. In the event that 4there is a tendency Afor relative rotation between the hub Il and the supportins sleeve lltheshouldersllareilttedwithaleaf sizing element Il, asshown'in'llz. 8 of the drawmel-loulcwnpointmremrwisnths sleeve." is held against rotation by the springs". When this degree' of rotation takenplncethestrlngofpipe llis theoouplinzl'l and thesuhil. The thaiizansmltanendthrustupon #ist the casing 34, and at the same timethe lock lugs 53 will move down the longitudinal lengths of the bayonet slots 50.

During the foregoing operation the packer mandrel. the cone and the entire packer structure, including the packer head 22, move down-V conical valve element 20 of the sub rests against thevalve seat 2| and interrupts the bypass of fluid through the passage-ways B6, the annular space 26 through the supporting sleeve 24, and the space 25 in the packer head 22. After the member 2D is seated upon the valve seat 2| additional weight may be imposed upon the sub I3 to exert a pressure on the packer sleeve unit 3| and to distend the packer into sealing relationship with the casing 34 into which it has been lowered. Attention is directed to the fact that when the slips have been set the sub I3 may move with relation to the mandrel section as the head, comprising the nut IB, moves in the cylindrical bore l5 of the sub. 4Thus, the bypass valve may be opened and closed atwill without affecting the packer.

When it is desired to remove the packer from the well bore an upward pull is made on the string of pipe IIJ. This will lift the sub |3untii its shoulder 69 engages the packing I9 or the shoulder formed by the nut I8. Prior to the time of the engagement of these shoulders the tongues 51 will have been withdrawn from the slots 64 so that the sub may be rotated to move the tongues into abutting relation toF4 the shoulders 58. Continued upward movement of the sub will cause the mandrel I1 and the cone 35 to raise, and at the same time retract the slips 38 so that they will become disengaged from the caslng. This action will also produce relative movement of the slip cage with relation to the lugs 63 so that the structure may be rotated to re-lock the slip cage 41 with relation to the mandrel section il' and make it possible to move the packer to any other desired position and re-set it.

It will thus be seen that by the use of the packer structure here disclosed a. maximum effective bypass passageway will be provided around the packer element, and that the bypass may be closed and opened,Y the packer set and released by the use of a simple and compact structure. and by easy manipulation of the drill string.

While I have shown the preferred form ot my able means engaging a well casing wall, a bayonet type lock between the slip cage and the mandrel temporarily holding said parts against relative longitudinal movement, slips articulately connected to the slip cage and interlocking with the tapered face of the slip cone to move longitudinally thereof to and from casing engaging positions, a packer collar fixed to the upper end of the expanding cone, said cone having wall ports through it beneath the collar, a supporting sleeve iixed to said collar and through which the mandrel extends, said supporting sleeve and collar being of a diameter sufficiently larger than the mandrel to provide an annular passageway communicating with said ports, a packer head slidable upon the upper end of said supporting sleeve means holding said supporting sleeve against rotation with relation thereto, said packer head having a central passageway therethrough above the supporting sleeve and communicating therewith, a valve seat formed on the upper edge of said packer head and communicating with the passageway, a valve element formed on the lower end of the sub and adapted to form a seal with the seat on the packer head when bearing thereagainst, and cooperating means between the sub and the supporting sleeve whereby said valve elements may be maintained in an open position while the well packer is being lowered into the well and the slips are set and releasably acting thereafter upon rotation of the sub relative to the supporting sleeve to permit the valve seat of the sub to move down onto the valve seat on thepacker head and to thereafter impose pressure upon the packer headto expand the packer.

