US2425753A - Elevator device - Google Patents

Description

1947- G; E. MuLumx 2,425,753

I ELEVATOR DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 9, 1941 i 15 if 13 I l v I" M305. 6 v v Q lf vENTO R 6-1420 5 M044 mm;

477-0 IVEK Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STATES OFFICE.

2,425,753 ELEVATOR DEHGE Gird E. Mullinix, San Marino, Calif. assignor to Byron Jackson 00., Vernon, Galifi, a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to Well pipe elevators and the like, and is direetes particularly to improvements therein which are calculated to reduce the manual effort involved in applying such devices to and removing them irom the pipe.

As is Well known to those familiar with oil well drilling operations, it is necessary to periodically remove the string of drill pipe from the well to replace a worn drilling :bit. The drill string is separated into sections, orstands of from-6E) to 90 feet in length, which are racked in anupright position inthe derrick. A member of thedri'lling crew, usually termed 'thetderrick man, is stationed on a platter-m high in the derrick, to unlatch the elevator from the upper end of each stand of pipe as it is disconnected from the drill string and racked in the derrick, and to latch the elevator about each successive stand as the pipe is run back into the well.

Th task of the den-l ck man is most arduous when running the string of pipe back into the well. During this operation, as each successive stand of pipe is connected to-thedrillstring, the drill string is lowered into the well while supported in the elevator, until the upper end ofthe newly added stand is just above the rotary table. The weight of the pipe is transferred from the elevator to the pipe slips set in the table, and the elevator is thenremoved from the pipe and raised in the derrick to pick up the next stand. Meanwhile, the derrick man has moved the next stand into position to ibeengaged bytheelevator. In order to save as much time as possible, the driller at the hoist sent-sols meters not to decrease the hoisting speed an appreciable amount as the empty elevator reaches the dor-- rick man, thus requiring the derrick man to grasp the elevator as it approaches his [level and draw it toward and; latch itabout the-pipe while the elevator is travelling upward-lyat a substantial speed. It is thus apparent that sew-second timing on the part of the derrick man 'isrequ ired. For this reason, it is/of' utmost importance that the elevator hang from the supporting linksin such a position thatxitcan be. graspedtby theder rick man and latches; about the'pipe: a min" imum or effort and in the shortest possible time. The instant invention is directed .particmanly to thisplir aseaof ,drillingloperations;

Well some elevators. inuse..-are..of. two general classes, namely: (1%) those whichrthe suppcrting earsare :fiormed onqdiametricallyzopposite sides or .a. ashamed .hody defininganonen-sided 1 3181831655, and in open side of the recesses closedhsanoor or'sateapi-vomlly mount ed on the body on an axis at one side of the open recess, this type being generally referred to as side-door elevators; and (2) those comprising two substantially symmetrical sections each hav ing a supporting ear and meeting in a diametric plane extending at right angles to the plane of the supporting ears, and :being hinged-1y connected attire rear side of pipe recess and releass ably latched together at the front side, 'This type is usually reterred to as "centcr latch or double door elevators.

It is characteristic or center latch elevators that as the sections are swung outwardly relative.

to each other about their pivotal axis, the rear portion of the elevator motes toward the inertical plane of support extending through the sup.- porting' ears, thus shifting the center of gravity of elevator torward-ly of that plane. This creates a tendency tor the front side of the 1518? water to tilt downward-1y to an extent to again the center of gravity the aforesaid plane. of support. moyement is an advantage in one. for the: following reason. Inasmuch as the supporting ears are each termed. .on one of the elevator sections, the .open mg movement or the section increases the .distaoc'e between the ears, causing the elevator to assume downwardly diverging: positions with aeespeet-to each other. lithe tendency or the to return to their normal suspended nositioms tends. to lclose the elevator i the links are both :susneoded a single hook. and, even if the iisn ss a e sena ate y susnended at 1ateralhl points on a multiple hook, the closin ie emcy is us lly suffici nt to n ev etth elesator' .f-rom 1 a ins 161115 3 openunleasittilt downwardly so from. I :be apparent, .how eyenthaat when. the front portion of the elevator istilted downwardly to dispose: the 'n votal axis inclined position, theweisht of the eleyator constitutes one component of exerts :a tonmne moment about the pivotal axis in martian to the lclosimg force exerted hr the r t f re oing reasons; it haslbecnecustoma r t allow seiner lat h elevators to: sneak flw si or tilt ld wowardltr invzfiront, inorden .to maintain in open. :position while the derrick to pick up astandmrf pipe; Th s ma tice has the: ldaisalclvantaeql honey-er; of reel-airing l the derr ck man to no the elevator back t Wright, ormear stupright, lposition in order to aiian the snipelboreloi; the: elevator w t the pine bef re the elevator the. latched .on then pe.

