Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The field of this invention relates to fill-up and circulating tools which are mounted to a drilling rig hoisting system and more particularly to one of its bails to allow the fill-up and circulating tool to be moved aside rather than dismantled when operations such as drilling or tripping pipe are taking place. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     During the process of drilling and completing a well it is necessary to run or pull the pipe into or out of the wellbore, in a processes commonly called “tripping”, where it is necessary to connect and disconnect the uppermost adjacent pieces of tubular many times. These adjacent pieces can consist of one or more individual pieces or joints of the complete tubular string. Because of problems associated with the drilling of a well it is often necessary to capture fluid from the upper end of the tubular or circulate fluid through the tubular while tripping. To capture or circulate fluid it is necessary to connect a device commonly known as a fill up and circulating tool to the upper end of the uppermost tubular. When using a top drive rig it is common to connect the top drive directly to the upper tubular by threading the top drive into the tubular. Recently it has become common to use the device illustrated in PCT/US99/22051 when attached to the top drive. 
     In some cases and when using a conventional “rotary rig” devices such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,997,042; 5,191,939; 5,735,348 and others are used. These devices have substantial limitations in that they cannot be used with all tubulars commonly used in the drilling and completion of a well and they cannot easily be placed in an “out of the way” position and must be removed when it is necessary to drill. 
     In a related earlier U.S. application Ser. No. 09/638,809, which is fully incorporated herein as though actually set forth, several fill up and circulating devices are illustrated which require a handling device to assist in positioning them in sealing and coupling contact with the tubular connection and to allow sealing and coupling to the upper end of the uppermost tubular. In this application several methods for handling these devices were disclosed. One such technique for accommodating the need to get the equipment out of the way to facilitate drilling was to put the fill-up and circulating tool on swing mounts from both opposed bails and to somehow swing the fill-up and circulating tool out from between the bails to get it out of the way from the tubing in the elevator. This design involved a need for considerable clearance space to make a large arc for the swing motion and a fairly unwieldy method of hoisting and lowering the fill-up and circulating tool throughout its arcuate range of motion. Additionally, the fill-up and circulating tool had to be held in the out of the way position by cable and presented a risk of falling back down toward the tubular if the support cable failed for any reason. 
     Current fill-up and circulating devices illustrated in the 042&#39;, 939&#39;and 348&#39;patents are connected to the tubular connection of the top drive or attached to the hook of a conventional hoisting system of a rotary rig. In order to drill these devices must be removed so that the tubular can be connected to the top drive or the tubular is connected to a kelly which is connected to the hook of a rotary rig. 
     Therefore, in addition to handling the fill up and circulating devices to position them at the tubular for coupling and sealing to the tubular, it is also desirable to have the handling device move the fill up and circulating device to an “out of the way” position when not sealed or coupled to the tubular. “Out of the way” meaning that the position of the handling device and any device attached to it or not in the way or inhibit the processes of rig operation and specifically the handling or tripping of the tubulars or the drilling process. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for handling the devices for filling and circulating a tubular, to place the apparatus for filling and circulating the tubular in sealing and coupled contact with the tubular and to move the apparatus for filling and circulating the tubular and the handling device “out of the way”. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a means for connecting the fill up and circulating device to a pump or other fluid supply or storage system. 
