Supports: racks – Special article – Article includes elongated portion
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-11
2001-03-20
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Article includes elongated portion
C414S022620
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202863
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to sucker rods used in oil well recovery and more particularly to a sucker rod cradle apparatus for handling, storing and transporting sucker rods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sucker rods are typically used in oil well pumping operations to stroke or drive the pump located near the bottom of the well bore and subsequently facilitate the withdrawal of oil from the production zone or reservoir. Several such rods must be coupled together to form a sucker rod string and therefore, dependent on the depth, large numbers of such rods must be handled, stored and transported to various oil well sites on a regular basis. A common method for the handling, storage and transporting of sucker rods comprises layering and stacking the sucker rods between wooden boards approximately 2.5″ wide by 30″ in length with each board having grooves to space and hold a capacity of 15 rods. The boards are spaced at five standardized increments along the length of a sucker rod which is typically 25 feet. Subsequent layers or tiers of 15 rods each are then added by using another five boards along the length of the rod directly above the lower five boards. A typical bundle of 60 sucker rods comprising four layers or tiers of 15 rods each is produced in this manner. The final step is the addition of a fifth top board to each column of boards in such a manner that the 15 grooves fit into the top tier of rods. The five columns of five boards each are then strapped together using steel banding.
While such a method is widely used for bundling, handling, storing and transporting sucker rods, bundling the rods in this manner does little to protect the sucker rods from damage. The ends of the sucker rods have no protection other than to the threaded areas, which have thread protectors, and are particularly prone to bending because of their projection through the end of the bundle. Furthermore, this method is labor intensive, requires specialty equipment is required to move, load or unload the sucker rods and does not provide a means to contain contaminants which drip off any used rods being removed from the well.
Another method for bundling, handling, storing and transporting sucker rods is without the use of any type of spacers. In this method 25 to 50 plain rods are simply bundled together. This method does not work well if guides or scrapers have been molded onto the rod body. Although this method minimizes the potential of bending a plain rod, it is also prone to the same problems and disadvantages encountered by the banding method employing wooden boards as described previously. In addition, the metal to metal contact between the sucker rods themselves can cause damage.
It is therefore an object of an aspect of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one of the aforesaid disadvantages that are associated with the currently known and used methods for handling, storing and transporting any new, used or reconditioned sucker rods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention a novel apparatus has been developed for the handling, storage and transporting of sucker rods. The apparatus overcomes the disadvantages of the previously used methods for bundling, handling, storing and transporting sucker rods. The present apparatus significantly enhances the protection of all sucker rods placed within from damage and also provides a level of contamination containment far greater than is currently being practised by the oil industry in general when removing used rods from a well. Although the apparatus of the present invention allows for the use of steel banding to make individual bundles of rods, it is not necessary to band the rods. As a result the apparatus makes it possible to store, add or remove and transport sucker rods without the need to unbundle or rebundle any rods. This significantly reduces the amount of labour and related costs currently required to handle the rods.
According to an aspect of the present invention a sucker rod cradle is provided for the storage, handling and transportation of rods, the apparatus comprises in combination:
a base frame having a pocket means for engagement with corresponding fork means of a forklift;
a plurality of upright cradle arms spaced at intervals along the length of the base frame, the cradle arms extending substantially perpendicular to the base frame to contain rods stacked therein, and
the cradle arms having means for receiving the ends of corresponding spacer means for spacing rods.
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G & P Enterprises, Ltd.
Novosad Jennifer E.
Stodola Daniel P.
Young & Basile P.C.
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