US2957524A - Well seal - Google Patents

Description

G. W. EARL Oct. 25, 1960 WELL SEAL R m 1 N a w m m s S t e e h S 2 Filed July 15, 1957 650265 W E/IEL ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1960 s. w. EARL 2,957,524

WELL ssm.

Filed July 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 66026514! 5w.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 4 Claims. (Cl. 166-75) The invention-relates to a well sealing device and particularly pertains to structure for use with a well utilizing a lateral casing.

' Wells from which water used for human consumption is drawn must be tightly sealed to prevent contamina- :tlOn from surface debris, insects, rodents and other causes to conform to health standard codes. Normally a Water well may be sealed by the use of a cap over the top of the casing through which the necessary piping passes. However, in installations where it is desired to place the pump some distance from the well, as would be the case where the pump is within the basement of a dwelling and the well located outside, a lateral casing must be used which increases the chances for contamination and makes effective sealing more difiicult.

It is thus an object of the invention to produce a lateral well casing assembly which will effectively seal the well and may be economically and simply manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lateral Well seal which will be contamination proof and will automatically indicate leakage or failure of the lateral casing.

A further object of the invention is to design a well assembly which may be easily serviced without digging up the well and may be easily assembled and aligned from a remote position.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent when viewed with regard to the following description and drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational internal view of the assembled well components with the well casing, access pipe, T, lateral casing, jacket and jacket fitting and wall shown insection.

Fig. 2 is a cross section view taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross section view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken along line IVIV of Fig. 1.

The assembled well sealing device embodying the concepts of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 1 showing a typical installation wherein the foundation or wall of a building is-represented at and the well casing 12 is located outside the building or housing.

A T 14 is threadedly aflixed to the top of casing 12 and the access pipe or conduit 16 threads onto ,T 14 concentric to the casing. It will be understood that the casing 12 and pipe 16 extend in a vertical direction. A

lateral casing 18 is press fitted or welded within the lateral connection 20 of the T 14 and extends horizontally through the wall 10.

. The disclosed embodiment shows the two pipe system employed with a jet type pump. However, the invention is not limited to any particular pumping arrangement, the jet pump system being employed for illustrative pur- -poscs only. The pipes 22, 24 and elbow 26 constitute Y the jet piping and the pipes 28, 30 and elbow 32 comprise Patented Oct. 25 1960 2 the intake duct work, the pipes 22 and 28 being connected directly or indirectly to the pump, not shown.

The vertical piping 24 and 30 are supported in the casing 12 by the circular plate 34 which rests upon the upper edge of the casing. The plate 34 is provided with a pair of holes 36 and 38, Fig. 4, through which the pipes 24 and 30, respectively, extend. Annular collars 40 and 42 are welded or otherwise affixed to the underside of plate 34 concentric to the holes 36 and 38 and are provided with set screws 44 which may be tightened down on the pipes 24 and 30 forming a connection between the pipes and plate 34. Further support is achieved by means of the cradle 46 which is attached to the top of plate 34, resting thereupon, and engages the underside of couplings 26 and 32, note Fig. 3. Arcuate recesses are formed in cradle 46 for this purpose.

To insure the proper positioning of the plate 34 within the T 14 facilitating assembly with the lateral components, a rectangular key,48 is formed on the T 14 and a cooperating slot 50 is cut in the plate 34 as is shown in Fig. 4. Thus, before the plate 34 will seat properly on the casing 12 the key 48 and slot 50 must be aligned.

Removal of the plate 34 and piping 24-30 is accomplished by the pull rod 52 aflixed at one end to the plate 34 and provided at the other end with an eye 54 which may be engaged by a fishing tool.

The open end of the lateral casing 18 is sealed by a conventional sealing assembly 56 which consists of an outer plate 58, an expandable resilient layer 60 and an inner plate 62. Elements 58, 60 and 62 are formed with holes permitting the pipes 22 and 28 to pass therethrough and a plurality of bolts 64 threaded into plate 62 and backed by the outer plate 58 produce the sealing action. Thus, when the seal 56 is in the position as shown in Fig. 1, tightening of the bolts 64 will draw plate 62 toward plate 58 compressing and expanding layer 60. As layer 60 expands the material, such as soft rubber, of layer 60 will engage the inside of casing 18 and the pipes 22 and 28 holding assembly 56 in position and sealing the interior of casing 18 against Water, insects, rodents, dirt and other undesirable matter which may contaminate the well.

