US2044203A - Oil field rotary - Google Patents

Description

June 16, 1936. B, BOYKlNv JR 2,044,203

OIL FIELD ROTARY Filed Aug. 1, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3mm BurwelIBoyHinJr.

June 16, 1936. B. BOYKIN. JR

OIL FIELD ROTARY 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1

BurweHBoyKinjv.

M W. M O J 0. o s Q mm m m u n U9 Q E June 16, 1936. B, BOWN JR 2,044,203

OIL FIELD ROTARY Filed Aug. 1, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet s Bum/4e Boykm Jr gwuc wto'o mum as @aw Patented June 16, 1936 OIL FIELD ROTARY Burwell Boykin, Jr., Beaumont, 'Iex., assignor to International Derrick & Equipment Company,

a corporation Application August 1,

Claims.

The invention relates to rotaries employed in communicating a rotative movement to the drill stem and the drill in oil field drilling.

Oil field rotaries of this general character are very common. A table, having a central opening to receive the kelley at the upper end of the drill stem, is mounted rotatably upon a base. A gear ring around the margin of the table is operatively connected with a drive pinion to rotate the table and the well drill. In the modern practice of well drilling by the rotary system 1t is desirable to rotate the rotary at a high rate of speed for the reason that the drill when rotated rapidly is found to not only make a hole more rapidly but to keep the hole straight. When the large size rotaries are rotated at a high rate of speed rapid wear upon the device results and also there is danger in connection with rotating a table of large diameter at an excessive speed.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device for engaging the drive stem-or kelley which is operatively connected with the usual rotary table so that the speed of rotation of the kelley may be increased over the speed of rotation of the rotary table. In other words, I contemplate the provision of a speed increase between the table and the kelley engaging member operated thereby.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a rotary of the usual construction upon which a kelley gripping device may be mounted and adapted to be operated through the rotation of the rotary table, such assembly being removable from the table when desired.

It is a further object to provide a speed change device to be used with the rotary table which is enclosed in such manner as to avoid danger to the operator and to protect the gears employed in operating the kelley driving means.

The invention resides particularly in the arrangement of the construction the mechanical details of which will be more thoroughly understood from reference to the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away in vertical section to show the construction of my device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1 certain parts being broken away for greater clearness.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through an attachment to be employed upon a rotary showing a slightly different embodiment from that disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar vertical section illustrating a still difierent embodiment of the inventive idea.

1935, Serial No. 34,201

My device is adapted to be attached to the ordinary rotary with but slight changes in the construction thereof. In fact it is intended as an attachment for rotaries now being operated. In the drawings, I have shown a rotary mounted upon abase comprising two opposite skids or supports l which are connected transversely by beams '2.

The rotary includes a bed plate 3 having a central opening do therethrough, through which the drill bit is adapted to be extended. Mounted rotatably upon this base is the rotary table 4. Said table comprises a unitary casting, the upper portion of which is of annular flattened shape. The outer margin of the table furnishes attachment for an annular gear ring 6, which is shrunk around the outer surface of the table and may be secured thereto by any desired means. The table is extended downwardly around the central opening 5a and has adjacent the lower end a bearing raceway l adapted to be supported upon a row of rollers or balls .8, said balls being supported upon a lower raceway '9 resting upon the base 3.

The table is given a rotary motion by means of a drive pinion It secured upon the drive shaft II. This pinion is adapted to engage with the teeth of the gear ring 6 and communicate rotative movement thereto. Said shaft is journaled in bearings 12. and 13 supported upon the base at one end thereof.

Within the rotary table I have shown an adaptor Id. This adapter may be of any desired size and is supported in the opening 4a through the table upon a shoulder on the inner wall of the opening and is held against rotation by a locking bolt is extending inwardly from the table. Said bolt is operated through a hand lever II, this part or" the structure forming no part of the present invention.

The adapter is shown as having a squared opening at l8 to engage with the lower skirt I9 upon my kelley gripping device which will be presently described. Below the squared opening H3 is a downwardly tapered Wall '20 within which the pipe engaging slips ordinarily employed may be inserted when desired.

