FR2595086A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE HANDLING CAPACITY OF LOADS OF SUPPORT AND HANDLING EQUIPMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

THE SUBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION IS: A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE LOAD HANDLING CAPACITY OF A SYSTEM HAVING AT LEAST ONE COMPENSATION MEANS 26 DRIVEN BY FLUID WHICH INCLUDES AN AUXILIARY ASSEMBLY WITH PISTON AND CYLINDER 66 ACTIVATED BY THE FLUID PARTS OF THE COMPENSATION SYSTEM IN A WAY TO EFFECTIVELY MODIFY THE REACTION CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FORCE OF IT, SO THAT HIGHER LOADS PRODUCE LOWER DISPLACEMENT OF THE MEANS OF COMPENSATION.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and

  a device to increase the capacity of the loads that can

  may be handled by support equipment and

  lation. In particular, the present invention finds its use in a device for handling charge charges.

  wearing mittens and cables, such as a traveling mittens

  which a load can be connected to a fixed muffle which is

  suspended the movable muffle by means of a cable

  placed between the grooved pulleys forming part of the two

  fles. The present invention finds particular application

  in cases where one of the two mittens is additionally equipped with

  means of compensation of displacement such as those which

  could be used in a marine environment where the action of

  would communicate a movement: to the means of support.

  It is known to use compensating devices

  displacement to compensate for the vertical displacement imparted to marine vessels by wave action. The

  displacement compensators are necessary when the

  support immersed equipment such as, for example,

  during drilling or during other operations under the sea.

  Such buildings usually have a tower or derrick attached

  at the bridge of the building with a fixed muffle at the upper end.

  re derrick and a movable muffle suspended mittle fixed by a cable disposed between the pulleys groove mittens. The

  movable muffle has a hook to which is connected a

  vateur or the like to fall into the water to the bottom. A

  system actuated by a fluid communicates an alternating movement

  native to allow the hook to be maintained at a fixed point relative to the seabed when the mobile muffle pitched under the action of the waves. communicated to the building. With

  such compensators it is necessary that the weight of the appli-

  compensation device is supported by the same cable as that which suspends the movable muffle with the fixed mittle which is

attached to the tower or the derrick.

  Displacement compensators are known to maintain either the fixed muffle or the fixed muffle fixed by

  relative to the seabed when the floating vessel is

  square. In either case, the respective muffle is

  carried by two direct acting hydraulic or pneumatic piston-cylinder units. A device

  additional compensation may be necessary to reduce

  the linear displacement of the flexible cable supporting the

  muffle to prevent relative movement between the two

  under the effect of the displacement of the building.

  It is desirable and advantageous to provide a

  thinker supported by ensembles operating under the ef-

  the pressure of a fluid or a gas supplying a

  balanced support and a set-up to reduce to a minimum

  the necessary weight of the derrick or tower supporting the fixed muffle and movable muffle assembly. It is also desirable to minimize the height of the derrick by providing maximum mechanical advantage so that a relatively large displacement of the derrick can be compensated for by a relatively small offset between the derricks.

  elements of the compensator assembly. It is also desirable

  the ability to significantly increase the load handling capabilities of the assembly during certain operations requiring higher than normal loads to be supported by the compensating means without adversely affecting the rest of the device. to maintain a high degree of

  sensitivity to movement while supporting and compensating

  normal loads. The cost would not be reduced by developing the device for peak load capacities for all situations, nor could the load sensitivity be maintained if the device were

  planned for higher loads.

  The present invention provides a method and an

  similar to increase the handling capacity of

  compensated systems before a fixed muffle and a muffle

  supported by a tower and connected to each other by a cable

  ble arranged around the grooved pulleys of said mittens, the

  load being connected to the movable muffle and the means of com-

  thought being intended to be connected to one of said muffle so that the displacement of the derrick is not communicated to the movable muffle so that the suspended load

  to this one keeps his position with respect to the plane of the water.

  The present invention consists of a piston-cylinder assembly

  fluid-actuated dre which is selectively mounted

  in said compensation system to provide a capacitance

  additional strength by increasing the intensity of the force required

  re to produce the displacement of the compensation system.

  Fluid actuation can be achieved by means

  hydraulics, pneumatics or combined hydraulic means

and pneumatic,

  The present invention provides a method and an

  similar to increase the handling capacity of

  of a drilling rig with a fixed muffle and a

  mobile muffle, one of which has means of compensation

  by providing a piston-cylinder assembly which is

  corporately within the means of communication

  thought so as to increase the resistance to displacements

  of these, thus allowing for greater

  to be handled by the device.

