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US 2011/0314959 A1Published application
Cross-Jack Counterbalance System
OwnerAlan D. Smithinventor
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OwnerAlan D. Smithinventor
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The device is a counterbalance system and method to reduce the work of conventionally balanced, reciprocating cantilevered beam pumping units, and comprises a pair of transversely oriented support mounts attached to the cantilevered beam or walking beam of a pre-existing reciprocating pumping unit, attaching on either side of the pivoting-fulcrum, mounting point of the cantilevered walking beam. These transverse mounting points terminate individually on either side of said walking beam in channel-like saddles that support independent, parallel beams, which in turn cantilever themselves in tandem with said walking beam of the pumping unit; moreover, the position of the parallel beams by virtue of the transverse mounts creates a new center of gravity corresponding to the center of the pivoting mounting point of the walking beam, eliminating counter-productive torque forces on the walking beam as it tilts from horizontal.
A Cross Jack counterbalance system whereas transversely oriented structural members are attached to the walking beam of a cantilevered, reciprocating pumping unit in a manner that allows stable, adjustable, reversible and rapidly facilitated fixation where said members can provide adjustable mourning points for one or more outrigger weight bearing structural members which through said mounting points can be positioned along the longitudinal axis of said walking beam, spanning the pivoting bearing mount of said walking beam and whereby said outrigger members provide an adjustable means to counterbalance lift weights of said pumping unit across said pivoting bearing mount.
A Cross Jack counterbalance system whereby the mounting of the individual components through a determined configuration produces a distribution of mass in and about the cantilevered walking beam of a pumping unit which creates a new center of gravity for all masses effectively comprising or tandemly attached to said walking beam in a manner that said masses move in concert with said walking beam with the reciprocation of each pumping stroke of said pumping unit whereby said new center of gravity substantially constitutes the center of rotation or axis of pivot of said walking beam eliminating torque forces generated by said beam pivoting about said axis of rotation or pivot when the center of gravity of said masses does not coincide with said axis of rotation or pivot thereby eliminating ineffective, undesired work associated with opposing such torque forces during operation of said pump unit.
A Cross Jack counterbalance system and method of installation in which counterbalance weights are suspended by the current device in a manner that effectively offsets the lift weights borne by the walking beam of the pumping unit to which the current device is attached whereby said counterweights remain substantially vertically oriented in translation throughout the entire reciprocating stroke motion of said walking beam thereby substantially eliminating any and all horizontal translations of said counterweights eliminating undesirable, ineffective work associated therewith out compromising pump stroke length or effectiveness of stroke production or interfering with harmonic motions of said pump.
A Cross Jack counterbalance system whereas structural outrigger members terminate in adjustable curved guide heads for suspension cables which support counterweights that articulate in substantially vertical paths as the conjoined walking head of a pumping unit reciprocally lifts down-hole well weights to effect productive pumping stroke in opposition to said counterweights and whereby the method and art of the current device facilitates adjustment to substantially change the head radius of curvature, the angle of tilt of said head with respect to the longitudinal axis of said outrigger members and attached walking beam of said pumping unit and the vertical position of said curved head with respect to said outrigger members and the center of axis of pivot whereby said curved head contains a back mounting plate which through an articulating slot, single axis pivot hinge structure and threaded actuators facilitate the tilt and elevation articulations as foresaid and whereby said mounting plate houses a duplicity of columned threaded actuators which in concert with air lift structural members exert conforming forces on tectonic structural face plates which collectively and substantially comprise the determined curved front surface of said head whereby through contact with said suspension cables by means of guiding channels substantially formed by the continuity of spined chain supports which through grooves in said tectonic face plates adjust passively to the relative adjustment of said head curvature while maintaining continuity of said guide channels whereby the guided path substantially keeps said suspension cable in vertical paths as said pumping unit reciprocally articulates therefore effectively and substantially eliminating any and all horizontal translations of said suspension cables and aforeto said counterweights reducing or substantially eliminating ineffective work associated with each pump stroke thereby reducing energy consumption associated with said work and theretofore reducing lift costs.
A Cross Jack counterbalance system whereby through the method and art of the current device energy consumption associated with work performed by a cantilevered, reciprocating pumping unit can be reduced by substantially eliminating any or all ineffective work associated with horizontal translation of counterweights utilized in said pumps and any or all ineffective work associated with induced torque forces generated by the walking beam articulated through the reciprocating stroke cycle of said pumps in which the center of gravity and the center of pivot of the walking beam of said pump do not coincide whereby energy consumption of said pump so transformed by the method and art of the current device can feasibly and economically be provided by alternative energy sources in an off-grid, tied-grid or combined on-grid, off-grid manner to which end the energy consumption of said pump may be further reduced by actuating said pump by means other than a conventional prime mover through a reducing gear train and reciprocating mechanism such as a hydraulic, electric, pneumatic or magnetic linear actuator.
A curved adjustable cable mount and guide head whereby the method and art of the current device facilitates adjustment to substantially change the head radius of curvature, the angle of tilt of said head with respect to attached walking beam of a cantilevered, reciprocating pumping unit and the vertical position of said curved head with respect to said walking beam and the center of axis of pivot whereby said curved head contains a back mounting plate which through an articulating slot, single axis pivot hinge structure and threaded actuators facilitate the tilt and elevation articulations as foresaid and whereby said mounting plate houses a duplicity of columned threaded actuators which in concert with air lift structural members exert conforming forces on tectonic structural face plates which collectively and substantially comprise the determined curved front surface of said head whereby through contact with said suspension cables by means of guiding channels substantially formed by the continuity of spined chain supports which through grooves in said tectonic face plates adjust passively to the relative adjustment of said head curvature while maintaining continuity of said guide channels whereby the guided path substantially keeps said suspension cable in vertical paths as said pumping unit reciprocally articulates and whereas said head can provide a universal replacement for a variety of said pumps so as to reduce production costs associated with providing a specifically fixed dimension and/or configuration head for each make or brand of pump within a range of pumping capacity and whereby inventories of various head components may be replaced with the method and art of the current device in such way that inventories of various specific head components for a variety of said pumps may therefore be consolidated at lower expense through the universality of the current method and art.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.