US740026A - Ratchet-swivel. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STAT S Patented September 29, 1933.

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY H. K'ROHN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LESTER GRANT LOOMIS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

RATCH E,T-SWIVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,026, dated September 29, 1903.

Application filed November 3, 1902. Serial No. 129,982. (No model.)

To aZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HARRISON KROHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angelcs, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Ratchet-Swivel of which the following is a'specification.

An object of this invention is to provide a swivel rope-socket for well-tools which will positively and invariably act to prevent the relative rotation of the connected members in one direction and to allow the free relative rotation of said members in the other direction. I

My invention is embodied in two relatively revoluble members secured together and having opposed superposed faces, one of which faces has a runway oblique to the other face and amovable member in said runwayadapted to engage said other face to wedge apart said revoluble members axially when the relative rotation is in one direction and to free said members when the relative rotation is in the other direction. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a rope-socket swivel of superior strength and especially adapted for ready removal from the well by fishing-tools in case of breaking of the cable in a well of small diameter.

This is accomplished by the construction hereinafter more fully set forth, in which the rope is connected to the inner or lower endof the internal swivel member, so that the 'outside member may be of reduced diameter at its upper end. v

- A further object is to provide an improved construction by means of which all danger of cloggingis avoided. This is accomplished by providing vents close to the ratchet-faces which allow the drillings to work out from This I accomplish the tube. The loose member or members which act on the inclined faces to wedge the swivel members apart are balls which rotate in ways between the ratchet-faces and which roll along said ways to produce the wedging action'when the relative rotation of the swivel members isin one direction and which move freely when the relative rotation is in the other direction.

In carrying out this invention in its most desirable form it has been necessary to in vent several parts which will hereinafter be described and claimed and each of which might be used in combination with elements constructed differently from those shown herein.

My invention includes the ratchet-swivel and the combinations andparts herein described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure I isa view illustrating my invention applied in a well-drilling tool, portions being shown in axial section. fragmental elevation of the swivel viewed from the'rightof Fig. I. Dotted lines indicate internal construction. Fig. III is a fragmental elevation from the right of Fig. I, a portion of the case of the swivel being shown in vertical mid-section. Fig. IV is a perspective view of detachable wearing parts which form the ratchet. Fig. V is a detail of the key for fixing the lower ratchet member to the case. Fig. VI is a view of the under side of the upper ratchet-wearing member. Fig. VII is an enlarged sectional detail of the two ratchet members and thekey which is adaptled to fasten the lower one of said members to the lower member of the swivel. Line VII 0 VII and the arrows in Fig. VI indicate the plane of section and direction of sight.

1 is an open tubular case, having an internalshonlder 2 and screwed on a sub 3 and having a ratchet member 4 fixed to it by a key 5, fitted in a transverse channel 6, and having heads 7 fitted in slots 8, which extend lengthwise of the case. The ratchet member 4 is desirably provided with a groove 9, forming an annular way for ratchet-balls 1O.

11 is a rope-socket member, having an external shoulder 12, corresponding to the in- Fig. II is a 75 ternal shoulder 2 of the case 1. The ropesocket member 11 is fitted within the case 1 to rotate relative thereto and is provided at the lower end with a ratchet member 13, having inclined segmental ways 14 to engage the ratchet-balls 10. Said member 13 is fixed to the rope-socket member 11 by a pin 15.

16 designates antifriction-balls between the shoulders 2 and 12.

17 and 18 designate detachable antifriction wearing-plates.

19 designates a rope secured in the ropesocket member 11 in the usual way.

