US2070114A - Well elevator - Google Patents

Description

1937- R. G. BURLINGAME ET AL 2,070,114

WELL ELEVATOR Filed Feb. 8, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 9, 1937- R. G. BURLINGAME El AL ,070,114

WELL ELEVATOR Filed Feb. 8, 1934 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL ELEVATOR Application February 8, 1934, Serial No. 710,304

Claims.

Our invention relates to well elevators and more particularly to elevators having yieldably mounted pipe embracing members for use in the rotary method of drilling.

In the rotary method of drilling, rotative force generated at the surface of the earth is transmitted through a series of detachably connected tubes known as drill pipe to the boring apparatus at the bottom of the well hole. These tubes convey mud laden fluid to accelerate the boring operation and to carry cuttings and debris out of the bore hole to the surface. Each of these lengths of drill pipe is provided with one half of a detachable connection on each end thereof, known as a tool joint.

It is frequently necessary to withdraw the drill pipe from the well bore for the purpose of changing the boring tools. In the withdrawing operation, the drill pipe is embraced with a lifting device known as an elevator. This elevator is attached to the hoisting apparatus by means of two bails and a hook. The lifting operation is performed by the contact of the elevator with the lower-most face of the upper tool joint or coupling.

A multiple, consisting of three or more of the units of drill pipe, known as a stand, is withdrawn from the bore hole, disconnected from the balance, and transferred to the corner of the drilling rig where it is allowed to remain in an approximately perpendicular position. This process is repeated until the full string of drill pipe is withdrawn from the hole and stood in the rig.

Great speed is necessary in the withdrawing of the drill pipe from the hole and putting it back in place. This speed is needed primarily because of the great cost of the boring time lost during the operation and also because of the danger of the well bore caving and the consequent loss of the bore hole.

To meet this need for speed, power units of considerable horse-power are used.

Because of the heavy weight of the drill pipe and the tendency of it to freeze in the bore hole, necessitating excessive stresses in freeing it, the elevator itself and the bails and hook by which it is connected to the hoisting apparatus are all of considerable size and weight.

In re-running the drill pipe into the hole it is customary to put the hoisting apparatus in its high speed position and raise the elevator as rapidly as possible toward the top of the drilling rig. As it approaches the upper end of the drill pipe stand, a workman engages the elevator on one length of the pipe at some distance below the upper tool joint thereof. The elevator then follows the drill pipe until it engages the lower face of the tool joint and raises the stand off of the derrick floor, after which it is swung over 5 the hole and lowered into the mating-half of the tool joint on the top of the drill pipe already in the hole to which it is engaged and this portion of the assembly lowered. This process is repeated until the entire string has been assembled.

In the process of running the pipe as above explained it will be noted that the drill pipe stand is in a state of rest and that in itself it represents a body of considerable weight; it will also be noted that the elevator, the elevator 15 bails, and the hook to which it is attached, represent, in total, a considerable mass of weight and that it is in considerable motion at the time it engages the drill pipe by contact of the elevator with the tool joint.

Thus it will be seen that the moving mass must set the non-moving mass into motion and that, as both masses are relatively non-yieldable, a considerable stress is set up. In as much as the tool joint is fastened to the drill pipe by means of screw-threads, it follows that this stress can only be transmitted from the tool joint to the drill pipe by the threads with which the elements are joined together.

Heretofore, no yieldable means has been used between the two masses to soften the blow with which the one is struck by the other and thereby distribute the stresses or lengthen the period of time consumed in transferring the one mass from a state of rest to a state of motion.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means within an elevator for yieldably engaging the tool joint of a drill pipe.

It is another object of this invention to provide a yieldable element in a pipe elevator which will soften the blow between the elevator and pipe coupling where the one engages the other.

It is a still further and important object of this invention to provide an elevator having a pipe embracing and lifting means of relatively small mass weight, yieldably mounted in the elevator body, so that the efiect of the great mass of the elevator, the elevator bails, and hook in striking the pipe coupling will be lessened and transmitted by stages.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an elevator for pipe and the like, having yieldably mounted pipe embracing and lifting bushings, having a series of yieldable elements of different capacities which may progressively become active in the process of changing the pipe from a state of non-motion to a state of motion, all of which will be simple of construction, economical of manufacture, and eifective in operation.

