Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
"Method and Apparatus for lifting, handling and transporting a reel"
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for self-
loading and unloading a reel of cable onto and off a first transporting
trailer and,
more particularly, to self-loading and unloading a reel of cable from and onto
a
second transport trailer using said first transport trailer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As pointed out by Garnett, U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,392, wire rope, power
transmission lines, telephone cables and like cables are often of a
substantial length
and are ordinarily wound upon flanged spool-like reels which may be quite
large
and heavy. When necessary to pay out cable, the reel is usually mounted and
supported upon a horizontal shaft so it may rotate as the cable is pulled
therefrom.
For field use, a wheeled trailer may be adapted to carry and support a reel
upon a
shaft, so that the reel will not have to be taken off the trailer when the
cable is to be
paid from it.
Similarly, large reels are used for stringing or spooling coiled tubing
(typically metal piping, 1" to 2.875" in diameter) in the oilfield industry
and the
various problems encountered in other industries are similarly encountered in
this
industry. In addition, there are various difficulties that arise related to
the
transportation and loading and unloading of reels that have not been addressed
by
the prior art, including that in the oil field industry.
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
Often, multiple reels of coiled tubing are transported on a transport
unit, such as a lowboy to a particular site (such as a well site where oil and
gas
drilling operations are occurring). Once arrived, a picker unit is typically
used to
unload the multiple reels from the transport unit, said reels then typically
being
placed on the ground for subsequent deployment at the site, or to a coil
tubing rig or
unit, when required during well operations. Often a U-shaped deployment reel
trailer is used to subsequently deploy individual reels. This, however,
necessitates
that multiple pieces of reel handling equipment (i.e. a picker unit and a
deployment
trailer) be present at a well site, adding to the expense and complexities
associated
with coiled tubing activities, especially where well sites are at remote
locations.
Furthermore, conventional single reel deployment trailers do not
typically have self-loading means, or means to self-secure a reel onto said
deployment trailer. Where such means do exist, they are complex, such as the
design taught by Sauber, U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,291 which utilizes a set of
hydraulically activated maneuvering arms to propel a reel along a reel loading
ramp
until the reel settles in a cradle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figures 1 a - 9 are various views of one embodiment of the invention.
2
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following description are of preferred embodiments by way of
example only and without limitation to the combination of features necessary
for
carrying the invention into effect. Reference is to be had to the Figures in
which
identical reference numbers identify similar components. The drawing figures
are
not necessarily to scale and certain features are shown in schematic form in
the
interest of clarity and conciseness.
FIGS. la - 9 illustrate the configuration of one embodiment of the
present invention 10.
A reel 2 of the type usually utilized for storing lengths of wire, cable or
coiled tubing has circular ends 4 and 6 with a central drum or hub structure
having a
central bore 7 terminating through circular ends 4 and 6. Wire, cable or
coiled
tubing (not shown) is wound in multi-layers upon the drum and it is necessary
to
elevate and support the reel 2 so that wire, cable or coiled tubing may be
easily
taken off the drum by means of rotating the reel 2. In order to facilitate
manipulation
and rotation of the reel 2, shaft or reel bar 8 is positioned through central
bore 7 of
reel 2.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention 10, a generally U-
shaped reel trailer 20 is provided to carry the reel 2 and, preferably, to
retard
3
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
movement thereof in all directions, i.e. forward, rearward, upward, downward
and
lateral, once reel 2 loaded and secured onto said reel trailer 20. The reel
trailer 20
has a U-shaped base frame 22, comprised of a pair of parallel base support
members 22a, 22b at the rear end of the trailer, a pair of forwardly
converging base
support members 23a, 23b, and a tongue portion 22t at the front of the trailer
20
upon which is mounted a trailer hitch 22h of conventional design. Preferably,
the
base frame 22 is constructed of extremely heavy gauge tubular iron or I-beams
to
support the substantial weight of a loaded reel 2. More preferably, there are
one or
more transverse base support members 22s which interconnect the members 22a
and 22b. The reel trailer 20 also comprises at least one a pair of rearwardly
positioned wheels 25a, 25b mounted to the base support members 22a, 22b. In
this embodiment, the reel trailer 20 comprises two pairs of wheels 25a, 25b,
25c,
25d.
