Flow basket

• US 4,576,042 A
• Filed: 12/26/1984
• Issued: 03/18/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marathon Oil Company 539 South Main St Findlay Oh
• Original Assignee: Marathon Oil Company (Marathon Oil Corporation)
• Inventors: Johnson, Irvin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stewart J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raevis, Robert R.
• Application Number:
  US06/686,514
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 73/155, 166/192, 166/202
• US Class Current: 73/152.36
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/126 with fluid-pressure-operated elastic cup or skirt E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/10 Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements

Abstract

A flow basket for use in an apparatus for measuring flow rates having a plurality of substantially triangular shaped petals that selectively open and close about a shaft. A plurality of support bows extend over the petals and attach to the opening end of each petal wherein the support bows are further interconnected to the shaft so that the support bows open and close the petals only in an outward radial direction.

Claims

1. A flow basket (10) connected to a shaft (20) for use in a bore hole to measure flow rates, said flow basket (10) comprising:

a plurality of petals (70), each of said petals being substantially triangular in shape and having one linear edge (76) located between an enlarged petal end (74) and a narrow terminal end (72), said plurality of petals (70) being arranged around said shaft (20) so that said petals overlap each other in order for said petals to open and close about said shaft,

first means (78) connected to said terminal end (72) of said petals (70) for engaging said shaft (20) at a first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20),

a plurality of support ridges (80) with each support ridge (80) attached to one of said petals (70) along said linear edge (76), each said support ridge (80) being an elongated rectangle in shape and extending from a region near said terminal end (72) to a region near said petal end (74) of each said petal (70),

a plurality of support bows (60) with each support bow (60) attached at one end (64) to said petal end (74) of said petal at a predetermined location (A) next to said attached support ridge (80), said support bow (60) extending over said first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20) and having its opposing end (62) engaging said shaft (20) at a second predetermined location (C) on said shaft (20), and

second means (50) connected to the opposing end (62) of said support bow (60) for engaging said shaft (20) at said second predetermined location, said first (78) and second engaging means (50) being capable of relative movement with respect to each other along said shaft (20) as said petals (70) open and close so that each said petal (70) is opened in an outward radial direction (600) only.

2. The flow basket (10) of claim 1, further comprising means (30) connected to said shaft (20) for slideably engaging said petal ends (74) of said plurality of petals (70) when said petals (70) are collapsed about said shaft (20) for selectively releasing said ends (74) so that said petals open outwardly.

3. The flow basket (10) of claim 1 wherein said first engaging means (78) is affixed to said shaft and wherein said second engaging means (50) slideably moves along said shaft (20).

4. The flow basket (10) of claim 1 wherein said second engaging means (50) is affixed to said shaft (20) and wherein said first engaging means (78) slideably moves along said shaft (20).

5. A flow basket (10) connected to a shaft (20) for use in a bore hole to measure flow rates, said flow basket (10) comprising:

a plurality of petals (70), each of said petals being substantially triangular in shape and having an enlarged petal end (74) and a narrow terminal end (72), said plurality of petals (70) being arranged around said shaft (20) so that said petals overlap each other in order for said petals to open and close about said shaft,

first means (78) connected to said terminal end (72) of said petals (70) for engaging said shaft (20) at a first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20),

a plurality of support bows (60) attached at one end (64) to said petal end (74) of said petal at a predetermined location (A), said support bow (60) extending over said first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20) and having its opposing end (62) engaging said shaft (20) at a second predetermined location (C) on said shaft (20),

second means (50) connected to the opposing end (62) of said support bow (60) for engaging said shaft (20) at said second predetermined location, said first (78) and second means (50) being capable of relative movement with respect to each other along said shaft (20) at said petals (70) open and close so that each said petal (70) is opened in an outward radial direction (600) only, and

means (30) connected to said shaft (20) for slideably engaging said petal ends (74) of said plurality of petals (70) when said petals (70) are collapsed about said shaft (20) for selectively releasing said ends (74) so that said petals open outwardly.

6. The flow basket (10) of claim 5 wherein said first engaging means (78) is affixed to said shaft and wherein said second engaging means (50) slideably moves along said shaft (20).

7. The flow basket (10) of claim 5 wherein said second engaging means (50) is affixed to said shaft (20) and wherein said first engaging means (78) slideably moves along said shaft (20).

8. A flow basket (10) connected to a shaft (20) for use in a bore hole to measure flow rates, said flow basket (10) comprising:

a plurality of petals (70), each of said petals having an enlarged petal end (74) and a narrow terminal end (72), said plurality of petals (70) being arranged around said shaft (20) so that said petals overlap each other in order for said petals to open and close about said shaft,

first means (78) connected to said terminal ends (72) of said petals (70) for engaging said shaft (20) at a first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20),

a plurality of support bows (60) attached at one end (64) to said petal end (74) of said petal at a predetermined location (A), said support bow (60) extending over said first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20) and having its opposing end (62) engaging said shaft (20) at a second predetermined location (C) on said shaft (20), and

second means (50) connected to the opposing end (62) of said support bow (60) for engaging said shaft (20) at said second predetermined location, said first (78) and second means (50) being capable of relative movement with respect to each other along said shaft (20) as said petals (70) open and close so that each said petal (70) is opened in an outward radial direction (600) only.

