Horizontal pipe rack

Claim 2

Rack apparatus for the horizontal racking of well pipe and the like comprising: a plurality of horizontally spaced locations, each of said rack means including a post, a plurality of horizontally extending and vertically arranged beams mounted and vertically movable on each of said posts, means connected with said beams and said post for successively moving said beams vertically on said post to allow the unracking and racking of pipe supported below each of said beams, and support means including certain of said beams extending horizontally from said post for supporting pipe beneath each of said beams.

Claim 3

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said beams includes spacer means therebeneath engageable with pipe supported therebelow by said support means for holding said pipe in fixed position.

Claim 4

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, including spacer means beneath said beams selectively engageable with pipe of different sizes supported therebelow by said support means.

Claim 5

Rack apparatus as defined claim 1, wherein each of sAid beams includes spacer means therebeneath engageable with pipe supported therebelow by said support means for holding said pipe in a fixed position, said spacer means extending downwardly for supporting engagement with said support means upon downward movement of an upper beam towards said support means.

Claim 6

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said beams includes spacer means therebeneath engageable with pipe on supported by said support means for holding said pipe in a fixed position, said spacer means including spacer elements having opposing portions defining a space for the reception of a pipe, one of said spacer elements having an arm pivotally connected thereto and including spring means normally biasing said arm into said space for engagement with a pipe in said space of smaller size than the space between said elements.

Claim 7

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein certain of said beams include a finger at the end of said beam remote from said post, and means mounting said finger for movement between a pipe-supporting position projecting outwardly with respect to said beam and a retracted position.

Claim 8

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein certain of said beams include a finger at the end of said beam remote from said post, means mounting said finger for movement between a pipe-supporting position projecting outwardly with respect to said beam and a retracted position, and said fingers providing a seat for said pipe in said pipe-supporting position.

Claim 9

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving said beams vertically includes actuator means for successively moving said beams upwardly and successively lowering said beams.

Claim 10

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving said beams vertically includes and actuator cylinder connected to the uppermost beam for moving the same upwardly, and lost-motion connector means for successively raising the subjacent beams responsive to upward movement of said uppermost beam.

Claim 11

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving said beams vertically includes actuator cylinders respectively engaged with said beams for moving the same upwardly and allowing downward movement thereof, and control means for selectively supplying fluid under pressure to said actuator cylinders.

Claim 12

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving said beams vertically includes fluid pressure operated actuator means for successively moving said beams upwardly and successively lowering said beams.

Claim 13

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein certain of said beams include a finger at the end of said beam remote from said post, means mounting said fingers for movement between a pipe-supporting position projecting outwardly with respect to said beam and a retracted position, said fingers providing a seat for said pipe in said pipe-supporting position, finger actuator means for moving said fingers between said positions, said means for moving said beams vertically including beam actuator means for successively moving said beams upwardly and successively lowering said beams, and including control means for causing said fingers actuator means to move said fingers successively to said projected positions upon lowering of said beams and successively to said retracted positions upon elevation of said beams.

Claim 14

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said finger actuator means comprises a fluid pressure actuator cylinder for each finger and said control means includes valve means for controlling the application of fluid pressure to each cylinder, said valve means being operable responsive to the raising and lowering of said beams.

Claim 15

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said finger actuator means comprises a fluid pressure actuated cylinder for each finger and said control means includes valve means for controlling the application of fluid pressure to each cylinder, said valve means being operabLe responsive to the raising and lowering of said beams, and additional valve means for simultaneously allowing the application of pressure to all of said cylinders simultaneously to move all of said fingers to said retracted position.

Claim 16

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said finger actuator means comprises a fluid pressure actuated cylinder for each finger, said beam actuator means including a fluid pressure actuated cylinder for each beam, and said control means includes selectively operable valve means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to each of said cylinders of said finger actuator means and to each of said cylinders of said beam actuator means.

Claim 17

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said finger actuator means comprises a fluid pressure actuated cylinder for each finger, said beam actuator means including a fluid pressure actuated cylinder for each beam, and said control means includes selectively operable valve means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to each of said cylinders of said finger actuator means and to each of said cylinders of said beam actuator means, and additional valve means for simultaneously allowing the application of pressure to all of said cylinders of said finger actuator means for simultaneously moving said fingers to said retracted position.

