US3259196A

US3259196A - Rotary kelly hammer

Info

Publication number: US3259196A
Application number: US345916A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert J Hawthorne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-02-19
Filing date: 1964-02-19
Publication date: 1966-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 1983-07-05

Description

July 5, 1966 H. J. HAWTHORNE ROTARY KELLY HAMMER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 19, 1964 INVENTOR. %5559721 f/, wzwomv BY 'Mae y 19 7' IVEYS y 5, 1966 J. HAWTHORNE 3,259,196

ROTARY KELLY HAMMER Filec Feb. 19, 1964 V 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w !r ma IIJIIIIlI United States Patent O 3,259,196 ROTARY KELLY HAMMER Herbert J. Hawtlorne, P.0. Box 7301, Houston, Tex. Filed Feb. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 345,916 17 Claims. (Cl. 173-78) The present invention has reference to a combination rotary kelly and hammer adapted for drilling Operations.

Known practices for imparting a pulsating force to a rotary drill include various techniques such as the provision of a hammer assembly mounted at the lower end of the drilling string immediately adjacent the drill bit. Likewise, various hammer arrangements have been provided for above ground operation. In such prior art, significant shortcomings are present. When the hammer is below ground immediately adjacent the drill bit, the hammer is inaccessible and otherwise difficult to operate. In the event of damage to the hammer, the entire structure must be removed from the holes in order to repair the same. Above ground hammers suffer shortcomings which are equally significant. Among these is the additional length which is required for the derrick to actuate a hammer. In instances where suitable drilling equipment is used, the derrick length is advantageously kept as small as possible.

Accordingly, the present invention contemplates a new and improved impulse hammer for drilling, this hammer being part and parcel of the rotary kelly such that the same is an integral unit. Moreover, the hammer is constructed and arranged with respect to the well drilling equipment to provide an efiicient utilization of the aboveground derrick length.

Another feature of the present invention -resides in the provision of a hammer and rotary kelly of the character described wheren the hammer is only operated when required. That is to say, means are provided for actuating the hammer only in instances where relatively hard strata or formations are encountered and hammer impulses impartedto the drill will enhance the drilling speed and efliciency. Thus, when the formation shifts from hard rock to softer clay and sand, the hammer need not be operated and the life of the drill bit is prolonged accordingly.

Still further according to this invention, there is provided a combination rotary kelly and hammer, wheren the rotary kelly is Suspended from a swivel joint for drive by a rotary table. The prime mover means for actuating the hammer within the kelly is carried by the nonrotatable part of the swivel joint housing. Drive is thereby transmitted to the hammer by a hollow shaft, and the entire arrangement is adapted to transmit cuttng fluid downwardly into the drilling string and the drill bit.

The present invention contemplates a new and improved hammer means for well drilling equipment which is of notably simple and inexpensive Construction and capable of reliable and trouble free operation under field conditions.

These and still further objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent in the specification and claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawingsz- V FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic elevation view of a rotary kelly hammer according to this invention mounted on a suitable derrick;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional view of the rotary kelly hammer;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged elevational section view the upper part of the assembly in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational section view of a modified embodiment of the assembly;

ice

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing an enlarged view of the upper part of the assembly in FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 6 and 7 are sectional plan views of the hammer carried in the rotary kelly, in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational section view of still a further embodiment of this invention; and

FIGURES 9 and 10 are sectional plan views taken along lines 9-9 and 10-10 respectively in FIGURE 8.

Referring now to FIGURE l, there is shown a derrick 10 mounted on a rear end of a truck or vehcle 12, the derrick having a cable and pulley assembly 14 joined to the upper end of a swivel joint 16. In turn, the swivel joint 16 carries a Kelly joint 18 adaptedfor engagement by a rotary table 20 to drill a hole via drilling pi-pe 22 which is driven into the ground through the Kelly joint 18 and the rotary table 20. This general arrangement is well known in the art and tlie instant invention relates to means associated with the swivel joint 16 and the Kelly joint 18 to provide a new and improved arrangement to efiect a percussion impulse to the drilling pipe when desired.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3 a power hammer Operating means 24 is carried by the swivel joint 16 above its swivel connection 26, the rotary Kelly joint 18 carrying a hammer 28 therein.

