Method and Apparatus for Removing Metal Cuttings from an Oil Well Drilling Mud Stream
AssigneePetroleum Specialty Rental, LLC
InventorJames A. Branch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for removing metal cuttings from an oil well drilling mud stream provides a magnetic body or “ditch magnet” having end plates that extend radially and circumferentially from the magnetic body, the plates being positioned at end portions of the magnetic body. A third plate in the form of a wiper is used to dislodge metal cuttings and other metallic material from the magnetic body after the magnetic body has accumulated such metallic parts. One of the end plates can be removable to facilitate a complete scraping or wiping of the metallic parts from the metallic body by the wiper plate.
Claims20
Apparatus for removing metal cuttings from oil well drilling mud, comprising:
- a) a magnetized bar having first and second end portions and a generally uniform cross section;
- b) a first end plate attached to one end portion and extending radially and circumferentially from the magnetized bar;
- c) a second end plate attached to the second end of the magnetized bar with a connection that enables the second end plate to be quickly disconnected from the magnetized bar;
- d) a non-magnetic wiper plate having an opening that closely conforms to the outer surface of the magnetized bar, the wiper plate being slidable upon the magnetized bar between the end plates so that movement of the wiper plate from one end plate to the other end plate enables removal of metal cuttings from the magnetized bar.
A method of removing metal cuttings from oil well drilling mud stream comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a magnetized bar with end plates attached to each end portion of the magnetized bar, one of the end plates being connected to the magnetized bar with a disconnectable connection;
- b) mounting a wiper plate on the magnetized bar in between the end plates, the wiper plate having an opening with a shape that closely conforms to the outer surface of the magnetized bar;
- c) placing the magnetized bar in an oil well drilling mud flow stream;
- d) allowing metal cuttings to accumulate on the magnetized bar over time;
- e) removing the magnetized bar from the oil well drilling flow stream;
- and
- f) moving the wiper from one end portion of the bar to the other end portion of the bar, wiping the metal cuttings from the outer surface of the magnetized bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.