The instant invention has as its principal object the provision of an elevator, particularly of the center latch type, which will remain in open position without being tilted downwardly in front.

A further object of the invention is to provide an elevator havingv incorporated therein a releasable latch mechanism acting between the elevator sections to releasably retain the elevator in open position.

A still further object is to provide an elevator having means incorporated therein for exerting a force yieldingly maintaining the elevator in open position, the arrangement being such as to require only slight manual effort to effect the initial closing movement of the elevator sections, and the aforesaid force being rendered inactive upon such initial closing movement.

A still further object is to provide an elevator having a novel spreading latch housed within a recess in the bore of the elevator in a protected location.

The manner in which th foregoing and other objects are attained will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an elevator embodying the invention, the rear portion of the elevator being broken away on substantially the line I'.[ of Fig. 3 to illustrate details of a preferred form of yieldable spreading means;

Fig. 2 is a view simila to Fig. 1, but showing the elevator in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical view taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1, showing the yieldable spreading means in elevation,

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my novel spreading latch as applied to a well-known type of elevator such as is used for handling external upset drill pipethat is, pipe having a tapered upset at the base of the tool joint. The elevator comprises generally a pair of sections l and H pivotally interconnected at th rear side by a hinge pin l2, and having a latch [2a for detachably securing the forward sides of the sections together about a pipe. Semi-circular bores l3 and M are formed in the inner Walls of the respective sections and cooperate to form a circular pipe recess when the sections are closed. As most clearly shown in Fig. 3, a downwardly tapered seat [5 is formed in the bore, and conforms to the tapered upset on the pipe to support the pipe in the elevator. Each section is provided with a pair of outwardly projecting upper and lower ears [6 and l! defining link recesses in which the lower eyes of elevator links are received and releasably confined by detachable link retainer blocks IS. A pair of handles l9 project outwardly from the forward sides of the sections and a handle 20 is formed at the rear side of one section, to aid in the manual manipulation of the elevator. For a more complete description of the detailed construction of the elevator, reference is made to U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,067,663 to Herbert E. Grau, dated January 12, 1937.

It will be observed with particular reference to Fig. 3 that the bore of the elevator body is enlarged between th upper bores l 3 and I4 and the lower'centering rib 2l,'providing recesses 22 and 23 in the respective elevator sections I0 and II, one of which recesses form a convenient place for mounting a spring detent 24. Th detent comprises a flat, elongated bow spring, the free end of which is rounded over at 25 to provide a cam surface 26. The opposite end of the spring is turned outwardly at 21 and engages a slot 28 formed in a retainer plate 29 welded or otherwise secured to the wall of th recess 22 in the elevator section 10. The outer wall of the retainer plate is grooved lengthwise thereof from the slot 28 to the remote end of the plate, to receive the spring 24 and retain it firmly in place,

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the hinge pin [2, which pivotally connects the two body sections together, extends through upper and lower hinge lugs 30 and SI on the body section In and a central hinge lug 32 on the body section I l. A cam projection 33 is formed on the central hing lug 32 in the horizontal plane of the spring 24, and is provided with a forward, steeply pitched cam surface 34 (Fig. 2) and a rear cam surface 35 of relatively fiat pitch. A relatively Wide clearance is provided at 36 (Fig. 1) between the hinge lug 32 and the adjacent wall of the body section ill, to receive the projection 33 when the body sections are closed.

