SPOOLING ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTINUOUS COMPOSITE SUCKER ROD

Abstract

A coiling arrangement for a continuous composite sucker rod for a well sump includes a spool having a substantially cylindrical shape. A support structure rotatably supporting the spool about a rotation shaft, and for translatory movement. A guide arrangement moves the spool reciprocally such that the reciprocal motion of the support structure is along a direction that is parallel to the axis of rotation of the shaft. The rod is thereby accumulated on the spool in a spiral manner with minimal lateral deflection. In one form the spool is reciprocal relative to its support shaft. In another a support structure is reciprocal with the spool.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority pursuant to Title 35 USC §119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/178,313, which was filed on May 14, 2009, and which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Oil well pumping systems typically use a rod that interconnects a reciprocal pump that is located at the bottom of a well to a reciprocating actuator on the surface. The rod, which is commonly referred to as a sucker rod, transfers the reciprocal motion of the actuator to the pump. A typical well may have a depth of 5,000 feet or more (about 1,500 meters or more).

Conventional sucker rods are made of steel tubing that is assembled in sections, for example, 32-foot sections, while being inserted or removed from a well. Such rod sections are typically threaded end to end and present a time consuming and labor intensive process for installing, uninstalling, or repairing sucker rods.

In the past, composite sucker rods have been proposed, which can form a continuous rod or at least a rod section that is substantially longer than the 32-foot steel rod sections previously used. These composite rods may be made of a fiberglass core that is combined with a hardened resin. In the past, such fiberglass rods, which could have various cross section shapes, were installed to replace the previously known steel rods for interconnecting a surface actuator with a well pump. In certain applications, a glass fiber rope would be dispensed from a roll and combined with the hardening resin as the rod is inserted into the well bore. In the event of cracks or breaks in the composite rod during operation, the rod would be pulled from the well, cut into pieces and discarded or, alternatively, repaired and reinserted into the well.

An improvement over those known composite rods came in the form of a composite rod having a rectangular cross section, which is commonly known as a ribbon rod. Ribbon rods are configured to bend sufficiently in one direction to permit the coiling of a rod section onto a reel. One example of a ribbon rod and a reel arranged to coil sections of the rod can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,391, which issued on Jan. 7, 1986, to Tanner et al. That patent describes a continuous length of reinforced plastic ribbon rod that can be wound on a reel. The ribbon rod disclosed in the patent is described as a replacement for a conventional oil well sucker rod formed of long sections of steel rods. The reinforced plastic has a high modulus of elasticity, is sufficiently stiff for use in pumping, and has enough flexibility to be wound onto a reel or drum. The reel of ribbon rod is positioned above an oil well surface opening and the ribbon rod, with an oil pump attached to its free end, is lowered to the bottom of the well. The ribbon rod is secured to a surface pumping means, and reciprocating motion is transmitted to the oil pump through the ribbon rod.

As is further described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,391, one or more reels of ribbon rod can be stacked laterally across a truck bed such that longer lengths of rod may be installed in a well. Specifically, the rods unrolled from successive reels can be connected end-to-end using couplers to yield a length of rod that is longer than the length that can be carried by any single reel. Each reel may hold about 300 feet of ribbon rod, which is almost a ten-fold improvement over the lengths of steel rods that were previously used.

Although the use or ribbon rods in general is an improvement over the steel tubing sections used in the past, the finite length of rod that can be stored on a reel is limited, for example, to about 300 feet. Thus, a typical well depth of about 5,000 feet requires a ribbon rod that is held in, for example, seventeen reels, which is assembled using sixteen end-to-end rod connections to form a single rod length. Even though reels can be made larger to accommodate longer rod lengths, the requirement of having reels that are of a manageable size for mounting onto a truck bed and for transporting to well locations limits the size of the reels. Moreover, the handling of multiple reels for each well is expensive and further requires the maintenance of a considerable number of reels.

