US2619234A

US2619234A - Pipe latching means

Info

Publication number: US2619234A
Application number: US721073A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert L Stone
Original assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Current assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Priority date: 1947-01-09
Filing date: 1947-01-09
Publication date: 1952-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1969-11-25

Description

Nov. 25, 1952 A. STONE PIPE LATCHING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 9, l947 Finger Board Floor Mai Derrick Floor F I G.

Finger Board F l G. 3.

QZZm/ZMO JNVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

New, 25, 1952 A. L. STONE 2,619,234

PIPE LATCHING MEANS Filed Jan. 9, 194'? f 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4.

FIG. 4'A

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 E om 391m A. I... STONE PIPE LATCHING MEANS Nuvw 25 1952 Filed Jan. 9, 194-7 1 A, 5 on al a M. INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

New. 25, 1952 A. STONE PIPE LATCHING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 9, 1947 i ewuw rf mwg @4404 INVENTOR.

Ill

USN mw 2w mifiw/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 2 5, 1952 PIPE LATCHING MEANS Albert L. Stone, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Standard Oil Development Company, Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application January 9, 1947, Serial No. 721,073

3 Claims. 1

This invention is directed to a pipe latching means particularly adapted for retaining stands of pipe in the derrick of a drilling rig.

In the drilling of deep boreholes in the earth it is conventional to employ joints of pipe to form the drill stem and mount a derrick over the borehole to facilitate the handling of the joints of pipe comprising the drill stem. When carrying out this operation it is necessary to provide some means for racking the pipe during usual steps of going into the hole and coming out of the hole with the drill stem. In conventional drilling operations, it has heretofore been customary to maintain the pipe in position when standing in the derrick by providing a, suitable support means for resisting lateral forces exerted by the stands of pipe and to lean the stands in the derrick so that a lateral force was exerted by each joint of pipe which would be resisted by the racking means. However, with unusual conditions, such as a strong wind tending to oppose the lateral thrust caused by gravity, it is necessary to take precautions to prevent the pipe from being moved from position and heretofore this has commonly been done by the derrick man using a rope or chain to tie the stands of pipe to the derrick.

It is an object of the present invention to devise a means for securing stands of pipe in a derrick whereby the stands of pipe are locked in position with the axis of the stands making a slight angle with the vertical.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means to be used in a derrick whereby joints of pipe are retained in position with their longitudinal axes making a slight angle with the vertical and the stands of pipe positively locked from moving toward the vertical, said locking means being releasable so that the pipe may be released to allow the pipe to be taken from the rack.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention may be seen from a reading of the description taken in conjunction with the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a derrick adapted for use in drilling operations, said view being fragmentary and omitting a showing of portions of a conventional drilling rig not necessary to explain the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view showing a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the racking means shown in Figs. 1 and 2 enlarged to show the means in greater detail;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a racking finger shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4A is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the racking finger E of Figs. 1, 2 and 4;

Fig. 5 is a showing in greater detail of a portion of the embodiment of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of a movable element adapted to be used in the assembly shown in Fig. 3 or that shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view along line VII-VII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the elements shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a locking pin adapted to be used with the assembly of Figs. 1 and 2 or the assembly of Fig. 3 or the assembly of Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of another embodiment of a racking finger;

Fig. 11 is a view along line XIXI of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an elevation, partly in section, showing another finger board embodying the present invention;

Fig. 13 is a view along line XIII-fill of Fig. 12

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the embodiment of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a racking finger provided with the same looking means as the racking board shown in Figs. 12 to 14;

Fig. 16 is a view along line XVIXVI of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a showing of an elevation, partly in section, of another arrangement embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 18 is a view of the movable element shown in the assembly of Fig. 17.

Turning now specifically to the drawing and first to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 4A, a derrick A has a drawworks 13 mounted adjacent the base thereof and a mat C on the derrick fioor for receiving the lower end of stands of pipe stacked in the derrick. A finger board D extends from one side of the derrick to the other with its ends securely fastened to the girts of the derrick. At the next girt above finger board D are mounted a plurality of racking fingers, with each racking finger designated by the reference letter E. A racking board F on which the derrick man may stand is atached to a girt in a derrick at the same level as the racking fingers E. It will be noted that the center of the derrick is shown by the intersection of two lines extending at right angles to each other with one line designated as XX and the other line designated as YY'. Rows of stands of drill pipe are shown 3 stacked in the derrick with one stand arranged in the locking means of finger board D and the adjacent stand arranged in racking finger E.

