Patent ID: 7337861

Claim:
A device for preventing a pipe string clampingly arranged in a slips from slipping out of said slips, said device comprising: a mechanised wedge manipulator adapted to couple with a slips wedge and to manipulate a pipe string in said slips, said mechanised wedge manipulator including a foundation frame that is adapted to be mounted on a drill floor, a working frame comprising a swivel connection and a vertical displacement assembly, an arm frame, and a pipe clamp; wherein said foundation frame has an axis about which said working frame rotates said swivel connection being rotatably mounted on said axis; wherein said arm frame has a first arm-frame end and a second arm-frame end, said pipe-clamp being mounted on said second arm-frame end; wherein said first arm-frame end is coupled to said swivel connection via said vertical displacement assembly, said arm frame being rotatable toward or away from said slips by means of said swivel connection, and said arm frame being vertically repositionable by means of said vertical displacement assembly, and wherein said arm frame maintains a parallel orientation to said foundation frame while being vertically repositioned and while said pipe clamp is in a pipe-clamping position; and wherein said slips wedge is inserted in said slips, and when said pipe clamp is clamped about said pipe string in said slips, said vertical displacement assembly is adapted to allow said arm frame to move downward until said pipe clamp rests on an upper edge of said slips wedge, thereby transferring weight of said pipe string to said slips wedge and forcing said slips wedge to more firmly grip said pipe string.