US777462A - Well-drilling machine. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 777M162. PATENTED DEC 18, 1904. A. T. WILSON.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31.1902.

NO MODEL. 4 SHEBTS8HBET 1v.

aliboznmgg No. 777,462. PATENTED DEC. 18, 1904. A. T. WILSON.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1902.

glwenroz No. 777,462. PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904. A. T. WILSON.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31.1902.

4 SHEETS-BHEET 3 N0 MODEL.

g /zww No. 777.462. PATBNTEDDEG. 13, 1904. A. T. WILSON.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1902 N0 MODEL. 4 SHEBTS-SHEET 4.

an'ueufoz -A Zemnden'ZWfZ Z5022 @Xhhmoma fi I abbozwug Nirisn STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

AmnNT FFlCE.

WELlu-DFHLLING: MAGHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,462, dated December 13, 1904.

Application filed May 31, 1902. Serial No. 109,688. (No model.)

To all who/n it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALEXANDER 'l. l/VILsON, a citizen of the United States, residing at J effersonville, in the county of Wayne and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in ell-Drilling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to well-drilling machines; and the main object oi the same is to provide a simple organization of elements adapted to be thrown into and out of operative engagement with a drive-shaft and capable of having reverse movements imparted thereto without in the least affecting the motion or checking the motion of the prime motor for actuating said drive-shaft, and thereby avoid the inconvenience and frequent accidents as well as breakage of the parts of the machine incident to the requirement in ordinary well-drilling machines for an operator to quickly repair to the prime motor to reverse or stop the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for controlling the movements of the drill-rod and sandpump reels and render them sensitively under the control of an operator stationed adjacent to the front or drilling end of the ma chine, where the connections with the driveshaft may also be conveniently regulated.

A further object of the invention is to provide effective mechanism to impart a drop to the drill-rod orother analogous tools attached to the rope or cable wound upon the drill-rod reel to produce the necessary drop or fall of the drill-rod or other tool during the drilling operation, the said mechanism being capable of a reverse movement without affecting the.

operation of the drill-rod or analogous tdols, and thereby avoid the necessity of having the prime motor run continuously in one direction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the eonstruction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed and subject to a wide range of modification in the form, proportions, dimensions, and minor details without departing from the principle involved.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a drilling-machine shown arranged for use and embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved machine on an enlarged scale and showing the derrick broken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved machine with parts thereof broken away. Fig. 4. is a side elevation of the improved machine looking toward the side opposite that shown by Fig. 3 and also showing the derrick broken away in part. Fig. 5is a longitudinal vertical section of the improved machine with the derrick broken away, taken in the plane of the line 5 5, Fig. .2. Figs. 6 and 7 are longitudinally-vertieal sections oi the rear portion of the machine, both taken in the plane of the line 6 6. Fig. 2, and showing the drill rope or cable operating mechanism in two different positions. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section through the reel for the drill-rod rope or cable, taken in the plane of the line 8 8, Fig. 2, and showing mechanism for locking the said reel to the shaft on which itis loosely mounted. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of a portion of one head of the reel for the drill rope or cable, showing the manner of applying a part of the locking mechanism therefor. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal vertical section through the front portion of the machine looking toward the side opposite that shown by Fig. 5 and taken in the plane of the line 10 10, Fig. 2, and illustrating the locking-lever for regl'llating or checking the movement of the reel tor the drill rope or cable and brake mechanism engaging a portion of the said reel. Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section through one extremity of the reel for the drill rope or cable and a part of the mechanism cooperating therewith and held thereby and taken in the plane of the line 1111, Fig. 2. Fig. 12 is a detail view illustrating the double-acting brake for the sand-pump reel. Fig. 13 shows detail perspective views of the dog for locking the drill-rope reel to its shaft and the spring-arm cooperating therewith. Fig. 14: is a detail sectional elevation 01'' a part of the controlling means for the sand-pump reel.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several l views.

The numeral 1 designates a frame which is made up of suitable longitudinally, vertically, and transversely extending beams and sills and adapted to be braced or reinforced at such points as may be found necessary to withstand wear and tear due to vibration and other causes. This frame 1 is shown as of a stationary character; but it will be understood that it may be mounted upon suitable wheels, and thereby rendered portable for convenience in movement from one point to another, and in some instances it will be equipped with means of the most approved pattern, whereby it may be transported by means of a traction-engine, which will be preferably used in operating the mechanism, though other engines can be equally well employed, as will be readily understood. On the rear end of the frame and rising to a suitable elevation above the latter is a supporting-bracket 2, and at the front end of the frame are opposite standards 3, in which a derrick 4 is pivotally mounted, the pivotal connection of the said derrick being in the same horizontal plane as the upper terminal of the bracket or support 2, so that when the derrick is let down to reduce the machine to compact form it will be held at such elevation as to render the connection to the frame of a traction-engine practically convenient.

The derrick 4 comprises two beams which converge toward one end and are securely bolted or otherwise fastened to a head-block 5, having upper and lower yokes 6 and 7, in which are mounted pulleys or sheaves 8 and 9. WVhen the derrick is in operative position, the lower extremities extend over the front of the frame and are immovably held against the latter by bolts 10, provided with removable nuts 11. When the derrick is in erect position, the lower ends of the beams thereof rest upon the base-sills of the frame 1, as clearly shown by Fig. 1, and a material portion of the weight strain is removed from the pivot device for the derrick and also from the bolts 10.

The essential moving elements of the improved drill consist of a reel 12 for the drill rope or cable, a sand-pump reel 13, a driveshaft 14, a counter-shaft 15, and a drill rope or cable operating mechanism 16, actuated by the drive-shaft. In conjunction with these several devices mechanical means are used, which will be hereinafter set forth, for controlling their operation, and for convenience in applying the operating-power from a prime motor the drive-shaft 14 is located in the rear end of the frame 1 and has one extremity, 17, projected outwardly beyond one side of the said frame. On the outer terminal of the extremity 17 of the drive-shaft a clutch member 18 is fixed to rotate therewith, and slidable on the said shaft is a clutch-sleeve 19, adapted to cooperate with said clutch member and carrying a band-wheel 20, which may be replaced by any other analogous device. Near its inner end the sleeve 19 is formed with a circumferential groove 21, and secured to the inner terminal of the said sleeve and also slidable on the extremity 17 of the shaft 14 is a bevel-pinion 22. Slidably mounted in the rear end of the side of the frame adjacent to the pinion 22 is an angle-arm 23, having its angular end formed with a yoke 24, engaging the groove 21 in the sleeve 19. A headed pin or stud 25 depends from the arm 23 and passes through the rear slotted end 26 of an elongated shifting bar or lever 27, running along the side of the machine to the front end of the latter and having its front extremity 28 given a quarter turn or twist to present an engaging edge for cooperation with an outwardlyprojecting retention-bar 29, having slots 30, 31, and 32 in the upper edge thereof. The shifting bar or lever 27 is movably held by a fulcrum projection 33. projecting outwardly from a bearing-bracket 34, secured to the adjacent side of the frame, and by moving the said shifting bar or lever laterally in opposite directions the sleeve 19, together with the pulley 20 and pinion 21, will be correspondingly moved on the extremity 17 of the driveshaft 14. Near the front end of the frame is a vertically disposed outwardlyprojecting support 34", having a central bearing 35, as shown by Fig. 3, and in this hearing and the bearing bracket 33 a counter shaft 15 is mounted to have longitudinal shiftable movement and is projected downwardly toward the rear of the frame at an angle of inclination so as to bring the forward extremity thereof at a proper elevation in relation to mechanism which it is intended to actuate, the hearing of the bracket 34 and the bearing 35 being disposed at such angle relatively to the inclination of the shaft 36 as to avoid undue frictional wear and binding on the latter. The rear end of the shaft 15 has a bevel-pinion 37 keyed thereon, and on the front extremity of the shaft are a pair of reversely-arranged bevel- pinions 38 and 39, which have sliding movement and are connected by a yoke 40 for simultaneous movement. A shifting-arm 41' rises centrally from the yoke 40 and extends upwardly inside of a strap 42, longitudinally disposed on the adjacent side of the upper part of the frame and of a resilient nature to hold the upper end of the said arm normally pressed inwardly. The upper end of the arm 41 is held in its adjusted position by engagement with a slotted or notched bar 43, also longitudinally disposed and over which the strap 42 extends. The pinions 38 and 39 are adapted to be alternately thrown into mesh with a bevel-gear 44, secured on the end of a shaft 45, on which the reel 12 is loosely mounted, and the pinion 37 on the rear end of the shaft 15 is engaged by the pinion 21, carried by the sleeve 19,when it is desired to rotate the wheel 12 to wind the drill rope or cable thereon and withdraw the drill or other implement attached. to said rope or cable from the well or opening formed in the ground.

