US2237856A

US2237856A - Elevator

Info

Publication number: US2237856A
Application number: US218609A
Authority: US
Inventors: William W Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-07-11
Filing date: 1938-07-11
Publication date: 1941-04-08
Anticipated expiration: 1958-04-08

Description

April 1941- w. w. WILSON ELEVATOR //V [/5 N TOE/- Array/v54 April 8, 1941. w. w. WILSON ELEVATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 11, 1958 ,4 7' TaeA/EK MAL/AM M/ Mwa/v,

April 1941- W. w. WILSON 2,237,856

ELEVATOR Filed July 11, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR- A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELEVATOR William W. Wilson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 11, 1938, Serial No. 218,609

22 Claims.

My invention relates in general to elevators employed. in the drilling and servicing of wells to raise and lower pipe or casing, and relates in particular to an elevator incorporating certain novel parts, features of construction, and cooperation of parts which contribute to its safety, dependability, and facility of use.

Elevators of the general character of my invention are commonly employed in the oil drilling industry and are ordinarily connected by means of links to a lifting means, such as the travelling block, and have members which are adapted; to be locked in closed relation around a pipe in a position below a collar so that the collar will serve as a shoulder to prevent the elevator from moving oil? the end of the pipe. The use of elevators in the handling of strings of pipe has always presented a more or less serious problem owing to the danger of dropping a string of pipe in the well, or the dropping of a stand or length of pipe in or around the derrick, thereby endangering the workmen who must work on the derrick floor during the raising or lowering of the pipe.

It is an object of my invention to provide an elevator which when locked around a pipe will be securely latched and will not become unlatched and drop the pipe. This object is accomplished by certain novel features of design and arrangement of parts which will be pointed out in detail hereinafter, and which provide a safe and dependable elevator.

It is another object of my invention to provide an elevator having members adapted to be moved into closed relation around a pipe, and

having latch means for locking these members in such closed relation, this latch means being of such character that inertia or impact will not act to release the latch means, In the preferred practice of my invention, as disclosed in the herewith drawings, the latch means employs a latching dog adapted to be brought into engagement with a latching shoulder, this dog having a counter-weighting member projecting substantially diametrally opposite therefrom and being of such form and size as to serve as a counter-weight for the dog, giving to the movable parts of the latch means a dynamic balance to prevent movement thereof should a heavy or sharp blow be struck against the elevator or the pipe carried thereby, or should the elevator or the pipe carried thereby strike against some object during the movement thereof.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an elevator having a latch which is so con;- structed and located that it cannot, by engagement with other parts during the use: of the elevator, become moved into an unlatching position.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an elevator having a latch means equipped with an operating element or handle so placed that in order to release the latch means it must be moved in an outward direction relative to the elevator and the pipe supported thereby. The chief value of this construction is that should an inward blow or force be applied to the operating element of the latch means, as by the striking of such element against an object, such force cannot operate to move the latch means in a direction or in a manner to cause release of the same. A feature of the invention is that the latch means is proteoted by surrounding parts of the elevator so that it cannot be injured in the ordinary severe use thereof in well drilling or servicingoperations.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an elevator of the general character hereim before described having a latch means embracing a plurality of latching positions so that such latch means will be operative to prevent opening of the elevator even though the pipe engaging members thereof have not been moved into fully closed position relative to the pipe.

It is an object of my invention to provide an elevator in which the pipe supporting members may be operated to automatically close around the pipe and be automatically latched in closed position.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide an elevator in which the pipe supporting members are supported in an open position, and in which relative movement between a pipe and the elevators will cause engagement of the pipe with the elevators to move the pipe supporting members into proper alignment with the pipe to permit closing therearound, to close said members around the pipe, and to thereafter latch the members together in closed position so that the pipe may be raised, lowered, or suspended thereby.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an elevator having cooperating parts hinged so as to swing into closed relation around a pipe with latching means for locking such members in closed relation, and such members being yieldably urged toward open relation by means of a spring and being so formed that when the weight of a pipe is brought thereag-ainst the pipe enclosing members will swing into closing alignment with the pipe and then into closed relation, whereupon the latch means will function to lock the same in such closed relation.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide an elevator in which if the pipe supporting members are latched in partly closed position, the weight of the pipe on the pipe supporting members will operate to fully close the members and to cause them to be latched in fully closed position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an elevator of this general character having cooperating members adapted to be assembled in a position to substantially surround a pipe and having hinge means connecting these members in such a manner that the downward force of the pipe and the upward reaction of the suspending links of the elevator will cause the cooperating members to swing from a partly closed position to a fully closed position around the pipe. Accordingly, if by anychance the cooperating members of the elevator should. be

