Double acting slips

Claim 2

A slip assembly for preventing axial movement of a member in either direction beyond wedged positions, comprising, in combination: a bowl having an inwardly tapered face; bearing means resiliently mounted in said bowl; and at least one double acting slip including a first surface for frictionally engaging said member to prevent movement of said member with respect to said first surface when the slip is in a wedged position, a second surface having an intermediate section and first and second wedging areas tapering from said intermediate section to the ends of the slip whereby the thickness of the slip is greatest at said intermediate section and decreases toward the ends, said second surface substantially complementing the face of said bowl, and said slip being disposed in said bowl so that axial movement of the member in either direction will cause the slip to be displaced until the slip is wedged between said member and said bowl to prevent further movement of said member, said second surface including a recessed area for receiving and cooperating with at least a portion of said bearing means so that alignment of said slip in said bowl will be maintained.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the bowl includes an opening extending therethrough including a lip about one of its ends, and the bearing meaNs includes a spherical ball disposed in the opening and extending partly through said one end and retained from passing from the opening through said one end by said lip, and further including a spring in the opening and abutted against said ball, and means inserted in the opening for causing said spring to be compressed to urge the ball against the lip.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 2, wherein said last-mentioned means is a cylindrical cap inserted in the other end of said opening.

Claim 5

A hydraulic press for supporting two elongated members for movement under force toward or away from each other, comprising, in combination: two spaced apart rigid support members each including a double acting slip assembly in which one of said elongated members can be rigidly supported, each slip assembly including a bowl, and at least one double acting slip for limiting the movement of the elongated member supported therein in either direction along its length, each of said slips movable in its respective rigid support member between opposed wedged positions, and when such an elongated member is supported therein adapted to be wedged between one of said elongated members and its respective bowl in response to movement of such elongated member along its length, each of said slips having a first surface for frictionally engaging said elongated member to limit relative movement between said slip and such elongated member along the length thereof, and a second surface for engaging the respective bowl to impart movement of said slip toward such elongated member, thereby wedging only one end of said slip between such elongated member and said bowl in response to engagement of said second surface with said bowl when such elongated member is moved in either direction along its length, while maintaining the other end of said slip relatively unwedged between such elongated member and said bowl, said second surface being tapered from each end to an intermediate thicker section of the slip whereby the thickness of the slip between said first and second surface varies axially from end to end, the thickest section being intermediate the ends of the slip; and motor means for moving one of said rigid support members toward and away from the other rigid support member.

Claim 6

A hydraulic press for supporting two elongated members for movement under force toward or away from each other, comprising, in combination: two spaced apart rigid support members each including a double acting slip assembly in which one of said elongated members can be rigidly supported, each slip assembly including a bowl, and at least one double acting slip for limiting the movement of the elongated member supported therein in either direction along its length, each of said slips movable in its respective rigid support member between opposed wedged positions, and when such an elongated member is supported therein adapted to be wedged between one of said elongated members and its respective bowl in response to movement of such elongated member along its length, each of said slips having a first surface for frictionally engaging said elongated member to limit relative movement between said slip and such elongated member along the length thereof, and a second surface for engaging the respective bowl to impart movement of said slip toward such elongated member, thereby wedging only one end of said slip between such elongated member and said bowl in response to engagement of said second surface with said bowl when such elongated member is moved in either direction along its length, while maintaining the other end of said slip relatively unwedged between such elongated member and said bowl, said second surface being tapered from each end to an intermediate thicker section of the slip whereby the thickness of the slip between said first and second surface varies axially from end to end, the thickest section being intermediate the ends of the slip; and motor means for moving one of said rigid support members toward and away from the other rigid support member.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each slip is comprised of a plurality of segments, each of said segments including cooperating pins and slots for restraining movement of said segments with respect to each other in said directions.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4, where said elongated members are pipe and said first surface is arcuate, and said second surface is tapered inwardly from the thickest section to the ends of the slip to form two arcuate wedging areas so that the slip will be wedged by the application of axial forces to the pipe in either direction.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the degree of taper of each of the wedging areas is equal.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the wedging areas of the second surface are unequal.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 4, including a bearing means resiliently mounted in said bowl and a recessed area in said second surface for receiving and cooperating with at least a portion of a bearing means so that axial alignment of the slip and the bowls will be maintained.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the recessed area is in the intermediate thicker section of the slip.

Claim 13

A slip assembly for preventing axial movement of a member in either direction beyond positions in which a slip is wedged between such member and a bowl, comprising, in combination: a bowl having an inwardly tapered face; at least one double acting slip including a first surface for frictionally engaging said member to prevent movement of said member with respect to said first surface when the slip is in a wedged position, a second surface having an intermediate section and first and second wedging areas tapering from said intermediate section to the ends of the slip, the thickness of the slip being Greatest at said intermediate section and decreasing toward the ends, said second surface substantially complementing the face of said bowl, and said slip being disposed in said bowl so that axial movement of the member in either direction will cause the slip to be displaced until the slip is wedged between said member and said bowl to prevent further movement of said member; bearing means resiliently mounted in one of said bowl or said second surface, and the other of said bowl or second surface including a recessed area for receiving and cooperating with at least a portion of said bearing means with a camming relationship so that said bearing means applies a force that urges said slip from said wedged positions.

Claim 14

A slip assembly for preventing axial movement of a member in either direction beyond positions in which a slip is wedged between such member and a bowl, comprising, in combination: a bowl having an inwardly tapered face; at least one double acting slip including a first surface for frictionally engaging said member to prevent movement of said member with respect to said first surface when the slip is in a wedged position, a second surface having an intermediate section and first and second wedging areas tapering from said intermediate section to the ends of the slip, the thickness of the slip being Greatest at said intermediate section and decreasing toward the ends, said second surface substantially complementing the face of said bowl, and said slip being disposed in said bowl so that axial movement of the member in either direction will cause the slip to be displaced until the slip is wedged between said member and said bowl to prevent further movement of said member; bearing means resiliently mounted in one of said bowl or said second surface, and the other of said bowl or second surface including a recessed area for receiving and cooperating with at least a portion of said bearing means with a camming relationship so that said bearing means applies a force that urges said slip from said wedged positions.