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`USOOSZ41891A
`5,241,891
`[11] Patent Number:
`Ulllted States Patent
`Hayes et a1.
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Sep. 7, 1993
`
`
`[19]
`
`[75]
`
`[54] PHASEABLE LINK CARRIER FOR
`EXPLOSIVE CHARGE
`Inventors: Scott L. Hayes, Burleson; Michael
`TM‘eintgomery, Stephenvflle, both of
`.
`,
`,
`[73] Assignee: Goex International, Inc., Clebume,
`Tex.
`[21] App]. No.: 946,547
`.
`Sep. 17’ 1992
`[22] F11“:
`[51]
`Int. Cl.5 ............................................ 2213 43/117
`
`[52]
`,,,,, 89/1.15; 175/4.6
`[58] Field of Search ......................... 89/l.15; 102/306;
`175/45
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2,799,224 7/1957 Long .................................... 89/1.15
`2,927,534 3/1960 Le Bus .
`89/l.15
`
`2,960,930 11/1960 Bell ..........
`89/l.15
`3,100,443
`8/1963 Pohoriles .
`89/l.15
`4,502,550 3/1985 Ibsen ..................................
`l75/4.6
`
`5,007,486 4/1991 Ricles ................................... l75/4.6
`Primary Examiner—David H. Brown
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Arthur F. ZObal
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`The explosive charge carrier has first and second ends
`and an intermediate opening formed therethrough be-
`tween the two ends for holding an explosive charge.
`The first end has an annular groove with a tongue and
`the second end has a central opening defining an annu- 7
`lar wall. Angularly spaced apart slots are formed in the
`second end from its edge Two slots are formed through
`the annular wall on opposite sides thereof. A clip mem-
`ber havms a loorshapcd pomon With two legs with
`inward extending portions is provided for insertion of
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`by way of the two slots for location in the annular
`groove of the first end of an identical carrier inserted
`into the central opening to secure the two carriers to:
`gether with the tongue of the identical carrier located in
`a selected one of the slots formed in the annular wall.
`
`2 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
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`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 001
`
`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 001
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 7, 1993
`
`Sheet 1 of 2
`
`5,241,891
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`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 002
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 7, 1993
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
`
`5,241,891
`
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`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 003
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`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 003
`
`

`

`1
`
`5,241,891
`
`PHASEABLE LINK CARRIER FOR EXPLOSIVE
`CHARGE
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field Of The Invention
`
`The invention relates to an apparatus for supporting
`an explosive charge in a borehole for perforating well
`casing.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`Well perforating apparatuses typically utilize shaped
`explosive charges for perforating well casing. They are
`mounted to a carrier which is lowered into a borehole
`and exploded at the desired positions and depths for
`perforating the well casing.
`Heretofore, assembly of the charges to the carrier has
`been time consuming and difficult, particularly when
`the charges are to be located at different angles in the
`borehole. US. Pat. Nos. 4,852,495 and 4,881,445 dis-
`close shaped charges mounted to one type of carrier.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`It is an object of the invention to provide a carrier for
`explosive charges which is easy to assemble in the field
`and allows the charges to be located at different angles
`relative to each other along the axis of the borehole.
`It is a further object of the invention to provide an
`explosive charge carrier that can support individual
`charges or a strip charge at different angles in the bore-
`hole.
`
`The explosive charge carrier of the invention com-
`prises a body with first and second ends and an interme-
`diate opening formed therethrough for receiving and
`holding an explosive charge. The first end has a groove
`formed in its outer wall and a tongue extending in the
`direction of the length of the body. A central opening is
`formed in the second end defining an annular wall. A
`plurality of slots are formed in the annular wall at angu-
`larly spaced apart positions relative to the axis of the
`annular wall. Slot means is formed through the annular
`wall between the slots and the intermediate opening.
`Clip means is provided for location in the central open-
`ing by way of said slot means whereby an identical
`carrier may have its first end located in the central
`opening with its tongue located in a selected one of the
`slots and the clip means located in its groove to couple
`the two carriers together with their charges located at
`different angular positions relative to the central axis of
`the two carriers.
`
`In the embodiment disclosed, the groove is a circum-
`ferential groove. The slot means comprises two slots
`formed through the annular wall on opposite sides
`thereof and the clip means comprises a clip member
`having a loop option with two legs which extend
`toward each other and then away from each other for
`location into the central opening by way of the two
`slots with the loop portion located on the outside of the
`annular wall and the legs located in the groove of the
`other carrier.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one link of the explo-
`sive charge carrier of the invention.
`FIG. 2 is a cross-section of FIG. 1, taken along the
`lines 2—2 thereof.
`
`FIG. 3 is a cross-section of FIG. 1, taken along the
`lines 3~3 thereof.
`'
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`5
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`2
`FIG. 4 is a plan view of a spring clip used to secure
`two link carriers together.
`FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of
`FIG. 3, of the link carrier, illustrating the legs of the clip
`of FIG. 4 located in the central opening by way of the
`two slots.
`
`FIG. 6 illustrates three link carriers coupled together
`with their charges located in different angular positions
`relative to the axis thereof.
`
`FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 taken along
`the lines 7—7 thereof.
`FIG. 8 is a plan view of an explosive charge.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`Referring now to the drawings: the link carrier of the
`invention is identified by reference numeral 21A. It
`comprises a metal body 23 having two cylindrical ends
`25 and 27 with a central axis 29 and an intermediate
`large diameter annular wall 31 forming an intermediate
`opening 33 with its axis 35 transverse to the axis 29. The
`opening 33 is used to hold an explosive charge as shown
`in FIGS. 6 and 8. The end 25 has an annular or circum-
`ferential groove 37 formed in its outer wall and a tongue
`member 39 located between the groove 37 and the
`opening 33 and extending in a direction parallel to the
`axis 29.
`
`The end 27 has a larger diameter than the end 25 and
`has a central cylindrical opening 41 formed therein
`defining an annular wall 43. The inside diameter or the
`opening 41 is larger than the outside diameter of the end
`25. The annular wall 43 has a plurality of slots 45
`formed therein from its end 43E at angularly spaced
`apart positions relative to the axis 29. Each of the slots
`45 has a width sufficient to receive a tongue 39 of an
`identical
`link carrier. In the embodiment disclosed,
`there are twelve slots 45. Adjacent radial lines 47 from
`the axis 29, to the centers of adjacent slots 45 form an
`angle of 30 degrees. It is to be understood that more or
`less than twelve slots 45 may be employed. Formed in
`the wall of the end 27 is an annular or circumferential
`groove 51 with two side slots 53 formed through the
`wall 43 on opposite sides and extending to the central
`opening 41.
`Also provided is a metal spring clip 61 having a loop-
`shaped portion 63 and two legs 65 with portions 67
`extending toward each other and portions 69 extending
`away from each other. The legs 65 can be spread apart
`to allow the loop-shaped portion 63 to be fitted in the
`groove 51 and then released to allow the leg portions 65
`"to be located in the central opening 41 by way of the
`slots 53 as shown in FIG. 5.
`In FIG. 6 there is shown three identical link carriers
`21A, 21B, and 21C coupled together for supporting
`there shaped charges 70 at different angular positions.
`Two link carriers may be coupled together by inserting
`the end 25 of one carrier 21A into the opening 41 of the
`other carrier 218 with its tongue 39 located in a selected
`one of the slots 45 of the carrier 21B to align the axes 35
`of the charge carrying openings 33 or to locate them at
`different angles relative to each other. When the end 25
`of the carrier 21A is fully inserted into the opening 41 of
`the carrier 21B, its shoulder 26 will abut against the end
`41E of the carrier 21B and its groove 37 will be located
`in line with the groove 51 and slots 53 of the carrier
`218. The two carriers then can be secured together by
`locating the leg portions 67 of the clip 61 into the open-
`ing 41 of the carrier 21A and hence into the groove 37
`
`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 004
`
`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 004
`
`

`

`5,241,891
`
`3
`of the carrier 2113 to releasably lock the two carriers
`together.
`The explosive charges 70 each has a cylindrical wall
`71 with an annular or circumferential groove 73 at one
`end 71A and an annular shoulder 75 at the other end
`71B. The inside of the annular wall of the carrier form-
`ing the opening 33 has a flared end 31F and a cylindrical
`portion 31C for snugly receiving the cylindrical wall 71
`of a charge 70. A charge 70 is inserted into and held in
`the opening 33 of a carrier by inserting its end 71A
`through the opening 33 from the flared end 31F until
`the shoulder 75 engages the flared surface 31F and the
`groove 73 is located beyond the annular wall. A C-
`shaped or split ring spring member 81 (See FIG. 6) then
`is located in the groove 73 to releasably lock the charge
`70 in the opening 33.
`Member 83 is a detonating cord that extends to all of
`the charges 70.
`The link carrier of the invention will hold and sup-
`port a steel high-performance shaped charge or an alu-
`minum “expendable” shaped charge. In addition, the
`link carriers also will hold and support a strip charge.
`In one embodiment the link carrier 21A may have a
`length from end 25E to end 45E of 3.70 inches and an
`opening 33 with a diameter of 1.31 inches.
`We claim:
`
`1. An explosive charge carrier, comprising:
`a body having a given length with first and second
`ends and an intermediate opening formed between
`said first and, send ends for receiving and holding
`an explosive charge,
`said body having a central axis extending between
`said first and second ends,
`said first end having a groove formed in its outer wall
`and a tongue extending in the direction of the
`length of said body,
`
`4
`a central opening formed into said second end along
`said central axis and extending from said second
`end toward said first end to a given position defin-
`ing an annular wall at said second end,
`a plurality of slots formed in said annular wall at
`angularly spaced apart positions relative to said
`central axis,
`slot means formed through said annular wall, and
`clip means having a portion adapted to be located in
`said central opening by way of said slot means
`whereby an identical explosive charge carrier may
`have its first end located in said central opening
`with its tongue located in a selected one of said
`slots and said portion of said clip means located in
`its groove by way of said slot means to secure two
`explosive charge carriers together with their inter-
`mediate openings located at different angular posi-
`tions relative the central axes of the two explosive
`charge carriers.
`2. The explosive charge carrier of claim 1, wherein:
`said groove formed in said outer wall of said first end
`comprises an annular groove,
`said slot means comprises two slots formed through
`said annular wall on opposite sides of said annular
`wall,
`said clip means comprises a loop-shaped spring clip
`member having a loop portion and two legs with
`inward extending portions which extend toward
`each other and end portions which extend away
`from each other for location of said inward extend-
`ing portions into said central opening whereby said
`loop portion of said clip member may be located on
`the outside of said annular wall and said inward
`extending portions may be located in the annular
`groove of an identical explosive charge carrier
`when its first end is located in said central opening.
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`65
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`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 005
`
`Hunting Titan, Inc.
`Ex. 1009
`Pg. 005
`
`