US2838120A - Wellpoints - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1958 J. ALLMENDINGIER ETAL 2,838,120

WELLPOINTS Filed Oct- 29. 1953 y I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By ad AT fRA/E Y Unite WELLPOINTS Application Gctoher 29, 1953, Serial No. 388,996

` z claims. (ci. 16e- 157) This invention relates to improvements in well points, and has for a prime object, the provision of a well point of the self-jetting type, adapted to jet into soils, or ores, coal and other substances by water under pressure, thereby gradually forming a hole to contain the well point and its cooperating elements, and when sunk the desired depth, adapted to withdraw water from said soils or ores, coal and other substances preparatory to performing excavating or other operations.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in well point apparatus, of a well point having a form of soil piercing means which constitutes a unitarystructure including valve means anda seat in addition to means for maintaining said valve means to said seat.

Other obiects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to` those skilled in the art upon a study of this specication and the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the` drawings: v

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation partly in section showing my new and improved well-point carrying improved means for piercing soils containing gravel and boulders, deposits of ores, coal and other substances', soclceted Vin the means for piercing the soil, the former being detachably carried by the latter; l

Figure 2 is an elevation similar to that shown in Figure l except that the device is turned through an angle of 90 with respect to the plane of Figure 1, and both the screen and the lter arrangement is partly broken away to show its structure;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of our earth piercing unit detached from the pipe unit, and without .the improved piercing ymeans mounted thereon;

lFigure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing further details of the structure of the screen and filter;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of and turned through an angle of 90 with respect to the plane of Figure 1 and showing the means for detachably securing our improved piercing means for soils impregnated with roots, gravel, boulders, ores and other substances;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of our improved piercing means;

Figure 7 is an elevation of the same; and

Figure 8 is a bottom View of said improved piercing means.

Referring rst to Figures 1 and 2, the well point is comprised of a series of units, namely, a head 10, a strainei unit 11, a pipe unit 12 and an earth. piercing unit 13. Y p

The unit lil comprises a head and coupling and it has a threaded passage 15 therein to receive thethreaded end of the pipe unit 12 to which the earth piercing unit 13 of the well point is to be attached. Communicating with the threaded passage 15 is second threaded passage 14, larger in diameter than the passage 15. The threaded passage 15 also communicates with a third passage 16,

tes Patent portion 47 is inserted as is shown in Figure l. '30 (which has previously been` withdrawn) is passed rice which is larger in diameter than the passage 15 an thereby a shoulder 17 is formed therebetween.

The passage 16 is tapered inwardly toward said shoulder for an important purpose to be presently described.

The unit 13, Figure 3, constitutes the earth piercing element. It is generally tubular in form, and it has a tapered hole or socket 1S which terminates in a shoulder 19. A hole 2d, smaller in diameter than the hole 13, is internally threaded at 21 preferably with a size and pitch which is identical with the threads in the passage 15. Concentric with the ho-le 241 is counterbored hole 22 which communicates with a smaller hole 23 extending through an internal ledge 25. A passage 26 extends into the unit 13 from the lower end 27 thereof to a shoulder 28 which is the lower surface of the ledge 25.

A valve seat 24 is formed between the hole 23 and the shoulder 2S. A ball 29, which is usually formed of wood or the like with a rubber outer surface is adapted to' seat on the valve surface 24 and thereby isolate the interior of the passage 26 from the interior of the pipe unit 12. Normally the ball 29 is maintained in the upper portion of the passage 26 by means of a pin 30 which passes through aligned holes 31 and 32 (Figure 5). The lower end of the earth piercing element 13 is provided with a series of teeth 33 with clearance spaces 34 therebetween.

The element 11 is comprised of a series of spaced longitudinally extending arcuate ribs 36 with a series of arcuate webs 37 therebetween, said webs being provided with elongated transverse slots 3S. y

The ends of the unit 11 are tapered, as shown at 42 and 43, Figure l. Extending through the screen assembly is the pipe unit 12 which has a series of holes 45 formed therein. Each end of this pipe is threaded and when the well point is assembled the lower end of this pipe engages the threads 21 formed in the unit 13 and the upper end engages threads 15 formed in the head 1l). As the head is screwed down the tapered ends 42 and 43 are forced into the tapered holes 16 and 1S, respectively, thereby forming a iluid tight seal between the strainer unit 11 and the units 10 and 13.

The new and improved wellpoint is devised so that the unit 13 may form a socket into which the jetting plug or piercing tool for soils impregnated with gravel, roots, boulders or other substances may be mounted. This tool is generally designated by the numeral 46 and is shown in detail in Figures 5, 6 and 7. In this description this tool is hereinafter referred to as a tool for gravel, etc. The tool includes a portion 47 of a diameter to form a working tit in the passage 26 of the unit 13 of Figure 1.

The tool 46 has a portion 48 where its diameter is greatest and this is substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the unit 13. Formed integral with the portion 48 is a portion 47 which is smaller in diam eter thereby forming a shoulderV 49 therebetween, and the teeth 33 on the unit 13 form stops to limit the depth of insertion of the shank portion 47 into the passage 26 with which it forms a working tit. Within the shank portion are spaced substantially parallel passages 51 and 52 and these passages are separated by a central web 50 which extends above the shank portion 47 to a point designated by the numeral 53. A cross hole 54 is formed in the upper portion of the web 50 and this hole is of a diameter to accommodate the pin 39 which in the unit 13 normally functions to retain the ball valve 29 in a pre-determined portion of the unit 13, when the shank The pin through the holes 31, 54, and 32, after the hole 54 has been brought into alignment with the two other holes by rotating the tool 46. When the pin 30 is passed 3 through the holes 31, 54 and 32, in the order named or vice versa the upper end 53 of the tool 46 forms a stop for retaining the ball valve 29 in the vicinity of the valve seat 24.

