US2188107A

US2188107A - Rotary drilling rig

Info

Publication number: US2188107A
Application number: US200390A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter T Caldwell; John P Lang
Original assignee: GEORGE E FAILING SUPPLY COMPAN
Current assignee: GEORGE E FAILING SUPPLY Co; GEORGE E FAILING SUPPLY COMPAN
Priority date: 1938-04-06
Filing date: 1938-04-06
Publication date: 1940-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 1957-01-23

Description

Jan. 23, 1940.

w. T. CALDWELL ET .AL

ROTARY DRILLING RIG Filed April 6, 193a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I V 111 4 I VENTOR lalm i? (an 6 AEQRNEY Patented Jan. 1940 ROTARY DRILLING RIG Walter T. Caldwell and John P. Lang, Enid,

kla., assignors to The George E. Failing Supply Comp ny,

Enid, Oklahoma.

0kla., a corporation of Application April 8,1938, Serial No. 200,390

6 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary drilling rigs and particularly to those equipped with power augmenting apparatus for controlling or applying pressure on a drill bit. g

Rotary drilling apparatus of this character usually employ'a hollow drive rod that is slidably keyed to a rotary driving member and provided with a chuck for clutchingly engaging the drill pipe that extends therethrough. The power augmenting apparatus is connected with the drill rod so as to exert a control pressure upon the drill bit through the drive rod, chuck, and the drill pipe engaged thereby. The effective movement of the power augmenting device is relatively short so that it is necessary to release the chuck and readjust it relatively to the drill pipe many times during drilling operations, particularly when drilling relatively soft formations where the progress of the bit is rapid. This slows down the drilling time and results in high cost of operation.

Itis,. therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a rotary drilling apparatus of this character that is equipped with a power augmenting device whereby hydraulic pressure and rotary power are applied directly to a conventional type kelly rod connected into the drilling string so that the hydraulic power may be selectively released to permit the kelly rod to be rotated and moved independently of thepower device.

In accomplishing this and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, we have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated'in the accom- Fig. 4 is a 'section' through the head of one of the power augmenting cylinders on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. a

Fig. 5 is a section through one of the cylinders on the line 5-5 of'Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: l designates a drilling rig including a mast 2 that is supported upon a platform 3 carried upon the chassis of a motor vehicle I. The rear end of the platform 3 is provided with a recess 5 within which is slidably mounted a rotary drilling unit 6 constructed in accordance with the present invention.

. The unit 6 includes a base frame I, having foot flanges 8 for engaging the platform to suspend a pair of cylinders 9 and lil'u'pon the respective sides of a driving mechanism H,later described.

The flange 1 includes a cross head i2 having a central gear housing l3 and laterally extending arms N and i5 that are provided with vertical openings lithrough which the cylinders 9 and i0 extend. The cylinders 9 and it comprise tubular bodies having threaded ends I? and it for mounting cap-like cylinder'heads i9 and 20 respectively. The upper heads 59 engage against spacing collars 2i and '22 that are also threaded on the upper ends of the cylinders and engage against the upper faces of the arms to cooperate with sleeves 23 in clamping the cylinders to the base frame, the sleeves 23 engaging against the lower faces of the arms i5 and against the lower heads 20 of the cylinders, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

To reduce the over-all height of the unit, the cylinders are preferably mounted so that they depend through the recess in the platform but" terminate a sufiicient' distance above the ground to not interfere with movement of the base frame out of drilling position when. it becomes necessary to run casing or perform other operations incidental to drilling of earth formations.

slidable within the cylinders are pistons 2d and 25 to which are connected rods 26 and 27 having their upper ends projecting through

packing glands

28 and 29 provided in the upper cylinder heads. The outer ends of the rods have reduced shanks extending through openings 3i! and 3! in the arms 32 and 33 of a movable cross head 33.. The threaded shanks project through the arms and are provided with

nuts

35 and 35 for drawing the arms against the shoulders 31 .and 38 formed by the reduced extensions.

Extending laterally from the arms are integral sleeve-like bosses 39- and 40 supporting guide rods 4i and 42 slidable through openings E3 in a flange M. projecting from the base frame I, as

' best shown in Fig. 4.-

The gear housing l3 has upper and lower walls 45 and 46 provided with registering openings s1 and 48 to mount antifriction bearings 49 and 50 respectively, the outer races 5| and 52 of the bearings being retained in fixed position withinv the openings 'by closure plates 53 and secured connected with the sleeve.

by fastening devices, such as cap-screws and 56 respectively. The inner races 51 and 58 of the bearings are retained against shouldered

seats

59 and 60 thatare provided within a driving sleeve 6| having reduced extensions 62 and 63 projecting through openings 64 and 65 of the closure plates 53 and 54, the joints therebetween being sealed by packing rings 66 and 61 to retain a lubricant within the gear housing.

