Downhole gun tube extension
A gun-tube extension has (1) a body portion, (2) a first end configured to connect to an end cap of a gun tube, and (3) a second end configured to be connected to a sub-assembly. The gun-tube extension may rotate either by the operation of gravity on weights or by a motor. The gun-tube extension may include an orientation-detection device, such as an accelerometer, which may be part of an addressable switch. A ground for a gun tube or gun-tube extension may include a bow spring attached to and in electrical communication with the gun tube housing or the gun-tube extension housing. An end cap may include indexing indicia to orient a gun tube to a desired rotational position and/or may be structured to fit different diameter gun tubes.
1. A gun-tube extension comprising:
(a) a body portion, a first end, and a second end;
(b) wherein the first end is configured to be connected to a first end cap that is connected to a gun tube, and the first end comprises a plurality of outwardly-extending fingers configured to connect to openings in the first end cap and the first end cap has a plurality of openings, and wherein each of the plurality of openings is configured to receive one of the plurality of outwardly-extending fingers;
(c) wherein to the second end is configured to be connected to a sub-assembly;
(d) a support positioned in the body portion, the support configured to retain a switch that is configured to detonate explosives positioned in the gun tube.
2. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 , wherein the second end has an annular outer surface with a flat portion.
3. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 , wherein the switch is an addressable switch.
4. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 , wherein the end cap is connected to the gun tube, and (b) the second end is connected to the sub-assembly.
5. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 , wherein the body portion and first end are configured to rotate around the sub-assembly.
6. The gun-tube extension of claim 4 , wherein the body portion and gun tube are configured to rotate together.
7. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 that further comprises a weight in the body portion.
8. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 that further includes one or more weights attached to the body portion, the one or more weights configured to rotate the body portion around a longitudinal axis of the gun-tube extension, based on gravity acting on the one or more weights.
9. The gun-tube extension of claim 7 , wherein the weight weighs from 2 lbs. to 8 lbs. at sea level.
10. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 that further includes a detonator in the body portion, wherein the detonator is in electrical communication with the switch.
11. The gun-tube extension of claim 10 that further includes a primer cord that extends from the body portion into the gun tube and that transmits a signal from the switch to explosives in the gun tube in order to activate the explosives.
12. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 , wherein the second end is connected to the sub-assembly.
13. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 that is directly or indirectly connected to a motor configured to rotationally move the gun-tube extension.
14. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 that further includes an position-orientation device that determines the rotational orientation of the gun-tube extension.
15. The gun-tube extension of claim 14 , wherein the position-orientation device is part of the addressable switch.
16. The gun-tube extension of claim 14 , wherein the orientation device is on the outside of the gun-tube extension.
17. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 , wherein an expandable bow spring is positioned on an outer surface of the gun-tube extension, the expandable bow spring configured to provide an electrical ground.
18. The gun-tube extension of claim 17 , wherein the bow spring is expandable to about ⅜″ from its relaxed position.
19. The gun-tube extension of claim 18 , wherein the bow spring is connected to a buttress that can be compressed to expand the bow spring and opened to retract the bow spring.
20. The gun-tube extension of claim 1 , wherein the first end cap is rotatable to a plurality of indexed positions.