US3988243A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Riser box
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-09-30
•
Granted: 1976-10-26
•
Expires: 1994-09-30
Abstract
Abstract Spent drilling mud riser box construction maintaining a selected high mud level for test and gravity flow to a sand sampling device and an alternately used shale shaker in which the shale shaker when operating will screen both spent drilling fluid and the residual flow from the sand sampling device.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth O. Huff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:59
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D35/00; B01D35/20; B01D35/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
236 words
In a drilling mud handling system, a first housing enclosing a constant mud level control chamber and a second housing enclosing a mud distribution chamber each housing being mounted close to the other, a wall of said mud level control chamber near the mud distribution chamber being cut away and open to an adjustable distance below the top of said first housing defining a selected mud level therein and to provide a weir at an adjusted height over which the mud in the said mud lever control chamber overflows into the nearby second housing enclosing said mud level disposal chamber, said mud disposal chamber having a side opposite to the weir of said mud level control chamber open at a selected intermediate height below the weir level of said mud level control chamber, a mud treating means positioned to receive mud flowing over said weir and outward from said open intermediate height opening of said mud distribution chamber, and valve means below said opening of said mud disposal chamber controlling the flow of mud therethrough the alternate discharge and disposal of accumulated mud in said disposal chamber, means for passing drilling mud into said mud level control chamber and means communicating with the upper level of mud in said mud level control chamber fixed by the position of said weir for testing the quality of the mud in continuous flow through said mud level control chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
236 words
In a drilling mud handling system, a first housing enclosing a constant mud level control chamber and a second housing enclosing a mud distribution chamber each housing being mounted close to the other, a wall of said mud level control chamber near the mud distribution chamber being cut away and open to an adjustable distance below the top of said first housing defining a selected mud level therein and to provide a weir at an adjusted height over which the mud in the said mud lever control chamber overflows into the nearby second housing enclosing said mud level disposal chamber, said mud disposal chamber having a side opposite to the weir of said mud level control chamber open at a selected intermediate height below the weir level of said mud level control chamber, a mud treating means positioned to receive mud flowing over said weir and outward from said open intermediate height opening of said mud distribution chamber, and valve means below said opening of said mud disposal chamber controlling the flow of mud therethrough the alternate discharge and disposal of accumulated mud in said disposal chamber, means for passing drilling mud into said mud level control chamber and means communicating with the upper level of mud in said mud level control chamber fixed by the position of said weir for testing the quality of the mud in continuous flow through said mud level control chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein said mud treating means is a shale shaker comprising an inclined screening means having its upper end disposed to receive and treat mud flowing outward from said open intermediate height opening of said mud distribution chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
210 words
In a drilling mud handling system, a riser box having a vertical partition forming a weir near its top and extending from side to side across the interior of said riser box from the bottom to a selected height and separating said riser box into a mud level control chamber and a mud disposal chamber, whereby mud passed to said supply chamber rises therein to the level of said weir and flows over into said partition-separated mud disposal chamber in a cascade, an opening in an outer wall of said mud disposal chamber at a level below the level of said weir through which mud in said distribution chamber may flow for further treatment, valve means in an exterior wall of the disposal chamber below the said opening therein communicating with said mud disposal chamber and controlling the flow of mud therethrough, said valve, in closed position, controlling discharge and disposal of accumulated mud in said disposal chamber in an alternate stream, means for adjusting the height of said partition and weir, means for passing drilling mud into said mud supply chamber, and means, communicating with the controlled upper level of mud in said control chamber fixed by said partition and weir, for testing the mud passing through said chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
210 words
In a drilling mud handling system, a riser box having a vertical partition forming a weir near its top and extending from side to side across the interior of said riser box from the bottom to a selected height and separating said riser box into a mud level control chamber and a mud disposal chamber, whereby mud passed to said supply chamber rises therein to the level of said weir and flows over into said partition-separated mud disposal chamber in a cascade, an opening in an outer wall of said mud disposal chamber at a level below the level of said weir through which mud in said distribution chamber may flow for further treatment, valve means in an exterior wall of the disposal chamber below the said opening therein communicating with said mud disposal chamber and controlling the flow of mud therethrough, said valve, in closed position, controlling discharge and disposal of accumulated mud in said disposal chamber in an alternate stream, means for adjusting the height of said partition and weir, means for passing drilling mud into said mud supply chamber, and means, communicating with the controlled upper level of mud in said control chamber fixed by said partition and weir, for testing the mud passing through said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 3 combined with an alternately operative shale shaker for receiving and further treating said mud, said mud disposal chamber having said opening cut away at an intermediate height of said outer wall position, said shale shaker having its inlet section disposed adjacent to said cutaway wall portion of said disposal chamber and positioned to receive mud flowing from said cutaway level onto the said shaker screen in continuous gravity flow of said mud from said disposal chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 3 wherein said weir comprises a gate hingedly mounted to the top of said partition including positioning means for adjusting the height thereof by its hinged position between horizontal and vertical.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
114 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 5 wherein the gate is hingedly mounted to the top of said partition and manually positioned for adjusting the height thereof by its selected hinged position between horizontal and vertical and providing said weir, said riser box having its mud disposal chamber disposed near the inlet of a shale shaker for said mud treatment, said weir adjustably varying the height of the mud in said mud level control chamber and transferring the drilling fluid into the adjacent partitioned mud disposal chamber side to the surface of said shale shaker, the valve means being closed, or to an alternate disposal area, said valve means being open.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 1 combined with a mud sampling device and duct means interconnecting the mud level control chamber at a point to below its upper level and passing a portion of said mud, as a mud sampling stream, to said mud sampling device by gravity flow from said chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