To assemble the members, the rope 19 will first be passed through the case 1. Then the antifriction- plates 18 and 17 will be placed on the neck 20 of the rope-socket member 11, and then the rope will be inserted through said rope-socket member and fastened therein with Babbitt metal in the usual way, leaving at the lower end of said member a cavity 21 to receive the pin a of the ratchet member 13, which will then be inserted and fastened with the pin 15. Then the balls 16 will be adjusted between the plates 17 and 18, and the socket member 11 will be brought into place in the case 1. Then the case, with the ropesocket therein, will be inverted to bring the upper end of the case uppermost, and the ratchet-balls 10, one for each of the inclined ways, will be dropped into place. Then the ratchet member 4 will be dropped in place on top of the balls and adjusted to bring the channel 6 into line between the slots 8. Then the double -headed key 5 will be inserted through said slots 8 and channel 6 and brought intoposition with its intermediate portion in said channel and its heads 7 in the slots 8 at each side of the body of the ratchet member 4, thus preventing said ratchet member from rotating relatively to the case 1. Then the sub 3 will be screwed into place. The pin 22 of the sub3 is of such length that when itis screwed fully into place in the case the inner end of said pin will engage the key 5 and hold it in its seated position just described. When the parts are thus secu red together, the ropesocket swivel is completed ready for practical use. \Vhen thus completed, it virtually consists of two relatively rotatable parts or members, one of which is formed of the ropesocket member 11 and its ratchet member 13, secured thereto, and the other of which is formed of the case 1, the sub 3, ratchet member 4, and key 5, secured to said case. Between these two relatively rotatable members is arranged the antifriction device formed by the plates 17 and 18 and balls 16 to sustain the strain in one direction and to allow free rotation of said two members relative to each other and the ratchet-balls 10 between the ratchet members 4 and 13 to wedge the parts to prevent relative rotation in one direction and to release the parts to allow relative rotation in the other direction.

In practical operation with well-drilling tools the rope 19 will untwist and retwist as the strain is applied and released, and by my novel appliance whenever the strain upon the rope is relieved the rope-socket member 11 may rotate freely under-the torsion of the rope, and immediately the strain is applied to lift the tool, thus reversing the rotation of the rope-socket member 11 and its ratchet member 13, the inclined faces 14 ride upon the movable ratchet members 10, thereby causing them to wedge the ratchet-faces apart, and thus causing a binding between the shoulders 2 and 12, so that the members are prevented from further relative rotation, and at each stroke the operation just described will be repeated. When the parts become worn, they are readily replaced by unscrewing the sub 3 and removing the key 5, whereupon the ratchet members become readily disassembled by sliding the casing up along the rope. The ratchet members 4 and 13 are most susceptible to wear, and their renewal is by the construction shown made very convenient. In case the plates 17 and 18 become worn they may be replaced by cutting the rope 19 and withdrawing the member 11 from the casing, whereupon the plates 17 and 18 may be readily removed. Then by driving the rope out of the socket the same is ready for reassembling in the manner above described.

In the drawings I have shown the device constructed for use with three ratchet-balls; but it is to be understood that I may use one or more ratchet-balls or movable members 10 without departing from the spirit of the invention. I deem three the most desirable for well-known mechanical reasons, the three balls being best adapted to equally take the strain. It is also to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact form of the ratchet-seats nor to the form of the ways in which the balls move. I

23 designates stops at the ends of the ways 14, which engage the balls for rotating them freely when the parts are relatively turned in one direction.

The internally-screw-threaded portion 24 of the case extends inward beyond the lower ends of the slots 8, and the screw-threaded pin 22 is of such length when screwed home that it extends beyond said lower ends of the slots, so as to hold the key in place when the parts are in place, as shown.

The ways 9 and 14 in the ratchet-faces are desirably curved in cross-section to fit the balls 10, and since the balls rest upon the lower way when the parts rotate relatively to each other the opposite movements of the upper and lower lines of contact between the ball and the upper and lower ratchet-faces cause the ball to immediately wedge between said faces and force them apart along the axis of the swivel when the rotation is in one direction and to as'quickly release when the rotation is in the other direction, and this wedging action takes place regardless of the presence of oil or other substances in the ratchet-ways. In case the cable should become broken when thetools are in the well, fishing-tools can be readily applied to engage the reduced upper end or hollow neck of the outer swivel member 1, so that the tools may be readily withdrawn from the well though the diameter of the well is small. The bore of the rope-socket member is enlarged at the lower end, as shown at 21, and is there cylindrical to receive the cylindrical pin a, and said rope-socket member is trans versely perforated at said enlargementof the bore, so that the perforated pin a may be readily secured in place by the pin 15.

It is to be understood that the bores of the case and rope-socket member are cylindrical and the ratchet members are also cylindrical.

