[1]United States Paterit Office 21819,878 2,819,878 SUSPENSION DRILLING DEVICE AND JAR 5 Julius S. Beek, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to J. E. IEII, Fort Worth, Tex. Application September 24, 1956, Serial No. 611,461 10 5 Claims. (Cl. 255-28) This invention relates to oil well drilling aiid has refer- 15 ence to a device to be connected in a drilling string. In rotary drilling, and particularly in deep wells, it is difficult to maintain the optimum weight on ',he drill bit. Too much weight lends to eccentric drilling, and not enough wei.-ht impairs efficiency of the drilling operation. 20 Moreover, eccentric drillin.- creates critical angles in the bore hole and the resultiti.- bindin.- and increased resistance does not give a true readin.- on the Nveight iindicator at th.- earth's surface. Also, eccentric drill strings impair triic readings in survey instruments lowered 25 therein. The present invention is directed to a telescoping device for con-.iection in a drill string above a drill bit, with the result that the wei,-ht of the Dipe above the device does not aff.-ct the wei,-ht load on the bit. The desired 30 weight or load on the bit is accomplished by adding or removing le-n.-ths of drill pipe and collars below the device; thus, a selected constant, or nearly constant, load is appl,.".d and carried to '@h-@ bit at all times regardless _ of the length and weight of the drill pipe siispended 3' thereabove, or re.-ardless of the frictional resistance of the pipe above the device with the side of the bore hole. Thus, the drill string below the device has a plumb bob action for eliminatin.- or reducin., eccentric holes, and thus prevents buckling of the strina as occurs in conven- 40 tional drillin.- i,,,hen too much load is placed on the bit. The i-@ivention has ad@,antages or objects other than reducing or eliminating eccentric holes. For example, by reason of its constructio.7i, the itivention may also be 45 used as a jar -if the drill strili.- or bit becomes stuck, as by reason of earth formation bridging, the device may be used to jar either up or down, or may be tised for biimping. Another object of the invention is ,he - elimination of Go botince and the reduction of vibration in the drill pipe and drill collars above the device, thus, extendin.- the life of the drill pipe, kelly bushin.-s, si&,ivels, and generally reducing the wear on the entire drilling apparatus. Ano',her object of the invention is to provide an effec- 55 tive seal arran,@em.-nt in a suspension drillin.- device, and which seal prevents drillin.- fluid from passin.- directly into the device's lockin- or clutch mechanism, thus, reducing wear due to the abrasive qualities of the drilling fl,, 60 ,d. In addition to the foregoing, the suspension drilling device coriprising the present invention reduces the number of bits used during any one drilling operation since excess weight is not arplied to the bits; fewer round trips (;5 are made to replace t.@e bits; drilli,@ig tim@- is reduced by reasoti of more eii'lcient operation of the rotary bits; and few bits, if any will break in the hole, thus redticing or eli-,Pinatin.- fishin@ operations. The invention also eliminates wash pipes, such as those 70 used in rotary jars, thus allowing survey - instrum.-nts to be lowered through the device and at the same time Patented Jan. 14, 1958 2 providing a larger orifice through the device for reducing mud friction. In the accompanying drawing of an exemplary form of the invention: Figure 1 is a broken elevation of a length of drill string having a rotary bit on the lower end thereof, and shows the present invention installed in the string above the bit. Fig,,ire 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional and brokenelevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 is a broken perspective view of the mandrel of the present device showing one of the longitudinal ribs and its laterally projecting keys forming a part of the lock mechanism. Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the mandrel taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the tubular body taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2. Figure 6 is a vertical sectional and perspective view of the lower end of the tubular body. Figure 7 is an enlar,-ed vertical sectional view of the cylinder comprising the upper portion of the device and showing a sealing construction therein for directing drilling fluid through the mandrel and preventing the fluid from cutting the referred to locking mechanism. Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, but showing the upper end of the seal actuating spring and means securing the sam.- iii the upper end of the cylinder. Figure 9 is a broken elevation of a niodified form of the invention in which the keys on the mandrel are arranged in an opposite direction from those shown in Figure 3. As illustrated in Figure 1, the present suspension device 10 is connected in a drill string 11 ilicluding a rotary rock bit 12 and any required number of drill collars 13. The present suspeiision drilling device 10 is connected between drill collars 13 and as will become apparent the weight or load on the bit 12 is primarily determined by the number of drill collars connected beneath the suspension drilling device. As illustrated in detail in Figure 2, the present device 10 is comprised of a tubular body including an upper tubular cylinder portion 14, and a lower tubular member or body 15 throadedly connected therebeneath, a tubular mandrel 16 slidably disposed within said cylinder 14 and body 15 and extending downwardly beneath the latter, together with a sub 17 threadedly connected with the lower end of the mandrel 16. The sub 17 is of a larger diameter than the mandrel 16, and which sub is provided with tapered threads 13 on its lower end for connection with the drill collars 13 and bit 12 therebeneath. The upper end cf the mandrel 16 is enlarged, at 19, for sliding contact with the inner surface of a tubular liner 20 of wear resistant material in the upper tubula cylinder 14, and the upper end of the cylinder 14 is prov ded with threads 21 for connection with a drill collar 13 thereabove. Immediately below the threads 21, the cylinder 14 is of reduced diameter to provide an inwardly formed shoulder 22, which construction provides an opening 23 for the passage of drilling fluid therethrough. Immediately below the shoulder 22 the inside diameter of the cylinder 14 is enlarged to provide a hydraulic chamber 24 for effecting a shock absorber action to be referred to in the following description of operation. The enlarged diameter 19 of the upper,end of the mandrel 16 is provided with internal buttress threads 25 for engaging and gripping corresponding threads 26 on the lower end of a sealing member in the form of a piston type cylindrical seal 27, the diameter of which above the mandrel 16 is in sliding contact with the tubular liner 20. The upper end 28 of the seal 27 is cupped
[2]to- r@e@ive- a- cdtT@-sporidingly, shaped - circular holldw@ ft-tainer 29. The retainer 29 is held in its described position @y means of a coiled d6mpression spring 30 having i5pdr@ gfriiiea"diffeiri-, 31,-.4f" o;'Ii' dadh dhd: tliet6of Thb -d a,dapter 31 engages the inwardly fomied shdijla@f 21--'Of@ thi@-@ cylifid6i !'& *hefda@ the lowe@ ad@Oter 31' bdars against the upper surface of the retainer 29. Thd 6pehirig' 23 iif i@6-. slfotilddr 2,1,@ the diainet6.@- of thd s@ri'tig, the OP zdidl@ 32@ and ' 33 througli tubular rharidiel@ i6 aiid @ub 17 a're: 6f suffi@ient diameters to perriiit survey f661 @ t6 b6 16uiei@d thei6thtough. A predeterinined calcitla'te@d-- spiing' I . dei'd@ ekpaiids' the upper end of tho resilierit seal 27, by constant pressure on the cupped retaiiie@ 20, 96' thif-l' Ali-, 6ff 66tiv 'e,:s,edl'is it i,;iijitai@n-ed'eve@n thougli-there ii@ iifs cf6Wiii@@ifd: sti@g6 of fluid pi@@ssure at the time. As flie@ oiiti@'r sd@f'a-de'' df thi@ s@dl 11 Wears, thd spring lodd laterally expands the seat and thus in effei@t- eauge@ the@ 96al,'@ t6@ r6pl'ade i&61f. Thd Li@p@r pring E@daoter it is secured in place by means of t gcrew 34 in oiia'sid@ bf tlfd;c-'yli'nd@r i4 ddd thf6iigh the iriwa@diy f6rinc@d gh'6!ilder I 22, where the inner'eiid of' t& sc--r-e-w e-n. gages a eircu ar gibove Ss, ih the@ ii@per p@2@it of said r@tainer. T'he Idm@er end of the retainer is of reduced d . iariieter, as@ at 36, f6 re'cdiv'e the' upper end of the spring 30 theredn, aind dtidth@i set scrbw 31 is secured in the side of the teduc@d di6iifet6@ 36 bbt@@@e-.n coils of the @pring,for securin.