     Another objective of the invention is to provide a method of installation and operation that does not require the device to be removed from the hoisting device to conduct any rig operation. Another objective is to have a handling system that is simple to operate, and which does not require significant space for its movements, and which will reliably position the fill-up and circulating tool over the tubular for rapid makeup or release. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A mounting system for a fill-up and circulating tool on the rig hoisting system is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the tool is supported on one of the bails and it is driven to rotate around the longitudinal axis of one of the bails. A combined vertical and rotational movement is imparted by the mounting system to allow the fill-up and circulating tool to be raised and swung out from between the bails to allow normal drilling or tripping. In the other position it can be swung over the tubular and lowered for sealing contact to allow fluids to pass in both directions to or from a pumping and storage system on the rig. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view showing both bails with the fill-up and circulating tool in the out of the way position; 
     FIG. 2 is the back view of the view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view showing the fill-up and circulating tool in the centered position over the elevator for connection to a tubular; 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a detailed view of an alternative technique for engaging a tubular with the apparatus where rotation is not required; 
     FIG. 8 is a detailed view showing how the engagement and sealing portion operates without rotation; 
     FIG. 9 is an alternate assembly of a more automated alternative to that shown in FIG. 8, showing not only the thread engagement and releaseable portion but also the sealing tube feature of the apparatus; 
     FIG. 10 is a complete apparatus incorporating the details of FIG. 9, showing engagement into a tubular; 
     FIG. 11 shows the locked position of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9, with pressure applied internally; 
     FIG. 12 is a detail of a component of the locking mechanism showing how it is guided by the apparatus; 
     FIG. 13 is an elevational view of part of the locking mechanism for the apparatus; 
     FIG. 14 is a view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 10 in the condition where it is released from the tubular below. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1 the open side of the elevator  10  is shown supported from bails  12  and  14 . The apparatus A is connected to bail  12  but could as easily be supported from the other bail  14 . As best seen in FIG. 3 a frame  16  is secured to bail  12  by U-bolts  18  and  20  which extend, respectively, through clasps  22  and  24  and are secured, respectively by nuts  26  and  28 . Clasps  22  and  24  are generally U-shaped and can have internal serrations where they contact the bail  12  for additional resistance to rotation of the frame  16  with respect to bail  12 . Other techniques to rotationally lock the frame  16  to the bail  12  can also be employed, such as a splined connection or additional support for frame  16  from the other bail  14 . On new construction, as opposed to a retrofit, the frame  16  can be made integrally with one of the bails, such as  12 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, an inlet pipe  30  is connected to the rig pumping and storage system to allow for flow to and from the apparatus A when sealingly connected to a tubular  32 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, inlet pipe  30  has a U-bend  34 , which is in turn connected to the top of the fill-up and circulating tool  36 . Inlet pipe  30  extends through sleeve  38 . Sleeve  38  is clamped for pivotal movement about pin  40  by a clamp  42 .Pin  40  extends into bracket  52 , which is supported by frame  16 . Sleeve  38  has an elongated slot  44 , the upper portion  46  being inclined with respect to longitudinal portion  48 , which is oriented generally parallel to bail  12 . Inlet pipe  30  has a pin  50  which rides in slot  44 . Bracket  54  is supported by frame  16  for up and down slidable movement. Link  56  is pivotally mounted at pin  58  as best seen in FIG. 4, to bracket  54 . Link  56  surrounds inlet pipe  30  in a manner that permits relative rotation between them. Link  56  is mounted between flanges  60  and  62  on inlet pipe  30 . Up and down movement of bracket  54  is preferably accomplished by hydraulic cylinder  64  which can selectively be used to extend or retract rod  66 . Rod  66  is secured to bracket  54  by nut  68 . Hydraulic cylinder  64  can be replaced by any other device which will raise and lower bracket  54 . 
     Connected to inlet pipe  30  is a yoke  70  to which is connected link  72  at pin  74 . Pin  76  connects the other end of link  72  to bracket  54 . 
     The components now having been described, the operation of the device will now be reviewed. The intended movement of the fill-up and circulating tool  36  is intended to be from a retracted position, shown in FIG. 4 to a connected position shown in FIG.  5 . Clamp  42  allows rotation of sleeve  38  as installed and link  72  has an adjustable length to define the proper length, as installed, for smooth movement of the assembly and final positioning of the fill-up and circulating tool  36  in alignment with the tubular  32 . Referring to FIG. 3, the fill-up and circulating tool is in the out of the way position with rod  66  fully extended and pin  50  in the upper end  46  of slot  44 . When the hydraulic cylinder  64  is actuated to move rod  66  downwardly the inlet pipe  30  moves down. The pin  50  is forced against the inclined surface  76  of the upper end  46  of slot  44 . This contact induces opposed rotational motion between the inlet pipe  30  and the sleeve  38  as long as pin  50  exerts downward pressure on inclined surface  76 . Sleeve  38  rotates about pin  40 , while at the same time link  56  rotates about pin  58 . As a result, the movement of the fill-up and circulating tool is along a near straight line into the position in FIG.  5 . The inlet pipe rotates counter clockwise looking down, as seen by comparing FIG. 4 to FIG.  5 . Links  42  and  56  rotate clock-wise looking down in the same Figures. The rotational movement ceases when the pin  50  enters the lower end  48  of the slot  44 . This position, corresponds to an alignment of the fill-up and circulating tool with the tubular  32 . Link  72  is a torque link that resists the torque created by the pin  50  moving on inclined surface  76  and, in turn creates the rotation of links  42  and  56  respectively about pins  40  and  58 . 
