Height-adjustable pipe pick-up and laydown machine
First Claim
1. A pipe-handling machine for manipulating joints of pipe at a rig site, pipe-handling machine comprising:
- an elongated trough having a first end, a second end, and an upper receiving surface, the upper surface being configured to receive a joint of pipe, and wherein the elongated trough is configured to support a majority of the joint of pipe along the pipes longitudinal axis;
an elongated trough carrier, the elongated trough carrier having a first end, a second end, and an upper receiving surface, the upper surface of the elongated trough carrier being configured to receive the elongated trough and allow the elongated trough to move longitudinally relative to the elongated trough carrier;
an elongated trestle having a first end, a second end, and an upper receiving surface, the upper surface of the elongated trestle being configured to receive the elongated trough carrier and allow the elongated trough carrier to move relative to the elongated trestle;
a carriage connectible to the first end of the elongated trestle;
an inclined ramp having a first end, a second end, and a guide system therebetween, the guide system slidably receiving the carriage; and
a trestle transport mechanism for transporting the first end of the elongated trestle from the first end of the inclined ramp to the second end of the inclined ramp.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a pipe-handling machine (100) for picking up and laying down pipe, such as at a rig site. The machine first comprises three elongated and nested truss members. First, a trestle (200) is provided; second, a trough carrier (300) is received within the trestle; and third, a trough (400) is slidably received within the trough carrier. The machine next comprises an inclined ramp (500). A lower end of the ramp is pivotally connected to the trestle, while an upper end of the ramp extends upward to the rig floor. The length of the ramp is adjustable to accommodate rig floors of varying heights. A trestle transport mechanism (550) selectively moves a front end of the trestle upwards along the ramp, thereby delivering a joint of pipe to the rig floor. The trough may optionally be moved along the trough carrier and out over the rig floor to aid in delivery. Features (310) may optionally be incorporated to reduce the angle of approach of the joint of pipe relative to the rig floor after the trestle transport mechanism is actuated.
-
Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A pipe-handling machine for manipulating joints of pipe at a rig site, pipe-handling machine comprising:
-
an elongated trough having a first end, a second end, and an upper receiving surface, the upper surface being configured to receive a joint of pipe, and wherein the elongated trough is configured to support a majority of the joint of pipe along the pipes longitudinal axis; an elongated trough carrier, the elongated trough carrier having a first end, a second end, and an upper receiving surface, the upper surface of the elongated trough carrier being configured to receive the elongated trough and allow the elongated trough to move longitudinally relative to the elongated trough carrier; an elongated trestle having a first end, a second end, and an upper receiving surface, the upper surface of the elongated trestle being configured to receive the elongated trough carrier and allow the elongated trough carrier to move relative to the elongated trestle; a carriage connectible to the first end of the elongated trestle; an inclined ramp having a first end, a second end, and a guide system therebetween, the guide system slidably receiving the carriage; and a trestle transport mechanism for transporting the first end of the elongated trestle from the first end of the inclined ramp to the second end of the inclined ramp. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
27. A pipe-handling machine for manipulating joints of pipe at a rig site, the pipe-handling machine comprising:
-
a trough for receiving and supporting a joint of pipe along a longitudinal axis of the joint of pipe and configured to move with the joint of pipe toward a center of a rig floor; a trough carrier for receiving the trough and along a longitudinal axis of the trough and configured to support a majority of the trough, wherein the trough carrier is configured to move to a unloading position wherein a portion of the trough carrier is above the rig floor; a trestle for receiving the trough carrier, the trestle having a first end and a second end; a ramp having a lower end and an upper end, the ramp pivotally connected to the first end of the trestle; a hydraulically operated trestle transport mechanism for transporting the first end of the trestle between the upper and lower ends of the ramp; a hydraulically operated trough transport mechanism for slidably moving the trough axially along the trough carrier and configured to extend the trough beyond the end of the trough carrier when the trough carrier is in the unloading position; and a hydraulic control system. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 42)
-
-
37. A pipe-handling machine for manipulating joints of pipe at a rig site, the pipe-handling machine comprising:
-
a pipe tray configured to support the majority of a joint of pipe along a longitudinal axis of the pipe; a first elongated frame configured to support a majority of the pipe tray as the pipe tray travels longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the first elongated frame; a second elongated frame configured to receive the first elongated frame, the second elongated frame having a first end and a second end; a ramp along which the second elongated frame rides, the ramp being inclined in the direction of a wellbore operation platform; a first actuator for extending the second elongated frame to a location proximate the wellbore operation platform when the first end of the second elongated frame is delivered along the ramp to a position above an elevation of the wellbore operation platform; a second actuator configured to lift the second end of the first elongated frame relative to the second end of the second elongated frame thereby reducing the angle of approach of the first elongated frame to the wellbore operation platform when the first end of the second elongated frame is delivered along the ramp to the position above an elevation of the wellbore operation platform, wherein the first elongated frame in configured to be above the wellbore operation platform; and a third actuator configured to move the pipe tray along a longitudinal axis of the first elongated frame thereby delivering the pipe tray and the joint of pipe of a position above a wellbore. - View Dependent Claims (38, 43, 44)
-
Specification