Finger board D comprises a stiff structural member I, such as a piece of steel in the shape of a channel which serves as a mounting means for a plurality of bifurcated posts I2--I2'.

The racking fingers E each comprise an elongated member II having one end provided with downwardly extending shoulder 4 defining a circular opening 5 which allows it to be secured to derrick girt 2 by pivot 3 whereby assembly E may be placed in a substantially vertical position when not in use and may be pivoted around pivot 3 until its axis is in a horizontal position where it is operable to receive stands of drill pipe. Elongated member E is provided with bifurcated osts identical with those mounted on assembly D and, accordingly, designated by the identical reference numerals I2I2'.

When using the racking assemblies D and E shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 4A, it will be seen that when racking stands of drill pipe a row of stands will be placed in finger board assembly D and the racking finger E adjacent the finger board may be moved from its vertical to its horizontal position, a row of stands of drill pipe may be placed in this assembly and the assembly E adjacent thereto and may then be moved from its vertical to its horizontal position and the operation repeated until all the stands of drill pipe are racked. Similarly, when taking the stands of drill pipe out of the rack, the stands of drill pipe in the row nearest the center of the derrick may be removed from rack E, this rack then moved from its horizontal to its vertical position, the next row of stands of drill pipe then removed from the adjacent rack E and the operation repeated until the row of stands of drill pipe locked to the finger board are removed from racking position.

In the assembly D, finger board I is a stiff member secured to the structure of the derrick and is capable of supporting the leaning weight of all of the rows of pipe racked in a derrick. When a row of stands of drill pipe is locked to finger board D, it also serves to prevent wind thrust in the direction toward YY' being exerted against subsequent rows of stands of drill pipe. It will be noted from the position of mat C and the finger board D and rack fingers E that the thrust exerted by the stands of drill pipe due to the pull of gravity are in the direction X along the line XX and in the direction Y along the line YY. The load exerted by the stands of drill pipe due to the force of gravity in the direction of XX is resisted by structural member I and the load due to gravity toward Y along the line YY' is resisted by the bifurcated posts I2-I2' which are mounted on members II and pivoted to the derrick as heretofore explained.

The bifurcated posts I2-iI 2' mounted on finger board D and the several racking fingers E will now be described. For convenience this structure will be described in conjunction with a racking finger E but it will be understood that the description applies equally well to finger board D.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the assembly E is shown in plan view and the uppermost member I2 of each of the bifurcated posts is shown. In Figs. 3 and 4 the lowermost member I2 of each bifurcated post cannot be seen but such a showing appears in Fig. 7.

It will be observed that the bifurcated posts I2-I2' have their axes extending at a right 4 angle to the axis of member II with the bifur cated posts spaced to define apparatus suitable for receiving stands of drill pipe between each of the bifurcated posts. Mounted on each of the bifurcated posts I2I2' is an axle I3 and pivoted to each axle I3 is a pivoted member I4.

Each member I4 is provided with an opening I5 as shown in Fig. 6 for receiving axle I3 and for allowing the member to pivot on the axle. It is to be noted that member I4 is of a peculiar shape and, for convenience, the several surfaces of the member, as shown in the elevation of Fig. 6, are designated separately for reference thereto. In Fig. 6, it will be seen that the surfaces defining the outline of the member are designated as IS, IT, I8, I9, 20, and 2I. Member I5 includes an opening 22 and is provided with a shoulder or projection 23 to limit the movement of said member around axle I3. Each bifurcated post I2I2' also serves as a mounting means for a pin member 25 which supports a spring member 26. As will appear in the drawing, spring member 26 is adapted to press against surface I9 of pivoted member I4 thereby biasing surface 20 away from elongated member II.

The spaced bifurcated posts I2I2 with pivoted members I4 mounted thereon are arranged to allow stands of drill pipe to be racked in sequence in finger board D and racking fingers E; as each stand of drill pipe is placed in position it locks the preceding stand in position; in other words, all of the stands racked in sequence in assembly D or assembly E are locked against removal with the exception of the last placed member.

