Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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STUFFING BOX LOOSENING DEVICE AND METHOD
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The application relates generally to flow control devices for oil
and gas wells
and, more particularly, to removing stuffing boxes for replacement or repair.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Collars, nuts, or other locking mechanisms are used to secure one
object to
another. In the oil and gas industry, for example, a stuffing box is threaded
into a flange
of a well head and is secured to the well head with a threaded locking collar.
With time,
exposure, and wear, the locking collar degrades and becomes permanently
attached to
the flange of the well head and the stuffing box such that the locking collar
cannot be
easily removed. It then becomes very difficult to remove the stuffing box from
the well
head.
[0003] One technique for removing the locking collar involves using a
sufficiently
long pipe wrench and manually applying torque to the locking collar. It is
very difficult, if
not impossible, for one or more individuals to generate sufficient torque to
loosen the
locking collar. Using such a pipe wrench also poses safety issues.
Furthermore, the
space around many well heads is insufficient to use a sufficiently long pipe
wrench.
[0004] Another technique for removing the locking collar calls for the
assistance of a
separate bolting crew, which will come and remove the well head itself, or
some part
thereof. The bolting crew will then take the well head offsite where it can
employ
specialised tools to attempt to unlock the locking collar so as to remove the
stuffing box.
Such a technique necessarily involves significant down time during which the
well head
is not productive, which represents an important additional expense.
SUMMARY
[0005] In one aspect, there is provided a stuffing box loosening device for
loosening
a locking collar securing a stuffing box to a well head, comprising: a
rotatable clamping
tool having a clamp securable to an external surface of the locking collar,
the clamp
preventing relative rotational movement between itself and the locking collar
upon being
secured thereto, and a force-receiving body extending away from the clamp and
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connected thereto; a main frame having a mounting portion securable to the
well head,
the mounting portion preventing relative rotational movement between the main
frame
and the well head upon being secured thereto, and a force-supporting body
attached to
the mounting portion; and an actuator having a first end removably mounted to
the
force-supporting body of the main frame and an opposed second end, the
actuator in
operation extending to displace the second end to engage the force-receiving
body of
the clamping tool and apply a force thereto, the force rotating the clamp to
loosen the
locking collar.
[0006] In another aspect, there is provided a method of loosening a locking
collar
securing a stuffing box to a well head, comprising: securing a clamp to an
external
surface of the locking collar to prevent relative rotational movement
therebetween;
securing a main frame to the well head to prevent relative rotational movement
therebetween; and exerting a loosening force between the main frame and the
clamp to
rotate the clamp and loosen the locking collar.
[0007] In a further aspect, there is provided a stuffing box loosening
device for
loosening a locking collar securing a stuffing box to a well head, comprising:
a rotatable
clamping tool having a clamp securable to an external surface of the locking
collar, the
clamp preventing relative rotational movement between itself and the locking
collar
upon being secured thereto, and a force-receiving body extending away from the
clamp
and connected thereto; a main frame having a mounting portion securable to the
well
head, the mounting portion preventing relative rotational movement between the
main
frame and the well head upon being secured thereto, and a force-supporting
body
attached to the mounting portion and having first and second support plates
interconnected by at least one connector plate, at least one of the first and
second
support plates having at least one groove therein; and an actuator having a
first end
removably mounted to the force-supporting body of the main frame and an
opposed
second end, the actuator in operation extending to displace the second end to
engage
the force-receiving body of the clamping tool and apply a force thereto, the
force
rotating the clamp to loosen the locking collar, the second end of the
actuator having a
rod pin engageable with the at least one groove.