2. A bypass well packer of the hook wall type adapted to be supported by a string of pipe, a sub secured to the lower end of said string of pipe, a mandrel suspended thereby and extending downwardly therefrom, said mandrel and sub having relative longitudinal movement with relation to each other, a slip expanding cone secured rigidly upon the mandrel, a packer collar formed at the upper end of said cone and being rigid therewith, said collar having a central bore materially greater in diameter than the outside diameter of the mandrel, the structure including the collar and the cone having a uld chamber therein circumscribing the mandrel, ports in the cone establishing communication between said fluid chamber and the well bore, a supporting sleeve secured to the collar and through which the mandrel extends, said supporting sleeve invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes may be made in combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit o! my invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by letters Patent is: 1. A well packer adapted to be supported upon a string of pipe and to be lowered into a well. said packer comprising a sub, a mandrel extending downwardly therefrom and being supported thereby for limited relative longitudinal movement, a fixed cone on the mandrel, a slip cage slidable upon the mandrel and carrying yieldbeing of an internal diameter materially greater than the external diameter of the mandrel, whereby an annular unrestricted fluid passage- Way willbe formed in communication with said uid chamber, a deformable packer unit mounted upon the supporting sleeve and resting against the packer collar shoulder, a packer head sli'dably mounted upon the upper end of said supporting sleeve and having a shoulder resting against the upper end of the packer sleeve, means preventing relative rotation between the packer head and the supporting sleeve, said head being of suicient length to accommodate the suppdrting sleeve when the packer unit is compressed, the upper end of said packer head being open and establishing communication with the annular bypass space within the sleeve, a valve seat formed around and upon the upper open end of the packer head, a valve seat formed upon the end of the sub and adapted to seal said opening when resting against the seat upon the packer head. a slip structure carried by the mandrel and actuated by the slip cone, tongues formed integral with the sub and extending downwardly along the mandrel and into the open end of said packer head, shoulder laces on the end of the supporting sleeve to be engaged by the ends oi said tongues to thereby hold the mandrel, the packer cone, the packer unit and the packer head in their outermost positions with relation to the sub. whereby all oi said elements may move in unison with the sub, and release slots in the supporting sleeve into which said tongues may move to permit relative movement between the mandrel and the sub and to allow the valve seat on the sub to engage the valve seat on the packer head and close the same.

3. The structure oi claim 2 in which said releasing action is brought about by rotation oi the sub with relation to the supporting sleeve, limiting stops carried by the supporting sleeve and engaged by said tongues to limit the degree of rotation of the sub and the supporting sleeve.' `and cooperating latch means between the mandrel and the slip structure, whereby said latch means may be released when the tongues are in engagement with said limiting stops.

4. The structure of claim 2 in which said releasing action is brought about by rotation of the sub with relation to the supporting sleeve. limiting stops carried by the supporting sleeve and engaged by said tongues to limit the degree of rotation of the sub and the supporting sleeve, cooperating latch means between the mandrel and the slip structure. `whereby said latch means may be released when the tongues are in engagement with said limiting stops. and means yieldably holding said sub and supporting sleeve against relative rotation.

5. A packer structure adapted to be suspended from a string oi pipe and comprising a tubular sub having a bore at the lower end thereof and a counterbore within the tubular sub and above said bore, a mandrel extending downwardly through said bore, a head on the mandrel having limited longitudinal movement within said counterbore, a shoulder within the sub against which the head may rest in its lowermost position, an expanding cone fixed upon said mandrel at a point intermediate its length and having an outer face formed with dovetailed grooves, slips engaging said dovetailed grooves and sliding longitudinally oi' the cone to set and retracted positions, a slip cage, said cage on said mandrel including springs for irictionally m3881118 a casing into which the structure is lowered, articulate connections between the slip cage and the slips,