Moreover, one of the problems of reeling composite or fiberglass sucker rods has been that the reeled rod may crack, crush, or otherwise become damaged by spooling. When winding an elongate object, such as continuous composite or fiberglass rod having a rectangular cross section as shown in patent No. 4,563,391, each cross section of the rod object has two bending moments along a primary axis and a non-primary axis (major and minor axes). For a given cross-sectional area in a composite fiberglass rod, bending the rod across a major axis is possible for coiling the rod onto a reel, but bending the rod across the minor axis is not well tolerated and can quickly cause cracks in the rod.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a spooling arrangement for a continuous rod, especially of the composite type, for use as a sucker rod in well pumping applications. The disclosed embodiment includes a movable spool mount for spooling a continuous fiberglass rod, utilizing multiple wraps between the two flanges or sides of the spool, and for running the continuous fiberglass rod into and out of a wellbore, directly from the spool, without causing any damage to the continuous fiberglass rod. The longitudinal axis of the continuous fiberglass rod can be slightly perpendicular to the rotational axis of the spool as the continuous fiberglass rod is run into or out of the wellbore for preventing any damage to the continuous fiberglass rod. Where known reel arrangements can hold about 300 feet of rod, the disclosed spooling arrangement can hold about 15,000 feet of rod or more for any single spool.

The present embodiments further include a trailer mounted system for injecting a continuous fiberglass rod into a wellbore. The system includes a trailer, which can be any type of conventional movable trailer having a sufficient quantity of generally flat, horizontal space for containing other system components. A spool having a continuous fiberglass rod disposed thereon can be mounted on the trailer and dispensed directly into a well bore.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a pumping system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a spooling arrangement in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a spooling arrangement mounted on a truck in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an outline view of a spooling arrangement mounted on a truck in accordance with the disclosure.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are, respectively, side and top views of the spooling arrangement shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an perspective view of a moveable spooling arrangement in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a section view of the moveable spooling arrangement of FIG. 7 in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a detail view of an alternative embodiment of a spool guide for a spooling arrangement in accordance with the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A continuous fiberglass rod 10 for use in a wellbore 30 is shown in FIG. 1. As used herein, “continuous” fiberglass rod means fiberglass rods that are continuous, i.e. either without interconnections or with very few interconnections, from near the surface to near the bottom of the well 30. The continuous fiberglass rod 10 connects between a pump jack 12 and a down-hole pump 36. In the illustrated embodiment, a coupling 28 is shown connected along the length of the rod 10.

Continuous composite fiberglass rod 10 may be reciprocated utilizing the pump jack 12. A typical pump jack may comprise a head 20, a beam 16, and a counterweight 18 pivotally mounted to support a frame 14. A pump jack motor 21 may be utilized to pivotally move a beam 16, and a connector 22 may be utilized to connect the head 20 to a fiberglass polished rod 24. The polished rod 24 can extend through a seal 26, which may comprise a pack-off or other sealing mechanism. The connector 28 may be utilized to connect a top end of continuous composite fiberglass rod 10 to the polished rod 24 adjacent to the surface. A connector 34 may be utilized on the bottom end of continuous composite fiberglass rod 10 to secure the continuous composite fiberglass rod 10 to the pump 36.

In the illustrated embodiment, the continuous fiberglass rod 10 can include glass fibers arranged in a parallel bundle, which are then incorporated into a matrix. One known example of construction of a short section of fiberglass rod is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,288 to Rutledge at al. However, a continuous composite fiberglass rod 10, as discussed hereinafter, provides significant manufacturing cost improvements and other operational advantages.

In the illustrated embodiment, the continuous rod 10 has a rectangular cross section. The cross-sectional dimensions of the fiberglass rod 10 may be ¼ inch by one inch rectangular, which is approximately equivalent in tension strength to a 0.55 inch diameter round rod of the same construction. In this embodiment, the ratio of the rod width along the x-axis to the rod thickness along the y-axis is 4 to 1. However, the bending radius of a one-fourth (¼) inch by one (1) inch fiberglass rod around the cross section's major axis is approximately one-third (⅓) of the bending radius of a 0.55 inch diameter round rod. In this way, the rod can be spooled over a forty-eight (48) inch minimum diameter without damaging the rod.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a flanged spool 82 for continuous fiberglass rod is shown, which is adapted for spooling the continuous rod 10. The flanged spool 82 upon which continuous fiberglass rod 10 may be spooled is arranged to accept a continuously coiled rod having a rectangular cross section, as previously described, that is coiled around the spool in successive layers. Each coiled layer may be made of a segment of the continuous rod that is coiled in a spiral fashion such that each revolution of the rod is disposed in laterally abutting relation to an adjacent layer.

