United States Patent Vogt et al. (54) VARIABLE CONTROLLED GUIDE DEVICE FOR WIRELINE SPOOLER 5) Inventors: Dewayne Vogt, Tusa, OK (US); John Brittain, Tulsa, OK (US) (73) Assignee: Woollayer Compantes In, Tuls, OKs) (7) Notice: Sujet to any stam, the erm ofthis alent is extended or adjusted under 35 USC. 154b) by O days (21) Appl. No 191482,827 (22) Fea: Jum, 2, 2003 Incl” Gr 1/00 US.cl. 254/885, 243/157. 240548 (58). Feld of Search 254/385, 30 254/381; H2)848 157 BST. 3973 470, 65) References Cit US. PATENT DOCUMENTS, 19081 A * S877 Bevelader anger Latsitel A 11937 tier Zonas? A TINS Wi Sass 54 ‘US006910679B1 (a0) Patent No: US 6,910,679 BL (45) Date of Patent Jun. 28, 2005, 2IM536 A+ M956 Hemon ea ne MOASTA Biteset A” 000 Mosovea 2 ans Boiss A dine wate aan dain A “es Sass tet As ties aastt Simin A" Mo Dis a Samael AS bios Saber same Satie Bu” Fano, Steuca a" Baas Cassin Ble gated Cora aes * cited by examiner Primary Esaminer—Eevenanuel Marcelo (74) Attomey, Agent, oF Finm—Head, Jobsson & Kachigian on ABSTRACT [A guide device for a wireline spooler having an axis. A. carriage is spaced from the spooler withthe eartiae inclu jing an upstanding farlead to receive a wiseline. A first ‘mechanism reciprocates the carriage laterally parallel to the spooler axis. A second mechanism raises and lowers the carriage in a divwetion vertical (othe frst mechanism. The first and second mechanisms operate independently of each ‘other and operate independently of a deve mechanism for ‘winding the wireline. 7a ws, 2 Drawing SheetsU.S. Patent 24- Jun. 28, 2005 Sheet 1 of 2 US 6,910,679 BL ae FIG. 1 Seen 34 BS 26 AKAU.S. Patent Jun. 28, 2005 Sheet 2 of 2 US 6,910,679 B1 Ric ceUS 6,910,679 BL 1 VARIABLE CONTROLLED GUIDE DEVICE FOR WIRELINE SPOOLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1, Field of the Invention The present invention is directed © a variable eontolled ‘guide for a wireline spooler baving independent variable ‘contols to reciprocate @ spooler guide horizontally and t0 ‘ise and lower the spooler guide vertically 2. Pre At x drilling and other rigs, masis are provided with hoisting mechisnisms which ineivde a crown block at the top ‘of the mast and a traveling block suspended from the erowa, block by wire rope commonly refered to as wireline. It is ‘common for the traveling block to be separated from the mast for transport to the next well. For this purpose the re-usable wireline is remove from the hoisting system and Js stored on a spool for tanspod. The wireline spool may be mechanically driven so that it routes about an axis. The fotation about the axis will wind or unwind the wireline on the spool. The rotation may be accomplished by an electric {gear motor or other mechanical device. The motor may Include various gearing and clutch mechanisms. ‘Various devices and systems have been proposed in the past to wind cables, such as wirelines and electric ines, onto 4 reel drum or spool having a central eylinder with an axis and a pair of side anges. In addition to winding mecha- nisms, various devices have been proposed to guide the ‘able onto the rel. In various prior art systems, winding ‘drive mechanisms rotate both the rec! and the Eide device. It has been suggested that unevenly spooled cable hocomes worn more readily than evenly spooled cable, A. ude can reduce gaps left between adjacent wraps and reduce accumulation of wraps at the side Hanges ofthe cee) or drum. Other proposals in the pas include Wilkinson (U.S. Pa. No, 2,990,136) which discloses a spooling guide deve for ‘winding cable in a drum, The easiage 16s arranged t slide freely along horizontal guide tabs 10 controled by fluid pressure. Adltional movement of the spooling device may bbe accomplished by swinging the arms 12 about an axis of pivot bolts 1. Wilson (US. Pat, No. 2,660,382) disclows a cable wind ing device wilizing 4 guide bead 20 traveling on rods back and forth from end o end on the drum and arms 11 to allow backward and forward movement of a cariage C which moves the rods Thorson et al. (US. Pat. No. 2,946,561) discloses a rotatable dram of draw works 24 having a sheave 38 ‘swivelly mounted on the draw works 24. The sheave moves ‘on cariage 42 which moves on guides 41 "There remains a need for a guide for a wireline spooler ‘which includes a mechanism which may be variably con- trolled and independently operated to reciprocate the spooler ‘Buide horizontally parallel to the spooler ‘Aaiionaly, there remains a eed to provide @ guide for wireline spooler having an independent mechanism which 's variably controllable to raise of loser the spooler gue ia 2 direction ventieal to the horizontal movement in order 10 ‘engage of disengage the spooler guide from the wireline. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ‘The present invention provides a spooler guide device ‘which may be used in varius types of diling rigs and may also be used in various applications where witeline is taken % o 2 fon and olf of ree, drum or spool. A mechanically div ‘wireline spooler has «central cylinder with an axis and ap of opposed langes perpendicular to the axis. The spooler ‘will be driven to wind eabl in one direction and will unwind cable in the opposite roltion direction, ‘The spoed of the ‘motor may be increased or decreased by a controller. The spooler guide of the present invention would be spaced from the spooler, intermediate between the spooler And the mas or other rig in which the wieline operates. The Spooler guide device includes a mechanism to reciprocate 2 carriage which taves ina path parallel to the spooler and its fxis. The carriage includes a cylinder with ¢ rod passing therethrough, The carriage also includes a centrally located piston which remain in place while the earrigge moves: laterally from side to side in a reciprocating motion. The eflinder is moved by byslauie fogce of other action, Extending from the carriage is a fsrlead comprised of a pair of upstanding fingers wiich receive the wireline ther between. The travel of the cariage laterally will be both ‘monitored and controled by a conta ‘A stabilization mechanism is also provided. The euriage has a downwardly extending slotted bar which surrounds, and travels over a tongue extending from a beam on a ski The guide device also inclodes a mechanism to move the carriage venically in teation tothe reciprocal lateral move- ofthe carriage. A par of eylinders raise and lower the carriage with relation to the beam. Exch eylinder will include a cenially located piston with a rod passing there- through. Each piston is centrally located and remains in place during any vertical movement “The vertical adjustment mechaniam may be operated by 3 ‘control atthe conizol box. ‘The vertical adjustment mec ism operates independent of the horizontal, Iateral move- i mechanism is also independent of any drive mecha- ism for winding ofthe spooler. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a spooler guide devi consucted in accordance with the present invention adia- ‘eal o and in operation with a dling cigs FIG. 2illusrates aside view of the spooler guide device of the present invention shown in FIG. Tin operation With | wireline spooler, FIG, 3 illustrates front view of the spooler guide show in FIG. 2; and FIG, 4 illusuates 2 sectional view of the spooler guide taken along section line 44 of FIG. 3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in whick to make and use the invention and are not to be interpreted as Limiting the scope of the ‘While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it to be noted that many modi cations may be made in the details of the iavention’s consiuetion and the arrangement of its components without ‘eparting from the spirit and seope of this disclosure I is ‘understood that the inveation isnot limited to the embod ‘ments set forth herein for purposes of exemplificaion. ‘Referring othe drasvings in detail, FIG. I shows a spooler guide device 10 constructed ia accordance with the present Jnvention adjacent to and in operation witha diling rig 12 The present invention may be used with various types ofUS 6,910,679 BL 7 riling rigs utilizing wireline including a power swivel type driling unit as shown in FIG. 1. Moreover, the prescal vention may be used in various applications where wite- line is tken on or of ofa ree, drum of spool ‘A power swivel I is suspended and supported by a hook 16 connected to a traveling block 18, all of which is ‘suspended from a crown black 20 mounied atthe top of 8 mast or derrick 22. The mast or derrick 22 includes floor 24 with the mast ‘or derrick 22 mounted over a well bore 26. Wireline 30 ‘suspends the power swivel 1, book 16 aad traveling lock, 18. The wireline is reeved over the crown block 20 and the traveling block 18, A dead line anchor 34 fixed on the floor 24 of the mast or derrick, Wieeline 30 iavels therefrom to 4 wireline spool, drum o¢ reel 4. The foregoing description i one of number of arrange= ‘ments know to those skilled in the art, may be varied in various ways, and further description is not requited IG. 2 illustrates a sie view of the wireline spooler 40 along with the spooler guide 10 of the preseat invention, ‘while FIG. 3 illustrates front view of the spooler guide 10, ‘The wireline spooler 40 has a central eylinder 42 with an axis and a pair of flanges perpendicular to the axis. The Wireline spooler 40 is mechanically driven and might typi- cally include a gear motor 50 with a gear reducer $2 ad a right ange drive coupled toa crum sbaf 48 coaxial with the axis the spooler. The gear motor 80 may be coupled to the shaft by a ehaia or other known mechanism. The spooler inchudes «pair of opposed flanges $4 and 86, The speed of the motor 50 may be inreased or decreased by a control $8 located