The separator web 50 extends substantially below the lower ends 55 and 56 of the tapered portion 57 of the tool 46 and terminates in a point or apex 58. Spaced apart from the apex 58 the web S0 has a second crosshole 59 formed therein which provides communication between the passages 51 and 52. Below the tips 55 and 56 of the tapered portion 57, the web 50 lies on a central plane of the tool 46, Figure 6, and terminates in an apex or point 58. Spaced apart from the apex 58, the web 50 has a second cross-hole 59 formed therein substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the cross-hole 54 and below the tips 55 and 56 of the tapered portion 57, the web 50 is narrowed to form a somewhat triangular portion 60 in a plane on the body 90 from the axis of the tool as shown in Figure 6. This apex may best be seen in Figure 7 and the tool 46, in Figures 6 and 7, is preferably formed of a material which is suciently hard and tough to stand the Wear and tear imposed by causing it to pierce gravel, roots and boulders.

Operation In using the well point for withdrawing water from the soil or other substances, a suitable riser pipe (not shown) is connected to the coupling or head 10 at the top of the well point by engaging the threads in the hole 14. The well point and riser pipe assembly is placed in an upright position with the lower end of the well point unit 13, Figure 3, or 46, Figure l, just at or in contact with the soil and jetting water under pressure is then passed through the pipe, and the well point thereby rooting out an advancing cavity ahead of the Well point and allowing the latter to sink into the soil until the well point unit has penetrated the soil to theV desired depth. This jetting operation forms a hole in the soil Y for the well point unit and it also washes out the surrour1d. ing soil to facilitate sinking of the well point into the hole thus formed.

When the desired depth has been reached, the upper end of the riser pipe connected to the well point is disconnected from the source of water pressure applied and reconnected by means of a swing joint connection (not shown) to a header pipe which in turn is connected to a suitable suction pump for pumping water from the soil or other substances through the well point and the pipes connected thereto.

Since any water in the unit 13 causes the ball valve 29 like is prevented from passing into the well point, the i connecting pipe and the pump. In cases where the soil is impregnated with gravel and roots, boulders or other hard substances, the tool 46 is mounted in the well point by removing the pin 30, making sure that the ball valve 29 remains within the element 13 and then the tool 46 is inserted and rotated to a point where the holes 54 are in alignment with the holes which formerly contained the pin 30. Following this, the pin 30 is driven into the aligned holes and thereafter it conjointly holds the tool 46 in position within the element 13 and at the same time it functions to hold Vthe bali in the proper relation to its seat, due to the contact of the upper end 53 of the tool 46 with the ball.

When the tool 46 is socketed in the tool 13 and is retained therein bythe pin 3d, the valve seat 24 and the ball valve 29 or" the unit .t3 function as the valve and seat of the tool 46. .ietting water passing down through the 4 well point is delivered from the unit 13 into passages 51 and 52 and this water passes out through the lower ends of these passages in the vicinity of the points 55 and 56 to elect the jetting of the device into the ground until it has reached a desired depth.

Although the new and improved well point is herein shown and described, and an arrangement for using the jetting head on the lower end thereof as a support for a second tool particularly adapted to traverse boulder impregnated soils, gravel, roots, ores, coal and other substances, it is to be understood that many changes may be made in the arrangements shown and described within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:V

l. In a wellpoint, a tubular upper head having stepped sockets therein, one of said sockets being tapered toward one end thereof, a second of said sockets being also nternally threaded and tapered toward the other end, and a third non-threaded and tapered socket adjacent to said last mentioned socket, 'a lower head member having stepped sockets therein, the uppermost socket in said lower head also being non-threaded and tapered and facing said third socket in said upper head, a second socket in said lower head adjacent to said non-threaded socket and having threads tapering towards said upper head; a tubular screen assembly comprised of an outer, perforate screen member, a mesh tubular screen Within and embraced by the lower end of said sleeve member, an inner tubular member substantially concentric with said sleeve member land said screen and having a series of longitudinal ribs with laterally slotted channels therebetween and forming a unitary structure; a threaded pipe extending through said screen member in spaced apart parallel concentric relation to and engaging said second threaded socket in said upper head and the threads of the second mentioned socket in said lower head, for forcing the extremities of said screen member into tight engagement with the respective non-threaded tapered sockets as the latter are pulled toward each other by said threads when said head is rotated, a fluid passage extending through said lower head to said stepped passages and communicating the lower end of the wellpoint with the interior of said pipe, holes in said pipe providing communication between the interior of the pipe and the interior of the screen, and an upwardly closing valve controlling said fluid passage.

2. The invention according to claim 1, in which a cross-pin extends across said fluid passage and normally functions to limit the movement of said valve in an opening direction, a piercing member having a body of stepped diameters with a shoulder formed therebetween, a portion of one diameter being socketed in said fluid passage, after said cross-pin has been removed and replaced in a manner to extend through a matching cross-hole in said portion of one diameter and retain said piercing member thereon, said shoulder being adapted to abut the lower and active end of said lower head, a piercing point on said piercing member below said shoulder, and a plurality of fluid passages in said piercing member substantially parallel to the axis thereof for leading fluid from the interior of said second head to said point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 100,609 Dickerson Mar. 8, 1870 1,854,517 Layne Apr. 19, 1932 1,963,629 Mark June 19, 1934 v2,028,447 Grin a Jan. 21, 1936 2,035,313 Grifn Mar. 24, 1936 2,149,874 Stang Mar. 7, 1939

Images