US2969702A - Apparatus for running thread-jointed oil well strings into and out of oil wells - Google Patents

Description

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Jan. 31, 1961 Filed May 19, 1955 H. E. CORNISH ET AL 2,969,702 APPARATUS FOR RUNNING THREAD-JOINTED OIL WELL STRINGS INTO AND OUT OF OIL WELLS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l .964; 109 i D 12a: 87 y f {"123 v KILL- I 1 t I .93 l. J I. 1-. 7

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H. E. CORNISH ETAL 2,969,702 APPARATUS FOR RUNNING THREAD-JOINTED on, WELL STRINGS INTO AND OUT OF OIL WELLS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 31, 1961 Filed May 19, 1955 Jan. 31, 1961 H. E. CORNISH ETAL 2,969,702

APPARATUS FOR RUNNING THREAD-JOINTED OIL WELL STRINGS INTO AND OUT OF OIL WELLS Filed May 19, 1955 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 31, 1961 H. E. CORNISH ETAL 2,959,702

APPARATUS FOR RUNNING THREADJOINTED OIL WELL STRINGS INTO AND OUT OF OIL WELLS Filed May 19 1955 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 27/4245: 6. Gene; 41040 f 620555 50 420 A. MPsaw Jan. 31, 1961 H. E. CORNISH ET AL 2,969,702 APPARATUS FORRUNNING THREAD-JOINTED on.

WELL STRINGS INTO AND OUT OF OIL WELLS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 19, 1955 VENTORJ h nezv f. Cozy/5H C'HAEL 5: 6'. 6/245; #42040 620:5! ion 420 M 6 AM 1961 H. E. CORNISH TA APPARATUS FOR RUNNING THREAD-JOINTED OIL WELL STRINGS INTO AND OUT OF OIL WELLS I 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May. 19 1955 I zgulf a I" a 1i I if V 136 129 m i J 11/ J 14 J44 12.94

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WELL STRINGS INTO AND OUT OF OIL WELLS Filed May 19, 1955 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 2/? Tom Mame #902904 /c 1.67 eisiil/o/i M Ton/e 2 10 53 [LEI/A701? IN V EN TORS A4722? 5, Cae/v/sh 4/: #4555025 044545: 6 Game;

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United States Patent G APPARATUS FOR RUNNING THREAD-JOINTED gllllllsiELL STRINGS INTO AND OUT OF OIL Harry E. Cornish, Palos Verdes, Charles 'G. Graef, Downey, Harold F. Groehe, Inglewood, and Edward H. Simpson, Los Angeles, Calif assignors to & M Machine Company, Inc., 'Los Angeles, Calif., 21 corporation of California Filed May 19, 1955, Ser. No. 509,652

Claims. (CL-.81-53) This invention relates generally to oil well tool equipment, and more particularly to apparatus for running thread-jointed oil well strings such as drill pipe, tubing or rods into and out of oil wells. The invention will be chiefly disclosed in a present application to the running of so called slim hole drill pipe stands into and out of oil wells in exploratory drilling operations, but without any implication of limitation thereto whatsoever, since the invention is equally applicable to standard drill pipe drilling, to pump tubing, and to sucker rods.

As applied to any of these operations, the primary object of the invention is the provision of pipe or rod handling machinery which greatly facilitates the running of thread-jointed pipe or rods, both into and out of an oil or water well, at once speeding up the operation, and decreasing the required personnel.

Taking the case of the drilling application for purpose of illustration, the procedures involved in running drill pipe are well known. Drill pipe comes in joints or sections of predetermined length, each of which has a female coupling element, at its upper end and a male coupling element at its lower end. These joint elements are frequently of a conventional type known as box and pin, respectively. Two to four of these joints are commonly secured together to give a stand, of convenient length for handling within the derrick. In running in pipe, i.e., making joint, such joints or stands are added to the drill string one at a time by methods and equip ment now too well known to require description herein. Briefly, while the string is supported by slips in the rotary table, a new joint or stand is lowered into position by an elevator, the pin on its lower end being stabbed into the box on the upper end of the supported string, and the new joint is then spun into position. The joint is tightened by means of tongs. Power tongs and spinners have been provided to facilitate these operations, and are generally side-opening in order to facilitateclamping onto the pipe. Reverse procedures are employed in running out the pipe, i.e., breaking -joint. These operations require various pieces of known equipment, whose manipulation requires a number of men on the derrick floor and in the derrick.

