Movable rig and steering system

• US 10,471,986 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2016
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• 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:
  US15/285,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20180093705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 180167, 180 85, 180 86
• 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: 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 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
• 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 steering system for a drill rig, comprising:

a wheel assembly comprising a mechanism 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 while the wheel assembly is engaged with the ground.

2. The steering system of claim 1, wherein the steering mechanism is configured for rotating the wheel assembly at least 90 degrees.

3. The steering system of claim 1, wherein the steering mechanism comprises an engaging pin configured to be selectively engaged.

4. The steering system of claim 3, wherein the steering mechanism includes a jaw plate configured for placement adjacent to a fixed plate on the wheel assembly wherein engaging the pin comprises extending the pin through the jaw plate and the fixed plate to prevent relative rotation.

5. The steering system of claim 1, wherein the steering mechanism provides for ratcheted steering of the wheel assembly.

6. The steering system of claim 5, wherein the ratcheted steering comprises steering in selected angular increments.

7. The steering system of claim 1, wherein the deployment device comprises a jacking cylinder.

8. The steering system of claim 7, wherein the steering mechanism is configured to engage a barrel of the jacking cylinder.

9. A steering system for a drill rig, comprising:

a wheel assembly comprising a mechanism for driving rotational motion of a wheel;

a deployment device configuring for deploying the wheel assembly to carry the drill rig;

a steering mechanism configured for selective engagement with the wheel assembly and rotating the wheel assembly; and

a control system having a double-ended cylinder, wherein lateral motion of the double-ended cylinder imparts rotation on the wheel assembly,

wherein, the steering mechanism provides for ratcheted steering of the wheel assembly, the ratcheted steering comprising steering in selected angular increments.

10. The steering system of claim 9, further comprising a second wheel assembly and the lateral motion imparts rotation of the second wheel assembly in the same direction as the wheel assembly.

11. The steering system of claim 10, wherein the second wheel assembly comprises a second electric motor configured for driving rotational motion of a second wheel.

12. The steering system of claim 11, wherein the second electric motor and the electric motor are controlled by a variable frequency drive.

13. The steering system of claim 12, wherein the variable frequency drive is configured to cause the electric motor and the second electric motor to operate at a constant torque.

14. The steering system of claim 13, wherein the variable frequency drive is configured to cause the electric motor and the second electric motor to operate at a constant speed.

15. A drill rig with a steering system, comprising:

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, comprising;

a wheel assembly comprising a mechanism 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 while the wheel assembly is engaged with the ground.

16. The rig of claim 15, wherein the steering mechanism is configured for rotating the wheel assembly at least 90 degrees.

17. The rig of claim 15, wherein the steering mechanism comprises an engaging pin configured to be selectively engaged.

18. The rig of claim 17, wherein the steering mechanism includes a jaw plate configured for placement adjacent to a fixed plate on the wheel assembly wherein engaging the pin comprises extending the pin through the jaw plate and the fixed plate to prevent relative rotation.