Patent ID: 9556688
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: B23P,E21B,Y10S

Claim:
1. A pipe handling apparatus comprising: a frame; a boom pivotally connected to the frame, the boom being movable between a first position and a second position; a gripping assembly connected to the boom for gripping a surface of a tubular; a hydraulic actuating assembly having one end pivotally connected to the frame and an opposite end pivotally connected to the boom, the hydraulic actuating assembly for moving the boom between the first and second positions; a pneumatic spring assembly having one end pivotally connected to the frame and an opposite end pivotally connected to the boom, the pneumatic spring assembly for urging the boom from the first position to the second position and for resisting movement of the boom from the second position to the first position; a pneumatic reservoir assembly for varying a pneumatic pressure within the pneumatic spring assembly, comprising: a controller for automatically controlling the pneumatic pressure within the pneumatic spring assembly based upon feedback provided by a sensor assembly.