Patent ID: 8317448

Claim:
A pipe handler for handling pipe in a fingerboard, the fingerboard having a plurality of spaced-apart fingers for supporting a plurality of pieces of pipe and a plurality of rows, each row positioned between each pair of adjacent fingers, the pipe handler comprising: a pipe handling head; an extension apparatus for moving the pipe handling head, the extension apparatus having a first end and a second end; a carriage apparatus; wherein the first end of the extension apparatus connected to the pipe handling head, the second end of the extension apparatus connected to the carriage apparatus; and a track structure, the carriage apparatus movably disposed on the track structure so that the pipe handling head can access pipe on the fingerboard; a locking apparatus for selectively locking the carriage apparatus in place on the track structure; wherein the locking apparatus includes: a lock structure extending along the track, wherein the lock structure includes a plurality of v-shaped wedges and a plurality of v-shaped recesses, each recess being disposed between a pair of adjacent wedges; wherein each wedge has a first guide surface and a second guide surface; wherein each recess is defined by the first guide surface of one wedge and the second guide surface of the adjacent wedge; wherein each recess includes a point at an intersection of the first guide surface of one wedge and the second guide surface of an adjacent wedge; a locking member moveably coupled to the carriage and configured to be urged into engagement with one of the v-shaped recesses to lock the carriage in place on the track and align the pipe handling head with one of the rows; wherein the first guide surfaces and the second guides surface are configured to guide the locking member toward the points.