Improvements in Well Fishing Tools.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 23rd July, 1892
Complete Specification Left 23rd July, 1892-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Well Fishing Tools.
I, MAJOR HALL, of St. Paul, in the County of Ramsey, and State of Minnesota,
United States of America, Architect and Contractor, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in that class of well fishing tools which
are designed to grapple the detached portion of a broken rope attached to drilling
tools in.a well, my object being to provide a device which my be forced downward
in the tube and automatically grapple and lock itself upon the rope, so as to admit
of its being worked up and down in the tube without becoming disengaged from
the rope.
.
To this end my invention consists in providing a pair of slender clamping jaws
loosely linked together, one being relatively fixed or integral with the head or
handle of the clanp, while the other is relatively movable upon it. These jaws are
convex upon their outer surfaces, so as to fit to the concave inner surface of the
tube and their inner or adjacent surfaces are provided with barbs or prongs
extending upward. The relatively fixed member is provided with a shoulder or
stop against which the end of the movable member abuts when raised, so that the
connecting link stands at right angles with the members, thereby holding them
spread to their limit, while a rack with inclined teeth on the fixed member is
engaged by the loose member as a pawl when slipped downward, so as to lock the
members upon an object and prevent the detaching of the clamp therefrom.
My invention further consists in the specific construction and combination
hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved device shown with the jaws or members
locked open;
Fig. 2 is a similar view shown with the jaws locked in closed position, and
Fig. 3 is a detail of the locking device.
In the drawings, A and B represents the jaws or members of the clamp, made
preferably of steel to secure strength and elasticity, provided with series of
upturned barbs or prongs, and connected together by means of the link C. The
member A is rigidly connected to or formed integral with the handle or head I,
which is adapted to be connected to the source of power. The member A or the
head L is provided with a stop G, having an overhanging slotted lip or projection F.
The upper end of the member B3 has a reduced shank K, adapted to fit under
the lip F and abut against the stop G, and is held in that position by means of a
set screw D, entering the slot F and adapted to be screwed down upon the lip, so
as to firmly grip the parts together. The member A is provided with a groove H,
adjacent to the shank K, in which the shank works and which guides the screw D
into the slot of the lip F. In the bottom of the groove H there is arranged a
ratchet or inclined toothed rack J, with which the reduced end of the shank

page_text: engages as a pawl when the member B slips downward along the member A, thus
holding the member B from reverse movement.
The operation of the device is as follows: The member B being lifted upward
so that its shank K fits against the stop G, with the set screw D entering the slot
of the lip F, the set screw is turned so as to firmly hold the shank in place. In
this position the link C stands at right angles with the jaws, as shown in Fig. 1.
With the parts in this position the device can be lowered into the well, the
members bearing against the inner walls of the tube as lowered and the points
passing between the rope and the tube, so that a number of the barbs or prongs
are brought into engagement with the rope. Upon lifting the device the strain of
the rope upon the prongs of the member B will disengage the shank 'from the
head L. The member B then drops downward, hanging by the link, which carried
it toward the member A., thus closing upon the rope. The shank bearing upon
the upper part of the member A acts as a lever to hold them together the more
firmly. At the same time, the shank acting as a pawl, engages the rack J, thus
Jocking the members upon each other and preventing the reverse movement of the
movable member. In this position the device may be raised and lowered without
being disengaged from the rope until finally the attached tools are loosened and
lifted out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is :-
1. In a device of the class described, the combination with the relatively fixed
jaw and the movable jaw linked thereto, of the barbs upon the adjacent faces of
the jaws and means for automatically locking the jaws upon each other when in
clutched position, substantially as described.
2. In a device of the class described, the combination of the members loosely
linked together and adapted to fit within a pipe or cylindrical hole, the barbs upon
the inner faces of the members, means for setting the members in open position,
and means for automatically locking the members when clutched, substantially as
described.
3. In a device of the class described, the combination of the members having
convex exterior faces adapted to fit into a cylindrical pipe, the barbs upon their
adjacent or meeting faces, the link loosely connecting them to each other, the
device for setting them in open position, and the automatic locking device for
holding them in clutched position, substantially as described.
4. The combination of the fixed clamp member, the movable clamp member
linked thereto, the barbs upon their adjacent faces, the stop device upon the fixed
member for limiting the upward movement of the movable member thereon, means
for setting them in open position, and means for automatically interlocking them
in clutched position, substantially as described.
5. The combination of the fixed member, the movable member linked thereto,
the barbs upon the inner faces of said members, and the rack upon the fixed
member adapted to be engaged by the end of the movable member so as to lock
them together in clutched position, substantially as described.
6. In a device of the class described, the combination with the relatively fixed
and movable clamps' members provided with barbs upon their inner faces, of the
link loosely connecting said members together, the grooved guide upon the fixed
member to receive the upper end of the movable member and to hold it substantially
parallel with the fixed member, the stop upon the fixed member provided with
an overhanging slotted projection or lip, and the set screw upon the movable
member adapted to enter said slot and to be screwed down upon said lip so as to
set the clamp in open position, substantially as described.
7. In a device of the class described, the combination of the relatively fixed
clamp member, the relatively movable member, the link connecting said members
together the barbs upon the inner faces of said members, the slotted stop upon the

page_text: fixed member, the shank upon the movable member adapted to abut against said stop.
and the set screw upon said shank adapted to enter said slot and be screwed down
upon said stop, so as to set the clamps in open position, substantially as described.
8. In a device of the class described, the combination of the relatively fixed
member, the relatively movable member linked thereto, the barbs upon the
inner faces of said members, the guide upon the fixed member, the shank upon
the movable member working therein, and the rack upon the fixed member adapted
to he engaged by said shank, so as to automatically lock said members together in
clutched position, substantially as described.
9. A clamp comprising in combination, a relatively fixed jaw, a relatively
movable jaw linked thereto, and means for automatically interlocking them in
clutched positions, substantially as described.
10. A clamp comprising in combination, a relatively fixed jaw, a relatively
movable jaw linked thereto, barbs arranged upon the inner faces of said jaws,
the guide upon one engaged by the other jaw and holding them parallel with each
other, substantially as described.
11. A well fishing tool consisting of a pair of similar slender pointed jaws,
having convex outer faces and barbed inner faces, means for setting them in open
parallel position, and automatic means for locking them in clutched position,
substantially as described.
12. A clamp comprising in combination, a relatively fixed jaw, a relatively
inovable jaw linked thereto, and means for automatically locking the jaws together
in any relative position when clutched upon an object.
13. A clamp comprising in combination, a relatively fixed jaw, a relatively
movable jaw linked thereto, devices upon the inner faces of the jaws for engaging
an object, and means for automatically locking the jaws in clutched position.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.