Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 3 ~7~33
The present invention relates to apparatus for
transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a
drilling rig and pipe rack means.
In drilling rigs, there is a need for pipe handling
apparatus for raising pipe, such as casing, drill pipe,
collars or tubing and for removing the pipe from a derrick
floor on the rig to a storage rack.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to
provide a novel and improved apparatus of this type.
10 According to one aspect of the present invention, there
is provided apparatus for transferring pipe or the like
between the 100r of a drilling rig and pipe rack means,
comprising:
an elongated main support frame adapted to be located
close to the pipe rack means,
an elongated pivotal trough means having one end
pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said
pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined
position relative to said main support frame and downward to
a generally horizontal position,
means -for moving said pivotal trough means between said
inclined position and said generally horizontal position,
said pivotal trough means comprising elongated
structural means having opposed elongated side walls,
supported by support structure,
movable means supported for movement along the lengt~
of said elongated structured means,
means for moving said movable means along the length
o said elongated structural means,
movable elongated structure having opposed elongated
side walls supported for lengthwise sliding movement on said
elongated structural means of said trough means along its
length,
means for removably coupling said movable elongated
structure to said movable means to allow said movable means
,~ 1 ~' 1,
1 3 67~33
to move said movable elongated structure on said elongated
structural means of said trough means along its length,
sald movable elongated structure means being adapted
to receive and carry p.ipe as it is moved by said movable
means on said elongated structural means of said trough means
'along its length.
According to another aspect of the present invention
there is provided apparatus for transferring pipe or the
like between the ~loor of a drilling rig and pipe rack means,
comprising: ,
an elongated support frame adapted to be located close
to the pipe rack means,
trough means supported by said support frame and
comprising elongated structural means having opposed
elongated side walls,
movable means supported for movement along the length
of said elongated structural means,
means for moving said movable means along the length of
said elongated structural means,
movable elongated structure having opposed elongated
side walls supported for lengthwise sliding movement on said
elongated structural means of said trough means along its
length,
means for removable coupling said movable elongated
structure to said movable means to allow said movable means
to move said movable elongated structure on said elongated
structural means o~ said trough means along its length,
said movable elongated structure means being adapted
to receive and carry pipe`as it is moved by said movable
means on said elongated structural means of said trough
means along its length.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there
is provided a system for transferring lengths of pipe laterally
between a pipe rack means and a pipe handli.ng apparatus, said
pipe handling apparatus comprising an elongated frame, said
pipe rack means being located on one side of said elongated
,frame, said system comprising:
two spaced apar~ pivotally supported arms located on
said one side of said frame next to said pipe rack means,
aach arm having one end pivotally coupled to support0 means such that its opposite end may move upward and downward,
said two arms being located generally in line with each
other for pivotal movement about generally parallel pivot
axes respectively,
trough means pivotally coupled to said arms at said
opposite ends such that said trough means will move upward
and downward with said opposite ends of said arms,
said trough means being capable of supporting a length
of pipe,
means for tilting said trough means laterally in0 opposita directions, and
means for moving said arms about their axes respectively
for moving said opposite ends of said arms and said trough
means upward and downward.
~ri~f Descri~ion o~ th~ ~rawi~ 3
__ _
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pipe handling appa-
ratus with the pipe transfer syste~ of the prescnt invention
located on one side Df the apparatus next to a pipe rack,
Fig. 2 is a side vie~ of the pipe transfer system o~
Fig. 1.
~ ~ig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the tilting mechanism
for the stacking and unstacking trough of the pipe transfer
system of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view o the tilting mecha-
nism for the ~tacking and unstacking trough o the pipe
~ransfer system of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 5 is an end view of the plpe transer system ~f
Figsu 1 and 2 with it~ stacking and unstacking trough sho~n
at different elevations and positions.
Fig~ 6 illustrates a hydraulic system for operating the
pipe transfer system of Figs. 1-5.
Fig. 7 is a top view of the vertical~ pivoted trougk of
the pipe handling apparatus of Fig. 1.
. Fig~ 8 is a side view of the vertically pivoted trough
o~ the pipe handling apparatus oE Fig~ 1.
Fig~ 9 is a side view of the vertically pivoted troug~
of the pipe handling apparatus of Fig. 1 showing the trough
pivoted to an inclined position by hydraulic cylinders.
Fig. 10 i~ a cross-section of Fig. 8 taken along the
lines 10-10 thereof~ -
Fig. 11 is a cross-section of Fig. 8 taken along the
lines 11~ hereof.
Fig. 12 is a cros~-section of Fig. 8 taken alon~ the
lines 12-12 thereof.
