Sept.

20, 1955

H. w. HUDSPETH

2,718,435

MUD FEEDER FOR OIL WELLS

Filed July 22, 1952

2 Sheets-Sheet l

36 39

596*

INVENTOR

BY

ATTORNEYS

Sept. 20, 1955

2,718,435

H. w. HUDSPETH
MUD FEEDER FOR OIL WELLS

2 Sheets-Sheet 2

Filed July 22, 1952

'

INVENTOR

HuZer Z WHu Jefei/z

Z6

BY

ATTORNEY5

United States Patent 0 "me

2,718,435
Patented Sept. 20, 1955

2,718,435

and a cylindrical valve member 22 is slidable within the

housing member 12. The valve member 22 is adapted
to be vertically moved as will be hereinafter described so
as to regulate the opening or closing of the intake ports
21. These ports 21 are disposed adjacent the lower small
end of the hopper 17 so that the dry mud within the hop
per may gravitatingly flow through the ports 21 into the
housing member 12.

MUD FEEDER FOR 01L WELLS

Hubert W. Hudspeth, Hobbs, N. Mex.

Application July 22, 1952, Serial No. 300,148

4 Claims. (Cl. 302-15)

A horizontally disposed shaft 23 is journalled dia

v10 metrically across the upper housing member 11 and has
secured within the housing member 11 a substantially T
?tting 24 which includes an arm 25 extending at right
angles to the shaft 23. A connecting link 26 is secured

at its upper end to the arm 25 and is secured at its lower

15 end to a diametrically disposed bar 27 which is secured
This invention relates to a mud feeder for oil wells.
within the upper portion of the valve member 22.
In the drilling of oil wells, mud is fed to the well so
The shaft 23 has an inner spring 28 engaging there
as to provide a means for removing the drilled-out ma
about which bears against the housing 11 and ?tting 24
terial. An object of this invention is to provide an im
and a second or outer spring 29 bears at its inner end
proved means for regulating the discharge of dry mud
against the outer side of the housing member 11 and bears
into a water pipe.
at its outer end against a nut or spring tensioning mem
Another object of this invention is to provide a mud
ber 30 mounted on the adjacent outer end of the shaft
regulator which can be mounted in conventional hoppers

23. An L-shaped coupling 31 is secured to the opposite

and which will correctly meter the mud discharged from
end of the shaft 23 and an elongated handle or crank
the hopper, and will permit the hopper to be substantially
?lled with dry mud at one operation and thereby eliminate 25 arm 32 is secured to the L 31 and extends upwardly there
the need for a constant attendant to feed the mud slowly

to prevent clogging.
A further object of this invention is to provide an im
proved mud feeding device which includes means for ad

from. The springs 28 and 29 yieldably hold crank arm

or handle 32 against a notched keeper bar 33 (Fig. 4)
which is ?xed to the outer side of the housing member 11.

The keeper bar 33 is formed adjacent the opposite ends

mitting metered quantities of air to the mud valve so as 30 thereof with stop members 34 which limit the rocking
movement of the handle 32. A cap 35 is threaded onto
to assure an even ?ow of mud.

With the above and other objects in view, my inven

tion consists in the arrangement, combination and details

of construction disclosed in the drawings and speci?cation,

the upper end of the upper housing member 11 and is

formed with a top wall 36 having a pair of sector-shaped
openings 37 which are diametrically disposed.

A valve plate 38 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 39 and

and then more particularly pointed out in the appended 35
is movable relative to the openings 37 so as to open or
claims.
close the openings for admission of air through the upper
In the drawings:
end of the upper housing member 11. A handle 39a ex
Figure 1 is a detail side elevation, partly in vertical sec
tends from the valve member 38 so that this valve member
tion, of a feeder for a mud hopper constructed according
40 can be readily adjusted to provide for opening or closing
to an embodiment of this invention,
of the openings 37.
Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of
In the use and operation of this device, the feeder
Figure 1,
hereinbefore described is ?rmly set into the hopper nipple
Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the
16 and extends vertically and axially upwardly through
line 33 of Figure 2,
45
the hopper 17. The dry mud is then discharged into the
Figure 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of the air
hopper 17 and valve member 22 is vertically adjusted to
feeder,
provide for the desired ?ow of the dry mud into the mix
Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the
ing pipe 19. The force of the water ?owing horizontally
line 55 of Figure 2,
Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of 50 from the nozzle pipe 20 into the mixing pipe 19 will cause
the dry mud to be drawn downwardly into the mixing pipe
Figure 3.
19. The rate of flow of the dry mud is controlled by ver
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates
tical adjustment of the valve member 22 and the ad
generally an elongated tubular housing which is formed
justment of the air valve member 38.
of a tubular upper member 11 connected to a tubular
With a feeder as hereinbefore described, the hopper 17
lower member 12 by means of a cylindrical coupling 55
may be initially completely ?lled with the dry mud and it
member 13. The lower tubular member 12 is formed
with a reduced diameter lower end 14 which is threaded
into a cylindrical sleeve 15.

will be unnecessary for an attendant to constantly watch

arranged circumferentially about the housing member 12

I- do not mean to con?ne myself to the exact details of

the condition of the hopper after the valve members 22

The sleeve 15 snugly ?ts within a cylindrical discharge
and 38 have been initially set. As a matter of practice
nipple 16 carried by the lower end of an upwardly ?ared 60 the mud is discharged from one hundred pound bags into
or substantially conical hopper 17. The nipple 16 of the
the hopper 17 and with the use of conventional hopper
hopper 17 is mounted within an upstanding coupling nip
devices not containing valved suction devices it is neces
ple 18 carried by a horizontal water conducting pipe 19.
sary for one or more attendants to be constantly watch
The water pipe 19 is formed adjacent the lower end of the
hopper 17 with a reduced diameter pipe 20 which forms 65 ing the ?ow of the mud so that the mud will move down
wardly into the mixing pipe or chamber 19. However,
a nozzle and venturi whereby water under pressure will
with the device hereinbefore described, the device will
flow to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, and will thereby
operate without constant attendance of the operator and
form a suction for drawing downwardly into the pipe 19
the mud will evenly flow downwardly for mixing with
dry mud which is discharged into the hopper 17.
The lower housing member 12 is provided with a plu 70 the water discharged from the nozzle pipe 20 into the
mixing pipe or chamber 19.
rality of vertical elongated intake ports 21 which are

2,718,435

construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations

of said housing to vary the degree of suction in accord

falling Within the purview of the appended claims.

ance with the position of the cylindrical valve, said last

What I claim is:

:A feeder for mud hoppers including a discharge

named valve comprising a closure member for the upper

end of said housing and provided with a plurality of aper

nipple and a water actuated suction means below said

tures, and a disk pivotally mounted on said closure mem

nipple,said .feeder comprising a vertically disposed tubular

housing adapted for mounting in said nipple, said housing

ber, said disk being adjustable relative to said apertures to

control the ?ow of air through said tubular housing.

4. A feeder adapted for mounting in a mud hopper com

having a plurality of intake ports adjacent the lower por
prising a tubular upright housing ?xed at its lower end
tion thereof, a cylindrical valve slidable in said housing,
means, including a valve actuating link connected with 10 in said hopper, said housing having a plurality of intake
ports in the lower portion thereof, a cylindrical regulating
said valve for adjusting the latter relative to said ports,
valve slidable in said housing, a shaft journalled through
said link being disposed in said housing, and adjustable
said housing adjacent the upper portion thereof, a right
valve means at the upper end of said housing for regulat
angular arm ?xed relative to said shaft within said housing,
ing theentrance of air into said housing to vary the degree
ofjsuction.

12. In combination a hopper for receiving dry mud, a

water pipe connected with the lower end of said hopper

a link pivotally connected to said arm and said valve

whereby rocking of said shaft will adjust said valve rela

tive to said ports, inner and outer springs on said shaft

yieldably holding the latter against endwise movement, a

right angularly disposedhandle ?xed to one end of said
shaft, a notched keeper element ?xed to said housing and
engageable by said handle for holding the latter in an
gularly adjusted position, and adjustable valve means at
means carried by the upper portion of said housing con
the upper end of said housing for regulating the admission
nected with said valve for adjusting said valve relative to
of air through the upper end of said housing, the relative
said ports, said means including a valve actuating link dis
posed in said housing, and valve means for admitting air 25 position of said cylindrical regulating valve and said ad
justable valve means controlling the degree of suction,
into the upper end of said housing, the relative position of
said last-named valve comprising a closure member having
said cylindrical valve and said valve means determining
a plurality of sector-shaped openings extending trans
the degree of suction at the lower end of said hopper.
versely therethrough, said closure member being mounted
3. In combination a hopper for receiving dry mud said
hopper having a discharge nipple, a Water pipe connected 30 on the upper end of said housing, and a disk pivotally
connected on said closure member and adjustable rela
with the lower end of said nipple and extending at right
tive to said sector-shaped openings to control the flow of
angles relative to said hopper, a tubular upright housing
air through said tubular housing.
?xed at its lower end in said nipple, said housing having
intake ports in the lower portion thereof, a cylindrical
References Cited in the ?le of this patent
valve slidable in said housing, a shaft journalled diametri
cally across the upper portion of said housing, an arm

and extending at right angles relative to said hopper, a

tubular upright housing ?xed at its lower end in said
hopper, said housing having intake ports in the lower por
tion thereof, a cylindrical valve slidable in said housing,

UNITED STATES PATENTS

?xed to said shaft in said housing, a link connecting said

arm with said valve, a right angularly disposed handle
?xed to the outer end of said shaft, and means holding
said lever in angularly adjusted position, and a valve con

772,443
2,129,451
2,425,524

Turner _______________ __ Oct. 18, 1904

Talmage _____________ __ Sept. 6, 1938
Fontenot et al _________ __ Aug. 12, 1947

trolling the quantity of air admitted into the upper end

2,594,072

Ridley __-_ ____ __>_-_____ __ Apr. 22, 1952