Patent ID: 7493970

Claim:
A shock mounted top drive for well drilling rigs, comprising: a. a traveling frame for moving along a drilling tower, wherein the traveling frame comprises: (i) a first housing section and a second housing section, wherein each housing section has an upper section, a lower section with a lower section housing extension, an inboard side, and an outboard side; (ii) at least one set of sheaves mounted to each upper section of each housing section, wherein each set of sheaves is adapted to engage a hoisting means; (iii) a guide wheel assembly secured to each outboard side of each housing section, wherein each guide wheel assembly is adapted to engage a tubular of the drilling tower; (iv) at least one swivel support disposed on each inboard side of each lower section; (v) at least one shock absorber disposed on each swivel support; and (vi) at least one upper stop connected to each inboard side of each upper section; b. a top drive power swivel comprising a power swivel housing having a first traveling frame side opposite a second traveling frame side, a rotating drive shaft rotatable on an axis disposed through the power swivel housing, wherein the axis is parallel to a hoisting axis formed by the hoisting means, and wherein the top drive power swivel receives power from at least two hydraulic or electric motors; and c. a plurality of removable top drive retainers secured to the power swivel housing enabling the top drive power swivel to engage each housing section of the traveling frame, wherein the plurality of top drive retainers engage each inboard side of each housing section between the upper stops and the shock absorbers enabling vertical motion by the top drive power swivel between the shock absorbers and the upper stops.