US1690007A - Automatic releasing tongs - Google Patents

Description

E. E. GREVE AUTOMATIC RELEASING TONGS Filed March 1. 1922 Patented s. so, 1928.

EDGAR 3. Gun, 01' BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA.

nv'roiu rro measure Tones.

vApplicationnl'ed Iaroh 1, 1982. Serial No. 540,188.

The stem is rotated by means of a rotary or other suitable mechanism, and, as the depth of the well increases, new sections are addedto the stem. This. is accomplished in most drilling mechanisms by holding the stem stationary in a temporarily fixed section of the rotary, while the section being added is screwed into the fixed stem by means of a ipe 2o tong which is rotated by a revolving tab e or rin of the rotary.

he rotary is of necessity a heavy machine, and the rotating part may attain considerable momentum. In many cases, therefore, when pipe sections are bein added, the revolving part of the rotary an consequently the tong, is moving when the joint becomes tight or is made up. As a result of this, some injury is apt to be done to some part of the drilling l0 rig-l he present invention has for its object to provide a ton which will release its grip on the section 0 pipe which it engages at the proper time, or at the time the joint is properl made up.

The accompanying drawings illustrate m invention. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tong embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat similar view, but with a part of the tong in section, and showing the I gripping means moved to a slightly different position; and

Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 2 of one modification of the invention.

Referrin to the construction shown in Figs. 1 an 2 of the drawings, 5 designates the tong handle having a nose or pipe engaging portion 6, and aving a rectangular o ening 7 therein. In the nose are provided bits 8 or other Suitable pipe engaging means. In some instances, rollers might be substi' tuted for the bits.

The main jaw of the tong is designated 86 generally as 10, and has a curved ipe engaging portion 11 and a bifurcat handle shoulder is formed at 17.

receiving portion 12, which forms two spaced apart ears. The i e en a in ortion 11 is preferably provitizafwith b i ts In the rectangular opening 7 is a slidable block 15 having a reduced extension 16.

The interior of the block is drilled or hollowed out, a hole 18 being formed therein. Both ends of the block are open, but-the opening toward the pipe engaging end of the handle is restricted y flange 19.

A longltudinally extending bolt 20 is passed throu h the hollow interior of the block, its hea being retained therein, while its stem or shank rojects out against the innermost end of th Threaded on the bolt 20 is a nut 21 which may be fixed in position on the bolt by a pin or set screw 22. Against the nut 21 is a washer 23 which forms an abutment for one end of a still compression spring 24. The other end of the sprin abuts against the shoulder 17. The bolt an block are thus relatively movable, that is, the bolt is slidable in the block, but the inward movement is against the resistance of compression spring 24.

Passing transversely through block 15 and through the ears of the bifurcated end of the main aw at a suitable position, is a pin or bolt 25 having a nut on one end thereof, or an equivalent means, for providing a pivot for the jaw and handle.

vIn the drawings, P designates the pipe. In Fig. 1, thetong is in pipe gripping posi tion. Spring 24 urges the jaws into a tight gripping relation with the pipe. When the pipe joint is made up, the pipe resists fure rectangular opening.

ther rotative movement, but the handle 5 continues to be moved. Consequently, the handle is forced outwardly, sliding bolt 22 inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, against the compression of spring. 24. As the handle then continues to move, the jaw or nose 6 will be forced out of gripping engagement with the pipe and assume theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the block and bolt will assume their normal position.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is somewhat similar, but instead of the handle and the main jaw being movable relatively to each other, longitudinally, they are fixed against longitudinal movement and the handle is provided with a relatively movable nose. In Fig. 3, 30 designates the handle and 31 the main jaw. The jaw 31 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The pivot for the jaw and handle is indicated at 33. In the lower end of the handle is a recess 34. A detachable aw member is provided, which has an extension 36 thereon extending into recess 34. In the recess 34 is a compression spring 37. A projecting rod 38 on extension 36 serves toslidably retain the jaw 35 in position.