In Fig. 4 a stand of drill pipe designated as gI is placed in racking member E and a second stand g2 has one side in contact with surface I6 of a pivoted member I4 with a dashed circle designated as 93 on the drawing showing the position assumed by stand 92 when the stand of drill pipe is placed in its final position as outlined by a dashed circle. For convenience, the position of member I4 in contact with g2 will be designated as a first position and the position of the member I4 in contact with gI will be designated as a second position. It will be noted that as stand g2 is moved to the position indicated by dashed lines and designated by g3, member I4 in contact therewith moves from its first position to its second position. It will be apparent that when a stand of drill pipe g2 is placed in assembly E and another stand is in the postion indicated by 93, the pivoted member I4 in contact with g2 can move only until surface I8 thereof comes in contact with drill pipe g3 whereupon further movement of this member I4 will be prevented; in other words, stand of drill pipe 93 locks stand of drill pipe gI in position in locking member E. It will also be evident that assembly E is designated to provide a suitable number of apertures with each aperture adapted to receive a stand of drill pipe and that as the stands of drill pipe are placed in assembly E in sequence starting to the right of assembly E that each stand of pipe is locked into position as the next stand of drill pipe is placed in the assembly so that the only stand of pipe which is not locked in assembly E is the last one placed in the assembly As heretofore explained, the locking means of finger board D is identical with the locking means explained heretofore with respect to assembly E.

If desired, a stand of drill pipe may be locked in position with respect to a racking finger E or finger board D without placing an additional stand of drill pipe in the unit by the use of a locking pin 49 shown in Fig. 9. Pin 49 may be placed through openings 22' defined by bifurcated posts |2|2 and through the opening 22 of pivoted member [4, thereby locking member l4 against angular movement.

Each pivoted member I4 is provided with a pin member 23 which projects above the sides of member l4 and is adapted to contact the bifurcated posts |2-|2 upon which it is mounted when member I4 is biased into its first or open position by spring member 25. In Fig. 4, it will be seen that the member l4 in contact with the stand of drill pipe g2 is biased to an open position with pin 23 in contact with bifurcated posts |2|2 whereby the stand of drill pipe 2 in contact with the surface l3 of pivoted member l4 may readily enter the assembly E to assume the position designated as 93.

While it will usually be desirable to provide a bifurcated support post with a single pivoted member secured thereto, other arrangements may be used. In Figs. 10 and 11 an embodiment is shown wherein racking finger H has mounted thereon a post consisting of a single member 5| with a bifurcated member 52 secured thereto by axle 53. It will be understood that in the complete assembly a plurality of spaced post members 5| Will be mounted on a suitable structural member with a pivoted member 52 mounted on each post to provide a completed finger board, similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or, alternatively, post members 5|, each having a member 52 pivoted thereto, may be spaced along a structural member to provide a complete racking finger similar to the racking finger shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 12, 13, and 14. In these figures the locking means is shown mounted on a finger board designated as D; it will be understood that identical locking means may be arranged in the form of a locking finger but in order to simplify the drawing a showing of such a locking finger has been omitted from th present invention. In the embodiment of Figs. 12, 13, and 14, the assembly D is provided with locking means operable to lock each stand of pipe in position as it enters assembly D. In other words, the embodiment of Figs. 12, 13, and 14 lock positively all the stands of drill pipe which have been placed in the assembly rather than leaving unlocked the last stand of pipe to enter the assembly as shown in the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 9. In the assembly D shown in Figs. 12, 13, and 14 an elongated member 30 which corresponds to the elongated member I of the finger board shown in Figs. 1 to 3 has spaced bifurcated posts 3|--3| mounted therein.

Each bifurcated post 3|-3|' carries an axle |3 and mounted on the axle is a pivoted member 45. Pivoted member 45 is generally similar to member M in the previously described embodiment and the surfaces |6, I1, and I8 thereof are identical therewith and designated by like numerals. However, the extended free end of member 45 is adapted to fit into a slotted opening 34 and, accordingly, the surfaces designated as H], 20, and 2| of member l4 are elongated in member 45; these portions are designated by numerals I9, 20', and 2|, respectively.

In the embodiment of Figs. 12 to 14 coil springs are provided to bias the surfaces 20 of pivoted members 45 away from elongated member 30; one end of the coil spring is secured to pivoted 6 member 45 by means of a projecting pin member 33 and the other end of the spring is attached to member 3| of the bifurcated post by similar pin member 33.