Reel trailer 20 further comprises a pair of opposed vertically disposed
reel lifting and carrying members 24a, 24b. The reel carrying members 24a, 24b
may be of conventional design (such as that taught by Ploeg, U.S. Pat. No.
4,194,702. Preferably, however, reel carrying members 24a, 24b are elongate
tubular members, positioned substantially vertical and each having reel bar
receiving members 26a, 26b suitable to receive a portion of the reel bar 8 so
as to
support and provide stability to the reel 2 and are, preferably, of sufficient
vertical
height so that reel 2 is carried above the ground G, thereby allowing reel
trailer 20
to transport reel 2 as may be desired.
4
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
More preferably, reel bar receiving members 26a, 26b each further
comprise a top shoulder 27a, 27b to limit upward movement of reel bar 8 when
it is
being supported by reel carrying members 24a, 24b. Even more preferably, reel
bar receiving members 26a, 26b each further comprise a rear shoulder 28a, 28b
to
limit rearward movement of reel bar 8 when it is being supported by reel
carrying
members 24a, 24b. Yet even more preferably, reel carrying members 24a, 24b
each further comprises a pivoting locking latch 29a, 29b that is actuated by
receiving at least some of the weight of the reel 2 (via reel bar 8) so as to
pivot P
into a locking position upon placement of the reel bar 8 thereon, and so as to
actuating into a locked configuration (see FIG. 3c) thereby securely mounting
the
reel 2 to the reel trailer 20.
Yet even more preferably, reel carrying members 24a, 24b are
mounted for vertical movement V to the base frame 22 in a conventional manner,
such as by providing a telescoping section 24at, 24bt that telescopes within a
base
portion 24ab, 24bb of the reel carrying members 24a, 24b by actuating said
telescoping sections 24at, 24bt in the vertical plane V by means of hydraulic
jacks
or rams (not shown) in a conventional manner. In this embodiment, the reel
carrying members 24a, 24b have a 24 inch vertical telescoping travel.
Advantageously, because the weight of the reel 2 (which is often quite
significant, especially when fully wound with coiled tubing (not shown)), is
what
keeps the reel carrying members 24a, 24b in a locked configuration, the
invention
10 can easily and simply self-secure and self-load a reel 2 without the need
for
complex components, such as that taught by Sauber. More advantageously, by
5
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
actuating the hydraulic rams (not shown) to lift the telescoping sections
24at, 24bt to
a sufficient height, so as to keep the reel 2 above the ground G, the weight
of said
reel 2 will continue to actuate the reel carrying members 24a, 24b and keep
them in
the locked configuration (see FIG. 4a). Yet even more advantageously, when the
reel 2 has to be unloaded from the reel trailer 20, the hydraulic rams (not
shown)
are actuated to lower the telescoping sections 24at, 24bt (and hence the reel
2) so
that the reel 2 will be support by the ground G (or transport unit T, such as
a
lowboy) and so that reel carrying members 24a, 24b are no longer actuated in a
locked configuration (see FIG. 2c) thereby allowing reel 2 to be unloaded from
reel
trailer 20.
Reel trailer 20 further comprising a plurality of telescoping legs or
outriggers 30. Preferably, the outriggers 30 are of a simple design comprising
a
base section 30b, a telescoping section 30t slidably and telescopingly mounted
within the base section 30b and a hydraulic ram (not shown) actuatable to move
the
telescoping section 30t in a general vertical plane V relative to the base
section 30b
in a conventional manner. In this embodiment, the outriggers 30 have a 40 inch
vertical telescoping travel.