Specifically, the swivel joint includes an upper housing 30 having a cable receiving means 32 at its upper end.

This housing 30 is of generally inverted V-shaped tubular conguration and receives a flexible hose 34 via a coupling 36 joined to one of its legs 38. Its other leg 40 is flanged at its lower end 42. Referring now to FIGURE 3,. an intermediate sleeve 44 having an upper fiange 46, is joined to the fiange 42. These

anges

42 and 46 are joined together by bolts 48 in the usual fashion. The sleeve 44 is interiorly threaded at its lower portion 50 and has an enlarged counterbore 52 at its upper end receiving an interiorly threaded disc 54, with roller bearngs 56 spaced between the disc 54 and the lower surface of the flange 42 so that this disc 54 is freely rotatable.

A packing gland 58 is positioned adjacent to the under-' side of disc 54 to reduce triction when the disc 54 is rotated. An upper part 60 of a gear housing 61 has a boss 62, exten'orly threaded, and received by the interiorly threaded lower portion 50 of the sleeve 44. Conveniently, the length of the boss 62 within the sleeve 44 is such that the packing gland 58 is properly biased upwardly so as to minimize the friction caused by rotation of the disc 54, has well become evident. The upper gear housing part 60 is connected to a complementary lower part 64 to define a hollow interior 66. Opposed flanges 68 on the upper and lower gear housing parts 60 to 64 mate with one another and are joined together by bolts 70.

The boss 62 has a n enlarged counterbore 72 receiving a thrust hearing 74; a hollow downwardly extending shaft 76 is threaded at its upper end 77 into engagement with the interior threads of the disc 54. Thus, the hearing 74 houses this shaft 76, and an O-ring seal 78 is conveniently positioned above the thrust hearing 74 between the shaft 76 and the interior of the boss 62.

The upper part 60 of the gear housing 71 carries a drive motor 80 in laterally offset relationship to the axis of the shaft 76. The shaft 76 carries a drive gear 82 within the gear housing 66, power being transmitted to this gear 82 by

reduction gears

84, 86 and 88, the gear 88 being connected to the output drive of the motor 80 while the

gears

84 and 86 are mounted on a common shaft 90. Thus, operation of the drive motor rotates the shaft 76 and in this regard the threaded connection of the upper end of this shaft 76 and the disc 54 is opposite to the normal direction of rotation when the drive motor 80 is Operating.

Patented July 5, 1966` The lower part 64 of the gear housing 66 has an exteriorly threaded depending boss 92 surrounding the shaft 76.

A bell-shaped swivel housing 94 is threaded at its upper end to the depending boss 92, the housing 94 carrying a sealing gland 96 about the shaft 76 and having an exterior flange 98 at its lower enlarged end. The upper end of the rotary Kelly joint 18 is received within the lower enlarged end of the swivel housing 94, there being provided a hollow bell shaped member 100 having an upper flange 102,

bearings

104 and 106 being positioned above the flange 102 and below the flange 102 retained by a bottom cover plate 108 which is joined to the flange 98 by bolts 110. The hollow member 100 is interiorly threaded at its lower enlarged end 112 and receives the upper threaded end 114 of a Kelly joint housing 116, these elements being retained by countersunk screws 117.

The Kelly joint housing 116 is of substantial length in accordance with known practices and is of a hollow crosssectional configuration, receiving for longitudinal movement therein the hammer 28. The hammer 28 is of heavy Construction and the shaft76 passes completely therethrough. The shaft 76 has splines 118 extending therealong and cooperatively engages With splined grooves 120 about the upper interior end of the hammer 28. The hammer 28 is, of course, of a lesser length than the longitudinal interior size of the Kelly joint 18 so that the hammer 28 can move longitudinally therein.

The lower end of the hammer 28 has a cam surface 122 which cooperates with a cam surface 124 at the bottom part of the housing 116. Thus, rotation of the shaft 76 forces the hammer upwardly along the cam surface 124 of the housing 116 until it reaches the upper extremity 126 of the cam surface then leaving the hammer to fall downwardly to impart a percussion or impulse blow to the drilling pipe 22 therebelow. The lower end of the housing 116 is exteriorly threaded at 128, and an oil retaining ring 130 is carried between the lower exterior end of the shaft 76 and bottom bore 132 of the housing 116.

