Patent US3776320A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3776320A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotating drive assembly
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-12-23
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1991-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A rotating drive assembly which may be supported on a vertically movable traveling block suspended in a well derrick. The drive assembly may comprise an elevator assembly adapted for nonthreaded engagement with a tubular member, for handling and transmitting torque thereto, and a power source connected to the elevator assembly for rotation thereof. The elevator assembly may comprise a tubular housing having a longitudinal section removed therefrom to provide a side opening whereby the tubular member may be laterally placed in the housing for substantially coaxial alignment therewith. A set of arcuate shoes having teeth thereon may be mounted in the housing. The shoes and housing may be provided with cooperable cam devices for camming the shoe teeth into tight gripping engagement with the tubular member upon rotation of the housing in either direction relative to the tubular member. The rotating drive assembly may also comprise a threaded drive member between the elevator assembly and power source for threaded engagement with threads on one end of tubular members to be driven by said rotating drive assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 C Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:15
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B19/00; E21B19/02; E21B19/06; E21B19/07; E21B19/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A rotary drive assembly for rotating tubular members comprising: a. support means for supporting said drive assembly; b. power means carried by said support means for producing rotary motion; c. drive connector means carried by said support means and connected to said power means and adapted for engagement with a tubular member for transmitting torque thereto; d. elevator means included with said drive connector means comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal section removed therefrom to form a side opening whereby said tubular member may be laterally placed in said housing for substantially coaxial alignment therewith; and e. gripping means mounted in said housing and adapted for movement into and out of gripping engagement with said tubular member in accordance with the direction of rotation of said drive connector means by said power means, said gripping means comprising a set of arcuate shoes, having teeth thereon for said gripping engagement with said tubular member, said shoes and said housing being provided with cooperable cam means for camming said teeth into tight gripping engagement with said tubular member upon rotation of said housing in either direction relative to said tubular member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A rotary drive assembly for rotating tubular members comprising: a. support means for supporting said drive assembly; b. power means carried by said support means for producing rotary motion; c. drive connector means carried by said support means and connected to said power means and adapted for engagement with a tubular member for transmitting torque thereto; d. elevator means included with said drive connector means comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal section removed therefrom to form a side opening whereby said tubular member may be laterally placed in said housing for substantially coaxial alignment therewith; and e. gripping means mounted in said housing and adapted for movement into and out of gripping engagement with said tubular member in accordance with the direction of rotation of said drive connector means by said power means, said gripping means comprising a set of arcuate shoes, having teeth thereon for said gripping engagement with said tubular member, said shoes and said housing being provided with cooperable cam means for camming said teeth into tight gripping engagement with said tubular member upon rotation of said housing in either direction relative to said tubular member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
A rotary drive assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said cam means comprises arcuate recesses radially disposed in the walls of said housing and roller means attached to said shoes for longitudinal disposition in said arcuate recesses whereby said shoes are rockably mounted on said roller means for camming movement into said tight gripping engagement with said tubular member on the arcuate movement of said roller means along said arcuate recesses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A rotary drive assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said teeth on said shoes comprise a pair of longitudinally disposed tooth members between which are mounted a drag spring engageable with said tubular member on said rotation of said housing in either direction to ensure said camming of said teeth into said tight gripping engagement with said tubular member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A rotary drive assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said elevator means comprises latch means connected to said housing movable from a first position, allowing lateral entry of said tubular member through said side opening, to a second position, blocking lateral movement of said tubular member through said side opening.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
A rotary drive assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said drive connector means comprises a threaded drive member between said elevator means and said power means, said elevator means being axially movable along said tubular member to allow threaded engagement of said threaded drive member with threads on one end of said tubular member for transmitting said torque thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
182 words
A rotating drive assembly for rotating tubular members comprising: a. support means for supporting said drive assembly; b. elevator means carried by said support means and adapted for non-threaded engagement with a tubular member to transmit torque thereto, said elevator means comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal section removed therefrom to provide a side opening whereby said tubular member may be laterally placed in said housing for substantially coaxial alignment therewith; c. power means connected to said elevator means for rotation thereof to apply said torque to said tubular member; and d. gripping means mounted in said housing and adapted for movement into and out of gripping engagement with said tubular member in accordance with the direction of rotation of said elevator means, said gripping means comprising a set of arcuate shoe members having teeth thereon for said gripping engagement with said tubular member, said shoe members and said housing being provided with cam means cooperable upon rotation of said housing in either direction, relative to said tubUlar member, to cam said teeth into tight gripping engagement with said tubular member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
182 words
A rotating drive assembly for rotating tubular members comprising: a. support means for supporting said drive assembly; b. elevator means carried by said support means and adapted for non-threaded engagement with a tubular member to transmit torque thereto, said elevator means comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal section removed therefrom to provide a side opening whereby said tubular member may be laterally placed in said housing for substantially coaxial alignment therewith; c. power means connected to said elevator means for rotation thereof to apply said torque to said tubular member; and d. gripping means mounted in said housing and adapted for movement into and out of gripping engagement with said tubular member in accordance with the direction of rotation of said elevator means, said gripping means comprising a set of arcuate shoe members having teeth thereon for said gripping engagement with said tubular member, said shoe members and said housing being provided with cam means cooperable upon rotation of said housing in either direction, relative to said tubUlar member, to cam said teeth into tight gripping engagement with said tubular member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 6 characterized by arcuate shoulder means carried by said housing engageable with larger diameter portions of said tubular member to support said tubular member on said elevator means even when teeth are not engaging said tubular member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 7 in which said arcuate shoulder means comprises a horseshoe shaped collar member with a lateral side opening therethrough mounted on rollers for limited rotation relative to said housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 8 in which said arcuate shoe members ride on said collar member, said collar member and said shoe members being provided with engaging lug and slot means cooperating to maintain radial alignment of said shoe members relative to each other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
