Patent ID: 7467659

Claim:
A tubing injector head, comprising: a main body adapted for mounting on a well, the main body having a gripper chain support mounting track; a first gripper chain support mounted to the mounting track on the main body, the first gripper chain support having an upper end, a lower end, and a first skate plate providing a first bearing surface extending between the upper end and the lower end, an upper chain sprocket at the upper end, a lower chain sprocket at the lower end, a first gripper chain engaged with the upper chain sprocket and the lower chain sprocket; a first drive motor driving one of the upper chain sprocket or the lower chain sprocket to move the first gripper chain along the first bearing surface; means for detachably mounting the first gripper chain support to the mounting track on the main body to accommodate axial movement along the track while precluding transverse movement, and locking the first gripper chain support in a selected axial position along the mounting track; a second gripper chain support mounted to the mounting track on the main body, the second gripper chain support having an upper end, a lower end and a second skate plate providing a second bearing surface extending between the upper end and the lower end, an upper chain sprocket at the upper end, a lower chain sprocket at the lower end, a second gripper chain engaged with the upper chain sprocket and the lower chain sprocket; a second drive motor driving one of the upper chain sprocket or the lower chain sprocket to move the second gripper chain along the second bearing surface; means for detachably mounting the second gripper chain support to the mounting track on the main body to accommodate axial movement along the track while precluding transverse movement and locking the second gripper chain support in a selected axial position along the mounting track; a tubing channel positioned between the first gripper chain support and the second gripper chain support; and telescopic cylinders secured to the first skate plate and the second skate plate for creating relative movement of the first gripper chain support and the second gripper chain support while maintaining the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface in parallel spaced relation, whereby the first gripper chain and the second gripper chain can be moved into or out of engagement with tubing positioned in the tubing channel.