My kelley driving means includes a lower base or drive plate 2| which is annular in shape and has adjacent its inner margin the downwardly extending skirt l9 previously noted. This skirt is squared in plan view so as to engage within the squared opening l3 and be hence rotatable with the rotation of the rotary table.

The drive plate 2| of the kelley gripping device has, mounted at a plurality of points thereon, drive pinions or gears 22. Each of said pinions is mounted upon a vertical post 23, the lower end of which is reduced and extended through a supporting boss 24 formed upon said drive plate 2| and held in position by a nut 25 on the lower end of said post. There is abearing housing 25 between the post and the interior of the gear upon which the gear is rotatable. As will be seen from Fig. 2, I employ two such pinions although any desired number may be used.

Each pinion gear meshes: on its outer side with an annular internal gear 26 which is secured to the inner wall of the housing 21. On its inner side the gear 22 meshes with agear 28 upon a bushing 29.

The housing 21 is fixed in position and is extended downwardly around the outer margin of the drive member 2| and has a hold-down plate 28 secured thereto, said plate engaging below the outer margin 29 of the rotatable base 2 I. Between the housing and the outer margin of the plate 2| is an anti-friction bearing 30. It will thus be seen that the plate 2| may rotate relative to the housing, the bearing 30 serving to limit the amount of friction between the base and the housing.

At one side of the housing member is a laterally extending arm 3|, which is anchored at its outer end at 32 to the frame of the base.

The drive bushing 29 to which the gear 28 is attached is reduced at both ends, the lower end extending downwardly through the skirt l9. There is a shoulder at 33 resting upon the upper end of the skirt l9 and the upper end of the drive bushing is held from movement downward relative to the housing by a cap plate 34- secured to the bushing and extending over an upwardly extending line 35 upon the housing. The interior of the drive bushing is formed of polygonal shape to engage with the outer periphery of the drive stem or kelley 36.

In the operation of the rotary through the rotation of the drive shaft II, the table 4 will be rotated upon the bearings 38 upon the base and in rotating will carry with it the lower plate 2| of the kelley drive. The rotation of this lower plate will carry with it the gears 22. As the outer portion of each gear 22 is engaged with the internal gear 26 it will have a rapid rotation as it is moved around within the housing. This rotation will be communicated to the gear 28 upon the drive bushing 29 and the result will be a rapid rotation of the drive bushing. The sizes of the gears 22, 26, and 28 may be so calibrated as to give the desired speed ratio between the rotary table 4 and the drive bushing 29 and it will be seen that a moderately slow speed of the rotary table will result in a comparatively high speed of rotation of the drive bushing 29. It will be possible, therefore, through this arrangement to drive the kelley 36 at a high rate of speed without the necessity of rotating the table 4 at an excessive rate. As the rapidly rotating drive bushing is housed in the manner shown it will be possible to maintain these gears properly lubricated and protect them against slush and. mud. Furthermore, this arrangement is conducive to safety in that the rapidly rotating parts are not exposed.

In Figs. 3 and 4 modified forms of the kelley driving means are shown. In the Fig. 3 embodiment I have shown the base member 2| as having a bearing raceway 31 supporting the drive bushing 29 so that the bushing in operating will not be subject to excessive friction during rotation. I also place a bearing raceway 38 toward the upper end of the housing and at a point above a shoulder 39 on the upper portion of the 5 bushing. The bushing itself is formed. with a radially extending flange 40 upon which the gear 28 is secured.

The interior of the drive bushing is shown as providing with a squared upper end 4|, below 10 which the opening is circular and tapered at 42 to a cylindrical opening 43 at the lower end. This type of drive. bushing enables one to place a kelley gripping member within the squared opening 4| which when removed will allow the 15 use of slips within the tapered portion 42, thus making it unnecessary in handling pipe to remove the kelley driving means from the rotary table.

In Fig. 4 the kelley drive bushing 29" is pro- 20 vided with a squared opening through its length to fit about the kelley. There is a lateral flange 44 at its upper end engaging over the shoulder upon the upper end of a rotating sleeve 45. The drive bushing is held in place supported upon 25 the sleeve 45 by a cap 46.

