Method and apparatus for making a reinforced plastic well screen

Abstract

Abstract APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING A WELL SCREEN INCLUDES A HOLLOW CYLINDRICALLY SHAPED FORM HAVING A MULTIPLE TURN, HELICAL GROOVE IN THE PERIPHERY THEREOF AND A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVES IN THE PERIPHERY WHICH INTERSECT THE HELICAL TURNS. THE HELICAL GROOVE IS IN A FORM CORRESPONDING TO A SCREW THREAD AND SERVES AS A MOLD FOR RECEIVING BUNDLES OF PLASTIC-WETTED GLASS FILAMENTS WHICH CAN CONFORM TO THE SHAPE OF THE MOLD. THE CYLINDRICALLY SHAPED FORM IS COMPOSED OF A PLURALITY OF PART-CYLINDRICAL SEGMENTS DETACHABLY SECURED TOGETHER, THESE SEGMENTS BEING INDIVIDUALLY MOVABLE RADIALLY INWARDLY FOR COLLAPSING THE FORM. MEANS ARE PROVIDED FOR SECURING THE SEGMENTS TOGETHER IN THE CYLINDRICAL SHAPE WHEREBY PLASTIC IMPREGNATED BUNDLES OF GLASS FILAMENTS MAY BE INSERTED INTO ALL OF THE GROOVES. THE METHOD OF THIS INVENTION INCLUDES THE STEPS OF (A) WETTING A PLURALITY OF GLASS FILAMENTS WITH A LIQUID HEATHARDENABLE PLASTIC, (B) COLLECTING SAID WETTED FILAMENTS TOGETHER INTO AN ELONGATED BUNDLE, (C) INSERTING LENGTH PORTIONS OF THE BUNDLE IN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED LONGITUDINAL GROOVES IN A CYLINDRICAL MANDREL, (D) WINDING THE BUNDLE INTO A HELICAL GROOVE IN SAID MANDREL IN OVERLYING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BUNDLES IN THE LONGITUDINAL GROOVES, THE HELICAL GROOVE BEING COMPOSED OF A PLURALITY OF TURNS WHICH INTERSECT THE LONGITUDINAL GROOVES, THE HELICAL GROOVE IN CROSS-SECTION BEING V-SHAPED WITH THE APEX THEREOF BEING RADIALLY INNERMOST, THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE HELICAL BUNDLE HAVING A CORRESPONDING V-SHAPE, (E) CURING SAID BUNDLES WHILE ON THE MANDREL, AND (F) REMOVING THE MANDREL FROM THE CURED BUNDLE ASSEMBLY. D R A W I N G

Inventors

• 👤 Samuel M Shobert

Bibliographic Details