Since the well casing 12, T 14 and lateral casing 18 are usually located under the ground and the casing 18 may be of considerable length, means are provided to align the pipes 22 and 28 with the threaded openings in couplings 26 and 32 to facilitate assembly. As will be observed in Figs. 1 and 2, a guide 66 is positioned within in casing 18 adjacent the T 14. Guide 66 may be formed of flat stock and is provided with a large arcuate periphcry 68 which is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of casing 18 and a pair of smaller arcuate surfaces 70 corresponding to the diameter of pipes 22 and 28. A radial extension 72 of guide 66 projects between the pipes 22 and 28 forming a separator. A pair of blocks 74 are welded to the guide 66 adjacent periphery 68 and are radially bored and threaded to receive set screws 76 which may be rotated to engage the upper inner surface of the lateral casing 18. Thus, as screws 76 are tightened, the extension 72 will engage the opposite lower inner surface of casing 18 thereby wedging the guide 66 in place.

An important feature of the guide 66 lies in the function of the lift foot 78 which is attached to the extension 72 and projects parallel to casing 18 toward the seal assembly 56. As shown in Fig. 1, the foot 78 is wedge shaped, one side being parallel to and fastened on the extension 72, the base rests upon the bottom of the lateral casing 18 and the upper edge 80 rises to a point approximately even with the center of casing 18.

The purpose of foot 78 and guide 66' is to line up the pipes 22 and 28 with the elbows 26 and 32, respectively,

when the piping is to be assembled. Normally, if the lateral casing 18 were longer than about six feet inserting the end of pipe 22 or '28into the proper coupling and obtaining the 'proper thread alignment would be very difficult. However, with the constructionofvthe invention, the lateral piping need only be axially inserted in the open end and pushedthrough casing- 18 until the pipe is'on the proper side of the foot78, e.g., as seen in Fig. 2, the pipe 28 would approach guide 66-on-the right of foot 78. When the end of the pipe22 or 28 engages the foot 78 the pipe will beginto ride up the edge 80 as the pipe is pushed toward the elbow. This lifting action is due to the fact'that'the end Ofthe. pipe is now supported on the edge 80 and the curved-wall of casing 18, which also tends to lift the pipe. The height of foot 78 is such that upon the end of the pipe 22 or 28 reaching the proper height to align with-the threads of the elbow the pipe may be inserted through the guide 66 and engage with the elbow. By applying a pipe wrench to the pipe 22 and 28 outside the casing 18 the piping may be threaded and tightened into the elbow. The surface 70 will prevent the pipes 22 or 28 from tilting too far upward and aid in the alignment of the pipe.

As a safety feature to automatically indicate failure or a break in the lateral casing 18, a pressure jacket system may be used. As shown in Fig. l, the jacket 82 consists of a cylindrical pipe or conduit which extends from the connection 20 to a point inside the wall 10. A threaded bore within connection 20 permits the jacket 82 to concentrically encompass casing 18, slightly'spaced therefrom, and at the outer end the jacket82 is sealed by fitting 84. An inlet 86 permits communication with the space between jacket 84 and casing 18. Thus, by connecting the inlet 86 to the top of the water pressure tank, not shown, any break or fault in casing 18 would permit the air and water within the water pressure tank to escape, resulting in improper water pressure characteristics which would require immediate servicing. Should the seal between casing 18 and connection-20 loosen or condensation within casing 18 cause rust to corrode through the casing such a break is immediately evident from a loss in water pressure and will require immediate attention.

The operation is as follows: Assuming the well structure to be assembled as shown in Fig. 1, should it be desired to service the well, for instance replace the jet venturi or well point, the service man would first loosen the bolts 64 on the sealing assembly 56 releasing the compression on layer 60 and breaking the seal on the pipes 22, 28 and casing 18. The pipes 22 and 28 may now be unscrewed from the elbows 26 and 32, respectively, without damaging the sealing assembly 56 and withdrawn from casing 18. To remove the pipes 24 and 30 from well casing 12 the cover (not shown) on the access pipe 16 must be removed and a fishing tool'or such inserted into casing 16 and engaged with eye 54. The plate 34 may now be lifted from the T 14 and as the pipes 24 and 30 are supported by collars 40 and 42and cradle 46 the pipes 24 and 30 will also be pulled from the casing 12.