The operation of the FIGURE 1 embodiment of this invention is as follows:

The upper housing 30 is connected to the cable 34 on the derrick via the connecting means 32 and the Kelly joint 18 is assembled within a rotary table in the usual fashion so that the rotary drive is transmitted to the eXterior drive-transmitting surface 136 of the housing 116, so that the Kelly joint 18 is rotated to drill the well hole. Drilling fluid is piped down to the bottom of the well shaft via flexible hose 34, the

hollow housing legs

38 and 40, through the hollow shaft 76 and then downwardly through the drilling pipe 22. When the motor 80 is not operating there is no rotary force on the shaft 76 and the hammer is not operating but simply rotates with the Kelly joint 18.

When hard strata is encountered wherein it will be advantageous to impart an impulse or percussion to the drilling bit (not shown), the drive motor is operated, and the shaft 76 is driven in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the Kelly joint 18. By this arrangement, the hammer within the Kelly joint housing 116 rides upwardly along the cam surface 124 and then drops so that the impulse is in a cyclical fashion for each revolution of shaft 76 relative to Kelly joint housing 116. Thus, the impulse blows can be started and stopped as desired and the life of the drilling tool is preserved.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, there is shown an arrangement generally similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 but the shaft 76 moves longitudinally to impart the percussion blows to the Kelly joint housing 116 'via the hammer 28. In this embodiment of the invention the disc 54 and bearing 56 are eliminated so that the shaft 76 is longitudinally movable within the boss 62 at its open end.

The shaft 76 moves longitudinally with the hammer 28 to impart the percussion or impulse blows to the Kelly joint housing 116. To this end, the disc 54 and hearing 56 are eliminated so that the shaft 76 is longitudinally movable within the boss 62 and the aligned enlarged lower bore 140 of the leg 40.`

The reduction gear 86 which engages the drive gear 82 on the shaft 76 is of substantial length, corresponding to the stroke which is ultimately imparted to the hammer 28 during operation. In FIGURE 2, the drive gear 82 is at the upper end of the stroke, and meshes with the upper part of the reduction gear 86. The drive gear 82 carries a depending hub 142 having a cam surface 144 at its lower end. The lower part 64 of the gear housing 61 carries a cam plate 146 in alignment with the upper end of the depending boss 92, in stationary relationship as by weldng. The shaft 76 is freely rotatable relative to the stationary cam plate 146, its upper surface 148 cooperating with the cam surface 144, during rotation of the shaft 76 to transmt longitudinal impulse movement to this shaft. Thus, when the cam surfaces 144, 148 cooperate to drop the shaft 76 impulse blows are transmitted directly to the hammer 28.

In this embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical hammer 28 has a counterbore 150, interiorly threaded, at its upper end, while the lower end of the shaft 76 carries a threaded flange 152 nested in the lower end of the counterbore 150. A bearing 154 is seated on the top of the flange 152 and this arrangement is held in place by an exteriorly threaded bushing 156. Thus, the reciprocating and rotary motion imparted to the shaft 76 is transmitted into a simple reciprocating percussion movement to the hammer 28 which strikes the bottom interior surface 158 of the Kelly joint housing 116.

Thus, with this embodiment of the invention, a square kelly and cooperatively shaped square hammer may be utilized (FIGURE 6), or the hammer may be cylindrical (FIGURE 7), with driving flutes 160 along the exterior surface 136 of the Kelly joint housing 116.

Referring now to FIGURE 9, still further modification of the instant invention is shown wherein the hammer is confined to reciprocating movement via a reciprocating and non-rotating bored shaft 76. Instead of utilizing the arrangement of a motor and reduction gears for driving the shaft 76, a fluid motor is utilized. In this regard, the fluid motor includes an upper cylnder head 172 having an upwardly extending boss 174 which is flanged to the lower end of the lower leg flange 42, these elements having an aligned bore 176 adapted to receive reciprocating movement of the shaft 76, a seal ring 178 insuring that the cutting fluid does not contaminate the fluid motor 170. A cylnder 180 having upper and

lower flanges

182, 184 is joined to the upper cylnder head 172 and has an apertured lower wall 186 merging with the flange 184. The wall 186 thereby defines an integral lower cylnder head.

