US3092188A

US3092188A - Directional drilling tool

Info

Publication number: US3092188A
Application number: US129203A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph J Farris; James M Taylor
Original assignee: WHIPSTOCK Inc
Current assignee: WHIPSTOCK Inc
Priority date: 1961-07-31
Filing date: 1961-07-31
Publication date: 1963-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1980-06-04

Description

June 4, 1963 R. .1 FARRIS ETAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31, 1961 INVENTOILS RALPH J'- mane/.5

714/1455 .44. TA V1.01?

June 4, 1963 R. .1. FARRIS ETAL 3, 3

DIRECTIONAL DRILLING TOOL Filed July 51, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 9.40 x FARR/6 M. 74V4O June 4, 1963 R. .1. FARRIS ETAL 3,092,188

DIRECTIONAL DRILLING TOOL Filed July 31, 1961 s Sheets-$heet s INVENTORS RALPH J A422 AS Q A4456 774 V4 0/? A Fig-6 BY M June 1963 R. J. FARRIS ETAL 3,092,183

DIRECTIONAL DRILLING TOOL Filed July 31, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent OfiEice 3,092,183 Patented June 4, 1963 3,092,188 DRECTIONAL BRILLENG TOOL Ralph J. Farris and James M. Taylor, New Iberia, La.,

assignors to Whipstock IHG, Midland, Tex a corporation of Texas Filed July 31, 1961, Ser. No. 129,293 19 llaims. (Cl. 175--76) This invention relates to well drilling implements, and more particularly to means for deviating a drill in a desired direction during the forming of a well bore.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 14,362, filed March 11, 1960 now abandoned.

The use of rotary equipment to drill a well, such as an oil well, is well known. One of the problems faced by well drillers using rotary equipment is to maintain the well bore in alignment with a predetermined, or desired, path into the earth. Most commonly the path is vertical with respect to the surface of the earth and as straight as possible. There are instances where the well is bore-d into the earth at an angle from the vertical.

The path of the drill bit which forms the well bore frequently is not straight for various reasons, as for example, because the various layers of earth through which it passes are at an inclination to the path of the drill bit and also they are of difierent hardnesses. Obviously, the drill bit follows the line of least resistance, making its path tortuous and resulting in a crooked well bore.

Efforts to provide a straight hole have included suspending most of the weight of the drill string from the surface support works and incorporating massive drill collars immediately above the drill bit in the drill string to provide adequate unsuspended weight on the drill bit so that it will cut properly. The use of drill collars has reduced but not eliminated the crookedness of the well bore produced, but creates an additional problem. The drill string has suificient flexibility that the weight of the drill collars will urge that part of the drill string adjacent the drill collars toward a position resting against the wall of the well bore. Because of the great weight of the drill collars, considerable force is present to urge the drill string toward the wall of the well bore. Prior to this invention this force has not been put to a useful purpose.

I-ieretofore the deviation of a drill bit from an established path, as for hole straightening, or in directional drilling, has been largely accomplished by controlling both the speed of rotation and the weight on the bit. While operators have developed high skills in this regard, there has long existed a need for apparatus that can produce an actual force tending to push the drill bit in a desired direction as the drilling proceeds by pushing between the wall of the well bore and the drill string adjacent to the drill bit.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a directional drilling tool which utilizes the forces that urge the drill string toward a position resting against the wall of a well bore to produce a force acting on the bit of an amount and in a direction to control the course of such well bore.

Another object is to provide a directional drilling tool which utilizes the forces acting to urge the drill string toward the well wall to provide and apply a force on the drill bit to maintain the course of a well bore on a straight predetermined path in the earth.