In the illustrated embodiment, the spool 82 has a generally cylindrical shape with a central core diameter of about four feet and a width between end flanges of about three to four feet. In the illustrated embodiment, a single spool may be arranged to accommodate an uninterrupted or continuous strip of rod having a length of 15,000 feet at a coiled rod radial thickness on the spool of about 7½ inches.

Three entrapment members 84, 88 and 92 are disposed radially outwardly from the spool to prevent the continuous fiberglass rod 10 from unwinding. Although three entrapment members are shown, any number of such members may be utilized as necessary. In this embodiment, entrapment members 84, 88 and 92 support one of three equally spaced rollers, but other types of entrapment members such as bars, fixed position concave guides, and the like, might also be utilized. In the illustrated embodiment, the entrapment members 84, 88 and 92 are radially biased, for example, by a resilient element or arm 83, illustrated schematically in FIG. 2, such that they contact the rod 10 continuously while on the spool 82. The radial movement of entrapment members 84, 88 and 92 is indicated by arrows 86, 90 and 94. One of the entrapment members 88 is illustrated in FIG. 7. It is rotatably mounted on pivotal bracket 89 supported on horizontal members 806 and 874 and biased toward the spool 82. Entrapment members 84, 88 and 92 are spring-loaded as illustrated such that they move radially outwardly and inwardly to adjust to the volume of continuous composite or fiberglass sucker rod 10 which has been coiled onto the central core of spool 82. The use of spool 82 and entrapment members 84, 88 and 92 secures the continuous fiberglass rod onto spool 82 without the need for tension or significant tension being applied to the continuous fiberglass rod. In this way, the possibility of damage caused by excessive tension applied to the rod is reduced or eliminated. As noted hereinbefore, continuous fiberglass rod 10, in accord with the present disclosure, may be spooled on a 48-50 inch spool diameter, without cracking.

In reference now to FIG. 3, a portable system 260 that comprises equipment mounted on a trailer 206 for inserting or removing continuous fiberglass rod 10 from a well bore is shown. In this embodiment, the spool 82 is rotatably mounted on a support structure 201. The support structure 201 is connected to the trailer 206 and arranged to facilitate the coiling and uncoiling of the rod 10 onto the spool 82 by providing for rotation of the spool 82 as well as imparting a transverse motion to the spool to avoid lateral bending of the rod 10, as will be described in more detail in the paragraphs that follow.

In the illustrated embodiment, a guide 202 may be utilized to guide continuous fiberglass rod 10 to an optional injector 205, which can impart axial motion to the rod when used. Alternatively, the support structure 201 may include rotary actuation of the spool 82 that will thus accomplish coiling or uncoiling of the rod 10 without employment of injector 205.

In the description that follows, features or elements that are the same or similar to corresponding features or elements described are denoted by the same reference numerals as previously used for simplicity.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, a portable system 260 that includes the spool 82 mounted on a trailer 270 is shown from, respectively, a rear, side, and top views. The portable system 260 as shown includes components and systems in addition to the spool 82, but it should be appreciated that such additional components and systems are optional. As shown, the arrangement includes the spool 82 mounted onto a trailer 270 via the support structure 201 for rotation and lateral or transverse movement for coiling and uncoiling of the rod 10 thereon.

As previously discussed, the rod 10 has different bending moments along the major and minor dimensions of its generally rectangular cross section. For this reason, the rod 10 can be bent around the major dimension of its rectangular cross section while being coiled onto the spool 82, but cannot tolerate excessive bending in other directions, and especially a direction perpendicular to the coiling direction, i.e., bending about the minor dimension of the rod's rectangular cross section.

The ability of the rod 10 to be coiled by bending more effectively in a single direction has dictated the form and function of rod coiling structures used in the past. For example, the reel used for coiling a rod as discussed previously relative to U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,391 is arranged to coil a length of rod about a single bending direction, and to stack the rod over itself within a reel having the width of the major dimensions of the rod. As can be appreciated, large diameter and/or multiple reels are necessary in such arrangement. These issues are advantageously solved by the present disclosure, in which multiple coiled loops of rod can be arranged laterally next to one another for each layer of coiled rod on the spool 82.

