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US3768579A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Drill pipe breakout mechanism

Assignee: Robbins Co
•
Filing: 1971-12-27
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Granted: 1973-10-30
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Expires: 1991-12-27
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Abstract

Abstract First and second collar like wrench members having radially outwardly directed peripheral teeth are respectively locatable about a turning wrench flat region of an upper section of drill type and a holding wrench flat region of the next lower section of drill pipe. The lower wrench member is held by a holding wrench having inwardly directing teeth for engaging complementary teeth on the holding wrench member. A drill head includes a breakout wrench having radially inwardly directed teeth which are engageable with the teeth on the upper wrench member. The upper section of pipe is thread connected to a collet internally of the drill head which is free to float axially relative to the breakout wrench on the drill head. The collet is spline connected to the drill head so that it rotates along with the drill head. The axial float permits the drill head to be hydraulically raised and lowered relative to the collet. The drill head is raised to provide room below the breakout wrench for installation of the upper wrench member, and is lowered to bring the teeth of the breakout wrench into engagement with the teeth of the upper wrench member. The collet is supported within the drill head for sideways pivotal movement in all directions, so that bending stresses are not transmitted from the drill pipe to the rotary drive mechanism for the drill head.

Inventors

  • 👤 H Klein

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 18:46
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B19/00; E21B19/16; E21B19/167

