Polish rod stuffing box cavity

Claim 2

In well pumping apparatus, the combination comprising a. a stuffing box adapted to pass a polish rod vertically suspended and reciprocated by a wire line, with the rod in turn suspending and reciprocating a pumping rod string in well tubing, b. cylindrical means containing said stuffing box and vertically elongated to receive the vertically reciprocated polish rod and to extend above the tubing containing the rod string, and c. a flow line extending within said cylindrical means and having a side port below the level of the stuffing box to pass well fluid flowing upwardly from the well tubing and in upwardly by-passing relation to the stuffing box within said cylindrical means.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical means comprises inner and outer casing members, the inner casing member supported by the outer casing member and supporting said stuffing box and flow line.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 including said well tubing suspended by the inner casing member below said flow line and stuffing box.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 wherein said flow line also branches laterally from said side port and then extends upwardly in said cylindrical means in laterally spaced relation to said stuffing box.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 including said polish rod extending vertically in said stuffing box.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 including a drum at the well head and said wire line suspending said polish rod and wound on the drum and drive means to rotate said drum forwardly and reversely.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 6 including adjustable weight structure exerting torque on said drum in counterbalancing relation to the weight suspended by said wire line, and exerting suspension torque on said drum.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 wherein the stuffing box has an adjusting element movable at the upper end thereof to adjust the polish rod pack-off, and adjusting means inserted downwardly into said cylindrical means into releasable engagement with said element to so move said element.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 8 wherein said means comprises a split tubular component removably assembled about said wire line to be displaced vertically thereof into and out of engagement with said element.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 9 wherein said component has rotary drive-lug interengagement with said element.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical means extends underground and comprises inner and outer casings, the inner casing supported by the outer casing and supporting said stuffing box underground.

Claim 13

In well pumping apparatus comprising a stuffing box passing a polish rod suspended for vertical reciprocation by a wire line, the rod in turn suspending a pumping rod string for vertical reciprocation in well tubing, the stuffing box having an adjustment element movable at the upper end thereof to adjust the polish rod pack-off, the method including a. lowering the wire-line to run the polish rod downwardly in the stuffing box, b. moving said element to adjust the polish rod pack-off by displacing an adjusting means on and downwardly along the wire line and into engagement with said element and thereafter moving said adjusting means to so move said element, and thereafter withdrawing said adjusting means upwardly along the wire line to free the adjusting means from said element, and c. the stuffing box being maintained in a supported condition independently of the adjusting means.

Claim 14

In well pumping apparatus comprising a stuffing box passing a polish rod suspended for vertical reciprocation by a wire line, the rod in turn suspending a pumping rod string for vertical reciprocation in well tubing, the stuffing box having an adjustment element movable at the upper end thereof to adjust the polish rod pack-off, the method including a. lowering the wire-line to run the polish rod downwardly in the stuffing box, b. moving said element to adjust the polish rod pack-off by displacing an adjusting means on and downwardly along the wire line and into engagement with said element and thereafter moving said adjusting means to so move said element, and thereafter withdrawing said adjusting means upwardly along the wire line to free the adjusting means from said element, and c. the stuffing box being maintained in a supported condition independently of the adjusting means.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 wherein said box is located within upright cylindrical means having an upwardly exposed mouth, and wherein said adjusting means is assembled about said line and moved downwardly via said mouth into engagement with said element.

Claim 16

The method of claim 13 wherein said stuffing box is located at an underground level, and including the steps of carrying out said withdrawing step by displacing said adjusting means upwardly via said mouth, and thereafter reciprocating the wire line to effect pumping of the well.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13 wherein said adjusting means comprises a longitudinally split tubular component having sections, and wherein said assembly of said component on the wire line includes coupling said sections of said component about the line.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14 including the further step of passing well fluid upwardly within said cylindrical means and in upwardly by-passing relation to said stuffing box.