- tht y, thd' I' fa@ffer iii pl'tde'. giiiiif;irl' o et'ietairief 31' is'prow vided with' a T:educbd diami@ter, as at 36', for receivin 9 th6 lower end of the spring 30, and a screw 38 is pro -@ided in the referred' to reduced diarneter befween the ,coils of the sprina Thus, in the event that the 4@ylinder 14 dnd the bbd@ 15 should become separated, th6 spring So rilei@ b6@raised by means of the upper diill strin- 11 I f,@hiig f6 the@ o,a'tth's gurfd&e and thu@' permit unimpaire( of the lower portion of the device. Thd 16)@er inside diameter of the tubul@r body 15 is 6zil@rged *li6fe the same is provided, with verti6al rows of inf6gkal s@aced b'oss.es 39 for en.-agiiftg c6rrespbhding I-atefal keys 40 infe.aral'with and on opposite sid@s of the iridnd@el t6. Tho keys 4b are integr:ally joined wi I th v6rtiedi@ lon@it@adinat ribs' 41 on corresporiding sides there6f, and as: sh6wTi in Figures 2 and 3, these ribs beijig on the right side of said k.-ys. It is to be n'oted that in ihe iliti8tra:ted f6rin of the invention that tli&te ate tw, keY' 46 ori 6ach side 6f the rriandrel 16 and that the S v6ttical: ril'@ 4i e'xt6r@dg thereabove. If is also to biz@ notod thai in the fltustrated torm o@ the invention thet& are three boss6@ j9 in e@tch v&itical row, and ti-iat theke ar e two k6ys 4,i 6'n each gide 6f the mandrel for edaction thetewith, @iid that the'bcitses' 39 are spac@ad frora the ldW6t end 6f t,he iubul'a@r body so that the lo,,@ermost key 40 Aiay be @b@iti6ni@d th6rdbeiieath. Als'o, v,,ith refere ce t6 the n i(@vef ' d 6f the tiibular body 15, it w'ill be n6ted that thd iairiie i@ inwaid shouldered, as a't 42, io provide IY @lidiiig' c6ntadt with the surface df the@ itiandr-@l 16, ind @f@ sb:6@vn iii Fig'ur6s 2 and 6 there is ) citclilaf gr:oove @j '-- f - - ' I ' c@r6iii or receiving dn o@-ri I n.- s6al 44. Thd sli6uldered lo@ver end 42 of the bbdy 1.5 serves a@ a hd -M - er A f 'r @frildng the iippet end or shoulder of 0 m i@6 @tib i7, tlxio la-tt6t being -@h4@reinaft--r fi@f@rfed to as tii6 :iiivii B, dtirin'g' 66ita-iii pha@es of the operati6n to d,@6ii76d. Si-,iiilatly, but for zi different op@-,ratioh, the lop6@- surf@ce. of . th4@ 8houlder 42 se@rves as d hammer C f6i strikfiig the' Id@V@-r edges of the two lo'wermost keyg 40 on th& iiiahdt6l 16, a'nd which tey --d-.1s are herein@ftet ie@ferred to as anvil D. Another, biit ifti@p6rtaiat detail of constru-@tion, is a pdrt ts in' th6 Wall 6f th6 tuvulat body 15 -ccor eq'ualizing ,@ . je@ ilig@dd z@fi dutside of th6 ttibul' pt@ssii d ar inandtdl 16. 'h@ p"-o"r't'45 a-Is-o- acdc;riirhodAt-@s fluid dispiac@eiiient 1,@lithin thd b6dy- i@ duiing 66ftdiii Phd-,es 6f the 6tdfdtiori. o@i@ati-o@n driuing- tool .. 1,0 - is @ conhected in @ the@- driu, stdift, string- 11 between upper and lower dtill collars 13 and above the bit 12 as sho,,vn in Figure 1. The string 11 is then lowered in the hole with the suspension drilling tool 10 in its extended position until the bit 12 reaches the bottom of the hole. The string 11 is then raised sufficiently to take a reading of the tdt@Ll'*dight of the drill string asse mbly,, afte'r which the string. is agairc- lo@,vefdd3 until the bit touches bottom and anotber reading is taken on 10 the weight indicat6t fbr establish'iiig the diffbte@ilce in total weight and the' ik6igbt'of thd up@per portion of the string @ above, thd suspeli@idn drillitg device; Thus ' the difference in weight is the weight or load on the drill bit. If this weiglit'dr'pfd@giire' i@ jibt correct the drill 15 string 11 may be removed from the hole and collars 13 added or removed as required. The drill string 11 is picked up off of the bottom and the pumps are started, thu@ circula:ting drilling fltiid downwardly through the string. Af ter th6 fluid' returiis through the bore ii6l'e 20 aroutid the stririg 11, zincitfiet wei@ht indication@is taken to' det0iniiiie th6 diffdf,- @ii@e bdtwten the in itial weiglit atid thi@@Nveight aftef'fltiid is circuiated. Thus, the actual dpetating load 6n thei bit 12 is d6termined, ineltiding effective added weight by re@Lson of the piston-li acfion 25 of'the-seal 21 with;n the hydraulic chamber 24. Initially, the@ su@p.ension drillitig d4@vice 10 is in its contracted position, aft er@ which the brake on the draw works is locked and thef driji st@ihg 11 is rotated causing the bit 12 to turn and drill in the bottom of the hole. It is to be 30 understood that durina the diilling operation the vertical ribg 4@ oii tbe matidtel 16 make slidin.