Tubular handling apparatus
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack,a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position,a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position,a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length,a driving means for driving said carriage means along said lift trough,said driving means including an endless chain means drivingly connected to said carriage means, an endless drive chain associated with said endless chain means, an endless drive chain driving means operatively connected to said endless drive chain means for driving said endless drive chain, and a transmitting means for transmitting drive from said endless drive chain to said endless chain means,said lift trough including a tiltable dump trough,a tilting means for tilting said dump trough laterally relative to said main support frame, anda releasable connecting means for connecting said carriage means to said driving means when said dump trough is in an untilted position relative to said lift trough, said releasable connecting means being in a disconnected position when said dump trough is in a tilted position.
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Abstract
An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack including an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to the pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of the support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to the main support frame, whereby the lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, a power member connected to the lift trough for pivoting the lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to the main support frame and toward the drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, and a carriage including a movable holding tray operatively connected to the lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in the lift trough along its length. An adjustable fixed trough supported on a drilling rig floor, sloping towards the lift trough and connectable with it when it is in the inclined position for transferring tubulars to the rig floor. The lift trough having a dump trough section for dumping tubulars toward the racks. Pivotal arms with a tiltable holding tray connected between them for transferring tubulars to and from the pipe racks and the dump trough. A wheel and track assembly for moving the entire apparatus to different locations on an offshore platform.
86 Citations
43 Claims
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1. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,
an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length, a driving means for driving said carriage means along said lift trough, said driving means including an endless chain means drivingly connected to said carriage means, an endless drive chain associated with said endless chain means, an endless drive chain driving means operatively connected to said endless drive chain means for driving said endless drive chain, and a transmitting means for transmitting drive from said endless drive chain to said endless chain means, said lift trough including a tiltable dump trough, a tilting means for tilting said dump trough laterally relative to said main support frame, and a releasable connecting means for connecting said carriage means to said driving means when said dump trough is in an untilted position relative to said lift trough, said releasable connecting means being in a disconnected position when said dump trough is in a tilted position.
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5. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,
an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length, said carriage means including a movable holding tray adapted to receive and hold said tubulars for movement along said lift trough between said rig and said rack, a carriage connected to said movable holding tray to prevent said tubulars from sliding down said elongated structural member when said lift trough is in an inclined position, said carriage means further including a generally vertically disposed member and a protecting means connected to said vertically disposed member for protecting the tubular as it impacts said vertically disposed member, a portion of said lift trough being a dump trough supported by said main support frame, a tilting means for tilting said dump trough laterally relative to said main support frame when said lift trough is in said generally horizontal position, and a tilt connecting means positioned between said movable holding tray and said dump trough for allowing said dump trough to tilt with said movable holding tray.
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8. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,
an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length, and a transferring means for transferring lengths of pipe laterally between said pipe rack and said main support frame, said pipe rack being located to one side of said main support frame, said transferring means comprising at least two spaced apart pivotally supported arms located on said one side of said frame adjacent to said pipe rack, each said arm having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame and an opposite end adapted for movement upwardly and downwardly, a tray means capable of supporting a length of tubular pivotally coupled to said arms at said opposite ends such that said tray means will move upwardly and downwardly with said opposite ends of said arms, a tilting means for tilting said tray means laterally in opposite directions, an arm moving means for moving said arms about their pivot axes respectively and for moving said opposite ends of said arms and said tray means upwardly and downwardly in a generally horizontal fashion, said tilting means including at least one rotating member operatively connected to said tray means for rotating said tilting tray means, said rotating member having a rotating axis about which said tilting tray means rotates.
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13. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,
an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length, a fixed trough supported from said drilling rig floor in a downwardly sloping position whereby one end extends downwardly away from said rig and toward said main support frame to engage the upper end of said lift trough when said lift trough is in the fully inclined position to provide a continuous path for said tubulars, a supporting means connected to the downwardly inclined end of said fixed trough remote from said rig for supporting said downwardly inclined end, a height adjusting means for adjusting the height of said supporting means, an angle adjusting means associated with said height adjusting means for adjusting the angle of connection between said supporting means and said fixed trough, said drilling rig and said main support frame being supported on a drilling rig platform, and an apparatus moving means connected to said main support frame for moving said main support frame on said drilling rig platform relative to said drilling rig floor.
