Pipe handling apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa, comprising: a cable, means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and a derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced apart from and elevated above the pipe rack; two pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable, and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; a first of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to a second of said carriage means; a second of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said first carriage means; biasing means for causing said first carriage means to travel in a direction longitudinally along said cable; and means for moving said second carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable; a bucket for receiving a pipe therein; said bucket having a closure means which forms a bulkhead against which an end of the pipe can bear; means by which said bulkhead can be moved out of alignment with respect to the pipe.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 and further including a deflector means, said deflector means adapted to move said first carriage out of its normal path of travel as the carriage arrives at the derrick floor.

Claim 4

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa comprising: a cable, means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and in close proximity to the derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced from and elevated above the pipe rack; a pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said derrick floor and to said pipe rack; pilot cable means for moving said carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable so that a pipe can be placed into said pipe receiving carriage means and transported from said pipe rack to said derrick floor, and vice versa; and a deflector means located in close proximity of said derrick floor, means positioning said deflector means in the path of travel of said carriage means so that said carriage must engage said deflector means and be moved out of its normal path of travel as the carriage arrives at the derrick floor.

Claim 5

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa comprising: a cable, means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and in close proximity to the derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced from and elevated above the pipe rack; a pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said derrick floor and to said pipe rack; pilot cable means for moving said carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable so that a pipe can be placed into said pipe receiving carriage means and transported from said pipe rack to said derrick floor, and vice versa; and a deflector means located in close proximity of said derrick floor, means positioning said deflector means in the path of travel of said carriage means so that said carriage must engage said deflector means and be moved out of its normal path of travel as the carriage arrives at the derrick floor.

Claim 6

Apparatus of claim 3 and further including a bucket for receiving a pipe therein; said bucket having a closure means which forms a bulkhead against which an end of the pipe can bear; means by which said bulkhead can be moved out of alignment with respect to the pipe.

Claim 7

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa comprising: a cable, means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and in close proximity of a derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced apart from and elevated above the pipe rack; two pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; one of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to another of said carriage means; said another of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said one of said carriage means; biasing means for causing said one of said carriage means to travel in a direction longitudinally along said cable; means for movinG said another of said carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable; a bucket means affixed to one of said carriage means for receiving a pipe therein; said bucket having a closure means which forms a bulkhead against which an end of a pipe received therein can bear; and means by which said bulkhead can be moved out of axial alignment with respect to the pipe located within the bucket.

Claim 8

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa comprising: a cable, means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and in close proximity of a derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced apart from and elevated above the pipe rack; two pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; one of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to another of said carriage means; said another of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said one of said carriage means; biasing means for causing said one of said carriage means to travel in a direction longitudinally along said cable; means for movinG said another of said carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable; a bucket means affixed to one of said carriage means for receiving a pipe therein; said bucket having a closure means which forms a bulkhead against which an end of a pipe received therein can bear; and means by which said bulkhead can be moved out of axial alignment with respect to the pipe located within the bucket.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 and further including a deflector means for moving one of said carriage means out of its normal path of travel as the carriage means arrives in close proximity to the derrick floor.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for moving said second carriage means includes an endless pilot cable affixed to said second carriage means, and having a marginal portion of the length thereof substantially parallel to said portion of the length of the first recited cable which is in overlying relationship to the rack and floor.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said biasing means is a prime mover which exerts sufficient force on the first carriage to cause it to move towards the derrick floor when the pipe has been removed therefrom.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 and further including cable means connected between the first and second carriage for causing the first carriage to be moved toward the rack in response to movement of the second carriage.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for moving said second carriage means includes an endless pilot cable affixed to said second carriage means, and having a marginal portion of the length thereof substantially parallel to said portion of the length of the first recited cable which is in overlying relationship to the rack and floor; said biasing means is a prime mover which exerts sufficient force on the first carriage to cause it to move towards the derrick floor when the pipe has been removed therefrom.

Claim 14

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa, comprising: a cable, means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and a derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced apart from and elevated above the pipe rack; two pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; a first of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to a second of said carriage means; a second of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said first carriage means; biasing means for causing said first carriage means to travel in a direction longitudinally along said cable; means for moving said second carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable; and a cable means having the ends thereof affixed to said carriage means so that when one carriage is moved a predetermined spaced distance from the other of the carriages the one carriage forces the other of the carriages to move along therewith; deflector means, said deflector means adapted to move said first carriage out of its normal path of travel as the carriage arrives at the derrick floor.

Claim 15

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa, comprising: a cable, means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and a derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced apart from and elevated above the pipe rack; two pipe receiving carriage means supported by said cable and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; a first of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to a second of said carriage means; a second of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said first carriage means; biasing means for causing said first carriage means to travel in a direction longitudinally along said cable; means for moving said second carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable; and a cable means having the ends thereof affixed to said carriage means so that when one carriage is moved a predetermined spaced distance from the other of the carriages the one carriage forces the other of the carriages to move along therewith; deflector means, said deflector means adapted to move said first carriage out of its normal path of travel as the carriage arrives at the derrick floor.

Claim 16

Apparatus of claim 11 and further including a bucket means affixed to one of said carriage means for receiving a pipe therein; said bucket having a closure means which forms a bulkhead against which an end of the pipe can bear; means by which said bulkhead can be moved out of alignment respective to the pipe.

Claim 17

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa, comprising: a cable means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and a derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced apart from and elevated above the pipe rack; two pipe receiving carriage meAns supported by said cable and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; a first of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to a second of said carriage means; a second of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said first carriage means; biasing means for causing said first carriage means to travel in a direction longitudinally along said cable; means for moving said second carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable; and a cable means having the ends thereof affixed to said carriage means so that when one carriage is moved a predetermined spaced distance from the other of the carriages, the one carriage forces the other of the carriages to move along therewith; a bucket for receiving pipe therein; said bucket having a closure means which forms a bulkhead against which an end of the pipe can bear; means by which said bulkhead can be moved out of alignment with respect to the pipe.

Claim 18

Apparatus for transporting pipe from a derrick floor to a pipe rack and vice versa, comprising: a cable means affixed to opposed end portions of said cable for longitudinally disposing a portion of the length of the cable in overlying relationship with respect to a pipe rack and a derrick floor wherein the derrick floor is spaced apart from and elevated above the pipe rack; two pipe receiving carriage meAns supported by said cable and slidably disposed for movement longitudinally along said cable; a first of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to a second of said carriage means; a second of said carriage means being movable relative to said cable and to said first carriage means; biasing means for causing said first carriage means to travel in a direction longitudinally along said cable; means for moving said second carriage means in a first and a second direction along said cable; and a cable means having the ends thereof affixed to said carriage means so that when one carriage is moved a predetermined spaced distance from the other of the carriages, the one carriage forces the other of the carriages to move along therewith; a bucket for receiving pipe therein; said bucket having a closure means which forms a bulkhead against which an end of the pipe can bear; means by which said bulkhead can be moved out of alignment with respect to the pipe.