Walking platform for drilling rigs and other heavy machinery

• US 3,921,739 A
• Filed: 09/30/1974
• Issued: 11/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: J. C. Owens, Robert N. Rich
• Original Assignee: J. C. Owens, Robert N. Rich
• Inventors: Rich, Robert N., Owens, J. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friaglia, Leo
• Application Number:
  US05/510,680
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 180/8C,8R
• US Class Current: 180/8.5
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/00 Vehicles characterised by having other propulsion or other ground- engaging means than wheels or endless track, alone or in addition to wheels or endless track sledges B62B; motor sledges B62M
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/003 adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells

Abstract

The invention lies in structure and techniques for moving heavy load-supporting frameworks such as drilling rigs over relatively short distances. Included are a pair of horizontally slidable supporting platforms and a plurality of lifting jacks, making it possible to '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'walk'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' the assembly by a sequence of lifting, sliding and lowering operations.

Claims

1. A heavy equipment rig capable of walking between adjacent working sites, comprising:

a lower base means, a middle base means, an upper base means linearly slidable with respect to said middle base means, revolving means interconnecting said middle base means with said lower base means, actuating means linearly and slidably interconnecting said middle base means with said upper base means, and lifting means depending from said upper base means and retractable above the lower portion of said lower base means.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1, wherein said lifting means is also extendable below said lower portion of said lower base means.

3. The apparatus described in claim 2, wherein said revolving means is mounted on said lower base means for revolvably supporting said upper base means.

4. The apparatus described in claim 3, wherein said revolving means includes a turntable mounted on said lower base means and supporting said middle base means thereabove.

5. The apparatus described in claim 4, wherein said actuator means includes a fluid-actuating cylinder having one end anchored to one of said middle and upper base means and a piston means having one end slidably disposed in said cylinder and having the other end anchored to the other of said middle and upper base means.

6. The apparatus described in claim 5, wherein said middle base means further includes a pair of support rail members arranged side-by-side on said revolving means and longitudinally slidably engaging said upper base means.

7. The apparatus described in claim 6, wherein said upper base means further includes a pair of glide rail members aligned with and slidably engaging said support rail members in said middle base means.

8. The apparatus described in claim 7, wherein said support rail members each comprise:

a generally U-shaped bar member having a longitudinal recess along its upper surface, and at least one strap member longitudinally secured to said upper surface of said bar member and partially covering said recess therein.

9. The apparatus described in claim 8, wherein said glide members are each slidably disposed in said recesses in said bar members and are each further provided with a flange portion underriding said strap member.

10. A method of walking a drilling rig having a drilling platform with a longitudinal axis from one drilling site to the next, comprising the steps of:

rotating said drilling platform until its longitudinal axis is generally aligned to point toward the next drilling site, said rotating step also rotating the drilling platform relative to a skid which supports it, sliding said drilling platform relative to an intermediate platform which also supports the drilling platform by the use of a linear actuator having its cylinder secured to one platform and the free end of its piston rod secured to the other, raising said rig by the use of jacks resting on the ground and acting vertically on said drilling platform so that both said platforms and said skid are raised above the ground, sliding said intermediate platform and skid, by reverse use of the linear actuator, to approximately their original positions relative to the drilling platform, and lowering said drilling rig by releasing said jacks until the skid returns to the ground.