Pneumatic beam pumping unit

Claim 2

Apparatus for pumping liquids from gas producing wells, comprising a well pumping unit having a reciprocably tilting walking beam, a pneumatic cylinder having a piston connected to said walking beam, valve means adapted for connection to the well casing head for receiving gas under pressure therefrom and for connection to a gas sales line, and conduits connecting said valve means to the opposite ends of said cylinder, said valve means being formed for selectively supplying gas under pressure to an end of said cylinder and for connecting the other end of said cylinder to the sales line whereby movement of said piston toward said other end of said cylinder forces gas therefrom and into said sales line, said valve means being responsive to tilting movement of said walking beam to alternate the cylinder ends to which gas under pressure is supplied.

Claim 3

An apparatus as described in claim 1 and wherein said valve means includes a two-position directional control valve, and pneumatic actuator means operatively connected to said walking beam and formed for moving said directional control valve selectively to its two positions as said walking beam reaches the desired limits of its stroke.

Claim 4

An apparatus as described in claim 2 and wherein said pneumatic actuator means is adapted for connection to the well casing head to obtain gas under pressure therefrom for operating said pneumatic actuator means.

Claim 5

An apparatus as described in claim 3 and wherein said pneumatic actuator means comprises a control valve having a control member movable between first and second positions causing actuation of said valve means to supply gas under pressure to first and second ends of said cylinder respectively, first and second stops carried by said walking beam for movement therewith and formed for engaging and moving said control member between said first and second positions in accordance with the movement of said walking beam.

Claim 6

An apparatus as described in claim 4 and wherein said stops are adjustably mounted on said walking beam whereby the angular deflection of the walking beam and the resulting pump stroke may be changed as desired.

Claim 7

An apparatus as described in claim 1 and further comprising counter-balance means operatively associated with said walking beam and formed for storing energy on the downstroke of a pump of said well unit to aid the upstroke of the pump with the amount of energy stored being proportional to the distance of the pump stroke.

Claim 8

An apparatus as described in claim 6 and wherein said counter-balance means comprises a weight adjustably mounted on the end of said walking beam opposite to said horsehead.

Claim 9

An apparatus as described in claim 6 and wherein said counter-balance means comprises a lineal pneumatic pump operatively connected to the end of said walking beam opposite to said horsehead, and an accumulator reservoir connected to said pneumatic pump for storing air compressed by said pump on the downstroke of the pump and releasing the energy of such air to assist the upward stroke of the pump.

Claim 10

An apparatus as described in claim 8 and wherein said apparatus is mounted on a skid structure, and a portion of said skid structure is hollow to provide said accumulator reservoir.

Claim 11

Apparatus for pumping liquids from gas producing wells, comprising a skid structure for supporting the apparatus in operative association, a standard mounted on said skid structure and having a bearing thereon, a walking beam journaled in said bearing for teetering movement and having a horsehead at one end adapted to support a pump bridle, a substantially vertically disposed pneumatic drive cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein and a vertically extending piston rod, the distal end of said piston rod and the end of said cylinder remote therefrom being pivotally connected to said walking beam and said skid structure, a direction control valve providing valve housing, a supply conduit adapted for connection to the casing head of the well for receiving gas under pressure therefrom and communicating with the interior of said valve housing, a pair of pressure conduits communicating the interior of said valve housing with the opposite ends of said drvie cylinder, an injection conduit adapted for connection to a gas sales line and communicating with the interior of said valve housing, a valve member in said valve housing formed for reciprocation between a first terminal position connecting said pressure conduit for the upper end of said drive cylinder to said supply conduit and the lower end of said cylinder to said injection conduit and a second terminal position connecting said pressure conduit for the lower end of said drive cylinder to said injection conduit, a pneumatic actuator on said direction control valve formed for moving said valve member into said first and second terminal positions, and selector means on said standard and walking beam responsive to movement of the latter for operating said pneumatic actuator to select between said first and said terminal positions of said valve member in accordance with the position of said walking beam relative to said skid structure.

Claim 12

Apparatus for pumping liquids from gas producing wells, comprising a skid structure for supporting the apparatus in operative association, a standard mounted on said skid structure and having a bearing thereon, a walking beam journaled in said bearing for teetering movement and having a horsehead at one end adapted to support a pump bridle, a substantially vertically disposed pneumatic drive cylinder having a piston reciprocable therein and a vertically extending piston rod, the distal end of said piston rod and the end of said cylinder remote therefrom being pivotally connected to said walking beam and said skid structure, a direction control valve providing valve housing, a supply conduit adapted for connection to the casing head of the well for receiving gas under pressure therefrom and communicating with the interior of said valve housing, a pair of pressure conduits communicating the interior of said valve housing with the opposite ends of said drvie cylinder, an injection conduit adapted for connection to a gas sales line and communicating with the interior of said valve housing, a valve member in said valve housing formed for reciprocation between a first terminal position connecting said pressure conduit for the upper end of said drive cylinder to said supply conduit and the lower end of said cylinder to said injection conduit and a second terminal position connecting said pressure conduit for the lower end of said drive cylinder to said injection conduit, a pneumatic actuator on said direction control valve formed for moving said valve member into said first and second terminal positions, and selector means on said standard and walking beam responsive to movement of the latter for operating said pneumatic actuator to select between said first and said terminal positions of said valve member in accordance with the position of said walking beam relative to said skid structure.

Claim 13

An apparatus as described in claim 10 and wherein said selector means is adjustable for selectively varying the length of stroke of said walking beam.

Claim 14

An apparatus as described in claim 11 and wherein said selector means comprises a thimble valve mounted on said standard and having a reciprocable valving element providing portions extending above and below a valve body for reciprocating said valving element between first and second terminal positions, an actuator supply conduit adapted for connection to the wellhead for receiving gas under pressure therefrom and communicating with said valve body, a pair of actuator pressure conduits communicating said valve body with opposite ends of said pneumatic actuator in accordance with the location of said valving element in its terminal positions, a rod secured to said walking beam in proximity to said thimble valve, and a pair of stop members on said rod formed for engaging said portions and moving said valving element correspondingly in accordance with movement of said walking beam.

Claim 15

An apparatus as described in claim 12 and wherein said stop members are adjustably movable along said rod for selectively controlling the upper and lower limits of the stroke of a pump.

Claim 16

An apparatus as described in claim 10 and wherein said apparatus further comprises counter-balance means operatively associated with said walking beam and formed for storing energy on the downstroke of the pump to aid the upstroke of the pump with the amount of energy stored being proportional to the distance of the pump stroke.

Claim 17

An apparatus as described in claim 14 and wherein said counter-balance means comprises a weight adjustably mounted on the end of said walking beam opposite to said horsehead.

Claim 18

An apparatus as described in claim 10 and wherein said counter-balance means comprises a lineal pneumatic pump operatively connected to the end of said walking beam opposite to said horsehead, and an accumulator reservoir connected to said pneumatic pump for storing air compressed by said pump on the downstroke of the pump and releasing the energy of such air to assist the upward stroke of the pump.

Claim 19

An apparatus as described in claim 16 and wherein said skid structure comprises a plurality of hollow members interconnected to provide said accumulator reservoir.

Claim 20

In an apparatus for pumping liquids from gas producing wells, a unit for driving a walking beam comprising a pneumatic cylinder having a piston connected to said walking beam, valve means adapted for connection to the well casing head for receiving gas under pressure therefrom and for connection to a gas sales line, and conduits connecting said valve means to the opposite ends of said cylinder, said valve means being formed for selectively supplying gas under pressure to an end of said cylinder and for connecting the other end of said cylinder to the sales line whereby movement of said piston toward said other end of said cylinder forces gas therefrom and into said sales line, said valve means being responsive to tilting movement of said walking beam to alternate the cylinder ends to which gas under pressure is supplied.

Claim 21

In an apparatus for pumping liquids from gas producing wells, a unit for driving a walking beam comprising a pneumatic cylinder having a piston connected to said walking beam, valve means adapted for connection to the well casing head for receiving gas under pressure therefrom and for connection to a gas sales line, and conduits connecting said valve means to the opposite ends of said cylinder, said valve means being formed for selectively supplying gas under pressure to an end of said cylinder and for connecting the other end of said cylinder to the sales line whereby movement of said piston toward said other end of said cylinder forces gas therefrom and into said sales line, said valve means being responsive to tilting movement of said walking beam to alternate the cylinder ends to which gas under pressure is supplied.

Claim 22

A unit as described in claim 18 and wherein said valve means includes a two-position directional control valve, and pneumatic actuator means operatively connected to said walking beam and formed for moving said directional control valve selectively to its two positions as said walking beam reaches the desired limits of its stroke.

Claim 23

A unit as described in claim 19 and wherein said pneumatic actuator means is adapted for connection to the well casing head to obtain gas under pressure therefrom for operating said pneumatic actuator means.

Claim 24

A unit as described in claim 20 and wherein said pneumatic actuator means comprises a control valve having a control member movable between first and second positions causing actuation of said valve means to supply gas under pressure to first and second ends of said cylinder respectively, first and second stops carried by said walking beam for movement therewith and formed for engaging and moving said control member between said first and second positions in accordance with the movement of said walking beam.

Claim 25

A unit as described in claim 21 and wherein said stops are adjustably mounted on said walking beam whereby the angular deflection of the walking beam and the resulting stroke of a pump may be changed as desired.

Claim 26

A unit as described in claim 18 and further comprising counter-balance means operatively associated with said walking beam and formed for storing energy on the downstroke of the pump to aid the upstroke of the pump with the amount of energy stored being proportional to the distance of the pump stroke.

Claim 27

A unit as described in claim 23 and wherein said counter-balance means comprises a lineal pneumatic pump operatively connected to the end of said walking beam opposite to said horesehead, and an accumulator reservoir connected to said pneumatic pump for storing air compressed by said pump on the downstroke of the pump and releasing the energy of such air to assist the upward stroke of the pump.

Claim 28

A unit as described in claim 24 and wherein said apparatus is mounted on a skid structure, and a portion of said skid structure is hollow to provide said accumulator reservoir.