US1784513A - Method of cutting slots in metal - Google Patents

Description

Original application fled September 29, 1928, Serial No. 885,848. Divided and thin application flied July the tip are four heating Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT orFlcE cmnnnon .1. COBEBLY, or L08 mamas, cams-01mm, xssronoa '10 xosn, me, or nunmeron max, camromvm, A conroimrion or canrroanra METHOD OI CUTTING SLOTS IN METAL 10, 1929. Serial No. 377,183.

My invention relates to the art of cutting slots in metal plates and particularly to the art of cutting slots in oil well casing, and is a division of my co-pending application filed September 29, 1923, Serial N 0. 665,648, entilted Converging jet cutting tip for cutting torches and method of using same.

It is generally necessary in the production of oil to provide a steel casing or pipe which extends from the surface of the ground down into the oil sand, and which is perforated where it extends into the oil sand to allow the oil to pass therethrough, the perforations through which the oil enters the well being sufficiently small to exclude the coarse san and gravel surrounding the casing. It has been found that oil well casing can be connomically perforated by means of an oxygen cutting torch before being placed in the well. It has also been found that it is highly desirable that the slots cut in the casingbe of a keystone-shaped section, that is to say, that the slots be narrower at the outer surface of the pipe than at the inner, as it has been found that such slots are much less likely to clog than slots having parallel sides.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new method by which ke stone-shaped slots can be produced in oil we 1 casing.

Further objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

-Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a cross section through a preferred embodiment of tip utilized in practicing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on a plane represented by the line 2--2 of Fig. I viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a view on a smaller scale showing a cutting torch utilized in practicing my invention in operation.

In practicing my invention, I employ a tip 11 having a conical head 12, which is adapted to be secured in an oxygen cutting torch in the conventional manner. Extending through orifices 13 and two cutting orifices 14. The heating orifices 13 are supplied with a mixture of oxygen and a combustible gas in the usual manner, and the torch is so arranged as to also supply oxygen to the cutting orifices 14.

My novel process for cutting keystone shaped slots in metal involves forming a plurality of jets of oxygen approaching each other and combining at a given point to form a single jet and passing the single jet through the metal and moving it to form a slot, the single jet cutting slot walls which diverge relative to each other.

A tip designed to cutoil well casing in ac! cordance with my improved process may have the following dimensions theheating orifices 13 may have uniform diameter of .024 of an inch, the cutting orifices 14 having a uniform diameter of .028 of an inch. The cutting orifices 14, at the point where they emerge from the tip, preferably have a center distance of .056 of an inch, the angle between the cutting orifices 14 being 3 1/2 degrees. Operating on 7 16 inch material, that is to say, pipe. which is 7/16 inch thick, it is possible to cut a slot 1/16 inch thick at the outside of the pipe and.

5/64 inch thick at the inner surface of the pipe. The converging jets 23 and 24 from the orifices 14 forma fan-shaped jet 25, having its greatest dimension at right angles to the lane of the paper as viewed in Fig. 1. This ame, spreading as it leaves the tip, tends to undercut the pipe in the manner shown in Fig. 3, producing the sides of the slot and causing a relative movement between said metal and said jet. This slot, as shown by Fig. 3, is of keystone shape that is, it is narrower at the outer surface of the pipe than at the inner surfafie,'the sides 20 and 21 being inclined to each ot er.

This form of slot is particularly valuable when applied to oil well casing, as material entering the slot through the narrow outer opening must pass through the slot and cannot lodge therein and clog the slot.

By forming the slots with a jet of definite form, it is possible to form a slot of uniform width and form throughout its length.

I have found that by cutting slots by my method, not only is a very uniform slot produced, but the action of the cutting jet hardens the surface of the metal and increases its strength.

' being formed by slots in metal which consists in I claim as my invention:

1. A process of cutting keystone-shaped slots in metal which comprises passing a cutting jet throu b said metal. said cutting jet being formed %y a plurality of non-parallel jets so set as to cause said cutting jet to form the sides of the slot; and causing a relative movement between said metal and said jet.

2. A process of cutting keystone-shaped slots in metal which comprises passing a cutting jet through said a plurality of converglng jets so set as to cause said cutting jet to form the sides of the slot; and causing a relative movement between said metal and said jet.

3. A process for cutting keystone-shaped slots in metal which consists in forming a plurality of jets of oxygen approaching each other and combining at a given point to form a single jet, passing said single jet through said metal, and moving said single jet to form a slot, said single jet cutting slot walls which diver e'relative to each other.

4. g process for cutting keystone-shaped orming a plurality of converging jets of oxygen which intersect at a given point to form a single jet, passing said single et through said metal, and moving said single jet to form a slot, said single jet cuttin slot walls which diverge relative to each ot er.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 3rd day of July, 1929. j CLARENCE J COBERLY.

metal, said cutting jet-

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