Fiberglass sucker rod construction

Abstract

A fiberglass sucker rod construction is disclosed comprising a cylindrical fiberglass rod having a steel connector member adhesively bonded to each end thereof. The steel connector members are basically identical in their manner of being affixed to each end of the fiberglass rod, each connector member having an internal receptacle defining a series of tapered annular spaces for receiving an epoxy adhesive material which bonds the fiberglass rod in the metal connector member, thereby forming a unitary sucker rod having a male thread connector at one end and a mating female connector at the other end thereof. The epoxy adhesive cures, forming a sleeve having a series of annular tapering surfaces defining annular wedges that are oriented such that tension applied to the rod causes the wedges to be compressed between the rod and connector member, resulting in a radially inwardly directed force to retain the rod in position against such tension. This is a Reissue of a Patent which was the subject of a Reexamination Certificate No. B1 4,360,288, dated Dec. 13, 1983, Request No. 90/000,318, Jan. 20, 1983.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sucker rod construction for use in producing oil wells, said sucker rod construction comprising: a .[.first.]. connector member .Iadd.having an outer surface and .Iaddend.being formed to define a rod receptacle having a closed axially .[.outer.]. .Iadd.inner .Iaddend.end and an open axially .[.inner.]. .Iadd.outer .Iaddend.end, said rod receptacle having a plurality of integrally formed axially spaced apart outwardly converging tapered frusto-conical .[.annular.]. .Badd.annular .Baddend..Iadd.internal .Iaddend.surfaces, .[.each of said surfaces having substantially the same taper.]. .Badd.each of said surfaces having substantially the same taper, .Baddend..Iadd.said outer surface of said connector member and said internal surfaces defining between them a rod receptacle wall, said outer surface being substantially cylindrical laterally adjacent all said frusto-conical internal surfaces except the one most near said axially outer open end of said rod receptacle, the outside surface of the connector member laterally adjacent that one internal surface most near the said open end having a gradual axially convergent taper whereby the rod receptacle wall along said one internal surface is less thick at portions nearer said open end than at portions nearer and laterally adjacent the axially upper reach of said one internal surface; .Iaddend.   a cylindrical fiberglass rod having an end having a uniformly cylindrical uninterrupted outer surface being received within said rod receptacle through said .[.inner.]. .Iadd.outer .Iaddend.end and cooperating therewith to define an annular chamber between said outer surface of said end of said rod and said outwardly converging tapered frusto-conical surfaces;   and a body of initially liquid adhesive material filling said annular chamber that cures to bond to said outer surface of said end of said rod and to harden to form a plurality of shear and compression resistant frusto-conical wedges to cooperate with said frusto-conical surfaces. 2. The sucker rod construction as set forth in claim 1, including a collet connected to said connector member adjacent said open axially .[.inner.]. .Iadd.outer .Iaddend.end of said rod receptacle and having an axial bore therethrough retaining said end of said rod in coaxial position within said rod receptacle. 3. The sucker rod construction as claimed in claim 1, including:   a bore coaxially formed in said .[.first.]. connector member adjacent said axially outer.]. .Iadd.inner .Iaddend.closed end of said rod receptacle .[.outwardly.]. .Iadd.axially inward .Iaddend.of said frusto-conical .[.annular.]. surfaces, said bore fitting closely with said surface of said end of said rod;   a collet connected to said .[.first.]. connector member adjacent said axially outer open end of said rod receptacle, said collet having a passage therethrough coaxial with said rod receptacle, said passage fitting closely with said surface of said end of said rod, whereby said bore and said collet support said end of said rod at axially spaced apart points coaxially within said rod receptacle. 4. The sucker rod construction as claimed in claim 3, wherein .[.said first connector member has a cylindrical outer surface and.]. said collet includes an axially extending tubular portion having an outside diameter .[.substantially less.]. .Iadd.not greater .Iaddend.than the outside diameter of .Iadd.the portion of .Iaddend.said first connector member .Iadd.laterally adjacent said open end of said rod receptacle.Iaddend.. 5. The sucker rod construction as claimed in claim 3, wherein said collet and said first connector member are formed of substantially the same metallic material. .[.6. The sucker rod construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said axially inner open end of said rod receptacle includes an internally threaded portion and said construction further comprises a collet having an upper portion threadedly engaged with said threaded portion and a lower axially extending tubular portion having a passage therethrough coaxially   
     