In the embodiment of Figs. 12 to 14 elongated member 30 is square in section and defines openings 34 with each opening adapted to rest the end portion defined by end surfaces I9, 20, and 2| of a member 45.

'Slidably mounted within the passage defined by member 30 is an elongated member 35 gen erally square in section and having spaced notches in each of which is arranged a spring member 36. The end of member 35 defines a longitudinally extending slot 31 through which extends a transverse pin 33. It will be seen that the ends of pin 38 are secured to member 30. Slot 31 and pin 38 are arranged so that member 35 may assume either a right or a left position. When member 35 is in its left position, as shown in Fig. 12, the free ends of. spring members 35 come into contact with sur-- faces 2| of pivoted members 45 when the surfaces 20 thereof are in contact with member 35; when member 35 is moved to the right the free ends of spring members 36 are out of contact with surfaces 20' and 21' of members 45 no matter what position members 45 may assume; that is to say, each member 45 is free to pivot about its axle l3 when member 35 is in its right position. For convenience. the position occupied by member 35 when it is moved to its right, releasing members 45, will be deemed its first position and the position assumed by member 35 when it is moved to the left or locking position is termed its second position.

A means consisting of a pulley 39 mounted on the threaded portion of member 35 is provided with screw threads 40 engaging with corresponding screw threads 4| of member 35; this arrangement allows member 35 to be moved to its right or left position by the rotation of pulley 39. A chain 42 may be provided which allows an operator to rotate the pulley 39 from a position remote from assembly E.

In Figs. 15 and 16 is shown a racking finger which may be used as racking finger E in the assemblies of Figs. 1 and It will be seen that the locking means of the racking finger assembly shown in Figs. 15 and 16 is generally similar to the finger board assembly D of Figs. 12 to 14 and like members are identified with identical reference numerals. It will be seen that member 30 in the racking finger shown in Figs. 15 and 16 is provided with a, downwardly extending shoulder 46 defining a circular opening 4? which enables it to be pivoted adjacent a girt of the derrick so that the racking finger may be placed in a horizontal position for receiving stands of pipe or may be moved to a vertical position in the derrick at the option of the derrick man. It will be understood that the racking finger shown in Figs. 15 and 16 will usually be mounted in the derrick adjacent the racking board F on which the derrick man is stationed so that the racking fingers will be conveniently near to the derrick man. For this reason the means arranged for moving member 35 relative to member 30 to lock and release members 45 is not a pulley 33 as in the embodiment of Figs. 12 to 14, but instead is a hand wheel 48. By way of illustration the embodiment of Fig. 15 has a locking pin 49 secured to a bifurcated member 31 by a chain 53.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 17 and 18,, another racking board is shown having an ar- .rangement. identical with that showninFigs. 12 .to 14 with the exception that instead ,ofpivoted member 45, the device is.provided ,withpivoted members 44. The assembly in this figure is, accordingly, .designatedas E. Accordingly, with vthe exception of members .44, the parts shown in this drawing are givennumerals identical with the corresponding parts in the embodiment of Figs. 12 to 14, and these identical parts willnot again be described in detail. Each member 44 defines surfaces l6, I9, 26, and 2| identical with the surfaces of vmember l4 which are identified by like numerals in Fig. 6. However, a portion of .that.part of member l4 bounded by surfaces I! and [8 has been removed from member 44 so that in addition to surfaces [6, I9, 20 and 2|, member 44 is bounded by surfaces 54, 55, and. 56. Members 44 are arranged to cooperate with bifurcated posts 12-42, on which each member 44 is .pivoted by means of axle l3 so that when the .end of member 44 is biased away from support member 35, which position is designated as its first position, a plurality of stands of drill pipe :may be simultaneously received by or simultaneously removed from the assembly.

In the embodiment of Figs. 17 and 18, the entire assembly is designated as E. This assembly may conveniently be used with the apparatus for moving pipe disclosedin my copending application SerialNo. 692,201, entitled Apparatus for Handling Pipe in a Derrick, and filed August 22,

1946, in that it will receive a plurality of stands of .drill pipe simultaneously and will release the plurality of stands of drill pipe simultaneously.

