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US 11,441,370 B2Granted
Apparatus for use in a tractor in a wellbore and methods
AssigneeQinterra Technologies AS
InventorGerald McInally
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention relates to a tractor for use in a wellbore, an apparatus for use in the tractor and related methods. In one embodiment the apparatus has a body, a drive wheel and a movable arm for supporting drive wheel. The arm may be rotatably movable using an actuator such that the drive wheel can be extracted from the body and brought into engagement with a wall of the wellbore, and may be arranged to be offset from a central region of the apparatus for providing accommodation space for the actuator in the body.
Claims29
Apparatus (20) for use in a tractor (10) in a wellbore (11), the tractor being a wireline tractor, the apparatus (20) comprising,:
- a cylindrical body (22) extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end of the body and having a central longitudinal axis (23) and a radial direction that is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis;
- drive wheel (25, 35);
- a hydraulic actuator (28) accommodated in the cylindrical body;
- a movable arm (26) for supporting the drive wheel (25), the movable arm (26) being rotatably movable using the hydraulic actuator (28) such that the drive wheel (25, 35) can be extracted outwardly from the cylindrical body (22) and brought into engagement with a surrounding wall (12) of the wellbore (11) wherein the movable arm (26) extends between a first end portion (26a) at which the movable arm (26) is rotatably connected to the cylindrical body (22), and a second end portion (26b) to be extracted from the cylindrical body (22) and at which the drive wheel (25, 35) is rotatably mounted;
- a slot (27) in the cylindrical body extending in the longitudinal direction between a first end portion (27a) of the slot and a second end portion (27b) of the slot, the second end portion (26b) of the movable arm (26) being extractable from the slot (27);
- the first end portion (27a) of the slot having first and second sidewalls and a width (W1) therebetween for housing the first end portion (26a) of the movable arm, the width (W1) extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of the slot and in the radial direction;
- a coupling including a pin (62) that extends between the first end portion (27a) of the moveable arm (26) and the hydraulic actuator (28) in the radial direction through the first sidewall of the first end portion (27a) of the slot and arranged to couple between the first end portion (26a) of the movable arm and the hydraulic actuator (28);
- wherein the movable arm (26) in its entire width and length is spaced apart from and does not intersect the central longitudinal axis (23) in the radial direction;
- and
- wherein the hydraulic actuator (28) is accommodated centrally in the cylindrical body (22) so that at least part of the hydraulic actuator (28) is situated radially adjacent the movable arm (26) which at least part of the hydraulic actuator and movable arm are arranged on opposite sides of the first sidewall of the first end portion (27a) of the slot (27);
- and
- wherein the drive wheel (25, 35) is arranged centrally with respect to the cylindrical body (22), the central longitudinal axis (23) intersecting a grip surface of the drive wheel (25,35) between sides of the drive wheel (25,35) and extending through the grip surface of the drive wheel (25, 35) when housed in the second end (27b) of the slot.
9 more elements
Apparatus (20) for use in a tractor (10) in a wellbore (11), the apparatus (20) comprising:
- a cylindrical body (22) extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end of the cylindrical body having a central longitudinal axis and a radial direction that is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis;
- and
- at least one engaging structure (24, 34) which comprises:
- drive wheel (25, 35);
- a hydraulic actuator (28) accommodated in the cylindrical body;
- and
- a movable arm (26, 36) for supporting the drive wheel (25, 35);
- at least a portion of the hydraulic actuator (28) situated radially adjacent the moveable arm (26, 36), the movable arm (26, 36) being movable using a the hydraulic actuator (28) such that the drive wheel (25, 35) can be extracted outwardly from the cylindrical body (22) and brought into engagement with a surrounding wall (12) of the wellbore (11), wherein the movable arm (26) extends between a first end at which the movable arm (26) is rotatably connected to the cylindrical body (22), and a second end at which the drive wheel (25) is rotatably mounted;
- wherein the movable arm (26) at the first end is spaced apart from and does not intersect the central longitudinal axis in a radial direction;
- the drive wheel (25, 35) is arranged centrally with respect to the cylindrical body (22), the central longitudinal axis intersecting and extending through a grip surface of the drive wheel when housed;
- the apparatus further comprising a coupling including a pin (62) that extends between the first end portion (27a) of the moveable arm (26) and the hydraulic actuator (28) in the radial direction through the first sidewall of the first end portion (27a) of the slot and arranged to couple between the first end portion (26a) of the movable arm and the hydraulic actuator (28).
8 more elements
A tractor (10) for use in a wellbore (11), said tractor comprising:
- a motor section;
- a drive section connected to said motor section, said drive section having a cylindrical body (22) extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end of the body and having a central longitudinal axis (23) and a radial direction that is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis;
- drive wheel (25, 35);
- a hydraulic actuator (28) accommodated in the cylindrical body;
- a movable arm (26) for supporting the drive wheel (25), the movable arm (26) being rotatably movable using the hydraulic actuator (28) such that the drive wheel (25, 35) can be extracted outwardly from the cylindrical body (22) and brought into engagement with a surrounding wall (12) of the wellbore (11) wherein the movable arm (26) extends between a first end portion (26a) at which the movable arm (26) is rotatably connected to the cylindrical body (22), and a second end portion (26b) to be extracted from the cylindrical body (22) and at which the drive wheel (25, 35) is rotatably mounted;
- a slot (27) in the cylindrical body extending in the longitudinal direction between a first end portion (27a) of the slot and a second end portion (27b) of the slot, the second end portion (26b) of the movable arm (26) being extractable from the slot (27);
- the first end portion (27a) of the slot having first and second sidewalls and a width (W1) therebetween for housing the first end portion (26a) of the movable arm, the width (W1) extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of the slot and in the radial direction;
- a coupling including a pin (62) that extends in the radial direction through the first sidewall of the first end portion (27a) of the slot and arranged to couple between the first end portion (26a) of the movable arm and the hydraulic actuator (28);
- wherein the movable arm (26) in its entire width and length is spaced apart from and does not intersect the central longitudinal axis (23) in the radial direction;
- and
- wherein the hydraulic actuator (28) is accommodated centrally in the cylindrical body (22) so that at least part of the hydraulic actuator (28) is situated radially adjacent the movable arm (26) which at least part of the hydraulic actuator and movable arm are arranged on opposite sides of the first sidewall of the first end portion (27a) of the slot (27);
- and
- wherein the drive wheel (25, 35) is arranged centrally with respect to the cylindrical body (22), the central longitudinal axis (23) intersecting and extending through a grip surface of the drive wheel (25, 35) when housed in the second end (27b) of the slot.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.