Mechanism and system for rotating an elongate member of an oil pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10107371-B2
Application number	US-201615367150-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2016
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A rotator mechanism for rotating an elongate member that is coupled to a reciprocating member of a pumping system includes: a body having a through-hole for receiving a portion of the elongate member; a first freewheel clutch configured to cause the elongate member to rotate incrementally about the body axis in a predetermined direction when the reciprocating member reciprocates; and a second freewheel clutch spaced from the first clutch and configured to prevent the elongate member from rotating opposite the predetermined direction when the reciprocating member reciprocates. One or both of the clutches includes circumferentially-spaced clutch elements, that may include rollers or sprags or both.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotator mechanism for rotating an elongate member that extends into a well bore and that is coupled to a reciprocating member of a pumping system, the rotator mechanism comprising:
a rotator body having a body axis and a through-hole for receiving a portion of the elongate member;
a first freewheel clutch configured to cause the elongate member to rotate incrementally about the body axis in a predetermined direction when the reciprocating member reciprocates; and
a second freewheel clutch spaced from the first freewheel clutch and configured to prevent the elongate member from rotating opposite the predetermined direction when the reciprocating member reciprocates.

2. The rotator mechanism of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first freewheel clutch and the second freewheel clutch comprises a plurality of circumferentially-spaced sprags.

3. The rotator mechanism of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first freewheel clutch and the second freewheel clutch comprises a plurality of circumferentially-spaced bearing members.

4. The rotator mechanism of claim 3 wherein the plurality of circumferentially-spaced bearing members comprise roller bearings.

5. The rotator mechanism of claim 1 further comprising:
a worm gear disposed about the body axis;
a worm meshing with the worm gear and extending along a worm axis that extends perpendicularly to the body axis, the worm configured to rotate about the worm axis;
a lever coupled to the worm and configured to rotate the worm relative to the body;
wherein the first freewheel clutch is coupled between the lever and the worm and configured to cause the worm to rotate in a first direction about the worm axis when the lever rotates in the first direction, and configured to allow the lever to rotate freely relative to the worm when the lever rotates in a second direction, opposite the first direction; and
wherein the second freewheel clutch is coupled to the worm and configured to allow the worm to rotate in the first direction and to prevent the worm from rotating in the second direction; and
wherein the first and second freewheel clutches each include a first race disposed about the worm axis, a second race disposed about the worm axis, and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced clutch elements disposed between the first and second races.

6. The rotator mechanism of claim 5 wherein the circumferentially-spaced clutch elements comprise roller bearings.

7. The rotator mechanism of claim 5 wherein the circumferentially-spaced clutch elements are configured to require the second race to rotate in the first direction along with the first race when the first race is rotated in the first direction; and
wherein the circumferentially-spaced clutch elements are configured to allow the second race to rotate relative to the first race when first race rotate is rotated in the second direction.

8. A rotator mechanism for rotating an elongate member that is configured for reciprocation in a pumping system, the rotator mechanism comprising:
a worm gear configured to rotate the elongate member in incremental steps;
a worm meshing with the worm gear and disposed for rotation about a worm axis; and
a first clutch comprising a first race and a second race, the second race coupled to the worm so as to rotate along with the worm;
wherein the first clutch is configured such that a plurality of repeated cycles that include incremental rotation of the first race in a first direction about the worm axis followed by rotation of the first race in a second direction about the worm axis causes the second race and the worm to make a plurality of incremental rotational movements that progress in the first direction; and
wherein, within each of the repeated cycles, the first race moves in the first direction by an angle that is greater than zero and less than 15 degrees.

9. The rotator mechanism of claim 8 wherein within each of the repeated cycles, the angle is greater than zero and less than 7.5 degrees.

10. The rotator mechanism of claim 8 further comprising:
a body including through-hole configured to receive a portion of the elongate member;
a second clutch comprising:
a first race coupled to the body in a manner the prevents rotation of the first race relative to the body; and
a second race coupled to the worm;

wherein the second clutch is configured to allow the worm to rotate in the first direction about the worm axis and to prevent the worm from rotating in the second direction about the worm axis.

11. The rotator mechanism of claim 8 further comprising:
a body including a through-hole configured to receive a portion of the elongate member; and
a lever coupled to the first race of the first clutch to rotate along with the first race; and
wherein the worm gear includes a central hole concentrically aligned with the through-hole of the body and configured to receive a portion of the elongate member.

12. The rotator mechanism of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of circumferentially-spaced clutch elements disposed between the first and second races.

13. The rotator mechanism of claim 12 wherein the circumferentially-spaced clutch elements comprise roller bearings.

14. A rotator mechanism for rotating an elongate member that is configured for reciprocation in a pumping system, the rotator mechanism comprising:
a body including a longitudinal body axis and a through-hole aligned with the body axis and configured to receive a portion of the elongate member;
a worm gear set coupled to the body and including:
a worm gear disposed for rotation about the body axis; and
a worm meshing with the worm gear and disposed for rotation about a worm axis;

a lever coupled to the worm and configured to rotate the worm relative to the body; and
a first clutch including:
a first race coupled to the lever in a manner the prevents rotation of the first race relative to the lever; and
a second race coupled to the worm in a manner the prevents rotation of the second race relative to the worm;

wherein the first clutch is configured to cause the worm and the second race to rotate in a first direction about the worm axis when the lever and the first race move in the first direction, and configured to allow the lever and the first race to rotate relative to the worm when the lever moves in a second direction about the worm axis, opposite the first direction; and
wherein the worm gear is configured to rotate the elongate member about the body axis when the worm rotates in the first direction.

15. The rotator mechanism of claim 14 wherein the first clutch comprises circumferentially-spaced clutch elements between the first and second races.

16. The rotator mechanism of claim 15 wherein the circumferentially-spaced clutch elements comprise roller elements.

17. The rotator mechanism of claim 15 wherein the circumferentially-spaced clutch elements comprise sprags.

18. The rotator mechanism of claim 15 wherein the first race is an outer race, and the second race is an inner race, and wherein the plurality of circumferentially-spaced clutch elements comprise:
a plurality of roller elements disposed axially-adjacent a plurality of circumferentially-spaced sprags.

19. The rotator mechanism of claim 14 further comprising a second clutch comprising:
a first race coupled to the body in a manner the prevents rotation of the first race relative to the body; and
a second race coupled to the worm;
wherein the second clutch is configured to allow the worm to rotate in the

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Rappenecker Jeremy Michael
• Davison Matthew S

Classifications

• F04B47/02

  the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level (F04B47/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F04B47/026

  Pull rods, full rod component parts · CPC title

• F04B47/022

  driving of the walking beam · CPC title

• F16H31/001

  Mechanisms with freewheeling members · CPC title

• E21B43/127 Primary

  Adaptations of walking-beam pump systems · CPC title