Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7744327?dq=6650327
Timestamp: 2018-01-21 00:10:21
Document Index: 274308029

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'arts 3']

Patent US7744327 - Tubular handling apparatus and a drilling rig - Google Patents
The invention relates to a tubular handling apparatus for moving tubulars between a substantially horizontal transfer station and a second transfer station. The apparatus comprises a base and a boom, rotatable with respect to the base between a lowered position and a raised position by boom rotation...http://www.google.com/patents/US7744327?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7744327 - Tubular handling apparatus and a drilling rig
Publication number US7744327 B2
Application number US 11/663,549
PCT number PCT/NL2004/000705
Also published as CA2577949A1, CA2577949C, CN101040100A, CN101040100B, DE602004018044D1, EP1799955A1, EP1799955B1, US20080253866, WO2006038790A1
Publication number 11663549, 663549, PCT/2004/705, PCT/NL/2004/000705, PCT/NL/2004/00705, PCT/NL/4/000705, PCT/NL/4/00705, PCT/NL2004/000705, PCT/NL2004/00705, PCT/NL2004000705, PCT/NL200400705, PCT/NL4/000705, PCT/NL4/00705, PCT/NL4000705, PCT/NL400705, US 7744327 B2, US 7744327B2, US-B2-7744327, US7744327 B2, US7744327B2
Inventors Johan Lops, Jacobus Franciscus van Rijn, Michiel Cornelis Kloosterboer
Original Assignee Itrec B.V.
Tubular handling apparatus and a drilling rig
US 7744327 B2
The invention relates to a tubular handling apparatus for moving tubulars between a substantially horizontal transfer station and a second transfer station. The apparatus comprises a base and a boom, rotatable with respect to the base between a lowered position and a raised position by boom rotation drive means in a boom rotation direction around a horizontal boom rotation axis. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises a gripper, rotatably attached to the boom and adapted for gripping the tubular, which gripper is rotatable about a gripper rotation axis by a gripper rotation drive means in a gripper rotation direction. According to the invention, the gripper rotation axis is parallel to and spaced from the horizontal boom rotation axis and in that the gripper rotation drive means provide a gripper rotation direction opposite to the boom rotation direction.
24. The tubular handling apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the apparatus can be coupled to another ISO freight container.
From GB 2 080 857—on which the preamble of claim 1 is based—a tubular handling apparatus is known for raising and lowering tubulars in a drilling rig between a horizontal position, in which the tubulars are transported and stored on a rack, and the vertical position, in which the tubular is aligned with the drilling rig structure and a drill string handled by said drilling rig. In this known apparatus the tubular is gripped by two rotatably mounted clamps which are rotatable around a rotation axis parallel to the boom. The clamps are rotatable between a side loading position, to facilitate loading and unloading in the horizontal position and a central position, in which a clamped tubular is aligned with the drilling axis or firing line of the drilling rig when the boom is in the vertical position. The clamps are rotated by hydraulic cylinders that can be operated automatically by a hydraulic sequencing circuit into the side loading position whenever the boom is pivoted with a tubular in the clamp. The boom is pivotable between a vertical position parallel to the drilling tower and a horizontal position by a boom cylinder.
With the inventive apparatus a horizontal orientated tubular can be picked up from a storage rack or the like and with one “combined motion” brought into the second transfer station, e.g. in a substantial vertical position at an elevated level, or vice versa.
The apparatus allows bringing the tubular in the second transfer station, which can have a vertical or near vertical orientation but also an inclined orientation (e.g for inclined drilling operations). In the second transfer station the tubular is released from the gripper and transferred to another piece of equipment. For instance the tubular is transferred to an alignment means for aligning the tubular with the drill string in the drilling axis of the drilling rig. In the second transfer station the tubular could be oriented vertically, preferably at an angle of at least 45°, more preferably at least 55° with the horizontal, e.g. for inclined drilling.
From the FIGS. 4-6 it is clear that the boom 4 in this example comprises two parallel beams 4 a and 4 b between which the gripper 7 and the gripped tubular 2 can pass as the boom 4 is rotated. For stability a cross beam 12 is provided at the ends of the two parallel beams 4 a and 4 b remote from the base part 3 b.