swung into such partly closed relation around a pipe as to result in a preliminary engagement of the latch means, the forces applied when the elevator operates to lift the pipe .will result in the complete closing of the cooperating members and likewise the engagement of the latch means so as to hold the cooperating members in fully closed position.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of means whereby the elevator may be readily swung relative to a horizontal axis as the result of the suitable placing of trunnions and the provision of a novel form of handle means for the elevator, thus providing an elevator. which may be manually controlled with ease; the provision of hinge means which slopes relative to the central axis defined by the pipe enclosing members when they are in closed relation, such hinge cooperating in the provision of means for producing an automatic closing of the elevator around a pipe, and producing a force, which acts at all times that a pipe is supported, tending to keep the members in closed position; and means engageable by a pipe when the elevator is in open position, such means serving to guide or move the pipe into centralized relation relative to the cooperating parts of the elevator, whereupon the force applied by the pipe to the elevator may result in the movement of the elevator into proper alignment with the pipe to permit closing and in the movement of such members into closed position around the pipe.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view showing a preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the front of the elevator disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. .3 is a cross-section taken substantially as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the elevator in open position.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 1- of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view cooperating with Fig. '7 to show the elevator in latched position around the pipe.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the forward portion of one of the cooperating pipe engagement members and the latch lever supported thereon.

Fig. 10 is a view showing the back of the elevator, and showing the relation of the elevator suspending means to the pipe engaging members of the elevator.

Fig. 11 is a view looking toward Fig. 10 as indicated by the arrow ll therein and having a graph showing the general character of forces tending to close the elevator around the pipe.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary cross-section taken on a plane indicated by the line l2-l2 of Fig. 9.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the drawings, the elevator I9 comprises in its preferred embodiment a pair of cooperating pipeengaging members and 2| respectively, having

bodies

22 and 23 in which nearly semi-cylindrical channels 25 are-formed, these channels 25 being so formed and placed that when the pipe-engaging members 28 and 2| are in closed relation, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, they will define a circular opening 26 of a diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the pipe which is to be handled by the elevator 19. Preferably, the channels 25 and likewise the opening 26 defined thereby enlarge in downward direction so that the smallest diameter of the opening 26 will be at the upper end thereof. The upper ends of the

bodies

22 and 23 of the pipe-engaging members 20 and 2! have arcuate faces 21, as shown in Fig. 6, in position to engage the lower end 28 of a coupling sleeve or tool joint 29, Fig. 10, which is ordinarily screwed on the ends of a stand of pipe 30 adapted to be raised, lowered, or suspended by the elevator I9.

As best shown in Fig. 7, the body 23 has rearwardly projecting hinged lugs 3| and 32 near the upper end thereof, and hinged lugs :33 and 34 project rearwardly from the lower portion of the body 22. The pair of hingedlugs 3l-32 of the body 23 define a space 35 arranged to receive a hinge lug 3'! formed on the body 22 so as to project rearwardly therefrom. The pair of hinged lugs \33-34 which project from the lower portion of the body 22 define a space 36 which receives a hinged lug 38 formed on the lower portion of the body 23 in rearwardly projecting relation. A hinge pin 39 extends through the foregoing hinged lugs of

thebodies

22 and 23, as clearly shown in Fig, '7, and this hinge pin 39 is disposed on an axis bb which slopes downwardly and inwardly at an angle to the axis a-a defined by the channel 25 of the body 23, such axis a-a being likewise the axis of the pipe 39 supported by the elevator! 9, when the elevator is in closed position around the pipe, as shown in Fig. 11.