     The design of the fill-up and circulating tool  36  is independent of the apparatus A, such that any kind of tool can be used and moved into position or out of the way as desired. The connection  78  is intended to be schematic, although it looks like a thread. The fill-up and circulating tool can seal using a cup seal or through engagement with the threads of the tubular in various embodiments described below or in other ways illustrated by other known designs. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, the embodiment which allows the connection to be made up by simply pushing in the apparatus A into a tubular  252  is disclosed. As before, a frame  228 ′ has aligned openings  230 ′ and  232 ′ to engage the bails (not shown). A mud hose (not shown) is connected to connection  254  and may include a valve (not shown). The mud hose (not shown) is connected into a housing  256 . Secured within housing  256  is locking member  258 , which is held to the housing  256  at thread  260 . A series of downwardly oriented parallel grooves  262  are present on the locking member  258 . A locking collet  264  has a series of projections  266  which are engageable in grooves  262 . A piston  268  is biased by a spring  270  off of housing  256  to push down the collet  264 . Since the locking member  258  is fixed, pushing down the collet  264  ramps it radially outwardly along the grooves  262  of locking member  258  for engagement with a tubular  252 , as shown in the final position in FIG.  8 . Seals  272  and  274  seal around opening  276 . A groove  278  is accessible through opening  276  for release of the apparatus A by insertion of a tool into groove  278  and applying a force to drive the collet  264  upwardly with respect to locking member  258 , thus moving projections  266  withing grooves  262  and allowing the apparatus A to be retracted from the tubular  252 . A seal  280  lands against surface  282  in the tubular  252  for sealing therewith, as shown in FIG.  8 . Another seal  284  is on piston  268  to prevent loss of drilling mud under pressure which surrounds the spring  270  from escaping onto the rig floor. Similarly, seal  286  serves the same purpose. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in this embodiment, the apparatus A is simply brought down, either with the help of a rig hand lowering the traveling block or by automatic actuation, such that the collet  264 , which has an external thread  288 , can engage the thread  290  in the tubular  252 . This occurs because as the apparatus A is brought toward the tubular  252 , the piston  268  is pushed back against spring  270 , which allows the collet  264  to have its projections  266  ride back in grooves  262  of the locking mechanism  258 . The spring  270  continually urges the seal  280  into sealing contact with the mating tubular surface. Upon application of a pickup force to the housing  256 , the locking mechanism  258  along with its grooves  262  cam outwardly the projections  266  on the collet  264 , forcing the thread  288  into the thread  290  to secure the connection. At that time, the seal  280  is in contact with the internal surface  282  of the tubular  252  to seal the connection externally. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that internal pressure in bore  292  will simply urge the locking member  258  in housing  256  away form the tubular  252 , which will further increase the locking force on the collets  264 , and that the internal pressure will also urge piston  268  into contact with the tubular member  252 , maintaining sealing engagement of seal  280 . As a safety feature of this apparatus, in order to release this connection, the pressure internally in bore  292  needs to be relieved and a tool inserted into slot  278  so that the collets  264  can be knocked upwardly, this pulling them radially away to release from the thread  290  on tubular  252 . Sequential operations of a valve on the mudline (not shown) can be then employed for spill-free operations on the rig floor. Essentially, once the connection s made as shown in FIG. 8, the valve on the mudline is opened and the tubular  252  can be run into or out of the hole. The connection is then released as previously described by use of groove  278 . As in the other embodiments, the full bore is maintained. 
