Lifting apparatus for down-hole tubulars

Claim 2

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a parallel to the tower, said boom including a clamp for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: a support member mounted to the tower; a bolt slidably mounted to the support member and movable between a first position, in which the bolt is retracted toward the support member, and a second position, in which the bolt is extended away from the support member on the side of the tower facing the boom; means for locking the bolt in the second position; a blocking member mounted to the boom and aligned with the bolt such that the bolt substantially abuts the blocking member when the boom is in the vertical position substantially parallel to the tower; said support member, bolt, and blocking member positioned to provide a safety frame between the boom and the tower at a level adapted to restrain the movement of vertically positioned down-hole tubulars between the tower, the boom, and the frame.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 wherein the support member is a sleeve.

Claim 4

The improvement of claim 2 wherein the locking means includes a slot in the sleeve and a projecting arm on the bolt which extends through the slot.

Claim 5

The improvement of claim 1 or 2 wherein the bolt, when in the first position, retracts toward the support member such that the bolt does not extend substantially beyond the edge of the tower nearest the boom.

Claim 6

The improvement of claim 1 or 2 wherein the blocking member is an annular member aligned such that the bolt, when locked in the second position, fits into the blocking member when the boom is in the vertical position to align the boom with respect to the tower and to transmit torque from the boom to the tower.

Claim 7

The improvement of claim 1 or 2 further including means for defining a stop position for the boom such that the vertical position of the boom is precisely controlled to align down-hole tubulars clamped in the boom with a pre-determined vertical axis.

Claim 8

The improvement of claim 6 wherein the means for defining a stop position includes shock absorbing means for reducing the peak acceleration of the boom when the boom reaches the stop position such that peak loads applied to the tower in stopping upward movement of the boom are reduced.

Claim 9

The improvement of claim 7 wherein the shock absorbing means comprises a resilient member positioned to be interposed between the support member and the blocking member when the boom is in the vertical position.

Claim 10

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars, and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a horizontal position and a vertical position, substantially parallel to the tower, said boom including a clamp for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: a sleeve mounted to the tower; a bolt slidably positioned in the sleeve and movable between a first position, in which the bolt is retracted into the sleeve, and a second position, in which the bolt is extended out of the sleeve on the side of the tower facing the boom; means for locking the bolt in the second position; and an annular receiving member mounted to the boom and aligned with the bolt such that the bolt fits within the receiving member when the boom is in the vertical position substantially parallel to the tower; said bolt, sleeve, and receiving member positioned to provide a safety frame between the boom and the tower positioned at a level adapted to restrain the movement of vertically positioned down-hole tubulars between the tower, the boom, and the frame, said receiving member and bolt cooperating to align the boom with respect to the tower and to transmit torque from the boom to the tower.

Claim 11

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars, and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a horizontal position and a vertical position, substantially parallel to the tower, said boom including a clamp for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: a sleeve mounted to the tower; a bolt slidably positioned in the sleeve and movable between a first position, in which the bolt is retracted into the sleeve, and a second position, in which the bolt is extended out of the sleeve on the side of the tower facing the boom; means for locking the bolt in the second position; and an annular receiving member mounted to the boom and aligned with the bolt such that the bolt fits within the receiving member when the boom is in the vertical position substantially parallel to the tower; said bolt, sleeve, and receiving member positioned to provide a safety frame between the boom and the tower positioned at a level adapted to restrain the movement of vertically positioned down-hole tubulars between the tower, the boom, and the frame, said receiving member and bolt cooperating to align the boom with respect to the tower and to transmit torque from the boom to the tower.

Claim 12

The improvement of claim 9 wherein the locking means includes a slot in the sleeve and a projecting arm on the bolt which extends through the slot.

Claim 13

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars, and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a horizontal position and a vertical position, substantially parallel to the tower, said boom including upper and lower clamps for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: means for rotatably mounting the clamps on the boom so as to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the boom; a safety plate mounted to the boom aligned to prevent a clamped down-hole tubular from slipping longitudinally in the clamp beyond said safety plate as the boom moves between the horizontal and vertical positions when the clamp is in a first position, said safety plate positioned to prevent the clamped tubular from slipping out of the upper clamp; means for rotating the clamps between the first position, in which the clamped tubular is aligned with the safety plate, and a second position, in which the clamped tubular is moved out of alignment with the safety plate and into alignment with the drilling axis of the rig when the boom is in the vertical position; and means for automatically controlling the rotating means such that the clamps are automatically rotated into the first position whenever a down-hole tubular is being held in the clamp and the boom is being pivoted between the horizontal and vertical position.

Claim 14

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars, and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a horizontal position and a vertical position, substantially parallel to the tower, said boom including upper and lower clamps for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: means for rotatably mounting the clamps on the boom so as to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the boom; a safety plate mounted to the boom aligned to prevent a clamped down-hole tubular from slipping longitudinally in the clamp beyond said safety plate as the boom moves between the horizontal and vertical positions when the clamp is in a first position, said safety plate positioned to prevent the clamped tubular from slipping out of the upper clamp; means for rotating the clamps between the first position, in which the clamped tubular is aligned with the safety plate, and a second position, in which the clamped tubular is moved out of alignment with the safety plate and into alignment with the drilling axis of the rig when the boom is in the vertical position; and means for automatically controlling the rotating means such that the clamps are automatically rotated into the first position whenever a down-hole tubular is being held in the clamp and the boom is being pivoted between the horizontal and vertical position.

Claim 15

The improvement of claim 11 wherein each of the clamps defines a respective loading axis along which tubulars are moved as they are loaded into the clamps and the clamps are aligned such that, with the clamps rotated to the first position and the boom in the horizontal position, the loading axes are oriented substantially horizontally to facilitate loading and unloading the clamps.