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 294 words
Drilling apparatus comprising: a rotary drill head comprising an inner portion including a threaded tool joint component, an outer portion surrounding said inner portion and including a circular array of teeth, and means coupling said inner and outer portions together for joint rotation but permitting relative axial movement of such portions; a drill pipe member including a complementary threaded tool joint component at an end thereof, for mating with the threaded drill pipe component of the drill head, and exterior wrench surface means spaced axially inwardly of said member from said threaded tool joint component; a wrench member installable onto said drill pipe member, in at least a partially surrounding relationship thereto, said wrench member including an inner part engageable with the wrench surface means on the drill pipe member, and an outer portion including teeth engageable with the teeth on the drill head; and with the means coupling the inner and outer portions of the drill head together permitting sufficient relative axial movement that the threaded tool joint component of the drill head can be moved relatively axially outwardly of the drive head a sufficient amount to place the wrench surface means of the drill pipe member where the said wrench member can be secured thereto, and can be moved relatively axially inwardly a sufficient amount to place the teeth on the wrench member into engagement with the teeth on the outer portion of the drill head, so that the drill head can be rotated in a direction which would tend to cause loosening of the threaded tool joint and rotational torque would be transferred from the drill head through the teeth on the drill head to the teeth on the wrench member and from the wrench member to the drill pipe member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 294 words
Drilling apparatus comprising: a rotary drill head comprising an inner portion including a threaded tool joint component, an outer portion surrounding said inner portion and including a circular array of teeth, and means coupling said inner and outer portions together for joint rotation but permitting relative axial movement of such portions; a drill pipe member including a complementary threaded tool joint component at an end thereof, for mating with the threaded drill pipe component of the drill head, and exterior wrench surface means spaced axially inwardly of said member from said threaded tool joint component; a wrench member installable onto said drill pipe member, in at least a partially surrounding relationship thereto, said wrench member including an inner part engageable with the wrench surface means on the drill pipe member, and an outer portion including teeth engageable with the teeth on the drill head; and with the means coupling the inner and outer portions of the drill head together permitting sufficient relative axial movement that the threaded tool joint component of the drill head can be moved relatively axially outwardly of the drive head a sufficient amount to place the wrench surface means of the drill pipe member where the said wrench member can be secured thereto, and can be moved relatively axially inwardly a sufficient amount to place the teeth on the wrench member into engagement with the teeth on the outer portion of the drill head, so that the drill head can be rotated in a direction which would tend to cause loosening of the threaded tool joint and rotational torque would be transferred from the drill head through the teeth on the drill head to the teeth on the wrench member and from the wrench member to the drill pipe member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 104 words
Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drilling apparatus includes a support frame for the rotary drill head and means for moving said support frame axially during the drilling operation, and the outer portion of the drill head is fixed in position axially with respect to said frame, wherein said inner portion of the drill head is generally tubular and comprises an outboard end portion which includes said threaded tool joint component and an inboard portion which is exteriorly splined, and the outer portion of the drill head includes complementary splines having spaces between them for receiving the splines of the inner portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 64 words
Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner part of the wrench member is sized to make a loose enough engagement with the wrench surface means that the wrench member, when it is on said drill pipe member, can be moved circumferentially an amount at least about equal to the circumferential width of a tooth on the drill head or the wrench member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 49 words
Drilling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the entrance portions of the teeth on at least one of the drill head and wrench member are shaped to upon relative axial movement cause a camming of the two sets of teeth into engagement in the event of an initial misalignment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 235 words
Drilling apparatus for use with a drill pipe member having at one end thereof a threaded tool joint component connectible to a complementary threaded tool joint component carried by a rotary drive head, at its opposite end a threaded tool joint component connectible to a complementary threaded tool joint component on another drill pipe member, and between its ends an exterior wrench surface means, wrenching means comprising: a wrench including a central opening substantially larger in diameter than the drill pipe member, and a circular array of radially inwardly directed teeth at least partially surrounding said opening; and a wrench member installable onto the drill pipe member in at least a partially surrounding relationship thereto, said wrench member including an inner part engageable with the wrench surface means on the drill pipe member, and a outer portion including radially outwardly directed teeth engageable with the teeth on said wrench, with the inner part of the wrench member being sized to make a loose enough engagement with the wrench surface means so that the wrench member, when it is on said drill pipe member, is free to move circumferentially an amount at least about equal to the circumferential width of a tooth on the wrench or the wrench member, so that the teetH on said wrench member can be moved into substantial engagement with the teeth on said wrench without rotation of the drill pipe member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 235 words
Drilling apparatus for use with a drill pipe member having at one end thereof a threaded tool joint component connectible to a complementary threaded tool joint component carried by a rotary drive head, at its opposite end a threaded tool joint component connectible to a complementary threaded tool joint component on another drill pipe member, and between its ends an exterior wrench surface means, wrenching means comprising: a wrench including a central opening substantially larger in diameter than the drill pipe member, and a circular array of radially inwardly directed teeth at least partially surrounding said opening; and a wrench member installable onto the drill pipe member in at least a partially surrounding relationship thereto, said wrench member including an inner part engageable with the wrench surface means on the drill pipe member, and a outer portion including radially outwardly directed teeth engageable with the teeth on said wrench, with the inner part of the wrench member being sized to make a loose enough engagement with the wrench surface means so that the wrench member, when it is on said drill pipe member, is free to move circumferentially an amount at least about equal to the circumferential width of a tooth on the wrench or the wrench member, so that the teetH on said wrench member can be moved into substantial engagement with the teeth on said wrench without rotation of the drill pipe member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 57 words
Drilling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the entrance portions of the teeth on at least one of the wrench or the wrench member are shaped to upon relative axial movement cause a camming of the two sets of teeth into engagement in the event of an initial misalignment, attended by circumferential movement of the wrench member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
Drilling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said wrench is a holding wrench which is secured to a worktable portion of a drilling machine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
Drilling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said wrench is a turning wrench which is secured to and rotates with a drill head portion of a drilling machine.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 49 words
Drilling apparatus according to claim 5, comprising both a turning wrench of the type described which is secured to and rotates with a drill head portion of a drilling machine and a holding wrench of the type described which is secured to a worktable portion of a drilling machine.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2758493A Cited
US3446284A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-10-29 1977-04-30 1977-10-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-10-29 1981-04-30 1981-10-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-10-29 1985-04-30 1985-10-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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