at «control panel 32. The spooler will wind eable 30 jn the direction shown by arrow 36 in FIG. 2 and will tunwind cable in the opposite direction The spooler guide 10 would be mounted oa a base or skid (60 whieh may also be used to support the spooler 40 and its ‘conttls. The spooler guide 10 would be spaced from the spooler 40, intermediate between the spooler 40 and the mast or other rig on which the wieline 30 operates "The guide 10 includes a mechanism to reciprocate a ‘eartiage 62 which travels ina path parallel othe spooler 40 fand ils aris, The carriage 62 travels in a direction shown over a distance illustated by arrow 64. The cartiage 62 Jncludes a cylinder with «rod 66 possng through the legs fof the guide. The carriage 62 also includes centrally located piston 68 (shown in dished lines). Tae piston 68 ‘stays contally located at all times and the eylinder in the ‘cartiage moves laterally from side to side in 8 reciprocating mation, The eylinder is moved by hydraulic ation in the preferred embodiment but mechanical action may be use. Extending from the cariage 62 isa faitlead 70 comprised. ‘of a pair of upstanding fingers which will roveive the wireline 30 therebetween. As the carriage 62 moves back and fort laterally he wizeline Within the failead will also reciprocate “The cariage will be driven by an hydraulic, pneumatic oF mechanical system as is well known inthe ar. The travel of| the carriage wil be both monitored and contrlledby control 70, FIG, 4 shows 4 sectional view of the guide device taken through section line 4—4 of FIG. 3. The carriage 62 travels ‘0n 04 66. A stabilization mechanism is also provided. The carriage has « downwardly extending sloted bar 72 which ‘surrounds and travels over a stationary tongue 74 extending, from a beam 76 on the skid which acts to stibilize the rmvement of the carriage 4 The guide 10 also includes a mechanism to move the carriage, the extending fairlead and the wireline 90 vertically in relation to the eeviprocal movement of the eatrage. The iretion an length of movement vertically isilusrated by arrows 80. A pair of eylinders 2 and 84 raise and lower the ‘oc! with relation to the beam 76, The vertical adjustment ‘mechanism serves a number of purposes. Each eylinder 82 and 84 will inclade 2 centrally locsted piston with a rod passing therethrough ‘The vertical adjustment will Keep the wireline 30 at a position tangent to the cylinder of the spooler 40 4 the ‘wireline 30 winds or unwinds therefeom. Additionally, the vertical mechanism can lower the firead! so that it does not ‘operate at all in conjunction with the spooler and the Wireline docs not pass therethrough, ‘The vertical adjustment mechanism may be operated by 3 contr 86 at the contol box. The vertical adjustment ‘mechanism is independent of the horizontal lateral move- ‘ment mechanism and is also independent ofthe winding of the spo ‘Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation tothe drawings attached hereto, it should be under stood that other and further modifi shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spieit land scope of this invention. ‘What is claimed is L.A guide device for a wireline spooler having an axis, whieh guide comprises: «4 cateiage spaced from sad wireline spooler comprising 8 ‘jlinder a faizlead to receive a wireline comprising & pairof upstanding fingers and a dowawardly extending slotted bar; means 1 reciprocate said carriage horizontally parallel to ‘aid spooler axis comprising a rod having a centrally located piston and that extends through the catiage; «stationary tongue thatthe downvvandly extending slotted ‘ar surrounds and travels ever, and means 10 rise and lower said carriage in direction ‘vertical to Said means 10 reciprocate ssid carriage horizontally. 2. A guide deviee for a wireline spooler as set forth in claim 1 wherein stid means to reciprocate said carriage horizoataly parallel to said spooler axis operates indepen- ently of said means to rae and lower said carriage 3..A guide deviee for a wireline spooler as st forth in claim [ wherein stid means to reciprocate said carriage horizoatally includes atleast one mechanical actuator, 4A guide device for a wireline spooler as set forth in claim 1 wherein std means to raise and lower said carriage includes a pair of aligned hydraulic cylinders, '. A guise device for a wireline spooler as set forth ia claim 1 wherein sid means to raise and lower ssid carriage includes at least one hydraulic cylinder. 6. guide device for a wireline spooler as set forth in claim 1 wherein std means to raise and lower sad carriage includes a mechanical actuator, 7. A guide deviee for a wireline spooler as set forth in claim L wherein ssid wireline spooler is mechanically driven and wherein std) means o reciprocate horizoatally and ssid ‘ean to rse and lower sud carriage operate independently of sail spooler.