Abstract:
An elevator device for drilling systems consisting substantially of a lifting device ( 2 ) cooperating with a loading device ( 3 ) applied to a drilling machine ( 4 ); said lifting device ( 2 ) taking a rod ( 100 ) or a casing ( 101 ) from a horizontal position to successively engage said rod or casing in a driving head ( 5 ) of a drilling machine ( 4 ), said device being directly mounted on the driving head and being driven by said driving head.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an elevator device for drilling systems. 
         [0002]    As is known, well drilling systems conventionally comprise rod locating systems designed for locating the drilling rods at a proper working position. 
         [0003]    Prior systems are controlled by an operator arranged at the drilling plane, for manually mounting the drilling rods at a proper position thereof. 
         [0004]    This operation involves high operating risks and must be performed by a skilled operator. 
         [0005]    Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,244 A substantially discloses the preamble of claim  1 . 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The aim of the present invention is to provide such an elevator device overcoming the above mentioned prior art drawbacks. 
         [0007]    Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the invention is to provide such an elevator device which may operate without an operator at the drilling plane. 
         [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide such an elevator device which is adapted to operate in a fully automatic manner without any operators at said drilling plane. 
         [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide such an elevator device which allows to greatly reduce the operating costs, and the number of operators for performing the drilling operations. 
         [0010]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an elevator device which, owing to its specifically designed constructional features, is very reliable and safe in operation. 
         [0011]    According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an elevator device according to claim  1 . 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example, in the accompanying drawings, where: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view showing a drilling machine including the elevator device according to the present invention, and being shown before taking a rod from the rod loader and before turning said rod toward the elevator device; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the drilling rod arranged in the drilling rod loader and facing the drilling machine with the elevator device facing a position suitable for receiving the drilling rod; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an elevation view showing a drilling machine including the elevator device according to the present invention, and being shown before removing a casing from the loader; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing the casing arranged in the loader and facing the drilling machine with the elevator facing a position suitable for receiving the casing; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the elevator device at an operating step before the engagement of a drilling rod; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the elevator device during the drilling rod mounting operation, and clearly showing the rotary inner body coupled to the driving head and the fixed outer body coupled to the driving head frame; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6 , showing the movement of the sliding shoes, performed upon operating the driving cylinders and locking the drilling rod; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional longitudinal view of the elevator device being represented in a casing locking operating step, wherein the detail  102  is clearly shown, whose operation will be more clearly disclosed hereinafter. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the elevator device according to the present invention, specifically designed to be used in well drilling systems, comprises a plurality of operating devices, generally indicated by the reference number  1  and more specifically a lifting or elevator device  2  mounted on a driving head  5  designed for turning or rotating on an orthogonal pivot pin  70 , in the drilling direction  12 , said driving head  5  being in turn mounted on a driving carriage  60  which can slide in the vertical drilling direction  12 . 
         [0022]    More specifically, the lifting device  2  operates by cooperating with a loader  3  applied to a drilling machine  4 . 
         [0023]    Said lifting device  2 , constituting a main part of the present invention, allows to take a drilling rod  100  or a casing  101  from an oblique position defined by the loader  3 , and screw-on said rod or casing to the driving head  5  of a drilling machine  4  which will rotatively drive said rod or casing in the drilling direction  12 . 
         [0024]    As shown, the lifting device comprises an outer body  6 , of the fixed type, rigid with the driving head frame, and including a plurality of hydraulic cylinders  11 , operating expansible shoes  7  which, by sliding on an inclined plane  8  of the inner body  9  turning and rigid with said driving head, will lock on the outside of said inner body said drilling rod  100  or casing  101 . 
         [0025]    The lifting device  2  operation will be disclosed in a more detailed manner with reference to the following method. 
         [0026]    The drilling machine  4 , as stated, comprises a loader or loading device  3 , including an arm  21  which, in a normal condition, is arranged in a horizontal position and is designed for turning about a pivot pin  51  orthogonal to said arm  21 . 
         [0027]    The rod  100  or casing  101 , clamped by clamping grippers  20  arranged on the arm  21 , are rotatively driven by a hydraulic cylinder  23  coupled to a leverage system  22 . 
         [0028]    The hydraulic device  23  operating the arm  21  of the loader or loading device  3  rotatively drives said rod  100  or casing  101 , after having fixedly coupled the latter to the arm  21  by the grippers  20  applied to the arm  21  of the loader  3 . 
         [0029]    Said grippers  20  are hydraulically driven and are closed by restraining the rod  100  or casing  101 , as the latter are arranged at a horizontal position contacting the arm  21 . 
         [0030]    Then, the hydraulic cylinder  23 , while pushing the leverage system  22  applied to the arm  21  of the loader or loading device  3 , causes said rod  100  or casing  101  to partially turn about the pivot pin  51 , to cause them to abut on the top of a stop or detent element  50  applied on a probing plane  25  of the drilling system  4 , as schematically shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  for the rods  100  and in  FIGS. 3 and 4  for the casing  101 . 