These and other objects and advantages are accomplished by a certain combination and relation of parts, the preferred embodiments of which are disclosed in the following description and in the drawings herewith, wherein like numerals of reference are applied to like parts in all views, as far as possible, and which description and drawings we give by way of illustration only and not as a limitation thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of the assembly of our elevator;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the bail trunnion, the bail aperture cover, and the elevator handle;

Fig. 3 is a front view of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1, showing the pipe embracing element and the yieldable mountings;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the left half of the elevator body with the pipe embracing element removed;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of the right half of the elevator body;

Fig. '7 is an internal view in elevation of the sections of the elevator body in open position;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line VIII- VIII of Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line IX-IX of Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 10 is a View in elevation of one of the pipe embracing elements;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line XI-XI of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the support for the pipe embracing elements;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the aperture cover; and

Fig. 14 is a sectional View of the aperture cover and its locking device, taken on line XIV-XIV of Fig. 2.

Essentially our invention comprises a multiple of interhinged members which, as a unit, form the body indicated as A and A, a series of pipe embracing elements indicated as B and B, a multiple of pipe embracing elements supports indicated as C, a latch-keeper-indicated as D, a latch operating lever indicated as E, a lug pin indicated as F, a series of springs indicated as G, G, G, and a plurality of aperture covers indicated as H and H.

The body members A and A are provided with matched hinges 2|, 2|, and 2|, 2|, into which is fitted a hinge pin 23. These bodies A and A are provided with bail engaging trunnions 24 and 2 3' which are made with a greater length on the side adjacent the hinged portion of the elevator than on the side adjacent the front of the elevator. The body members A and A are provided with extension ridges 21 and 2'! which are provided with grooves 28 and 28' that cooperate with similar grooves 29-29 in the trunnions 2% and 2t in receiving the cover plates I-I-H. Thus bail (not shown) receiving apertures 30 and 3B are formed between the trunnions 24 and 24' and the extensions 21 and 2?. The cover plates H and H are provided with tongues 3| and 3|a, and 3| and 3|a for engaging the grooves 28 and 29 and 28 and 29'. From this construction it is apparent that as the body parts A and A are moved apart the portion of the front bails within the apertures 30-30 will also be moved outwardly which movement causes the portions of the balls in contact with the elongated sides of the trunnions to move or slide toward the grooves 29-29 and thus not only permit the body members AA to swing freely to either open or closed position but the trunnions 24-24 may also be rotated without interference with the normal position of the balls.

Each section of the elevator body (A-A) is provided with a latch post 20-20 (Fig. 3) which is adapted to be received within the opening 34 of the latch keeper D for locking the elements of the elevator together. The latch keeper D which is carried by the hinge lugs 32, 32 on the body part A has its rear face adjacent the body part A, beveled for the purpose of cooperating with a beveled face 36 on the latch post 20 as the body parts A-A are moved to their closed position. Thus it will be seen that as the elevator body parts A and A swing together, the beveled face of the latch keeper will come in contact with the bevel 36 and as a result, the latch keeper D is swung outwardly at its lower end, permitting the latch posts 20 and 20 to come together so that the opening 34 of the latch keeper may close over them, and thus lock the elevator body in closed position.

In order that the apertured end of the latch keeper D will drop over the posts 20-20 as soon as they come together, the latch keeper is provided with an upwardly extending portion 3! which is engaged by a spring pressed pin F that is positioned in a pocket 38 (Fig. 5) in the elevator body A. The pin F is pressed forward to exert a pressure on extension 3'! by the spring 39. To open the latch keeper D, a crank arm handle E (Fig. 1) is hingeably mounted between the hinge bosses 40, 40 (Fig. 3) on body member A and has an arm 4| extending behind the latch keeper D. A stop 42 on the crank arm limits the travel of the handle E. Thus it will be seen that when the operator grasps the handle E and a stationary handle 43 on the body part A in an effort to open the body members A and A, the arm 4| moves the latch keeper D outwardly against the pressure of the pin F on the portion 37 and the opening 34 is thereby disengaged from the latch posts 20 and 20, permitting the elevator to swing to open position.

Each of the body members A-A is provided with a short concave inner wall 44-44 at its lower end which is essentially one half a circle of the proper size for embracing the pipe. The balance of the inner surface 65-45 is semi-circular in shape but on a somewhat larger radius than the surface 44-44, thus resulting in a shoulder 16- 36 (Figs. 5, 6, and '7) being formed between the two surfaces A l-4Q and 45-45.

