Patent ID: 9664002
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: E21B

Claim:
1. A pneumatic mud bucket for the containment, evacuation and diversion of drilling fluids from a pipe joint in a drill stem utilized in a drilling rig, the pneumatic mud bucket comprising: a right half cylinder defining a rear surface extending a plurality of extension arms, an upper pipe aperture, a lower piper aperture, a hollow cylindrical inner cavity defining a lower floor and an inner perimeter groove, and an evacuation port having a lower portion extending below said lower floor, said evacuation port further defining an outer collar; a left half cylinder defining a rear surface extending a plurality of extension arms, an upper pipe aperture, a lower piper aperture, a hollow cylindrical inner cavity defining a lower floor and an inner perimeter groove, and an evacuation port having a lower portion extending below said lower floor, said evacuation port further defining an outer collar; a perimeter seal in at least one of said perimeter groove extending slightly beyond said inner perimeter groove, said right and left half cylinder attached together forming a clamshell enclosure by a plurality of hinges attaching to said rear surfaces of said respective right and left half cylinders mating together along said respective perimeter grooves, said upper pipe apertures forming an upper circular opening receiving a section of drill stem and said lower pipe apertures forming a lower circular opening receiving a section of the same said drill stem, with said perimeter seal preventing released drilling liquids from escaping each said hollow cylindrical inner cavities when said mud bucket is in a closed position around said drill stem, diverting said liquids to said evacuation ports; a compressed air system attaching to said rear surfaces of said right and left half cylinders, said compressed air system defusing an air hose connection attaching a compressed air line from an external compressed air supply, an activation switch to deliver compressed air to at least one cylindrical piston attaching between at least one aligned pair of extension arms of each right and left half cylinder to open and close said right and left half cylinder around said drill stem; a one way air pressure valve located with at least one right or left half cylinder, further attaching to said compressed air system to introduce pressurized air into said hollow inner cavity providing a positive pressure within said hollow inner cavity of each said right and left half cylinder in a closed position around a drill stem, assisting in the evacuation of drilling liquids from said inner cavities, over said lower floors and out said evacuation ports; and a bracket mounted to each half cylinder around said upper pipe aperture from which to suspend said mud bucket.