[0008] In yet a further aspect, there is provided a stuffing box loosening
device for
loosening a locking collar securing a stuffing box to a well head, comprising:
a rotatable
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clamping tool having a clamp securable to an external surface of the locking
collar, the
clamp preventing relative rotational movement between itself and the locking
collar
upon being secured thereto, and a force-receiving body extending away from the
clamp
and connected thereto; a main frame having a mounting portion with a first
plate having
a first collar located at a distal end of the first plate and securable to the
well head, the
mounting portion preventing relative rotational movement between the main
frame and
the well head upon being secured thereto, and a force-supporting body attached
to the
mounting portion, the distal end of the first plate having a plurality of bolt-
head
apertures therein, each bolt-head aperture mountable about a bolt head of a
flange of
the well head; and an actuator having a first end removably mounted to the
force-
supporting body of the main frame and an opposed second end, the actuator in
operation extending to displace the second end to engage the force-receiving
body of
the clamping tool and apply a force thereto, the force rotating the clamp to
loosen the
locking collar.
[0009] In yet a further aspect, there is provided a stuffing box loosening
device for
loosening a locking collar securing a stuffing box to a well head, comprising:
a rotatable
clamping tool having a clamp securable to an external surface of the locking
collar, the
clamp preventing relative rotational movement between itself and the locking
collar
upon being secured thereto, and a force-receiving body extending away from the
clamp
and connected thereto; a main frame having a mounting portion securable to the
well
head, the mounting portion preventing relative rotational movement between the
main
frame and the well head upon being secured thereto, and a force-supporting
body
attached to the mounting portion, the force-supporting body having a rod
aperture for
receiving therein a barrel pin, the barrel pin being rotatable within the rod
aperture; and
an actuator having a first end removably mounted to the force-supporting body
of the
main frame and an opposed second end, the actuator in operation extending to
displace the second end to engage the force-receiving body of the clamping
tool and
apply a force thereto, the force rotating the clamp to loosen the locking
collar.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Reference is now made to the accompanying figures in which:
[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stuffing box connected to a well
head;
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[0012] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a stuffing box loosening device,
according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure, mounted to the well head and stuffing
box of Fig.
1;
[0013] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a clamping tool of the stuffing box
loosening
device of Fig. 2;
[0014] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a main frame of the stuffing box
loosening
device of Fig. 2;
[0015] Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the loosening device of Fig. 2
mounted to the
well head and stuffing box of Fig. 1, an actuator of the stuffing box
loosening device
being shown in a first extended position;
[0016] Fig. 5B is a perspective view of the loosening device of Fig. 2
mounted to the
well head and stuffing box of Fig. 1, the actuator of the stuffing box
loosening device
being shown in a second extended position;
[0017] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a stuffing box connected to a well
head of the
flow-cross body type;
[0018] Fig. 7A is a perspective view of an adapter mounted to the well head
of Fig. 6;
and
[0019] Fig. 7B is a perspective view of the stuffing box loosening device
of Fig. 2
mounted to the adapter of Fig. 7A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Fig. 1 illustrates a stuffing box 10 of the type used in the oil and
gas industry
mounted to a stationary well head 12, and more particularly, to the flange 14
of the well
head 12. The stuffing box 10, which is a type of elongated body, can be of any
given
length and shape, and is therefore not limited to being cylindrical as shown
in Fig. 1.
The stuffing box 10 is a device that prevents leakage when a piston, rod,
propeller
shaft, or other moving part passes through a hole, such as through the output
hole of
the well head 12 at an oil and gas extraction facility. The stuffing box 10 is
generally a
hollow cylinder which has an internal box, or chamber, and generally contains
a gland
having compressed packing.
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[0021] In well heads 12 where oil is lifted by means of a sucker rod pump,
the rod
operates by descending and ascending through the stuffing box 10. The passage
of the
rod through the stuffing box 10 prevents or minimises the escape of the pumped
oil and
diverts it into a side outlet for further processing or treatment.
[0022] The stuffing box 10 is mounted to the well head 12 by being threaded
into a
receiving portion of the flange 14 of the well head 12, the components here
being
shown having a generally upright orientation, although other orientations
(i.e. horizontal,
inclined from the vertical, etc.) are also possible. The threaded connection
between the
stuffing box 10 and the flange 14 can be further secured with a rotatable
member. The
rotatable member can be any collar, nut, coupler, or other similar device
which rotates
about an external surface 16 of the stuffing box 10 and/or the receiving
portion of the
flange 14 to secure the stuffing box 10 to the well head 12. In the present
disclosure,
the rotatable member is shown as a locking collar 18, but it will be
appreciated that it
can be any other suitable device. Such a locking collar 18 can be rotated
along a
threaded external surface 16 of the stuffing box 10 and/or the threaded
exterior of the
receiving portion of the flange 14, thereby securing the stuffing box 10 to
the well head
12.
[0023] The shape of the collar 18 will generally depend on the shape of the
outer
surfaces to which is mounted. For example, where both the external surface 16
of the
stuffing box 10 and the receiving portion of the flange 14 are cylindrical,
the collar 18
can be a cylinder having an internal thread, or a polygonal locknut having a
cylindrical
inner aperture with an internal thread. Irrespective of its shape, it is known
that over
time the collar 18 can become difficult to remove from these outer surfaces
because of
wear, exposure to the elements, and exposure to the relatively harsh
environment of an
oil and gas well head 12. For example, when an external surface 19 of the
collar 18
becomes rusted, worn, or otherwise degraded after a given period of time, it
can be
difficult to grip the external surface 19 with a conventional torque-applying
tool. When
this occurs, the collar 18 becomes very difficult, if not impossible, to
remove with
conventional tools. There is thus a need for a device which can loosen and/or
remove
the collar 18 when it has degraded to such a state.
[0024] Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of such a stuffing box loosening
device 20
(or simply "device 20"), which can be mounted and secured to an elongated
body, such
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as the stuffing box 10 and well head 12, so that it can apply a torque to the
rotatable
degraded collar 18. In so doing, the device 20 helps to loosen, or "crack",
the collar 18,
thereby allowing the stuffing box 10 to be removed from the flange 14 of the
well head
12.
[0025] The stuffing box loosening device 20 has a rotatable clamping tool
30 which
is secured to the collar 18, a main frame 40 which is secured to the well head
12 and/or
flange 14, and an actuator 50 which applies a force to the clamping tool 30.
[0026] The clamping tool 30 is secured to the external surface 19 of the
collar 18 and
receives a force from the actuator 50 in order to apply a loosening torque to
the collar
18. The application of the torque to the collar 18 loosens its grip on the
external surface
11 of the stuffing box 10 and/or on the receiving portion of the flange 14,
thereby
allowing the stuffing box 10 to be removed from the flange 14. The clamping
tool 30 has
a clamp 32 and a force-receiving body 34, both of which are now described.
[0027] The clamp 32 is securable to some, or all, of the external surface
19 of the
collar 18. More particularly, the clamp 32 engages the external surface 19
such that
substantially all the relative rotational movement between the collar 18 and
the clamp
32 is prevented. Stated differently, when the clamp 32 is fixedly secured to
the external
surface 19 of the collar 18, there is substantially no slip between the clamp
32 and the
collar 18. This allows the rotation of the clamp 32 to cause the collar 18 to
also rotate.
The clamp 32 can therefore be any collar, bracket, or other mechanical device
which
can bind, constrict, or press two or more parts together (i.e. press the clamp
32 against
the external surface 19 of the collar 18).
[0028] Referring to Fig. 3, the clamp 32 has two jaws/jaw plates 36, each
one of
which has a teeth set 38 which can be attached to the jaw plate 36, or
integral
therewith. A first one of the jaw plates 36i is integral with the force-
receiving body 34,
while a second one of the jaw plates 36i is a separate piece which can be
mounted to
the first jaw plate 36i via bolts 36iii. In operation, the first jaw set 36i
is engaged against
the external surface of the collar, and the second jaw set 36ii is aligned
with the first jaw
set 36i and bolted thereto. As the bolts 36iii are tightened, the teeth set 38
of each jaw
exerts progressively increasing force against the external surface of the
collar, thereby
fixedly securing the clamp 32 to the collar. The orientation and disposition
of the teeth
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sets 38 can vary. For example, the pitch and depth of the teeth on each teeth
set 38
can be oriented in a direction to facilitate the loosening of the collar.
