Endless cable way for transporting pipe

Claim 2

Method of transporting pipe between spaced apart first and second locations comprising the steps of: 1. roving an endless cable between spaced apart cable receiving pulleys with at least part of the length of the cable being disposed in overhanging relationship with respect to the first and second spaced apart locations; 2. supporting spaced apart pipe receiving carriages on said cable wherein one of said carriages is affixed to the cable and another of said carriages is movable relative to the cable and to said one of said carriages; 3. controlling the tension in said cable so as to vertically position the carriages with respect to one of the spaced apart locations; 4. moving said cable in a direction longitudinally of itself so as to cause said one of said carriages to move in a direction longitudinally of the cable; whereby: a pipe can be placed within the spaced apart pipe receiving carriages and transported from one to the other of said spaced apart locations.

Claim 3

Method of transporting pipe between spaced apart first and second locations comprising the steps of:

Claim 4

Method of transporting pipe between spaced apart first and second locations comprising the steps of:

Claim 5

roving an endless cable between spaced apart cable receiving pulleys with at least part of the length of the cable being disposed in overhanging relationship with respect to the first and second spaced apart locations;

Claim 6

roving an endless cable between spaced apart cable receiving pulleys with at least part of the length of the cable being disposed in overhanging relationship with respect to the first and second spaced apart locations;

Claim 7

suspending an intermediate length of an endless cable in overhanging relationship with respect to the rack and floor;

Claim 8

suspending an intermediate length of an endless cable in overhanging relationship with respect to the rack and floor;

Claim 9

Method of transporting pipe between a pipe rack and a derrick floor comprising the steps of:

Claim 10

Method of transporting pipe between a pipe rack and a derrick floor comprising the steps of:

Claim 11

supporting spaced apart pipe receiving carriages on said cable wherein one of said carriages is affixed to the cable and another of said carriages is movable relative to the cable and to said one of said carriages;

Claim 12

supporting spaced apart pipe receiving carriages on said cable wherein one of said carriages is affixed to the cable and another of said carriages is movable relative to the cable and to said one of said carriages;

Claim 13

movably supporting a first pipe receiving carriage on the intermediate length of cable;

Claim 14

movably supporting a first pipe receiving carriage on the intermediate length of cable;

Claim 15

controlling the tension in said cable so as to vertically position the carriages with respect to one of the spaced apart locations;

Claim 16

controlling the tension in said cable so as to vertically position the carriages with respect to one of the spaced apart locations;

Claim 17

attaching a second pipe receiving carriage to the cable at a location which is within said intermediate length;

Claim 18

attaching a second pipe receiving carriage to the cable at a location which is within said intermediate length;

Claim 19

The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second carriages are each supported by two oppositely moving marginal lengths of the cable.

Claim 20

The method of claim 1 wherein the tension in the cable is controlled by elongating or shortening said intermediate length thereof.

Claim 21

raising or lowering the carriages when the carriages are in overlying position respective of the rack by controlling the tension in said cable to thereby enable pipe to be received by or discharged from said carriages;

Claim 22

raising or lowering the carriages when the carriages are in overlying position respective of the rack by controlling the tension in said cable to thereby enable pipe to be received by or discharged from said carriages;

Claim 23

moving said cable in a direction longitudinally of itself so as to cause said one of said carriages to move in a direction longitudinally of the cable; whereby: a pipe can be placed within the spaced apart pipe receiving carriages and transported from one to the other of said spaced apart locations.

Claim 24

moving said cable in a direction longitudinally of itself so as to cause said one of said carriages to move in a direction longitudinally of the cable; whereby: a pipe can be placed within the spaced apart pipe receiving carriages and transported from one to the other of said spaced apart locations.

Claim 25

moving said cable in a direction longitudinally of said intermediate length to enable a joint of pipe to be transported between the floor and rack;

Claim 26

moving said cable in a direction longitudinally of said intermediate length to enable a joint of pipe to be transported between the floor and rack;

Claim 27

The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second carriages are each supported by one of two oppositely moving marginal lengths of the cable.

Claim 28

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack, and vice versa, comprising: an endless cable, a pulley, a cable drum, means mounting said pulley and said drum in spaced apart relationship with said endless cable being rove about the pulley and drum so as to enable the cable to be moved relative to the pulley and drum, said meAns mounting said pulley and drum adapted to position said cable with at least an intermediate portion thereof being disposed in overlying relationship with respect to the rack and in close proximity of the floor; a first pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable, a second pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable, one of said carriage means being affixed to said cable to move therewith; one of said carriage means being movable with respect to the cable and to the carriage means which is affixed to the cable; means for controlling the tension in said cable to thereby control the vertical height of the carriages relative to the pipe rack; whereby: pipe can be placed into or removed from the carriages at the rack or the floor to enable it to be transported to and from the derrick.

Claim 29

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack, and vice versa, comprising: an endless cable, a pulley, a cable drum, means mounting said pulley and said drum in spaced apart relationship with said endless cable being rove about the pulley and drum so as to enable the cable to be moved relative to the pulley and drum, said meAns mounting said pulley and drum adapted to position said cable with at least an intermediate portion thereof being disposed in overlying relationship with respect to the rack and in close proximity of the floor; a first pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable, a second pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable, one of said carriage means being affixed to said cable to move therewith; one of said carriage means being movable with respect to the cable and to the carriage means which is affixed to the cable; means for controlling the tension in said cable to thereby control the vertical height of the carriages relative to the pipe rack; whereby: pipe can be placed into or removed from the carriages at the rack or the floor to enable it to be transported to and from the derrick.

Claim 30

receiving and delivering pipe from the derrick floor by removing pipe from or placing pipe into the first and second carriages.

Claim 31

receiving and delivering pipe from the derrick floor by removing pipe from or placing pipe into the first and second carriages.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the endless cable forms two spaced apart oppositely moving cable lengths; said carriages each being supported by one of said two spaced apart cable lengths.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said cable drum is provided with means by which it can be moved towards and away from said pulley to thereby control the tension in said cable.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 6, and further including means for moving said one of said carriage means which is movable with respect to the cable.

Claim 35

The method of claim 1 wherein the recited tension in the cable is controlled by elongating or shortening said part of the length of the cable which is disposed in overhanging relationship respective to the first and second spaced apart locations.

Claim 36

The method of claim 1 wherein step (3) is carried out by moving said spaced apart pulleys towards or away from one another.

Claim 37

The method of claim 1 wherein one of the pulleys of step (1) is in the form of a cable drum and step (3) is carried out by roving the cable over a third pair of pulleys placed intermediate of the first recited spaced apart pulleys, so that the tension in the cable as set forth in step (3) can be controlled by moving the relative position of the pulley placed intermediate of the first recited spaced apart pulleys respective to the remaining pulley and cable drum.

Claim 38

The method of claim 2 wherein step (1) is carried out by roving the endless cable about a pulley and a cable drum with the pulley being spaced apart from the cable drum, and further including carrying out step (4) by supportingly engaging the cable intermediate the pulley and the cable drum and moving said intermediate length of said endless cable toward or away from the pipe rack.

Claim 39

The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second carriages are each supported by two oppositely moving marginal lengths of the cable.

Claim 40

The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second carriages are each supported by one of two oppositely moving marginal lengths of the cable.