Abstract: Device for facilitating the assembly of lengths of jacketed pipe base well screens in wells, wherein assembly is to be with manual or power tongs which have a greater vertical height than the blank pipe base end sections of the screens. The device includes a pair of pivoted semicylindrical portions which have compressible rubber liners at their ends which overlie the screen jacket and jaws at their ends which overlie the blank pipe. A removable pin locks the screen jacket end of the device at a fixed O.D. while the jaw end has a gap between the nonpivoted edges of the pivoted portions which permits a reduction in diameter as force from a set of tongs compresses the device and the jaws therein against a blank section of pipe.

Abstract: Improved packer assembly for sealing a well screen to a casing avoids contamination problems of expandable lead packers and the abrasion of self-sealing packers which can be rendered ineffective before they reach their intended depth. A pair of annular end members, adapted to be threaded to the well screen and to the drill stem, are joined by a compressible, tubular metal portion. When the well screen is at its intended depth, a swedge dropped against the upper end member of the packer assembly will compress the ends of the tubular metal portion toward each other while the intermediate portion expands into sealing relation with the casing. The seal can be enhanced by applying rings or layers of elastomeric material to the tubular metal portion.