US2108971A

US2108971A - Tong

Info

Publication number: US2108971A
Application number: US79996A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl E Olsen; Joseph A Peterson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-05-15
Filing date: 1936-05-15
Publication date: 1938-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1955-02-22

Description

Feh, 22, 1938. c. E. OLSEN ET AL 2,108,971

' TONG Filed May'l5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheec 1 l l l l a, I l I I 45.

l I I 12 ""1 Gar! E. Olsen I ATTORNEY.

Feb 22, 1938. Q E. OLSEN ET AL 2,1@3,971

TONG

Filed May 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1.. umigaum 28 fiw l flisen Jweph A. Peterson INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 22, 1 938 uni-T ED sfr T ES TONG- I Carl E. Olsenand JosephAi Peterson, Houston, Tex.

Application -May' 15,".

2 Claims.

sections of pipe to the upperend oi the drill stem.

It is frequently necessary to-Withdraw the drill stem fromthe well and when the drill stem is withdrawn the sections of thepipe are disconnected as they are elevatedi-above the derrick floor. Various tongs have. heretoforebeen devised .for connectingthe sections of pipe together as the. drillstemis'. lowered into the earth, and also for disconnecting the sections of'fpipe as the drill stem is withdrawn from the earth; and

s these tongs are generally known as make-up and break-on tongs.

In the pastithas been the general practice to allow the driller to rotate one pipe section with respect to the other at any speed which to him appearedproper. Somedrillers employ excessive speeds, and this has resulted in burning the threads, thereby causing-trouble well known to those skilled in the art.

One of the main objects of this invention'is to provide a tong embodying means to cause it to automatically release the pipe when the driller allows the pipe to be rotated at a speed greater than that at which the pipe may be rotated without injuring the threads, and to automatically re-grip the pipe when the speed of rotation is lowered the proper amount.

Conventional make-up and break-cu equipment includes a rotary used during drilling operations to rotate the drill and Which'during to rotate that portion of the drill stem below the uppermost section; slips to hold the drill stem against downward vertical movement in the rotary; a tong substantially stationarily supported by the derrick; and another tong carried by the rotary so that whenthe rotary isrotated one tong serves to hold the uppermost section of the pipe stationary, and the other tong serves to rotate the. lower section with the rotary, the, rotationtof thesections with respect to each other aiiecting either the engagement or disengagement of thethreaded ends thereof.

If the pipe should move downwardly more than a predetermined distance with respect to the tong supportingmeans, damage results either to .the

make-up and. break-out operations is used tong and its supporter both. Another important object of this inventionis theprovision of safety means in the tong construction so that no damage is suffered by the tongsor associated driving means when there is excessive vertical movement of the pipe with respect to the tong due to the failure of the slips or other causes- Trouble has also been experienced with present tools inthatthey are not adaptable to alltypes of rotaries and general conditions found in the oilfield. The present tools are also found lacking in conveniences and safety devices. This invention has as an added object, the provision of means tosupply the need therefor.

In the drawings Fig. 1 isa fragmentary elevation showing the preferred embodiment of the invention applied to the conventional drill stem and rotary; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation similar to Fig. 1, with certain parts in section, and showing amodified form of the tong supporting means; Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3. of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isa section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5' is a section along the line 5--5of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5 with some parts ofthe tongs in section; Fig. '7 is a section of the stop means used in yieldably holding the tong whenswungaway from the pipe; Fig. 8 is a sectionof the pin placed in the endof the tong handle to prevent the same from passing through the head unless such is desired; and Fig. 9 is,

aview showing how the toggle linkage is joined to the wrench body.

