Well point and method of driving same

• US 4,368,785 A
• Filed: 07/31/1980
• Issued: 01/18/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John T. Gondek
• Original Assignee: John T. Gondek
• Inventors: Gondek, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leppink, James A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Hoang C.
• Application Number:
  US06/174,038
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 175/21, 175/22, 175/23, 175/65, 175/19, 175/314, 175/293
• US Class Current: 175/21
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/002 Down-hole drilling fluid separation systems containers comprising collecting means with a strainer E21B27/005; subsoil filtering E21B43/02; down-hole production separators E21B43/38
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/10 Valve arrangements in drilling-fluid circulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/06 Down-hole impacting means, e.g. hammers boring rams E21B11/02
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/08 impact being obtained by gravity only, e.g. with lost-motion connection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/088 Wire screens comprising porous materials E21B43/082; comprising woven materials E21B43/084
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/18 Drilling by liquid or gas jets, with or without entrained pellets E21B7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/20 Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/206 using down-hole drives
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/26 Drilling without earth removal, e.g. with self-propelled burrowing devices E21B7/30 takes precedence

Abstract

Several embodiments of a well point are disclosed which include a resilient member that elongates each time an anvil surface near the conical tip of the well point is impacted by a drive rod. The drive rod is repeatedly raised and dropped to force the well point downwardly through the soil, pulling sections thereabove until the desired casing depth is reached.

Claims

1. In combination, a well point comprising a head having a downwardly extending or conical tip thereon, an upwardly facing anvil portion and a vertical passage extending partially therethrough in a downward direction into said tip, said vertical passage extending partially therethrough in a downward direction into said tip, said vertical passage beginning at the elevation of said anvil portion, and at least one passage extending generally laterally from a location adjacent the lower end of said vertical passage to form an outlet port in said tapered or conical tip for liquid introduced into said vertical passage via its upper end, said tapered or conical tip being formed with a circumferential groove containing said outlet port therein, a drive rod having a lower end for forcefully striking said anvil portion to drive said well point downwardly into the ground or soil, said drive rod having a piston extending integrally downwardly from the lower end thereof into said vertical passage for forcing liquid from said vertical passage, and an elastic band in said groove for normally closing said outlet port, said band expanding sufficiently to allow liquid to be discharged through said outlet port when sufficient pressure is developed by said piston when said drive rod is lowered.

2. A well point comprising a head having a tapered or conical tip thereon, said head being recessed to form an anvil portion near said tip, and resilient means secured to said head and extending upwardly therefrom for connection to the lower end of a first pipe section, said resilient means including a plurality of zigzag rods, whereby a drive rod striking said anvil portion will cause elongation of said resilient means and downward advancement of said head by reason of the impact forces delivered to said anvil portion.

3. The well point of claim 2 including screen means.

4. The well point of claim 3 in which said screen means includes a coil encircling said zigzag rods.

5. The well point of claim 3 in which said coil is secured to said zigzag rods at spaced locations therealong.

6. A well point comprising a head having a tapered or conical tip thereon, said head being recessed to form an anvil portion near said tip, screen means including a perforated sleeve having its lower end secured to said head, a bellows having its lower end secured to said perforated sleeve and extending upwardly therefrom for connection to the lower end of a first pipe section, whereby a drive rod striking said anvil portion will cause elongation of said bellows and downward advancement of said head by reason of the impact forces delivered to said anvil portion.

7. A well point comprising a head having a tapered or conical tip thereon, said head being recessed to form an anvil portion near said tip, screen means secured to said head and extending upwardly therefrom, said screen means having an unperforated sleeve portion continuing upwardly, and a coupling for connection to the lower end of a first pipe section, said coupling having a downwardly projecting cylindrical extension, a resilient sleeve member secured at its lower end to said unperforated sleeve portion and secured at its upper end to said downwardly projecting cylindrical extension, whereby a drive rod striking said anvil portion will cause elongation of said resilient sleeve member and cause downward advancement of said head by reason of the impact forces delivered to said anvil portion.

8. The method of sinking a well casing comprising the steps of providing a well point head having a tapered or conical tip thereon, said head having an anvil portion near said tip, resilient means secured to said head and extending upwardly to the lower end of a pipe section, the upper end of said resilient means being secured to the lower end of said pipe section, and repeatedly raising and lowering a drive rod to repeatedly strike said anvil portion to cause repeated elongations of said resilient means and incremental downward advancement of said head and said pipe section by reason of the impact forces delivered to said anvil portion by said drive rod, coupling an additional pipe section to the upper end of said first pipe section, and further repeatedly striking said anvil portion to cause further repeated elongations of said resilient means, the repeated elongations of said resilient means incrementally pulling said pipe sections downwardly under tension.