Drill pipe handling device

A device to facilitate the handling of drill pipe which obviates the necessity of climbing the drill rig tower to attach or detach the lifting device. The device comprises a collar which is temporarily attached to the drill pipe and a basket device having a lifting bail.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a device for handling of drill pipe and more 
particularly to a combination pipe ring and elevator for lifting plain end 
drill pipe. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,021,984 to F. H. Holmes discloses an elevator for handling 
drill pipe. The device includes a dismountable strap adapted to surround 
the pipe beneath the coupling. The strap comprises two semiannular members 
hinged to each other. Bails are connected to the strap for lifting. This 
type of device works only with pipe provided with end couplings of a 
larger diameter than the pipe. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,278 to Thurman Powell discloses an elevator device for 
encircling, gripping and holding plain end well casing. The elevator 
includes multiple hinged frame and latch segments surrounding the pipe. 
The segments have wedge shaped slips on their inner diameter for gripping 
the pipe. Springs force the wedges into gripping contact with the pipe. 
Plain end drill pipe and drill casing are commonly used today. This type of 
pipe and casing have threaded pin and box-ends so that radially 
overhanging end couplings of a larger diameter are not required. Typically 
plain-end type pipe and casing has parallel flat surfaces recessed into 
their outer diameter along secant lines at each end of the pipe. The flat 
surfaces provide a surface for the drill rig wrenches to grip the pipe 
when adding or removing pipe sections from the drill string. 
It is desirable to handle plain end well drilling pipe and casing simply 
and reliably. The Holmes type device requires a larger diameter coupling 
to be on the drill pipe in order for the strap to lift it. Alternatively, 
some type of larger diameter member such as a lug has to be permanently or 
temporarily put on the drill pipe. The Powell device uses the wedging 
action of the slips to hold the pipe in the elevator collar. However, it 
is not desirable to rely on springs or latches to accomplish the gripping 
of a section of drill pipe since the pipe may slip from the collar when 
lifted. 
The present invention overcomes the above shortcomings by taking advantage 
of the flat recessed surfaces near the ends of the drill pipe to 
temporarily attach a collar. The collar is axially fixed in position by 
the shoulders of the flat surfaces. A basket assembly with appropriate 
lifting bails can then be used to safely lift a section of drill pipe. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Thus it is a primary object of this invention to provide a mechanically 
simple, reliable, easy to use drill pipe lifting assembly. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a simple, reliable, and safe 
lifting assembly that can be used on plain end drill pipe that is in 
common use today. 
In general, the foregoing objects are obtained by an elevator assembly 
having a bifurcated collar and an annular basket assembly with lifting 
bails attached.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate 
identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views and more 
particular to FIG. 1, the present invention will now be described. The 
invention is shown engaging a section of plain end drill pipe 10. A 
bifurcated collar assembly 12 is temporarily attached near the end of the 
drill pipe. An annular basket assembly 14 having lifting bail 16 is 
positioned around the pipe and underneath the collar. 
Referring now to FIG. 2 a section of drill pipe 10 in common use today is 
shown. A drill pipe section has a pin-end 20 as shown in FIG. 2 and a 
box-end 22 shown in FIG. 1. The pipe sections are joined together to form 
a drill pipe string. The box end has internal threads which mate with the 
tapered threads of the pin-end. 
Near each end of the drill pipe section 10 are a pair of parallel flats 24. 
The flats provide a surface for the drill rig breaking wrench to attach or 
break the connection between adjacent drill pipe sections in the string. 
The flats are recessed from the outer diameter surface of the pipe and 
have shoulders 26 perpendicular to the outer diameter surface of the pipe. 
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the bifurcated collar assembly 12 will 
now be described. 
The collar includes two semiannular segments 28 and 30 having meshing lugs 
and ears 31 at each end. When meshed, bores 32 are aligned through the 
lugs and ears so that hinge pins 34 can secure the segments together. The 
collar has an axial dimension such that it fits within the flat surface 24 
between the end surfaces 26. As best seen in FIG. 4, the interior diameter 
of each semiannular segment 28 and 30 has substantially a concaved shape 
36 dimensioned to accept the rounded outer diameter of the drill pipe. 
Each collar segment also has a straight portion 38 which mates with the 
flat sections 24 of the drill pipe to axially fix the collar 12 on the 
drill pipe. The straight portions 38 abut the flat portions 24 and are 
axially located between the shoulders 26 of the flat section when the 
collar segments are closed around the pipe. 
A basket assembly 14 includes an annular flange member 40 adapted to easily 
slide over the drill pipe outer diameter. The flange has an outer diameter 
dimension such that top surface 41 will provide a lifting surface on the 
bottom of the collar 12. Lifting bails 16 are provided on the basket 
assembly so as to allow the assembly to be lifted by the drill rig hoist. 
In operation the basket assembly 14 is slipped over the end of the drill 
pipe. The bifurcated collar 12 is then put in place over the flats 24 near 
the end of drill pipe. The hinged segments are pivoted into a closed 
position around the pipe and pinned. The hoist line is then attached to 
the lifting bail 16 of the basket and the drill pipe is lifted up and 
loaded into the pipe transfer arm of the drill rig. The rotor head is 
attached to the drill pipe section and the drilling process is continued. 
The basket assembly 14 can be removed off the bottom of the drill pipe 
when the drill pipe is hanging from the rotary head prior to resuming the 
drilling process. Alternatively the basket can be removed off the top of 
the drill pipe after the collar 12 has been removed when the rotary head 
has brought the drill pipe end to the platform level. 
To lift a string of drill pipe from the hole, the basket assembly 14 is 
slipped over the upper end of the drill pipe at the platform level. The 
collar 12 is then attached near the upper end of the drill pipe over the 
flats 24. Then the rotary head can be brought down and screwed onto the 
drill pipe to pull the drill string out of the hole. After a pipe section 
is pulled out of the hole the joint connection is broken at the bottom and 
the rotary head unscrewed at the top. The pipe section remains suspended 
from the hoist line by the basket and collar assembly. The pipe can then 
be lowered and stacked for storage. The collar and basket can easily be 
removed during this operation. 
It should be noted that this device allows the operator to perform all the 
pipe handling including the attaching and disassembly steps at the 
platform level. Also this pipe handling device can be used when the pipe 
is being run pin-end up and box-end down or vice versa since the flats are 
typically provided near both ends of the drill pipe. 
Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible 
in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the 
invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein and 
it is intended that the invention be limited only by the language of the 
following claims.