PLATFORM UMBILICAL CART

• US 20150322733A1
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fabrication Of Rig And Exploration Equipment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fabrication Of Rig And Exploration Equipment, Inc.
• Inventors: Wells, David A. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,441,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/12 Arrangements of means for transmitting pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric power to movable parts of devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/01 for supporting or guiding the pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points, e.g. movable channels
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/003 using gravity-loaded or spring-loaded loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/006 using extensible carrier for the cable, e.g. self-coiling spring extensible conductors or cables H01B7/06

Abstract

A cart has a base; and at least two right-side protrusions, namely, a right-side sub-rail protrusion extending horizontally from the base; and a right-side super-rail protrusion extending horizontally from the base. The right-side sub-rail protrusion and right-side super-rail protrusion are adapted to straddle a substantially horizontal flange of a first rail and the first rail is one among the at least one rail. Further, the base has at least two left-side protrusions, namely, a left-side sub-rail protrusion extending in a direction opposite to the right-side sub-rail protrusion from the base; and a left-side super-rail protrusion extending in a direction opposite to the right-side super-rail protrusion from the base. Further, the left-side sub-rail protrusion and left-side super-rail protrusion are adapted to straddle a substantially horizontal flange of a second rail, and the second rail is one among the at least one rail. A vertical support extends upwards from the base.

Claims

1. A gantry comprising:

an elongated carriage having at least four struts extending downward, each strut terminating in at least one lateral protrusion for engaging to a rail for travel in a longitudinal direction;

a pair of tracks mounted, in the longitudinal direction, along a top of the elongated carriage, the tracks arranged to support and permit longitudinal travel to a base;

the base, having at least a first pair of lateral protrusions to engage the pair of tracks and a second pair of lateral protrusions to engage the pair of tracks, the base supporting a cable tray, the cable tray capable of being elevated from a hinge, the hinge proximal, and attached to the base.

2. The gantry of claim 1, further comprising:

for each of the at least one lateral protrusions, an opposing lateral protrusion placed to sandwich, therebetween, a longitudinal flange-style rail.

3. The gantry of claim 1, wherein the cable tray comprises a vertical axel, proximal to the base, about which, the cable tray may rotate.

4. The gantry of claim 1, wherein the at least one lateral protrusion is a wheel and the at least a first pair of lateral protrusions is an at least one pair of wheels and the second pair of lateral protrusions is at least one pair of wheels.

5. A gantry comprising:

a base;

the base, having at least a first pair of wheels each placed on respective axels attached to the base, each wheel extending, in part, below the base, to engage the pair of tracks and a second pair of wheels each placed on respective axels attached to the base, each wheel extending, in part, below the base, wherein the first pair of wheels engages a first track, and the second pair of wheels engages a second track, the base supporting a universal joint, extending from a top of the base;

the universal joint further supporting from two horizontally disposed pins, a cable tray, wherein the cable tray is comprised of a pair of side rails, that extend generally parallel to each other, and have lateral rungs attached at a tangent to each rail, wherein the side rails taper inwards at an end of the cable tray, and wherein the end of the cable tray provides a through-hole transverse to the side rails in each side rail, the through-hole admitting a pin, for each through-hole, the pin forming a component of the universal joint.

6. The gantry of claim 5, wherein the first track and second track have a common floor in a trough floor, the gantry further comprising:

a conduit conveyor, the conduit conveyor having;

at least one chain connected at a forward end of the base and a rear end of the base, the at least one chain encircling the trough floor and configured to substantially move in tandem with the base; and

the conduit conveyor connected to a forward end of the base, and carried, in part, on the at least one chain.

7. The gantry of claim 6, wherein the conduit conveyor further comprises, a portion of at least two conduits attached each to at least two transverse rungs of the conduit conveyor.

8. The gantry of claim 7, wherein the trough floor has a forward end, and the forward end extends beyond the at least one chain to provide a fillet to the conduit conveyor to guide the conduit conveyor underneath the trough floor.

9. An umbilical system comprising:

at least one festoon cart placed upon a narrow first gauge track, the festoon cart further comprising;

at least two first super-rail protrusions configured to rest on top of a flange of the narrow first gauge track, the at least two first super-rail protrusions supporting a vertical support, together with at least two second super-rail protrusions supporting the vertical support;

a conduit-carrier having drooping ends, the conduit-carrier mounted on top of the vertical support;

a conduit extending across the conduit-carrier, the conduit further extending to a trough floor of a gantry, the gantry comprising;

an elongated carriage having at least four struts extending downward, each strut terminating in at least one wheel for engaging to a rail for travel in a longitudinal direction;

each strut supporting the trough floor above the wheels;

a pair of tracks mounted, in the longitudinal direction, along a top of the elongated carriage, each track formed, in part, by the trough floor, the tracks arranged to support and permit longitudinal travel to a base;

the base, having at least a first pair of wheels to engage the pair of tracks and a second pair of wheels to engage the pair of tracks, wherein the base supports a cable tray, the cable tray capable of being elevated from a hinge, the hinge proximal, and attached to the base, wherein the gantry, by operation of the at least one wheel of each of the four struts, is guided by a broad second gauge track, wherein the narrow first gauge track nests within the broad second gauge track and the narrow first gauge track is parallel the broad second gauge track.

10. The umbilical system of claim 9, wherein the at least four struts comprise two right-side struts and two left-side struts, each of the two right-side struts corresponding to a nearest of the two left-side struts, wherein each right strut and corresponding left strut provides a gap sufficient to admit the at least one festoon cart between while the festoon cart is upright on the narrow first gauge track.

11. The umbilical system of claim 10, wherein the conduit, as placed on the conduit carrier, is substantially vertically below another segment of the conduit, that itself is supported by the trough floor.