It will be observed that the outward flexing of the spring detent 24 is limited by engagement thereof with the wall of the recess 22, and it will be noted in particular, with reference to Fig. 2, that a slight clearance is provided between the curved-over end 25 of the detent and the wall of the hinge lug 32. Thus the only frictional engagement between the detent and the hinge lug is during the time the detent engages the cam projection 33. In this manner, frictional wear on the detent and hinge lug is reduced to a mini mum, and the detent is wholly inactiv once it has been disengaged from the projection and hence it offers no resistance to closing of the elevator after the initial closing movement has been effected.

The operation of the spring detent will be apparent from the foregoing description. When removing the elevator from the pipe, the sections are spread apart as far as is permitted by the usual opening stops (not shown) on the body sections. This opening movement is slightly more than sufficient to cause the cam projection 33 to pass to the right of the curved end 25 of the spring, to the position shown in Fig. 1. In passing the spring end, the fiat cam surface 35 on the projection engages the curved cam surface 26 on the spring and flexes the spring outwardly. Because of the relatively flat wedge angle of the cam surface 35, the flexing of the spring offers no substantial resistance to opening movement of the elevator sections. However, when the steeply pitched cam surface 34 on the opposite side of the projection engages the spring end, the force required to flex the spring inwardly is considerably greater. By suitably shaping the cam surface 34 and by the selection of a spring of proper strength, the resistance ofiered thereby may be such as to only slightly exceed the closing force exerted on the elevator by the links. Hence, upon application of slight manual pressure on the elevator handles 19 in a closing direction, the spring may be flexed inwardly to allow the projection 33 to pass it. After the projection has passed the spring, the closing of the elevator is effected without interference by the spring.

From the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that relatively simple but highly effective means have been provided for insuring that the elevator is maintained in open position without being tilted downwardly in front, thus enabling the derrick man to quickly and easily apply it to the pipe by simply drawing it toward him, without having to tilt it into alignment with the pipe. The provision of means for releasably maintaining the elevator sections in open position not only insures proper alignment of the elevator with the pipe, but also prevents inadvertent closing of the elevator due to vibration or swaying as it ascends or descends in the derrick.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the novel spreading means may assume various forms, and it is to be understood that the form shown and described herein is solely for illustrative purposes. Hence the invention is not limited to the precise form shown herein, but is of the full scope of the appended claims.

This application is a division of the copending application of Gird E. Mullinix and Allen E. Hambly, Serial No. 422,224, filed December 9, 1941, now matured into Patent No. 2,354,217, issued July 25, 1944.

I claim:

1. In a well pipe elevator, a pair of pipe-encircling members, means pivotally interconnecting said members for relative swinging movement about a normally vertical axis into open and closed positions, means yieldably retaining said members in open position comprising a projection on one member having a cam surface thereon facing in the direction of closing movement of said one member, a spring-pressed detent mounted on the other member and yield ably urged by its spring into the path of movement of said projection, the parts being so constructed and arranged that when said members are in open position said detent is disposed adjacent the cam surface on said projection and yieldingly resists initial closing movement of said members, and an abutment on said other member limiting movement of said detent toward said one member, said abutment preventing contact between said detent and said one member, except when said projection engages said detent.

2. A well pipe elevator comprising, in combination: a pair of body sections having substantially semi-circular recesses cooperating to define a pipe-receiving bore; means including aligned pivot bosses on said sections and a pivot pin extending through said bosses for pivotally interconnecting said sections for relative swinging movement about a normally vertical axis into open and closed positions; a projection on one of said pivot bosses providing a cam surface at one side of the projection; a, pring-pressed detent on the other section engageable with said cam surface when the body sections are in open position to yieldingly resist closing movement of said sections, said detent being housed within the other section between the pipe recess and the outer wall of the section.

GIRD E. MULLINIX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,002,391 Gruendler Sept. 6, 1911 1,716,905 Smith June 11, 1929 1,871,845 Grant Aug. 16, 1932 1,636,019 Stuart July 19, 1927 2,342,531 Dean Feb. 22, 1944

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