The outriggers 30 are mounted to the trailer 20 sufficiently apart (or
the reel trailer 20 further comprise conventional horizontal telescoping means
to
position the outriggers 30 sufficiently apart) so as to be wider than the
width TW of
the transport unit T. In this embodiment, the outriggers 30 are positioned on
the
outside of the base frame 22 and the base frame 22 itself has a width, or
distance,
W between the base support members 22a, 22b, that is slightly larger than the
6
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
width TW of the transport unit T. Advantageously, by actuating the outriggers
30 to
lift the base frame 22 to a height that is greater than that of the highest
point of the
transport unit T, the transport unit T may be positioned (or backed)
underneath the
base frame 22 (preferably including various base support members such as
members 22s, 23a, 23b) at any desired location along the longitudinal axis L
of the
transport unit T - thereby allowing the reel trailer 20 to act as a picker to
load/unload various reels 2 from the transport unit T, even if such reels 2
are
positioned far along the transport unit's longitudinal axis L and which
otherwise
would be inaccessible to conventional reel trailers.
Even more advantageously, by ensuring that the outriggers 30 are
mounted to the reel trailer 20 sufficiently apart (or the trailer 20 further
comprise
conventional horizontal telescoping means to position the outriggers 30
sufficiently
apart) so as to be wider than the width TW of the transport unit T, the reel
trailer 20
can act as a picker to load/unload various reels 2 from the transport unit T,
even if
such reels 2 are positioned far along the transport unit's longitudinal axis L
and
even if the width of the reel trailer's base frame 22 (or the width between
its paired
wheels 25a, 25b) is narrower than the width TW of the transport unit T -
because
the base frame 22 and any wheels 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d can simply be lifted
vertically
V over top of the transport unit T until the reel trailer 20 is cleared above
the
transport unit T and in position to accept a reel 2.
Yet even more advantageously, the outriggers 30, the telescoping reel
carrying members 24a, 24b and the self-loading / self-locking pivoting locking
latches 29a, 29b cooperate together so as to eliminate the need for an
operator or
7
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
worker to climb on top of the transport unit T and to manually load/unload or
lock/unlock a reel to/from the reel trailer 20 as is a common requirement in
prior art
reel trailers.
Preferably, remote hydraulic actuating means are provided to allow
remote actuation of both the outriggers 30 and telescoping reel carrying
members
24a, 24b, in a conventional manner. Advantageously, the invention 10 can be
operated by an operator or worker that is positioned some distance away from
both
the reel trailer 20 and the transport unit T, thereby adding to the safety
aspects of
the present invention 10.
Method:
Referring to the Figures, a preferred embodiment of a method aspect
of the invention comprises the following steps:
positioning the reel trailer 20 adjacent an end of the transport unit
T (in this case the rear end) inline with the longitudinal axis L of
said transport unit T - see FIGS 1 a, 1 b;
actuating the outriggers 30 to lift the reel trailer 20 (including
wheels 25a - 25d, where necessary) above the transport unit T to
a sufficient height to allow the transport unit T to be moved
underneath the reel trailer 20 along the longitudinal axis L;
moving the transport unit T underneath the reel trailer 20 along the
longitudinal axis L so as to position a reel 2 into the reel carrying
members 24a, 24b (see FIGS 2a - 2c);
8
CA 02653152 2009-02-09
- actuating either the outriggers 30 and/or the telescoping reel
carrying members 24a, 24b so as to place at least some of the
weight of the reel 2 onto the reel trailer - thereby, preferably,
actuating the pivoting locking latches 29a, 29b into a locking
configuration and also lifting the reel 2 from the transport unit T
(see FIG. 3c);
- moving the transport unit T away from the reel trailer 20 along the
longitudinal axis L so as to clear out from under said trailer 20 (see
FIGS 3a -3b for partial clearance of the transport unit T from the
previous position shown in FIGS 2a - 2b);
- actuating the outriggers 30 to lower the reel trailer 20 onto the
ground G (see FIGS 4a - 4b).
In a further method aspect, the above steps are repeated to unload
additional reels 2 from the transport unit. In yet another method aspect, the
above
steps are reversed so as to load a reel 2 onto a transport unit T.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various
modifications to the invention as described herein will be possible without
failing
outside the scope of the invention.
9
