Abstract: A water well developer is connected between the end of a hollow drill string and an air-actuated well casing perforator to allow air under pressure to be transmitted through the developer to the perforator. After completion of the perforation, and without removing the perforating tool, a ball is dropped down the hollow drill string to block a passage through a piston that is slidably mounted in the developer, causing the piston to be driven downwardly and to unblock ports through which jets of air are driven into the interior of the casing. As the developer piston is driven down it also completes a relief passage connection that dumps air or water from the perforator.

Abstract: A casing hammer for simultaneously driving casing and drilling a water well comprises a housing having an annular pneumatic chamber with an annular piston that drives an annular anvil which seals the lower end of the chamber. The chamber is formed by outer and inner sleeves of which the inner sleeve is fixed to an end cap solely at its rear end and is thus cantilevered from the end cap, being free of connection at its forward end. The forward end of the inner sleeve is stabilized by means of a relatively small clearance between the anvil and the sleeves at the front end of the chamber. The cantilevered connection of the inner sleeve at its rear end provides a smooth and unobstructed bore through which extends a rotating drill string that also extends through casing while the casing is being driven by the annular hammer.

Abstract: The method comprises providing an extremely strong and elastic alloy steel ring having a inner diameter substantially smaller than the outer diameter of the pipe to be joined, and an outer diameter much larger than such outer diameter of the pipe. Great axial forces are then employed to insert the pipe ends into the ring until an internal flange is abutted, thus stretching the ring without causing it to exceed its elastic limit. End seals are provided on the flange faces and are pinched off by the pipe ends, so that metal-to-metal contact results. Prior to forcing the pipe ends into the ring, it is mounted in an internal groove in a hinged clasp which aligns the pipe ends.The apparatus comprises the ring, the clasp and the seals, and further comprises the completed joint wherein the ring is under continuous great hoop stress.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the locking apparatus for maintaining in closed condition the two halves of the casing sections of a high pressure leak-testing apparatus for pipe joints comprises a plurality of bifurcated links. The locking apparatus further comprises a substantial number of hooks having end portions pivotally connected to the bifurcated links, the connections being at relatively thin hook portions which nest with the links. With the described construction by which a bifurcated or yoke-shaped end of one element is nested relative to a relatively thin portion of another element, it is possible to achieve extremely strong locking of the casing sections in closed condition despite the great pressure contained within the tester.In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the packer of the leak-testing apparatus comprises a hollow cylindrical mass of rubber which is split, and has insert elements molded therein.

Abstract: A casing hammer for driving casing while drilling a water well comprises a housing having an annular pneumatic chamber with a relatively lightweight, short-stroke annular piston. The piston is reciprocably driven at a high rate to provide a large number of light blows of controllable energy upon an annular anvil that seals one end of the chamber. Percussive blows upon the anvil are transmitted through a drive head and adapter to the upper end of the pipe to be driven. The hammer is suspended from a rotary drive head that operates a hollow drill string extending downwardly through the hammer and through the casing driven thereby.

Abstract: The present method and apparatus are believed to be the first to achieve, at least in a practical manner susceptible of widespread use on large numbers of joints, both proper engagement and proper makeup torque between tapered threaded members such as sections of pipe in an oil well or pipeline. In accordance with one embodiment, presently preferred, gage means are employed to determine the actual hand tight plane of each tapered threaded member, and a mark is made on each such member in predetermined relationship to the hand tight plane. Such marks are then employed for field inspection of joints which have been made up to a predetermined, measured, desired makeup torque. In accordance with another embodiment, the members (for example, casing and tubing sections and collars) are made up until the marks on the collar and the pipe are at a predetermined axial distance from each other at a predetermined makeup torque or predetermined desired range of makeup torques.

Abstract: A lower portion of water well casing in the ground is perforated by means of a toothed wheel journalled on the end of an arm pivotally carried by an elongated perforator body. The perforator body carries an air driven piston and actuator link connected to pivot the arm and wheel downwardly from an upward retracted position to a lower start position in which a point of one tooth and a flat end of an adjacent tooth contact the interior of the casing. In this start position the axis of rotation of the wheel is in an over-center position, below a line between the arm pivot axis and the point of the upper one of the two teeth that contact the casing surface. In this over-center start position, the perforator body is pulled upwardly so that the wheel teeth are pressed outwardly against the casing surface with great force by the over-center arrangement which urges the wheel axis closer to the casing.

Abstract: An external tester defines a sealed chamber around a pipe joint, such chamber then being filled with fluid under very high pressure. After introduction of fluid into the test chamber is terminated, a determination is made as to whether or not the pressure is reducing, any such reduction indicating that a leak is present in the pipe joint. To define a test chamber which is perfectly sealed so that fluid will not escape otherwise than through a leak in the pipe joint there are provided longitudinal sealing elements and arcuate sealing elements interrelated with each other and with an insert of the longitudinal elements. The inserts stiffen and mount the longitudinal elements, provide indexing of the casing sections, and prevent extrusion of the seal rubber, all in such a manner that no cracks remain through which the fluid may escape.

Abstract: The present method and apparatus are believed to be the first to achieve, at least in a practical manner susceptible of widespread use on large numbers of joints, both proper engagement and proper makeup torque between tapered threaded members such as sections of pipe in an oil well or pipeline. In accordance with one embodiment, presently preferred, gage means are employed to determine the actual hand tight plane of each tapered threaded member, and a mark is made on each such member in predetermined relationship to the hand tight plane. Such marks are then employed for field inspection of joints which have been made up to a predetermined, measured, desired makeup torque. In accordance with another embodiment, the members (for example, casing and tubing sections and collars) are made up until the marks on the collar and the pipe are at a predetermined axial distance from each other at a predetermined makeup torque or predetermined desired range of makeup torques.

Abstract: The present apparatus, method and seals relate to an external tester for defining a sealed chamber around a pipe joint, such chamber then being filled with fluid under very high pressure. After introduction of fluid into the test chamber is terminated, a determination is made as to whether or not the pressure is reducing --any such reduction indicating that a leak is present in the pipe joint. To define a test chamber which is perfectly sealed so that fluid will not escape otherwise than through a leak in the pipe joint, there are provided longitudinal sealing elements and arcuate seal segments of special construction. The longitudinal and arcuate sealing elements interrelate with each other and with extrusion-prevention and index elements in such manner that no cracks remain through which the fluid may escape.

Abstract: According to the present apparatus and method, a silent chain having an inversely-bent internal portion is caused to be in direct pressure engagement with the external cylindrical surface of a drill pipe or other object to be spun. The chain is mounted on at least five sprocket wheels, one of which is a drive wheel adapted to rotate about a movable axis which may be locked in any desired adjusted position. The pressure between chain and pipe is caused to be sufficient to spin the pipe but insufficient to injure the pipe or prevent relative sliding movement when the joint is completed. A spring is provided to absorb shock on completion of the joint, and to cooperate with the relative sliding movement in preventing injury to the apparatus or to any user thereof. The chain is caused to encompass a very large section of the diameter of the pipe, regardless of variations in pipe diameter.

Abstract: A pneumatically-operated thread protector for casing pipe, etc., has a thick rubber bladder which extends on (a) the outside, (b) the inside, and (c) the extreme end of the pipe, such bladder being generally U-sectioned or hairpin-sectioned. Provided around and within the bladder is a shock-resistant and wear-resistant metal housing which is also U-sectioned or hairpin-sectioned generally correspondingly to the bladder. Means are provided to seal the lips of the bladder to the housing, and to prevent the housing from shifting off the inflated bladder, in such manner as to permit substitution of new bladders yet to (a) maintain effective air seals, and (b) maintain the parts in assembled condition despite the effects of tremendous loads and shocks. Means are provided to inflate the bladder so that it will grip or grasp tightly the exterior and interior cylindrical surfaces of the pipe end, thus minimizing the possibility of accidental demounting of the protector from the pipe.