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19. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,
an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length, said drilling rig and said main support frame being supported on a drilling rig platform, and an apparatus moving means connected to said main support frame for moving said main support frame on said drilling rig platform relative to said drilling rig floor.
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34. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,
an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, said lift trough having an upper surface, a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length, said carriage means including a movable holding tray adapted to receive and hold said tubulars for movement along said lift trough between said rig and said rack, said movable holding tray being adapted for sliding movement along said upper surface, said carriage means further including a carriage connectable to said movable holding tray, said carriage preventing the tubular held by said carriage means from sliding longitudinally out of said movable holding tray when said lift trough is in said inclined position, an adjustable connecting means for connecting said carriage to said movable holding tray at different locations along said movable holding tray to accommodate different lengths of tubulars on said movable holding tray, said adjustable connecting means including a handle attached to said carriage and adapted to be grasped by the hand of a user whereby by grasping said handle said carriage can be lifted off of said movable holding tray and repositioned on said movable holding tray, said adjustable connecting means including a protruding member mounted on said carriage and a removable mounting means for removably mounting said protruding member to said movable holding tray, said removable mounting means including an actuating means for actuating said removable mounting means, said actuating means being positioned so that it may be actuated by the thumb of the hand of the user who is grasping said handle, and said removable mounting means including a plurality of openings spaced longitudinally along said movable holding tray and each said opening being adapted to receive said protruding member therethrough.
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39. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,
an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length, a transferring means for transferring lengths of pipe laterally between said pipe rack and said main support frame, said pipe rack being located to one side of said main support frame, said transferring means comprising a plurality of spaced apart pivotally supported arms located on said one side of said frame adjacent to said pipe rack, each arm having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame and an opposite end adapted for movement upwardly and downwardly, a tray means capable of supporting a length of a tubular pivotally coupled to said arms at said opposite ends such that said tray means will move upwardly and downwardly with said opposite ends of said arms, a tray tilting means for tilting said tray means laterally in opposite directions, an arm moving means for moving said arms about their pivot axes respectively and for moving said opposite ends of said arms and said tray means upwardly and downwardly in a generally horizontal fashion, and said tray tilting means including at least one tilting assembly, each said tilting assembly including a rotary actuator, an actuator arm operatively connected to said rotary actuator and disposed parallel to the axis of said tray means, at least one block attached to said tray means and rotatably receiving said actuator arm whereby when said actuator rotates said arm said pivot block is rotated and said tray means is tilted.
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40. An apparatus for transferring tubulars between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack comprising,
an elongated main support frame adapted to be positioned in proximity to said pipe rack, a lift trough positioned longitudinally of said support frame and having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame, whereby said lift trough can be pivoted upwardly to an inclined position, a power means connected to said lift trough for pivoting said lift trough upwardly to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig and downwardly to a generally horizontal position, a carriage means operatively connected to said lift trough for moving tubulars positioned in said lift trough along its length, a fixed trough supported from said drilling rig floor in a downwardly sloping position whereby one end extends downwardly away from said rig and toward said main support frame to engage the upper end of said lift trough when said lift trough is in the fully inclined position to provide a continuous path for said tubulars, a supporting means connected to the downwardly inclined end of said fixed trough remote from said rig for supporting said downwardly inclined end, said supporting means being connected to said support frame, a pivotal connecting means for pivotally connecting said fixed trough to said drilling rig floor, said supporting means including a height adjusting means for adjusting the height of said supporting means, said height adjusting means including upper and lower legs in telescoping relation, a plurality of vertically arranged holes in each said leg, said holes being spaced for mutual registration, at least one pin extending through a pair of registered holes in both of said legs to secure said legs at the desired telescopic length and a connecting means for connecting said upper leg to the downward end of said fixed trough, and an angle adjusting means associated with said height adjusting means for adjusting the angle of connection between said supporting means and said fixed trough.
Specification
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Current AssigneeIngram Tool Company Incorporated
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Original AssigneeIngram Corporation
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InventorsCain, Troy D., Frias, Robert
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Primary Examiner(s)Paperner, Leslie J.
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Application NumberUS06/301,928Time in Patent Office859 DaysField of Search414/22, 414/745, 414/748, 193/2 A, 193/17, 198/731, 280/43.23, 280/43.24, 105/177, 105/216, 105/217, 24/211 N, 175/52, 175/85US Class Current414/22.61CPC Class CodesE21B 19/15 Racking of rods in horizont...