Claim 16

The improvement of claim 12 wherein the second clamp position is rotated by about 90 degrees with respect to the first clamp position.

Claim 17

The improvement of claim 11 further including means for capturing a clamped tubular between the tower and the boom when the boom is in the vertical position such that a barrier is created between the boom and the tower which acts to positively prevent a vertical tubular from falling away from the tower.

Claim 18

The improvement of claim 14 wherein the capturing means includes a sleeve mounted on the tower, a bolt slidably mounted in the sleeve, means for locking the bolt in an extended position in which the bolt protrudes from the sleeve towards the boom, and an annular receiving member mounted to the boom to receive the bolt when the boom is in the vertical position.

Claim 19

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars, and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a horizontal position and a vertical position, substantially parallel to the tower, said boom including a clamp for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: means for rotatably mounting the clamp on the boom so as to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the boom; means for rotating the clamp between a first position in which the clamp is oriented with its loading axis aligned in a substantially horizontal direction when the boom is in the horizontal position to facilitate loading and unloading the clamp, and a second position in which the clamp is oriented to align a clamped tubular with the drilling axis of the rig when the boom is in the vertical position and; means for guiding a horizontally oriented down-hole tubular to roll from a storage position in a direction aligned with the substantially horizontal loading axis of the clamp in the first position in order to roll the tubular into the clamp.

Claim 20

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars, and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a horizontal position and a vertical position, substantially parallel to the tower, said boom including a clamp for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: means for rotatably mounting the clamp on the boom so as to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the boom; means for rotating the clamp between a first position in which the clamp is oriented with its loading axis aligned in a substantially horizontal direction when the boom is in the horizontal position to facilitate loading and unloading the clamp, and a second position in which the clamp is oriented to align a clamped tubular with the drilling axis of the rig when the boom is in the vertical position and; means for guiding a horizontally oriented down-hole tubular to roll from a storage position in a direction aligned with the substantially horizontal loading axis of the clamp in the first position in order to roll the tubular into the clamp.

Claim 21

The improvement of claim 16 further including a safety plate mounted on the boom and positioned to limit longitudinal motion of a clamped tubular when the clamp is in the first position, such that longitudinal motion of the clamped tubular is not obstructed when the clamp is in the second position.

Claim 22

The improvement of claim 16 or 17 further including means for capturing a clamped tubular between the tower and the boom when the boom is in the vertical position such that a barrier is created between the boom and the tower which acts to positively prevent a vertical tubular from falling away from the tower.

Claim 23

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars, and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a horizontal position and a vertical position, substantially parallel to the tower, said boom including upper and lower clamps for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: means for rotatably mounting the clamps on the boom so as to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the boom; a safety plate mounted to the boom aligned to prevent a clamped down-hole tubular from slipping longitudinally in the clamps beyond said safety plate as the boom moves between the horizontal and vertical positions when the clamp is in a first position, said safety plate positioned to prevent the clamped tubular from slipping out of the upper clamp; means for rotating the clamps between the first position, in which the clamped tubular is aligned with the safety plate, and a second position, in which the clamped tubular is moved out of alignment with the safety plate and into alignment with the drilling axis of the rig when the boom is in the vertical position; means for automatically controlling the rotating means such that the clamps are automatically rotated into the first position whenever a down-hole tubular is being held in the clamp and the boom is being pivoted between the horizontal and vertical position; and means for capturing a clamped tubular between the tower and the boom when the boom is in the vertical position such that a vertical tubular is prevented from falling away from the tower, said capturing means comprising a sleeve mounted on the tower, a bolt slidably mounted in the sleeve, means for locking the bolt in an extended position in which the bolt protrudes from the sleeve towards the boom, and an annular receiving member mounted to the boom to receive the bolt when the boom is in the vertical position.

Claim 24

In a drill rig including a tower for supporting a string of down-hole tubulars, and a boom pivotably mounted to the rig adjacent the tower to move between a horizontal position and a vertical position, substantially parallel to the tower, said boom including upper and lower clamps for clamping and holding a down-hole tubular, the improvement comprising: means for rotatably mounting the clamps on the boom so as to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the boom; a safety plate mounted to the boom aligned to prevent a clamped down-hole tubular from slipping longitudinally in the clamps beyond said safety plate as the boom moves between the horizontal and vertical positions when the clamp is in a first position, said safety plate positioned to prevent the clamped tubular from slipping out of the upper clamp; means for rotating the clamps between the first position, in which the clamped tubular is aligned with the safety plate, and a second position, in which the clamped tubular is moved out of alignment with the safety plate and into alignment with the drilling axis of the rig when the boom is in the vertical position; means for automatically controlling the rotating means such that the clamps are automatically rotated into the first position whenever a down-hole tubular is being held in the clamp and the boom is being pivoted between the horizontal and vertical position; and means for capturing a clamped tubular between the tower and the boom when the boom is in the vertical position such that a vertical tubular is prevented from falling away from the tower, said capturing means comprising a sleeve mounted on the tower, a bolt slidably mounted in the sleeve, means for locking the bolt in an extended position in which the bolt protrudes from the sleeve towards the boom, and an annular receiving member mounted to the boom to receive the bolt when the boom is in the vertical position.

Claim 25

The improvement of claim 19 wherein the boom is mounted to move in a plane which includes the drilling axis of the drill rig, wherein each of the clamps defines a respective loading axis; wherein the loading axes are positioned in the plane when the clamps are in the second position, and wherein the loading axes are oriented substantially horizontally when the clamps are in the first position and the boom is in the horizontal position.