The hinge pin 39 may be secured in place by means of a transverse cotter pin 40, which extends through one of said hinge lugs, for example, the lower hinge lug 34, and diametrally through the hinge pin 39. An axial opening '4! is formed in the hinge pin 39, the upper end thereof being closed by a threaded plug 42 and the lower end thereof being closed by the cotter pin 49. The plug 42 may be removed and grease may be forced down into the axial passage M, and such grease may be forced through radial openings :44, 45, and 46 in the hinge pin 39, to the bores of the hinge lugs 3|, 32, and 38 which are formed on'the body 23. The bores of the

hinge lugs

33, 34, and .3! require no lubrication for the reason that the hinge pin 39 is connected to the hinge lug 34 by means of the cotter pin and is, therefore, stationary with relation to the

hinge lugs

33, 34, and :31. In this simple manner ample lubrication of the hinge of the elevator 19 is assured.

The intermediate portion of the hinge pin 39 is surrounded by a coil spring 41 having its lower end 48 connected to the hinge pin 39 by means of a screw 49, and the upper end 59 of the spring 41 is connected to the lug 32. The function of the spring 41 is to apply a yieldable force tending to swing the pipe engaging members 29 and 2| from the closed position thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, to an open position thereof, as shown in Fig. 6, and to yieldably maintain the members in such open position. As shown in Fig. l, the lower hinge lug 34, which forms a part of the member 29, has a stop-shoulder I96 adapted to come into engagement with a shoulder .lfllia on the member 2| when the members 20 and 2| are swung outwardly from closed position to fully opened position as shown in Fig. 6. To accomplish this yieldable application of force to the members 29 and 2|, the upper end of the spring 41 is connected directly to the lug 32 which projects from the body 23, and the lower end 48 of the spring 41 transmits force through the screw 49, the hinge pin 39, and the cotter pin 40 to the lug 34 which is formed on the body 22 of the pipe engaging member 29.

The pipe engaging members 29 and '2ll have formed thereon diametrally extending arms or trunnions 50 which project from the bodies 22 and .23 of the members 29 and 2| in such position that when the members 29 and 2| are in closed relation the trunnions 59 will extend diametrally with relation to the opening 26. From the outer ends of the trunnions 59 tubes or posts project downwardly, and through vertical openings 52 therein screws '53 are extended to form securing means for handle members 54 disposed near the lower ends of the members 29 and 2| so as to lie in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the opening 28. As best shown in Fig. 1, the handle members 54 are each of open-work construction so that there will be forward openings 55, intermediate openings 56 and rearward openings 51 therein. It will be perceived that the forward openings 55 cooperate in the formation on the handles 54 of forward hand-grips 58 and that the rearward openings 5'! cooperate in the forming of rearward hand-grips 59. handles 54 are of such exaggerated form, as disclosed in the drawings, and are elongated in such direction that the

grips

58 and 59 lie respectively in forwardly and rearwardly projecting relation, and accordingly adjacent of the forward and rearward portions of the elevator l9 so that case of access thereto is had. The outer portion 80 of each handle member 54 has a boss 6| formed thereon, such boss 9| having a threaded opening 62 to receive the lower threaded end of a screw 53. The inner portions 83 of the handle members 54 are substantially straight throughout a portion of their length so as to rest in channels 85 formed in the sides of the

bodies

22 and 23 by spaced radially projecting

lips

69 and 61. The trunnions 59, posts 5| and handles 54 cooperate in defining openings 68 lying below the trunnions 50 and through which the bottom portions 69 of eyes 18 extend, these eyes. 19 being formed at the lower ends of links 1|, forming suspending means for connecting the elevator l9 to a hook 1.2, Fig. 10, which may form a part of the lifting tackle or travelling block in a derrick.