  The present invention will be described hereinafter by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

  Figure 1 is a schematic side elevational view of

  of a semi-submersible platform comprising a derrick or a tower supporting a set of fixed muffle and movable muffle with a compensator incorporated in the movable mitt

- 4

  Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the

  appears to be a compensator and a movable mittel represented by a

  partly schematic; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the locking bar assembly of the compensator according to Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side elevational view similar to Figure 2 showing the parts of the compensator in the locked position; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the high load assembly in accordance with the present invention; and

  Figure 6 is a side elevation view, similar to

  shown in Figure 2, showing the device according to the invention.

in the up position.

  The present invention is shown in FIGS.

  it should be used in a system of for-

  a marine well in which a derrick or tower 10 is mounted on a semi-submersible platform 12 supported by buoyancy devices 14 in a volume of water 16. A fixed muffle 18 is mounted at the top of the tower 10

  and has a movable muffle 20 suspended therefrom by the

  a cable 22 arranged around the grooved pulleys

  respective mittens and connected to a main winch 24.

  In the embodiment shown, the means of

  26 are connected to the movable muffle 20 and have a main frame 28, a hook housing 30 from which

  is suspended a hook 32 and two sets piston-cylin-

  34 and 36 and chains 38, 40 which connect between them the main frame 28 and the housing of the hook 30. An elevator

  42 is suspended from the hook 32 and engages with the

  ge 44 which is here represented in the form of a tubular member

  which can be a drill string, a seation

  casing, or any other equipment likely to be

  in an underwater drilling operation. The communication device

  26 adapts to the displacement of the platform while allowing the element 44 to be maintained in a fixed position

  in relation to the seabed and the well or to be maneuverable

  selectively in relation to the seabed or

  well whatever the pitch of the platform 12.

  The operation of the drill rig is well known. One end of the cable 22 is attached to the tower

  or one of the two mittens and passes around the pulleys

  mittens on the pulleys 46 and 48 towards the main winch

  The winding in and out of the winch

  the main cable ensure the relative movement of the

  - fle.iobile compared to the fixed mittle.

  In the embodiment shown, the movable muffle is equipped with a compensator 26 which comprises a main frame 28 and a housing 30 for the hook interconnected by means of piston sets 34 and 36 and chains 38 and 40. Piston-cylinder assemblies

  34 and 36 are actuated: s under the effect of the pressure of a fluid

  supplied from a source of pressurized fluid 50 via flexible lines 52. The source and the lines may comprise, if necessary, either a fluid under hydraulic pressure, or a fluid under pneumatic pressure, or two. The main frame 28 and the housing 30 of the hook are respectively provided with slots 54 and 56 for the locking bars and one of them

  is equipped with a locking bar assembly as

shown in Figure 3.

  The locking bar assembly shown in FIG. 3 is mounted in the housing 30 of the hook and has a locking bar 58 rotatably mounted on a shaft

  with an actuating cylinder 62 connected via the

  with a lever arm 64 to communicate a movement

  rotation to the locking bar 58.

  In some cases, it is desirable to render inactive

  the compensating means 26 and this is achieved by collecting

  bling the housing 30 of the hook and the main frame 28 and

  locking them through the lock bar

  step 58 by rotating the bar so that its

  ends extend into the respective slots 54 and 56.

  In other circumstances, it is desirable to increase the charge handling capacity and this is achieved using the present invention as is

  shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The present invention comprises

  an auxiliary assembly with a piston cylinder 66 having a first

  first mounting means 68 on a first end of the en-

  appears to cylinder 70 and a second mounting means 72 on the free end of the piston rod 74. The cylinder 70

  comprises couplings 76 for applying a fluid of ac-

  hydraulic or pneumatic pressure

  seems and couplings 77 to ensure the setting of the

  speed of fluid displacement / piston.

  When desired, to increase the possibilities

  of the system, the auxiliary assembly 66 could

  be mounted between the main frame 28 and the housing 30 of the

  chet via respective mounting means 68 and 72 engaging in the locking mechanisms to-bar as shown in Figure 3. Preferably, the main frame 28 and the housing 30 of the hook will be provided with locking bar mechanisms to adapt to the present invention, but it will be readily understood that a simple bar (not shown) passing through the slot of the frame

  and the mounting means would be suitable. The accouple-

  76 of the auxiliary assembly 66 would be connected to the driving

  52 and supplied by a source of pressurized fluid 50.