Another object is to provide a directional drilling tool that deflects the drill bit on the drill string in a desired amount and direction to produce a straight and vertical well bore in the earth regardless of the inherent tendency of the drill bit to follow the line of least resistance through the various layers of the earth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved deviating attachment for a well drilling rig, the attachment being simple in construction, being easy to install in a well drilling assembly, and providing a means for deflecting the course of a well bore hole in a desired direction in an accurate and reliable manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved directional well drilling attachment which is adapted to be connected between a drill string and a drill ing bit, the attachment being relatively inexpensive to manufacture, being durable in construction, and enabling a well bore to be deviated in a desired direction in a simple and efiicient manner and without the necessity of creating a sharp or rapid bend in the hole being drilled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved directional well drilling attachment for deviating a well bore in a desired direction or at a desired angle, the attachment involving relatively simple parts, being easy to assemble, and enabling a drill hole to be deviated without the necessity of subsequent reaming or of performing other costly and time-consuming operations.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings which are to be read in conjunction with the instant specification and which constitute a part thereof, and wherein the same parts will be designated by like numerals in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in cross section, of an assembled deviating attachment for use with a well drilling rig, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the components of the assembled attachment of FIG. 1, said components being shown in separated position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken through the lower portion or" a bore hole containing a drilling string and bit provided with the directional attachment of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken .on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3; 7

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken through the lower portion of a well bore and illustrating in elevation a drill string with a second embodiment of the device of the present invention made up adjacent the drill bit;

FIG. 10 is a view on an enlarged scale of the upper portion of the device shown in FIG. 9;

of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic projection illustrating the angular arrangement of the abutment means and the power transmitting connections therefor, of the device shown in FIG. 9.

On viewing FIG. 3, it will be apparent that the unsuspended weight of the drill String 15, usually one or more massive drill collars located immediately above the drill bit 16, provides forces of large magnitude which tend to urge the drill string 15 toward a position resting against the wall 40 of the well bore at a location spaced from the bit 16; Where the bore hole is non-vertical, the drill string rests against the so-called low side of the bore hole. The devices v11 and 11, constituting embodiruents of the present invention, are adapted to be inter- .connected between drill string 15 and drill bit 16 and have structural arrangements to utilize these forces to achieve the objects heretofore enumerated and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 8 of the drawings, 11 generally designates a 'bore deviating attachment for a drilling rig, in accordance with the present invention.

The bore-deviating attachment 11 comprises an elongated tubular main body 12 which is provided with the reduced threaded male top portion 13 and with the internal threads 14 at its bottom end, whereby the body may be attached between a drill-string 15 and a conventional drilling bit 516 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

threadedly engageable in the internally threaded bottom end of the lowermost tubular member 18 of the drill string 15, and the externally threaded reduced male top portion 17 of the drilling bit 16 is threadedly engageable As shown, the reduced threaded male top portion 13 is with the internal threads 14 at the bottom end of body 12. f:

The tubular body 12 is of substantial length and is formed with a longitudinal groove 19 which is provided at its top and bottom with respective generally semicylindrical bearing seats 20 and 21 and with additional generally

semicylindrical bearing seats

22, 23 and 25 aligned with the top and bottom bearing seats 20 and 21. The

bearing seats

20 and 22 are spaced vertically to define a transversely extending arcuate groove 26, and the lower pair of bearing seats 25 and 21 are likewise groove 19. The transverse

arcuate grooves

26 and 27 are of substantial depth, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Designated at 28 is a longitudinally extending shaft member which is rotatably mounted in the respective

semicylindrical bearing seats

20, 22,23, 25 and 21. The shaft 28 is rotatably supported in the groove by detachable, cylindrically recessed retaining plates 29 to 33 which are received in suitable recesses provided in the body 12 on opposite sides of the

respective bearing seats

20, 22, 23, 25 and 21, as is clearly shown'in FIG. 2. The shaft retaining'plates 29 to 33 are arcuately curved at their outer surfaces so as to conform with the arcuate curvature of the main body 12, and whereby the plates 29 to 33 are substantially flush with the external surface of main body 12 when the plates are fastened in retaining relationship with respect to the shaft 28.

Rigidly secured to the top portion of the shaft member 28 is the arcuate arm 34 which is substantially received V spaced vertically'to define a bottom transversely extending arcuate groove 27 intersecting the main longitudinal the recess so as to be engageable by the inside surface 40 of the well bore for a purpose presently to be described.

The body 12 is formed on opposite sides of the transversely extending recess 26 with the

centering ribs

41 and 42, said ribs being smoothly arcuately curved and increasing in radius toward the recess 26, as is clearly shown in FIG. 4. A further guide rib 43' is provided on the body 12 diametrioally opposite the shaft element 28, the

arcuate ribs

41 and 42 being spaced symmetrically on opposite sides of the longitudinally extending guide rib 43. The

ribs

41, 42 and 43 are of substantial length, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, extend longitudinally so as to be at least coextensive with the portion of the body 12 containing the

retaining plates

29 and 30.

Additional

arcuate guide ribs

44 and 45 are provided on the intermediate portion of the body 12, said ribs being respectively aligned with the

arcuate ribs

41 and 42, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2. Additional

arcuate guide ribs

46 and 47 are provided on the lower portion of body 12, being substantially coextensive with the longitudinal surface portion of body 12 containing

the'retaining plates

32 and 33, and being spaced on opposite sides of the transverse arcuate groove 27. The arcuate centering ribs .46 and 47 are respectively longitudinally aligned with the

ribs

44 and 45 provided on the intermediate portion of body 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of intermediate shaftretaining plates 31 may be provided, depending upon the length of the attachment employed, and the

intermediate guide ribs

44 and 45 are located between the lowermost of the intermediate retaining plates 31 and the lower

arcuate guide ribs

46, 47.

The

guide ribs

41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47 are of constant cross sectional area but are tapered arcuately away from the side of the body 12 containing the longitudinal groove 19.

Rigidly secured to the lower portion of the shaft member 28 and disposed in the transverse arcuate groove 27 is the arcuate arm 50 which is provided at its opposite end portions with the outwardly projecting abutment blocks 51 and 52, which are similar in shape to the abutment block 35 provided on the upper arcuate arm 34. The transverse groove 27 is of substantial depth, and as shown in FIG. 5, allows the arm 50 to rotate therein to positions wherein either the block 51 or the block 52 projects from the body 12, namely, extends past the centering

rib

46 and 47. As will be presently explained, with the abutment block on the arm 34 located in the manner specifically illustrated, operation of the drilling rig will cause shaft 28 to rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, causing the block 52 to be projected from the body 12, and causing said block 52 to engage the inside surface 40 of the bore hole in a manner to develop a reaction tending to deviate the drilling bit 16 to. the left, as viewed in FIG. 5, namely, in a direction opposite to the direction in which the block member 52 projects.

Similarly, if the abutment block on the arm 34 were positioned at the right end portion of the arm instead of the left end portion, operation of the drilling rig would tend to cause the shaft member 28 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, causing the block member 51 to be extended from the body 12, and developing a reaction responsive to the thrustof said block member which would tend to cause the drilling bit 16 to be moved to the right, as viewed in FIG. 5, namely, in a direction opposite to the direction in which the block member 51 projects.

In drilling an inclined bore hole, such as that illustrated in FIG. 3, it is frequently desired to deviate the bore hole either in one direction or the other. By employing an attachment 11 in the manner illustrated, the bore hole 'may be deviated either to the left or the right, depending upon the location of the abutment block member 35 on the upper arcuate arm 34. Thus, if it is desired to devi ate the bore hole to the left, as viewed in FIG. 5, the block member 35 on the upper arm 34 will be located in the position illustrated, namely, at the left end of the arm 34. As above explained, the operation of the drilling rig, namely, the reciprocation accompanied by clockwise rotation thereof causes the abutment block 35 to engage the surface of the bore hole A with the device resting on the surface of the bore hole in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3, so that the shaft 28 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5. Each time that the block member 35 engages the subjacent surface of the bore hole 44 as the rig is operated, the block 35 transmits a thrust through the arm 34 to the shaft 23 which causes shaft 28 to rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4. The thrust continues until the block member 35 reaches the inner end of its rotation, namely, reaches a position wherein it is substantially flush with the centering rib 41 adjacent thereto, as shown in FIG. 4. The clockwise rotation of the shaft member 28 projects the block member 52 of the lower arm 50 outwardly into engagement with the subjacent surface of the bore hole, applying a thrust to said surface which develops a reaction on the lower end of the drill string which is directly transmitted to the drilling bit 16 and which tends to urge the drilling bit in a direction opposite to the direction of projection of the block member 52, namely, toward the left, as viewed in FIG. 5. Thus, the bore hole is deviated in the desired direction, namely, to the left, as viewed in FIG. 5.

Similarly, if it is desired to deviate the bore hole to the right, the block member provided on the arm 34 would be located at its right end portion, as viewed in FIG. 2.