The elevator l9 has latch means 13 for connecting the forward edges 14 and 15 of the members The 29 and 2| together when such members are in closed relation, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Substantially centrally between the upper and lower ends of the body 22, a dog '14 serves as a support for a hinge pin 15 disposed on an axis lying in a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of the opening 26 and substantially parallel to the trunnions 5|] when the pipe engaging members 20 and 2| are in closed relation. As best shown in Fig. 12, the dog 14' has a forwardly projecting cylindrical boss 16 provided with a threaded opening 11 into which the latch pin or screw 15 is screwed, and around which a coil spring 18 is disposed, this spring I8 having the function of urging a latch lever 19, Fig. 9, in clockwise direction, or in such direction that the upper part 89 of the lever 19 will be urged inwardly toward the body 22. The upper part 89 of the lever 19 constitutes the handle thereof and the lower part 8| of the lever 19 constitutes the latch dog 82 and downwardly projecting stem 83. As shown in Fig. 5, this stem 83 and the lower end of the lever 19 rests in a radial slot or pocket 84 formed in inwardly facing position in a metal body 85 which projects from the lower part of the member 29, As shown in Fig. 5, this metal body 85 extends forwardly from the member 20, then rightwardly at 86, and finally bends inwardly toward the member 2|, and is thus given a hookshaped form, with the slot 84 substantially centrally aligned with respect to the opening 28. The lever 19 has a central boss 81 having a bore 88 which receives the pin 15. The spring 18 normally urges the lower portion 8| of the lever 19 in leftward direction, or, in other words, outwardly with relation to the body 22, so that the stem 83 normally rests in engagement with the face 90 of the metal body 85, forming the bottom of the slot 84. When the handle 89 is pulled outwardly, or leftwardly, from the position of which it is shown in Fig. 9, the lever 19 will be rotated in anti-clockwise direction and the stem 83 will move rightwardly away from the shoulder or face 98, in the slot 84. The latch dog 82 which forms a part of the lower portion 8| of the lever 19 is supported at its upper end by the pin 15 and lateral movement of its lower end is prevented by the engagement of the stem 83 with the side walls of the slot 84. The inner face of the handle 89 has a projecting web 9| lying adjacent to a guard 92, comprised of a web which projects outwardly from the upper part of the body 22.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the latch dog 82 is of stepped form so as to provide a primary shoulder 93 and a secondary shoulder 94, joined by a transverse shoulder 95. The face 96 of the latch dog 82, opposite the shoulder 94, diverges rearwardly with relation to the face 94 and meets a face 91 which converges rearwardly with relation to the shoulder 94. The primary and

secondary shoulders

93 and 94 are adapted to engage, in different positions of the latch dog 82, a stationary latching shoulder 98 carried by a metal extension 99 which projects forwardly from the body 23 of the pipe engaging member 2| so as to lie, when the members 20 and 2| are in closed relation, between the metal body 85 which forms the guide for the lower end of the lever 19 and the latch pin 15. This metal extension 99 is likewise of hook-form, but is reversed to the hook formed by the metal body 85. In Fig. 4 the latch member, or dog, 82 is shown in the position which it assumes when the members 29 and 2| are in fully closed relation. That is, the shoulder 94 is in engagement with the stationary shoulder 98.

nearly so, the primary shoulder 93 would engage the latching shoulder 98 and prevent opening of the elevator.

The boss 81 is substantially in the center of the latch lever I9, and the upper and lower portions 88 and BI of the latch lever I9 are dynamically balanced so that inertia, momentum, or impact of the elevator I9 against the stationary object, or the strikingof a blow against the elevator .I9 or the pipe which is supported thereby, will not cause a rotative movement of the lever I9 such as will tend to move the latch dog '82, which forms a part of the lower portion 8| of the lever I9, out of engagement with the latching shoulder 98. Likewise, it will be noted that the latch member 82 swings outwardly relative to the body of the elevator I9 into latching engagement with the shoulder 98, and that in order to release the latch it is necessary to pull the handle 88 outwardly,

blow can be applied to the lower portion 8| of the latch lever I9 to move the same inwardlyout of latching position, and any inward blow or force imparted to the upper portion or handle 88 of the latch lever I9 will tend to rotate the lower portion 8| in outward direction, or in other words, into latching position.

To rotate the latch lever I9 in anti-clockwise direction from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9, so that the latch member 82 thereof will pass over the approach portion I88 of the metal extension 99, I provide on the body 23 of the pipe engaging member 2I a lifting means I8I disposed above the latch pin and having an inclined face I82 adapted to engage the inner surface portion I83 of the handle 88 and to force the handle 88 outwardly as the members and 2| approach closed position. As shown in Fig. 3, the member I8I has a notch I84 disposed to the right of the face I82, into which drops the intermediate portion I85 of the lever 88 when the pipe engaging members 28'and 2| reach such nearly closed position that the primary shoulder 93 of the latch member 82 may pass into overlapping relation with the latching shoulder 98 of the hook member 99 formed near the lower portion of the member 2|.

