US2334557A - Transfer sleeve for drill pipe protectors - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 16, 1943. R. H. HOWARD 2,334,557

TRANSFER SLEEVE FOR DRILL PIPE PROTECTORS Filed Jan. 6, 1943 E 5940b hf HOI I/d/"d JNVENTOR @WFT;W

Patented Nov. 16, 1943 1- D YST E PATENT TRANSFER The invention relates to transfer sleeves for drill pipe protectors, and has for its object to provide a device of this kind, onto which a drill pipe sleeve may be forced and held in an expanded condition in a warehouse where the operation may be facilitated and the transfer sleeve, with the expanded protector thereon, transported to the point of use, for instance a drilling operation and placed on drill pipe sections in a vertical or a horizontal position, and the sleeve automatically forced from the transfer sleeve onto the drill pipe section at the desired position.

A further objectis to provide the transfer sleeve assembly with releasable expansion spring means for forcing the expanded protector sleeve therefrom onto the drill pipe section.

' A further object is to provide a mandrel adapter detachably connected to the transfer sleeve and adapted to be received in the large end of a tapered mandrel, over which the drill pipe protector is forced by any suitable means onto the transfer sleeve.

A further object is to provide a transfer sleeve device comprising an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve slidably mounted on the inner sleeve and spring means interposed between said sleeves and latching means connecting said inner and outer sleeves for holding the spring means compressed when a sleeve protector is forced over the mandrel, adapter and onto the inner sleeve; the inside diameter of which inner sleeve is greater than the tool joint of the drill pipe section.

A further object is to provide the inner and outer sleeves of the transfer device with flanges, and one of said flanges with guide rods extending through apertures of the other flange and coiled springs surrounding said rods and interposed between the flanges. Also to provide spring actuated latching members carried by one of the sleeve flanges and cooperating with means carried by the other flange for holding said sleeves against movement under the expansive action of the coiled springs.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the transfer sleeve device.

SLEEVE FOR 1mm. r11 1: rnorac'rons Ralph E. Howard, Oklahoma City, Okla. Application January 6, 1943, Serial No. 471,511 4 Claims. (01. 2948.2)

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mandrel adapter.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view through one side of the transfer device, showing the latching connection between the sleeves.

Figure 4 is an end view of the transfer device.

Figure 5 is a side elevation'of the transfer device showing the same in position on a drill pipesection and the protector in position to be forced from the'inner sleeve onto the drill pipe section. I

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5', but showing the protector being forced from the inner sleeve of the transfer device.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates the inner sleeve of the transfer device, the inner diameter of which is greater than the tool joint 2 of a drill pipe section, so the device as a whole, with anexpanded protector thereon, may be transported to the place of use and passed over the tool joint onto the drill pipe 3 beyond the joint and forced from the transfer device onto the section at the desired position.

Slidably mounted on the inner sleeve I is an outer sleeve 4, and the sleeve 4 is provided with an annular flange 5 having anchored thereto, at 6, a plurality of rods I, which rods are in turn slidably mounted in apertures 8 of the flange 9 carried by the inner sleeve I and terminate in enlarged heads Ill, which heads limit the outward movement of the outer sleeve 4 in relation to the inner sleeve under the influence of the expansion springs II which surround the rods I and are interposed between the flanges 5 and 9. The expansion power of the springs H is sum cient to force the expanded protector I2 fromthe inner sleeve I after the transfer device is placed on the drill pipe section and when latching means, hereinafter described is released.-

The protectors I2 are placed on the transfer device in any suitable position, for instance in a warehouse and the transfer device, with the expanded protector, transported to the point of use, thereby facilitating the protector applying operation.

The inner periphery of one end of the inner sleeve I is provided with a bayonet slot I3, which receives the lugs I4 of a mandrel adapter I5, onto which adapter is threaded at IS a tapered mandrel over which is forced, by any suitable mechanism, a rubber protector I2,'and applicant does not limit himself to the particular type of protector applying device. As the protector I2 is forced over the tapered mandrel I'I, adapter I5, and onto the inner sleeve I, the annular flange ll engages into the end of the protector as shown .at II, and as the protector is forced against the flange I of the outer sleeve 4. said outer sleeve is moved longitudinally on the inner sleeve I, compressing the springs II. The above operation continues until the latch hook 20 engages over the latch pin 2| carried by the flange 9, therefore it will be seen that the expansion springs II will be maintained compressed until the latches are released after the transfer device has been transported to the point of use, as shown in Figure 5.

The latches 22 are hingedly connected at 23 to the flange 6 of the outer sleeve 4 and limited in their outward movement by the lugs 24, clearly shown in Figure 3. Interposed between the free ends of the latches 22 and the sleeve 4 are expansion springs 25, which normally force said free ends outwardly, therefore it will be seen that during the protector applying operation on the inner sleeve I, the noses 28 will engage the latch pins 2|, compressing the springs 25, and will spring into hooked engagement with the pins 2|. The transfer devices are then transported to the point of use and can be easily placed on the drill pipe sections over the tool joints, clearly shown in Figure 5.- and after which the latching members 22 are forced inwardly for releasing the expansive power of the springs II. The springs II are sufliciently strong to force the protector I! from the inner sleeve I onto the drill pipe section, shown in Figure 6, and after this operation the transfer device may be easily moved from the drill pipe and returned to the warehouse for again applying the protector thereto.

From the above it will be seen that a transfer device is provided for drill pipe protectors, which may be loaded with a protector at a convenient place where the work can be facilitated and may be easily transported and applied to a drill nine section in thefleld without the use of' a conventional protector expander and applicator as is now the common practice.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A drill pipe protector transfer device adapted to be passed over the end of a drill pipe section,

said protector comprising .an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve slidably mounted out the inner sleeve, flanges carried by said sleeves, guide rods carried by one of said flanges and extending through apertures in the other flange, expansion springs surrounding said guide rods and interposed between the flanges and adapted to be compressed as the outer sleeve is forced in one direction by a protector being forced onto the end of the inner sleeve and latching means between said sleeves and positioned to hold said sleeves and expansion springs in latched position after a protector has been forced onto the end of the inner sleeve.

2. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the latching means comprises hinged latches carried by one of the flanges, the free endsof said hinged latches cooperating with members carried by the other flange and spring means for maintaining said latches in latched position.

3. A device as set forth in claim 5-including means whereby a tapered mandrel may be axially attached to the inner sleeve.

4. A device as set forth in claim 5 including means whereby a tapered mandrel may be attached to one end of the inner sleeve, said means

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