Patent ID: 7665785
Filing Date: 2010-02-23
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A catch tool for retrieval of a well column pipe, the well column pipe having a pipe wall, the pipe wall having a thickness dimension, the catch tool comprising: (a) a fork having a pair of tines, the tines being spaced apart for receipt of the pipe wall; and (b) clamping means connected operatively to the fork, the clamping means being adapted for, upon the receipt by the tines of the pipe wall, grasping the pipe wall; the clamping means comprising a pair of arms, each arm having proximal and distal ends, each arm's proximal end being fixedly attached to one of the fork's tines, the arms' fixed attachments being adapted for facilitating pivoting movements between first and second positions, the arms' distal ends being displaced away from each other a distance less than the pipe wall's thickness dimension while in the first position, the arms' distal ends, upon the receipt by the tines of the pipe wall, being carried by the pipe wall to their second positions; and (c) gravity actuated biasing means connected operatively to the arms, the biasing means being adapted for normally moving the arms toward their first positions, the biasing means comprising a pair of weights, each weight being fixedly attached to one of the arms.