On the members 28 and 2|, as shown in Figs. 2, 6, 7, and 8 are webs- I01 which project upwardly from the upper ends of the members 29 and 2| in positions lying rearwardly of the arouate faces 2! shown in Fig. 6. These upwardly projecting webs I8I are disposed in such position that they lie in transverse alignment on an axis vc---c or vertical plane when the members 29 and 2| are swung into open position, as shown in Fig; .6, which extends through the centers d of the trunnions 58, at which points they are engaged by the links II. The webs I8! have upper. faces I88 which slope inwardly and downwardly as shown in Fig. 2. When the elevator I9 is in open position as shown in Fig. 6, and also in Fig. '7, the sloping faces I88 serve to guide the pipe 88 into a centralized position relative to the elevator I9 and along the axis ee appearing in Fig. 6, should the pipe 39 engage either of the sloping shoulders I88,'as the pipe is lowered onto the elevator or when the elevator is lifted upwardly-under and against the end portion of the pipe'38 when such'pipe is in a reclining-position, as shown inbroken lines in-Figfll.

Should the elevator not be entirely closed but As illustrated in Figs-6 and 7, when: the elevator does not support a pipe or other object the two members are supported in. opened position, being held by the spring 4'! with the stops I86 and I8! shown in Fig. l in engagement with eachother. The automatic applying of the elevatorto a stand of pipe is accomplished by extending the stand .of pipe in an inclined position, as indicated at 38 in Fig. 7, so that the end thereof extends above the elevator and between the links II. The stand of pipe is then caused to engage the elevator either by a raising of the elevator, but preferably by a lowering of the pipe. If the pipe is not aligned with the axis e-B, shown in Fig. 6, but is to one side or the other, the pipe will engage the sloping surfaces I 88 of the webs I8! and be guided toward the axis ee so that that portion of the pipe extending above the elevator will pass over the hinge pin axis 12-12. It will be understood that the engagement of the pipe with the webs III? will not cause a swinging or rotation of the elevators from normal position due to the fact that these webs are placed along the plane cc, as previously pointed out. When the pipe moves into the centralized position, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, it will come into engagement with an upwardly projecting lug II2 formed at the rear of the hinge lug 3|. This results in the weight of the pipe being applied eccentrically to the axis c-c, with the result that the elevators will be caused to rotate on the trunnions 58 and will move from the position shown in Fig. 7 into the position shown in Fig. 8 in which the channels formed through the pipe supporting members are in alignment with the axis of the pipe. During this movement the weight of the pipe which is transferred to the travelling block hook I2 produces the inwardly directed forces indicated by the arrows f, Fig. 6, which act around the hinge pin and cause the pipe engaging members 28 and 2| to move into a closed position and be latched around the pipe.

The elevators are likewise susceptible of manual operation by the workmen engaging the handles and swinging them toward and around a pipe positioned in proper position to accommodate the elevators. To manually close the pipe supporting members, considerable effort is not required in view of the fact that the spring 4! is just made sufiicient to overcome the forces indicated by the arrows which result from the weight of the elevator itself hanging on the links II. If it is necessary to manually rotate the elevator on the trunnions 59, this likewise does not require considerable effort due to the fact that the trunnions are 50 positioned that the plane of rotation on the lower portions 69 of the links II is in a substantially medial plane close to the center of gravity.

After the closing of the elevator around the pipe 38,'as described in the preceding paragraph, a further upward movement of the lifting means I2 will swing the pipe 39 toward vertical position and the upper ends, or arcuate faces 21 of the members 29 and 2|, will be brought into engagement with the downwardly presented shoulder 29 of the collar 29, as shown in Fig. 10. In Fig. 10 it will be noted that by reason of the fact that the links II converge upwardly there are in addition to the mere lifting action of these links II on each of the trunnions 58 the inward forces f tending to force the pipe engagement members 28 and 2| toward each other. This inward'force cooperates withit efie t or function of the sloping hinge pin 39 to constantly exert a force on the members and 2| tending to hold these members in closed relation, this closing force being sufllcient to move the members 20 and 2| from a partly closed relation, wherein the primary shoulder 93 is in engagement with the latching shoulder 98, to a fully closed relation wherein the secondary latching shoulder 94 is in engagement with the shoulder 98. In the use of my device, where the elevator is applied to a pipe in only a partly closed relation so that there is only a primary engagement of the latch means 13, the downward force of the pipe, and the upward reactions of the links H in cooperation with the action of the sloping hinge pin 39 will immediately close the members 2|] and 2| to such position that engagement of the secondary shoulder 94 with the latching shoulder 98 is accomplished.