The gripper 7 is rotatably attached to the boom 4 and adapted for gripping the tubular 2. The gripper 7 can comprise any suitable gripping means for get hold off and reliable holding the tubular 2. In this example the gripper 7 comprises two spaced apart clamping means 7 a mounted on a gripper frame 7 b, which is suspended from the boom 4, preferably near the end thereof.
The boom rotation drive means 5 a-5 c here comprise two hydraulically actuated cylinders 5 a (of which one is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) that are pivotably connected to the base part 3 c at one end and pivotably to a base linkage member 5 b at the other end. The base linkage member 5 b is positioned between the supports 3 b and is rotatably connected to the base part 3 b about a rotation axis 5 d. This rotation axis 5 d is spaced from the pivotal attachment of the cylinders 5 a.
Also the base linkage 5 b is pivotably connected to a rod 5 c that is pivotably connected to a part of the boom 4 remote from the boom rotation axis 6.
In this example, as is preferred, the gripper rotation drive means 9 a-9 e comprise a kinematic linkage assembly arranged between the base part 3 b and the gripper 7 and connected to the boom 4. By the presence of such a kinematic linkage no specific powered actuators (such as hydraulic or electric actuators) are needed for effecting the rotation of the gripper 7. In fact the boom 4 is the driven part and the gripper “follows”, wherein the gripper motion results from the design of the kinematic linkage. This is very safe and reliable, as linkages can be designed sturdy and reliable. So the problem can be avoided that a powered actuator for the gripper rotation fails or malfunction, while the boom rotation drive means is activated, which could e.g. result in a collision of the tubular with another structure (such as a drilling rig or pipe lay structure).
Each rod 9 a is connected with one end 9 d pivotably to the corresponding base part 3 b and—as can be clearly seen in FIG. 3—with the other end 9 e pivotably to a rod linkage member 9 b. The rod linkage member 9 b, designed here as a plate, is pivotably attached to the boom 4 via rotation axis 9 f, parallel to pivot axis 8.
From this perspective view in FIG. 4-6, it is clear that two hydraulic boom rotation drive cylinders 5 a are present, and two rods 9 a of the gripper rotation drive means. Also, base parts 3 b and 3 c are designed symmetrically on base plate 3 d.
The beams 4 a, b of the boom 4 and the rods 9 a of the gripper rotation drive means 9 a-9 e are telescopic. A special drive means could be provided to cause the telescopic motion, but here it is envisaged that e.g. a truck is used to extend or shorten the boom and rods.
The base 3 is here designed as part of an ISO freight container with ISO freight container corner fittings 3 a.
As the boom 4 and the rods 9 a are telescopic the entire apparatus can be reduced to a size of an ISO freight container 50, preferably a 40 feet container, as is shown in FIG. 7. Such a container 50 can easily be transported and easily be coupled to another ISO freight container. It is envisaged that the drilling rig structure 30 is provided with ISO corner fittings to which ISO corner fittings of the apparatus 1 can be attached.
US3094228 * Apr 1, 1960 Jun 18, 1963 Harold B Peterson Folding and swinging hydraulic boom
US3633771 * Aug 5, 1970 Jan 11, 1972 Moore Corp Lee C Apparatus for moving drill pipe into and out of an oil well derrick
US3774781 * May 30, 1972 Nov 27, 1973 Merkley D Mast hoist
US6309171 * Jul 6, 2000 Oct 30, 2001 O&K Orenstein & Koppel Aktiengesellschaft Mobile loading machine with front-end loading equipment
GB2080857A Title not available
1 * W. P. Boyle and K. Liu, The Fourbar Linkage: Pseudographic Kinematic Analysis, 1997, TEMPUS Publications, Int. J. Engng Ed. vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 262-268.
US9790751 Mar 7, 2013 Oct 17, 2017 Nabors Drilling International Limited Drilling rig employing top drive
WO2014179727A1 * May 2, 2014 Nov 6, 2014 Canrig Drilling Technology Ltd. System for manipulating tubulars for subterranean operations
U.S. Classification 414/22.52, 414/22.55, 414/742, 901/22, 901/21, 414/783
International Classification E21B19/00, H01L21/68
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:LOPS, JOHAN;VAN RIJN, JACOBUS FRANCISCUS;KLOOSTERBOER, MICHIEL CORNELIS;REEL/FRAME:019618/0546
Owner name: ITREC B.V.,NETHERLANDS