One end of the reel 12 is formed with a radial recess 46, as clearly shown by Fig. 11, and therein a spring-arm 47 is immovably held and has its inner end apertured for the passage therethrough of the shaft 45. The said recessed end of the reel 46 is covered by a head plate or disk 48, immovably secured in applied position and formed with a fulcrumrecess 49, having an outwardly-openin slot 50, as clearly shown by Fig. 9. The recess 49 is substantially circular, and movably engaging therewith is a circular head or fulcrum enlargement 51 on the end of an arm 52, intcgrally extending from the inner edge of a dog 53, provided also with an inwardly-projecting pin or stud 54 and a locking-tooth 55 on the inner edge near one of its ends. The arm 52, as clearly shown by Fig. 18 is of less width than the slot 50, through which said arm movably projects, and the dog and its arm 52, as well as the circular head or fulcrum enlargement 51. have the opposite faces parallel for disposing the said dog and its parts referred to in the recess 49 and slot 50 in close relation to the spring-arm 47 and the head plate or disk 48. As shown by Fig. 8. the outer extremity of the arm 47 projects a considerable distance beyond the periphery of the plate 48 and the adjacent end of the reel 12.. The outer end of the arm 47 is provided with a reduced projection 56,which stands out far enough to be conveniently engaged by the hand of an operator, and at a short distance inwardly from the said reduced projection the outer extremity of the arm 47 is also formed with a pair of transversely-alined openings 57 to receive the stud 54 of the dog 53. When the stud 54 is in engagement with one of the openings 57 the tooth 55 thereof is held clear of the teeth of a locking-disk 58, keyed to the shaft 45 and located closely to the head plate or disk 48. When the stud 54 is thrown into engagement with the other opening 57 the tooth of the dog is thrown into engagement with the toothed disk 58, and thereby the reel 12 is coupled or locked to the shaft 45 for rotation with the latter. in changing the position of the dog 53 from one adjustment to the other the spring-arm 47 is pulled inwardly to disengage the stud 54 from either of the openings 57 and after such disengagement said arm is permitted to resume its normal position, and when the stud 54 arrives in coincidence with the opening 57 that has remained uncngaged for the time being said stud will snap into the latter opening.

The reel 12 is engaged by a drill rope or cable 59, and, as will be understood, said reel during the drilling operation will be disengaged from the shaft 45. so that the said rope or cable may be free to regularly pay off to compensate for the descent of the drill attached to the rope or cable or for the movcment of any other implement connected to the latter. During the drilling operation or d uring the descent of the drill to the bottom of the opening formed in the ground it is fre quently found necessary to check the movement or too rapid descent of the drill and rope or cable attached thereto, and for this purpose a band-brake 60 is employed and has one terminal secured to the inner lower portion of the front extremity of the frame 1 and the opposite extremity secured to a braketreadle 61, extending transversely across the lower front portion of the frame below the plane of the reel and fulcrumed at an intermediate point to the said frame. This hand- 'brake also prevents a surplus unwinding of the rope or cable 59 from the reel 12 during the drilling operation and can be conveniently controlled by an operator standing at one side of the machine. it is also often necessary in the drilling operation to check the upward or downward movement of the drill or other implement attached to the rope or cable 59 either when the reel 12 is coupled up to the shaft 45 or when said reel is run ning loose on said shaft, and for this purpose a toothed disk 62 is secured to the end of the reel 12 opposite that having the disk58 thereon. Above this disk 62 and pivotally connected at its inner end with the upper portion of the frame is a stop-levcr 63, having a tooth or projection 64 to engage the teeth of the disk 62. The purpose of this stop-lever is to check the movement of the reel 12 and the unwinding or winding movements of the rope or cable 59 entirely in view of certain contingencies that may arise during the drilling operation and when it becomes necessary to suddenly or quickly stop the movement of the reel and the rope or cable and hold the latter against further movement until said parts can again be allowed to operate without liability to injury of the machine or breakage of the cable or rope carrying the drill or other implement or tool. llt will be understood that should this sudden stopping or positive checking of the movement of the reel 12 and the rope or cable 5.) be desired to be eflected when the said reel is connected up to the shaft 45 through the medium of the dog 53 and toothed disk the shaft 36 will be thrown out of mesh in relation to the gear 44 by shifting the yoked pinions 38 and 39 through the medium of the arm 41 and without stopping the prime motor. though in some instances the shifting bar or lever 27 may be operated to throw the clutch-sleeve 19 out of operative engagement from the clutch member 18. The stop-lever (SS-'3 is normally held at an elevation and out of engagement with the disk 62 by a latch 65, pivoted at its upper end to one of the beams of the derrick adjacent to said stop-lever and having a shoulder 66, on which the latter is adapted to bear, the lower end of the latch being in the form of a grip or handle 67 adapted to be conveniently grasped to release the shoulder 66 from the forwardly-projecting end of the lever 63. It will be seen that the lever 63 in view of its pivotal attachment, as heretofore set forth, will have a tendency when free to gravitate or fall and cause an engagement of the tooth 64 with the disk 62 without requiring a particular placement of the said lever by an operator, and when raising the lever 63 to clear the tooth thereof from the disk 62 the latch 65 is pressed outwardly until said lever is elevated above the plane of the shoulder 66, when the latch will resume its normal Vertical position, and thereby bring its shoulder under the lower edge of the lever and prevent the latter from falling until the latch is again manually thrown outward.

