US 8,950,473 B2Granted

Cross-jack counterbalance system

OwnerAlan D. Smithinventor

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Abstract

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.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A counterbalance system for a cantilevered beam pumping unit, the counterbalance system including:

(a) a support structure adapted to be mounted on a walking beam of a cantilevered beam pumping unit in an operating position in which the support structure extends transverse to the walking beam from a first lateral side of the counterbalance system at a first side of the walking beam to a second lateral side of the counterbalance system at a second side of the walking beam opposite the first side of the walking beam, the support structure including a forward support element and a rear support element, the forward support element residing proximate to a front of the walking beam when the support structure is in the operating position, with the rear support element residing relatively further away from the front of the walking beam, both the forward support element and the rear support element extending transverse to the walking beam;
(b) a first outrigger member extending from the forward support element to the rear support element with a suspension end of the first outrigger member positioned on the first lateral side of the counterbalance system;
(c) a second outrigger member extending from the forward support element to the rear support element with a suspension end of the second outrigger member positioned on the second lateral side of the counterbalance system;
(d) a first suspension element connected to the first outrigger member so as to depend from the suspension end of the first outrigger member when the support structure is in the operating position, the first suspension element adapted to receive a first counterbalance weight and suspend the first counterbalance weight from the first outrigger member when the support structure is in the operating position;
and
(e) a second suspension element connected to the second outrigger member so as to depend from the suspension end of the second outrigger member when the support structure is in the operating position, the second suspension element adapted to receive a second counterbalance weight and suspend the second counterbalance weight from the second outrigger member when the support structure is in the operating position.

3 more elements

A counterbalance system for a cantilevered beam pumping unit, the counterbalance system including:

(a) a support structure adapted to be mounted on a walking beam of the cantilevered beam pumping unit in an operating position;
(b) a first outrigger member connected to the support structure so as to reside on a first lateral side of the counterbalance system and on a first lateral side of the walking beam when the support structure is in the operating position;
(c) a second outrigger member connected to the support structure so as to reside on a second lateral side of the counterbalance system, opposite the first lateral side thereof, and on a second lateral side of the walking beam when the support structure is in the operating position;
and
(d) wherein the first and second outrigger members reside below the level of the walking beam and the counterbalance system is positioned axially along the walking beam when the support structure is in the operating position so as to place the center of gravity of the combined walking beam, support structure, and the first and second outrigger members at a pivot axis for the walking beam on the pumping unit.

2 more elements

A method of balancing a cantilevered beam pumping unit having one or more crank-mounted counterweights, the method including:

(a) securing a counterbalance support frame to a walking beam of the cantilevered beam pumping unit in an operating position in which the counterbalance support frame provides a first suspension point on a first lateral side of the walking beam and a second suspension point on a second lateral side of the walking beam, with both the first suspension point and the second suspension point being proximate to an end of the walking beam opposite an end on which is mounted a head of the pumping unit;
(b) removing the one or more crank-mounted counterweights;
and
(c) suspending a first counterweight from the first suspension point and suspending a second counterweight from the second suspension point, the first counterweight being approximately equal in weight to the second counterweight and the combined weight of the first and second counterweights approximating a lifting load at the head of the pumping unit.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/097,754Filed 29 Apr 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 8 May 2010
Published: US 2011/0314959 A129 Dec 2011
Granted: 10 Feb 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F04B 47/14
Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps: counterbalancing
E21B 43/127
Adaptations of down-hole pump systems powered by drives outside the borehole, e.g. by a rotary or oscillating drive: adaptations of walking-beam…
Y10T 74/18182
Crank, pitman, lever, and slide: pump jack type
Y10T 74/2156
Counterbalanced: weight type