Pipe pick-up and laydown machine

• US 4,403,898 A
• Filed: 12/31/1981
• Issued: 09/13/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Merico, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Carroll R. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Carroll R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spar, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRIZEK, JANICE LEE
• Application Number:
  US06/336,250
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 414/22, 414/745, 414/747, 414/748, 414/595, 414/598, 166/75 R, 166/77.5, 175/85
• US Class Current: 414/22.58
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/155 Handling between horizontal and vertical position

Abstract

A pipe pick-up and laydown machine for lifting a joint of pipe from a generally horizontal position on a pipe rack to an inclined and elevated position relative to an elevated rig floor for connection to rig elevators by the drilling crew. The apparatus includes a horizontal base position adjacent the pipe racks with a pipe carrying trough slidably mounted in a trough trestle which can telescope in and out of one end of the trestle. An inclined track extends from one end of the base to a position near the edge of the rig floor and structure is provided for lifting the front end of the trough trestle along the inclined track. The rear end of the trough trestle is mounted on a sliding articulating arm which first moves forward as the front end of the trough trestle is elevated on the inclined track and then stops and pivots to raise the rear end of the trestle to incline the pipe carrying trough at a desired elevation when extended over one edge of the rig floor. The operation is reversed when laying down pipe. The apparatus also can roll pipe to pipe racks positioned on either side of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A pipe pick-up and lay-down machine for transporting joints of pipe between positions adjacent a pipe storage rack and a rig floor elevated above the pipe storage rack comprising:

(a) a longitudinally extending base support means adapted to be set in a generally horizontal position for receiving lengths of pipe from adjacent pipe storage racks;

(b) track means secured to the forward end of said longitudinally extending base support means and inclined upwardly and outwardly from the end of said base support means to a position adjacent one side of an elevator floor of a drilling rig;

(c) longitudinally extending trough trestle means having pipe receiving means telescopically mounted therein with means for telescopically extending and retracting said pipe receiving means with respect to said trough trestle means;

(d) a carriage pivotally secured to one end of said trough trestle means with roller means on said carriage for engaging said track means;

(e) hydraulic lift means connected to said carriage for moving said carriage and the forward end of said trough trestle means secured thereto upwardly and downwardly along said inclined track means from a position nested in said base support means to a position adjacent said side of the elevator rig floor;

(f) longitudinally extending rear track means near the end of said base support means opposite two said inclined track means and having stop means at the end of said track means nearest said inclined track means;

(g) articulated leg means having one end pivotally connected to said trough trestle means and the other end received in said longitudinally extending rear track means whereby said articulated leg means is moved along said longitudinally extending track means as the front end of said trough trestle means is elevated along an inclined track means until said articulated leg means is stopped by said stop means and thereafter continued upward movement of said carriage along said inclined track means will cause said articulated leg means to pivot upwardly raising the rear end of said trough trestle.

2. A pipe pick-up and lay-down machine for transporting joints of pipe between positions adjacent a pipe storage rack and a rig floor elevated above the pipe storage rack comprising:

(a) a longitudinally extending base support means;

(b) inclined track means secured to the forward end of said base support means and extending upwardly to an elevated floor of a drilling rig;

(c) longitudinally extending trough trestle means having pipe receiving means telescopically mounted therein with means for telescopically extending and retracting said pipe receiving means with respect to said trough trestle means;

(d) means operably connecting a carriage to said inclined track means;

(e) means for moving said carriage and said trough trestle means secured thereto along said inclined track means;

(f) horizontal track means on said base support means with stop means at the forward end of said horizontal track means; and

(g) means on said horizontal track means for raising the rear end of said trough trestle after said trough trestle has been inclined at least twenty-two degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of said base support means.