Patent ID: 7938202
Filing Date: 2011-05-10
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A rotating drill pipe protector comprising: an annular protective sleeve-like wall structure adapted to encompass a drill pipe for rotating in a well bore or casing, the wall structure having at least one axial split opening along one side for use in opening and closing the protective wall structure around the drill pipe, an elongated first hinge bar secured to a first hinge section of the wall structure along one side of the split opening, an elongated second hinge bar secured to a second hinge section of the wall structure along an opposite side of the split opening, and a reinforcing cage made of sheet metal embedded in the annular wall structure, the reinforcing cage having a first end section adjacent the first hinge bar and a second end section adjacent the second hinge bar, the first hinge section further including a separate generally U-shaped first wrap-around hinge section made of sheet metal and having (1) vertically spaced apart open-ended hinge elements at the base of the U containing the first hinge bar and (2) first inner end sections inboard from the U sandwiching the first end section of the reinforcing cage, the first inner end sections rigidly affixed to the first end section of the reinforcing cage, the second hinge section further including a separate generally U-shaped second wrap-around section made of sheet metal and having (1) vertically spaced apart open-ended hinge elements at the base of the U containing the second hinge bar and (2) second inner end sections inboard from the U sandwiching the second end section of the reinforcing cage, the second inner end sections rigidly affixed to the second end section of the reinforcing cage, the first hinge bar rotatable about an axis in the hinge elements of the first hinge section, the first hinge bar containing one or more captive sections for retaining one or more elongated fasteners extending from the first hinge bar toward the second hinge bar, the first hinge bar rotatable to swing the one or more fasteners toward or away from the second hinge bar, the second hinge bar containing one or more fastener receptors for receiving one or more of the fasteners rotated into alignment with a corresponding receptor on the second hinge bar, the one or more fasteners adjustable in a corresponding receptor to draw opposite sides of the split opening closer together to apply a progressive gripping force from the wall structure of the rotating drill pipe protector around the drill pipe.