The degree as well as the direction of deviation may be controlled by employing

block members

35, 51 and 52 of suitable thickness. Thus, the shaft 28 and the

arms

34 and 50 may be readily removed to change the block members carried on the arms, since the retaining plates 29 to 33 are easily detached from the body 12.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the respective

arcuate arms

34 and 50 are centrally secured to the shaft member 28, and said arms preferably subtend an angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to the central axis of the tubular body 12. Thus, the block member 35 is separated from the opposing block member 52 of the lower arm 50 by an angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to the axis of the device. This is shown by way of illustration, but when desired the length of arms 34 and 5% may be varied and the moment arm for block 35 to the shaft 23 may be different than the moment arm for

block

51 or 52 so that the force transmitted by the power transmitting connection between the abutment means is of a proportion different than 1 to l and the angle of applica tion of the force is also different from that illustrated.

As if further shown in FIG. 8, the block members are detachably secured to the arms, for example, by fastening so ews 61 so that the block members may be readily removed for replacement by other desired block members for the purpose above described, namely, to change the degree of deviation, or change the direction of deviation in connection with the block member employed on the upper arcuate arm 34.

it is seen that there is provided upper abutment means 35 and lower abutment means 51 or 52, as the case may be, for engagement with the wall of a well because of their projection outwardly of the periphery of the body 12. The force on the abutment means 35 tends to move it inwardly, generally toward the longitudinal axis of the body and is transmitted through the power transmitting connection of the arcuate arms 34 and 59, and the shaft 28 to the lower abutment means 51 or 52, as the case may be, forcing it against the well bore wall with a force, the magnitude of which is responsive to or is a function of the force with which that part of the apparatus supporting the abutment means 35 is urged toward the well bore wall. Thus, a positive force is applied to the body 12 just above its connection to the bit, to urge the bit in a prescribed direction.

The second embodiment, shown in FIGS. 9 through 14, illustrates the application of the principle of this invention to a device having an hydraulic means for transmitting the forces or power between the upper and lower abutment means. This version of the invention has severa-l advantages over the mechanical embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 8. While it may be employed with but a single upper abutment member and lower abutment member, the hydraulic version lends itself peculiarly to the utilization of a plurality of abutment members in both of the upper and lower abutment means. Further, it is of advantage in that the angular placement of each abutment member of the upper abutment means, relative to its corresponding abutment member of the lower abutment means, may be selected without in anywise affecting the ratio of the deviating force to the force applied to the tool through the upper abutment member. Also, by the expendient of using different pressure areas in the pressure responsive members of the upper and lower abutment means, the ratio of the deviating force to the force applied to the tool may be changed regardless of the relative angular disposition of corresponding abutment members of the upper and lower abutment means.

Because of the possibility of using several abutment members in both the upper and lower abutment means, the device of this embodiment is especially adapted for use as a hole straightener to maintain a vertical hole, where the corrective deviation is from an off vertical hole to a vertical hole.

This embodiment utilizes an elongated body 111 connectable between a drill bit 112 and upper drill collar or other drill stem member 113. In this embodiment each of the upper and lower abutment means is made up of three abutment members 114 which may be rollers, or other forms adapted to ride over irregularities in a well bore wall, but, of course, this number may be varied. These rollers have a mounting upon the body 111 which permits their movement from a position outwardly beyond the periphery of the body to a retracted position nearer to the longitudinal axis of the body. This mounting is best seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, and is the same for each abutment member of both the upper and lower abutment means.

The mounting for each abutment member includes a longitudinal groove 115 formed in the body to receive the rollers and pressure responsive means on which the rollers are mounted. This arrangement may include the cylinders located. adjacent the ends of rollers 114 with pistons 116 pivoted to the ends of shafts 117 which extend through the rollers. The cylinders are preferably formed by pressing sleeves 118 in recesses formed in the body and seals 119 seal between the piston and cylinders to retain the hydraulic fluid of the system. Cross pieces 12%, secured to the body, may be used to limit the outward movement of the rollers. Other forms of pressure responsive means and seals may be employed, such as, for example, diaphragms, bellows or the like.

