Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02652616 2008-12-05
DRILLING ROD RETAINER
This invention relates generally to a drilling rod retainer and, more
particularly, to a drilling
rod retainer which effects safe handling of drilling rod sections of a drill
string substantially
independently of any auxilliary power equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Underground drilling, such as gas, oil, or geothermal drilling, generally
involves drilling a
bore through a formation deep in the earth. Such bores can be formed by
connecting a drill bit to
long sections of pipe, which can be referred to as a "drill rod sections," so
as to form an assembly
commonly referred to as a "drill string." The drill string extends from the
surface to the bottom of
the well bore. These sectioned drill rod sections can be successively added to
the drill string during
a drilling operation (to increase the length of the drill string), and
successively removed in the drill
raising operation, normally by means of a drill raising machine.
These drill rod sections, in which it is not uncommon for each of these
sections to be, for
example, between 5 and 20 feet long, can be very heavy. According to prior art
practices, each of
these drill rod sections, whether they be added to or removed from the drill
string, has to be hoisted
into and out of the drill raising machine, and be further positioned by a
hoist for threading thereof
to the drill string (or unthreaded therefrom, depending upon the operation).
Due to the large size and
weight of the drill rod sections, dangers can be presented to workmen around
the drilling operation
in the form of the drill rod sections accidentally falling into the working
environment of the
workmen during removal, replacement or insertion of the drill rod sections.
Further dangers to the
workmen can present themselves in the form of drill rod sections becoming
swung, or otherwise
unstable, during harsh environmental conditions, such as high winds.
Thus, there is a need for an improved drilling rod retainer which can provide
for safe
handling and replacement of drilling rod sections of a drill string. There is
a further need for an
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improved drilling rod retainer which can operate substantially independently
of any auxilliary power
equipment. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this
need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved drilling rod
retainer which can
provide for safe handling and replacement of drilling rod sections of a drill
string during drilling
operations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved drilling rod
retainer which
can operate substantially independently of any auxilliary power equipment.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved
drilling rod retainer
having two retaining arcuate arms which are biased, through use of a high
tension spring connected
between each of the arms, to substantially surround the drilling rod, when the
retainer is in its
normally closed position, the retaining arms having integrally connected
flange portions that extend
downwardly below the arms in order to provide additional surface area to hold
and secure the drilling
rod sections during removal, replacement or insertion from the down hole well.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drilling
rod retainer for
attachment to a drilling rig support frame and constructed and arranged for
securing and retaining
a drill rod comprising a base portion constructed and arranged for attachment
to the drilling rig
support frame; first and second arcuate retaining arms pivotally connected to
the base portion and
positioned on opposed sides of the base portion so as to spaced apart from one
another, the retaining
arms defining an opening between them for receiving and allowing the drill rod
to pass and extend
vertically therethrough, the retaining arms being constructed and arranged to
assume both an open
position for receiving the drill rod and a normally substantially closed
position for substantially
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surrounding and securing the drill rod therebetween; at least one high tension
spring adapted for
attachment to each of the first and second arcuate retaining arms, the at
least one high tension spring
biasing the first and second arcuate retaining arms between the open position
for receiving the drill
rod and the normally substantially closed position; and a pair of downwardly
extending flange
portions integrally connected to respective ones of the retaining arms for
providing additional surface
area to secure and surround the drill rod therebetween.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
drilling rod retainer
for use with and attachment to a drilling rig support frame and constructed
and arranged for securing
and retaining a drill rod comprising a base portion constructed and arranged
for attachment to the
drilling rig support frame; first and second arcuate retaining arms pivotally
connected to the base
portion and positioned on opposed sides of the base portion so as to spaced
apart from one another,
the retaining arms defining an opening between them for receiving and allowing
the drill rod to pass
and extend vertically therethrough, the retaining arms being constructed and
arranged to assume both
an open position for receiving the drill rod and a normally substantially
closed position for
substantially surrounding and securing the drill rod therebetween, and wherein
the retaining arms
flare outwardly, from substantially a mid-point of each of the arms to end
portions thereof, lip
portions integrally connected to to respective ones of the retaining arms,
which extend upwardly
from an upper surface of the arms at approximately a mid-point of each arm and
extending along the
arms to a position substantially near an outermost end of the arms; a high
tension spring adapted for
attachment to each of the first and second arcuate retaining arms, the at
least one high tension spring
biasing the first and second arcuate retaining arms between the open position
for receiving the drill
rod and the normally substantially closed position; and a pair of downwardly
extending flange
portions integrally connected to respective ones of the retaining arms for
providing additional surface
area to secure and surround the drill rod therebetween, wherein the when the
drill rod is to be
positioned between the retaining arms, the drill rod is aligned to sliding
contact the lip portions of
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the retaining arms, and, as the drill rod is pushed between the retaining
arms, the drill rod slides
along the lip portions and the retaining arms resiliently spread apart to the
open position to receive
the drill rod, whereby, when the drill rod is secured therebetween, the at
least one high tension spring
biases the retaining arms to the normally substantially closed position.
As previously discussed, the advantage of the present invention is that it
provides an
improved drilling rod retainer which can provide for safe handling and
replacement of drilling rod
sections of a drill string during drilling operations.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved
drilling rod
retainer which can operate substantially independently of any auxilliary power
equipment.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an
improved drilling rod
retainer having two retaining arcuate arms which are biased, through use of a
high tension spring
connected between each of the arms, to substantially surround the drilling
rod, when the retainer is
in its normally closed position, the retaining arms having integrally
connected flange portions that
extend downwardly below the arms in order to provide additional surface area
for stabilizing and
securing the drilling rod sections during removal, replacement or insertion
thereof from the down
hole well.
These and other objects and embodiments of the inventive disclosures made
herein will
become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and
associated drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
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FIGURE 1 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of the drilling rod
retainer of the
present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a top view of the embodiment of the drilling rod retainer shown in
Figure 1;
FIGURE 3 is a bottom perspective view of the embodiment of the drilling rod
retainer shown in
Figure 1, shown in operation on a drilling rig support frame; and
FIGURE 4 is a bottom perspective view of the embodiment of the drilling rod
retainer shown in
Figure 1, shown in operation on a drilling rig support frame.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figures 1 to 4 depict an embodiment of the drilling rod retainer of the
present invention.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the drilling rod retainer 1 of the present
invention, which is
preferably made of metal, is designed for placement and mounting on a drilling
rig support frame,
and includes a base plate or portion 13 having a first arcuate arm 3 and a
second arcuate arm 5
attached thereto. Preferably, these arms 3,5 are secured to a top portion of
the base plate 13 by means
of bolts (not shown) or the like. As can also be seen in Figure 1, a bottom
portion of the base plate
13 extends generally at a right angle from the top portion of the base plate,
whereby the bottom
portion of the base plate 13 is in a generally vertical orientation. In this
manner, the top portion of
the base plate 13 is in substantially perpendicular relationship to the bottom
portion. As will
hereinafter be described, it is the base plate 13 of the drilling rod retainer
of the present invention
that is secured, by means of mounting holes 14 (shown in Figure 2), to the
drilling rig support frame
27 shown in Figure 3.
With reference to Figures 1-4, it can be seen that each of the arms 3,5 has an
arcuate body
shape, which flares outwardly from substantially a mid point of the arms 3,5
to end portions thereof
(19 and 21 respectively), so as to resemble a "boomerang" type of
construction, which is of an
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importance which will hereinafter be described. The arms 3, 5 are in a
normally closed position, and,
when in such position, define a hole or bore between them to allow for a drill
rod section 25 of a drill
string (as seen in Figures 3 and 4) to pass and extend vertically
therethrough. It should be noted that
the dimensions of the hole or bore are such that standard drill rod sections
can slide through the hole
between the arms 3,5 , while still providing a surface area to securely retain
the drill rod section
therebetween, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. Preferably, the
hole or bore defined
between the retaining arms is substantially circular in shape.
