Patent ID: 7537424
Filing Date: 2009-05-26
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A pipe handling apparatus for use with a drilling head, the apparatus comprising: (a) a chassis; (b) a pipe storage bin for storing a plurality of pipe sections in a substantially horizontal pipe orientation, wherein the pipe storage bin is comprised of an upper end and a lower end providing at least one pipe storage layer therebetween, wherein the upper end of the pipe storage bin is mounted on the chassis at upper pivot connections defining a bin pivot axis which is substantially parallel with the pipe orientation, wherein the bin pivot axis is fixed relative to the chassis, wherein the pipe storage bin is pivotable about the bin pivot axis, wherein the pipe storage bin defines a bin dispensing position as the pipe storage bin pivots about the bin pivot axis, and wherein the bin pivot axis substantially coincides with the bin dispensing position such that the bin dispensing position is substantially fixed as the pipe storage bin pivots about the bin pivot axis, whereby the pipe sections are removed from the pipe storage bin at the bin dispensing position and whereby the pipe sections are delivered to the pipe storage bin at the bin dispensing position; (c) a pipe transfer device pivotably mounted on the chassis for individually transferring a selected pipe section between the bin dispensing position and a pipe transfer position; (d) a pipe handling device for individually moving the selected pipe section between the pipe transfer position and a drilling head interface position; (e) wherein the pipe storage bin is further comprised of an outboard side and an inboard side, wherein the pipe handling device is located adjacent to the inboard side of the pipe storage bin, and wherein the bin pivot axis is located substantially at the inboard side of the pipe storage bin; (f) wherein the pipe storage bin is further comprised of a spacer mechanism for defining a plurality of pipe storage layers in the pipe storage bin; (g) wherein the pipe storage bin is further comprised of a bin frame, wherein the pipe storage bin is further comprised of a pipe rack carried by the bin frame, and wherein the pipe rack is vertically reciprocable relative to the bin frame in order to cause the pipe storage layers sequentially to be vertically aligned with the bin dispensing position; (h) wherein the spacer mechanism is comprised of a spacer bar assembly, wherein the spacer bar assembly provides a separation between two adjacent pipe storage layers comprising an upper adjacent pipe storage layer and a lower adjacent pipe storage layer, wherein the spacer bar assembly is comprised of a spacer bar, and wherein the spacer bar is extendible within the pipe rack to an extended position in which the spacer bar is above the lower adjacent pipe storage layer; (i) wherein the spacer bar is adapted to be supported by the pipe sections in the lower adjacent pipe storage layer when the spacer bar is in the extended position and wherein the spacer bar is vertically reciprocable with the pipe rack relative to the bin frame when the spacer bar is in the extended position; (j) wherein the spacer bar is comprised of a spacer bar pivot axis and wherein the spacer bar is pivotable about the spacer bar pivot axis relative to the bin frame in order to move between the extended position and a withdrawn position in which the spacer bar is withdrawn from the pipe rack; (k) wherein the spacer bar assembly is further comprised of a spacer bar actuator for selectively moving the spacer bar between the extended position and the withdrawn position as the pipe rack reciprocates relative to the bin frame; (l) wherein the spacer bar actuator is comprised of a spacer bar stop for engaging the spacer bar substantially in horizontal alignment with the spacer bar pivot axis in order to limit the reciprocation of the spacer bar in an upward vertical direction; and (m) wherein the spacer bar stop is associated with the bin frame and wherein the spacer bar stop is positioned such that the spacer bar stop engages the spacer bar as the spacer bar reciprocates in the upward vertical direction to a spacer bar stop position at which the upper adjacent pipe storage layer is vertically aligned above the bin dispensing position and the lower adjacent pipe storage layer is vertically aligned below the bin dispensing position.