More particularly, as best shown in FIG. 4, the spool 82 during the winding or unwinding of the rod 10 and attendant translatory movement provides a layer or wrap 266 of coiled rod that is deposited over a previous layer or wrap 268 of coiled rod on the spool 82. In one possible embodiment, the lead, or lateral displacement from wrap to wrap is about 1 inch for every 15 feet of coiled rod length. The wraps of continuous fiberglass rod form layers, such as outer layer 266 and next layer 268. In one example, the outer diameter of spool 82 may be approximately fifteen feet in circumference, with the circumference changing from layer to layer essentially by twice the minor dimension of the rod. Thus, this embodiment may be utilized to provide an assembly where the spool moves axially along its axis of rotation and the continuous fiberglass rod is kept straight when spooling the rod upon the spool 82 or off the spool 82 into the wellbore 30. In one possible embodiment, 15,000 feet of fiberglass rod on a spool may comprise a total depth of the layers of continuous fiberglass rod 10 that is about 7 and ½ inches thick on a spool having a central core diameter of forty-eight inches (48″) and a distance between flanges of about four feet or forty eight inches.

A power unit and gear box 282 is utilized to provide power for rotation of the spool. It also provides power for the above discussed translational movement.

In general, the spool 82 is axially movable transversely of trailer 270 along the axis of rotation 289 of spool 82, as indicated by arrows 264 (FIG. 4). In this manner, by moving the spool 82 axially along its axis of rotation, variations of the lateral angle between the spool 82 and the incoming or outgoing ribbon of rod 10 relative to, for example, the trailer 270, and the wellbore 30 are minimized or avoided. In the illustrated embodiment, the angle may be kept as close as possible to zero degrees but may be within a 10 degree range without damage to the rod.

While axial movement of the spool 82 in the direction 264 is shown in the illustrated embodiment, in another possible embodiment, the spool 82 can be mounted on a rotatable table or movable support to thereby control the angle to a small and substantially constant amount. In other words, the axis of rotation of the spool is made to be variable so as to maintain a fixed angle of the continuous rod coming off of the spool. Such exemplary embodiment may be used, for instance, if the spool is mounted to rotate about a vertically moveable axis.

As the wraps are continually made on any layer, such as layers 266 and 268, the angle from which the continuous rod comes off the spool will change. In prior art systems, the closer the spool to the wellbore, the greater the maximum angle change will be between the spool and the continuous rod coming off of the spool. In this embodiment of the invention, the angle is kept constant or substantially constant by the transverse movement of spool 82, thereby reducing stress applied to the continuous fiberglass rod. The substantially constant angle may also be kept to a low angle, such as zero degrees, in which case the fiberglass rod comes off slightly perpendicular to the axis of the spool. Moreover, because the angle is kept constant, a fixed position guide may be utilized. Further, it is not necessary to provide a long distance between the spool 82 and the wellbore or the injector to avoid damage, such as what may be caused by an excessive angle or bend between the spool 82 and the wellbore 30.

In the illustrated embodiment, the portable system 260 further includes a control panel 286. The control panel 286 is associated with a mechanism that rotates and displaces the spool 82, as previously described, and can be used to control the spooling of the rod by setting, for example, a desired rate of coiling and the like, by appropriate setting of various control knobs, dials, switches, and so forth by an operator. Support legs 280 extend during coiling or uncoiling of the rod 10 to improve the stability of the trailer 270 during operation.

The portable system 260 may further include additional optional systems that may be used during an initial installation of a rod into a wellbore. As shown in FIG. 6, for example, the portable system 260 may include a tank 302 that contains hydraulic fluid for the operation of the various hydraulic systems, such as a crane 301 shown in FIG. 5. The crane 301 is optional and may be utilized for loading and unloading as necessary. The tank 302 may optionally contain fuel to operate a generator 304. The generator 304 in the illustrated embodiment may be a 500 or 1000 Watt generator that produces electrical power to operate various electrical systems mounted on the trailer 270, such as electric motors (not shown) that cause rotation and appropriate axial displacement of the spool 82, as previously discussed.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the portable system 260 further includes an optional guiding device 308 positionable above the wellbore 30, which engages and guides the rod 10 during coiling or uncoiling thereof on the spool 82. The guiding device 308 may include an injector, pack off, clamp, and the like to facilitate the motion of the rod 10 as it is being coiled or uncoiled from the spool 82. The length 314 of portable system 260 may be less than 50 or 60 feet and may be considerably shorter. Distance 312 may represent a distance between the axis of rotation 289 of spool 82 and a guide 308 or an injector or a well bore 30. This distance 312 may be from about two feet to about 50 or 60 feet.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, an embodiment of a laterally moveable spool 82 is shown. The spool 82 has a horizontal spooling cylindrical surface 802 seen in FIG. 8 about which a continuous composite fiberglass rod can be wound. Two flanges 820 and 822 are shown disposed on opposing ends of the horizontal spooling cylindrical surface 802 of spool 82 to enclose the spooling cylindrical surface 802 and form an area for containing the rod 10.

The spool 82 is mounted on a support structure 201. The support structure 201 includes a vertical member 804 disposed to support either side of spool 82 for rotation about the axis of rotation 289. Two horizontal members 806 and 874 are secured to the vertical members 804 by angle braces 805. As seen in FIG. 8 an electric motor 922 is connected to a gear arrangement 923 having an output shaft 284 that is connected to spool 82. In this embodiment, the spool 82 is rigidly mountable to the shaft 284 such that rotation of the spool 82 is accomplished by a direct drive arrangement, which in this case includes the motor 922 and gear arrangement 923. The motor and gear arrangement are supported on vertical member 804 by a bracket 924.

In the illustrated embodiment, a spool guide shaft 828 extends horizontally between the horizontal members 806 and 874 and is disposed beneath the spool 82. The spool guide shaft 828 facilitates lateral motion of the spool 82 in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation 289.

More specifically, the spool guide shaft 828 facilitates lateral motion of the spool 82, which minimizes lateral bending of the rod 10 during a spooling or unspooling process, as previously described. The motion of the spool 82 and support structure 201 relative to a lower frame 826 is accomplished by the aid of rollers 810. As shown, the support structure 201 is moveably secured within the lower frame 826, which is shown having raised horizontal members at each end that are parallel to the axis of rotation 289 of the spool 82 and perpendicular to the horizontal members 806 and 874 of the support structure 201. The lower frame 826 includes a rail 814 on either side for engagement with the rollers 810. Each roller 810 is rotatably attached to an axle 818 extending from the ends of the horizontal members 806 and 874. The rollers 810 engage the rails 814 and move along the lower frame 826.

Motion of the support structure 201 relative to the lower frame 826 is accomplished by action of the spool guide shaft 828. A detail view of one exemplary embodiment of the spool guide shaft 828 is shown in FIG. 8 with certain elements of the complete apparatus omitted for clarity. As shown, in reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the spool guide shaft 828 is disposed beneath the spool 82 and moveably interconnects the support structure 201 with the lower frame 826. The spool guide shaft 828 is connected with the spool 82 and extends generally parallel to the axis 284 of the spool 82 between horizontal members 806 and 874. It includes intersecting grooves 906 formed along its outer surface. The grooves 906 together form bidirectional threads along the length of the spool guide shaft 828.

A guide block 907 is disposed around the spool guide shaft 828 and is configured to engage the grooves 906, for example, by a pin having a bushing that is disposed within and configured to follow the grooves 906. On rotation of spool guide shaft 828 engagement of the guide block 907 with the grooves 906 causes the shaft to travel a reciprocating path with respect to the guide block 907 This movement causes the support structure 201 to traverse laterally on the frame 826. The guide block 907 remains stationary with respect to the lower frame 826 and operates to push the spool guide shaft 828 in a reciprocal fashion relative to the lower frame 826. This reciprocal motion of the spool guide shaft 828 relative to the lower frame 826 will cause the spool 82 to reciprocate laterally relative to the lower frame 826 in the same fashion.

The reciprocating motion of the spool 82 and support structure 201 relative to the lower frame 826 is effective in avoiding the creation of excessive lateral bending in the rod 10, which may damage the rod during spooling or unspooling. This is accomplished by appropriately moving to spool 82 into position to coil or uncoil the rod 10 in a substantially tangential fashion relative to the spool. For this reason, the pitch of the threads defined by the grooves 906 of the shaft 828, as well as the rate of rotation of the shaft, each of which affects the lateral travel of the spool 82 relative to the lower frame 826, may be adjusted to match the rate of collection of the rod on spool 82 to insure against excessive lateral bending of the rod 10.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9, a chain and sprocket system is used to coordinate the rotation of the spool 82 with the lateral motion of the spool 82. More specifically, a spool sprocket 908 is engaged on one (or both) sides of the spool 82 such that rotation of the spool 82 when coiling or uncoiling the rod 10 causes a corresponding rotation of the spool sprocket 908.

Spool sprocket 908 is connected to a corresponding guide sprocket 910 via a chain 912. Each guide sprocket 910 is either directly connected or, in an alternative embodiment indirectly connected, for example, through a gear arrangement, to the spool guide shaft 828 such that rotation of the spool 82 and spool guide shaft 828 on the guide sprocket 910 can be accomplished in a coordinated manner.

The coordinated motion of the spool 82 and spool guide shaft 828, which is accomplished by appropriate sizing of the spool and guide sprockets 908 and 910 as well as by appropriate selection of the thread pitch of the grooves 906, advantageously provides proper alignment of the spooled rod relative to the incoming or outgoing thread of rod 10 as the spool 82 is rotated. As described above, proper alignment avoids the creation of excessive lateral stresses in the rod 10, thus insuring against damage to the rod 10, such as cracking.

Although in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 a separate actuator 907 and guide shaft 828 are used to provide the lateral motion of the spool 82, other arrangements may be used. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, in an alternative embodiment the guide may be integrated with support shaft 284 for spool 82 which is stationary relative to supports 201. In this embodiment, the shaft 284 includes channels or grooves 285 that have a similar configuration to the grooves 906 (FIG. 8). The spool 82 may include a pin (not shown) that engages the grooves 285. The spool 82 may be rotated by a powered wheel or pulley (not shown), such that rotation of the spool 82 causes its lateral displacement as the groove engaging pin follows the bidirectional spiral grooves 285. Thus, rotation of the spool 82 also accomplishes coiling and uncoiling of rod 10 on spool 82 with minimal lateral deflection as in the other embodiments described.

Additional alternative embodiments are contemplated for powering rotational and axial movement of spool 82. One such embodiment includes spool and guide pulleys used in place of the sprockets 908 and 910 previously described. A drive belt interconnects the two pulleys in a fashion similar to that of the chain 912 previously described with respect to FIGS. 7 and 8.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 also shows an alternative drive arrangement to that shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. An alternate drive sprocket 914 (FIG. 9) may be engaged with the chain 912 rather than employing motor 922 and gearbox 923 as in FIGS. 7 and 8. The drive sprocket may be driven by a prime mover, for example, an electric or hydraulic motor, and thus provide a powered rotation of the chain 912 (not shown in FIG. 9), which in turn causes the powered, coordinated rotation of the spool 82 and guide shaft 828 in either of two directions.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. A coiling arrangement for a composite rod, comprising:

a spool having a substantially cylindrical shape, the spool having a diameter and a width;

a support structure rotatably supporting said spool about a rotation shaft;

a lower frame slidably supporting said support structure; and

a guide arrangement disposed between said support structure and said lower frame, said guide arrangement disposed to move the support structure reciprocally relative to the lower frame, the reciprocal motion of the support structure being conducted linearly along a direction that is parallel to the rotation shaft.

2. The coiling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the spool is adapted to accept at least one layer of spooled rod thereon, the spooled rod having a width dimension along the width of the spool that is substantially smaller than the width of the spool such that a plurality of loops of the spooled rod form a single layer on the spool.

3. The coiling arrangement of claim 2, wherein the spool is further adapted to accept multiple layers of spooled rod thereon.

4. The coiling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the composite rod has a rectangular cross section having a width of about one inch and a thickness of about one quarter inch, and wherein the spool has a diameter of about 48 inches and a width of about 36 inches.

5. The coiling arrangement of claim 1, further comprising at least one entrapment member adapted to prevent the composite rod from uncoiling from the spool, the at least one entrapment member including a roller disposed across the width of the spool and biased into contact therewith, the roller rotatably disposed on a frame that is pivotally connected to the support structure and that is further connected to the support structure by a resilient element providing the biasing of the roller against the spool.

6. The coiling arrangement of claim 5, further comprising two additional entrapment members, wherein the three entrapment members are disposed symmetrically around the spool.