     There may be difficulty in getting the connection shown for the apparatus A in FIGS. 7 and 8 to release through the use of a tool applied on groove  278 . Accordingly, the next embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9-14 can be employed to more fully automate the procedure. The principle of operation is similar, although there are several new features added. Where the operation is identical to that in FIGS. 7 and 8, it will not be repeated here. What is different in the embodiment of FIG. 9 is that there is a tube  294  which is now biased by a spring  296 . At the lower end of tube  294  is a seal  298  which is preferably a chevron shape in cross-section, as shown in FIG.  9 . An external shoulder  300  is used as a travel stop within the tubular  302  for proper positioning of the seal  298 , as shown in FIG.  10 . Thus, in this embodiment, the seal  298  engages surface  304  inside the tubular  302  for sealing therewith. Pressure in bore  306 , in conjunction with the force from spring  296 , keeps the tube  294  pushed down against the tubular  302 . The other feature of this embodiment is that the locking and release is done automatically. Extending from the housing  308  is a frame  310  with a pair of opposed openings  312 . Connected to locking  258 ′ is a plate  314 . A motor  316  which can be of any type has shafts  318  and  320  extending from it which can be selectively extended or retracted. The shafts  318  and  320  are respectively connected to connections  322  and  324 . Connection  324  extends out of or is a part of the collets  264 ′. A spring  326  forces apart plate  314  from the assembly which is collets  264 ′. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when it comes time to engage the apparatus A as shown in FIG. 9 into a tubular  302 , the motor or motors  316  can be engaged to bring the plate  314  closed to the collet member  264 ′ to thus retract the collet member  264 ′ into the grooves  262 ′ of the locking member  258 ′. This position is shown in FIG. 10, where the spring  326  is stretched as plate  314  is moved away from the collet assembly  264 ′. The collets with the thread  288 ′ can now slip in and engage the thread  290  on the tubular  302 . As this is happening, the spring  296  biases the tube  294  to engage the seal  298  onto surface  304 . Thereafter, the motor or motors  316  are engaged to bring together the plate  314  from the collets  264 ′, thus forcing the collets  264 ′ to be cammed radially outwardly as the locking member  258  is forced upwardly by the motor or motors  316 . The apparatus A is now fully connected, as shown in FIG.  11 . The collet assembly  264 ′ has a set of opposed dogs  328  shown in FIG.  12 . These dogs  328  extend into openings or slots  312  to prevent relative rotation of the collet assembly  264 ′ with respect to frame  310 . A guide  330  is conical in shape and assists in the initial alignment over a tubular  302 . The guide  330  is part of the frame  310  and the frame  310  lands on top of the tubular  302 , as shown in FIG. 10. A more detailed view of the collet assembly  264 ′, showing threads or grooves  288 ′ which engage the thread  290  in the tubular  302 , is shown in FIG.  13 . FIG. 14 is similar to FIGS. 9-11, with the exception that the housing  308  is more readily removable from the frame  310  using lugs  332  which can be hammered onto make or release the joint between the housing  308  and the frame  310 . In all other ways, the operation of the embodiment of the apparatus A shown in FIG. 14 is identical to that shown FIGS. 9-11. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are advantages to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9-11 to that shown in FIGS. 7-8. By using one or more motors which separate and bring together parallel plates, the collets  264 ′ can be placed in a position where they can be easily pushed into a tubular  302 . Then by reverse actuating the motor and allowing the locking mechanism  258  to push the collet assembly  264 ′ outwardly, the apparatus A is locked to the tubular  302  and seal  298 , which can be any type of seal, seals around the tube  294  to accept returns or to provide mud, depending on the direction of movement of the tubular  302 . Thus, by the use of the motor  316 , which brings together and separates the plates  314 , the outward bias on the collet assembly  264 ′ can be controlled by a power assist which greatly speeds up the connection and disconnection to each individual tubular  302 . As in previous embodiments, the full bore of the tubular is maintained. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention encompasses the ready positioning and removal from being in the way of a fill-up and circulating tool while avoiding the need to disassemble it from the hoisting system of the rig, as had been required in the past. The design can operate fully automatically and from a convenient remote location. Other devices that can produce the movements required are contemplated within the scope of the invention. The advantage of being able to conduct drilling and tripping operations without dismantling the fill-up and circulating tool save time and space on the rig area. The compactness of the movements make the apparatus A readily useful in a variety of rigs, be they rotary or top drive. Newly constructed equipment can incorporate the support of the apparatus A into the bail  12  or  14 . Alternatively, the traveling block can be the support point to allow raising and lowering while another assembly can rotate the device into position between the bails and out of the way outside the bails. 
     Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that although a hydraulic cylinder, pin and torque link are illustrated, movements can be accomplished by other methods. For example should the cylinder become inoperable, a hoisting line can be connected to the inlet pipe to move the inlet pipe up and down. In addition by disabling the pin and torque link a person in the derrick can move the fill-up and circulating tool from side to side, up and down to position the fill-up and circulating tool for connection with the tubular or out of the way. 
     The above description of the preferred embodiment is merely illustrative and those skilled in the art will appreciate that modification of the preferred design with regard to number, size, physical placement and movement of the parts can be undertaken without departing from the invention whose scope is fully determined by the claims below.

Technology Category: 0