Drilling rig employing top drive
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a carriage movable along a drilling tower that is arranged to extend longitudinally along a first axis, wherein the drilling tower comprises;
a front panel and an opposing back panel;
a first side panel and an opposing second side panel, wherein each of the first and the second side panels extends between the front and opposing back panels;
a first rack coupled to the first side panel, wherein teeth of the first rack face in a first direction; and
a second rack coupled to the second side panel, wherein teeth of the second rack face in a second direction that is opposite the first direction such that the teeth of the second rack face away from the teeth of the first rack;
first and second guide elements coupled to the carriage and moveable therewith, wherein each of the first and second guide elements faces in a third direction that is perpendicular to each of the first and second directions to engage the back panel of the drilling tower;
wherein the drilling tower is pivotally coupled to a base to pivot the drilling tower between a first tower-pivot-position that is associated with a generally horizontal orientation and a second tower-pivot-position that is associated with a generally vertical orientation;
a linking member pivotally coupled to the carriage;
at least one actuator extending between the carriage and the linking member to pivot the linking member between first and second linking-member-pivot positions when the drilling tower is in the first tower-pivot-position that is associated with the generally horizontal orientation; and
a top drive pivotally coupled to the linking member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes a carriage movable along a drilling tower, a linking member pivotally coupled to the carriage, at least one actuator extending between the carriage and the linking member to pivot the linking member between first and second pivot positions, and a top drive pivotally coupled to the linking member. According to another aspect, an apparatus includes a drilling tower, a carriage movably coupled to the drilling tower, a linking member pivotally coupled to the carriage to permit the linking member to pivot between first and second pivot positions, and a top drive extending longitudinally in a parallel relation to the drilling tower, the top drive being pivotally coupled to the linking member to permit the top drive to continue to extend longitudinally in a parallel relation to the drilling tower when the linking member pivots between the first and second pivot positions.
58 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a carriage movable along a drilling tower that is arranged to extend longitudinally along a first axis, wherein the drilling tower comprises; a front panel and an opposing back panel; a first side panel and an opposing second side panel, wherein each of the first and the second side panels extends between the front and opposing back panels; a first rack coupled to the first side panel, wherein teeth of the first rack face in a first direction; and a second rack coupled to the second side panel, wherein teeth of the second rack face in a second direction that is opposite the first direction such that the teeth of the second rack face away from the teeth of the first rack; first and second guide elements coupled to the carriage and moveable therewith, wherein each of the first and second guide elements faces in a third direction that is perpendicular to each of the first and second directions to engage the back panel of the drilling tower; wherein the drilling tower is pivotally coupled to a base to pivot the drilling tower between a first tower-pivot-position that is associated with a generally horizontal orientation and a second tower-pivot-position that is associated with a generally vertical orientation; a linking member pivotally coupled to the carriage; at least one actuator extending between the carriage and the linking member to pivot the linking member between first and second linking-member-pivot positions when the drilling tower is in the first tower-pivot-position that is associated with the generally horizontal orientation; and a top drive pivotally coupled to the linking member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
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a drilling tower extending longitudinally along a first axis, wherein the drilling tower comprises a front panel and an opposing back panel; a first side panel and an opposing second side panel, wherein each of the first and the second side panels extends between the front and opposing back panels; a first rack coupled to the first side panel, wherein teeth of the first rack face in a first direction; and a second rack coupled to the second side panel, wherein teeth of the second rack face in a second direction that is opposite the first direction such that the teeth of the second rack face away from the teeth of the first rack; wherein the drilling tower is pivotally coupled to a base to pivot the drilling tower between a first tower-pivot-position that is associated with the first axis being in a generally horizontal orientation and a second tower-pivot-position that is associated with the first axis being in a generally vertical orientation; a carriage movably coupled to the drilling tower; first and second guide elements coupled to the carriage and moveable therewith, wherein each of the first and second guide elements faces in a third direction that is perpendicular to each of the first and second directions to engage the back panel of the drilling tower; a linking member pivotally coupled to the carriage to permit the linking member to pivot between first and second linking-member-pivot positions about a generally horizontal second axis when the drilling tower is in the first tower-pivot-position that is associated with the first axis being in the generally horizontal orientation; a top drive extending longitudinally in a parallel relation to the drilling tower, the top drive being pivotally coupled to the linking member to permit the top drive to continue to extend longitudinally in a parallel relation to the drilling tower when the linking member pivots between the first and second linking-member-pivot positions; first and second motors coupled to the carriage and moveable therewith; and first and second pinions operably coupled to the first and second motors, respectively, and engaged with the first and second racks, respectively, to move the carriage along the first and second racks and relative to the drilling tower. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method, comprising:
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providing a drilling tower extending longitudinally along a first axis, wherein the drilling tower comprises; a front panel and an opposing back panel; a first side panel and an opposing second side panel, wherein each of the first and the second side panels extends between the front and opposing back panels; a first rack coupled to the first side panel, wherein teeth of the first rack face in a first direction; and a second rack coupled to the second side panel, wherein teeth of the second rack face in a second direction that is opposite the first direction such that the teeth of the second rack face away from the teeth of the first rack; wherein the drilling tower is pivotally coupled to a base to pivot the drilling tower between a first tower-pivot-position that is associated with the first axis being in a generally horizontal orientation and a second tower-pivot-position that is associated with the first axis being in a generally vertical orientation; coupling a carriage to the drilling tower, wherein the carriage comprises a pinion; pivotally coupling a linking member to the carriage to permit the linking member to pivot between first and second linking-member-pivot positions about a generally horizontal second axis when the drilling tower is in the first tower-pivot-position that is associated with the first axis being in the generally horizontal orientation; pivotally coupling a top drive to the linking member so that the top drive extends longitudinally in a parallel relation to the drilling tower, the top drive being pivotally coupled to the linking member to permit the top drive to continue to extend longitudinally in a parallel relation to the drilling tower when the linking member pivots between the first and second linking-member-pivot positions; and moving, using the pinion, the carriage along the first and second racks and relative to the drilling tower; wherein coupling the carriage to the drilling tower comprises engaging first and second guide elements that are coupled to the carriage with the opposing back panel of the drilling tower, wherein each of the first and second guide elements faces in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification