Wire line spear mechanism

Claim 2

A wire line spear mechanism adapted to be lowered into a well for retrieving broken wire line from the production tubing of wells, said mechanism comprising: a body portion having means for establishing connection of said body portion to a string of manipulating conduit that is extended into the production tubing; a wire line spear being connected to the lower extremity of said body portion and including means for engaging broken wire line within the production tubing; a plurality of tubing wiper means being retained in said body portion and being radially movable relative to said body portion and biased outwardly from said body portion to centralize said wire line spear inside said production tubing and to prevent said wire line spear from extending beyond convolutions of broken wire line more than a fixed distance between said wiper means and said wire line spear.

Claim 3

A wire line spear mechanism as recited in claim 1, including: finger means projecting downwardly from said wiper means, said finger means engaging convolutions of the broken wire line within said tubing and preventing said convolutions from extending beyond said spear mechanism more than the fixed distance between said wiper means and said spear mechanism as said spear is lowered into engagement with said convolutions to cause connection to be established between said spear and the broken wire line, said finger means also being of arcuate configuration and substantially conforming to the curvature of the internal surface of the tubing.

Claim 4

A wire line spear mechanism as recited in claim 2, wherein: cam means is formed on saId finger means and disposed for contact with convolutions of broken wire line as said spear mechanism is lowered into said production tubing, said cam means imparting downward and inward movement to said convolutions away from the internal surface of said production tubing.

Claim 5

A wire line spear mechanism as recited in claim 1, including: transition means being provided on said tubing wiper means and being responsive to contact with an internal shoulder defined by connection of tubing of smaller internal diameter above tubing of larger internal diameter in said well to cause inward movement of said wiper means to conform to the smaller internal diameter upon upward movement of said spear mechanism within the production tubing.

Claim 6

A wire line spear mechanism as recited in claim 4, wherein: said transition means comprises cam surfaces formed on the upper portion of said wiper means and reacting against said internal shoulder, causing said wiper means to move inwardly to assume the smaller internal dimension of said upper tubing.

Claim 7

A wire line spear mechanism as recited in claim 4, wherein: said tubing wiper means have arcuate surfaces formed thereon, said arcuate surfaces substantially conforming to the internal surface of the tubing within which spear mechanism is received; and said transition means being of arcuate configuration and substantially conforming to the curvature of an internal annular shoulder defined by connection of tubing of smaller internal diameter above tubing of larger internal diameter.

Claim 8

A wire line spear mechanism as recited in claim 1, wherein: the body portion having a plurality of wiper recesses formed therein; said wiper means comprising a plurality of wiper bars equally spaced about the periphery of the body portion, movably disposed within said wiper recesses; a retainer provided on the body portion for retaining the wiper bars in assembly with the body portion; and spring recesses formed in said wiper bars, and including compression springs being retained at least partially within said wiper recesses.

Claim 9

A wire line spear mechanism for retrieving broken wire line from the production tubing of wells, said mechanism comprising: a cylinderically shaped body portion being externally threaded on both ends and having a plurality of wiper recesses formed about its external periphery; a plurality of tubing wiper means being carried by said body portion; a plurality of tubing wiper bars equally spaced about the periphery of the body portion, movably disposed within said wiper recesses, having recesses formed in said wiper bars; finger means projecting downwardly from said wiper bars having an inwardly and upwardly tapered cam surface, said finger means engaging convolutions of the broken wire line within said tubing and preventing said convolutions from extending beyond said spear mechanism more than a fixed distance between said wiper means and said spear mechanism as said spear mechanism is lowered into engagement with said convolutions to cause connection to be established between said spear and the broken wire line; a transition means formed on said wiper bars comprising cam surfaces to permit said spear mechanism to be drawn upwardly through succeedingly smaller diameter tubing; an urging means comprising compression springs partially disposed within said wiper recesses and said wiper bars recesses and bearing upon said wiper bars, urging said wiper bars outwardly from the body portion; a wire line spear connected to the lower extremity of said body portion and including means for engaging convolutions of broken wire line within the production tubing.

Claim 10

A wire line spear mechanism for retrieving broken wire line from the production tubing of wells, said mechanism comprising: a cylinderically shaped body portion being externally threaded on both ends and having a plurality of wiper recesses formed about its external periphery; a plurality of tubing wiper means being carried by said body portion; a plurality of tubing wiper bars equally spaced about the periphery of the body portion, movably disposed within said wiper recesses, having recesses formed in said wiper bars; finger means projecting downwardly from said wiper bars having an inwardly and upwardly tapered cam surface, said finger means engaging convolutions of the broken wire line within said tubing and preventing said convolutions from extending beyond said spear mechanism more than a fixed distance between said wiper means and said spear mechanism as said spear mechanism is lowered into engagement with said convolutions to cause connection to be established between said spear and the broken wire line; a transition means formed on said wiper bars comprising cam surfaces to permit said spear mechanism to be drawn upwardly through succeedingly smaller diameter tubing; an urging means comprising compression springs partially disposed within said wiper recesses and said wiper bars recesses and bearing upon said wiper bars, urging said wiper bars outwardly from the body portion; a wire line spear connected to the lower extremity of said body portion and including means for engaging convolutions of broken wire line within the production tubing.