Drill cutting sampler

Abstract

A device for sampling drill cuttings includes a frame, an inclined having a perforated planar member mounted on the frame, a sprayer for washing cuttings down over the perforations, and a. A removable open-topped cuttings collector mounted under the perforated planar member, the. The perforated member cooperating cooperates with the downstream end of a vibratory screen over which the cuttings pass before translating onto the perforated screen. The frame mounts to the vibratory screen so that vibrations of the vibratory screen also vibrate the perforated planar member and cuttings collector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for sampling drill cuttings comprising:
 a frame directly mountable to and supported by, adapted for substantially rigid attachment to, so as to be substantially rigidly supported by and so as to cooperate with, a downstream end of a vibratory screen over which drill cuttings are passed in a downstream flow direction so that substantially all vibratory motion of the vibrating screen is transmitted at least in part to said frame, 
 an inclineda perforated planar member mounted on said frame so as to be vibrated by said vibratory motion, said planar member including a plate or sieve screen having perforations over at least a portion thereof between an upstream end and a downstream end of said planar member wherein said perforations are sized to screen out those cuttings exceeding a pre-determined size and to allow to pass through said perforations those cuttings equal to or less than said pre-determined size, and wherein said perforations are disposed on said planar member so that a substantially linear flow path between said upstream and downstream ends of said planar member along which cuttings translate pass over so as to intersect a plurality of said perforations, 
 a sprayer mounted adjacent said upstream end of said planar member so as to direct fluid spray downstream along said planar member and over said perforations, 
 an open-topped cuttings collector removably mounted to said frame so as to be vibrated by said vibratory motion and so as to be insertable into a collecting position disposed beneath said perforations on said perforated planar member, and removable from said frame so that the cuttings may be removed from said collector for analysis, 
 wherein said planar member is covered by adjustable cover plates so that only a pre-selected ratio of the cuttings on the vibratory screen are entrained onto the perforated portion of said planar member, 
 and wherein said cover plates are adjustable laterally relative to said downstream flow direction, and wherein a plurality of bolt members are mounted in said planar member so as to be upstanding from said planar member, and wherein said cover plates have elongate slots therein, said bolt members sliding in and along said slots so as to guide said lateral adjustment of said cover plates, 
 and wherein said cover plates are selectively said laterally adjustable on said planar member so as to be adjustable relative to said downstream flow direction to selectively regulate said ratio of the cuttings, 
 whereby, the drill cuttings for any particular drill-hole cross-section are uniformly sampled and the resulting sample of a selectively pre-determined volume for ease of and efficient removal for analysis, wherein said frame defines a drawer support and wherein said collector is a perforated drawer for draining fluid from the cuttings while retaining the cuttings in the drawer, and wherein said drawer is selectively drawn out from under said planar member and selectively slid back into said frame so as to align an open top of said drawer under said perforations on said planar member. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1  wherein said collector is a perforated container for straining fluid from the cuttings passing into said collector through said perforations in said planar member. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 2  wherein said collector is a rigid walled container having a base comprising a mesh screen. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1  wherein said planar member is a plate, and wherein said plate is inclined in the range of substantially 10-30 degrees from the horizontal so as to elevate said upstream end of said planar member to cooperate with the downstream end of the vibratory screen when said frame is mounted adjacent the downstream end of the vibrating vibratory screen so that the cuttings translating in the flow direction flow from the vibrating vibratory screen onto said plate, and wherein said plate is inclined so that cuttings travel from said upstream end to said downstream end and subsequently off said downstream end, and wherein the device further comprises a hinged mount rotatably mounted to said frame for releasable mounting to the downstream end of the vibratory screen and adapted so as to selectively pivot said frame and said planar member relative to said vibratory screen. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 4  wherein said planar member is inclined substantially 15 degrees. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1  wherein said collector is a first collector and removable from said frame so that a second, empty collector may be inserted into said frame in place of said first collector once said first collector has accumulated a sample of the drill cuttings passing through said perforations in said planar member. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1  wherein said drawer is entirely removable from said frame. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 3  wherein said mesh screen of said base of said collector has a sieve screen mesh size which allows fluids and any particles smaller than said sieve screen mesh size to pass through said mesh screen, while retaining on said mesh screen cleaned cuttings larger than said sieve screen mesh size. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1  wherein said perforations on said planar member may be of uniform diameter or of different diameters. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a sprayer mounted adjacent said upstream end of said planar member so as to direct fluid spray downstream along said planar member and over said perforations. 
     
     
       11. The device of claim 4 further comprising a hinged mount rotatably mounted to said frame for releasable mounting to the downstream end of the vibratory screen and adapted so as to selectively pivot said frame and said planar member relative to said vibratory screen. 
     
     
       12. The device of claim 1 wherein the device further comprises a hinged mount rotatably mounted to said frame for releasable mounting to the downstream end of the vibratory screen and adapted so as to selectively pivot said frame and said planar member relative to said vibratory screen.