Method of erecting a portable drilling rig

• US 4,757,592 A
• Filed: 09/08/1986
• Issued: 07/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Parco MAST and Substructures Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Parco MAST and Substructures Incorporated
• Inventors: Reed, Lowell M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, Howard N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallace, Ronald S.
• Application Number:
  US06/904,608
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 29/429, 29/431, 29/428, 29/559, 52/115, 52/116, 52/120, 52/121, 52/123.1, 52/125.2, 52/141, 52/292, 52/637, 166/75.1, 166/77.5, 166/96, 173/23, 173/28, 173/39, 175/57, 175/85, 175/318, 175/392
• US Class Current: 29/429
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/34 Arrangements for erecting or lowering towers, masts, poles, chimney stacks, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49998 Work holding

Abstract

A jacking crane supported by four telescoping hydraulically powered legs is used to erect a two spaced apart parallel column drilling derrick. Each column is composed of a number of identical column sections which are assembled on site using the jacking crane which is supported in the space between the columns. The two parallel columns are erected by the jacking crane lifting sections one on top of the other. As soon as these newly added sections are secured to the previous sections, the legs of the jack which are supported from column sections are actuated to move the platform of the jack upwardly where it is attached to an upper portion of the partially completed columns and the legs are then released and then raised to a higher point where they are again attached. The crane lifts additional sections and is "walked-up" by stages between the two partially completed columns until the columns reach the desired height.

Claims

1. A method of erecting a drilling derrick from a plurality of column sections, each section having four parallel legs of equal length and rigidly held together by bracing using a jacking crane having a platform and a plurality of hydraulic cylinders with extension rods having feet which comprises:

(a) providing a substructure;

(b) attaching a first column section to said subsection;

(c) attaching a second column section to said subsection at a position thereon such that said first and second columns are spaced apart and are parallel;

(d) securing two feet of said jacking crane to said first section and attaching another two legs of said jacking crane to said second section;

(e) lifting a third section by said jacking crane to the top of said first section and attaching the two together;

(f) lifting a fourth section by said jacking crane to the top of said second section and attaching the two together;

(g) jacking said jacking crane upward by extending said piston extensions;

(h) attaching the jacking crane platform to the top of said third and fourth sections;

(i) detaching said feet from said first and said second sections;

(j) detracting said piston extensions and attaching said first two feet to said third section and said second two feet to said fourth section;

(k) repeating steps (a) through (j) until the two columns have reached their selected height;

retaining said jacking crane at the top of said columns.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 including the step of providing a load bearing beam across the top of said two columns.

3. A method of erecting a drilling derrick comprising:

(a) providing a substructure;

(b) obtaining a plurality of identical column sections, each section having four parallel legs of equal length and rigidly held together by bracing;

(c) attaching a first column section to said subsection;

(d) attaching a second column section to said subsection and in parallel relationship therewith;

(e) supporting a jacking crane from said first and second column section, said crane having a platform and a plurality of piston extensions having feet;

(f) using said jacking crane to add a third and fourth column section respectively to the top of said first and second column sections;

(g) attaching a first group of feet of two said piston extensions to said first section and a second group of feet of said piston extension to said second column section;

(h) then raising the crane platform to approximately the top of said third and fourth section and securing the same thereto;

(i) releasing the feet from the first and second section and retracting the piston extensions;

(j) attaching the first group of feet to said second section and said second group of feet to said third section;

(k) using said crane to place a fifth and sixth section on top of said third and fourth sections respectively and securing the sections together;

(l) continuing the addition of column sections using the jacking crane as set forth above until the desired height of the drilling derrick is obtained.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 including using said crane to dismantle said derrick.

5. A method of errecting a drilling derrick from a plurality of column sections using a jacking crane having a platform and a plurality of hydraulic cylinders which comprises:

providing a substructure;

attaching a first column section to said subsection;

attaching a second column section to said subsection in a spaced apart parallel relationship;

supporting said jacking crane between said first and second column sections;

using said jacking crane to lift a third and a fourth column section respectively on top of said first and second column sections, lifting said crane upwardly in the space between said column sections;

upwardly in the space between said column sections;

adding additional column sections to said partially completed columns by using said crane;

repeatedly moving said crane upwardly in the space between said partially completed columns and adding additional column sections at each step until the derrickis completely assembled.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 in which said crane is moved downwardly in steps between said columns and at each step removing a column section from each side of said space.