Briefly stated, the invention provides a slip bowl equipped with power operated slips at the well head, conveniently positioned in the rotary table in the case of a drilling operation, a power tong or spinner, having a slip bowl equipped with power operated slips, mounted over the well head, and power means for vertically reciprocating the power tong through a predetermined stroke. In making joint, the power tong is run to an upper position, just above the .box on the upper end of the pipe string suspended by the slip bowl in the rotary table. By'a lowering operation of the drill-pipe elevator (which is carrying the stand to be added), the coupling pin on the lower end of the pipe stand to be added is then stabbed through the power tong slip bowl (whose slips are in open position), into the box on the upper end of the-suspended pipe string. The tong slips are then set to grip the pipe, and the tong is operated to spin in the new stand. The slips in both bowls are then released, transferring the load of the string to the drill pipe elevator engaged with the coupling box at the top of the added stand. The power tong is then lowered about the pipe string to the lower limit of its stroke. The drill pipe elevator then lowers the string until the coupling box at the top is just above the power tong in the lowered position of the latter, it being noted that the purpose of the aforementioned lowering of the power tong was to clear the area for the just described lowering operation of the drill pipe elevator. 'Ihe slips in the table sup ported bowl are then set about the pipe, the drill pipe elevator disengaged and raised, and the power tong-then raised to its initial or upper position, after which the sequence is repeated. Similar but reverse procedures are performed in breaking joint.

A hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly is provided for mounting and for vertically moving the power tong between its upper working position and its lowered position, and torque arm means are provided in connection therewith for resisting the torque reaction that is exerted when the power tong is engaged in spinning the pipe. The hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly is mounted on the rotary table frame, and a torque linkage is provided by which the torque transmitted to the assembly by the aforementioned torque arm is ultimately taken or resisted by said frame. This torque linkage is arranged for quick disconnection to permit swinging of the power tong away from the center of the drill hole whenever required. a

The invention further provides a system by which all of the aforementioned operations are carried out by power instrumentalities under the control of single operator, reducing the necessary crew to this control operator and one additional man in the derrick to handle the pipe stands.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of one illustrative embodiment thereof, reference for this purpose being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drilling apparatus in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken in accordance with line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2a is a detail section taken .on line Za-Za .of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the rotary table and slip bowl taken in accordance with line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a broken section taken in accordance with line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken in accordance with the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

'Fig. 7a is a view showing a wedge slip face prior to grooving;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. '9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a detail elevation of a slip;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged portion of the slip of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a detail of a slip mounting pin;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the power tong, taken in the direction of the arrow 13 of Fig.1;

Fig. l4 is an elevational view taken in accordance with line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a section taken inaccordance with line 15-15 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing .the power tong elevator;

Fig. 17 is a section taken on line 1717 of Fig. 16;

Figs. 18 and 19 are diagrammatic views of the apparatus showing two illustrative operating positions thereof;

Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic control system of the invention; and

Fig. 20a is a diagram of a valve of the system of Fig. 20, shown in neutral position.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is designated at T a conventional rotary table, having a supporting frame or platform 20 at the well head, the derrick and the usual elevator, together with other conventional equipment, being omitted from the drawings.

7 Extending down through a bushing or slip bowl 22 in rotary table T, and positioned therein as shown, is a section 23 of worm hole drill pipe, having at its upper end a box coupling member 24, the pipe section 25 immediately above being understood to be threaded at its lower end and to be screwed into the conventional threads inside the box 24.

The lower end portionof the upper pipe section 25 is surrounded by a power tong 28, carried through the agency of a right angle torque arm assembly 29 from a tong elevator E comprising a vertically disposed hydraulic cylinder 30 movable vertically on stationary piston 31 which is rigidly mounted on a flange 32 secured to the rotary table platform 20.

The rotary table is shown for illustrative purposes as having in the top a squared aperture 34, below which is a circular bore extending downwardly through the bottom of the table, and between the aperture 34 and the bore 35 is an annular groove 36. The squared aperture 34 is rounded at its corners on arcs which are coincident with the groove 36, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The bushing 22 has at the top a square flange 49 receivable through the square aperture 34 of the table, and below said flange is an annular shoulder 41 snugly receivable inside the table bore 35. At a substantial spacing below the flange 40, the bushing 22 also has a circular flange 42 snugly receivable inside the bore 35. The bushing 22 is introduced into the bore 35 of the rotary table by lowering it through the square table aperture 34, its squared flange 40 being oriented properly to register with the square aperture 34. When the flange 40 has engaged the seat 43 formed at the bottom of groove 36, it is rotated through to the position shown in Fig. 3, so that the corner portions of the bushing flange 40 are then underneath the downwardly facing shoulder 44 formed by the upper side of the groove 36. The bushing is then looked in such position by means of pins 45 mounted in flange 40 and projecting downwardly into suitable grooves 46 formed in the upper portion of the bore 35.