[0029] The force-receiving body 34 is attached to the clamp 32 or integral
therewith,
and is offset from the clamp 32 by extending away from the clamp 32. The
offset force-
receiving body 34 therefore defines a moment arm for the clamp 32, which
increases
the torque applied by the clamp 32 to the collar. More particularly, the force-
receiving
body 34 is offset from a center or central axis of rotation 39 of the clamp
32. In some
embodiments, the force-receiving body 34 extends away from the clamp 32 along
a
direction being substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation 39 of the
clamp 32.
Such a configuration of the force-receiving body 34 helps to reduce the shear
or other
undesirable force vectors acting against the clamp 32. When the force-
receiving body
34 receives a force from the actuator, the clamp 32 is engaged by the force
and applies
a torque to the collar, thereby rotating the collar to loosen its grip about
the external
surface of the stuffing box. The force-receiving body 34 can therefore be any
object
which provides a moment arm against which the force from the actuator can be
applied
and transferred to the clamp 32.
[0030] The force-receiving body 34 can include first and second support
plates
37i,37ii. The two support plates 37i,37ii are connected together via one or
more
connector plates 35. Such a framework provides support to the force-receiving
body 34,
and helps it to transfer the force received from the actuator to the clamp 32.
In the
embodiment of Fig. 3, the force-receiving body 34 has one or more grooves 33
which
can receive therein a rod or other elongated object from the actuator (see
Fig. 2).
[0031] More particularly, each of the first and second support plates
37i,37ii may
have a first groove 33i. The first grooves 33i of the first and second support
plates
37i,38ii are aligned along a first common axis 31i. Similarly, each of the
first and second
support plates 37i,37ii may have a second groove 33ii. The second grooves 33ii
are
also aligned along a second common axis 31ii. The aligned first and second
grooves
33i,33ii each provide a grooved alignment into which an elongated object from
the
actuator, such as a rod pin which can engage a second end of the actuator, can
be
inserted. This allows the actuator to apply force to both the first and second
support
plates 37i,37ii simultaneously. The actuator exerts its force with the rod
pin, which
distributes the load to the support plates 37i,37ii, and then to the clamp 32.
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[0032] Referring now to Fig. 4, the main frame 40 forms the corpus of the
device and
provides structure thereto. It is secured to at least the well head and/or its
flange such
that it does not move relative thereto. In so doing, the main frame 40
provides a stable
platform from which the actuator can exert force against the clamping tool. It
will be
appreciated that the main frame 40 can take may different shapes and
configurations in
order to achieve such functionality, some of which are described herein. The
main
frame 40 has a mounting portion 42 which is secured to at least the well head,
and a
force-supporting body 44 which houses and/or supports the actuator.
[0033] The mounting portion 42 engages at least the well head and/or its
flange such
that it substantially prevents relative rotational movement between the main
frame 40
and the well head. In so doing, the mounting portion 42 secures the main frame
40 to
the well head and allows force to be applied from the main frame 40 toward the
clamping tool.
[0034] In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the mounting portion 42 has a first
plate 46i
having a distal first mounting collar 48i located at a distal extremity of the
first plate 46i.
The first plate 46i provides support to the main frame 40 against the forces
exerted by
the actuator. One embodiment of the first collar 48i is shown in Fig. 4, and
includes two
halves. In operation, a first half 43i of the first collar 48i is placed
against the external
surface of the well head flange. A second half 43ii of the first collar 48i is
then placed
against the external surface of the well head flange, and the ends of both
halves 43i,43ii
of the first collar 48i are aligned. Bolts are then inserted through the
aligned ends. As
the bolts are tightened, the first and second halves 43i,43ii of the mounting
collar 48i
exert progressively increasing force against the external surface of the well
head flange,
thereby fixedly securing the first plate 46i, and thus the main frame 40, to
the well head.
Other possible configurations for the mounting portion 42 possible, and it
will therefore
be appreciated that the shapes and configurations of the mounting portion 42
are not
limited to those shown in Fig. 4.
[0035] The first plate 46i may include one or more bolt-head apertures 45
therein.
