Projectile tool with rotatable blades

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for firing and propelling one or more projectiles into an earthen or subterranean formation for the purpose of stimulating and enhancing communication between a well bore and said formation.

Description

BACKGROUND AND FIELD OF INVENTION:

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for driving one or more projectiles into a subterranean formation for the purpose of stimulating productive formation and allowing better communication between a productive formation and a well bore. The present invention is to be deployed in a downhole cavity wherein said apparatus or tool has blades which are able to rotate from a position parallel to the well bore to a position perpendicular to the well bore whereby long projectiles may be shot by explosive deep into the subterranean formation. The present invention is a projectile firing apparatus which has new and novel features including but not limited to; a body which is attached to a drill string, one or more rotatable blades, one or more projectiles, an explosive, and an electrical energy source or mechanical trigger to initiate an igniter and set off an explosive to shoot said projectiles into a rock or subterranean formation to provide deep and enhanced communication between productive rock and the well bore. The present invention can be used in a natural cavity or a formed cavity including cavities formed by down hole equipment such as the underreamers contemplated and referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,121 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,774 B2 filed by Alan L. Nackerud, inventor. There are of course, additional features of the present invention that will be described herein, however it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. The projectile tool can have more than one projectile bore per blade and have more than one projectile per bore and can be wired or triggered to shoot simultaneously all projectiles or selectively shoot certain projectiles and/or rotated to shoot subsequent projectiles in various radial patterns or at various depths. The projectile tool can have projectiles of various length, diameter and shape and contain a propellant to further lengthen the depth of penetration. The projectile tool can have a longer body with a leading connection to allow preceding equipment. The projectile tool can have a latch mechanism of different shape or configuration. The projectile tool can have different methods to initiate the igniter such as a mechanical trigger pin and the igniter and explosive can be of various types of chemical composition. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other embodiments, structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above and other advantages and features will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

DRAWINGS-FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side view of the projectile tool with blades in a parallel position relative to the body and showing interior features;

FIG. 2 is another side view of the projectile tool with blades in a parallel position relative to the body and showing interior features;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the projectile tool with blades rotated to a firing position perpendicular to the body showing interior features;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the projectile tool with blades rotated to a firing position perpendicular to the body showing interior features;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the top blade only showing interior features;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the projectile tool in a position parallel to the well bore and drill string;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the projectile tool in a position partially deployed to a firing position;

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the projectile tool in a position at the bottom of a well bore cavity to deploy and lock the blades into a firing ready mode;

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the projectile tool in a position in the cavity at a level desired to fire the projectiles;

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of the projectile tool with projectiles fired into the subterranean formation;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the seat to the electric battery energy source to fire the projectile tool;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the seat to the electric battery energy source to fire the projectile tool;

FIG. 13 is a side view of an electric battery energy source;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the electric battery energy source seated in the seat;

FIG. 15 is a side view of the latch hook;

FIG. 16 is another side view of the latch hook and latch hook spring;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the drive pin to the latch hook;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the pin to the latch hook;

FIG. 19 is a side view of the retention pin to the latch hook spring;

FIG. 20 is a side view of the set screw to the projectile assembly;

FIG. 21 is a side view of the wiring pipe to the projectile assembly;

FIG. 22 is a side view of the igniter and explosive tube;

FIG. 23 is a side view of the projectile;

FIG. 24 is a side view of the end plug to the rotatable blade projectile bore;

DRAWINGS-REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1. body
• 2. blade
• 3. projectile
• 4. projectile bore
• 5. projectile bore end plug
• 6. shear pin
• 7. explosive
• 8. explosive tube
• 9. explosive tube end plug
• 10. igniter
• 11. electric wire
• 12. electric wire screw
• 13. wiring pipe
• 14. latch hook
• 15. latch hook slot
• 16. latch hook spring
• 17. latch hook pin
• 18. latch hook spring pin
• 19. drive pin
• 20. drive pin spring
• 21. set screw
• 22. seat
• 23. electric battery
• 24. bearing
• 25. bearing pin
• 26. pry hole
• 27. center disc
• 28. blade key
• 29. blade key cover
• 30. blade stop block
• 31. bore cover
• 32. snap ring
• 33. body angle bore
• 34. shoulder bore
• 35. blade bore
• 36. bolt
• 37. latch hook recess

