Subsurface apparatus
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorNeil Andrew Abercrombie Simpson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A subsurface apparatus in the form a tractor is adapted for travel through a bore containing a moving fluid stream. The tractor comprises a body, a drive arrangement for moving the body in a desired direction, a member mounted on the body and adapted to be driven by the moving fluid, and a conversion arrangement for converting movement of the member to drive for the drive arrangement. The drive arrangement may include a contactless magnetic coupling and a harmonic drive.
Claims44
A tractor adapted for travel through a moving fluid stream, the tractor comprising:
- at least one body;
- drive means for moving the at least one body in a desired direction;
- a member mounted on the at least one body and adapted to be driven by moving fluid;
- and
- conversion means for converting movement of the member to drive for the drive means.
A method of moving a tractor through a moving fluid stream, the method comprising:
- locating a tractor in a moving fluid stream such that a member on the tractor body is moved by the fluid;
- and
- converting the movement of the member to a drive force to drive the tractor in a desired direction.
A tractor adapted for travel through a moving fluid stream, the tractor comprising:
- a body;
- drive means for moving the body in a desired direction;
- a rotatable member mounted on the body and adapted to be driven by moving fluid;
- and
- conversion means for converting rotation of the member to drive for the drive means, said conversion means comprising a harmonic drive.
A tractor adapted for travel through a moving fluid stream, the tractor comprising:
- a body;
- drive means for moving the body in a desired direction;
- a rotatable member mounted on the body and adapted to be driven by moving fluid;
- and
- conversion means for converting rotation of the member to drive for the drive means, said conversion means comprising a contactless coupling between the rotatable member and the drive means.
A tractor adapted for travel through a moving fluid stream, the tractor comprising:
- at least one body;
- a drive member for moving the at least one body in a desired direction;
- a member mounted on the at least one body and adapted to be driven by moving fluid;
- and
- conversion apparatus for converting movement of the member to drive the drive member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.