To correlate the abutment members of the upper and lower abutment means each of the upper abutment members has an hydrauhc power transmitting connection with selected ones of the abutment members of the lower abutment means. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, each upper abutment member is connected in this manner to the abutment member of the lower group that is located approximately 180 therefrom with respect to the longitudinal body axis as a center. This is illustrated schematically in FIG. 14 where the upper means T1 shown at 0 is connected by a conduit to the lower abutment member B-l located at 180. Upper member T-2, located at 120, is connected to the lower abutment member B-Z, located at 300. The upper abutment member T-3, located at 240, is connected to the lower abutment member B-S, located at 60.

The fluid connections between the corresponding abutment members of the upper and lower group include the passages 121 communicating with the inner ends of cylinders 11S and conduits 122 which communicate with passages 121 which in turn communicate with inner ends of cylinders 118 associated with the lower abutment members.

To accommodate the conduits 122 suitable grooves are formed in the periphery of the body 111 and preferably a single longitudinal groove 124 houses each of the three conduits 122 over most of the extent of the body residing between the upper and lower abutment means. Annular grooves 125 provide a means for conducting each conduit 1 22 to the groove 124. The purpose of the grooves is, of course, to protect the conduits from damage during insertion of the device into a well bore, withdrawal of the device from the well bore or rotation of the device in the well bore.

The area of the piston 116 for each single abutment member should be the same, but this area may bedifierent for abutment members of the upper and lower abutment means in order to vary the ratio of the deviating force to the force applied to the upper abutment means. The piston area, if desired, may even be different for the abutment members of the upper group or the lower group whereby the resultant deviating force may be varied during rotation of the device in drilling, as an added control over the direction of the deviated path to be drilled.

Inoperation, the device of this embodiment is much the same as that of the other embodiment, where only a single upper and a single lower abutment member are used, although the angular disposition thereof may be varied through a greater range thereby giving greater control over the direction of application of the deviating force to a drill bit. However, where a plurality of abutment members are used in each of theupper and lower groups, a deviating force is applied to the bit over a much longer period of any given rotational cycle of the bit while the upper abutment means are being forced against a bore hole wall. This more nearly constant application of a deviating force while the device is ofi vertical, is of particular benefit in enabling an operator to drill a more nearly vertical hole.

Whenever one of the upper abutment members is forced against the wall of the bore due to the weight of the drill collars or otherwise, a force that is responsive thereto is imparted by the lower abutment member that 'is connected thereto, to the drill bit to tend to deviate it, because the lower member is urged against the wall of the well bore by the hydraulic fluid. The fluid working through the medium of the pressure responsive means transmits the forces between the connected ones of the abutment means. By having larger area pressure responsive members for the lower abutment means, the deviating force is greater than the force applied to the upper members, but the magnitude of the movement of the lower abutment means outwardly from the periphery of the body is reduced. However, inasmuch as the bit will not move abruptly laterally, this reduced amount of movement may frequently be tolerated. The reverse is true if the pressure responsive members of the upper abutment means are larger. A similar adjustment of the relative magnitude of the deviating force and the force applied to the upper abutment means is obtained in the all mechanical tool by selecting the proper relative lengths of moment arms on which the abutment blocks are mounted.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are'obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

8 ence to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention Without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is: a

l. A well drilling device comprising, a tubular body adapted to be made up in a well drill string above but adjacent a hit, an upper abutment member and a separate lower abutment member, means mounting each of said members on the body for rotative movement with the body and for movement between a position outwardly of the periphery of the body to a retracted position nearer to the longitudinal axis of the body, and connecting means for said members for moving the upper member from its outermost position toward its retracted position and simultaneously moving the lower member from its retracted position toward its outermost position and vice versa.

