US2632401A - Well pumping apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1953 E. w. MONG WELL PUMPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1947 I 'd l5 Edgar h any y/zrve'mor Affari; ey

@f4/MM Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL PUMPING APPARATUSI Edgar WrMo'ng, Los Angeles, Calif.

Applicationgilaiuary '15, 1947, Serial No. 722,279

:3 Claims. (Cl.A 10B-211) This invention has to do with lWell pumping apparatus and it is a 'general object of the in-v vention to provide apparatus useful in wellsV producing heavy or viscous nuids whichtend to retard `normal pumping operations. It is common to remove the pump fluids such vas oil from wells by means of reciprocating pumps. When this type of equipment 'is used the pump is located in the 'well to Abe submerged in the lfluid to be pumped and 'it has a reciprocating partnwith a reciprocating plunger or a 'reciprocating vbarrel operated by a sucker rod that extends'fto the top of the well. The sucker rod is `commonly voperated or reciprocated at its upper end by means 'of a walking beam and the arrangement of parts is such that the force applied from the walking beam acts `to pull the rod upwardly to lift the reciprocating part of the pump Aand consequently elevate iluid that has entered the pump. Gravity is relied upon to lower the reciprocating part and ordinarily the force of gravity is sufcient to overcome the drag that tends to retard downward movement of the reciprocating parts. Where the fluid vbeing handled is -heavy or viscous the rod submerged in the viscous fluid carried in the tubing extending from the pump to the top of the wellis 'retarded by the fluid so that it is very slow to return or move downward following operation by the walking beam. The rod being long "and slender, return or downward movement of the walking beam has but little influence upon the rod duringthe return or down stroke. Attempts havebeen made to lovercome the dimculty above outlined, usually by vintroducing light fluids intended to eut- 'or dilute the'uid from the well' or by helatingthe fluids in the well.

It is a general object of my lpresent invention yto provide a mechanical means at or 'near the pump operable to vexert downward pressure on the reciprocating element of the pump so that its return or down stroke is not dependent upon the action of gravity alone. Y

Another object of the `present invention is to' provide a device for returning the 'reciprocate ing part of a well pump which acts on the pump part to supplement the action of gravity acting on that part andthe rod that operates that part withoutfin any way interfering with or' impairf ing the normal tendency of the pump part and rod to returnthrough the action of gravity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment applicable to a well pump or lto well pumping apparatus which involves a minimum number 'of Yparts ywhich fare' simple 2 and dep'endable'inoperation. The structure'"pro vided by the present invention is characterized bya single, simple helical'spring applied to the pumping apparatus to normally yieldingly act downwardly on the reciprocating pump part to exert a downward or return pressure thereon.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description 'of typical preferred 'forms'and 'applications of the invention, through'L out which description'referenc'e is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a View illustrating a typical 4well equipped with pumping apparatus. Fig. 2 is'an enlarged longitudinal detailed sectional view taken at the upper end portion of the well pump showing the structure that I have provided to 'act in conjunction with the reciprocating parts oi the pumping apparatus. Fig. 3 is anenlarged, detailed transverse sectional view takenas indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 4 4 on Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 showing another form of my invention wherein the return spring that I provide acts directly upon the pump part to be returned.

My present invention is intended for use in connection with or for application to well `pump'- ing apparatus of the type ordinarily employedfto handle well fluids, thatfis, it is intended primarily vfor use with 'apparatusinvolving a well pump of the reciprocating type,v either the working barrel type or working plunger type.

"In the 'apparatusillu'strated in the `drawings there is awell casingv A. extending from the derrick B into the well 'here 'and 'a tubing C -s carried by a head I0 at the upper `end of the cas'- ing and extends downwardly through the casing into the portion ofthe well from which the fluid is to be drawn. An operating or sucker rod D extends downwardly through the tubing toope'rate the pump E at the lower end of the tubing. A polish rod Il at the upper end of the rod D op# -erates through a suitable 'stufiing b'oX 'I2 and a rod operating mechanism is provided at the deryrick. The particular operating mechanism illustrated involves a walking beam I3 actuated Aby a suitable operating mechanism. le. The 'particular pump E illustrated in the drawings involves a reciprocating element l5 `at the upper end of which there'is a 'working valve'A i6. The lower end of the rod D is joined or connected to :the cage of the p i In ac'eordanee with lmyv'presentinvention yI provide a resilient member preferably a springY 20 at or near the pump E to normally yieldingly urge the reciprocating element I5 of the pump downwardly. In accordance with the broader principles of my invention the reciprocating part of the pump and the rod D coupled thereto form a reciprocating unit urged downwardly by the spring 20. In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings the spring 20 acts throughthe lower end portion of the rod D in urging the reciprocating part l5 of the pump downwardly whereas in Fig. 5 of the drawings the spring acts directly on the part I5 of the pump. The spring 20 is preferably a helical compression spring of substantial length freely tting within the tubing C. The convolutions of the spring are spaced so that the spring can be compressed a substantial amount, the structure being proportioned so that the spring can compress an amount somewhat in excess ofthe vstroke of the reciprocating part I5 of the pump. Y

