Patent ID: 9458675
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: E04B,E04H,E21B

Claim Text:
1. A method for assembling a drilling rig structure, comprising the steps of: (a) erecting three or more base towers at a well site, such that the base towers define a base area; (b) constructing a drill floor over at least a portion of the base area, said drill floor incorporating a plurality of floor-lifting sheave assemblies, each said floor-lifting sheave assembly being associated with one of the base towers; (c) providing drill floor guide means in association with the plurality of base towers, said drill floor guide means being adapted for engagement with the drill floor to facilitate uniform vertical movement of the drill floor relative to the base towers; (d) engaging the drill floor with the drill floor guide means; (e) erecting a rig mast on the drill floor, including a drawworks and a traveling block; (f) anchoring a floor-lifting cable at an upper region of each base tower; (g) threading the floor-lifting cables around their associated floor-lifting sheave assemblies and engaging the free ends of the cables with the traveling block; (h) actuating the drawworks so as to raise the traveling block and the drill floor along a uniform vertical path until the drill floor is at a desired elevation; and (i) engaging locking means to lock the drill floor to the base towers.