US2150581A - Elevator link retainer - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1939. H. v. DE COURSEY ELEVATOR LINK RETAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1936 Harry INVENTOR. \flDeCoz/rse BY ,a/Q 42M ATTORNEYS.

March 14, 1939. H. v. DE COURSEY I ELEVATQR LINK RETAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1956 INVENTOR. Harry 'MDe Coursey 22 25 Q. (z-Maj ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar 14, 1939 PATENT OFFI E ELEVATOR LINK RETAINER Harry V. De Coursey, Houma, La, assignor to Byron Jackson 00., Huntington Park, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application August 10, 1936, Serial No. 95,186

'6 Claims.

This invention relates to well casing elevators such as are used for raising and lowering well casing, drill pipe or tubing in a deep well such as an oil well. More particularly the invention relates to improved latching means for releasably retaining the elevator links in the elevator ears.

Well casing elevators usually comprise a pair of substantially semi-circular members hingedly connected together at one end and'provided'with a spring latch to releasably'connect the free ends of the members whereby the elevator can be applied to and removed from the pipe. 'Well casing elevators are supported from a hook and traveling block by means of a'pair of elevator links one end of which engages ears formed onthe elevator and the other ends engage the hoisting hook. The elevator ears extend laterally of the elevator and are oppositely disposed. If the elevator is of the so-called center latch type the ears are disposed one on each door. If the elevator is of the so-called side door (body'and door) type the ears are both on the body member. Elevator ears are usually bifurcated substantially horizontally forming upper and lower forks, that is.they are formed with a substantially horizontal slot extending inwardly and somewhat upwardly from the outer end of the ear and adapted to receive the lower end or eye of an elevator supporting link. Thus the elevator link pulls upwardly on the upper fork of the ear, and the lower fork serves as a bumper for the low-er end of the elevatorlink in case the pipe or elevator should hang up while running in the well. In order to prevent the elevator links from getting out of the slot between the forks "it is customary to block the opening with some sort of belt or latch.

It is an objectof the present invention to provide improved elevator link retaining means which will become latched automatically when the elevator links lift on the elevator ears.

Another object is to provide an improved elevator link retaining means and latch whereby the latch will automatically engage the free end of the link retainer when the elevator is raised by means of the elevator links.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a front elevation, partly in cross section of an'elevator equipped with my improved link retaining means.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the elevator shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectiontaken through a modified form of link retainer arm and latch.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the link retainer shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the latch shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a typical center latch type of elevator equipped with my improved 'leasably connect their free ends.

elevator link retainer.

together at one end as indicated at 3 and provided with a spring pressed latch 5 adapted to re- The body memhers 'I and 2 are provided with a pair of oppositely disposed laterally extending ears 'i' and 8. The ears I and 8 are bifurcated substantially horizontally to form an upper fork It and a lower fork I I. Elevator links are indicated at I3 being shown 'in the hoisting position.

that its under edge is substantially flush with the link. engaging portion of the upper fork. Thus when the elevator is raised by means of the links IS the links will bear against the fingers I8 and "force the arms I4 to the fullyclosed position.

The lower ends of the arms l4 extend thru slots 2!! in the lower forks II. Each of the arms I4 is p ovided at its free end with a pair of laterally extending lugs 22 forming a T-shap-ed head on the end of the arm I4.

A latch member 24 (Fig. 5) is provided for securing the arm I l in the closed position. The

latch preferably consists of a hub 25 having a pair of spaced arms 26 which, with the hub, form a U-s'haped latch member. The ends of the arms 26 are provided with downwardly projecting hookshaped lugs 21 adapted to engage the lugs on the T-shaped head of the retaining arm M. The latch 24 is pivotally mounted in a recess 29 formed in the lower side of the lower fork H. a pivotpin 3i! extending through the hub 25. The latch 24- is yieldably held in the latch engaging position by means of a suitable spring, such as the torsion spring shown at 32.

With the latch arrangement described above, movement of the link retaining arm M to the closed position when actuated bv the links I3 bearing against the fingers 58 will cause the T- head on the retaining arm to engage the hookshaped lugs 21 on the spring-pressed latch 24.

Thus the elevator can not pick up the pipe without the l nk retainer arms It being in the closed and latched position.

To remove the elevator links Ill from the elevator it is only necessary to raise the latches It and lower the links I3, whereupon the links will push the link retaining arms outwardly and allow the links l3'to be disengaged from the ears I and B.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a modified form of latch and link retainer arm. Instead of providing the link retainer arm with a T-shaped head I provide the arm 14a with an opening 36 through which the latch 24a is adapted to extend. The latch 24a is provided with a shank having a downwardly extending hook-shaped lug 27a at one end adapted to engage the end of the arm Ma, and at its other end is pivotally connected to the lower fork I la of the ear. The latch 2 3a is yieldably urged toward the arm engaging position by a torsion spring 32a.