Mounted on the upper end of the driving sleeve is a wear ring 68 carrying a compressible packing 69 that is retained in compression against the kelly rod I0 later described, the packing being engaged in a recess II of a retaining plate 12. The retaining plate has an annular flange I3 provided with a depending annular portion I4 engaging over an annular shoulder I5 of the upper cover plate to center the retaining plate. The retaining plateis anchored in position by fingers I6 projecting inwardly from lugs 11 that are secured by the fastening devices 55.

Secured to the driving sleeve by means of a spline I8 is a driving gear 19 having teeth engaging with a driving pinion 8| that is rotatably mounted within the gearing housing and fixed to a drive shaft 82 connected with a suitable prime mover. carried upon the vehicle. The driving sleeve, including the retaining plate, is provided with an axial opening 83 corresponding to the cross-section of a kelly rod I0 that is extended therethrough so that when the driving sleeve is rotated the kelly rod is rotated thereby and is floatingly slidable therethrough progressive with downward movement of the drill bit, the drill bitbeing connected with the drill pipe attached to the lower end of the kelly rod, as in conventional practice.

Formed in the movable cross head 34. in axial alignment with the driving sleeve, is an opening 85 for mounting the outerrraces 86 and 8'! of antifriction bearings 88 and 89. The bearings 88 and 89 are preferably of roller type and arranged to take thrusts acting in either direction relatively to the longitudinal axes thereof under movement of the

pistons

24 and 25. as later described, the bearings being retained in position b annular rings 90 and 9| that are secured to the upper and lower sides of the cross head by screws 92 and 03.

The

inner races

94 and 95 of the bearings carry a s eeve 96 provided with an axial opening 91 having slidin 'fit with the kelly rod-so that the kellv rod projects therethrough and is drivingly The lower end of the sleeve has a laterally extending flange 98 supporting a spacer ring 99 that engages against the inner race of the lower bearing and which corn r tes with a similar spacin sleeve I00 and a col ar IIII to spacingly retain the bearings relatively to the sleeve. The upper end of the sleeve projects above the cross head and is externally threaded. to mount the collar IOI of a chuck I02 Wherebv the cross head is selectively anchored to the kelly rod. The collar IOI rotates within the upper bearing retaining ring and is packed relatively thereto by a packing ring I03 to cooperate with a similar ring I04 mounted within the lower plate to retain a lubricant for the bearings.

The chuck I02 is best shown in Fig. 3 and has a plurality of radially extending bores I05 terminating in rectangular recesses to slidably mount clutch jaws I06 having transverse teeth I01 to engage the side faces of the kelly rod by means of adjusting screws I08 thrcadedly engaged within bushings I09 that are threaded into the outer ends of the bores. The inner ends of the screws have heads IIO engaging within flanged recesses of the jaws so that the screws are swivelly mounted therein but are adapted to move the jaws to and from the kelly rod when the heads IIO thereon are rotated by a suitable wrench- (not shown The chuck body also includes a cap plate I I I for retaining the jaws, the cap plate being secured to the body by cap screws II2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The upper end of the kelly rod is provided with the usual swivel head II3, carrying a bail 4 connected with a tackle mechanism I I5 employed in handling the drilling string. Connected with the swivel head is the usual hose II6 through which a drilling fluid is circulated to the drilling string through the swivel head and through an axial channel I" of the kelly rod. The pistons are moved in the cylinder to raise and lower the cross head 34 by a fluid pressure medium admitted to the respective ends of the cylinders through ports H8 and H9, the ports being connected by conduits I20 connected with a control Y valve I 2|, whereby pressure medium may be selectively admitted to the upper or lower portions of the cylinders, depending upon the desired direction of movement for the cross head 34.

In using the apparatus, the kelly rod slides freely through the sleeves so that it may be raised orlowered by means of the tackle mechanism. The kelly rod is rotated through the driving sleeve upon rotation of the ring gear 49 to effect rotation of the drill bit that is connected with the lower end of the drilling string. When the drill bit is operating satisfactorily through relatively soft formations, the jaws are slacked off from engagement with the kelly rod and the kelly rod moves freely therethrough and through the driving sleeve progressivelyv with the downward progress of the bit. The kelly rod is, therefore, independent of the power augmenting mechanism. Upon encountering a hard formation where it is desirable to apply pressure on the bit in excess of the weight of the drilling string, the

jaws are engaged with the kelly rod to grip the cross head thereto. Pressure fluid is then admitted through the upper ports of the cylinders to force the pistons downwardly and exert a downward pressure on the drilling string.