Each of the surfaces 45-45 has a pair of vertically extending recesses or guide-ways 41-41, lT- l'l therein which terminate at their lower ends some distance above the shoulders 46-46. The lower ends of the guide-ways 41-41, 4'|4T also open into spring pockets 48-48, 48- |8 which extend downward to a point of elevation approximately the same as the shoulder 46 (Fig. 4)

Each of the pipe embracing elements B-B is provided with a semi-circular interior 49-49 for a short distance at its upper end (Figs. 4 and 10) which is of proper size to cooperate with the drill pipe while below this point the interior surface is of semi-circular form. as shown at 50-53 (Fig. 9), and of slightly greater radius than the semi-circle 49-49. The uppermost portions of the members B-B' are provided with shoulders 5i-5l respectively for engaging the lower portion of the pipe coupling. The exterior surface of each of the members B-B is of semi-circular form which cooperates with the semi-circular 'interiors 45-45 of body members A-A', and

guides 53-53 and 53-53 are formed thereon which cooperate with guide-ways 41-41 and 4'V-41 of the body A-A in such a way as to permit the up and down motion of the elements B-B without permitting inward movement (Fig. 9). Each of these guides 53-53 and 53-53 terminates in a concave surface 54-54 and 54-54 20 as not to close the spring pockets 48-48 and The lower portion of each of the elements B-B terminates in a square face 55 which contacts the shoulder 46-46 of the body member A-A in such a way as to limit its downward travel and the upper portion of each of said elements B-B has an exterior collar 56-56 which cooperates with the support elements C.

The support member C (Fig. 12) is made in the form of the letter D, and has a concave wall which engages the exterior surface of the elements B-B and a convex surface shaped to slidingly engage the rear wall of one of the recesses or guide-ways 41-41 or 41-4'l. The upper end of the member C is recessed, forming a shoulder 59 thereon which engages the underside of the collar 56-56 on the element 13-13 and supports it on the body A-A.

A series of springs G, G, and G (Fig. 4) and spring washers 63 and 64 are nested within each of the spring pockets 48-48 and 48-48 (Fig. l) which are held in place by a vertically extend ng bolt 65 and nut 66 that secures the member C to the body A-A. In assembling, the springs G, G, and G" are put in place in the pockets 48-48 and 48'-48 after the members B-B have been placed within the members A-A but not lowered completely, and before the parts C are put in place. A support member C is then put in place in each of the guide-ways 41-41 and 4l'-41' and the parts B-B are lowered into contact with the shoulders 59, after which the bolt 65 is inserted, locking the parts in proper assembled relationship. In order to guard against the loss of bolt 65, the head thereof is inserted in the pocket 61 where it may be welded in place. The collars 56-56 on the elements B-B may also be welded to the supports C.

In order to facilitate the removal of the elevator bails (not shown) from the trunnions 24, 24', the aperture covers I-I-H are held in place by spring lock assemblies 16-18 which cooperate with arcuate notches 68 and 68 in the plates I-I-H (Figs. 2 and 13) Each of the spring lock assemblies Ill-T comprise a lock pin H which is threaded into the body part A-A and a sleeve 12 which is slidably mounted on the pin H and is yieldably held in its locking position by a spring 13 positioned between the pin H and the sleeve 12.

The sleeve T2 of each of the locking pin assemblies Ill-Ill engages notches 68, 68' of aperture covers H, H in such a way as to prevent the cover plate from rotating about trunnion 24, 24 and from abandoning its functional position but the pulling of the sleeves 12 outwardly moves the sleeves beyond the notches 68-68 and leaves the plates H-H' free to be rotated and removed.

It will be noted that the yieldable elements B-B are provided with an assembly of compression springs G, of minimum capacity (Fig. 4) G, of medium capacity, and G" of maximum capacity; and consequently, as the shoulders l-5 l come in contact with the coupling of the drill pipe (not shown), the spring G collapses, thereby transmitting to the drill pipe an amount of force equivalent to the compacity of the spring G; after which the spring G collapses, transmitting to the drill pipe a force equivalent to the compacity of the spring G; after which the spring G collapses, transmitting to the drill pipe an amount of force equal to the compacity of the spring G; and upon complete collapsing of the springs in the assembly, the square faces 55-55 of the elements B-B come to rest on the shoulders 46-46 of the members A-A. It will be seen that a considerable change in the rate of speed of transferring the stand of drill pipe from a state of rest to a state of stress and motion has taken place, and that the stand of drill pipe is set in motion much more slowly than when the coupling thereof has been struck by the heavy mass of the usual solid elevator, bails, and hook.