Claim 18

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, including sleeve means supporting each of said beams on its post for said vertical movement.

Claim 19

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, including sleeve means supporting each of said beams on its post for said vertical movement, and roller means mounted with said sleeve means and interposed between said post and said sleeve means thereon.

Claim 20

Rack apparatus as defined in claim 1, including sleeve means supporting each of said beams on its post for said vertical movement, roller means mounted with said sleeve means and interposed between said post and said sleeve means thereon, and means included in said roller means for adjusting said roller means with respect to said post.

Claim 21

Rack apparatus for the horizontal racking of pipe and the like comprising in combination: a. A plurality of horizontally spaced racks, each of which has i. a vertical post, ii. a plurality of horizontally extending and vertically arranged supporting arms mounted on said post for vertical movement thereon, iii. a finger on the outer end of each of said pipe-supporting arms, said finger being mounted for movement between a generally horizontal and a generally vertical position, iv. actuator means carried by each of said arms and operatively connected to move said fingers between the horizontal and vertical position; b. elevator means connected with said arms and said post for raising said arms with respect to said post; and c. control means cooperating with said actuator means and said elevator means for operating said actuator means to control the positioning of said fingers and for selectively raising said arms, said last-mentioned means being operable to control the corresponding arm and each of said posts simultaneously and to control the movement of said fingers on each corresponding arm simultaneously.

Claim 22

Rack apparatus for the horizontal racking of pipe and the like comprising in combination: a. A plurality of horizontally spaced racks, each of which has i. a vertical post, ii. a plurality of horizontally extending and vertically arranged supporting arms mounted on said post for vertical movement thereon, iii. a finger on the outer end of each of said pipe-supporting arms, said finger being mounted for movement between a generally horizontal and a generally vertical position, iv. actuator means carried by each of said arms and operatively connected to move said fingers between the horizontal and vertical position; b. elevator means connected with said arms and said post for raising said arms with respect to said post; and c. control means cooperating with said actuator means and said elevator means for operating said actuator means to control the positioning of said fingers and for selectively raising said arms, said last-mentioned means being operable to control the corresponding arm and each of said posts simultaneously and to control the movement of said fingers on each corresponding arm simultaneously.

Claim 23

Rack apparatus for the horizontal racking of pipe and the like comprising in combination: a. a plurality of longitudinally aligned vertical racks, each of which has i. a vertical post, ii. a plurality of laterally extending and vertically arranged supporting arms mounted on said post for vertical movement thereon, iii. a finger on the outer end of each of said pipe-supporting arms, said finger being mounted for pivotal movement between a generally horizontal and a generally vertical position. iv. actuator means comprising an hydraulic finger actuating cylinder carried by each of said arms and operatively connected to move said fingers between the horizontal and vertical position; b. a transom carried by said post and positioned beneath said arms; c. arm actuator cylinder means in connection with said post for raising said arms; d. control means operatively related to said finger actuating cylinders to control the positioning of said fingers and for actuating said arm actuator cylinder means for selectively raising said arms, said last-mentioned means being operable to control the corresponding arm on each of said posts simultaneously and to control the movement of said fingers on each corresponding arm simultaneously; and e. operating means operatively related to said arm actuator cylinder to successively raise and lower said arms.

Claim 24

Rack apparatus for the horizontal racking of pipe and the like comprising in combination: a. a plurality of longitudinally aligned vertical racks, each of which has i. a vertical post, ii. a plurality of laterally extending and vertically arranged supporting arms mounted on said post for vertical movement thereon, iii. a finger on the outer end of each of said pipe-supporting arms, said finger being mounted for pivotal movement between a generally horizontal and a generally vertical position. iv. actuator means comprising an hydraulic finger actuating cylinder carried by each of said arms and operatively connected to move said fingers between the horizontal and vertical position; b. a transom carried by said post and positioned beneath said arms; c. arm actuator cylinder means in connection with said post for raising said arms; d. control means operatively related to said finger actuating cylinders to control the positioning of said fingers and for actuating said arm actuator cylinder means for selectively raising said arms, said last-mentioned means being operable to control the corresponding arm on each of said posts simultaneously and to control the movement of said fingers on each corresponding arm simultaneously; and e. operating means operatively related to said arm actuator cylinder to successively raise and lower said arms.