9. A flow basket (10) connected to a shaft (20) for use in a bore hole to measure flow rates, said flow basket (10) comprising:

a plurality of petals (70), each of said petals having an enlarged petal end (74) and a narrow terminal end (72), said plurality of petals (70) being arranged around said shaft (20) and connected thereto at said narrow terminal end (72) by a first means (78) so that said petals overlap each other in order for said petals to open and close about said shaft, and

a plurality of support bows (60) attached at one end (64) to said enlarged petal end (74) of said petal at a predetermined location (A), said support bow (60) having its opposing end (62) engaging said shaft (20) at a second predetermined location (C) on said shaft (20), and

second means (50) connected to the opposing end (62) of said support bow (60) for engaging said shaft (20) at said second predetermined location, said first (78) and second means (50) being capable of relative movement with respect to each other along said shaft (20) as said petals (70) open and close so that each said petal (70) is opened in an outward radial direction (600) only.

10. A flow basket (10) connected to a shaft (20) for use in a bore hole to measure flow rates, said flow basket (10) comprising:

a plurality of petals (70), each of said petals being substantially triangular in shape and having one linear edge (76) located between an enlarged petal end (74) and a narrow terminal end (72), said plurality of petals (70) being arranged around said shaft (20) so that said petals overlap each other in order for said petals to open and close about said shaft,

first means (78) connected to said terminal end (72) of said petals (70) for engaging said shaft (20) at a first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20),

a plurality of support ridges (80) with each support ridge (8) attached to one of said petals (70) along said linear edge (76), each said support ridge (80) being an elongated rectangle in shape and extending from a region near said terminal end (72) to a region near said petal end (74) of each said petal (70),

a plurality of support bows (60) with each support bow centrally attached to said petal end (74) of said petal at a predetermined location (A) next to said attached support ridge (80), said support bow (60) extending over said first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20);

having one end (62) engaging said shaft (20) at a second predetermined location (C) on said shaft (20); and

having its opposing end (602) engaging said shaft (20) at a third predetermined location (D),

second means (50) connected to said end (62) of said support bow (60) for engaging said shaft (20) at said second predetermined location, and

third means (700) connected to said opposing end (602) of said support bow for engaging said shaft (20) at said third predetermined location (D), said first (78), second (50), and third (700) engaging means being capable of relative movement with respect to each other along said shaft (20) provided one of said first (78), second (50), and third (700) engaging means is firmly affixed to said shaft (20) so that each petal is opened in an outward radial direction (600) only.

11. The flow basket (10) of claim 10 further comprising means (30) connected to said shaft (20) and slideably engaging said petal ends (74) of said plurality of petals (70) when said petals (70) are collapsed about said shaft (20) for selectively releasing said ends (74) so that said petals open outwardly.

12. The flow basket (10) of claim 10 wherein said first engaging means (78) is affixed to said shaft and wherein said second and third engaging means (50, 700) slideably moves along said shaft (20).

13. The flow basket (10) of claim 10 wherein said second engaging means (50) is affixed to said shaft (20) and wherein said first and third engaging means (78, 700) slideably moves along said shaft (20).

14. The flow basket (10) of claim 10 wherein said third engaging means (700) is affixed to said shaft (20) and wherein said first (78) and second (50) engaging means slideably moves along said shaft.

15. A flow basket (10) connected to a shaft (20) for use in a bore hole to measure flow rates, said flow basket (10) comprising:

a plurality of petals (70), each of said petals being substantially triangular in shape and having an enlarged petal end (74) and a narrow terminal end (72), said plurality of petals (70) being arranged around said shaft (20) so that said petals overlap each other in order for said petals to open and close about said shaft,

first means (78) connected to said terminal end (72) of said petals (70) for engaging said shaft (20) at a first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20),

a plurality of support bows (60) with each support bow centrally attached to said petal end (74) of said petal at a predetermined location (A) said support bow (60) extending over said first predetermined location (B) on said shaft (20);

having one end (62) engaging said shaft (20) at a second predetermined location (C) on said shaft (20); and

having its opposing end (602) engaging said shaft (20) at a third predetermined location (D),

second means (50) connected to said end (62) of said support bow (60) for engaging said shaft (20) at said second predetermined location, and

third means (700) connected to said opposing end (602) of said support bow for engaging said shaft (20) at said third predetermined location (D), said first (78), second (50), and third (700) engaging means being capable of relative movement with respect to each other along said shaft (20) provided one of said first (78), second (50), and third (700) engaging means is firmly affixed to said shaft (20) so that each petal is opened in an outward radial direction (600) only.

16. The flow basket (10) of claim 15 further comprising means (30) connected to said shaft (20) and slideably engaging said petal ends (74) of said plurality of petals (70) when said petals (70) are collapsed about said shaft (20) for selectively releasing said ends (74) so that said petals open outwardly.