Cable-suspended, liner-supported submersible pump installation with locking discharge head

Claim 2

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealiNg the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the sealing means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the low pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharge head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, said discharge head having additional sealing means between said outer and inner members for isolating said locking elements from the high pressure discharge of said pump while permitting relative reciprocation between said outer and inner members.

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pump is driven by an electric motor and is suspended from said outer member.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said motor is located below said discharge head and is connected to energizing conductors passing through said head but isolated from the fluid therein.

Claim 5

Appasratus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said motor is located above said discharge head and is connected to said pump by a shaft passing through said head.

Claim 6

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealing the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the sealing means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the low pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharge head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, said inner member having a top surface exposed to the pressure in said well casing and of greater area than a bottom surface of the inner member also exposed to pressure in the well casing, whereby the pressure in said well casing urges said inner member downwardly relative to said outer member when said discharge head is supported at its operative position.

Claim 7

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealing the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the sealing means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the low pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharge head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, said inner member having a top surface exposed to the pressure in said well casing and of greater area than a bottom surface of the inner member also exposed to pressure in the well casing, whereby the pressure in said well casing urges said inner member downwardly relative to said outer member when said discharge head is supported at its operative position.

Claim 8

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealing the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the sealing means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the lower pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharGe head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, a liner extending downwardly in said casing and spaced inwardly from said casing, said liner having an inwardly directed annular shoe, and said means for supporting said outer member in said well casing comprising a flange engageable with said shoe, said shoe having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the pump, whereby the pump may pass through said shoe, said sealing means comprising seals externally of said outer member engageable with an inner surface of said shoe, said locking elements comprising a plurality of rollers engageable with the lower edge of said shoe when projected from said discharge head to lock the discharge head to the shoe.

Claim 9

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealing the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the sealing means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the lower pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharGe head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, a liner extending downwardly in said casing and spaced inwardly from said casing, said liner having an inwardly directed annular shoe, and said means for supporting said outer member in said well casing comprising a flange engageable with said shoe, said shoe having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the pump, whereby the pump may pass through said shoe, said sealing means comprising seals externally of said outer member engageable with an inner surface of said shoe, said locking elements comprising a plurality of rollers engageable with the lower edge of said shoe when projected from said discharge head to lock the discharge head to the shoe.

Claim 10

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealing the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the sealing means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the low pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharge head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, said locking elements comprising rollers supported in slots of said outer member for inward and outward rolling movement.

Claim 11

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealing the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the sealing means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the low pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharge head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, said locking elements comprising rollers supported in slots of said outer member for inward and outward rolling movement.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said rollers are generally cylinddrical but have a central region of larger diameter than the end regions for facilitating engagement with and disengagement from a cooperating locking shoe.

Claim 13

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inner member is hollow and has a top wall with a port therethrough providing substantially unrestricted fluid flow through said discharge head.

Claim 14

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inner member has a collar for suspending said outer member therefrom at one limit of the reciprocative movement of said outer member relative to said inner member.

Claim 15

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said outer member has a shoulder for suspending said inner member therefrom at the opposite limit of the reciprocative movement.

Claim 16

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for preventing rotation of said outer member about said inner member.

Claim 17

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for suspending said pump comprises a cable having means for suspending said inner member therefrom, said inner member being free for said limited reciprocative movement relative to said outer member, the weight on said inner member being sufficient to move said inner member downwardly within said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position.

Claim 18

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealing the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the seAling means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the low pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharge head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, and an annular shoe having means for supporting the same in said casing, said means for supporting said outer member in said well casing comprising a flange engageable with said shoe, said shoe having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the pump, whereby the pump may pass through the shoe, said sealing means comprising seals externally of said outer member engageable with an inner surface of said shoe, said locking elements comprising a plurality of rollers engageable with the lower edge of said shoe when projected from said discharge head to lock the discharge head to the shoe.

Claim 19

Apparatus for providing a suspended pump installation in a well casing, comprising a submergible pump having a discharge head, means for suspending the pump in the well casing, said discharge head having means for automatically locking the head within the well casing when the head is lowered to its operative position and having means for sealing the head within the well casing at said position to provide a high pressure region above the sealing means and a low pressure region below the seAling means, said discharge head having a discharge port at the high pressure region and said pump having an intake at the low pressure region, said discharge head having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member for limited reciprocative movement, said outer member having means for supporting it in said well casing at said operative position, said locking means comprising locking elements and means for projecting said locking elements from said discharge head toward said well casing in response to downward movement of said inner member relative to said outer member when said outer member is supported at said operative position, and an annular shoe having means for supporting the same in said casing, said means for supporting said outer member in said well casing comprising a flange engageable with said shoe, said shoe having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the pump, whereby the pump may pass through the shoe, said sealing means comprising seals externally of said outer member engageable with an inner surface of said shoe, said locking elements comprising a plurality of rollers engageable with the lower edge of said shoe when projected from said discharge head to lock the discharge head to the shoe.