a packer collar formed integral with the upper enlarged end of the slip cone and having a central threaded bore materially greater in diameter than the outside diameter oi the mandrel, a supporting sleeve threaded into said bore and extending upwardly therefrom to form an annular bypass space around the mandrel, ports formed in the expanding cone below the packer collar and in communication with said space, a cylindrical packer head telescoping over said supporting sleeve and longitudinally movable thereon, means preventing rotation and permitting limited longitudinal movement o! said head with relation to the supporting sleeve, a packer collar carried by said supporting sleeve, a deiormable packer unit circumscribing the supporting sleeve and being disposed between the packer head and collar. an annular valve seat assaooa formed on the upper end of the packer head and around the mandrel. a valve element earned by the sub adapted to engage with said seat, and lock means normally holding said valve passageway open and acting to permit closing of said valve passageway upon rotation of the supportins String of Dive- 6. A well packer. comprising a tubular mandrel, an expanding cone ixed thereto at a point intermediate the ends thereof, slips slidable upon said expanding cone to engage well casing, a slip cage slidably mounted upon the mandrel, locking means for temporarily locking the cage and the slips with relation to the mandrel and whereby manipulation oi the mandrel will release the cage and the slips to permit the cone to move the slips. a packing collar carried on the upper end of the slip cone, a supporting sleeve attached to the collar and extending upwardly around the mandrel and forming an annular space between the sleeve and the mandrel, a deformable packing sleeve resting upon the packing collar and embracing the supporting sleeve. ports through the cone to establish communication between the well casing and the annular space within the supporting sleeve, a packer head resting upon the upper edge oi the packer sleeve and slidably mounted on the upper end oi the supporting sleeve, means permitting limited longitudinal movement between the packer 'head and the supporting slevee, a valve seat formed on the uppek face of the packer head and providing an opening communicating with the interior oi the supporting sleeve, a sub carried upon a supporting string oi pipe and formed at its lower end with a valve face complementary to the valve seat on the packer head, means connecting the upper end of the mandrel with the sub for a limited relative longitudinal movement between the mandrel and the sub. cooperating means between the sub and the supporting sleeve whereby the slips may be set and released, and cooperating means between the sub and the supporting sleeve whereby the packer may be set and released.

1. A bypass well packer of the hook wall type adapted to be supported by a string of pipe, a sub secured to the lower end oi said string of pipe, a mandrel suspended thereby and extending downwardly therefrom, said mandrel and sub having relative longitudinal movement with relation to each other, a slip expanding cone secured rigidly upon the mandrel, a packer collar formed at the upper end of said cone and being rigid therewith, said collar having a central bore materially greater in diameter than the outside diameter oi the mandrel, the structure including the collar and the cone having a iluid chamber therein circumscribing the mandrel, ports in the cone establishing communication between said duid chamber and the well bore, a supporting sleeve secured to the collar and through which the mandrel extends, said supporting sleeve being of an internal diameter materially greater than the external diameter of the mandrel. whereby an annular unrestricted fluid passageway will be formed in communication with said fluid chamber, a deformable packer unit mounted upon the supporting sleeve and resting against the packer collar shoulder, a packer head slidably mounted upon the upper end of said supporting sleeve and having a shoulder resting against the upper end oi the packer sleeve, means preventing relative rotation between the packer head and the supporting sleeve, said head being of suilcient length to accommodate the supporting sleeve when the packer unit is compressed. the upper end of said packer head being open and establishing communication with the annular bypass space within the sleeve, a valve seat formed around and upon the upper open end of the packer head. a valve seat formed upon the end of the sub and adapted to seal said opening when resting against the seat upon the packer head, a slip structure carried by the mandrel and actuated by the slip cone, tongues formed integral with the sub and extending downwardly along the mandrel and into the open end of said packer'head. shoulder faces on the end of the supporting sleeve to be engaged by the ends of said tongues to thereby hold the mandrel, the packercone. the packer unit and the packer head in their outermost positions with relation to the sub, whereby all of said elements may move in unison with the sub, release slots in the supporting sleeve into which said tongues may move to permit relative movement between the mandrel and the sub and to allow the valve seat on the sub to engage the valve seat on the packer head and close the same, said releasing action being brought about by rotation of the sub and its tongues with relation to the release slots on the supporting sleeve, and limiting stops associated with the release slots and carried by the supporting sleeve and engaged by said tongues to limit the degree of rotation of the sub and the supporting sleeve.

JOHN T. PI-HPPS.

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