- contact with the bossos 39 Withiii thd body 15 for transmitting torque froffi the upper drill !@trin@a to the lower drill string and thb bit li. Continued rotdtion of the drill string allows 35 1 th6 bit 12 to f@dd into the earth until the mandtel 16'of thi@ device 10 becomos full@ extended, at which ti'me the weigh,t indic@t(ir'a-t thd tarth's surface registers an incredse iii weight. The ftilly extended position of the mandrel' 16 is determined by cont@ct of the lower keys 40 40 with the inwardly forriied shoulder 42 in the bottom of the tool body 15. The upper portion of the drill st6m 11 is then Idweted until the body 15 contacts the shoulder of the ub i7, and aftef %,hich the described drilling operation is repeated. If any part of the drill string 11 becomes stuck, either while drilling, -oing in'to the hole, or comin.- out, then tho suspensioii ddvide 10 may be used for determinginWhether the upper length or the lower length of the drill 50 stririg i sttick, and for freeing the drill string. If the stiina cannot be freely faised and IoNvered, the indication is th,@t the upper portion of the string is stuck above the @u@pen'sidn diilling tool 10 and conventional methods are required to free the siime. On the other hand, if 55 the uppbr portion of the drill string moves up and dovin fre'ely within the limits of the' stroke of the devicl.-, then the indi@ation is that'.the dri,],l stting is gtuck belciw the stispension device. The driller then has the option of usiiir.rthe tool fdr spudding (working up and down as in (io cabl& tool drilling) to free the lower length of drill string, ot . the use@ of the siispen ion device as a delayed action jar. It is Pointed out thtit spudding is not pr-- ferred since such operation tends to buckle. corkscrew, dbg leg or othenvise da.- na.ae the expensiv-- drill string. In delayed jarring, and if coming oat of the hole wheii ti5 the string is stuck below the stispeiisicn device, ttie tipper leL th of drill string is turned to the right several -turns 9 until considerable torql-ie is applied to the lower length of the string. The L@pper length of the stri@ig is then the torque and sli-ht result70 s'to,;Aly i-eleased, thus releashig in,@ momentum of -,vhich caiises the lower bosses 39 in the body 15 to engage the keys on the malidrel 16, after Nvhich the dri I 11 string is lgwered and thus weighted or loaded@er eating potential ener-y for the jarring operation 75 After the surface pipe has been set, the suspension to follow. The upper string is then rotated to the right,
[3]2,819,878 5 disen,-a,-,,in.- the bosses 39 of the keys 40, and after which the upper string is suddenly released causing the hammer A on the loiver end of the -',ody 15 to strike the anvil B on the upper end of the sub 17. Such operation inay be repeated, but during the downward jarring operation it is preferred that the bit 12 is not on the bottom of the hole. In order to jar Lipwardly, the upper portion of the strin- is lowered until the siispension device 10 is in its contracted position and the lower portion of the string is then rotated to the right causing the bosses 39 to siidably en-age the vertical ribs 41. The upper string is turned to the right creating a torque in said upper string, after the upper string is then gently released and the slight resulting momentum will cai-ise the upper bosses 39 to engage the keys 40. The upper length of drill string is then raised and stretched a calculated length and while iia a raised and stretched position the upper string is a.