2. A device for deviating a well drilling bit comprising, an elongated body adapted to be made up in 'a drill string adjacent the drill bit, a sensing means carried on the 'body for rotation with the body and spaced longitudinally from the drill bit, said sensing means interposed between the side wall of the well bore and the body for producing a force responsive to the force with which the drill string is urged toward a position resting against the side wall of the well bore, displacing means separate from the sensing means and carried on the body for rotation therewith and interposed between the side wall of the Well bore and body and engageable with the wall of the well bore, said displacing means spaced more closely to the drill bit than the sensing means for laterally displacing the drill string in the well bore adjacent the drill bit upon activation by a force applied thereto, power transmitting means carried by the 'body connecting the sensing means to the displacing means to apply the responsive force produced by the first mentioned means to the second mentioned means to urge it in a direction to engage the wall of the wellbore to thereby tend to deviate the path gagement with the wall of the well bore, power transmitting means carried on the body connecting said abutments for concomitant movement but in the opposite directional sense with respect to the body axis, so that movement of the abutment means most remote from the drill bit toward the body axis causes the lowermost abut ment means to move outwardly from the axis of the body into position to engage the Wall of a well bore, in use, to provide a tendency to deviate the path of a drill bit.

4. A device for deviating a well drilling bit comprising, an elongated body adapted to be made up in a drill string adjacent a drill bit, an upper abutment means mounted for rotation with the body and for movement with respect to the body for varying degrees of projection beyond the periphery of the body for engagement with the wall of a well, a lower abutment means separate and spaced from the upper abutment means and mounted for rotation with the body and for movement with respect to the body for varying degrees of projection beyond the periphery of the body for engagement with the wall of a well, and means providing a power transmitting connection between the upper and lower abutment means to correlate their relative degrees of projection so that the retraction of the upper means toward the periphery of the body will project 9 the lower means thereby tending to deviate the path of a drill bit.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the lower abutment means has a predetermined angular displacement about the axis of the body with respect to the upper abutment means whereby the tendency to deviate the bit is in a predetermined direction.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the means providing the power transmitting connection between the upper and lower means includes a shaft journaled in the body and having moment arm connections with both the upper and lower means.

7. The device of claim 4 in which the power transmitting means is hydraulic.

8. The device of claim 4 in which the power transmitting means comprises an hydraulic cylinder positioned on the body adjacent each of said abutment means, a piston mounted for reciprocation in each cylinder and connected to the abutment means adjacent thereto for movement simultaneously in unison therewith, and with a fluid conduit in the body extending between and interconnecting the hydraulic cylinders associated with the upper and lower abutment means.

9. A device for deviating a well drill bit comprising, an elongated body adapted to be made up in a drill string adjacent a drill bit, an upper and a lower abutment means separate from each other, means mounting said abutment means in longitudinal spaced relationship on the side exterior surface of the body for rotation with the body and for lateral movement relative to the axis of said body between an extended position wherein said abutment means projects laterally outwardly beyond the periphery of said body and toward a retracted position nearer to the body axis, power transmitting means carried by the body connecting said abutment means for simultaneous proportional lateral movement in opposite lateral directions relative to the axis of said body, whereby engagement of a well wall by one of the abutment means moves such means laterally inwardly toward a retracted position, resulting in the other abutment means moving laterally outwardly from the body to engage a well wall thereby tending to deviate the path of the drill bit.

'10. The device of claim 9 wherein said lower abutment means has a predetermined angular displacement about the axis of the body with respect to the upper abutment means whereby the tendency to deviate the bit is in a predetermined direction.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the means providing the power transmitting connection between the upper and lower means includes a shaft journaled in the body and having moment arm connections with both the upper and lower means.

12. The device of claim 9 in which the power transmitting means comprises an hydraulic cylinder positioned on the body adjacent each of said abutment means, a piston mounted for reciprocation in each cylinder and connected to the abutment means adjacent thereto for movement simultaneously in unison therewith and the body provided with a fluid conduit extending between and interconnecting the hydraulic cylinders associated with the upper and lower abutment means.

13. A device for deviating a drill bit comprising, an elongated body adapted to be made up in a drill string adjacent a drill bit, said body having an upper recess and a lower recess formed in its side exterior surface and said recesses spaced longitudinally from one another on the body, separate upper and lower abutment means positioned in the upper and lower recesses respectively, means mounting the abutment means in said recesses for lateral movement with respect to the axis of said body, and for rotation with the body, said body having formed in its exterior surface a groove extending between the recesses, power transmitting means mounted in said goove, said power transmitting means connecting said abutment means for simultaneous proportional lateral movement in opposite lateral directions with respect to the axis of said body outwardly beyond the periphery of the body whereby when one of the abutment means is moved by engagement with a well wall into its recess due to that portion of the body being forced thereagainst, the other abutment means is moved outwardly from its recess to engage a well wall thereby tend-ing to deviate the path of the drill bit.