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is a projectile tool with various features and parts shown in FIGS. 1 through 24. The latch hook 14 to each blade 2 is placed in the latch hook slots 15 of the body 1 and retained in place by a latch hook pin 17 which is retained by a set screw 21. A latch hook spring 16 is hooked at one end onto the latch hook 14 and connected at the other end to the body 1 by a latch hook spring pin 18 to allow the movement of the latch hook 14 outward from the body 1 to a firing position and moveable back into the body 1 when not hooked to the blades 2. Drive pin 19 assemblies of drive pin 19, drive pin spring 20 and drive pin retention set screw 21 are placed in each blade 2 to allow post firing release of the lock hooks. Shear pins 6 and shear pin 6 set screws 21 are inserted in the shear pin 6 holes. A projectile 3 is inserted in each projectile bore 4 in each rotatable blade 2 to a position near the shear pin 6 hole of each blade 2. Shear pins 6 and shear pin set screws 21 are inserted in the shear pin 6 holes. An explosive tube 8 with explosive 7 and igniter 10 is then placed directly behind the projectile 3 near the pivot point of each blade 2. Electric wires 11 protruding from the igniter 10 are connected to wires 11 which run through a wiring pipe 13 placed behind the explosive tube 8. The said wires 11 are routed through said wiring pipe 13 and into the bore to blade bore 35 and shoulder bore 34 and body angle bores 33 in the main body 1 and connected to the seat 22 for eventual firing. The projectile assembly set screws 21 are then placed directly behind the wiring pipe 13 to close and seal the projectile bore 4 at the blade 2 end near the blade 2 pivot point. Projectile bore end plugs 5 capable of penetration by fired projectiles 3 are inserted in each projectile bore 4 near the distal end of each blade 2 to seal the projectile bore 4 from well bore fluids. The firing wires 11 are then attached to the energy source seat 22. The energy source seat 22 is then screwed into the top of the projectile tool body 1. After assembly the tool is in a fire ready mode, threadedly attached to a drill string and lowered into a well bore and downhole cavity. In a well bore cavity the tool can be partially opened by rotation of the drill string and/or by engagement of the end of the blades 2 with the rock bottom of the cavity whereupon by drill string weight applied to the tool against the bottom of the cavity the blades 2 can open to a position perpendicular to the drill string whereby the latch hooks 14 lock the blades 2 in said position ready to fire. The tool is then raised or moved to the level desired to fire the projectiles 3 into the formation. The electric battery 23 energy source or other trigger mechanism is then released or lowered into the well bore whereby it seats and activates the igniter 10 and explosive 7 which propels the projectiles 3 outward into the rock or subterranean formation. Upon firing and setting off the explosive 7 the main force is applied to the projectile 3 but a small force is applied to the small drive pin 19 in each blade 2 which pushes the drive pin 19 outward from the blade 2 and against the latch hooks 14 whereby each latch hook 14 is released from the respective blade 2 and the blades 2 are able to rotate back to a position for withdrawal from the well bore or to a position for further work.

It is therefore to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiment have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with the details of the structure and function of the embodiment, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made within the principles of the embodiment to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the claims are expressed and reasonable equivalents thereof and various forms of the present invention can be applied to numerous drilling and completions of earth bores.

Claims

1. A down hole well bore projectile tool apparatus to shoot one or more projectiles into an earthen or subterranean formation comprising: (a) a slotted body which is threadedly attached or otherwise connected to a drill string,(b) wherein said body one or more rotatable blades are attached by a bearing near the top end of said blades,(c) wherein said blades one or more projectile bores run the length or substantial length of said blades wherein elongated projectiles with accompanying ignitors and explosives are placed, and(d) wherein near the top of said body a receiving chamber is able to receive an electric battery or pressure piston or ball or other activation means to set off and initiate an electric current or pressure impulse which is transferred by wire and/or bores to an ignitor and explosive in said blade projectile bores to fire or shoot projectiles into an earthen or subterranean formation.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said body a rotatable latch and attached spring are located in the body at its axial edge near the top of the slot whereby when said blades rotate on said bearing to a position perpendicular to or near perpendicular to said body the said latch will hook onto a matched recess in each blade whereby the blades and projectiles are held or locked in a shooting position ready to fire or shoot the projectiles, and