: Fig. 13 is a cross-section of Fig. ~ ~aken along the
lines 13-13 thereof.
. Fig. 14 is a top view of a slidable apron attachable to
the pipe moving device of the pipe handlin~ apparatus of
Fig. 1.
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~ ~ ~7~33
Fig. 15 is a side vi;~ of the apron and pipe moving
device of Fig. 14.
Fig. 16 is an end ~iew of the pipe moving d~vice of
Figs. 14 and 15D
,
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Descri~tion o~ t~e L'r Lerred ~mbocl:im~nts
1 ~ 6~)33
Re~erring to the drawings, there ~7ill be described
first the pipe handlin~ apparatus 21 for raising pipe P such
as casing, drill pipe, collars, or tubing up to a derrick
S floor 25 of a drilling rig (not shown) and for removing the
pipe P from th~e derrick floor 25. The pipe P is stored in
racks 27 on both sides of the apparatus 21. The apparatus 21
comprises an elongated frame 29 which supports a trough 31
which may be pivoted upward to an inclined pos~tio~ in
alignment with a fixed trough 33 as shotm in Figs. 1 and 9
or dot~nward to a horizontal position as sho~n in Figs. 5 ~nd
10-13. Hydraulic cylinder~ 34 are prov;ded for pivoting the
trough 31 upward or downward. The cylinders are pi~otally
attached to the frame ~9 and their pistons are pivotally
attached to the trou~h 31. The rear ena of the trough 31 is
pivotally coupled to the rame 29 at 35. The ixed trough
33 is supported in an incLined position by the derrick floor
25 ~nd support structure 36. The trough 31 comprises elonga-
ted frame members 37A-37D wh;ch support a V-shaped floor 39
2~ along wh~ch the pipe P slides. An intermediate portion 39A
o~ the ~-shaped ~loor 39 ls tiltable laterally in either
direction whe~ the trough 31 i~ horizontal, to dump pipe on
either side of the apparatus 21 for storage in the racks 27.
The intenmediate position 39A i~ tiltable by hydraulic .
cylinders 41. The cylinders 41 have their lower ends pivot-
ally coupled to ~tructure 43 which i~ connected to ~ra~e
members 37A and 37B and their pistons 41A pivotally coupled
to the intermediate portion 39A. Fig. 12 illustrates the
intermediate portion 39A $eing tilted laterally to the left.
The cylinders 49 moYe up and do~n with the trough 31 as it ~`
is pivoted up and do~n.
Also provided is a movable member 49 driven by an
endless chain 51 for movement along trough 31 in either
direction between its ends 3LA and 31B. The b~ttom 53 of
-- 6
t ~67~3~3
the movable member 49 is V-shapèd and slides along the ~loor
39. The bottom of the floor 39 has an elongated slot 53
~ormed therethough. A lug 55 having a thin nec~ 56 extends
fxom ~he bottom o the movable member 49. The neck 56.
extends through the slot 53 and the lug 55 is conneoted to
the chain_ 51 below the floor 39. Means, not shown, is pro-
vided for drivlng the chain 51 in either direction.
~hen it is desired to move pipe from either of ~he
racks 27 up~ard -to the derrick floor, the following opera-
tions take place. The trough 31 is located in its horizon-
tal positi~n and the mo~able member 49 is located at the
rear end 31A of the trough 31. A length of pipe is trans-
~erred from one of the rack~ 27 into the trough 31 where it
rest~ on the V-shaped floor 39. Trough 31 next is pivoted
upward to be in alignment with the fixed trou~ 33~ Th
endless chain 51 is driven to move member 49 up th~ troug~
31 to its end 31B. The front ~nd 49A of member 49 engages
th~. lower en~l of t~e pipe P and pushes the pipe P upward in
the troughs 31 and 33 unti~ the pipe overlies the derrick
2~ floor. The pipe then is lifted into t~e derrick by cable
hoists and/or elevators. The me~ber 49 i~ retracted to t~e
rear end 3LA of the trough 31; the trough 31 i9 lowered to a
horizontal position; and the proces~ i~ repeatea.
Irl moving pipe downward from the derrick ~loor 25, the
trough 31 is raised to be in alignment with the fixed trough
33 and mem~er 49 moved to an upward position along trough
31. The cable ho;st locates ~ length of pipe in trough~ 33
~nd 31 and member 49 is moved downward to the lower end of
trou~h 31 to allo~ the pipe to slide do~ward in the trough
3n 31 to position the pipe on the intermediate portion 39A of
the floor 39. The trough 31 then is lowered to a horizontal
position and intermediate position 39A is tilted latera~ly
~o dump the pipe on either side of the apparatus 21 for
storage in one of the racks 27.