14. A device for deviating a drill bit comprising, an elongated body adapted to be made up in a drill string adjacent the drill bit, said body having a longitudinally extending groove in its side exterior surface, a shaft, journal means rotatably mounting the shaft in said groove, an upper abutment means disposed on said body to one side of said shaft, a lower abutment means longitudinally spaced from said upper abutment means on said body and disposed to the opposite side of said shaft, moment arms integrally connecting each said abutment means to said shaft whereby lateral movement of the upper abutment means rotates the shaft to produce a reverse lateral movement of said lower abutment means with respect to the axis of said body, said body provided with an upper and a lower recess adapted to receive the upper and lower abutment means respectively upon their lateral inward movement, outward movement of each abutment means from its recess projecting such abutment means laterally outwardly beyond the periphery of the body whereby engagement of a well wall by the upper abutment means moves such means into its recess in the body rotating the shaft to move the lower abutment means outwardly from its recess in the body to engage a well wall thereby tending to deviate the path of the drill bit.

15. A device for deviating a well drilling bit comprising, an elongated body adapted to be made up in a drill string adjacent a drill bit, said body having an upper hydraulic cylinder and a lower hydraulic cylinder each mounted in a fixed position in the side exterior surface of said body, and said cylinders spaced longitudinally from one another on the body, a piston mounted for reciprocation in each cylinder, separate abutment means mounted on each piston for movement laterally with respect to the axis of said body, upon reciprocation of the pistons, conduit means interconnecting the hydraulic cylinders associated with the upper and lower abutment means for simultaneous proportional movement of the abutment means in a manner that movement of one abut-ment means toward the axis of said body causes movement of the other abutment means away from the axis of the body, outward movement of each abutment means projecting such abutment means laterally beyond the periphery of the body whereby engagement of a well wall by one of the abutment means tends to move such means toward the body axis and to move the other abutment means outwardly from the body axis to engage a well wall and thereby tending to deviate the path of the drill bit.

16. A device for deviating a well drilling bit comprising an elongated .body adapted to be made up in a drill string adjacent the drill bit, a plurality of upper abutment means spaced circumferentially about the side exterior surface of the body and a plurality of lower abutment means spaced circumferentially about the side exterior surface of the body in longitudinal spaced relationship thereon from the upper abutment means, said abutment means being separate from each other, means mounting said abutment means on said body for rotation with the body and for movement relative to the axis of said body between an extended position wherein said abutment means project outwardly beyond the periphery of the body and toward a retracted position near to the body axis, power transmitting means carried by the body connecting each of said upper abutment means to at least one of the lower abutment means for their simultaneous proportional movement in opposite directional senses relative to movement toward or away from the body axis, whereby in use engagement of a well wall by one of the abutment means causes the other abutment means connected 1 1' thereto to move outwardly from thebody axis to engage a Well wall to produce a force tending to deviate the path of the drill bit.

17. The device of claim'16 in which the power transmitting means is an hydraulic means.

18. The device of claim 16 in which the number of abutment means in the upper group is the same as that in the lower group and each abutment means of the upper group is hydraulically interconnected to an abutment means of the lower group that is angularly disposed therefrom relative to the body axis as a center to provide References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Downing Apr. 13, 1943 3,043,381 McNeely July 10, 1962 a ap,

Claims

1. A WELL DRILLING DEVICE COMPRISING, A TUBULAR BODY ADAPTED TO BE MADE UP IN A WELL DRILL STRING ABOVE BUT ADJACENT A BIT, AN UPPER ABUTMENT MEMBER AND A SEPARATE LOWER ABUTMENT MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING EACH OF SAID MEMBERS ON THE BODY FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENT WITH THE BODY AND FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A POSITION OUTWARDLY OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE BODY TO A RETRACTED POSITION NEARER TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE BODY, AND CONNECTING MEANS FOR SAID MEMBERS FOR MOVING THE UPPER MEMBER FROM ITS OUTERMOST POSITION TOWARD ITS RETRACTED POSITION AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MOVING THE LOWER MEMBER FROM ITS RETRACTED POSITION TOWARD ITS OUTERMOST POSITION AND VICE VERSA.