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a rear entry bore is located near the top end of each blade to load projectiles and explosives and ignitors, and

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each blade at the distal end of each projectile bore is an end plug of a soft steel or similar soft material which is attached by threads or other means and is penetrable by said projectile when fired whereby said plug keeps well bore fluid from entering each blade before discharge of the explosive, and

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each blade is a piston and spring located below the said latch recess to allow the release of the blade from the perpendicular shooting position when the gas pressure from the explosive discharge enters a small bore perpendicular from the projectile bore whereby said gas pressure pushes the piston against the latch whereupon the latch disengages from the blade and the blade is then free to move to a position parallel to the original well bore for removal of the projectile tool and drill string from the well bore, and

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the projectile itself has a hollowed out chamber or bore running a portion of the length of the projectile wherein an explosive or propellant can be placed that when ignited by the explosive in the blade projectile bore will allow further penetration of the projectile into the formation or material to be penetrated.

7. A down hole well bore projectile tool apparatus to shoot one or more projectiles into an earthen or subterranean formation comprising: (a) a slotted body which is threadedly attached or otherwise connected to a drill string,(b) wherein said body one or more rotatable blades are attached by a bearing near the top end of said blades,(c) wherein said blades one or more projectile bores run the length or substantial length of said blades wherein elongated projectiles with accompanying ignitors and explosives are placed, and(d) wherein near the top of said body a receiving chamber is able to receive an electric battery or pressure piston or ball or other activation means to set off and initiate an electric current or pressure impulse which is transferred by wire and/or bores to an ignitor and explosive in said blade projectile bores to fire or shoot projectiles into an earthen or subterranean formation, and—wherein said body a rotatable latch and attached spring are located in the body at its axial edge near the top of the slot whereby when said blades rotate on said bearing to a position perpendicular to or near perpendicular to said body the said latch will hook onto a matched recess in each blade whereby the blades and projectiles are held or locked in a shooting position ready to fire or shoot the projectiles, wherein a rear entry bore is located near the top end of each blade to load projectiles and explosives and ignitors, wherein each blade at the distal end of each projectile bore is an end plug of a soft steel or similar soft material which is attached by threads or other means and is penetrable by said projectile when fired whereby said plug keeps well bore fluid from entering each blade before discharge of the explosive, and wherein each blade is a piston and spring located below the said latch recess to allow the release of the blade from the perpendicular shooting position when the gas pressure from the explosive discharge enters a small bore perpendicular from the projectile bore whereby said gas pressure pushes the piston against the latch whereupon the latch disengages from the blade and the blade is then free to move to a position parallel to the original well bore for removal of the projectile tool and drill string from the well bore, wherein the projectile itself has a hollowed out chamber or bore running a portion of the length of the projectile wherein an explosive or propellant can be placed that when ignited by the explosive in the blade projectile bore will allow further penetration of the projectile into the formation or material to be penetrated.

8. A method to shoot or fire one or more projectiles into an earthen or subterranean formation comprising the steps of: (a) lowering a down hole well bore projectile tool apparatus into a well bore to a natural cavity or mechanically or chemically created cavity within an earthen or subterranean formation, whereupon(b) the said tool blades are moved from a position parallel to the drill string to a position perpendicular to the drill string by either centrifugal force rotationally applied to the drill string or by pushing the blades on the well bore bottom whereby the blades splay or move to an open position,(c) whereupon the blades become locked by a latch near the top of the slot of the tool body which becomes engaged to a matched recess in each blade,(d) whereupon an electric battery or pressure piston or ball is lowered or dropped into the hollow drill string and is received into a chamber at the top of said projectile tool whereupon it activates by wires and/or pressure bores an ignitor in each blade which then sets off or fires the explosive to each projectile whereupon the projectiles are shot or fired into the earthen or subterranean formation which results in better communication between the earthen or subterranean formation and well bore.