The pipe transfer system for transferring pipc bet~leen
the racks 27 and the pipe handling apparatus 21 comprises
-- 7 --
"
"
~ 3 6~3
a pair of ali~ne~ ~rms 61 and 63 loc~ted on the si~o of the
pipe handli.ng apparatus ~1 and next ~o one of th~ pipe ract;s
~7 Tn Fig. 1, one pair o~ arms 61 and 63 are SllO~ on the
right of the apparatus 21 next to the right rack 27~ The
ends 61A and 63A of arms 61 and 63 are pivotally coupled
~o the fra~e 29 at 65 and 67. The opposite en~s 61B and 63B
of arms 61 and 63 may move to an upper position above the
catwalk 6g and`to a lower position below the catwalk 69 as
sho~n in Figs. 1, ~, and 5. In Fig. 2 the arms 6L and 63
lû are shown in dashed form in their llpper positions.
A hydraulic system is employed for moving the ends 61B
and 63B of arms 61 and 63 together to up~ard or do~Jnward
positions or to any level in between. ~he hydraullc system --
t comprises a pair of cylinders 71 and 73 having their ends
pivotally coupled to the ~rame 29 at ~5 and 77. The pistons
81 and 83 of the eylinders 71 and 73 are pivotally oupled
~o arms 61 and 63. In Fig. 2, the pistons 8L and 83 alre
showrl pivotally coupled at ~5 and 87 to ears 89 and 91 which
are connected to arms 61 and 63 respectively~ ~hen the
pistons 81 and 83 are orced outward o their cyllnders, the
ends 6lB and 63B o arm~ 61 and 63 are~ moved upward and when
the pistons 81 and 83 are moved inside of their cylinder~,
.the ends SlB and 63B of arm~ 61 and 63 are moved do~n~ard.
Referring to Fig. 6, the hy~raulic system for operating t~e
25 cylinders 71 and 73 comprises an oil reservoir 93~ a pump
95, a four-way directional control valve 97 and appropriate
flow lines.
Pivotally coupled to the ends 61B and 63B of arms ~1
and 63 is a stacking and unstacking trough 101 for car~ying
pipe between the rac~ 21 and the pipe handling apparatus ~1.
The trough 1~1 can be pivoted laterally in either directlon
to allow pipe to be loaded onto and from the trough 101.
Refcrrin~ to Fig5. 2-6, the mechanisms for coupling the
trough 101 to the ends 61B and 63B of the arms 61 and 63 and
for tilting the trou~h 101 will be describ~d. Til~in~
~ ch~nislns la3 ~nd lO'i ~re provided ~t each end of ~he
trollOh 101. The encls 61~ and ~3~ of arms ~1 and 63 have
lu~s 107 and 108 secured ~h~reto r~spectively and ~hich
e~end laterally outward. The l~tgs 107 and 108 are rota-
tably coupled to tilting mechanisms io3 and 105 rcspectively~llowing ~he arms 61 and 63 to move up or do~m together
carrying the length o~ the trough 101 in a horizontal posi-
tion: ~ach of:tilting mechanisms 103 and 105 is th~ s2~eO
Tiltin~ mechanism 103 will be d~scribed in de~ail. The lug
107 is rotatably located in an aperture 109 formed through a .
bearlng member 111. Mem~er 111 is rotatably mounted on an
upper shaft 113 which is supported by two mounts 115 an`d 117
fixedly secured to the trough 101. The shat 113 freely
extends throug~ apertures 115A and 117A formea through
. m~unts 115 and 117 and through aperture lllA formed through~
member 111 whereby t~e moun~s 115 and 117 can rotate abou~
the sha~t 1~3 and the shaf~ 1~3 ~an rotate rela~i~re to
member llLl. A rotary actuator 121 is fir.edly secured to th~ -
trouoh 191 by way of a plat~ lZ3 ~lich is secured to the
actuator 1~1 and to the crough lOL. The actuator 121 h~s a
lower shaft 125 which car~ be ro~ated in opposite d;rections.
The lower shaf~ 125 is fixedly secured to a linkage 1~27
which is coupled to the shaft 113 The lin~c2ge 127 has an
apexture 127A which :Ereely receives the shaft 11~ whereby
the linkage can rotate about the shaft 113. ~en the ac~u-
atcir 121 rotates its sha~t 125 in one direc tion, the lilh~age
127 is rotated c~using the linkage to turn about~ ~he sh;~ft
113 and hencc tilt the actuator 121 and the trough 1~1. In
3Fig. 3, the trouoh 101 is shalm in do~ted linc!s tiltecl
laterally in opposite directions. In Fig 3, th~ ~1CtU2E:or
121 is not sllo~n tilting ~ith thf~ tro~gh fnr ~)~rp(Js~.s oE
cl~rity .
Thc rot~ry actuator 121 ;s a Co;r.~m~rCi;~ Lv2i~.ahlc
acl:uatnr l~ydr~ul ic~lly ilctu;!Lc~d. R~!c r~-i.n~ t.~ 6, it~
c:o :I;)r i.se~; a ~:ylindc~ 9 II~IV~ WO l)istc~ 1 all~l 133,
" _ g _ .
.
~ .1 67~33
with a rack 135 connected between the pistons. Thc rac~ 133
engages a pinion 139. ~rhe shaEt 125 is an extension of the
pinion 139. ~en pressure is imposed on one side of the
cylinder 129 it drives the piston and the rack in one
direction,to rotate the pinion 139 and hence the shaft 72S.
On the op~osite side of the cylinder the pressure is released,
In Fig. ~, mem~er 140 is the cylinder for the rotary actuator
141 for the tilting mechanism 105. Actuator 141 is the same
as aetuator 121. The cylinder 140 has two pistons 142 and
143 and a rack 145 connected betwPen the pistons for rotating
a~pinion 146 from which extends a shaft similar to shaft
107. Both actuators of mechanisms 103 and 105 are operated
simultaneously by hydraulic fluid rom reservoir 93 and pump
95 for dri~ing their shafts in the same direction for tilting
the trough 101. Four way valve 143 i~ employed for contro~lin~
the direction in which the two actuators 121 and 14~ rotate
their shats and hence the airect~on in which the trough 1~1
is tilted.
The arms ~1 and 63 and trough 10~ operate in the
following manner to transfer pipe between the rack 27 and
the pipe handling apparatus 21. Assume that pipe i~ to be
I transferred from apparatus 21 upward to the rac~ 27. The
¦ arms 61 and 63 will be located such that the trough 101 wil~ .
be just below the catwalk 69 in a non-tilted position where-
by the Y of the trough 101 will be straight up. In this
position, the upper edge of the trough 101 ;s located close
to the catwalk 69 with very little space between the trough
edge and the catwalk 69 such that pipe rolling outward on
the catwalk 69 will roll into the trou~h 101; The inter-
mediate posit~on 39A of the floor 39 of the trou~h 31 i~
tilted laterally to dump a length of pipe onto the catwalk
- 10 - ' .
., " ''
I ~ ~7~33
69. From the catwalk, the pipe will roll into the tro~gh
101. The arms 61 and 63 then are raised simultaneously to
raise ~he trough 101 wi~h the trough held in a non-tilted
position. As the trough is raised, its length will be helcl
horizontal. The trough thus will cradle and carry the pipe
upward with no longitudinal movement of the pipe in the
troug~ 10~. Thus the pipe cannnot roll off of the trough
nor can it slide off of the trough longitudinally. When the
trough 101 reaches the top o ~he rack 27, upward m~vement
~f the arms 61 and 63 ~ill be terminated and the trough 101
will ~e tilted laterally in a direction to dump ehe length
of pipe onto the top of the rack 27. The trough 101 w}ll be
moved to a non-tilted position and the arms 61 and 63 and
trough 101 moved do~ward to repeat the process.
For transferring pipe from the rack 27 to the pipe
handling apparatu~ 210 the a~n~ 61 and 63 and trou~h 101
operate in the following manner. Assume that pipe i~ t~ be
transferred from an upper row of pipe on the rack 27 to the
pipe handiing apparatus 2~. The arms 61 and 63 will b~
located such that the trough 101 will be just below the top
row o~ the pipe on the rack 27 with the trough 101 in a non-
tilted position whereby the V o the trough 101 will be
straight up. A length of pipe will be pushed into the
trough 101. The arms 61 and 63 will then be lo~Jered simul-
~aneously with the trough 101 carrying the length o:E pipe
downward in a horizontal position. When the trough 101
reaches the level of the catwal~ 69, downward move~ent o*
the arms 61 and 63 will be terminated and the trough 101
will be tilted laterally in a direction to dump the len~th
of pipe into the catwalk 69 where it will roll into the
trough 31. The trough 101 will be moved to a non-tilt~d
position and the arms 61 and 63 and trough 101 moved upward
- to repeat the process.
A pair of arm~ 61 and 63 and a laterally tiltable
trou~h 101 as described above will b~ locat~d on both
~ 1 ~;7~,33
sides of the apparatus 21 for transferring pipe between
either rack 27 and the app~ratus 21.
When the incline oE the troughs 31 and 3~ is small, the
pipe may not slide do~n the trou~h from the derrick floor by
gravity. ReEerring now to Figs. 1, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 14-16,
t~ere will be described a slidable apron 151 removably
attachable to the pipe moving device 49 of the pipe handling
apparatus ~1 ~or carrying pipe from the derrick 100r 25
do~n the troughs 33 and 31 when there is little or no height
diferential between the derrick floor 25 and the frame 29
-of the pipe handling apparatus 21. The apron 151 comprises
a ~-shaped member slidable on the floor 39 of the trough 31
An aperture 153 is formed rlose to the rear end 151A of ~he
apron 151 into which is itted a triangular shaped securing
member 155 which projects upward from a forward extension of
th~ neck 56 of member 4~. The aperture 153 does not extend
all of the way ~o the rear end 151A of the apron 151 but i~
spaced therefrom a ~hort distance. The me~ber 1S3 slants
downward toward its fo~ard end whereby the member 155 may
be inserted into the aperture 153 by movin~ th~ member 49
fo~ard while the apron lSl i5 held stationary. The rear
. end of the apron 151 will ride upward on the member 155~as
it move~ forward until it reache~ full length of the aper-
ture 153 at which time the apron will drop down with the
~5 member 155 located in the aperture 153. When the member 49
is moved forward by the chain, its front end 49A will engage
the rear end 15LA of the apron and push the apron ~5L for-
ward along the trough 31. For drawing pipe from the derrick
floor, the apron 151 will be pushed onto the ~ixe~ trough
33. A length of pipe will be loaded onto the apron 151 and
the member 49 will be ~oved back~7ard by thc chain Sl pulling
the apron 151 and hance the pipe backward whereby ~he pipe
may be loaded onto the rack 27. ~hen the r.lember 49 moves
backt~7ard the rear end 155A of the member 155 en~ages the
~5 rear end 153B of the apcrture 153, pullin~ t~lC a~ron 15L
. ~ - 12 - - -.
- t 3 6~33
backward. As seen in Figs. 7, 11 and 12, the intermediate or
dump portion 39A of the floor 39 of the trough 31 has two
elongated apron holding s-trips 161 and 163 formed along its top
outer edges. When the apron 151 is pulled onto the intermediate
portion 39A, the outer edges 151B and 151C of the apron slide
under the strips 161 and 1~3 whereby the apron is held to the
intermediate or dump portion 39A. Thus when the trough 31 is
lowered to a horizontal position and the dump portion 39A is
pivoted laterally, the apron 151 also will be tilted laterally
allowing the pipe to be dumped onto the catwalk 69 for loading
onto a rack 27 next to the apparatus 21. During dumping
operations by the dump portion 39A, member 49 will not be
located above the dump portion 39A. When the apron 151 is
tilted laterally by the dump portion 39A, its aperture 153 is
moved above the member 155. However, when the apron is moved
back in place by the dump portion 39A, the aperture 153 will fit
around the member 155 whereby the movable member 49 may push the
apron along the trough 31 to the fixed trough 33.
Although the apron 151 is used primarily for drawing pipe
from the derrick floor for loading on the rackl it is to be
understood that it could be used for moving pipe from the rack
27 to the derrick floor. The apron 151 also has advantages in
that it protects the main troughs 31 and 33 from wear~ A teflon
like coating may be applied to the underside of the apron lSl to
minimize friction.
I ~ ~7833
When the height differential between the derrick floor 25
and the frame 29 is sufficient such that the pipe will slide
down troughs 33 and 31 by gravity, the apron 151 may be removed
as well as the securing member 155. Member 155 may be removably
secured to the forward extension of the neck 56 of member 49 by
bolts.
Instead of employing the strips 61 and 63 to hold the apron
151 to the dump portion 39A, the apron 151 may have a thin neck
extending down from its bottom with an enlarged lug attached to
the thin neck. The thin neck will extend through the slot 53
with the enlarged lug located below the floor 39. This
arrangement allows the apron 151 to slide on the floor 39 yet
holds the apron 151 to the dump portion when it is tilted for
dumping purposes. In this embodiment, the apron 151 may be
coupled to the member 49 by securing member 155 to the forward
extension of the necX 56 of member 59 through the aperture 153
of the apron 151 when the aperture 153 of the apron 151 is over
the forward extension of the neck. The apron 151 may be removed
by removing member 155 and by sliding the apron forward when the
trough 31 is at a slightly inclined position to remove the lower
thin neck of the apron from the slot 53 at the forward end of
the trough 31.
Preferably the apron 151 will be longer than the length of
pipe it will carry.
- 14 -