92 words
A drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 1 combined with a shale shaker and a mud sampling device, said shale shaker comprising an inclined screen having its upper end disposed to receive and treat mud flowing outward from said open intermediate height opening of said mud distribution chamber, and duct means interconnecting the mud level control chamber at a point below its upper mud level and passing a portion of said mud as a mud sampling stream to said sampling device by gravity flow from said mud level control chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The drilling mud handling system combined with a shale shaker and a mud sampling device as defined in claim 8, said mud sampling device including means for returning mud from said mud sampling stream after removal of samplings to said mud disposal chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a drilling mud handling system, the combination of a riser box, a shale shaker, and mud sampling means, said box being separated into a mud level control chamber and a mud disposal chamber, said box having an adjustable partition extending to a selected intermediate height of said box and forming a weir over which the mud may flow from chamber to chamber, said shale shaker having an adjustable forward end connecting with the outward mud flow from said mud disposal chamber alternately disposable to receive the mud or be by-passed by said mud flow, said mud sampling device communicating with said mud level control chamber below the mud height set by said weir, whereby mud passes in gravity flow to said mud sampling device and to said shale shaker in gravity flow each independently of the other, and a mud flow controlling gate means below said shaker level in said mud disposal chamber to remove mud therefrom.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a drilling mud handling system, the combination of a riser box, a shale shaker, and mud sampling means, said box being separated into a mud level control chamber and a mud disposal chamber, said box having an adjustable partition extending to a selected intermediate height of said box and forming a weir over which the mud may flow from chamber to chamber, said shale shaker having an adjustable forward end connecting with the outward mud flow from said mud disposal chamber alternately disposable to receive the mud or be by-passed by said mud flow, said mud sampling device communicating with said mud level control chamber below the mud height set by said weir, whereby mud passes in gravity flow to said mud sampling device and to said shale shaker in gravity flow each independently of the other, and a mud flow controlling gate means below said shaker level in said mud disposal chamber to remove mud therefrom.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
The combination as defined in claim 10 wherein a gate means is hingedly fastened to the top of said partition, and is angularly moveable with respect to the plane thereof whereby to raise and lower the height of said partition and the mud level control chamber in said mud supply chamber and to direct the angle of mud flow over the top of said partition as a weir.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
95 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 10 wherein said riser box has a vertical partition extending upward to a substantial level from the bottom and from side to side of said box dividing said riser box into a mud level control chamber, said partition having means for adjusting its height, means communicating with the upper mud level of said mud level control chamber for testing the quality of mud therein, at least one opening in said disposal chamber at an intermediate level for passing mud therefrom to at least one shale shaker.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
The riser box combination as defined in claim 12 wherein said partition has a gate means angularly moveable with respect to the plane thereof whereby to raise and lower the height of said partition and the mud supply level in said mud supply chamber, and means for returning the sampled mud stream from said mud sampling means back to said mud disposal chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
136 words
The riser box as defined in claim 12 including a mud sampling device for removal of samples from a mud stream, said sampling device being mounted near said box, duct means communicating with said mud level control chamber at a point beneath the mud level therein for gravity flow of the mud stream into said sampling device and means for returning sampled mud from said sampling device in gravity flow to said disposal chamber, a shale shaker mounted to receive mud flow outward from said intermediate opening of said disposal chamber alternately operative when said gate means is closed and the mud level in said disposal chamber rises above the level of said opening, and inoperative when said gate means is open reducing the mud level in said disposal chamber when said gate means is open.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
A riser box as defined in claim 1 including test instruments mounted near the top thereof with a portion extending to a position beneath the top in said mud supply chamber with a test end immersed in the mud below the level thereof fixed by said partitioning element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein the lower portion of said housing of said mud level control chamber is hopper-shaped to increase the flow velocity of mud therein.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein said first housing and said second housing are disposed as separate housings, separated by a space but mounted close to each other for operation together.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first housing and second housing are separably fastened together.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
136 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 1 wherein said second housing has a pair of openings in the outer wall thereof at a selected intermediate height below the weir level of said mud control chamber, and a pair of mud treating means are each positioned to receive mud flowing outward from each of said intermediate height openings of said mud distribution chamber, and valve means disposed below said openings in said disposal chamber controlling the flow of mud therethrough for alternate discharge and disposal of accumulated mud in said disposal chamber when said valve means is open, and for constraining the outward flow and causing the mud level in said disposal chamber to rise to the said intermediate height and flow outward to said mud treating means when said valve means is closed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
87 words
The drilling mud handling system as defined in claim 19 wherein said mud treating means is a pair of shale shakers each mounted to one of said intermediate height openings, and a mud sampling device mounted beside said shale shakers having mud stream conducting duct means communicating with said mud level control chamber flowing mud for removal of samplings from a point beneath the surface of the mud level therein to said sampling device and returning the sampled mud stream to said distribution chamber by gravity flow.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-10-26 | 1980-04-26 | 1980-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-10-26 | 1984-04-26 | 1984-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-10-26 | 1988-04-26 | 1988-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |