Drill pipe sections and method of and apparatus for automatically breaking out the connections thereof

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION, DRILL PIPE SECTIONS EACH INCLUDING A TUBULAR BODY, A PIN MEMBER FIXED TO ONE END OF THE TUBULAR BODY AND PROVIDED WITH EXTERNAL THREADS, A BOX MEMBER FIXED TO THE OTHER END OF THE TUBULAR BODY, INTERNAL THREADS WITHIN THE BOX MEMBER FOR CONNECTION WITH THE THREADS ON THE PIN WHEN THE SECTIONS ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER, SAID BOX MEMBER HAVING AN INNER CLUTCH SOCKET AT THE BASE OF THE THREADS, MEANS FOR CONNECTION TO THE BOX OF THE ENDMOST SECTION TO ROTATE THE ENDMOST SECTION WHILE THE SECTION CONNECTED THERETO IS HELD FROM ROTATION TO UNSCREW ONE OR THE OTHER END OF THE ENDMOST SECTION, A SHANK ON THE ROTATING MEANS, A SHANK ON THE PIN OF SAID SECTION, SAID SHANKS BEING OF A LENGTH TO EXTEND ROTATABLY THROUGH THE CLUTCH SOCKET OF A BOX MEMBER WHEN THE DRILL PIPE SECTIONS ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER, AND A CLUTCH HEAD ON THE END OF EACH SHANK AND ROTATABLE WITH THE SHANK WHEN THE THREADS OF A PIN ARE UNSCREWED FROM THE THREADS OF A BOX IN FREEING AN END OF THE ENDMOST SECTION TO PERMIT AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE BOX FROM THE PIN TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH HEAD IN THE SOCKET OF SAID BOX TO EFFECT DISCONNECTION OF THE OTHER END OF THE ENDMOST SECTION THROUGH CONTINUED ROTATION OF SAID ROTATING MEANS.