InFig. 1 the pipe is indicated at I having an upper section laanda lower section lb. Slips are indicated'at 2 supporting the pipes in the rotary 3. The telescopic post 4 has an inner section 5 .andan outer section 6, the inner section 5 being-carricdby the adapter 1. The adapter I is joined to the inner section .5 by means of the pin 8, and fits in the hole f the rotary 3; It is preventedfromrotating by the arm Hi. The pin in the outer section 6 extends into the groove l2 of the innersection and allows vertical movement of the outer section with respect to the inner section; but not rotational movement. The upper endof the outer section 6 terminates in the cap l3 which is .weldedthereto at I4. The outer section 6 is supported by the spring |5.Whl0hf bears against the cap l3, and the inner section 5. Mounted on the cap I3 by means of balls It is a rotatable head having two sections, Ha and ill) beingpivotally connected'together'atl8. The balls 161 are inserted through thehole' l9; such hole being sealed by the screw plug 20. The upper section l'la has on its under side a shoulder handle to become indented along its length. The' rollers 26 and 2'! (see Fig. 4) are rotatively and removably held in place on screw pins 28. The rollers 2'! being square present four separate wearing surfaces, thereby seldom, if ever, needing.

replacement. The rollers .26 normally do not touch the handle and become active only when the wrench is picked up on its inner end to be moved in or out of the head I'Ia.

To permit separation of the gripping means 29 from the handle 25 in the event of excessive downward movement of the pipe I because of the failure of the slips 2, orfor any other cause, the invention provides shearing means which will now be described. The gripping means includes an actuator member 46 which is made in theform of a yoke having arms 35 and 3'I'for the reception of the inner end of the handle 25 (Fig. 5). The inner end of the handle 25 has a downwardly opening slot 3| (Fig.2) for thereception of the square bushing 43 on permanent pin 42, which pin 42 extends through and is connected to the arms 38 and 31 of the yoke of actuator 46. Extending above the parts just referred to and connecting the

arms

35 and 31 of the yoke is a frangible pin 4i, and thevhandle 25 is provided with upwardly extending

lugs

32 and 33 having

holes

34 and 35 through which said pin 4| extends to normally hold the handle 25 in alignmentwith the actuator 45.

The lower holes 45 receive the frangible pin 4| when the pipe gripping means 29- is inverted with respect to the handle 25. This permits universal use of both the handle and the pipe gripping means. j y

The permanent pin 42 serves to transmit all tortional loads from .the handle 25 to the gripping means 29.

If. the pipe I should drop down an excessive distance with respect to the rotary 3 the shear pin ii first fails. This allows the permanent pin 42, and its square bushing 43, to slip out of the slot 3!, thus permitting separation of pipe gripping means 29 from the handle 25 and preventing damage that would otherwise occur.

The pipe-gripping means illustrated in Figs. 5

and 6 has a main body or jaw portion 44. Pivoted I to this body, at 45 is the actuating member 46 having connected to it at 41 a chain' 48 which passes around the pipe I and back-to the body. The chain 48 is connected to the handle 49 of the toggle linkage by the short link 5! (Fig.5)

To separate the tong or gripping means from the pipe the handle. 49 'of the toggle linkage is first pulled away from the head. This allows the end 55 (see Fig. 9)' of thehandle 49 to be lifted from the U-shaped cup 50, thus freeing the tong from the'pipe. I

As illustrated in Figs. 5and 6, a force F (when the rotary is rotated) would be applied. to the wrench handle by the head Ila in a clockwise direction. This causes rotation of the actuator member 46 aboutthe pin. 45. This results in a tightening of chain 48 about the pipe I, forcing the jaws 5| firmly against the pipe. The rotation of the actuator member 45 about the pin 45 is yieldably resisted by the coil spring 52 acting against the pin 53. The pin 53 is connected to the body 44 through the side plates 54.

When the speed of rotation of the handle 25 in the direction of the force F becomes great enough, centrifugal force begins to act on the handle in such a way that it is shifted'from the solid line position (see Fig. 6) to .the dotted line position. This moves the pin 4! in such a direction as to loosen the chain 48 from around the pipe thus allowing automatically the jaws 5| to become disengaged from the pipe I.

' Because of centrifugal force effecting the engagement of the jaws, it is impossible for the driller to rotate the pi'pe above the speed where the way, it is yieldably held until needed further."

In Figs. 1, Zand Sisillus'trated a pin stop 64 placed in the endo f the handle 25 to prevent inadvertent inward movement of said handle through the head Ila. When it is desired to remove the handle inwardly from the head the pin 64 may be pressed inwardly against its spring to permit such movement. r

In Fig. 2 a shear pin 58 is shown in place of the spring I5 shown in Fig.1. Shouldv there be excessive downward movement of the pipe I with respect to the rotary table 3 due to the failure of the slips 2, or for any other reason, the

shear pin 58 would first yield, allowing the outer' frangible pin 4| wouldbe broken allowing the pipe' gripping means 25 to become separated from the handle 25, thus preventing damage to either the post or tong.

In Fig. l a construction is illustrated in which lubrication is needed for the telescopic sections. Grease is applied through the cup 6! to the space 62. The grease passes up, through the hole 63 and over the cap I3 to lubricate the balls I6. The grease enclosed also serves as a cushion for the outer section 6 when moved suddenly downward with respect to the inner section 5.

In the use of the invention the sections-oi pipe Ia and lb are to be joined or separated. Fig. 1 shows the apparatus so arranged as to be used to separate the two sections. The upper section la. is held stationary by the tong 59 which hasits handle tied to a corner of the derrick (not shown) by the rope or cable- 60. The lower section Ib is then rotated by revolving the table 3, (by means of conventional machinery not shown), which supports the lower section to and all of the sections joined 'on'belowit, by means of the slips 2. The rotary movement of the rotary 3 is imparted to the lower section I I) through the post'4, handle 25 and pipegripping means 29. When the separation has been completed the tongs are loosened and swung out of the way. The'upper' section Ia.is thenplaced over to one side of the derrick'and the lower section I5 is elevated by suitable means (not shown) until the threaded connection at its lower end (not shown) comes into position. This operation is repeated until all of the pipe sections are out of the hole.

It will be apparent that when the pipe sections are to be replaced in the hole that the operations are repeated but in reverse order, the tongs being turned thru degrees.

It can readily be seen that a driller with little judgment might ruin an entire string of pipe while removing it from or inserting it in the well by simply rotating too fast; and as the pipe goes in and out of the hole many times during the drilling of a well, the danger of injuring the pipe is continuously existent.

It frequently happens that slips 2, because of improper use, fail to support the pipe while the entire apparatus is joined together as illustrated in Fig. 2. If such happened and no safety means were provided, damage would result to the tong, post or both. This would cause unnecessary expense in replacing the same, whereas the simple shearing means used in this invention prevents such damage and is very inexpensive to replace.

Although this invention has been illustrated and described in connection with a preferred embodiment, modifications within the true spirit and scope of the same are intended to be covered in the hereto appended claims.

It will be understood that the invention may be used with Well casings and tubings as well as with drill pipe. 'As a matter of fact, it will be found particularly useful in preventing burning of the threads of easing sections by preventing an excessive relative speed of rotation thereof.

We claim:

1. A tong comprising a gripping element and a handle, a relatively strong connecting element between said gripping element and said handle for transmitting operating force in one plane from said handle to said gripping element, and relatively frangible connecting means between said gripping element and handle for normally preventing relative vertical movement of said gripping element and handle, said last means being frangible to permit relative vertical movement of said gripping element and handle when predetermined vertical forces are applied tending to move said gripping element and handle relative to each other.

2. A tong comprising a gripping element and a handle, a relatively strong connecting element between said gripping element and said handle for transmitting operating force in one plane from said handle to said gripping element, and relatively frangible connecting means between said gripping element and said handle for normally preventing relative movement of said gripping element and said handle in a different plane from said first mentioned plane, said last means being frangible to permit relative movement of said gripping element and handle in said diiferent plane when predetermined forces are applied tending to move said gripping element and handle relative to each other in said difierent plane.

CARL E. OLSEN. JOSEPH A. PETERSON.