When reassembling the piping the plate 34 and pipes 24 and 30 are merely lowered into casing 16 and T 14 until the plate rests upon the casing 12. To obtain-proper seating of plate 34 the slot 50 must be positioned so as to fit over the key 48 and as the elbows 26 and 32 are held in position by the arcuate recesses of cradle 46 the alignment of the threaded bore of the elbows with the guide 66 and lateral casing 18 is insured. The cover of access pipe 16 may now be replaced. Coupling of the pipes 22 and 28 with the proper elbow is accomplished by inserting the pipe 28, for instance, into casing 18, as the end of the pipe approaches the lift foot 78 the pipe 28 may be rotated clockwise, Fig.2, which'will move the pipe to the-right side" of foot 78, continued i axial movement of the pipe will move the pipe up foot edge 78, through guide 66 and alignment with elbow 32 is completed. The pipe 28 is then rotated to complete the threaded connection with the elbow. Pipe 22 is inserted in a similar manner, except would be rotated counter-clockwise during the approach of foot 78. The seal assembly 56 is then placed over pipes 22 and 28 and inserted into casing 18. The tightening of bolts 64 compresses layer 60 sealing the end of casing 18 and completing the reassembly.

It will, thus, be observed that the invention produces a well assembly using a lateral casing which is of relatively simple design yet permits the well to be serviced without digging up the casings, theguides and means for aligning the pipes permit easy reassembly from points remote from the elbows and the well is completely sealed against contamination by foreign matter being introduced into the lateral or well casings. Jacket 82 protects the casing 18 from direct contact withthe s'oil andby connecting the inlet 86 to the water pressure tank any break in the wall of casing 18 will be quickly apparent.

It is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments and'other designs' 'may be apparent without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A well assembly including in combination,- a well casing, -a multi-port casing fitting afiixed to the upper end of said well casing, a lateral easing opening'into and affixed to said fitting, means supporting piping within said well casing, said means being positioned within Y said fitting, conventional pipe fittings connected to said piping within said casing fitting engaging and positioned thereon by said support means, piping within said lateral casing connected to said pipe fittings, guide meanswithin said lateral casing adjacent said casingfittingaligning the lateral casing piping with said pipe fittings and sealing means interposed between said lateral casing and said piping therein preventing foreign matter from entering said lateral casing.

2. In a well assembly, in combination, a-well casing, a casing fitting afiixed to the top of said well casing, a lateral casing communicating with said fitting, first'piping within said well casing, a support plate removably mounted in said casing fitting, key and slot means positioning said plate in said casing fitting, annular collars aflixed to said plate, said piping-projecting through said collars, locking means carried by--said collars engaging said piping, elbows threaded upon=the upper endof said piping adjacent said supportplate, 'a cradle afiixedto said plate supporting said elbows in predetermined relation to said plate, a guide plate mounted in said lateral casing adjacent said casing fitting, said guide plate formed with an extension engaging the lower inner surface of said lateral casing, a tapered lifter foot afiixed to'said extension projecting into said-lateral casing, second piping within said lateral casing threadedly connected 'to'said elbows and a radially expandable seal adapted to enclose the open end of said second casing.

3. In a well assembly as in claim 2,-wherein'said lateral casing is enclosed in a cylindrical pressurized jacket radially spaced from said lateral casing.

4. Ina well assembly, in combination, avertical well casing, a lateral casing, a casingfitting establishing communication between said well and lateral'casingsyfir'st piping within said well casing, a support plateremovably supported within said casing fitting," said first piping extending through said support plate, conventional pipe fittings having threaded openings atfixed to saidfirst piping above said support plate, a cradle mounted onsaid support plate supporting and positioning said pipe fittings and first piping with respect to said casing fitting, second piping within said lateral casing threadedly connected to openings within said pipe fittings, a guide platewithin said lateral casing adjacent said casing fitting, an inclined guide foot mounted on said guide plate and associated with said guide plate and lateral casing whereby upon insertion of said second piping through said lateral casing said guide foot and plate aligns each of said second piping with a respective opening of said pipe fittings and sealing means interposed between said lateral casing and said second piping.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Vickers Apr. 2, 1940 Williams Now. 7, 1950 Cornelius Dec. 2, 1952 Andrew Dec. 30, 1952 Jacobs Aug. 31, 1954

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