Claims
- 1. An improved adjustable orieting sub for use as a length element of drill string to adjustably change the relative orientation between drill string portions axially separated by the sub, the sub comprising:a) a generally central tubular member, with an axis, with independent male threads on each end, one said end having coarser pitch threads and the other end having finer pitch threads, and a generally central portion with splines on the outer surface; b) a first generally tubular terminal end, with means on one end to attach to a continuing drill string and coarser pitch box threads on the other end to mate with the coarser pitch male threads; c) a second generally tubular terminal end, with means on one end to attach to a continuing drill string, and finer pitch box threads on the other end to mate with the finer pitch male threads; d) a generally central indicator ring with opposite planar faces to separate the faces on the boxes of the first and second terminal ends, with an internal spline arrangement to rotationally engage the splines on the outer surface of the generally central tubular member and to slide axially some distance thereon, with a plurality of peripherally distributed holes, equally spaced radially, from the axis, opening on one face of the ring; and e) a locking pin protruding from the face of one box end axially situated to enter any one of the peripherally distributed holes.
- 2. The sub of claim 1 wherein at least one lock ring is situated on said generally central tubular member arranged to prevent removal of said indicator ring from rotational engagement with said splines thereon.
- 3. The sub of claim 1 wherein said first and said second terminal ends have axially extending centerlines deflected at a selected angle from said axis.
- 4. The sub of claim 1 wherein threads of said coarser pitch threads are double threads.
- 5. The sub of claim 1 wherein said locking pin is removably situated in a hole in the box face of the associated terminal end.
- 6. The sub of claim 1 wherein axially extending scribe lines on the outer surface of the indicator ring are situated to correspond to each of the holes.
- 7. The sub of claim 6 wherein each of said scribe lines has a symbol related to the amount of adjustment in the relationship between opposite ends of the sub.
- 8. The sub of claim 1 wherein at least one of said terminal ends is provided with at least one set screw situated in a radially extending tapped hole, situated to engage said generally central tubular member to prevent relative rotation therebetween, the tapped hole opening on the outside surface of the terminal end.
- 9. An improved adjustable orienting sub for use as a length element of drill string to adjustably change the relative orientation between drill string portions axially separated by the sub, the sub comprising:a) a generally central tubular member, with an axis, with independent male threads on each end, one said end having coarser pitch threads and the other end having finer pitch threads, and a generally central portion with splines on the outer surface; b) a first generally tubular terminal end, with means on one end to attach to a continuing drill string and coarser pitch box threads on the other end to mate with the coarser pitch male threads, having a centerline that is bent between the means to attach to continuing drill string and the box threads; c) a second generally tubular terminal end, with means on one end to attach to a continuing drill string, and finer pitch box threads on the other end to mate with the finer pitch male threads, having a centerline that is bent between the means to attach to continuing drill string and the box threads; d) a generally central indicator ring with opposite planar faces to separate the faces on the boxes of the first and second terminal ends, with an internal spline arrangement to rotationally engage the splines on the outer surface of the generally central tubular member and to slide axially some distance thereon, with a plurality of peripherally distributed holes, equally spaced radially, from the axis, opening on one face of the ring; and e) a locking pin protruding from the face of one box end axially situated to enter any one of the peripherally distributed holes.
- 10. The sub of claim 9 wherein at least one lock ring is situated on said generally central tubular member arranged to prevent removal of said indicator ring from rotational engagement with said splines thereon.
- 11. The sub of claim 9 wherein threads of said coarser pitch threads are double threads.
- 12. The sub of claim 9 wherein said locking pin is removably situated in a hole in the box face of the associated terminal end.
- 13. The sub of claim 9 wherein axially extending scribe lines on the outer surface of the indicator ring are situated to correspond to each of the holes.
- 14. The sub of claim 13 wherein each of said scribe lines has a symbol related to the amount of adjustment in the relationship between opposite ends of the sub.
- 15. The sub of claim 9 wherein at least one of said terminal ends is provided with at least one set screw situated in a radially extending tapped hole, situated to engage said generally central tubular member to prevent relative rotation therebetween, the tapped hole opening on the outside surface of the terminal end.
RELATED PATENTS
This invention is an improvement on the U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,995, issued on Jan. 2, 1996, to the inventor of the present application. The improvement pertains, mostly, to means to control the adjustments in the field and to lock the related apparatus against loosening when in use down hole. An earlier version of the patent referenced above was U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,943, issued Dec. 8, 1992 to the inventor of the present application.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3223112 |
Dec 1983 |
DE |