     
        aligned with said rod receptacle closely engaging said rod..]. .[.7. The sucker rod construction as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tubular portion includes an axially upper portion having a cylindrical outer surface having a diameter less than the outer diameter of said first connector member, and an axially lower portion having a frusto-conical outer surface sloping from said cylindrical outer surface toward said rod..]. .[.8. The sucker rod construction as claimed in claim 7, wherein said collet includes an outwardly tapering frusto-conical inner surface positioned outwardly of said tubular portion..]. 9. A sucker rod, which comprises: a .Iadd.first .Iaddend.connector .Iadd.having an outer surface and .Iaddend..Badd.formed to define a receptacle .Baddend.including an axially .[.outer.]. .Iadd.inner .Iaddend.closed end and an axially .[.inner.]. .Iadd.outer .Iaddend.open end, said receptacle including a plurality of integrally formed axially spaced apart .Iadd.outwardly converging tapered .Iaddend.frusto-conical internal surfaces, .[.each of said frusto-conical surfaces having substantially same angle of taper with respect to the axis of said connector.]. .Badd.each of said frusto-conical surfaces having substantially the same angle of taper with respect to the axis of each said connector.Baddend..Iadd., said outer surface of said first connector and said internal surfaces defining between them a rod receptacle wall, said outer surface being substantially cylindrical laterally adjacent all said frusto-conical internal surfaces except the one most near said axially outer open end of said rod receptacle, the outside surface of the first connector laterally adjacent that one internal surface most near the said open end having a gradual axially convergent taper whereby the rod receptacle wall along said one internal surface is less thick at portions nearer said open end than at portions nearer and laterally adjacent the axially innermost reach of said one internal surface.Iaddend., said connector including an integrally formed threaded coupling member;   .Iadd.a second connector identical to said first connector, a cylincrical .Iaddend.fiberglass rod including .[.an end.]. .Iadd.distal ends, each .Iaddend..Badd.end .Baddend.having a uniformly cylindrical uninterrupted outer surface contained within .[.said receptacle.]. .Iadd.one of said first and second connector receptacles .Iaddend.and extending through said open end of said receptacle;   a .Iadd.first .Iaddend.connected to said .Iadd.first .Iaddend.connector adjacent said open end of said receptacle .Iadd.thereof.Iaddend., said collet having a passage therethrough coaxial with said receptacle and closely fitting with said outer surface of said rod, said collet including a tubular portion extending axially along said outer surface of said rod, said tubular portion having an outside diameter .Iadd.not greater .Iaddend.than the outside diameter of said connector .Iadd.laterally adjacent said open end of said rod receptacle; .Iaddend.   .Iadd.a second collet identical to said first collet connected to said second connector identically as said first collet is connected to said first connector: .Iaddend.   a quantity of shear and compression resistant adhesive material bonded to said surface of said .[.rod.]. .Iadd.distal ends of said rods contained within said receptacles .Iaddend.and filling the volume about said surface of said rod and bounded by said .[.receptacle.]. .Iadd.receptacles .Iaddend.and said .[.collet.]. .Iadd.collets.Iaddend.. 10. The sucker rod as claimed in claim 9, wherein said receptacle includes a bore adjacent said closed end and closely fitting said surface of said end of said rod. .Iadd.11. The sucker rod construction as claimed in claim 1, including a collet connected to said rod receptacle and comprising a coaxially extending tubular sleeve having an outside diameter not greater than the outside diameter of the portion of said connector member laterally adjacent said open end of said rod receptacle, for fitting closely throughout the sleeve length about a cylindrical surface of the portion of said rod which proximately extends from said rod receptacle. .Iadd..[..[.12. The sucker rod construction of claim 1, wherein said frusto-conical internal surfaces each have substantially the same angle of   
     
     
        taper..]..]..Iaddend. .Iadd.13.  The sucker rod construction as set forth in claim 1 .Iaddend..[..[.or 12.]..]. .Iadd.wherein the base frustrums of said outwardly converging tapered frusto-conical internal surfaces have equal diameters, and wherein said frusto-conical internal surfaces are axially spaced apart partially by a cylindrical internal surface of said rod receptacle which has a diameter equal to the diameter of said base frustrums. .Iaddend. .Iadd..[..[.14. An assembly which comprises: a metallic connector member having an outer surface and including a rod receptacle having an axially inner closed end and an axially outer open end, said rod receptacle including a plurality of integrally formed axially spaced apart frusto-conical internal surfaces, each tapering outwardly convergently, said outer surface of said connector member and said internal surfaces defining between them a rod receptacle wall, said connector outer surface being substantially cylindrical laterally adjacent all said frusto-conical internal surfaces except the one most near said axially outer open end of said rod receptacle, the connector member outside surface laterally adjacent that one internal surface most near the said open end having a gradual axially convergent taper whereby the rod receptacle wall along said one internal surface is less thick at portions nearer said open end than at portions nearer and laterally adjacent the axially innermost reach of said one internal surface;   a resin bonded glass fiber reinforced rod including an end having a uniformly cylindrical uninterrupted outer surface contained within said rod receptacle and extending through said open end, and   a body of shear and compression resistant adhesive material bonded to the cylindrical surface of said rod within said rod receptacle in the form of a plurality of frusto-conical wedges in cooperating engagement with said frusto-conical internal surfaces of said rod receptacle..]..]..Iaddend. .Iadd..[..[.15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said frusto-conical internal surfaces each have substantially the same angle of taper..]..]..Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The assembly as set forth in claim .[..[.14 or 15.]..]. .Badd.1.Baddend..Iadd., wherein the base frustrums of said outwardly converging tapered frusto-conical internal surfaces have equal diameters, and wherein said frusto-conical internal surfaces are axially spaced apart partially by a cylindrical internal surface of said rod receptacle which has a diamater equal to the diameter of said base frustrums. .Iaddend.