The end of the shaft 45 opposite that having the gear 44 thereon is projected beyond the adjacent outer side of the frame, and thereon is keyed a worm-wheel 68, and above the latter a worm-wheel shaft 69 is adjustably mounted and has its rear end attached to a part of the side of the frame by a ball-and-socket connection 70 and its front extremity movably mounted in a bearing-hanger 71, formed with an upper vertical slot 72 and engaged by a clamping nut and screw 73, by means of which the said worm-wheel shaft 69 may be vertically moved to bring a worm 74 thereon in mesh with the worm-wheel 68 or to elevate the shaft and hold the worm above the wormwheel. The front terminal of the shaft 69 has a crank-disk 75 mounted thereon, by means of which the shaft maybe manually operated to actuate the worm-wheel 68 and the reel 12 when the latter is connected to the shaft 45 through the medium of the dog 53 and to the disk 58 to control the pay-off of the rope or cable 59 during the drilling operation and compensate for the gradual descent of the drill or other tool carried by said rope or cable and avoid concentrating the weight strain and force incident to the drop of the drill or other instrument on said rope or cable. It will be understood that in drilling through certain strata soft spots will be frequently struck, and the drill or other implement will pass therethrough with very little restriction, and if some means were not provided for rapidly paying off the cable or rope 59 the latter would be liable to be broken or strained, with disadvantageous results. Furthermore, this mechanism for controlling the amount of the rope or cable 59 paid out from the reel 12 will also be employed at times for taking up too much slack in the rope or cable when the drill or other tool strikes ahard or resisting obstruction, as is often the casein well-drilling. This control of the rope or cable, as before indicated, may also be effected through the medium of the brake-band 60 and will be alone used for this purpose when the reel 12 is running loose on the shaft 45.

The driveshaft 14 has two pinions 7 6 mounted thereon and spaced apart from each other, the said pinions being fastened to the shaft and continually held in mesh with spurgears 7 7, held on short counter-shafts 78, having bearing at opposite terminals, respectively, in the sides of the frame and in longitudinally-extending beams 78, forming a part of the frame and spaced apart from the latter, the said beams being provided with boxes 79 for the said shaft. The ends of the shaft 78 are projected inwardly beyond the inner side of the beams 78, and secured thereon are cranks 80, having weight-segments 81 and radially-projecting arms 82, the said cranks being centrally connected to the shafts 78. Each of the cranks is provided with an inwardly-projecting pin 83, located close to the center thereof, and secured to the outer terminal of each arm 82 by a pivotal connection is one member 84 of a yoke 85, the opposite ends of the said members being converged toward each other and having one end of a link 86 movably held therebetween. The opposite end of said link is also movably attached to the central portion of a connectingpin 87, terminally secured to the rear ends of a pair of bars 88, constituting a drill-operating frame, the said bars being in close parallel relation at their rear extremities and from the latter gradually diverging and movably attached at their front terminals on the shaft 45, outside of the location of the disks 58 and 62. The front terminals of the bars 88 are free to oscillate on the shaft 45, and adjacent to the rear ends of the said bars a grooved pulley or analogous device 89 is secured to the bars and provided with means in the form of a clamp 90 for taking up wear or obviating too loose movement of said pulley. The drill rope or cable 59 is passed under and engages the pulley 89 and from the latter extends upwardly over the pulley 8, carried by the head 5 at the upper end of the derrick. Means are also provided for cushioning the drill-rod-operating frame to overcome injurious jar or vibration, and said means consist of an upwardly-projecting angularly-inclined yoke 91, rising above the top of the frame 1 and movably supporting a central buffer 92, comprising a lower bar 93, against which the rear portion of the drilloperating frame is adapted to contact, the said bar 93 having a bolt-rod 94 connected at its lower end to the center thereof and movably extending upwardly through an opening 95 in the center of the top member of the yoke 91. Between the bar 93 and the top member of the yoke 91 a spring 96 is interposed and surrounds the bolt-rod 94, and to regulate the tension of the buffer the upper end of the bolt-rod is provided with screw-threads for the reception of a winged or other nut 97, which also prevents the bolt-rod from becoming separated from the top member of the yoke. The bar 93 is also loosely engaged by'guide-bolts 98, secured in the top member of the yoke and loosely extending through the said bar, it being obvious that the guide-bolts 98 render the movement of the bar 93 regular and prevent rocking thereof. When the drilloperating frame suddenly elevates, it strikes the bar 93, and injurious jar or vibration is removed from the remaining portions of the machine through the medium of the spring 96, as will be readily understood and appreciated.

The sand-pump reel 13 is also engaged by a rope or cable 99 and is fixed on its shaft 100, one end of the said reel being formed with an enlarged edge 101, having a circumferential rib 102, and cooperating with the said head and rib is a centrally-fulerumed brake-shoe 103, which is shown in detail by Fig. 12 and has a forwardly-projecting operating bar or handle 104. This brake-shoe 103 can be operated to set up a braking pressure on the head 101 and rib 102 by either raising or pulling down on the handle or bar 10%, so that the movement of the said reel may be checked without requiring a precise downward or upward movement of the brake-shoe, but by either movement of said shoe, and thereby insure a sudden braking action on the sandpump reel and avoid accident and injury to the machine that might otherwise result from the use of a brake device having a single 0perative movement or precise actuation that might not be understood by an operator unacquainted therewith. The end of the shaft 100 adjacent to the location of the wormwheel 68 is projected outwardly beyond the side of the frame and has a clutch member 105 keyed thereto, and cooperating with the said clutch member is a clutch-sleeve loosely movable on the shaft and carrying a sprocketwheel 107, engaged by a chain belt 108, also surrounding a sprocket-wheel 109, mounted on the projecting end of the shaft 41:5, outside of the worm-wheel 68, the said sprocket-wheel 109 being larger in diameter than the sprocketwheel 107 to give increased speed to the sandpump wheel 13. The sleeve 106 is engaged by the inner yoked end of a shifting-lever 110, projecting toward the front of the machine and pivotally mounted on a fulcrum projection 111, attached to an adjacent portion of the frame. When it is desired that the sand-pump reel run loose, the sleeve 106 will be disengaged from the clutch member 105, such loose movement of the sand-pump reel being desired when the pump descends into the opening bored, and to elevate the sand-pump the clutch-sleeve 106 is thrown into engagement with the member 105 and the motion of the shaft 15 is transmitted through the medium of the sprocket- wheels 109 and 107 and the chain belt 108 to the shaft 100. it will be understood that the rope or cable 99 is run upwardly over the derrick and caused to engage the pulley 7. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the sand-pump rope or cable 99 will be continuously rigged up in relation to the derrick for immediate use and passed. over the lower pulley 7 of the head 5 and that the drill rope or cable 59 will be passed over the pulley 8, though it is possible to use a number of pulleys in connection with the head 5 for engagement by the ropes or cables from reels in order to insure a permanent engagement and easy movement of the said ropes or cables over the derrickhead. The effective operation of the ropes or cables is not confined to any precise construction of head-carrying pul leys and the most approved devices for this purpose will be employed.

As an additional means for supporting the derrick in upright position, hook-rods 111 are applied to opposite sides thereof by means of a suitable pivot connection, and said rods removably engage eyes or loops 112, secured to the inner upper portions of the opposite sides of the frame.