The ways in the ratchet-faces of the members 4 and 13 lie in circles described from the axis of said members, respectively, and the segmental ratchet-faces 14 are inclined along said axis at a greater or less angle, as may be found desirable. There may be more or less endwise play of the parts along said axis, or such play maybe practically imperceptible. The openings '8 extend up beyond the upper face of the lower ratchet member at, so that they will communicate with the grooves or ways of the ratchets to free the same from drillings.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination with a vertically-movable rope, of a drilling swivel suspended thereon and comprising two relatively revoluble members secured together and having opposed superposed faces one of which faces has a runway oblique to the other face; and a movable member in said runway adapted to engage said other face to wedge apart said revoluble members axially when the relative rotation is inone direction, and to free said members when the relative rotation is in the other direction.

2. The combination with a vertically-movable rope, of a drilling-swivel suspended thereon and comprising a hollow internallyshouldered swivel member and an externallyshouldered swivel member in the hollow member, one of said members being provided with an annular raceway and the other of said members being provided with an inclined way and a loose member in the inclined way and annular way to wedge the members apart when they are relatively rotated in one direction and to free the same when rotated in the other direction.

3. The combination of a hollow case having an internal shoulder and side slots; a ratchet member in the case and having a transverse channel; a key in said channel and having heads in-said slots on each side of said ratchet member; a pin fastened in said case to hold said key in saidjchannel; a member in the case having an external shoulder; a ratchet member fixed to the last-named member; one

in the case having a ratchet-face opposed to the other ratchet-face; a key in said openings to connect said ratchet member with said case; means for holding the key in engagem'ent with the ratchet member to .prevent the same from rotating relative to the case; and one or more movable members between the ratchet-faces.

5. The'combination of a hollow case; a ratchet member in the case; means for fixing the ratchet member to the case; a revoluble member in the case; a ratchet memberfixed on the end thereof; and a movable member between the ratchet members to wedge them apart upon the relative rotation thereof in one direction, and to release them on the relative rotation in the other direction.

6. A member for a'swivel, comprising a tubular rope-sooket member which is transversely perforated at the lower portion and has a bore which is enlarged at the lower end; a rope fastened in the enlarged portion of said bore at a distance above the bottom thereof and extending out through the upper end of said swivel member; a detachable ratchet member having a transversely-perforated portion in said enlarged portion of the bore; and a pip through the perforations of said members. 7

7. The combination of a tubular rope-socket member which is transversely perforated at the lower end and has a bore which is enla'rged at the lower end, a rope fastened in the enlarged portion of said bore at a distance above the bottom thereof and extending out through the upper end; a detachable ratchet member having a transversely-pen forated portion in said enlarged bore, a pin through said perforation, an internally-shouldered tubular swivel member in which said first-named member is mounted, said tubular member being provided with a ratchet-face,

and a loose member between the ratchetfaces to wedge said swivel members apart endwise.

8. A hollow internally-shouldered swivel member having an internal raceway and also having a hollow neck at the upper end; an externally-shouldered swivel member inside said internally-shouldered member and provided at its lower end with one or more inclined faces, and at its upperend with a neck in said hollow neck; and one or more movable members between said raceway and iuclined face or faces to wedge the externally and internally shouldered members endwise.

9. The combination-of atubular case; having at its upper end a reduced hollow neck; a ratchet member in the case; means for fixing the ratchet member to the case; a revoluble member in the case; having a reduced hollow neck inside the neck of the case; a rope fastened in the neck of said revoluble member; a ratchet member fixed on the inner end of the revoluble member; and a movable member between the ratchet members to wedge them apart upon the relative rotation thereof in one direction, and to release them on the relative rotation in the other direction.

10. A swivel member having a ratchet-face, a case in which said member rotates, said case being furnished with openings in its sides; a ratchet member fastened in the case, having a ratchet-face opposed to the other ratchet-face near said openings, and one or more movable members between the ratchetfaces.

11. In a ratchet-swivel a member having an annular raceway on one side and a transverse channel on the other side;

12. In a ratchet-swivel a member having one or more inclined Ways on one face and a transversely-perforated pin on the other face.

13. In a ratchet swivel a tubular ropesocket member having an external shoulder, a neck above the shoulder and a transverse perforation below the shoulder; the bore of said member being enlarged at its lower end and the transverse perforation being at the part where the bore is enlarged.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, this 27th day of October, 1902.

HARRY II. KROI-IN.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. TOWNSEND, JULIA TOWNSEND.

Images