Apparatus for suspending and spinning pipe

Claim 2

A pipe supporting spinner for travelling along a vertical rail system in a derrick and supporting and spinning a heavy pipe comprising: a travelling frame including means for guiding engagement with a vertical guide rail; a U-shaped support block; means for mounting the support block in the frame for pivoting about a horizontal axis transverse to the opening of the U; an actuator for controllably pivoting the support block between a first position with the opening of the U facing horizontally and a second position with the opening of the U tilted upwardly; a thrust bearing on top of the support block for receiving the weight of the pipe and permitting free rotation thereof; means on the support block for releasably securing a pipe in the opening of the U transverse to the pivot axis; and means on the support block for engaging the outside of a pipe and imparting axial rotation thereto.

Claim 3

A pipe supporting spinner as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for alternatively opening the thrust bearing for receiving a pipe in the opening of the U and closing the thrust bearing for supporting the weight of a pipe.

Claim 4

A pipe supporting spinner as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for securing comprises: a pair of bell cranks pivotally mounted on the support block; an idler roller on one arm of each bell crank for engaging the outside of the pipe; and a hydraulic actuator connected to the other arm of each bell crank for pivoting it between an open position clearing the U-shaped opening and a closed position with the roller in engagement with a pipe in the U-shaped opening.

Claim 5

A pipe supporting spinner as defined in claim 1 further comprising: an arcuate track on each side of the support block; and a pair of rollers on the support frame engaging the track, the arcuate track having a radius of curvature equal to the distance between the rollers and the pivot axis, for guiding the support block during pivoting.

Claim 6

A pipe supporting spinner as defined in claim 4 wherein the means for mounting the support block comprises: a pair of axially aligned spaced apart rollers on the travelling frame; and straight tracks on either side of the support block engaging the respective rollers, said actuator also being movable for retracting the support block as guided by the straight track engaging said rollers.

Claim 7

A pipe supporting spinner as defined in claim 1 wherein the actuator for controllably pivoting comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; means for pivotally mounting the hydraulic cylinder on the frame; and a piston rod in the cylinder having an end connected to the support block and movable between an intermediate position with the support block horizontal, an extended position with the support block tilted, and a retracted position with the support block retracted into the frame.

Claim 8

A pipe supporting and hoisting arrangement comprising: a hoisting derrick having a vertical center line; a weight carrying travelling block in the derrick; vertically extending guide rails in the derrick; a generally horizontal travelling frame engaging the guide rails for vertical travel in the derrick; a U-shaped support block for supporting the weight of a pipe; means for pivotally mounting the support block in the travelling frame for pivoting about a horizontal axis, said means piVotally mounting the support block in the travelling frame including means for supporting the support block for movement of the axis of pivot laterally in a horizontal plane relative to the vertically travelling frame; load carrying means extending between the travelling block and the travelling frame for raising and lowering the travelling frame; and drive means mounted on the travelling frame and engaging the U-shaped support block for moving the support block between any of three positions relative to the travelling frame, said three positions comprising: a. a tilted position with the U-shaped opening facing upwardly for supporting the weight of an inclined piece of pipe; b. a horizontal position on the center line of the derrick for supporting the weight of a vertically extending pipe; and c. a retracted position withdrawn horizontally from the center line of the derrick for clearing a pipe on the center line.

Claim 9

A pipe supporting and hoisting arrangement comprising: a hoisting derrick having a vertical center line; a weight carrying travelling block in the derrick; vertically extending guide rails in the derrick; a generally horizontal travelling frame engaging the guide rails for vertical travel in the derrick; a U-shaped support block for supporting the weight of a pipe; means for pivotally mounting the support block in the travelling frame for pivoting about a horizontal axis, said means piVotally mounting the support block in the travelling frame including means for supporting the support block for movement of the axis of pivot laterally in a horizontal plane relative to the vertically travelling frame; load carrying means extending between the travelling block and the travelling frame for raising and lowering the travelling frame; and drive means mounted on the travelling frame and engaging the U-shaped support block for moving the support block between any of three positions relative to the travelling frame, said three positions comprising: a. a tilted position with the U-shaped opening facing upwardly for supporting the weight of an inclined piece of pipe; b. a horizontal position on the center line of the derrick for supporting the weight of a vertically extending pipe; and c. a retracted position withdrawn horizontally from the center line of the derrick for clearing a pipe on the center line.

Claim 10

A pipe supporting and hoisting arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein the means for moving comprises: a hydraulic cylinder; means for mounting the hydraulic cylinder on the travelling frame; and a piston rod in the cylinder having an end connected to the support block and movable between an extended position with the support block tilted, an intermediate position with the support block horizontal on the center line, and a retracted position with the support block retracted.

Claim 11

A pipe supporting and hoisting arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein the travelling frame is generally U-shaped with the opening of the U facing horizontally in the same direction as the U-shaped opening in the support block.

Claim 12

A pipe supporting and hoisting arrangement as defined in claim 7 further comprising means on the support block for engaging the outside of a pipe supported thereby and imparting axial rotation thereto.

Claim 13

A pipe supporting and hoisting arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein the means for pivotally mounting comprises: a first pair of coaxial rollers on the travelling frame, the axis of the rollers being the horizontal axis and intersecting the vertical center line; a second pair of coaxial rollers on the travelling frame parallel to the first set of rollers and spaced apart therefrom; and an arcuate track on each side of the support block engaging respective ones of the second pair of rollers for guiding tilting of the support block.

Claim 14

A pipe supporting and hoisting arrangement as defined in claim 11 further comprising a horizontal track on each side of the support block engaging respective ones of the first and second pairs of rollers for guiding retraction of the support block.

Claim 15

A pipe supporting and hoisting arrangement as defined in claim 7 further comprising: an upwardly facing thrust bearing on the support block for supporting a flange thrust bearing on the support block for supporting a flange on a vertically extending pipe in the horizontal position of the support block; and means for alternatively opening the thrust bearing for receiving a pipe in the opening of the U and closing the thrust bearing for supporting the weight of a pipe.