Apron for pipe handling system

Claim 1

An apparatus for transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack means comprising: an elongated main support frame adapted to be located close to the pipe rack means, an elongated pivotal trough means having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig floor and downward to a generally horizontal position, a portion of said pivotal trough means adjacent said pipe rack means comprises a dump trough means, said dump trough means being adapted to support a length of pipe, a tilting means for tilting said dump trough means when said pivotal trough means is in a generally horizontal position, whereby pipe can move laterally between said pivotal trough means and said pipe rack means when in a tilted position and said dump trough means is generally flush with the rest of said pivotal trough means when in an untilted position, a pivoting means for pivoting said pivotal trough means between said inclined position and said generally horizontal position, a movable elongated structure adapted to receive and carry pipe and supported for lengthwise sliding movement in said pivotal trough means, a moving means for moving said movable elongated structure along the length of said pivotal trough means, a coupling means for coupling said elongated structure to said moving means, and a holding means for holding said elongated structure to said dump trough means to allow said elongated structure to tilt with said dump trough means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack means comprising: an elongated main support frame adapted to be located close to the pipe rack means, an elongated pivotal trough means having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig floor and downward to a generally horizontal position, a portion of said pivotal trough means adjacent said pipe rack means comprises a dump trough means, said dump trough means being adapted to support a length of pipe, a tilting means for tilting said dump trough means when said pivotal trough means is in a generally horizontal position, whereby pipe can move laterally between said pivotal trough means and said pipe rack means when in a tilted position and said dump trough means is generally flush with the rest of said pivotal trough means when in an untilted position, a pivoting means for pivoting said pivotal trough means between said inclined position and said generally horizontal position, a movable elongated structure adapted to receive and carry pipe and supported for lengthwise sliding movement in said pivotal trough means, a moving means for moving said movable elongated structure along the length of said pivotal trough means, a coupling means for coupling said elongated structure to said moving means, and a holding means for holding said elongated structure to said dump trough means to allow said elongated structure to tilt with said dump trough means.

Claim 10

An apparatus for transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack means comprising: an elongated main support frame adapted to be located close to the pipe rack means, an elongated pivotal trough means having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig floor and downward to a generally horizontal position, a portion of said pivotal trough means adjacent said pipe rack means comprises a dump trough means, said dump trough means being adapted to support a length of pipe, a tilting means for tilting said dump trough means when said pivotal trough means is in a generally horizontal position, whereby pipe can move laterally between said pivotal trough means and said pipe rack means when in a tilted position and said dump trough means is generally flush with the rest of said pivotal trough means when in an untilted position, a pivoting means for pivoting said pivotal trough means between said inclined position and said generally horizontal position, a movable elongated structure adapted to receive and carry pipe and supported for lengthwise sliding movement in said pivotal trough means, a moving means for moving said movable elongated structure along the length of said pivotal trough means, and a coupling means for coupling said elongated structure to said moving means, said coupling means including a removable coupling means for uncoupling said moving means from said elongated structure when said elongated structure is positioned on said dump trough means and said tilting means tilts said dump trough means.

Claim 11

An apparatus for transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack means comprising: an elongated main support frame adapted to be located close to the pipe rack means, an elongated pivotal trough means having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig floor and downward to a generally horizontal position, a portion of said pivotal trough means adjacent said pipe rack means comprises a dump trough means, said dump trough means being adapted to support a length of pipe, a tilting means for tilting said dump trough means when said pivotal trough means is in a generally horizontal position, whereby pipe can move laterally between said pivotal trough means and said pipe rack means when in a tilted position and said dump trough means is generally flush with the rest of said pivotal trough means when in an untilted position, a pivoting means for pivoting said pivotal trough means between said inclined position and said generally horizontal position, a movable elongated structure adapted to receive and carry pipe and supported for lengthwise sliding movement in said pivotal trough means, a moving means for moving said movable elongated structure along the length of said pivotal trough means, and a coupling means for coupling said elongated structure to said moving means, said coupling means including a removable coupling means for uncoupling said moving means from said elongated structure when said elongated structure is positioned on said dump trough means and said tilting means tilts said dump trough means.

Claim 13

An apparatus for transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack means comprising: an elongated main support frame adapted to be located close to the pipe rack means, an elongated pivotal trough means having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig floor and downward to a generally horizontal position, a portion of said pivotal trough means adjacent said pipe rack means comprises a dump trough means, said dump trough means including an elongated tilting tray adapted to support a length of pipe, a tilting means mounted to said pivotal trough means for tilting said dump trough means when said pivotal trough means is in a generally horizontal position, whereby pipe can move laterally between said pivotal trough means and said pipe rack means when in a tilted position and said dump trough means is generally flush with the rest of said pivotal trough means when in an untilted position, a pivoting means for pivoting said pivotal trough means between said inclined position and said generally horizontal position, said elongated pivotal trough means having a pivot axis fixed to said main support frame and a second end unsupported during pivotal movement, said pivoting means causing said second end to travel an arc having a center coincident with said pivot axis, said pivoting means being connected to said pivotal trough means intermediate said ends, said pivoting means including a fluid actuated cylinder means coupled at one end to said support frame and at the other end to said pivotal trough means, a movable elongated structure adapted to receive and carry pipe and supported for lengthwise sliding movement in said pivotal trough means, a moving means for moving said movable elongated structure along the length of said pivotal trough means, and a coupling means for coupling said elongated structure to said moving means.