         [0031]    As shown, the lifting device  2  is coupled to the driving head  5  by a wear reducing element  13 , which is locked by two locking pins  14  to the rotary inner body  9  and includes an inlet  61  and expansible shoes  7 , which slide on an inclined plane  8  thereby locking the drilling rod  100  or casing  101 . 
         [0032]    The rotary inner body  9  is mounted on mounting bearings  10  and comprises a lubricating system. 
         [0033]    The fixed outer body  6  houses two operating cylinders  11  driving said expansible shoes and is held at a set position owing to an anti-turning arm  62 , rigid with the driving head frame. 
         [0034]    Said rod  100  or casing  101  are gripped or taken by aligning the driving head  5  coupled to the lifting device  2 , with the rod  100  or casing  101  to be gripped by the loader arm  21 . 
         [0035]    As stated, the lifting device  2  comprises an inlet portion  61  having a bottom tapering, allowing to introduce into the body of the lifting device  2  a top end portion of the rod  100  or casing  101 . 
         [0036]    This operation is facilitated by the tapering arrangement of the bottom inlet  61  of the lifting device  2 , as clearly shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0037]    Thus, after having engaged the top end portion of the rod  100  or casing  101 , the cylinders  11  driving the shoes  7  and locking the rod  100  or casing  101  are operated. 
         [0038]    It should be pointed out that, in this operating step, the shoes  7  would allow to grip a rod  100  under a threaded end portion  108  thereof, or tool joint, thereby providing a gravity type of coupling. 
         [0039]    To allow the lifting device  2  to grip the rod  100  or casing  101 , the grippers  20  of the loader  3  arm  21  must be opened. 
         [0040]    The gripping of the rod  100  or casing  101  by the lifting device  2  is achieved by axially pushing the shoes  7  of the rotary body  9  by the cylinders  11  applied to the fixed outer body  6  of the lifting device  2 . 
         [0041]    Said cylinders  11  are adapted to provide a downward directed pushing force, thereby allowing the shoes  7  to lock from outside the rod  100  or casing  101 . 
         [0042]    After having coupled to the lifting device  2  the rod  100  or casing  101  by the pressing cylinders  11  operating the shoes  7 , the grippers  20  of the arm  21  are opened, thereby said rod  100  or casing  101  are locked. 
         [0043]    As stated, the lifting device  2  is coupled to the driving head  5  providing, in addition to a rotary movement of the rod about the drilling direction  12 , also a rotary movement perpendicular to the pin  70  axis. 
         [0044]    The driving head  5  is vertically driven by the carriage  60  to which it is coupled by coupling pins  70 , thereabout said driving head is rotatively driven to bring the rod  100  or casing  101  to a vertical position along the drilling direction  12 . 
         [0045]    The driving head  5  is coupled by coupling pins  70  to the carriage  60  which may perform an upward or downward vertical movement along guides formed in the body of vertical trellis framework  40  of the drilling machine  4  and being adapted to arrange said rod  100  or casing  191  at a main gripper assembly  30  included in the drilling machine  4 . 
         [0046]    The shoes  7  of the lifting device  2  allow moreover said rod  100  or casing  5  to be screwed on and off during the connecting/disconnecting operations. 
         [0047]    The rod  100  or casing  101  are released after having screwed-on them to the rod  100  or casing  101  already introduced into the well. 
         [0048]    In case of an operating in a drilling step, and accordingly using the rods  100 , upon releasing the rod  100  by the shoes  7 , it is possible to downward slide all the assembly  1  and actively drive the driving head  5  and lifting device  2  about the vertical drilling direction  12 , thereby coupling the rod  100  to the wear reducing element  13 . 
         [0049]    After having connected the driving head  5  and drilling rod  100 , it is possible to actuate the mud circulating system by the driving head, thereby allowing the drilling operation to be recovered. 
         [0050]    In case of using a casing  101 , that is during the well casing operations with the mud circulation, it is necessary to use the detail  102 , which is a component element to be arranged in the rotary body  9  of the lifting device  2 . 
         [0051]    It should be pointed out that the device  102  comprises a gasket  103  which, through central ports  104 , is inflated within the casing  101 , thereby allowing the pressurized mud to be circulated through the casing  101 . 
         [0052]    Thus, in these conditions it is possible to make a mud circulating system like that achieved during the use of the lifting device  2  with the rod  100  upon screwing on the rod  100  to the wear reducing element  13  and accordingly to the driving head  5 . 
         [0053]    From the above it should be apparent that the detail  102  will hold the casing  101  in a locked condition, even from the inside, while allowing a circulation and consequent pressurizing of the mud. 
         [0054]    The rod  100  or casing  101  are released or disconnected by using two cylinders  11  controlled by the driving components of the drilling machine  4 .