Although I have herein shown a simple and practical form of my invention, it will be recognized that the features and principles thereof can be embodied in other forms of my invention,

and that therefore the scope of the invention is not limited to the embodiment herein disclosed but only by the hereafter recited claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of a pair of cooperating members hinged together at their rearward edges so as to be swung into closed relation around a pipe; means exerting a yieldable force on said members tending to swing them into open relation; latch means for locking said members in closed relation around said pipe; trunnions on said members, and suspension means engaging said trunnions, the hinging axis of said members being so inclined relative to the axis of a pipe vertically suspended by said members that the weight of the pipe exerts a closing force on the suspended members greater than said yieldable force.

2. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of cooperating members hinged together on a substantially diametral plane and occupying positions on opposite sides of said plane; a spring placed so as to exert a yieldable force on said members, tending to move the same to open relation; latch means for locking said members in closed relation around the pipe, said latch means having two positions of latching engagement consisting of a primary position in which said members are not fully closed around said pipe, and a secondary position in which said members are fully closed around said pipe; and suspending means for connecting said members to a lifting device, the hinging axis of said members being so inclined relative to the axis of a pipe vertically suspended by said members that the weight of the pipe exerts a closing force on said members to close said members from said primary position to said secondary position of said latch means.

3. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of members adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a pipe to be lifted, said members defining an opening to receive the pipe; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members together so that they may swing from closed to open relation, said hinge defining an axis which slopes downwardly and inwardly toward said opening; suspending means engaging said members; and latch means for locking said members together in closed relation around said pipe.

4. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of a pair of members adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a pipe to be lifted; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members togetherso that they may swing from closed to open relation, said hinge defining an axis which slopes downwardly and inwardly toward said members; suspending means engaging said members; and latch means for locking said members together in closed relation around said pipe, said latch means having two positions of engagement comprising a primary position in which said members are not fully closed around said pipe, and a secondary position in which said members are completely closed around said pipe, and said suspending means being so positioned relative to said hinge as to cause said members to swing from said primary position to said secondary position in response to the force applied to said members and the reaction of said suspending means by the weight of a pipe engaged by said members.

5. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of members formed so as to engage opposite sides of a pipe to be lifted, said members having trunnions projecting outwardly therefrom in substantially opposite directions when said members are in closed relation around said pipe; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members together so that they may swing between open and closed relation, said hinge being disposed on an axis which slopes relative to said pipe; suspending means engaging said trunnions and extending upwardly therefrom; means exerting a yieldable force on said members only sufficient to move the same from closed to open relation when said members are not engaged by said pipe; and latch means for locking said members together when they are brought into closed relation.

6. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of members formed so as to engage opposite sides of a pipe to be lifted, said members having trunnions projecting outwardly therefrom in substantially opposite directions when said members are in closed rela tion around said pipe; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members together so that they may swing between open and closed relation; suspending means engaging said trunnions and extending upwardly therefrom; and latch means for locking said members together when they are brought into closed relation, said latch means comprising a latching shoulder on one of said members and pivoted latch element on the other of said members, said latch element being pivoted on an axis in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the pipe and being counter-Weighted so that lateral impact on said members from any angle will be without unlatching effect.

7. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: cooperating members hinged together so as to be closed around a pipe to be lifted; suspending means for connecting said members to a lifting means; and latch means for locking said members in closed relation around said pipe, said latch means comprising a lever member pivotally connected to one of said members and providing a dog adapted to swing outwardly from said pipe into latching position and an operating handle forming a part of said lever and being disposed so as to swing outwardly relative to said pipe as said dog swings into nonlatching position, and said latch means including a, shoulder member on another of said firstnamedzcooperating members disposed in a position-to be. engaged bysaidadog when it moves outwardly relative to said pipe into said latching position thereof.

8. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: cooperating members hinged together so as to be closed around a pipe to be .lifted; suspending means for connecting said :members to a lifting means; and latchmeans for locking said members in closed relation around said pipe, said latch means comprising a lever member pivotally connected to one of said members and providing a dog adapted to swing outwardly from said pipe into latching position and an operating handle forming a part of said lever and being disposed so as to swing outwardly rela lever.

-9. In an elevator of the character described, the combination-of: cooperating members hinged together so as tobe closed around a pipe to be .lifted; suspending 'means for connecting said members to a lifting means; and latching means forlocking said members in closed relation around .said pipe, said latching means comprising ashoulder on one of said members, a dog on the other of said members adapted to come into .latching engagement with said shoulder, and .means-separate from saidshoulder for lifting ..said.dog..over.said shoulder as said members are brought into closed relation around said pipe.

10. In an elevator, a pair of work engaging jaws adapted to engage a casing for supporting the same,.means operatively connecting said jaws, a latch member, a pivot to. mount said latch member on, one jaw, a-support integral with the same jaw for supporting the swinging end of the latch member, and a lug on the other jaw adapted to engage the latch member at a point between the pivot and the latch support, to lock the elevator jaws in closed position.

11. In an elevator, the combination of: cooperating members hinged together so as to be closed around a pipe to be lifted; suspending means for connecting said members to a lifting means; and latching means for locking. said members in closed relation around said pipe, said latching means comprising a lug on one hinged member to which a latch is pivoted, supporting means attached to the same member as the pivot lug for supporting the swinging end of the latch, and

an engaging lug on the other hinged member, which lug engages the latch between the supporting member and the pivot lug when the elevator-is in closed relation.

12. man elevator of the character described, the combination of a pair of members formed so as to engage opposite sides of a pipe to be liftedgsaid members having trunnions projecting outwardly therefrom in substantially opposite to .move the-same from closed to open relation when said members are not engaged by saidpipe; latch means for locking said members together when they are brought into closed relation; and handle members extending outwardly from the lower portions of said members in such positions that lateral force applied thereto will swing said elevator on said suspending means.

13. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of members formed so as to engage opposite sides of a pipe to be lifted, said members having trunnions projecting outwardly therefrom in substantially opposite directions when said members are in closed relation around said pipe, and defining a transverse axis disposed below the top of and above the intermediate plane of said members; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members together so that they may swing between open and closed relation; suspending means engaging said trunnions and extending upwardly therefrom; means exerting a yieldable force on said membersonly sufficient to move the same from closed to open relation when said members are not engaged by said pipe; latch means for locking said members together when they are brought into closed relation; and handle members extending outwardly from said first-named members in positions below said suspending means so that a lateral force applied to said handle members will cause said elevator to swing around said transverse axis.

14. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of members formed so as to engage opposite sides of a pipe to be lifted, said members having trunnions projecting outwardly therefrom in substantially opposite directions when said members are in closed relation around said pipe; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of. said members together so that they may swing between open and closed relation; suspending means engaging said trunnions and extending upwardly therefrom; means exerting a yieldable force on said members only sufiicient to move the same from closed to open relation when said members are not engaged by said pipe; latch means for locking said members together when they are brought into closed relation; and means at the upper ends of said members which slope inwardly and downwardly so as to guide a pipe member which comes into engagement therewith into centralized relation to said members to assist in bringing said pipe into a position wherein said members may close around said pipe.

15. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of cooperating substantially cylindrical members adapted to engage opposite sides of the pipe; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members together so that they may swing between relative open and closed positions, said members each having a trunnion projecting outwardly therefrom in substantially diametral plane of said elevator transverse to the diametral plane on which said hinge is located; link members engaging said trunnions and extending upwardly therefrom; and latch means disposed opposite said hinge for locking the free edges of said members together in closed relation around said pipe, said latch means comprising a shoulder on one of said members and a dog supported on the other of said members so as to swing outwardly away from said pipe into engagement with said shoulder.

16. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of t a pair of cooperating substantially cylindrical members adapted to engage opposite sides of a pipe; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members together so that they may swing between relative open and closed positions; trunnions projecting diametrally outwardly from said members; vertical bars extending downwardly from the outer portions of said trunnions; open-work handles placed so that the inner portions thereof engage said members and the outer portions thereof engage the lower ends of said vertical bars; suspending means engaging said trunnions; and latch means disposed opposite said hinge means and being formed so as to lock the free edges of said members together around said pipe.

17. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of cooperating substantially cylindrical members adapted to engage opposite sides of a pipe; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members together so that they may swing between relative open and closed positions; trunnions projecting diametrally outwardly from the said members, said trunnions defining a lateral axis between the upper and lower ends of said members; vertical bars extending downwardly from the outer portions of said trunnions; open-work handles placed so that the inner portions thereof engage the lower parts of said members and the outer portions thereof engage the lower ends of said vertical bars; suspending means engaging said trunnions; latch means for looking the free edges of said members together; and walls at the upper ends of said members which slope downwardly and inwardly so as to guide a pipe which comes into engagement therewith into centralized relation to said members whereby the weight of said pipe will cause said members to swing on said trunnions into a position of alignment with said pipe to permit said suspending means to swing said members on said hinge into closed relation around said pipe.

18. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: a pair of cooperating substantially cylindrical members adapted to engage opposite sides of a pipe; a hinge connecting adjacent sides of said members together so that they may swing between relatively open and closed positions, said hinge being disposed on an axis which slopes downwardly and inwardly relative to the vertical axis defined by said members when they are in closed position; trunnions projecting diametrally outwardly from said members, said trunnions defining a lateral axis between the upper and lower ends of said members; vertical bars extending downwardly from the outer portions of said trunnions; open-work handles placed so that the inner portions thereof engage the lower parts of said members and the outer portions engage the lower ends of said vertical bars; suspending means engaging said trunnions; latch means for locking the free edges of said members together; and walls at the upper ends of said members which slope downwardly and inwardly so as to guide a pipe which comes into engagement therewith into centralized relation to said members whereby the weight of said pipe will cause said members to swing on said trunnions into a position of alignment with said pipe to permit said suspending means to swing said members on said hinge into closed relation around said pipe.

19. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of: cooperating members hinged together at adjacent edges thereof so as to be swung into closed relation around a pipe; latch means for locking said members together when they are in closed relation around said pipe; and a plurality of means for suspending said cooperating members in open relation, one of said suspending means being connected to one of said members and another of said suspending means being connected to another of said members; the hinging axis of said members being so inclined relative to the axis of a pipe vertically suspended by said members that the weight of the pipe exerts a closing force on the suspended members.

20. In an elevator of the character described, the combination of a pair of cooperating members hinged together on a substantially diametral plane and occupying positions on opposite sides of said plane; latch means for locking said members in closed relation around the pipe, said latch means having two positions of latching engagement consisting of a primary position in which said members are not fully closed around said pipe, and a secondary position in which said members are fully closed around said pipe; and suspending means for connecting said members to a lifting device, the hinging axis of said members being so inclined relative to the axis of a pipe vertically suspended by said members that the Weight of the pipe exerts a closing force on said members to close said members from said primary position to said secondary position of said latch means.

21. An elevator of the class described comprising a pair of pipe engaging members, means pivotally connecting said members together, means for latching said members together in closed position wherein they define an opening adapted to receive the pipe to be engaged, trunnions on said members, suspension means pivotally engaging said trunnions, and stop means on said members arranged to limit the opening swing of said members so that the free ends of said members will be spaced apart a distance sufiicient to admit the pipe, the pivoting axis between said trunnions and suspension means being so disposed and the opening extent of said members being such that with said members suspended and the axis of said opening in vertical position, said members may be fully opened Without causing any substantial tilting thereof relative to said suspension means.

22. An elevator of the class described comprising a pair of pipe engaging members, means pivotally connecting said members together, stop means on said members arranged to limit the opening swing of said members so that the free ends of said members will be spaced apart a distance sufiicient to admit the pipe to be engaged, trunnions on said members, suspension means pivotally engaging said trunnions, means for latching said members together in closed relation, and spring means serving when said latching means is released to open said members and to hold them in open relation with said stop means in abutment.

WILLIAM W. WILSON.