The upper end of the link retaining arm I do. is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

If it is desired that the link retaining arm i-ta shall engage the lower fork Ha to take up a part of he stress when the elevator is under heavy load I provide the arm I la with a recess 38 adapted to extend around the end of the lower fork i la. The lower wall of the recess 38 and the under face of the fork l l are struck substantially on radius from the center of the pivot pin lta as indicated at 40. Thus when the elevator is under heavy load the faces of the recess 38 and the fork Ha will engage at 4i and relieve the stress on the upper fork Ilia.

I claim:

1. A well casing elevator with a pair of oppositely disposed, laterally extending, bifurcated supporting ears each comprising an upper fork and a lower fork, a recess in the under side of said upper fork, a link retaining arm pivotallyattached at its upper end to said upper fork adjacent the outer end thereof and adapted to extend across the opening between said forks, a finger integral with said retaining arm at the pivoted end thereof projecting inwardly toward the vertical axis of the elevator and adapted to lie in said recess when said arm is in the closed position so that its under edge is substantially flush with the link engaging portion of said upper fork, and springpressed latch means for automatically securing the free end of said arm to the lower fork when the arm is closed, said latch means being accessible from the outer side of said arm when the latter is in closed position.

2. A well casing elevator with a pair of oppositely disposed, laterally extending, bifurcated supporting ears each comprising an upper fork a lower fork, a recess in the under side of said upper fork, a link retaining arm pivotally attached at its upper end to said upper fork adjacent the outer end thereof and adapted to extend across the opening between said forks, a finger integral with said retaining arm at the pivoted end thereof projecting inwardly toward the vertical axis of the elevator and adapted to lie in said recess when said arm is in the closed position so that its under edge is substantially flush with the link-engaging portion of said upper fork, and spring-pressed latch means on said lower fork adapted to automatically engage the free end of said arm when said arm is moved to the closed position, said latch means being accessibie from the outer side of said arm when thelatter is in closed position.

3. A well casing elevator with a pair of oppositely disposed, laterally extending, bifurcated supporting ears each comprising an upper fork and a lower fork, a recess in the under side of said upper fork; a link retaining arm pivotally attached at its upper end to said upper fork adjacent the outer end thereof and adapted to extend across the opening between said forks, a finger integral with said retaining arm at the pivoted end thereof projecting inwardly toward the vertical axis of the elevator and adapted to lie in said recess when said arm is in the closed position so that its under edge is substantially flush with the link-engaging portion of said upper fork, said link retaining arm comprising a shank portion with laterally extending lugs on the free end thereof forming a T-shaped head,

a slot in said lower fork adapted to receive the shank of said arm, and a spring-pressed latch member mounted on said lower fork and adapted to automatically engage said T-shaped head when said arm is moved to the closed position, said latch means being accessible from the outer side of said arm when the latter is in closed position.

4. A well casing elevator as defined in claim 3 in which the spring-pressed latch member comprises a U-shaped member mounted on a horizontal pivot on said lower fork and provided with downwardly projecting hook-shaped lugs on the ends of the arms of said U-shaped member, said last-named lugs being engageable respectively with the lugs on said retaining arm.

5. In a well casing elevator, a body having a pair of oppositely disposed, laterally extending, bifurcated supporting ears, each comprising an upper fork and a lower fork, a link retaining arm pivotally attached at its upper end adjacent the outer end of each upper fork and adapted to extend across the opening between said upper and lower forks, a finger integral with said retaining arm at the pivoted end thereof and projecting inwardly toward the vertical axis of the elevator, an inwardly extending recess in the outer end of each lower fork, spring-pressed latch means pivotally mounted wholly within said recesses and adapted to releasably engage the free end of said retaining arms, said latch means being accessible for manual release from the outer sides of said arms when the latter are in closed position, and aninwardly extending slot in the outer end of each lower fork adapted toreceive the free end of said retaining arm.

6. A well casing elevatorwith a pair of oppositely disposed, laterally extending, bifurcated supporting ears each comprising an upper fork and .a lower fork adapted to receive an elevator link therebetween, a recess in the under side of said upper fork, a link retaining arm pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said upper forks adjacent the outer end thereof and adapted to extend across the opening between said forks, a finger integral with said retaining arm at the pivoted end thereof projecting inwardly toward the vertical axis of the elevator and adapted to lie in said recess when said arm is in the closed position so that its under edge is substantially flush with the link-engaging portion of said upper fork, an inwardly extending recess in the outer end of each lower fork, latch means mounted wholly within said last named. recesses and accessible from the outer side of said arm when the latter is in closed position, said latch means comprising an arm having a hook shaped head adapted to engage the free end of said retainer arm, said latch arm being mounted on a horizontally disposed pivot pin, spring means normally urging said latch toward the locked position, and a vertical slot in the outer end of each of said lower forks adapted to receive the free end of said retainer arm.

HARRY V. DE COURSE-Y.

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