The fluid motor 170 carries a valve sleeve 190 confined for rotary movement. The cylnder 180 has upper and lower

pressure inlet ports

192, 194 respectively and upper and

lower exhaust ports

196 and 198, respectively. Each set of inlet and exhaust ports are diametrcally opposed, and the valve sleeve 190 has upper and

lower inlet ports

200, 202 and

exhaust ports

204 and 206. Each set of inlet and exhaust ports in the valve sleeve 190 is arranged so that when the valve sleeve is in one radial position, the

pressure inlet ports

192 and 202 are aligned, and the

exhaust ports

196 and 204 are aligned; in another position, the

upper inlet ports

192 and 200 are aligned as are the

lower exhaust ports

198 and 206.

The shaft 76 carries a piston 208, in rigid relationship as by welding or the like, the arrangement of ports just described allowing for reciprocating upward and downward movement of the piston 208 as will now be explained. The radial movement to the valve sleeve 190 at the end of each stroke is obtained by an arrangement of vanes which engage one another at the extremities of the piston stroke. In this regard, the piston 208 carries opposed upwardly extending guide plates 210 and downwardly extending guide blocks 212. The interior surface of the valve plate 190 likewise carries stationary guide plates 214 at the upper end and opposed stationary guide plates 216 at the lower end. These guide blocks 210, 212 and guide plates 214, 216 are arranged in radial and angularly disposed positions so that when the piston reaches an extreme end of its stroke it engages a set of the guide plates carried on the valve sleeve 190 and rotates the same through a slight arc by a wedging action so that the alignment of the ports is changed as previously described. Specifically, when the piston is moved upwardly with pressure through the ports 194, 202 (and the

exhaust ports

196, 204 open) the upper guide blocks 210 angularly intersect the guide plates 214 and wedge the valve sleeve 190 in a counterclockwse direction (FIGURE 9) so that the alignment of the ports is changed. When this occurs, the upper

pressure inlet ports

192, 200 are then opened, the lower eX- haust ports 198-206 are opened and the piston 208 moves downwardly where, at the lower end of its stroke, the guide blocks 212 engages guide plates 216 to move the valve sleeve slightly in a clockwise direction and the piston can then move upwardly. Thus the mating surfaces of the guide blocks and guide plates are angularly disposed to one another to etfect this wedging action.

The lower cylinder head 186 carries a depending flange plate 218 having an enlarged bore 220 and an interiorly threaded counterbore 222. The swivel housing 94 has an upwardly extending, exteriorly threaded boss 224 and a square counterbore 226 which receives a square stabilizing block 228, threaded to the shaft 76. In this regard, the shaft 76 may be of two parts and joined together by a threaded connection via this stabilizing block 228. This arrangement confines the shaft 76 to reciprocating movement in a simple and convenient manner. In this embodment of the invention, the Kelly joint housing 116 is joined to the swivel joint 16 via its interiorly threaded upper end 230, carrying a plug 232 and the lower exteriorly threaded end of the bearing plate 234. A drive shaft bushing 236 s carried on the upper end of the plug 232 within the lower end of the bearing plate 234.

By virtue of the arrangement of the fluid motor 170 in this embodment of the inventon it is apparent that reciprocating percussion blows are imparted to the hammer 28 when pressure is supplied to the

ports

192 and 194 from any suitable pressure source (not shown). This embodment of the invention is characterzed by Simplicity, and unusual ability to withstand abuse as is encountered in the field.

From the foregoing description of the various embodments of this invention it is evident that the objects of this invention, together with many practical advantages are successfully achieved. While preferred embodiments of my invention have been described, numerous further modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

Therefore, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the acompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Well drilling equipment comprising: a rotary kelly having an exterior surface constructed and arranged to be driven about its axis by a rotary table and movable downwardly through the rotary table; hammer means carried within said kelly for longtudinal movement relative thereto; and means for actuating said hammer means for imparting impulses blows to said rotary kelly via said hammer means.

2. Equipment defined in claim 1 wherein said actuating means is operative independently of rotary motion transmitted to said kelly via the rotary table.

3. Drilling equipment defined in claim 1 including a swivel joint at the upper end of said rotary kelly operative to receive said rotary kelly -for free rotation, said actuating means being operatively carried above said swivel ioint.

4. Equipment defined-in claim 3 including a housing carried in stationary relationship relative to said swivel joint; said actuating means being carried within said swivel joint housing.

