Well drilling apparatus or the like with position monitoring system
First Claim
1. A well drilling apparatus comprising:
- (a) a mast structure having movably mounted therein a traveling block means;
(b) a drawworks coupled by a cable to said traveling block for controlling the elevation of said traveling block within said mast structure;
(c) a transmitter/receiver means mounted on said apparatus, said transmitter/receiver means including (i) means for periodically transmitting signals which are reflected by said traveling block means, and (ii) means for receiving the signals reflected by said traveling block means whereby the position of said traveling block means within the mast structure is monitored;
(d) said traveling block means including a reflector means mounted thereon to enhance the signals being reflected by said traveling block means back to said transmitter/receiver means; and
(e) control means having a time reference and a memory means and being coupled to said transmitter/receiver means and responsive to the position monitored by said transmitter/receiver means for controlling the drawworks to restrict movement of the traveling block at preselected elevations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A well drilling apparatus includes a monitoring system for monitoring the exact elevation of the traveling block. The monitoring system detects the elevation of the traveling block by means of periodically transmitted signals which are reflected back to the monitoring system by the traveling block. The apparatus further includes a control system preferably including an industrial control digital computer which is responsive to the elevation of the traveling block and controls the drawworks of the apparatus to prevent the traveling block from crashing into the crown block or working floor. In one embodiment of the apparatus the velocity of travel of the traveling block and the load being supported by the traveling block are also monitored in order to further restrict raising and lowering of the traveling block to be maintained within predetermined safe limits of operation.
71 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A well drilling apparatus comprising:
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(a) a mast structure having movably mounted therein a traveling block means; (b) a drawworks coupled by a cable to said traveling block for controlling the elevation of said traveling block within said mast structure; (c) a transmitter/receiver means mounted on said apparatus, said transmitter/receiver means including (i) means for periodically transmitting signals which are reflected by said traveling block means, and (ii) means for receiving the signals reflected by said traveling block means whereby the position of said traveling block means within the mast structure is monitored; (d) said traveling block means including a reflector means mounted thereon to enhance the signals being reflected by said traveling block means back to said transmitter/receiver means; and (e) control means having a time reference and a memory means and being coupled to said transmitter/receiver means and responsive to the position monitored by said transmitter/receiver means for controlling the drawworks to restrict movement of the traveling block at preselected elevations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A well drilling apparatus comprising:
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(a) a base member; (b) a mast structure mounted on said base member; (c) a crown block mounted at the top of said mast structure; (d) a drawworks mounted on said base member and having a cable drum and a power means for said cable drum; (e) traveling block means suspended from a cable to said crown block, a fast line end of said cable extending from said crown block to said cable drum such that rotation of said cable drum selectively raises and lowers said traveling block means within said mast structure; (f) a transmitter/receiver means for periodically transmitting signals to said traveling block means and receiving the reflections of said signals from said traveling block means to determine the elevation of said traveling block means within said mast structure; and
,(g) control means having a time reference and a memory means and being coupled to said transmitter/receiver means and to said drawworks for controlling said cable drum in dependence upon the monitored elevation of said traveling block. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification