Long reach spindle drive systems and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604289-B2
Application number	US-201414315441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2014
Priority date	Apr 18, 2007
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A tool ( 100 ) for working the internal bore of a tube comprises a motor ( 10 ), having a housing with a rotary output; a housing sleeve ( 14 a ) and shaft ( 22 ); a first bearing housing ( 16 ), having a rotatably journalled first spindle ( 102 ), mounted on the housing sleeve; and an end sleeve and shaft connected to a tool head. The motor output drives, along a common axis ( 1 ), the housing shaft, first bearing spindle, end shaft and tool head. A change mechanism ( 56,58 ) is in the tool head to change direction of said drive to transverse said common axis. An output ( 60 ) is adapted to receive a tool bit. Gauge means ( 18,18 ′) is disposed on said tool head and is adapted, in use, to bear against the bore of the tube and maintain the tool head located radially with respect to the tube axis; and support means ( 24,24 ′) is disposed on one or more of said housing shaft, first bearing housing and end sleeve adapted, in use, to bear against the bore of the tube and support the tool. A long length of tool can work the inside of long tubes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stator for a progressive cavity machine, the stator comprising:
a tube having a central axis, a radially inner surface, and a radially outer surface, wherein the radially inner surface comprises a plurality of lobes and a plurality of troughs, wherein each trough is circumferentially positioned between two of the lobes;
wherein each lobe of the radially inner surface has a crown that includes an indentation; and
an elastomeric layer disposed on the radially inner surface.

2. The stator of claim 1 , wherein each lobe includes a flank extending from the crown to one of the troughs, wherein each flank includes undulations.

3. The stator of claim 1 , wherein each crown includes a pair of raised lips circumferentially adjacent the indentation.

4. The stator of claim 3 , wherein each indentation is disposed between the pair of raised lips on the corresponding crown.

5. The stator of claim 1 , wherein the indentations are scores formed from a plurality of ball bearings.

6. The stator of claim 1 , wherein the indentations are configured to guide the stator over a spindle head during formation of the troughs.

7. The stator of claim 1 , wherein the indentations are configured to increase the surface area of the radially inner surface for bonding of the elastomeric layer thereto.

8. A stator for a progressive cavity machine, the stator comprising:
a tube having a central axis, an outer surface, and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical lobes and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel troughs, wherein each trough is circumferentially disposed between two of the lobes;
wherein each lobe of the inner surface of the tube has a radially inner crown;
wherein a plurality of the crowns include an indentation, wherein the indentations are configured to guide the tube during formation of the troughs;
an elastomeric layer coating the inner surface of the tube.

9. The stator of claim 8 , wherein each crown includes an indentation.

10. The stator of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of the crowns include a pair of raised lips circumferentially adjacent the corresponding indentation.

11. The stator of claim 10 , wherein each indentation is circumferentially disposed between the corresponding pair of raised lips.

12. The stator of claim 10 , wherein each indentation is configured to receive a ball bearing rotatably coupled to a spindle head.

13. The stator of claim 8 , wherein each indentation is a score.

14. The stator of claim 8 , wherein the indentations are configured to guide the tube relative to a spindle head during formation of the troughs.

15. A method for forming a stator for a for a progressive cavity machine, the method comprising:
step (a) passing a tube over a spindle head a plurality of times, wherein the tube has a central axis, a radially inner surface, and a radially outer surface;
step (b) scoring the inner surface of the tube with a plurality of ball bearings coupled to the spindle head to form a plurality of circumferentially-spaced indentations on the inner surface of the tube with the ball bearings during said step a;
step (c) forming a helical groove in the radially inner surface of the tube with a cutting tool of the spindle head during each pass in said step (a) to form a plurality of helical grooves on the radially inner surface of the tube, wherein the plurality of helical grooves define a plurality of lobes and a plurality of troughs on the radially inner surface of the tube, wherein each trough is circumferentially positioned between two of the lobes, wherein each lobe has a crown that includes one of the plurality of circumferentially-spaced indentations formed during step (b);
step (d) applying an elastomeric layer on the radially inner surface of the tube after said step (c).

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising forming a pair of raised lips on opposite circumferential sides of each indentation during said step (b).

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
engaging the indentations with the ball bearings to guide the tube relative to the spindle head during each pass in step (a).

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
step (e) passing the tube over the spindle head a plurality of times after said step (a) and before said step (d);
step (f) engaging the indentations with the ball bearings to guide the tube relative to the spindle head during each pass in said step (e);
step (g) increasing a radial depth of each of the plurality of helical grooves with the cutting tool of the spindle head during said steps (e) and (f).

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein a raised lip is disposed on either side of each indentation.

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Wilmot Wessley Jack

Classifications

• Y10T409/30448

  with detachable or auxiliary cutter support to convert cutting action · CPC title

• B23B41/12

  for forming working surfaces of cylinders, of bearings, e.g. in heads of driving rods, or of other engine parts · CPC title

• F01C5/04

  the resiliently-deformable wall being part of the outer member, e.g. of a housing · CPC title

• B23C3/32 Primary

  Milling helical grooves, e.g. in making twist-drills · CPC title

• B23B2215/72

  Tubes, pipes · CPC title