It will be noted that the lug pin F (Fig. 5) whose inner end extends into the recess 41 and contacts the support member 0 (Fig. 12) which has a grooved or cut away portion therein adjacent to lug pin F as shown at 14 and as the members of the elevator are telescoped together under the pipe load, the upper portion of this groove 14 presses against pin F and forces it outwardly against upper extension 31 of the latchkeeper, which in turn causes the lower-most extension of latch-keeper D to lockingly engage latch posts 20, 20. When the elevator is free from load, the parts thereof are expanded and the groove or cut away portion 14 is in position to receive the lug pin F as it moves inwardly on the operation of the latch-keeper D. Thus it will be seen that the latch-keeper D is always looked in place when the elevator is under load, and that it is always capable of being operated when the elevator is not under load and the parts of the elevator are in their expanded positions.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that when the stands of drill pipe are to be picked up and lowered into the well, the elevator which is moving upwardly at a relatively high speed, is snapped around the uppermost section of drill pipe stand and as it continues upward the shoulders 5l-5I' on the pipe embracing members 3-3 are brought into contact with the upper tool joint which causes those members to come to rest, and since the mass weight of the elevator body, the bails, etc., is continuing upwardly the springs G, G, and G" will be successively compressed in changing the stand of pipe from a state of rest to a state of motion, and as a result the blow between the fast moving elevator and the pipe coupling will be considerably dampened or softened and materially decrease the stress set up at that point and consequently, increase the life of the drill pipe.

We do not desire to be understood as limiting ourselves to the specific provision, construction, formation, and association of parts, members, and features shown and described; but we reserve the right to vary the design of the yieldable elements and other parts in adapting the improvements to varying conditions of use without departing from the spirit of the invention and the terms of the following claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An improved well elevator for lifting a stand of drill pipe or casing comprising a pair of hinged jaw members each having a semi-cylindrical bore therein adapted when said jaws are closed, to form with the other semi-cylindrical recess a cylindrical bore extending longitudinally of said jaws and each semi-cylindrical bore having a vertical slot therein, a non-gripping pipe embracing member fitted in each such recess and having a guide formed on the jaw side thereof and fitting into said slot for holding said pipe embracing members against transverse movement while permitting vertical movement thereof, and compressible load carrying means disposed in said slots between said pipe embracing member and said jaw member arranged to transmit a progressively increasing motive force to the pipe as the elevator is brought into contact therewith.

2. An improved well elevator comprising a pair of hinged jaw members each having a semicylindrical recess therein adapted when said jaws are closed, to form a cylindrical, longitudinally extending bore therethrough and each of said semi-cylindrical recesses having a plurality of slots therein, a semi-cylindrical pipe embracing member fitted within each of said semi-cylindrical recesses and having radially extending guides on the jaw side thereof adapted tobe received in said slots for holding said pipe embracing members against transverse movement relative to said jaw members while permitting longitudinal movement thereof, and yieldable load carrying means disposed in said slots between said pipe embracing member and said jaws for carrying the load and for cushioning the shock occasioned by the movement of said pipe embracing elements into contact with a section of pipe.

3. An elevator for lifting sections of drill pipe or casing comprising multiple jaw members having their ends hinged together and provided with vertically extending spaced pockets, a semicylindrical pipe embracing member mounted for relative vertical movement on each of said jaw members, guides on said pipe embracing members slidably mounted in said pockets and having concaved ends, a shoulder on each pipe embracing member, a series of supporting members for said pipe embracing members movably mounted in the pockets in said jaw members and having recesses therein for receiving the shoulders on said pipe embracing members and means adjacent the concaved ends of said guides for yieldingly mounting said supporting members in said pockets including a series of superimposed springs increasing in capacity from top to bottom whereby a progressively increasing motive force is transmitted to the pipe as the elevator is brought into contact therewith.

4. An elevator for lifting sections of drill pipe or casing comprising multiple jaw members having their ends hinged together and each having a concave surface provided with a plurality of spaced pockets, a semi-cylindrical pipe embracing member movably mounted adjacent the concave surface of each jaw member and having guides slidable in said pockets, a shoulder on each pipe embracing element projecting over the body of its respective jaw member and spaced above said guides, a series of vertically movable supporting members mounted in the annular spaced pockets in said jaw members, each of said supporting members having a recess in the outer face thereof for receiving the shoulders on said pipe embracing elements, and means for yieldingly supporting said members in said pockets said means being adapted to transmit a progressively increasing motive force to the pipe as the elevator is brought into lifting engagement therewith.

5. A well elevator for lifting stands of drill pipe or casing comprising hinged jaw members each having a semi-cylindrical recess therein adapted when said jaws are closed to form with the other semi-cylindrical recess, a longitudinally extending cylindrical bore, a non-gripping pipe embracing member fitted in each of said semicylindrical recesses and slidable in a vertical path and yieldable load carrying means between said pipe embracing members and said jaw members adapted to yield in proportion to the weight of the load carried thereby.