The bushing 22 is generally cylindrical in exterior shape down to the flange 42, below which it has a reduced intermediate section 47, and the latter is joined through a reduced, stepped portion '48 with a final lower tubular end portion 49 of still further reduced diameter. A downwardly tapering opening 50 extends downwardly into the bushing from its upper end, completing the tapered slip bowl, which is generally designated at B. This slip bowl terminates just below the intermediate portion 47 of the bushing, in the general arrangement clearly shown in Fig. 6. A centrally apertured cover plate 22a is secured to the bushing over the opening 50.

Mounted in the tapered slip bowl are a plurality of slips 51, six in number in this instance. Each such slip comprises a concave faced plate 52, provided with a multiplicity of pipe gripping teeth 52a (Fig. 11). These teeth are conveniently formed by first spirally grooving the surfaces as though a V-shaped screw thread were to be formed, and then vertically grooving the surfaces with parallel spaced V-grooves. Preferably, prior to the vertical grooving, the concave surfaces of the plates 52 are modified by forming them, top to bottom, with a flattened central region 52b, merging through smooth curves with ,4 flattened wing regions 520, as shown in Fig. 7a. Joined to the back of each plate 52 and extending perpendicularly thereto is a wedge shaped mounting plate 53. Integrally formed with the top of the latter is a hook-like mounting member 54 forming a horizontal jaw or opening 55 which slidably receives or engages a peripheral edge portion of a spider plate 56, the slips being suspended from the spider plate, and being slidable in horizontal directions thereon as they move radially in and out during vertical movement in the tapered slip bowl.

The angular rearward edge portion of each slip 51 is formed with notches 57 to receive spaced collars 58 on a bearing pin 59. This pin has a point on its upper end to engage in a socket in the heel of the hook member 54 (Fig. 6), and at its lower end, has a reduced pin 62 engaging in a hole in a clip 63 secured to the bottom of the slip. The bearing pin is thus detachably assembled with the slip. The rearward edge portions of the plate 53, between the notches 57, are arcuately formed and machined to have bearing on the pin 59, as shown in Fig. 7, and the opposite faces of the collars 58 are provided with machined surfaces so as to afford a free working fit against opposed similarly machined surfaces on the member 53, whereby the slip is not only backed up by the bearing pin 59, but also relatively rotatable thereon with a free working fit. The collars 58 of the hearing pins 59 are slidably received in half-round longitudinal grooves 65 formed in the slip bowl, it being understood that there is one such groove for each wedge slip. In operation, when the toothed concave surfaces of the slips are engaged with the pipe, any tendency for rotation of the pipe in either direction causes the slip to rock slightly on its bearing pin 59, thereby bringing the angular wing portions 52c of the toothed gripping surface 52 into wedging engagement with the pipe, so as to atford, in eifect, a self-energizing lock against the pipe.

Spring arms 66 mounted on the underside of spider plate 56 engage pin 67 on opposite sides of wedge slip plate 53 to hold the wedge slip assembly in proper working position with the collars 58 seated in the groove 65. When the slips are lowered, by lowering of the spider plate 56, the slips move radially inward, their mounting plates sliding radially inward on the spider plate; and when the spider plate is elevated, the springs 66 expand them by pressing radially outward on the pins 67.

The arms 78 of spider plate 56 (Fig. 8) are formed with radial notches 71 to slidably receive the reduced shank portions 72 of headed rods 73 extending downwardly through vertical bores 74 which are formed in the slip bowl, the'lower portions of these bores 74 opening to the outside of the slip bowl below the flange 42, as indicated.

On the reduced lower end portions of rods 73 be tween shoulders 81 and a bearing ring 82 surrounding and slidable on bushing portion 49, is an annulus 84, the parts being secured in assembly by nuts 85 screwed on the lower ends of rod portions 80. The annulus 84 carries the inner race ring of radial and thrust bearings 86, the outer race rings of which are accommodated within an elevator collar 87, the latter being positioned by means of a flange 38 at the top, engaging the outer race ring of the upper bearing 86, and a retainer ring 89 at the bottom, engaging the outer race ring of the lower bearing 86.

Collar 87 is formed with diametrically opposed headed trunnions 90, engaged by the bifurcated forward ends of the two arms 91 of a yoke 92 pivotally mounted at 93 to form a lever structure actuated by a hydraulic ram 94 for raising and lowering the collar 87, and therefore, through rods 73 and spider 56, the set of slips 51. In the construction shown, Fig. 2a, the bifurcated forward end portions of the arms 91 are backed up by similarly bifurcated-plate 91a, and are furnished on their outer sides with spring arms 91b, fastened at one end to the arms 91, as at 91c, and provided with circular apertures 5. 91d which engage overthe heads of trunnions 9 to fix the linkage to the latter. These spring arms maybe sprungzout, as shown in :Fig. 2a, .to facilitate .quick disengagement of the arms 91 from the trunnions.