In accordance with my invention the upper end portion of the spring 2B bears on a seat ring 3) carried in the tubing C. YThe seat ring is provided to present a downwardly facing` shoulder SI against which the upper end of the spring 20 abuts, In practice the seat ring may be applied to or mounted in the tubing in any suitable manner. In the particular case illustrated the tubing C involves sections 32 joined by couplings 33 and the seat ring 3B is located in a coupling 33 where it is confined between the ends of the sections 32 applied to the coupling.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings the lower end of spring 20 bears downwardly against a stop G applied to the rod D at or near the pump E. In the drawings I have shown the stop QB located on the rod somewhat above the pump and I have shown the stop as a sectional collar involving sections joined by suitable fasteners 52. The fasteners G2 may be bolts by which the sections of the collar are clamped tightly on the rod D at the desired point along the rod. The preferred form of collar involves circumferentially spaced peripheral recesses 43 carrying rollers 44 mounted on pins 45 which rollers project 'outwardly from the collar to engage the Vinner wall d5 of the tubing. The rollers provide antifriction means on the collar reducing or minimizing friction and wear between the collar and the tubing. Through the split collar vconstruction the stop against which the spring bears loan -be adjusted along the rod D so that it is Alocated at the desired point relative to the seat 3i) in vorder to relate the parts so that the spring 2G has the desired action.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig, 5 the upper end of the spring 253 may be seated against a seat ring the same as shown in Fig. 2. In this form of the invention the lower end of the spring 2B instead of acting on the reciprocating element of the pump through a stop 4B and a portion of the rod D, acts direct-V iy on the reciprocating part of the pump. It will be observed that in this form of the invention the lower end of the spring seats directly on the cage of valve I6, which is a part of the 'reciprocating element of the pump. With the construction that I have provided the `pumpingapparatus will handle very heavy or thick oil or other fluid that would otherwise retard Vpumping .action'or render it completely impractical. With my apparatus the rod and reciprocating element of the pump are moved upwardly through the action of the walking beam in the manner common to well pumping equipment, and when the walking beam has reached the top of its stroke and starts down it exerts downward pressure on the upper end of the rod at the same time that gravity, acting on the element I5 and the rod, and the load of fluid above the reciprocating'element I5, tend to move the element I5 downwardly; These forces tending to move the reciprocating pump element downwardly are supplemented by the downward pressure exerted by the spring 2i) to the end that the downward movement or return of the reciprocating element I5 of the pump is speeded up. The structure that I have provided acts to hold the rod under tension so that it' is straight and by holding the rod straight in the tubing wear on the rod and on the wall of the tubing is minimized. J v

By proper proportioning and application of the spring 25 the pump action is speeded up to the point where practical pumping operations can be carried on under circumstances vthat would be otherwise very slow and diicult, if not totally impractical. It is to be understood, of course, that in operating the structure that I have provided the action may be supplemented by means ordinarily employed when-handling very heavy or viscous iluids, that is, dilution of the pump fluid or heating thereof may be resorted to as circumstances may require. However, under ordinary circumstances the action of ordinary pumping equipment, supplemented by the spring that I have provided, will speed up operation suiiicient for practical production.

Certain elements of the structure above de. scribed are disclosed in structure set forth and claimed in my copending application entitled Well Pumping Apparatus Involving a Sucker Rod led January l5, 1947,v Serial No. 722,280, now PatentA No. 2,536,982. v

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish-to reserve to myself any variations or modications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An attachment for well pumping equipment having a tubing extending into the well from the -top thereof and a pump operating rod extending downwardly in the tubing from its upper end including, a unitary seat ring defining a round opening passing the rod with clearance, the outer peripheral portion of the ring being applicable to the tubing, `the ring forming a fixed abutment in the tubing removed from `the upper end of the tubing, a stop clamp applicable to the rod forming a fixed abutment thereon/below the ring, and a helical compression spring surrounding the rod and having its upperend engaging the seatand its lower endrengaging the stop clamp, the clamp including separable sections and screw means selectively setting the. sections on the rod. l

2. YAn attachment for well pumping equipment having a tubing extendinginto the well from the vtop thereof vand a pump operating rod extending the seat, anda compression spring having its upper end engaging the seat and its lower end engaging the stop clamp, the clamp including separable sections, means securing the sections together around the rod, and anti-friction rollers carried by the sections and projecting therefrom.

3. In combination, a well tubing having sections of equal diameter and a unitary coupling collar internally threaded at its ends and receiving opposing ends of the sections, a pump carried by the tubing and having a reciprocating part, an operating rod for said part Within the tubing and extending to the top of the well, a seat ring fixed in the tubing above said part, a stop clamp set on the rod below the seat, and a compression spring engaged between the seat and the stop clamp, the clamp having separable rod engaging parts and screw means selectively REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 91,943 Kock June 29, 1869 363,721 Brewer May 24, 1887 875,372 Palm Dec. 31, 1907 940,347 McCarthy et al. Nov. 16, 1909 1,531,697 Hopkins et al. Mar. 31, 1925 2,065,541 Schaer et a1 Dec. 29, 1936 2,075,428 Dickson Mar. 30, 1937

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