6. A well elevator for lifting stands of drill pipe or casing comprising hinged jaw members each having a semi-cylindrical recess therein adapted when closed to provide a longitudinally extending cylindrical bore therethrough, a substantially semi-cylindrical liner slidable in a vertical path adjacent the recess of each of said jaw members, yieldable load carrying members positioned between said jaw members and said liners and adapted to yield in proportion to the weight of the load carried thereby and an inwardiy projecting shoulder at the bottom of said recess on each of said jaw members for limiting the downward movement of said liners.

7. A well elevator for lifting stands of drill pipe or casing comprising a pair of hinged jaw members each having a semi-cylindrical recess therein adapted, when said jaws are closed, to form with the other recess a longitudinally extending cylindrical bore therethrough, a semicylindrical non-gripping pipe embracing member mounted to slide in a vertical path in the recess of each jaw member, means on each of said jaw members for limiting the downward movement of said pipe embracing members and load carrying means between said pipe embracing members and said jaw members adapted to yield in proportion to the weight of the load carried thereby and having sufficient capacity to support the load of one stand of such pipe without yielding to the full extent.

8. A well elevator comprising a body having a cylindrical longitudinally extending bore therethrough having a series of spaced vertical extending slots therein, a non-gripping pipe embracing member fitted within the bore of said body and having lugs on the jaw side thereof projecting into said slots whereby transverse movement of said pipe embracing member is prevented while permitting free longitudinal movement thereof and load carrying springs of sufiicient capacity to carry the load of at least one such stand of pipe mounted in said slots.

9. A well elevator for lifting stands of drill pipe or casing comprising a hinged body section having, when closed, a cylindrical longitudinally extending bore therethrough, a non-gripping pipe embracing member fitted within said bore, means for holding said pipe embracing member against transverse movement while permitting longitudinal movement thereof and yieldable load carrying means between said pipe embracing member and said body adapted to yield in proportion to the weight of the load carried thereby and having sufficient capacity to support the load of at least one such stand whereby the stand floats freely on said means.

10. A well elevator for lifting stands of drill pipe or casing comprising a hinged elevator body having, when closed, a cylindrical longitudinally extending bore therethrough, a liner fitted within the bore of said body, means for holding said liner against transverse movement while permitting longitudinal movement thereof, load carrying means between said liner and said body adapted to yield in proportion to the weight of the load carried thereby and having sufficient capacity to carry the load of at least one such stand in suspension thereon, and means on said body adapted to engage and limit the downward movement of said liner when the load on said carrying means exceeds one such stand.

11. A well elevator for lifting stands of drill pipe or casing comprising a hinged body having, when closed, a cylindrical bore therethrough, each section of which is provided with spaced closed ended vertically extending slots therein, a semi-cylindrical liner disposed in the bore of each section of the bore in each body and having radially projecting lugs on their bore engaging surfaces which project into the slots therein and hold said liners against transverse movement relative to said body while permitting longitudinal movement thereof, a member slidably mounted in each of said slots and supported on the lugs on said liners, means for engaging and limiting the downward movement of said liners and the members carried on the lugs thereof, and a load carrying spring disposed in each of said slots between the closed end thereof and said members adapted to yield in proportion to the weight of the load carried thereby.

12. A well elevator for lifting stands of pipe comprising a hinged body portion having a cylindrical bore therethrough, a non-gripping pipe encircling element slidable in a vertical path within said bore, and a yieldable load carrying member between said body and said pipe embracing element.

13. A well elevator for lifting either one or more stands of drill pipe and the like comprising a hinged body portion having a cylindrical bore therethrough, a non-gripping pipe encircling member slidable in a vertical path within said bore, yieldable load carrying means between said body and said pipe encircling member and having sufficient capacity to carry in suspension the load of at least one such stand, and means on said body adapted to engage and limit the movement of said pipe encircling member when the load being raised exceeds one such stand.

14. A well elevator for lifting sections of drill pipe or casing, comprising opposed jaws hinged together and each provided with a substantially cylindrical recess adapted when said jaws are closed to form with the other cylindrical recess a cylindrical bore extending longitudinally of said jaws and each having a closed end slot formed therein and extending longitudinally of said jaws, a semi-cylindrical pipe embracing member fitted into each such recess and having a substantially radially extending lug formed on the jaw side thereof and fitting into said slot, and a load supporting member within said slot and located between the end thereof and yieldable in the direction of said slot in proportion to the load supported by said load carrying member.

15. A well elevator comprising a hinged body portion having a cylindrical bore therethrough, opposed pipe encircling elements fitted into said bore and movable longitudinally thereof, means for holding said elements against transverse movement with relation to said body, and a yieldable load carrying member between each such element and said body.

ROBERT G. BURLINGAME. JOHN M. CLAMPITT.

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