Patent ID: 6279426
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
An open throat power tong for making up and/or breaking apart an oilfield tubular connection, comprising:a tong body having an open throat therein;a partial ring member rotatably supported by the tong body for rotating a tubular during a makeup and/or break out operation;at least two heads rotatable with the partial ring for gripping engagement with the oilfield tubular connection;a drive motor for powering rotation of the partial ring;a door pivotally connected to the tong body adjacent a side of the open throat to extend at least partially across the open throat when in the closed position and to expose the open throat of the power tong when in the opened position to enable the power tong to be moved laterally on or off a tubular string;the door rotatable about a door pivot axis with respect to the tong body and having a planar latch surface, the planar latch surface having a latch center positioned substantially along the door pivot axis; anda boss secured to the tong body, the boss having an arcuate planar boss surface for planar engagement with the planar latch surface, the boss surface having a boss center positioned substantially along the door pivot axis.