Claim 14

An apparatus for transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack means comprising: an elongated main support frame adapted to be located close to the pipe rack means, an elongated pivotal trough means having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig floor and downward to a generally horizontal position, a portion of said pivotal trough means adjacent said pipe rack means comprises a dump trough means, said dump trough means including an elongated tilting tray adapted to support a length of pipe, a tilting means mounted to said pivotal trough means for tilting said dump trough means when said pivotal trough means is in a generally horizontal position, whereby pipe can move laterally between said pivotal trough means and said pipe rack means when in a tilted position and said dump trough means is generally flush with the rest of said pivotal trough means when in an untilted position, a pivoting means for pivoting said pivotal trough means between said inclined position and said generally horizontal position, said elongated pivotal trough means having a pivot axis fixed to said main support frame and a second end unsupported during pivotal movement, said pivoting means causing said second end to travel an arc having a center coincident with said pivot axis, said pivoting means being connected to said pivotal trough means intermediate said ends, said pivoting means including a fluid actuated cylinder means coupled at one end to said support frame and at the other end to said pivotal trough means, a movable elongated structure adapted to receive and carry pipe and supported for lengthwise sliding movement in said pivotal trough means, a moving means for moving said movable elongated structure along the length of said pivotal trough means, and a coupling means for coupling said elongated structure to said moving means.

Claim 15

An apparatus for transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack means comprising: an elongated main support frame adapted to be located close to the pipe rack means, an elongated pivotal trough means having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig floor and downward to a generally horizontal position, a portion of said pivotal trough means adjacent said pipe rack means comprises a dump trough means, said dump trough means being adapted to support a length of pipe, a tilting means for tilting said dump trough means when said pivotal trough means is in a generally horizontal position, whereby pipe can move laterally between said pivotal trough means and said pipe rack means when in a tilted position and said dump trough means is generally flush with the rest of said pivotal trough means when in an untilted position, said tilting means including an extendable means connected at one end to said pivotal trough means and at the other end to said dump trough means for tilting said dump trough means selectively to either side of said pivotal trough means, a pivoting means for pivoting said pivotal trough means between said inclined position and said generally horizontal position, a movable elongated structure adapted to receive and carry pipe and supported for lengthwise sliding movement in said pivotal trough means, a moving means for moving said movable elongated structure along the length of said pivotal trough means, and a coupling means for coupling said elongated structure to said moving means, said pivotal trough means including at least two spaced longitudinal frame members, said extendable means being connected to pivotal trough means at a location inside said frame members and to said dump trough means at a location between said frame members, said extendable means including a pair of cylinder means attached on opposite sides of said dump trough means, a cylinder connection means attached to and positioned below said dump trough means and between said frame members, said pair of cylinder means including a first cylinder pivotally coupled at one end to said pivotal trough means and a second end pivotally coupled to said cylinder connection means and a second cylinder pivotally coupled at one end to said pivotal trough means and a second end pivotally coupled to said cylinder connection means, and said cylinder means being adapted so that when said first cylinder second end extends relative to said first cylinder first end to cause said dump trough means to tilt said second cylinder second end extends relative to said second cylinder first end but a lesser extension distance than said first cylinder second end extends.

Claim 16

An apparatus for transferring pipe or the like between the floor of a drilling rig and a pipe rack means comprising: an elongated main support frame adapted to be located close to the pipe rack means, an elongated pivotal trough means having one end pivotally coupled to said main support frame such that said pivotal trough means can be pivoted upward to an inclined position relative to said main support frame and toward said drilling rig floor and downward to a generally horizontal position, a portion of said pivotal trough means adjacent said pipe rack means comprises a dump trough means, said dump trough means being adapted to support a length of pipe, a tilting means for tilting said dump trough means when said pivotal trough means is in a generally horizontal position, whereby pipe can move laterally between said pivotal trough means and said pipe rack means when in a tilted position and said dump trough means is generally flush with the rest of said pivotal trough means when in an untilted position, said tilting means including an extendable means connected at one end to said pivotal trough means and at the other end to said dump trough means for tilting said dump trough means selectively to either side of said pivotal trough means, a pivoting means for pivoting said pivotal trough means between said inclined position and said generally horizontal position, a movable elongated structure adapted to receive and carry pipe and supported for lengthwise sliding movement in said pivotal trough means, a moving means for moving said movable elongated structure along the length of said pivotal trough means, and a coupling means for coupling said elongated structure to said moving means, said pivotal trough means including at least two spaced longitudinal frame members, said extendable means being connected to pivotal trough means at a location inside said frame members and to said dump trough means at a location between said frame members, said extendable means including a pair of cylinder means attached on opposite sides of said dump trough means, a cylinder connection means attached to and positioned below said dump trough means and between said frame members, said pair of cylinder means including a first cylinder pivotally coupled at one end to said pivotal trough means and a second end pivotally coupled to said cylinder connection means and a second cylinder pivotally coupled at one end to said pivotal trough means and a second end pivotally coupled to said cylinder connection means, and said cylinder means being adapted so that when said first cylinder second end extends relative to said first cylinder first end to cause said dump trough means to tilt said second cylinder second end extends relative to said second cylinder first end but a lesser extension distance than said first cylinder second end extends.