US2646317A

US2646317A - Drill rig catwalk

Info

Publication number: US2646317A
Application number: US67112A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas I Holley
Original assignee: Thomas I Holley
Current assignee: American LaFrance LLC
Priority date: 1948-12-24
Filing date: 1948-12-24
Publication date: 1953-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 1970-07-21

Description

T. I. HOLLEY DRILL RIG CATWALK July 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1948 Inventor Thomas I. Holley July 21, 1953 T. l. HOLLEY DRILL RIG- CATWALK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1948 Fig.3.

Fig.4.

Thomas I. Hal/e y Patented July 21, '1953 orgies DRILL RIG CATVVALK Thomas 1. a ua, Webb City, Mo. a

Application December 24, 194:8,v Serial No. 67,112

i r r Thisinvention relates to new and useful'improvements in scaffolds, and the primary object 5 Claims. (01. 30414) of the present invention is to provide a removable catwalk for the rotary drill rig of oil and gas well drilling structures.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a platform attachment for drill rigs including a novel and improved treade way orflooring so constructed'as to permit the user to standthereon in a safe. manner with desirable footing.

A further object of the present invention. is to provide a catwalk for drill rigs embodying novel and improved means for quickly and readily applying the same to or removing the samefrom the drill rig in a convenient manner.

r A still'further aim of the present invention is to provide a .drill rig catwalk that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use,. small and compact in structure, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

I Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer tolike parts throughout, and in which: 7

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a drill rig and showing the present invention applied thereto; 7

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the present catwalk;

Figure 3 isa fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through the drill rig of Figure 1 and looking down upon the present catwalk;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5- of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the framework used in conjunction with the present invention;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 55 of Figure 5; r

Figure 7 is a View .similar to Figure 4, and illustrating the manner in which the flooring engages the anchor plates; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the anchorplates used in conjunction with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein, for the purpose of illustration, there is dis generally'of the type used in oil orgas drillin and which includes a base'consisting of an I beam member l2.

Fixedly secured tothe web of the beam I2 and the upper flange M of the beam l2, by welding or the like, are the straight inner edges 16 and.

portions it of the upper edges 20 of a plurality of longitudinally spaced, substantially triangular anchor plates 22 that project laterally from the said beam l2.

The upper edges 29 of the anchor platesare provided with outwardly and downwardly inclined recesses or notches 2 l'and lips .or shoulders 26 project outwardly fromthe upper edges 2%) and abut the outer edge of the upper flange I i and are suitably secured thereto.

The numeral 28 represents the framework that is used in conjunction with the present invention generally. This framework includes an outer longitudinal, preferably angleiron member 36, the ends of which are welded,*or otherwise fixed, to the outer ends of a pair of preferably angle iron end members 32, and the inner ends of the members 3,2 are welded or otherwisesecured to the ends of a longitudinal .bar or rod 35 that is received in the recesses 24 for rotation.

A suitable number of preferably angle iron cross members or braces 36 extend transversely between and have their ends fixed to the mem- I ber 39 and bar 35 by welding-o1" the like.

Extending beneath the bar 34 isza pressure beam or angle iron member 38 that is connected and braced relative to the bar 34 by a plurality of angle iron brace members 3E] having their ends Welded or otherwise fixed to the inner ends of I the the longitudinal member 39 by inclined angle closed the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral iii represents a. drill rig iron brace straps d2 having their ends fixed to the beam 38 and the outer ends of the

members

32 and 36 by welding or the like.

A rectangular sheet of expanded metal or steel matting it is suitably secured to the framework 293, and more particularly the upper surfaces of the bar 35, the end member 32, the cross members 3B, and beam 38, and forms a traction surface or flooring.

In practical use of the present invention, the bar 3% slipped into the recesses 2 3 andthe beam 38 bears against the web of the supporting beam 52 (see Figs. 4 and 7) to prevent down ward swinging movement of the framework and thereby retain the said framework in a substantially horizontal position. I v

The lower corners of the plates 22 are removed to provide inclined edges 46 that will abut the beam 38 to prevent accidental vertical lifting of the framework while the same is in a horizontal position. It is further noted that the upper edges 20 of the plates 22 support the foot work portion or flooring 44 adjacent certain of the struts or braces 40.

To remove the present catwalk or platform from the beam l2, it is merely necessary to swing the outer portion of the framework 22, by grasping the beam 30, upwardly and to then raise the bar 30 from the recesses 24.

Although as depicted in the drawings the flooring 44 is welded to the framework and the elements forming the framework are welded together,-it is obvious that any suitable fastening means could be employed, such as bolts and nuts, without deviating from the scope of the instant invention. 7

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it

is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

' It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A drill rig catwalk comprising a horizontally disposed supporting beam, a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertically disposed anchor plates fixed to and projecting laterally from said beam, a foot platform, a longitudinal bar fixed to said platform, said anchor plates having recesses receiving said bar, and a vertically inclined brace carried by said platform and including an elongated member paralleling the bar and abutting the beam and preventing downward swinging movement of said platform relative to said beam, said anchor plates overlying said member and functioning as stops preventing accidental raising of the member.

2. A drill rig catwalk comprising an open framework having a plurality of cross members and a longitudinal bar, a pressure beam braced to said cross member and spaced parallel to said bar, a supporting beam, a plurality of plates fixed to said beam and having recesses receiving said bar, said plates including lower edges, said pressure beam bearing against said supporting beam to prevent downward swinging movement of said framework, said pressure beam underlying the lower edges of said plates to prevent accidental raising of the pressure beam relative to said supporting beam, and a traction surface fixed to said framework.

3. A drill rig platform comprising an elongated beam having a vertical web portion and upper and lower horizontal flanges joined by the web portion, a plurality of support plates each having a vertical'edge and an upper horizontal edge including an inner portion, the vertical edges of said plates and the inner portions of the upper edges of said plates being permanently fixed to the web portion and the upper fiange of said beam respectively, a platform including a longitudinal bar, the upper edges of said plates adjacent the upper flange of said beam having recesses receiving said bar, and an inclined brace attached to said platform and abutting the web portion of said beam between the upper and lower flanges of the beam for retaining the platform substantially horizontal, said platform including a traction surface flush with the upper face of said upper flange.

4. A drill. rig catwalk comprising a support beam, a plurality of vertically disposed plates fixed to and projecting laterally from the support beam, said plates having upper edges including recesses, a platform including a circular bar rotatable in said recesses for raising and lowering of the platform about the plates, said plates having lower edges, and a bearing beam carried by the platform and underlying and paralleling the bar and underlying and contacting the lower edges of said plates to prevent the removal of the bar from the recesses until the bearing beam has cleared the lower edges of said plates.

5. A drill rig catwalk comprising a support including a plurality of spaced parallel supporting plates, each having an upper and a lower edge, the upper edges of said plates having inclined slots therein, a frame including a bar received in said slots for rotation, said slots having entrances, and a beam carried by the frame and paralleling the bar, said beam. underlying the lower edges of said plates, said frame being removable from said support upon raising of the frame about said bar, and movement of the beam from beneath the plates whereupon the bar is lifted from the entrances of said slots.

THOMAS E. H'OLLEY.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Saul Apr. 20, 1943