US2284540A

US2284540A - Cathead

Info

Publication number: US2284540A
Application number: US361547A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas E Purcell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-10-17
Filing date: 1940-10-17
Publication date: 1942-05-26
Anticipated expiration: 1959-05-26

Description

May ze, 1942. T. E. PURCELL 2,284,540

CATHEAD Filed 001.. 17, 1940 INVENTOR. i BY WM ATTORNEY.

Patented May 26, 1942 UNITED STATES FATNT OifilQE CATHEAD Thomas E. Purcell, Talco, Tex.

Application October 17, 1940, Serial No. 361,547

2 Claims. Y (Cl. 242-117) The present invention is directed to a cathead for use on drilling rigs.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a cathead having a removable bearing sleeve which is so formed as to be capable of a special treatment which renders it harder and therefore more durable.

An additional and important object of the present invention is the provision in a device of the character described of a pair of flanges to embrace the removable sleeve and a groove in one of said flanges to accommodate a measuring line.

A further object of the present invention is the provision ol'l a device of the character described which is so constructed as to be aircooled whereby its life is considerably increased.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one embodiment f of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof with parts separated so as to bring out features of construction; and

Fig. 3 is a section along the line A-A of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail numeral I designates a shaft which is driven by a suitable pri-me mover. Keyed to the shaft is a sleeve 2 by a key 3 fitting in a keyway 4 in the shaft and a corresponding keyway in the sleeve. Communicating with the keyway in the sleeve is a slot 5 in the sleeve 2. The purpose of the slot is to permit a chisel to be directed against the key and hammered to effect the removal of the key. This feature is of considerable importance in the structure contemplated by the present invention since, without the slot, the removal of 'the key would be a tedious and difficult operation.

Integral with sleeve 2 and forming an extension thereof is a cylinder 6 which has formed on its outer surface at the point of its junction with sleeve 2 a radially extending flange 1. Radially extending flange l has a circumferential groove 8 which affords a guide for a measuring line which must be manipulated by the operator of the cathead. The provision of this groove facilitates the operators work.

The outer face of the flange is provided with circumferential longitudinal recess 9 adapted to receive one end of a sleeve l0. The innerface of the recess is provided with notches II to accommodate corresponding teeth I2 on the end of the sleeve whereby relative rotation between the sleeve and the cylinder 6 is prevented.

The portion of the cylinder 6 which is overlaid by the sleeve I0 is cut away circumferentially and the inner surface of the sleeve itself is correspondingly cut away to form an air space I3 between the sleeve and the cylinder. The cylinder in this area is provided with perforations I4 whereby air is circulated between the sleeve and the cylinder during rotation and the sleeve thereby kept cool. These perforations are preferably inclined opposite the direction of rotation, as shown in Fig. 3. In order to insure a strong current of cooling -air between the sleeve I0 and the cylinder 6 each of the openings I4 is provided with a hood which is welded to the inside of cylinder 6 and has its open end faced in the direction of rotation of the cylinder. If desired, adjacent sets of hoods may be faced in the opposite direction.

The outer end of cylinder 6 is threaded to receive a ange I5 which bears on its inner face a circumferential, longitudinal recess IB corresponding with recess 9 in iiange 1, and adapted to accommodate the other end of sleeve I.

The above described embodiment of the present invention offers many desirable advantages. It is important to note that the sleeve I0 is of substantially uniform outer diameter. This is a necessary feature because the heat treatment to which the sleeve is subjected in order to impart hardness to it is such that, if there are any differences in diameter in the sleeve, cracks would develop. It will be understood that the nature of the heat treatment will vary with different kinds of steel and these temperatures for various steels are well known. As can be seen, the sleeve is reversible so that when one side becomes worn the other side can be used, thereby doubling the life of the sleeve. The sleeve is readily removable and is the only part of the device that requires replacement.

It will be apparent that changes may be made in the above described embodiment of the present invention without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims in which it is intended to claim the invention as broadly as the priord art permits.

Having thus described and claimed the present invention, what is claimed as new and useful and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A cathead comprising an elongated tubular metal body, a keyway on one end of such metal body adapting it for fixation to a shaft, the remainder of the metal body protruding beyond the end of the shaft to form a hollow cylinder with an open outer end, a slot in the end of said metal body overlying said shaft communieating with said keyway, a sleeve removably mounted on said hollow cylinder having a substantial portion of its length spaced from the outer surface of said cylinder and air inlets provided in said cylinder for admitting air into the space between said cylinder and said sleeve.

2. A cathead comprising an elongated tubular metal body, a keyway on one end of said metal body adapting it for fixation to a shaft, the remainder of the metal body being adapted to protrude beyond the end of the shaft, forming a hollow cylinder with an open outer end, a slot extending through the wall of that end of the metal body overlying said shaft and communieating with said keyway, a sleeve removably mounted on said hollow cylinder having a substantial portion of its length spaced from the outer surface of said cylinder, a pair of anges on said cylinder for holding said sleeve in place and to form a space adapted to receive a catline, a groove arranged on the periphery of one of said anges for accommodating a measuring line, and air inlets provided in said cylinder for admitting air into the space between said cylinder and said sleeve.

THOMAS E. PURCELL.