7. The coiling arrangement of claim 1, wherein the guide arrangement includes:

a bar rotatably disposed on the support structure and extending substantially in parallel with the rotation shaft;

a plurality of grooves defined on a outer portion of said bar, the plurality of grooves forming a bidirectional thread pattern having a thread pitch;

a guide block connected to the lower frame and disposed around the bar and having a pin that engages the plurality of grooves;

wherein rotation of the bar in one direction causes the guide block to reciprocate relative to the bar.

8. The coiling arrangement of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one spool sprocket connected to the spool and disposed to rotate therewith around the rotation shaft;

a guide sprocket connected to the bar and disposed to rotate therewith;

a continuous chain intermeshing the spool and guide sprockets such that a rotation of the spool is coordinated with a corresponding rotation of the bar.

9. The coiling arrangement of claim 8, further comprising a motor connected to a drive sprocket, the motor disposed on the support structure such that the drive sprocket is meshed with the chain and operates to rotate the chain and thus cause the coordinated rotation of the spool and the bar.

10. A portable system for dispensing and collecting a section of continuous composite rod, comprising:

a trailer adapted for connection to a truck, the trailer having a bed;

a lower frame disposed on the bed;

a support structure slidably disposed on the lower frame;

a spool rotatably connected to said support structure and arranged for rotatable motion about a rotation shaft; and

a guide arrangement disposed between said support structure and said lower frame, said guide arrangement disposed to move the support structure reciprocally relative to the lower frame, the reciprocal motion of the support structure being along a direction that is parallel to the rotation shaft.

11. The portable system of claim 10, wherein the spool is adapted to accept at least one layer of spooled rod thereon, the spooled rod having a width dimension along the width of the spool that is substantially smaller than the width of the spool such that a plurality of loops of the spooled rod form a single layer on the spool.

12. The portable system of claim 11, wherein the spool is further adapted to accept multiple layers of spooled rod thereon.

13. The portable system of claim 11, wherein the composite rod has a rectangular cross section having a width of about one inch and a thickness of about one quarter inch, and wherein the spool has a diameter of about 48 inches and a width of between 36 and 48 inches inclusive.

14. The portable system of claim 11, further comprising at least one entrapment member adapted to prevent the composite rod from uncoiling from the spool, the at least one entrapment member including a roller disposed across the width of the spool and biased into contact therewith, the roller rotatably disposed on a frame that is pivotally connected to the support structure and that is further connected to the support structure by a resilient element providing the biasing of the roller against the spool.

15. The portable system of claim 14, further comprising two additional entrapment members, wherein the three entrapment members are disposed symmetrically around the spool.

16. The portable system of claim 10, wherein the guide arrangement includes:

a bar rotatably disposed on the support structure and extending substantially in parallel with the rotation shaft;

a plurality of grooves defined on a outer portion of said bar, the plurality of grooves forming a bidirectional thread pattern having a thread pitch;

a guide block connected to the lower frame and disposed around the bar and having a pin that engages the plurality of grooves;

wherein rotation of the bar in one direction causes the guide block to reciprocate relative to the bar.

17. The portable system of claim 16, further comprising:

at least one spool sprocket connected to the spool and disposed to rotate therewith around the rotation shaft;

a guide sprocket connected to the bar and disposed to rotate therewith;

a continuous chain intermeshing the spool and guide sprockets such that a rotation of the spool is coordinated with a corresponding rotation of the bar.

18. The portable system of claim 17, further comprising a motor connected to a drive sprocket, the motor disposed on the support structure such that the drive sprocket is meshed with the chain and operates to rotate the chain and thus cause the coordinated rotation of the spool and the bar.

19. The portable system of claim 10, further comprising a guiding device disposed on the bed of the trailer, the guiding device adapted to engage the composite rod during coiling or uncoiling thereof on the spool, wherein the guiding device includes at least one of an injector, pack off, and a clamp, and wherein the guiding device facilitates a motion of the rod.

20. A method for spooling a composite rod, comprising:

attaching an end of the rod to a spool;

rotating the spool to coil the rod onto the spool;

maintaining a substantially tangential relationship between the rod and the spool and avoiding excessive lateral stresses in the rod by laterally displacing the spool relative to a location of an incoming rod thread such that the rod is coiled onto the spool in successive layers, each layer comprising a plurality of rod coils disposed adjacent one another.