-ain rotated to the right causing the bosses 39 to disengage the keys 40 and cause the hammer C (shoulder 42) tO strike the anvil D (lower ed,-e of the keys 40). As before, this operation may be repeated until the lower string is dislodged. It is to be understood that the jarring effect, either up or down, may be varied by engagement of the keys 40 between the upper and lower bosses 39. During the drilling operation described in the foregoing, the equalizing port 45 in the side of the tubular body 15 admits and discharges drilling fluid from the bore hole as the piston-like seal 27 moves up and down. BY reason of the diameter of the hydrauiic chamber 24 being larger than the diameter of the axial passage 32 through the mandrel 16, a downward piston@like action is imparted to the mandrel and the drill string therebelow. As the drillin.- fluid is forced under pressure downwardly through the drill strin.-, si-ich force tends to spread the cupped shaped -upper end of the seal 27, but it is pointed out that the described arrangement and action of the preloaded spring 30 on the seal creates an effective seal at all times, even when the fluid is not passing therethrough. An alterizate forin of the invention An alternate or modified form of the invention includes all of the parts described in connection with the siispension drilling tool 10 with the exception of the location of the vertical ribs 41' which are to the left of the keys 40 as viewed in Fi.oure 9 instead of on the right as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. This form of the invention has, for its primary object, the provision of a device which is installed in a drill string and is for furnishing a readily available jar durin.- drilling, reaming, formation testing, and directional drilling operations. The device is capable of jarring in eitherdirection, and by reason of the seal 27 and its component parts, the device may be left in the string without dama.-e to the device by reason of the washing action under pressure of abrasive drilling fluids as described in connection with the suspension drilling device 10. Depending upon the type of operation to be performed, drill collars 13 may or may not be employed, and in certain operations, such as rearaing, a drifl bit, such as 12, may not be used. The device is always locked during drilling and other operations by reason of the described location of the vertical ribs 41' on the left side of the keys 40. As before, if the drill string 11 bec(>mes stuck, it can be determined whether or not the free point is above or below the device by releasing the torque, thereby releasing the bosses 39 from the keys 40, and attempting to move the drill string up or down. If, while the device is thus unlocked, the drill string moves the length of the stroke of the device, theri the free point is above the device. On the other hand, if the drill string does not move freely, then the free point is below the device and conventional methods may be employed for dislodging or retrieving drill string. Where the drill string is stuck below ' he device, and after the torque has been releasekt, and in order to strike up, the device is contracted by downward movement of the upper drill string until the lower end of the body 15 touches the shoulder on the sub 17, and after which the upper string is rotated to the right to cause the bosses 39 in the body 15 to engage the keys 40 on the mandrel 16. The upper length of the drill string is then stretched 10 a calculated distance, after which torque is applied and released with the result that the bosses 39 disengage the keys 40 and thereby suddenly release the body 15 and cause the hammer C to strike the anvil D for dislodging the sttick pipe or tools. The operation may be repeated 1,5 as required. In order to strike down, the upper portion of the string is raised to its extended or partially extended position, as may be desired, and the upper string 11 is again rotated to the right to lock the device and to apply torque as 20 before. A downward pressure is then applied to the upper string and the torque is released, causing the bosses 39 to release the keys 40 and allow the hammer A to strike the anvil B. The operation may be repeated as required to dislodge the lower length of the drill string 25 and tools thereon. The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims. What is