  An example of a locking bar mechanism

  Property is shown and described in US Patent No. 3,841,770.

  whose description is incorporated herein by reference.

  Type compensation means that could be used

  in the present invention are also shown

  in US patent application filed concurrently on 31 Oc-

  84 under N 666 874, the description of which is also

  incorporated herein by reference. The application describes and claims compensation means which are associated with the fixed muffle unlike the muffle of the present invention. However, either type of compensation means could be used advantageously with the present invention.

  The above description of the invention is illus-

  example, but various modifications in the process steps as well as in the details of the apparatus

  represented may be made in the context of the

  appended dications without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

  1. An apparatus for supporting and manipulating   objects, said apparatus having a first and a second   each equipped with at least one throat pulley for the mutual assembly of the mittens by means of a flexible cable such that the second muffle is supported by   the first muffle and moves selectively   port to him by manipulating the cable, and means of compensation   movement associated with one of the mittens   to prevent the transmission of the movement of the whole   mittens in relation to a fixed position at the   carried by it, characterized in that it comprises   means to increase the capacity of   said displacement compensating means comprising:   means actuated by a fluid connected in a   lective to said compensating means to change   significant distribution of forces developed during the compensation placement.   2. Fluid actuated means according to the claim   1 comprising a piston-cylinder assembly having first and second securing means respectively   on said piston and said cylinder for mounting said   appears in said displacement compensation means,   way to increase the capacity of these.   3. Fluid actuated means according to the   1 further comprising: means connecting the fluid actuated means   and said displacement compensating means at only one the source of fluid under pressure.   4. A compensating apparatus comprising:   at. first and second fluid pressure means   each having first and second movable bodies relative to each other, reciprocating and means for applying the pressure of a fluid between said bodies in an attempt to obtain a displacement reciprocating said bodies in a first directional displacement mode said first body being fixed relative to the first object; b. means for connecting said second bodies with a second object such that a proportional reciprocating movement in parallel with said first and second bodies is accompanied by a relative movement between said first and second objects; c. means for connecting said second object to a third object by which said third object is selectively movable relative to said second object independently of said displacement of said second object;   first and second bodies, said relative displacement between   so-called first and second objects that can be accompanied by a   analogous displacement between said third object and said first   first object, said third object remaining relatively fixed with respect to said second object; and D. a third fluid pressure means selectively connected between said first and second objects   thanks to which the distributii, deforce developedduring a move-   compensation is significantly increased.   A compensator apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for applying a fluid pressure to said third fluid pressure means from the same source as for said first and second means of fluid pressure.   6. A compensating apparatus according to the claim 4 further comprising:   means associated with at least one of said first   first and second objects to cooperate selectively with   said third fluid pressure means or the other said first and second objects.   7. An apparatus for supporting and handling objects having first and second mittens, each equipped with at least one throat pulley for the mutual meeting of said mittens   through a flexible cable by which said se-   cond muffle can be supported from said first muffle   and moved selectively with respect to it by the   The intermediate of said cable, so that objects supporting   by said second muffle may also be manipulated with respect to said first muffle, first and second sets   with fluid pressure each having moving bodies of movement   back-and-forth means and fluid pressure means for applying fluid pressure to said pressure assemblies   fluid for pushing said moving body-movements   back and forth in a first mode of   rectionnal, said first and second fluid assemblies   being arranged on the opposite sides of, and generally   joining the movable cable of said second muffle with respect to said first muffle said first directional displacement mode being generally parallel to said direction of displacement; pulleys supported by each of said   second body with said flexible cable arranged around each   one of said pulleys such that said cable supports   thus, said second block from said pulleys; means connecting said first muffle to said second bodies such that movement of said first and second muffles is in unison with said second bodies and is accompanied by a back and forth motion   proportional relationship between said first and second bodies tive; and you   means to significantly change the distribution   force device developed by said first and second fluid pressure assemblies comprising: a third fluid pressure assembly having   bodies moving back and forth, means re-   related to said first fluid pressure means by said   first and second fluid pressure assemblies for applying   the pressure of the fluid at the third set to   fluid flow; and means for selectively connecting said third fluid pressure assembly in parallel with said   first and second fluid pressure assemblies.