In the embodimentE", a member. 44 is not arranged to cooperate with two adjacent stands of drill pipe with one of. the stands of drill pipe cooperating with member .44 to lock the other stand of drill pipe into position but instead the members depend upon the locking assembly including elongated member-35 and spring members 36 to lock members 44 in position whereby the stands of drill pipe are retained by the assembly E. It will be understood that the locking assembly including member 35 and spring members 36 may be moved to the right when receiving stands of drill pipe and after the stands of drill pipe are received, the locking assembly may be moved to the left to look all the stands of drill pipe in position, or, alternatively, the looking assembly 35 may be moved to the left before stands of pipe are placed in assembly E, and as each stand of drill pipe is placed in position it rotates its corresponding member 44 around axis 13 until surface 2| comes in contact with spring 36 whereupon the member 44 is locked into position. In this way it will be understood that single stands of drill pipe may be placed in position, or, alternatively, a plurality of stands may simultaneously be placed in position. The members 44 may be released by moving the locking means including member 35 and spring members 36 to the right. This allows each member 44 to rotate around its axis. In other Words, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated by assembly E all of the stands of drill pipe arranged in an draw ing, the locking means of the embodiment of .8 Figs. 15 .and 16 has not. been shownappliedtoa racking finger.

It. will be understood that while an embodiment isshown havingbifurcated post members with a single movable member pivoted to each bifurcated post and another embodiment as shown with a single post member and a bifurcated movable member pivoted thereto, the locking means for looking a stand of drill pipe in position are not restricted to such structural details.

For example, a one piece post similar to posts 5| of Figs. 10 and 11 may have pivoted thereto a single member similar to member I4 as shown in detail in'Figs. 4 and 6 or member shown in Figs. 17 and 18. Further, it will be understood that the locking means including slidable member '35 with spaced springs 36 attached thereto may be employed with the design of the post and movable member shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and similarly that the movable member 52 of Figs. 10 and 11 may be modified to obtain an outline corresponding to members 44 shown in Figs. 17 and 18, if desired, for use with the locking means including slidable member 35 having spring members 36 mounted thereon. These and other embodiments are believed to be variations which may be made 'by a workman skilled in the, art without departing from the scope of the invention described and claimed herein and inorder to simplify the drawing, these embodiments have not been shown therein.

While I have described specific embodiments illustrating the present invention, it will be obvious to a worker skilled in the art that various changes in the shape, proportion and size of the various parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having fully described and illustrated embodiments of the present invention, what! desire to claim as new and useful and to secure by Letters Patent is: I

- 1. A racking assembly adapted to receive a plurality, of stands of drill pipe comprising, in combination, a longitudinally extending member, a plurality of spaced posts carried by the member with each post having its longitudinal axis at a right angle to the axis of the longitudinally extending member, a pivoted member mounted on each of said posts adapted to assume a first position. to receive a stand of drill pipe without resistance and a second position for retaining the oted members in their second position.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which at least one of the post members and the pivoted member mounted thereon define openings coinciding when the pivoted member is in its second position and in which the means adapted for locking said pivoted member against angular movement includes a pin adapted to,be-placed lighrough said post member and said pivoted memer.

.3..A-pparatus adapted for racking stands of pipecomprising in combination a plurality of spacing members mounted thereon, pivotedmembers mounted respectively on said spacingmembers, said pivoted members having av front face and-a rear face, said front face being transversely grooved to receive astand of pipe, said pivoted members also adapted to assume a first position 9 10 for receiving stands of pipe on the front face REFERENCES CITED thereof without resistance and adapted to as- The following references are of record in the sume a second position wherein the front face of file of this patent: one pivoted member and the rear face of an adjoining pivoted member, also in the second posi- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS tion, partially embrace said stand of pipe and Number Name Date lock said stand of pipe in the apparatus as long 572,770 Putnam Dec. 8, 1896 as a second stand of pipe occupies the adjoining 722,514 Johnson Mar. 10, 1903 opening in the second position partially defined 1,335,369 Donohue Mar. 30, 1920 by the rear face of the pivoted member receiving 10 1,947,553 Johnston Feb. 20, 1934 the said stand of pipe. 2,311,932 Deckard Feb. 23, 1943 ALBERT L. STONE. 2,507,040 Moore May 9, 1950