The mounting portion 42, and thus the main frame 40, can be positioned in
proper
alignment with the well head and stuffing box by placing the bolt heads of the
flange of
the well head into the bolt-head apertures 45. It follows that the bolt-head
apertures 45
can be circumferentially-spaced apart to match the anticipated location of the
bolt
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heads of the flange. The engagement of each bolt head with the first plate 46i
via the
bolt-head apertures 45 also increases the ability of the first plate 46i to
reduce and/or
prevent the relative rotational movement between the main frame 40 and the
well head
which may occur as a reaction to the application of force against the clamping
tool.
[0036] The mounting portion 42 may also include a second plate 46ii which
is
spaced apart from the first plate 46i, and connected thereto by one or more
gussets.
Each of the plates 46i,46ii can have apertures or cut-outs which lower the
weight of the
plates 46i,46ii without compromising the structural support they provide. The
main
frame 40 can also have one or more handles 41 which allow the main frame 40,
and
thus the device, to be portable and carried by one or more people.
[0037] The second plate 46ii can include different interfaces linking it to
the stuffing
box. One such interface is a second mounting collar 48ii which engages the
external
surface of the stuffing box. Similarly to the first collar 48i, the second
collar 48ii can
include two collar halves which are mechanical tightened about the external
surface of
the stuffing box with bolts, as described above. The engagement of the second
collar
48ii with the stuffing box provides additional stability when mounting the
device to the
well head, such as by preventing the device from toppling over. In some
instances, the
second collar 48ii can be tightened about the external surface of the stuffing
box so as
to substantially prevent relative rotational movement between the stuffing box
and the
second collar 48ii. This configuration may be implemented, for example, where
it is
desired to focus substantially all of the loosening torque on only the collar.
[0038] The positioning of the second plate 46ii with respect to the clamp
is
dependent on numerous factors, such as the space available on the stuffing box
and
the force provided by the actuator, to name a few. In the embodiment of Fig.
4, the first
collar 48i can be secured to the well head below the clamp, and the second
collar 48ii
can be mounted about the external surface of the stuffing box above the clamp.
[0039] The force-supporting body 44 is attached to the mounting portion 42.
It
provides a platform for receiving the actuator and for transferring the
reactionary force
from the actuator to the main frame 40. The force-supporting body 44 therefore
assists
the main frame 40 in providing a stable platform for applying force to the
clamping tool.
The force-supporting body 44 can have a base linked to the mounting portion 42
and
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against which an end of the actuator can be mounted. In the embodiment of Fig.
4, the
force-supporting body 44 is defined by a rod aperture 47 in the second plate
46ii into
which a barrel pin 49 can be removably inserted. The insertion of the barrel
pin 49 into
to the rod aperture 47 helps to secure a first end of the actuator to the main
frame 40.
When the device is in a vertical orientation, the barrel pin 49 supports a
horizontally-
inclined actuator. The first plate 46i can also have suitable structure to
house and/or
secure the barrel pin 49. The barrel pin 49 is rotatable within the rod
aperture 47. This
allows the first end of the actuator to also be rotatable, thereby allowing
the force-
application end of the actuator to be rotatably displaced. As is discussed in
greater
detail below, this helps to vary the application of force by the actuator
against different
portions of the clamping tool.
[0040] Referring to Figs. 5A and 5B, the actuator 50 provides the force
needed to
loosen or "crack" the collar stuck on the stuffing box 10 and flange 14. The
actuator 50
includes a linear actuator, and is typically a hydraulic actuator 50 supplied
with
hydraulic fluid from a feed line. The actuator 50 may be of a different type
(e.g.
mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, etc.) depending on the force desired,
weight and
volume requirements, and other possible factors. A first end 52 of the
actuator is
secured to the force-supporting body 44, while a second end 53 is typically a
free end
which protrudes away from the force-supporting body 44. In operation, the
actuator 50
is activated and produces a linear force. This extends the second end 53 away
from the
force-supporting body 44 and towards the force-receiving body 34. The second
end 53
eventually engages the force-receiving body 34, which in turns transfers the
linear force
into a rotational force (i.e. loosening torque) applied to the clamp 32, and
applies the
loosening torque to the collar. Other possible configurations for the actuator
50 are also
within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0041] The installation of the device 20 and its operation will now be
explained with
reference to Figs. 5A and 5B.