75 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 9 in which said teeth on said shoe members comprise a pair of toothed key members longitudinally disposed in key slots in said shoe members, a drag spring being mounted between said pair of key members adapted for engagement with said tubular member on rotation of said housing in either direction to ensure camming of said teeth into said tight gripping engagement with said tubular member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 9 in which said elevator means comprises latch means connected to said housing and movable from a first position, blocking lateral entry or exit of said tubular member through said side openings in said housing and collar member, to a second position, permitting lateral entry or exit through said side openings.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 11 in which said latch means is provided with camming means engageable with said collar member on movement from said first position to said second position to radially align said collar member side opening with said housing side opening.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 11 in which said support means comprises a vertically movable traveling block suspended in a derrick.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 13 and a threaded drive member carried by said support means and connected to said power means, said elevator means being axially movable along said tubular member to allow threaded engagement of said threaded drive member with threads on one end of said tubular member for transmitting torque thereto.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 14 in which said elevator means is connected to said threaded drive member by swingable connection means whereby the axis of said elevator means may be inclined relative to the vertical.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 6 in which said cam means comprises arcuate recesses radially disposed in the walls of said housing, a portion of said shoe members being disposed in said arcuate recesses for engagement with the walls thereof whereby rotation of said housing relative to said shoe members forces said shoe members into said tight gripping engagement with said tubular member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
A rotating drive assembly as set forth in claim 16 in which the said portion of said shoe members disposed in said arcuate recesses comprises a pair of coaxially aligned rollers and shaft about the axes of which said shoe members pivot for rocking movement into said tight gripping engagement with said tubular member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
125 words
A rotary drive assembly for handling a cylindrical member comprising: a. means for moving said assembly vertically; b. elevator means carried by and pivotable relative to said assembly; c. powering means included in said assembly for rotating said elevator means; d. gripping means carried by said elevator means and selectively engagable with said cylindrical member for imparting rotary motion from said elevator means to said cylindrical member; e. force increasing means for increasing the Radially directed gripping force exerted by said gripping means as the forces tending to resist rotation of said cylindrical member increase; and f. access means included in said elevator means for operatively engaging said cylindrical member by movement of said elevator means laterally relative to the axis of said cylindrical member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
125 words
A rotary drive assembly for handling a cylindrical member comprising: a. means for moving said assembly vertically; b. elevator means carried by and pivotable relative to said assembly; c. powering means included in said assembly for rotating said elevator means; d. gripping means carried by said elevator means and selectively engagable with said cylindrical member for imparting rotary motion from said elevator means to said cylindrical member; e. force increasing means for increasing the Radially directed gripping force exerted by said gripping means as the forces tending to resist rotation of said cylindrical member increase; and f. access means included in said elevator means for operatively engaging said cylindrical member by movement of said elevator means laterally relative to the axis of said cylindrical member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein: a. said elevator means includes housing means; and b. said gripping means is carried within said housing means and includes actuating means for moving said gripping means radially in response to relative circumferential movement between said gripping means and said housing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
57 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 19 further including latch means for selectively opening or closing said access means for permitting acquisition or release of said cylindrical member by said elevator means when said access means is open or for retaining said member in engagement with said elevator means when said access means is closed.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein: a. said access means includes lateral opening means in said housing means; and b. said latch means includes dual latch elements pivotably secured to said housing means and operable to swing into a position blocking or opening said lateral opening means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 20 further including latch powering means for moving said latch means to the positions opening or closing said access means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
104 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 22 further including: a. positive return means for positively retracting said gripping means from a radially inward position to a radially outward position where said cylindrical member is released by said gripping means; b. drag producing means for temporarily holding said gripping means substantially stationary relative to said cylindrical member whereby rotation of said elevator means relative to said member produces an initial relative rotational movement between said gripping means and said housing means; and c. drive connector means carried by said assembly and selectively engagable with said cylindrical member for imparting movement to said member.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
51 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 23 wherein: a. said access means includes lateral opening means in said housing means; and b. said latch means includes dual latch elements pivotably secured to said housing means and operable to swing into a position blocking or opening said lateral opening means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 19 further including positive return means for positively retracting said gripping means from a radially inward position to a radially outward position where said cylindrical member is released by said gripping means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
51 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 19 further including drag producing means for temporarily holding said gripping means substantially stationary relative to said cylindrical member whereby rotation of said elevator means relative to said member produces an initial relative rotational movement between said gripping means and said housing means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 26 wherein said drag producing means includes resilient spring means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 18 further including drive connector means carried by said assembly and selectively engagable with said cylindrical member for imparting movement to said member.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
A rotary drive assembly as defined in claim 28 wherein said drive connector means includes a threaded cylindrical drive stem having means for threaded engagement with said cylindrical member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |