Machine for moving casing or pipe from a horizontal position adjacent a well to a vertical position over the well bore. The machine includes a boom movable between a lowered position and a raised position by a hydraulic ram. A strongback grips the pipe and holds the same until the pipe is vertically positioned. Thereafter, an hydraulic ram on the strongback is actuated thereby lowering the pipe or casing onto the string suspended in the well bore and the additional pipe or casing joint is threaded thereto.
The invention provides a drill rod handling device (14) which is adapted for attachment to a drill rig assembly (10) which includes a standard rotation unit (12) and a rod holder (13) mounted on top of a feed frame (11) and which are used to feed drill rods (25) in and out of the ground. The handling device (14) comprises a carriage assembly (20) which is guided for sliding movement along slide members (19), a head assembly (24) which is designed to receive and support a drill rod (25) and to feed the drill rod longitudinally for screwing and unscrewing of the thread joint while simultaneously gripping same, a swing arm (21) pivotally attached to the carriage assembly and extending laterally therefrom, swivel attachment means rotatably mounting the head assembly (24) to the outer end of the swing arm (21) for tilt movement about a transverse axis, a swing arm actuator (38) for effecting rotation of the swing arm (21) and the head assembly (24) about a generally longitudinally axis, and a tilt actuator (42) for effecting tilt of the head assembly (24), the arrangement being such that a drill rod (25) when loaded onto the head assembly (24) at a side low position, can be bodily moved to a loading position on top of the feed frame and axially aligned with the drill string.
This invention provides an oil well drilling or service rig having inclined capability with pipe handling means which will automatically retrieve pipe from a horizontal pipe rack, tilt it into a position parallel to the mast, and transpose it into the center line of the mast in line with the drill string and stab the pipe into the drill string for make-up while the elevators are being moved into position to lower the string. The pipe handler can also be used to withdraw pipe from the string in the reverse operation.
The pipe racker assembly includes a mast, a dolly assembly vertically slidably secured to the mast for vertical movement, a handling arms assembly rotatably secured to the dolly assembly and having an upper handling arm extensible to accommodate pipes of varying length and as long as 45 feet and lower arms capable of gripping pipe either from a horizontal pipe rack or from a carousel pipe rack turntable when the handling arms are rotated 90.degree. on the dolly assembly. A stabilizer is secured to the ends of the handling arms in order to allow the handling arms assembly to be supported remote from the pipe racker assembly to reduce the structural strength requirements of the assembly.
An automated pipe racking apparatus for a drilling rig having an elevator suspended over a well bore. An arm support member is rotatable about an axis parallel to the well bore. A gripper arm extends from the arm support member along an axis normal to the axis of rotation of the arm support member. A gripper head assembly extends from the gripper arm, the gripper head assembly having a pair of opposed, arcuate gripper fingers, each said finger rotatable by a motor.
Pipe handling apparatus to move tubulars from a horizontal position on a piperack adjacent a well bore to a vertical position over the wall center or mousehole. A bicep arm assembly is pivotally connected to a base plate. A forearm assembly is pivotally attached to the distant end of the bicep arm assembly and a gripper head is pivotally connected to the distant end of the forearm assembly. The bicep arm assembly is mounted to the structure of the drill rig.