[0042] The clamp 32 is fixedly secured to the external surface of the
collar to prevent
relative rotational movement between the clamp 32 and the collar. To allow for
adjusting the positioning of the clamp 32 later on, the bolts used for
tightening the jaw
sets 36 of the clamp 32 do not need to be fully tightened.
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[0043] The main frame 40 is then mounted to the well head. The first plate
46i of the
main frame 40 is mounted to the flange 14 of the well head. This can be
achieved by
placing the bolt-head apertures over the bolt heads of the flange 14. The
first collar 48i
of the first plate 46i is tightened about the flange 14 to prevent relative
rotational
movement between the main frame 40 and the well head. The position of the
clamp 32
on the collar can now be adjusted so that the force-receiving body 34 aligns
with the
second end 53 of the actuator 50, the first end 52 of which may already be
mounted to
the force-supporting body 44. The bolts of the jaws 36 can then be tightened
to secure
the clamp 32 in place. If desired, the second plate 46ii of the main frame 40
and its
second collar 48ii can be mounted about the external surface 16 of the
stuffing box 10.
[0044] With the main frame 40 and the clamp 32 now in position, the
loosening force
can be applied with the second end 53 of the actuator 50. The actuator 50,
mounted to
the main frame 40 at the force-supporting body 44, extends the second end 53
to
engage the force-receiving body 34. More particularly, in the embodiment shown
in Fig.
5A, the free second end 53 has a rod pin 54 which aligns with and engages the
first
grooves 33i of the force-receiving body 34. A linear force is therefore
applied to the
force-receiving body 34, and as the second end 53 pushes the first grooves
33i, a
rotational loosening torque is produced that acts on the clamp 32.
[0045] Once full extension of the second end 53 has occurred, and if
desired, the
free second end 53 of the actuator 50 can be repositioned by rotating with the
barrel pin
49 in the rod aperture 47 until the rod pin 54 of the second end 53 engages
the second
grooves 33ii, as shown in Fig. 5B. The second end 53 and its rod pin 54 can
again be
extended, this time against the second grooves 33ii, to produce another
loosening
torque acting on the clamp 32 to rotate the clamp 32 a second rotational
extent. It can
thus be appreciated that this configuration of the first and second grooves
33i,33ii,
where the first grooves 33i are located on the first and second support plates
37i,37ii
forward of the second grooves 33ii in a direction of extension of the second
end 53 of
the actuator 50, allows multiple applications of the loosening torque without
having to
reposition the device 20. In an embodiment, the second grooves 33ii are
located closer
to the axis of rotation of the clamp 32, as measured along a line that is
perpendicular to
the axis of rotation, than the first grooves 33i. This reflects the reality
that less loosening
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torque may be required when applying the loosening force against the second
grooves
33ii because the collar may already have been "cracked".
[0046] It can thus be appreciated that the application of a linear force by
the actuator
50 produces a loosening torque which acts on the clamp 32, and thus acts on
the collar
as well. The torque applied will eventually loosen, or "crack" the collar.
Once so
loosened, the positioning of the device 20 can be adjusted and it can be used
again, or
the device 20 can be removed from the well head and/or stuffing box 10 and
another
conventional tool can be used to further loosen and/or remove the collar. The
stuffing
box 10 can now be removed to be repaired or replaced.
[0047] Fig. 6 provides a schematic illustration of another type of oil and
gas well
head 112, which have "flow cross" bodies. Flow-cross body well heads 112
represent a
significant portion of oil and gas well heads in certain geographic locations,
and also
include a stuffing box 110. Flow-cross body well heads 112 do not have a
horizontal
flange surface against which the device disclosed herein can rest. Therefore,
the
stuffing box 110 used with flow-cross boy well heads 112 is not mounted
directly to a
flange of the well head 112, as described above, and secured thereto with a
locking
collar 118. In order for the device disclosed herein to be used with a well
head 112
which does not have a flange, an adapter can be provided to simulate the
flange of a
well head and allow the device 20 to be mounted thereto.
