GB2212475A

GB2212475A - Handling tubular articles

Info

Publication number: GB2212475A
Application number: GB8726753A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ketel Hendrik Van
Original assignee: HEEREMA ENGINEERING
Current assignee: HEEREMA ENGINEERING
Priority date: 1987-11-16
Filing date: 1987-11-16
Publication date: 1989-07-26
Also published as: GB8726753D0

Abstract

A tool for handling a tubular article e.g. a pile (20), comprises inner and outer sleeves (12, 13) between which the wall of the pile is positionable, a pair of lifting pins (10, 11) which are movable by double acting hydraulic rams (14, 15) into and out of engagement with lifting pin holes (21, 22) in the pile and the rams having the possibility of remote controlled operation via hydraulic lines (23) for release of the tool after handling. The pins (10, 11) travel in guide sleeves (16, 17) which are attached to the inner sleeve (12). The pin holes are spaced around the periphery of the pile by 180 DEG . <IMAGE>

Description

HANDLING TUBULARS This invention relates to handling of tubulars, eg pipes or piles.

The invention provides a tool for handling a large tubular such as a pipe or pile having at least two locking holes spaced around its circumference, 0 preferably by 180 , the tool having locking means to engage the holes, and actuator means for withdrawing the locking means out of engagement with the holes to allow separation of the tool from the tubular.

By way of example, an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a sectional view through a handling tool according to the invention.

The tool comprises a pair of reciprocable lifting pins 10, 11 which are supportable in aligned sets of holes 12a, 13a and 12b, 13b in inner and outer sleeves 12 and 13 respectively. Each lifting pin 10, 11 is operated by its own hydraulic ram 14, 15 which is double-acting and which is mounted in line on the inner sleeve 12. The lifting pins 10,11 travel in guide sleeves 16, 17 which are attached to the inner sleeve 12. The lifting pins 10, 11 are spaced 1800 around the tool circumference and with an offset in the longitudinal direction which allows the lifting pin/ram sets to be placed parallel one above the other.

The inner and outer sleeves 12, 13 are connected to a lifting body 18 of the tool, which has a connection 19 for attachment of the tool to a hoisting device.

The tool is engaged on the end of a tubular 20, which may be a pipe or pile, by positioning the tubular between the inner and outer sleeves 12, 13.

The rams 14, 15 are used to move the lifting pins 10, 11 from their retracted position (shown in dotted lines) to their engaged position (shown in full lines) in which they penetrate the aligned hole sets 12a, 13a and 12b, 13b and a pair of complementarily arranged lifting pin holes 21, 22 in the tubular 20.

With the tool thus locked in position, the tubular 20 can be handled by lifting, lowering, upending etc.

Remote controlled release of the tool from the tubular 20 is possible by operating the rams 14, 15 via hydraulic lines 23 to withdraw the lifting pins 10, 11 to their retracted positions.

The tool is particularly useful for handling of heavy tubulars such as piles for submerged pile installations.

Claims

1. A tool for handling a large tubular such as a pipe or pile having at least two locking holes spaced around its circumference, preferably by 1800, the tool having locking means to engage the holes, and actuator means for withdrawing the locking means out of engagement with the holes to allow separation of the tool from the tubular.

2. A tool as claimed in Claim 1 wherein means is provided for remotely controlling operation of the actuator means.

3. A tool as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the actuator means is operable to move the locking means into engagement in the holes as well as out of engagement.

4. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim comprising separate locking means to engage each hole and separate actuator means to operate the locking means.

5; A tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tool engages the tubular from within.

6. A tool as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the tool comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve and is engagable with the tubular with the wall of the tubular positioned between the inner and outer sleeves.

7. A tool substantially as hereinbeore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of handling large tubulars having at least two locking holes spaced around its circumference, preferably by 1800, in which use is made of a toll as claimed in any preceding claim.

9. An assembly comprising a tubular having at least two holes spaced around its circumference, preferably by 1800, and a tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7.

10. A tubular having at least two holes spaced around its circumference, preferably by 1800, for engagement by a tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7.