Separator

Claim 1

A separator to remove solids from oil well production, including, a vessel with side walls extended vertically and having top and bottom walls and providing an internal surface which is cylindrical and vertically extended, means including an entrance through the vessel side walls through which is flowed production containing solids over the internal surface to develop centrifugal force upon the solids which drives the solids to the internal surface and along which they descend by gravity, a conduit mounted within the vessel to extend axially within the vessel and providing a first opening at its upper end within the vessel above the entrance for production and a Second opening below the entrance for production and extending its lower end external of the vessel, and a cup-like chamber opening downwardly and mounted on the conduit between the first and second opening and below the entrance for production, its external side wall extending parallel to the internal vessel surface and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom to form a passageway sized to increase the velocity of the liquids and solids flowing downwardly and an outlet for solids from the vessel, whereby gas of the production separates from the liquids above the cup-like chamber to enter the first opening and flow down the conduit to join the solid-free liquids flowing into the second opening after having flowed downward from the passageway and reversing to flow up into the downwardly opening cup-like chamber to the second conduit opening, the solids continuing to flow downward in separation from the liquids.