Brush tool for wells

Claim 1

A brush tool for wells including, in combination: (a) a mandrel for insertion in a well pipestring, said mandrel having a central bore for maintaining well fluid circulation during a brushing operation; (b) first and second semi-cylindrical sections, each having a plurality of holes along its length; (c) brush means radially extending through said holes, said first and second sections being dimensioned to surround said mandrel in coaxial relationship when brought together from opposite sides of said mandrel so that the inner ends of the brush means are held secure between the outer wall of the mandrel and the inner walls of the first and second semi-cylindrical sections, said brush means including a brush bundle for each hole comprising a rivet shaped collar and a plurality of wires passing through the collar to make up the brush bundle, said rivet-shaped collar having a cylindrical portion dimensioned to be snugly received in said hole and of an axial length sufficient to hold the wires in a bundle and a radially extending exterior flange at one end overlapping the entrance periphery of the hole, said plurality of wires having their inner ends bent laterally to overlie said flange, said flange and bent wires being trapped between the outer wall of said mandrel and the inner cylindrical wall of the semi-cylindrical section through which said hole passes so that all the brush bundles are securely held on said mandrel, said rivet shaped collar further preventing direct contact of said wires with said holes to thereby minimize wear on said holes; and (d) ring means receivable over the ends of said mandrel to engage about the opposite ends of the semi-cylindrical sections and thereby hold them together about said mandrel whereby rapid assembly and disassembly of the brush means over the length of said mandrel can be realized.