In a preferred embodiment, the arms 3,5 are biased in the normally closed
position through
at least one high tension spring 7 which is interconnected between and to
mounting brackets 15, 17
which are mounted upon the arms 3,5. In this manner, when the drill rod
section 25 is in place
between arms 3,5 , the high tension spring 7 biases the arms 3,5 to
substantially surround the drill
rod section 25, it being understood that the amount of tension which could be
utilized to bias the
arms 3,5 to substantially surround the drill rod section 25, could be varied,
as would be apparent to
persons skilled in the art. It will, of course, be understood that more than
one high tension spring 7
can be utilized, as would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art.
As can be seen with reference to Figure 3 and 4, the first retaining arm 3 and
the second
retaining arm 5 have integrally connected flange portions 9, 11 that extend
downwardly below the
arms, in an outwardly extending orientation. In this manner, flange portions
9, 11 provide additional
surface area to hold and secure the drill rod sections 25 during removal,
replacement or insertion
thereof from the down hole well. As noted previously, flange portions 9, 11 of
the arms 3,5 prevent
or substantially inhibit a drill rod section 25 from swinging or becoming
unstable during removal,
replacement or insertion thereof, or during harsh environmental conditions,
such as high winds. In
a preferred embodiment, these flange portions 9, 11 are integrally connected
to the arms 3,5.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, each of the arms 3, 5 have corresponding
integrally
connected lip portions 23, 24, respectively, which extend upwardly from an
upper surface of the
arms, the lip portions 23, 24 being positioned on the arms 3,5 to begin at
approximately a mid-point
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thereof of each arm, and extend along the arms to a position substantially
near an end of the
outermost end of the arms 3,5. In this manner, the lip portions 23, 24 provide
a greater surface area,
at an encirclement point 26 in Figure 2 (where the arms 3,5 substantially
encircle and surround the
drill rod section 25 secured therebetween), for the drill rod retainer of the
present invention to safely
maintain the drill rod section 25 in place.
In operation
In use, the drilling rod retainer of the present invention is secured, by
means of mounting
holes 14 (shown in Figure 2) to the drilling rig support frame 27 shown in
Figure 3, it being
understood that other configurations of such attachment are conceivable.
Preferably, once positioned,
a lower end of the base plate 13 will assume a substantially parallel
orientation with the drilling rig
support frame 27.
In positioning the drilling rod retainer to substantially surround and retain
the drilling rod
section 25 shown in Figures 3 and 4, the drilling rod section 25 can be
positioned so as to contact
lip sections 23, 24 on the arms 3,5. As noted previously, end portions 19 and
21 of the arms 3,5,
respectively, form the arms 3,5 to resemble a "boomerang" type of
construction, which construction
is of an importance in aligning the drilling rod section 25 into position into
the hole or bore defined
between the arms 3,5. As the drilling rod section 25, during the insertion
thereof, is, pushed towards
encirclement point 26 shown in Figure 2, the drilling rod section 25 contacts
and engages lip sections
23, 24 along end portions 19 and 21, and, as the drilling rod section 25
continues to be pushed, the
shape of end portions 19 and 21 of the arms 3,5, draws the drilling rod
section 25 towards the
encirclement point 26 shown in Figure 2, at which point the arms 3,5,
biasingly open to permit entry
of the drill rod section 25 into the hole or bore defined between the arms
3,5. Once the drilling rod
section 25 is in place, the arms 3,5, by virtue of their connection to the
high tension spring 7,
biasingly close, thus retaining the drilling rod section 25 therebetween. In
this manner, the drilling
rod retainer of the present invention is utilized to hold drill rod sections
25 during removal,
replacement or insertion thereof from a down hole well. Alternatively, it
would also be conceivable
to have a workman, or machinery, biasingly pry the arms 3,5 to an open
position to allow for
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disconnection the drilling rod retainer of the present invention from
engagement with the drill rod
section 25.
As noted previously, the first retaining arm 3 and the second retaining arm 5
have integrally
connected flange portions 9, 11 that extend downwardly below the arms, in an
outwardly extending
orientation, so as to provide additional surface area for the drilling rod
retainer of the present
invention to hold and secure the drill rod sections 25 in place.
The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred
embodiments.
However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of
variations and
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as
described herein.
There are numerous variations and modifications thereof that will also remain
readily apparent to
others skilled in the art, now that the general principles of the present
invention have been disclosed.
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