[0048] Figs. 7A and 7B illustrate an adapter 160 which can be mounted to
the flow-
cross body well head 112. The adapter 160 can be used to mount the loosening
device
20 to such a well head 112. The adapter 160 has a first curved base portion
161 and a
second base portion 162. Both base portions 161,162 are joined together around
the
flow-cross body with threaded pipes 163 and bolts. Each of the base portions
161,162
mimics a flange used on conventional well heads and allows the device 20 to be
used
on less conventional well heads 112 which do not have flanges, such as those
of the
flow-cross body variety.
[0049] The first base portion 161 includes spaced-apart protrusions 164
extending
from an exposed surface 165 of the first base portion 161. The protrusions 164
mimic
the bolt heads projecting from the flange of a conventional well head, and are
positioned, shaped, and sized to be received within the bolt-head apertures 45
of the
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first plate 46i of the device 20. The exposed surface 165 can also be curved
in order to
mimic a portion of the periphery of the conventional flange. The second base
portion
162 has an exposed resting surface 166 which mimics the upper planar surface
of the
conventional flange, and is configured to engage at least a portion of the
first collar 48i.
[0050] It can thus be appreciated that the adapter 160 allows the first
plate 46i of the
mounting portion 42 to be fixedly secured to the adapter 160, and thus, to the
flow-
cross body well head 112. The bolt-head apertures 45 of the first plate 46i
are mounted
about the protrusions 164 of the first base portion 161, while the first
collar 48i engages
the sides of the exposed resting surface 166. The two collar halves 43i,43ii
are then
secured together about the adapter 160 with bolts. The device 20 is therefore
mounted
to the flow-cross body well head 112 and is prevented from rotating relative
thereto by
the adapter 160. The device 20 can now be used as described above.
[0051] There is also disclosed a method of loosening a locking collar which
secures
a stuffing box to a well head. The method includes securing a clamp to an
external
surface of the locking collar to prevent relative rotational movement
therebetween. The
method also includes securing a main frame to the well head to prevent
relative
rotational movement therebetween. The method also includes applying a
loosening
force originating at the main frame and impacting the clamp to rotate the
clamp and
loosen the locking collar.
[0052] In light of the preceding, it can be appreciated that the loosening
device 20
described herein can be quickly and easily mounted to, and removed from, a
well head
12,112 and/or stuffing box 10,110 or other elongated body in order to remove a
rotatable member (e.g. locking collar 18,118) fixed thereto. The device 20
therefore
helps to minimise the unproductive down time of the well head 12,112, and
further
reduces any risk of injury associated with conventional loosening techniques.
[0053] The device 20 is compact and thus easily portable. The ability of a
single
actuator 50 to apply force from the main frame 40 to the clamping tool 30 in
substantially the same horizontal or vertical plane allows the device 20 to
remain
relatively compact, and decrease its manufacturing costs by limiting the
number of
costly actuators needed to apply the loosening torque. This contrasts with
some prior
art devices, which require multiple actuators and multiple clamping devices to
loosen
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one body with respect to another. The device 20 is also relatively lightweight
and easily
portable by one or two people because of the conveniently positioned handles
41. The
device 20 can therefore be brought to any location with relative ease.
[0054] The device 20 disclosed herein can also be mounted to different
types of well
heads 12,112, such as those with and without flanges. Some of these well heads
include Galaxy Flange Style well heads 12, and Guiberson flow-cross style well
heads
112. The device 20 herein can therefore be considered to be a "stuffing box
removal
tool".
[0055] The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled
in the
art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described
without
departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. For example, although the
loosening device 20 is described herein as being used with oil and gas well
heads, it
will be appreciated that it can be used in other industries, and with other
objects.
Similarly, the loosening device 20 can be used with both vertically-inclined
and
horizontally-inclined elongated bodies. Still other modifications which fall
within the
scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art,
in light of a
review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within
the
appended claims.
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