Movable rig and steering system

• US 10,293,854 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dreco Energy Services ULC (National Oilwell Varco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dreco Energy Services ULC (National Oilwell Varco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Van Hy, Konowalec, Roman, Burlet, Donald Leonard, Konduc, Kameron Wayne, Watson, Timothy H., Bodnar, Bogdan
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Toan C
• Application Number:
  US15/349,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20180093706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 180 85, 180 86
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 1/00 Suspensions with rigid connection between axle and frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/37 Vehicles having steerable wheels mounted on a vertically moving column
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/00 Resilient suspensions for a single wheel pivoted suspensions arms per se, attachment thereof to sprung part of the vehicle, buffer means for limiting movement of arms B60G7/00; rigid axle suspensions B60G9/00; characterised by arrangement, location or type of springs B60G11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/046 with planetary gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/08 of mechanical type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/145 the electric gearing being disposed in or adjacent to traction wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/30 the ultimate propulsive elements, e.g. ground wheels, being steerable
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0084 the motor axle being vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/40 Special vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/44 Multi-axle long vehicles, with independently drivable or steerable wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/46 Arctic-/Extraterrestric explorers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/49 Movable platforms, Load ramps, e.g. working platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/604 AC Machines, e.g. asynchronous motors
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/026 characterised by comprising more than one bogie, e.g. situated in more than one plane transversal to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/04 with more than one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/1509 with different steering modes, e.g. crab-steering, or steering specially adapted for reversing of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/02 Drilling rigs characterised by means for land transport with their own drive, e.g. skid mounting or wheel mounting

Abstract

A drill rig with a steering system may include a substructure having a wheelhouse, a drill floor arranged atop the substructure, a mast extending upwardly and above the drill floor, and a steering system arranged within the wheelhouse. The steering system may include a wheel assembly comprising an electric motor configured for driving rotational motion of a wheel, a deployment device configuring for deploying the wheel assembly to carry the drill rig, and a steering mechanism configured for selective engagement with the wheel assembly and rotating the wheel assembly.

Claims

1. A method of steering a drill rig, comprising;

selectively engaging a wheel assembly with a steering mechanism in a starting position;

rotating the wheel assembly with the steering mechanism in a first direction;

selectively disengaging the wheel assembly with the steering mechanism;

returning the steering mechanism to the starting position;

reengaging the wheel assembly with the steering mechanism; and

rotating the wheel assembly with the steering mechanism in a second direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a second wheel assembly is rotated in a direction opposite that of the wheel assembly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first direction is a same direction as the second direction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly form a pair of wheel assemblies.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising deploying the pair of wheel assemblies.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein selectively engaging a wheel assembly comprises actuating a pin.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein disengaging a wheel assembly comprises retracting a pin.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are rotated an amount suitable to align each wheel assembly with a circle having a diameter based on the distance to a pair of wheel assemblies on an opposite side of the drill rig.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising actuating a drive motor to drive a wheel of the wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly causing the wheel to follow the circle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the drill rig is rotated in place.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising actuating an electric drive motor to drive a wheel of the wheel assembly and a wheel of the second wheel assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising coordinating drive speeds of the wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising coordinating wheel torque of the wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a control device and each wheel assembly is operably engaged with the control device by a respective linkage assembly.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein actuating a portion of the control device operates to move a linkage and rotate a wheel assembly engaging portion.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein the wheel assembly is rotated incrementally between a first position and a second position.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a jaw plate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein selectively engaging comprising selectively engaging the jaw plate with a jacking cylinder.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the jaw plate is configured to engage sandwich plates on the jacking cylinder.