In the operation of the machine the driveshaft is set in motion by the sleeve 19 being thrown into engagement with the clutch member 18, and during the drilling operation the movement of this shaft may be controlled without in the least affecting the movement of the prime motor or engine which delivers power to the pulley 20. The drill-operating mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully explained, is of such nature that it will cause the drill to have the necessary drop either by a backward or forward movement of said mechanism, and hence the prime motor or engine need not necessarily be run in one direction, but will work equally well when reversed, and when it is desired to stop the machine entirely the prime motor or engine can continue to operate, in view of the fact that the sleeve 19 will be shifted under such circum stances to a point intermediate of the clutch member 18 and the pinion 37 or so that the said sleeve will be out of engagement with the clutch member and the pinion 21 out of engagement with the pinion 37. When the pinion 21 is thrown into engagement with the pinion 37 on the shaft 15 to rotate the shaft 45 and the reels 12 and 13 when desired, either of the pinions 38 or 39 may be thrown into mesh with the gear 14, in accordance with the direction of movement required to perform the work sought to be effected, and in the event that stoppage of either reel is found necessary the said pinions 38 and 39 will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 or out of mesh with the gear 1a through the medium of the yoke 40 and the shifting means conlIO nected thereto without stopping the movement of the shaft 36 or disengaging the pinion 21 from the pinion 37. Reverse movements will be imparted to the gear 44 by throwing the opposite pinions 38 and 39 into mesh therewith in alternation, it being understood that at no time are the two pinions 38 and 39 in mesh with the gear 44 simultaneously. The control of the motion of the different mechanisms as just set forth is of material advantage in this class of machinery, particularly in view of the fact that an operator is not required to run back and stop or start the prime motor or engine, but can remain at the front end of the machine, where all the shifting devices can be conveniently reached and operated, and should an accident occur the machine can be immediately stopped without liability of breakage or injury to parts cooperating with the drilling devices and the ropes or cables.

The operation of the mechanism for imparting a drop to the drill or other implement or tool that may be carried by the rope or cable 59 is simple and positive. \Vhen the sleeve 19 is in engagement with the clutch member 18 and the shaft 14 rotated thereby, the spurgears 77 are setin motion through the pinion 76, and if the movement be in the direction indicated by the arrows shown by Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the cranks 80 will turn in the direction shown and the yoke will move rearwardly and it and the link 86 will become alined, and the alinement of these two parts will be maintained until the members 84 of the yoke are engaged by the inwardly-projecting pins 83, when the alinement will be broken, as shown by Fig. 6, and during this operation the drilloperating frame, comprising the bars 88, will be gradually drawn downwardly. The continuous engagement of the pins 83 with the members 84 of the yoke 85 and the continuous rotation of the cranks 80 will push the yoke around to the position shown by Fig. 7, which is almost the lowest point of movement of the parts including the drill-operating frame, which will have been gradually lowered. The downward pull on the drill-operating frame will of course be exerted through the link 86, and the pulling strain will be concentrated at the point of connection of the link with the yoke and the points of attachment of the members 84 to the arms 82, and the yoke and link will continue to rotate in this condition until the pivotal connectingdevice for the link passes slightly to the right of the plane of vertical alinement of said pivotal device and the pivotal devices of the members 84, when the yoke and link will move upwardly in a sudden manner to the position illustrated by Fig. 5, and thereby also permit the drill-operating frame to fly upwardly and strike the lower bar 93 of the bufling mechanism heretofore explained and at the same time impart a drop motion to the drill or other implement attached to the rope or cable 59. This operation will be successively carried on at regular intervals, and the rope or cable 59 will be fed out or paid off proportionately to the descent of the drill during the drilling operation. The weight segments 81, forming part of the cranks 80, facilitate the operation of the mechanism just explained and also provide an extended bearing-surface for the members 84 of the yoke, and it will be understood that the pins 83 will be of such length as to engage the members 84 only and permit the link to escape them in its movement.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a well-drilling machine is provided which is equipped with various mechanisms to meet all contingencies encountered in drilling wells and to avert accidents, as well as breakage of the mechanism, and while the preferred form of the several parts have been shown and described it will be understood that changes in the form, proportions, dimensions, and minor details may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a well-drilling machine, the combination with a reel and a drill-rope adapted to wind thereon, of a movable device engaged by said rope to impart a drop to the drill, cranks having weight-segments and eccentric projections, and link connections between the cranks and the said movable device, parts of the link-sections being adapted to engage the projections of the cranks, the latter being capable of operation in reverse direction to draw on and permit the movable device to fly upwardly to impart the necessary drop to the drill.

2. In a well-drilling machine, the combinaing a dog secured thereto to move over and engage the teeth of the disk, the said reel be ing adapted to receive the drill rope, and means for operating the reel-shaft.

3. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a reel-shaft having a gear on one end thereof, a reel mounted on the reel-shaft, a toothed disk keyed to the reel-shaft, a dog secured to and rotatable with the reel to engage the said disk, a drive-shaft. a counter-shaft adapted to be connected to the drive-shaft, and pinions adjustably mounted on the countershaft and adapted to be thrown in engagement with the said gear in alternation to reverse the movement of the reel-shaft.

4. In a well-drilling machine, the combination with a drive-shaft, of a counter-shaft, a reel-shaft adapted to be connected to the counter shaft and having a drill rope loosely mounted thereon, a sand-pump reel, a toothed disk keyed to the reel-shaft, a dog secured to,

and rotatable with the drill-rope reel to engage the said disk, a shaft on which the sandpump reel is fixed, a gear on the end of said sand-pump reel-shaft, a counter-shaft having op positely-disposed pinions slidably mounted thereon to engage the said gear on the drillrope reel-shaft, means between the latter shaft and the drill-rope reel for actuating the latter, and shiftable means on the drive-shaft adapted to be thrown into and out of engagement with the rear extremity of the countershaft.

5. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a reel-shaft having a drill-rope reel loosely mounted thereon, means for operating the said shaft, a worm-wheel on the shaft, a toothed disk carried by the shaft, a dog adjustably held by the reel for engagement by the said disk, and a shaft adapted to be manually operated and carrying a worm-wheel to engage the said worm, the shaft carrying the worm-wheel being vertically adjustable.

6. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a reel-shaft, means for operating the same, a reel loosely mounted on said shaft and adapted to receive the drill rope, a toothed disk carried by the said shaft, and a dog adjustably held by the reel for engagement with the said disk whereby the reel may be connected to the shaft.

7. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a reel-shaft, means for operating the same, a reel loosely mounted on and adapted to be connected to the said shaft, a stop device adapted to cooperate with one end of the reel, and a pivoted latch adapted to hold the stop device clear of the reel.

8. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a reel-shaft, means for operating the said shaft, a reel loosely mounted on the shaft and adapted to receive a drill-rope, said drillrope, means for connecting the reel to the shaft, a toothed disk connected to one end of the reel, and a pivoted stop-lever having a tooth to engage the said disk.

9. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a sand-pump reel adapted to receive the sand-pump rope, means for operating said reel, a head at one end of the reel, and a single brake-shoe for the head having means for operating the same, the said shoe being fulcrumed at an intermediate point and operative to apply a braking pressure to the head by either an upward or downward movement of the means for operating the same.

10. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a sand-pump reel having a head at one end, means for operating said sand-pump reel, and a double-acting single brake-shoe to engage the head and having means for moving the same, the said shoe being brought into braking relation to the head by either an upward or downward movement of the means for operating the same.

11. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a sand-pump reel, means for operating the said reel, a head at one end of the reel having a circumferential rib, and a clouble-acting single brake-shoe to engage the said head.

12. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a drive-shaft, crank-disks operated thereby and provided with weight-segments, a yoke having links attached to the arms thereof and to the said cranks, the said links being adapted to engage portions of the cranks, a drill-rod-operating frame movably supported and connected to the said yoke, and a drill-rope engaging the said operatingframe.

13. In a well-drilling machine, the combi nation with a drive-shaft, of a drill-operating frame, a drill-rope engaging the said frame, crank devices operated by the drive-shaft and having projections and weiglit-segments, and movably-attached connecting devices between the frame and crank devices whereby the said frame will be released at a certain point in the plane of movement of the crank devices and be permitted to suddenly fly upwardly, the crank devices having projections adapted to be engaged by portions of the said connecting devices.

14. In a well-drilling machine, the combination of a drive-shaft, crank-disks operated thereby and provided with weight-segments, a yoke movably attached to the cranks, a drillrod-operating frame movably supported and connected to the said yoke, and a drill-rod rope engaging the said operating-frame, the said cranks having means to engage the yoke.

15. In a well-drilling machine, the combination with a drive-shaft, of a drill-operating frame, a drill-rope engaging the said frame, crank devices operated by the drive-shaft and having projections and weight-segments, and connecting devices between the frame and crank devices whereby the said frame will be released at a certain point in the plane of movement of the said crank devices and be permitted to suddenly fly upwardly.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER 'l. l/VILSUN.

Witnesses:

Unas. L. BURTON, Geo. 1. Buck.

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