5. Rotary kelly defined in claim 1 including 'a swivel joint adapted to carry the upper end of said rotary kelly for free rotation; and means for transmitting cutting fluid downwardly through said swivel joint -housing and said rotary kelly.

6. Equipment defined in claim 5 wherein said actuating means is carried by said swivel joint housing and including hollow shaft means -for transmitting impulse force from said actuating means to said hammer means.

7. Equipment defined in claim 6 including cam means constructed and arranged to transmit rotary motion into longtudinal impulse blows to said rotary kelly via said hammer.

8. Well drilling equipment comprising: a rotary kelly having an exterior surface constructed and arranged to be driven about its axis by a rotary table and mov-able downwardly through the table; a hammer carried within said kelly and having a longtudinal bore therethrough; a hollow shaft joined to said hammer and extending upwardly through said rotary kelly; a swivel housing including a swivel joint received at the upper end of said rotary kelly for free rotation, said shaft extendng upwardly into said swivel housing; means carried by said swivel housing in cooper-ative relationship with said shaft; said swivel housing adapted to transmit cutting fluid downwardly through said shaft, said hammer, and said rotary kelly; said actuating means being operative to impart hammer impulses to said rotary kelly via said shaft and said hammer.

9. Equipment defined in claim 8 wherein said actu- -ating means includes rotary drive means operative to impart rotary movement to said shaft means; said hammer being mounted for longtudinal but non-rotatable movement relative to said shaft and relative rotary movement with respect to said rotary kelly; and cam means cooperatively positioned between said hammer and said rotary kelly for raising said hammer along said shaft relative to said rotary kelly and then dropping the s-ame against the bottom interior of said rotary kelly, in a direction of rotation opposite to the operative direction of rotation of said Kelly joint.

10. Equipment defined in claim 9 wherein said hammer is connected to said shaft by a spline joint.

11. Equipment defined in claim 8 wherein said hammer is mounted for independent relative rotary movement with respect to said shaft but fixed to said shaft in a longitudinal direction; said actuating means being operative to raise said shaft and said hammer and then drop the same against the bottom interior of said kelly.

12. Rotary kelly defined in claim 11 wherein said actuating means includes a fluid motor.

13. 'Equipment defined in claim 12 wherein said fluid motor includes a piston carried by said shaft; a cylinder surrounding said piston; a rotary valve sleeve operatively carried between said cylinder and said piston; and means for moving said valve in an arcuate path at each end of the stroke of said piston to thereby change the direction of `the stroke of said piston.

14. Equipment defined in claim 13 wherein said valve moving means includes means carried by said piston and means carried by the interior of said valve sleeve, said piston moving means constructed and arranged for wedging engagement with said valve sleeve moving means to move said valve sleeve in said arcuate path.

15. Equipment defined in claim 12 including a noncircular stabilizing member carried by said shaft below said fluid motor to prevent rotation of said shaft.

16. Equipment defined in claim 8 including `a drive motor; reduction gear means operatively connected to said drive motor; a gear carried by said shaft in engagement with said reduction gear means; and cam means carried 7 within said swivel housing operative to transmit rotary movement mparted to said shaft gear into longitudinal impulse movement.

17. Equipment defined in claim 8 wherein said hammer has a noneircular rotary exterior configuration to thereby prevent relative movement with respect to said Kelly joint,

References Cited by the Examine' 8 -Parrish et al. 64-23.5

Cooley 173-104 Hunn 173--78 Morrison 173- 78 Alexander 173-163 MILTON KAUFMAN, P''mary Examiner.

L. P. KESSLER, Assistant Exam'ner.

Claims

8. WELL DRILLING EQUIPMENT COMPRISING: A ROTARY KELLY HAVING AN EXTERIOR SURFACE CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO BE DRIVEN ABOUT ITS AXIS BY A ROTARY TABLE AND MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE TABLE; A HAMMER CARRIED WITH SAID KELLY AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL BORE THERETHROUGH; A HOLLOW SHAFT JOINED TO SAID HAMMER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID ROTARY KELLY; A SWIVEL HOUSING INCLUDING A SWIVEL JOINT RECEIVED AT THE UPPER END OF SAID ROTARY KELLY FOR FREE ROTATION, SAID SHAFT EXTENDING UPWARDLY INTO