As the depth of the hole increases, the weight of the drilling string may be such as to produce an excessive pressure on the drill bit. When this occurs the pressure may be relieved by engaging the jaws with the kelly rod, and admitting the pressure fluid to the lower ends of the hydraulic cylinders so that a lifting force is applied on the pistons to sustain the weight of the drilling string.

It is apparent that in the structure illustrated. the rotative power is applied directly to the kelly rod independently of the power augmenting mechanism; however, when it becomes necessary to use the power device, the jaws are engaged directly with the kelly rod so as to exert a pressure control on the kelly rod as desired.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotary drilling rig, a power augmenting unit including a pair of cylinders, a piston in each cylinder, a rod connected with each piston, a cross head connecting the piston rods, means spacingly connecting the cylinders and forming an enclosing housing, a kelly rod driving sleeve having a bore directly engaging a kelly rod, means rotatably mounting the kelly rod driving sleeve in the housing, a chuck sleeve having a bore passing the kelly rod, a chuck on the chuck sleeve and arranged to grip the kelly rod at ;points thereon in accordance with the length of the piston stroke relatively to the length of the kelly rod to efiect movement of the kelly rod through said driving sleeve, means rotatably mounting the chuck sleeve in the cross head whereby said chuck sleeve rotates with the kelly rod, and driving means in the housing having driving connection with the kelly rod driving sleeve. 1

2. In a rotary drilling rig, a power augmenting unit including apair of cylinders, a piston in each cylinder, a rod connected with each piston, a cross head connecting the rods, means spacingly connecting the cylinders and forming an enclosed housing having registering openings in'the upper and lower sides thereof, bearings supported in axial alignment with said openings, a kelly rod driving sleeve rotatably supported in said bearings and having a bore to drivingly engage a kelly rod that is extended therethrough, reversely arranged thrust bearings in the cross'head, a chuck sleeve rotatably supported in the thrust bearings and separate from said driving sleeve, 9. chuck carried by said last named sleeve having jaws arranged to grippingly engage the kelly rod, and means in said housing for rotating the kelly rod driving sleeve in said bearing.

3. In a rotary drilling rig, a power augmenting unit including a pairof cylinders, pistons in the cylinders, a rod connected with each piston, a cross head connecting the rods, means spacingly connecting the cylinders and forming an enclosed housing having registering openings inthe upper and lower sides thereof, bearings supported in axialalignment with said openings, a kelly rod driving sleeve rotatably supported in said bearings and having a bore to directly engage a kelly rod that is extended therethrough, a chuck sleeve separate from said driving sleeve, thrust bearings rotatably supporting the chuck sleeve in the cross'head, a chuck carried by said last named sleeve having Jaws arranged to grippingly engage the kelly rod, and means in said housing for rotating the kelly rod driving sleeve in its supporting bearings.

,4. In a drilling apparatus, power-augmenting means, a cross head actuated by said power augmenting means having an axial bore, a sleeve in said bore for passing a kelly rod therethrough, reversely arranged thrust bearings including outer races at the respective ends of the bore and j inner races on said sleeve, closure plates covering the ends of said bore to retain the outer races, stop means on saidsleeve engaging one of inner races on said sleeve, closure plates covering the ends of said bore to retain theouter races, a stop means on said sleeve engaging one of the inner races, spacing means on the sleeve spacing said inner races, and a chuck threaded on the end of the sleeve opposite said stop means to draw said inner races in rigid assembly withsaid sleeve.

6. In a rotary drilling rig, a power augmenting unit including a pair of cylinders, a piston in each cylinder, a. rod connected with each piston, a

cross head connecting the rods, means spacingly.

connecting the cylinders and formingan enclosing housing, a kelly rod driving sleeve having a bore'directly engaging a kelly rod, means rotatably mounting the kelly rod driving sleeve in the housing, a chuck sleeve separate from the driving sleeve and rotatably mounted in the cross head, and a chuck fixed to the chuck sleeve for gripping the kelly rod to move the kelly rod through said driving sleeve.

, WALTER T. CALDWELL.

JOHN P. LANG.