The sleeve 45 has a squared opening to receive the drive bushing and has a radial flange 41 to which the gear 48 is secured. The sleeve 45 is supported above and below the flange 41 by race- 30 ways 49 and 50, respectively.

It will be seen that with this type of attachment for the rotary ordinarily employed I am enabled to drive the kelley at a rapid rate of speed without the necessity of rotating the heavy 35 rotary table at more than an ordinary moderate rate of speed. This will be of material advantage particularly in the heavy types of rotaries which are employed in drilling deep wells where a high rate of speed is desired. Hence with the 40 heavy type of rotary where rapid rotation is undesirable I am enabled to get the desired rapid rotation of the drill stem without danger to the operator or heavy wear upon the equipment.

What is claimed as new is: 5

1. A rotary table, means to rotate the same, said table having a central opening, a drive plate fixed against rotation therein, a pinion on said plate and rotatable with said table and drive plate, a stationary housing about said drive plate, 50 an internal gear thereon engaging said pinion,

a kelley, a drive bushing thereon, and a gear on said. bushing engaging said pinion.

2. A rotary table, means to rotate the same, said table having a central'opening, a drive plate fixed against rotation therein, a pinion on said plate and rotatable with said table and drive plate, a stationary housing about said drive plate, an internal gear thereon engaging said pinion,

a kelley, a drive bushing thereon, means on said drive plate to rotatably support said bushing, and a gear on said bushing engaging said pinion.

3. A well drilling rotary including a circular table, a central opening therein, a drive plate fitting non-rotatably in said opening, means to rotate said table, a pinion mounted rotatably on said drive plate eccentrically thereof, a stationary internal gear operatively engaging said pinion,

a central drive bushing and a drive gear on said bushing engaging said pinion and rotatable thereby.

4. A well drilling rotary including a table, means to rotate said table, a drive plate engaging non-rotatably in said table, a kelley extending through said table and plate, a drive bushing on said kelley and a geared. drive transmission between said plate and said bushing, whereby said bushing and kelley are rotatable at a higher rate of speed than said table.

5. A well drilling rotary including a rotatable table having a central opening, a drive plate engaging non-rotatably in said opening, a drive bushing above said opening, and a gear transmission between said plate and said bushing whereby said bushing is rotatable at a speed higher than that of said rotary table.

6. A bed plate, a table rotatably mounted thereon, means to rotate said table, a drive plate engaging a central opening in said table, a plurality of drive pinions on said plate eccentrically thereof, a stationary housing for said plate and pinion, a drive bushing rotatably supported centrally of said plate, a gear on said drive bushing engaging said pinion and a stationary ring gear on said housing engaging said pinion on the outer side thereof.

'7. A bed plate, a table rotatably mounted thereon, means to rotate said table, a drive plate engaging a central opening in said table, a plurality of drive pinions on said plate eccentrically thereof, a housing enclosing said plate and pinions, means on said housing to hold the same stationary, an internal gear on said housing engaging said pinion, a drive bushing centrally of said plate, and a gear thereon engaging said drive pinion.

8. A kelley drive member adapted to be engaged within a rotary table and to be rotated thereby, said member including a drive plate engaging said table, a stationary housing interfltting about the margin of said drive plate, a central drive bushing, and means on said plate operatively engaging with said housing and drive bushing to rotate said drive bushing at a speed greater than that of said plate.

9. A kelley drive member adapted to be engaged within a rotary table and to be rotated thereby, said member including a drive plate engaging said table, a stationary housing interfltting about the margin of said drive plate, a central drive bushing, a radial flange on said bushing, bearings for said bushing above and below said flange, and means on said plate operatively engaging with said housing and drive bushing at a speed greater than that of said plate.

10. A kelley drive member adapted to be engaged within a rotary table and to be rotated thereby, said member including a drive plate engaging said table, a stationary housing interfltting about the margin of said drive plate, a central drive bushing, a radial flange thereon, antifriction bearings above and below said flange, a polygonal kelley engaging seat in said bushing, a gear on said flange, a stationary gear on said housing and a drive pinion on said plate engaging both said gears.

BURWELL BOYKIN, JR.

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