The way in which the tong is shown in this modification is substantially the same as that described in connection with Fig. 1. When the pipe resists further rotative movement, resistanm of spring 37 is overcome and the jaws are spread until jaw 35 has moved past dead center, when it will be thrown out of gripping position. This modification is shown and claimed in my application Serial No. 34,847, filed June 4, 1925.

Various other changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe tong having a pair of pivotally connected pipe engaging members, one of which is movable arcuatel with respect to the other and toward an away from the other, a spring for urging said movable member toward the other and resiliently holding it in pipe engaging position, said movable member being moved in an arc and away from the other member to releasing position when the resistance of the pipe being .turned b said tong exceeds the turning pressure appied to the tong and the resistance of the spring.

2. A pipe ton having a pair of pipe eng ing members, o e of which has a handle 2%- tension which is out of alinement with the pipe engaging portion thereof, a pivoting and slidable connection between the two members, and means for resiliently urging one of the members toward the other and effecting an automatic release of the tong from the pipe when a predetermined resistance is encountered, said means being operable while the tong is rotated in a single direction.

3. In a pipe tong, a jaw, a handle pivotally secured to the jaw and having pipe engaging means, said handle and its engaging means movable in an arc and. also away from the jaw to disengage the tong, and spring means for urging the handle and its pipe engaging means towards the pipe and permitting an automatic release of the tong upon compression of the spring when a predetermined resistance is encountered, said means being 0-perable to effect the said result while the tong is rotated in a single direction.

4. An automatic releasing tong including a pair of cooperating members one of which is movable in an are relatively to the other into and out of pipe engaging position, one of said members being reciprocable'toward and away from the other, and means for resiliently ur ing said reciprocable member toward the other and into pipe engaging osition and effecting a release of the tong rom the pipe while the tong is rotated in a single direction.

5. A tong comprising a handle having an opening therein near one end thereof and a gripping means at the endof the handle nearest the opening, a block in said opening, a bolt slidably engaging the block, there being an abutment on the bolt and an abutment on the block, a compression s ring interposed between the abutments an a jaw pivotally connected with the blOCli.

6. A tong comprising a handle having an opening therein near one end thereof and a gripping means at the end of the handle nearest t e opening, a block in said opening, a bolt slidably engaging the block, there being an abutment on the bolt and an abutment on the block, a compression spring interposed between the abutments, a jaw having a bifurcated extension thereon adapted to receive the handle, and a pin passing through the bifurcated extension and through said block for pivotally connecting the jaw and handle.

7. A pipe tong comprising a handle on which is carried an operating aw, a main jaw pivotally and slidably connected with the bandle, whereby the operating aw may be swung in an are relatively to the main jaw and may slide incidental to swinging when resistance to turning beyond a predetermined dc ee is offered b the pipe, and means where y the radius 0 the are through which the operating jaw travels may be varied for each ointof contact with an object being gripped? 8. A pipe tong comprising a gripping jaw thereon, an an opposed jaw, said gripping jaw carried at the end of the handle and out of alinement therewith, means pivotally and slidably connecting the other jaw and the handle, means for normaliy holding the jaws in a gripping position, said second mentioned means enabling the jaws to spread when an object being turned thereby ofi'ers resistance to further movement beyond a predetermined amount.

9. In a pipe tong, a jaw member, a handle pivotally secured to the jaw member and having pipe engaging means, means for urging a handle having the said pipe engaging means into operative engagement with a pipe and effecting an automatic release of the tong from the pipe when a predetermined resistance is encountered, said means being operable while the tong is rotated in a single direction.

10. In a pipe tong, a jaw member, a handle member pivotally secured to the jaw member, a spring-projected pipe-engaging means on one of the members, and a pipe-engaging means on the other member, said handle member being movable in an are from pipe-engaging to pipe-releasing position upon forcing the spring-projected pipe-engaging means to other member, said handle member being retracted position. movable in an are from pipe-engaging to 11. A self-releasing tong comprising a jaw pipe-releasingwyosition upon forcing the 10 member, a. handle member pivotally carried spring-projec pipe-engaging element to 5 at one end of the aw member, a spring proretracted position.

j ected pipe-engagqng element on 'one of the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature: members, and a pipe-engaging element on the EDGAR E. GREVE.

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