Asshown in Fig. 4, the arms 91 are pivotally mounted at 93 on a .pin 95 carried by the lower end of'a link 96 depending from and pivotally mounted at its upper end on a pin 97. The pin '97 is mounted in the end of a supporting plate 98 secured to a lower wall 99 of the rotary table as by screws 100.

The ram-94 (Fig. 5) comprises a cylinder 1B2 containing a piston 103 on a connecting rod 104 which is pivotally mounted at its upper end on a pin 105 mounted in a fitting 1116 secured to mounting plate 98. To the lower end of cylinder 102 is secured a cross-head 107 furnished with trunnions 108 which pivotally support lever arms 91 at points intermediate their ends. Hydraulic fluid is introduced alternately to opposite ends of cylinder 1112 through suitable ports from fluid lines indicated at 109 and 110m Fig. 2, under control of a suitable valve.

It will be evident that introduction of fluid to the lower end of cylinder 102, for example, will lower the cylinder 132 on piston 103, moving the cross-head 107 and the arms 91 downwardly, and so lowering collar 87, and therefore annulus 84, which in turn draws the rods 73 downward, and with them the spider 56 and slips carried thereby. The slips are elevated by opposite motion of the linkage when fluid is introduced to the upper end of the cylinder. It will be noted that the linkage as described permits free rotation of the rotary table T and bushing 22 without breaking the connection to the means ,for lowering or elevating the slips, the ring 84 on the elevator rods 73 turning freely within the elevator collar 87 during rotation of the table. -By themeans provided, therefore, the slips can be contracted or expanded to engage or disengage the pipe by operation of a simple hydraulic control valve.

The power tong and its elevator will next be described.

Referring to Fig. 15, the power tong utilizes a tapered slip bowl and slips, together with actuating means therefor, substantially identical with that employed in the rotary table, and heretofore described in detail. Thus, a tubular housing or slip bowl is provided, differing in only minor particulars from the bushing 22 previously described. This slip bowl 125 has tapered opening 126, slips 127, spider plate 128, elevator rods 129, ring 129a on the lower end of rods 129, annulus 130 and elevator collar 131, with bearings as shown intervening between the members 130 and 131, all as earlier described in connection with the corresponding device utilized in the rotary table. Also, in a manner similar to that described for the corresponding device in the rotary table, the collar 131 is adapted to be elevated and lowered by lever arms 132 pivotally mounted at 133 at the lower end of a link 134, which is in turn pivotally mounted at 135 on a mounting fixture 136, which in this case is bolted to the underside of a mounting plate 137 secured to the lower portion of the power tong housing 138. A hydraulic ram is provided for operating the lever arms 1 32 and comprises a cylinder 139 containing a piston 14!) on a connecting rod 141 pivotally mounted at 142 on the fitting 136. The lowerend of cylinder 139 carries cross-head 143 furnished with trunnions 144 connected to intermediate points of the arms 132, all in the same manner as described in connection with the hydraulic ram mechanism for operating thearms 91 of the device associated with the rotary table. Further detailed description of the present device is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

Slip bowl 125 has tightly fitted to its .exteriora worm gear (Fig. 15), which is accommodated within the aforementioned housing 138. The latter supports bowl 125 through a bearing 151 at the bottom, and a bearing 152 near the top. Slip bowl 125 together with the driving gear 150 is accordingly relatively rotatable inside the exterior housing 138.

Referring to Fig. 13, the housing 138 has .a lateral extension 155 containing a driving worm 156 for worm gear 150, worm 156 being driven by a suitable hydraulic motor 157 fastened to housing portion 155.

The'housing portion 155 is connected by the torque arm 29 to the vertically movable cylinder 30 of the hydraulic elevator.

The torque arm comprises a pair of links 160, each consisting of upper and lower link members 161 and 162 joined by a tube 163, pivotally connected to ears formed on housing member 155, and extending substantially parallel to and on opposite sides of a line intersecting the center line of the power tong. The other ends of links 16!) are pivotally connected to the edge portions 164 of a generally quadrant shaped coupling member 165 made up of two spaced parallel plates 166 joined by a tube 167'. A pair of links 168, of the same nature of the links 160, are pivotally connected to the edge portions 169 of coupling member 165 which are at right angles to edge portions 164, whereby the links 168 are at right angles to the links 160, the links 168 being on opposite sides of a line intersecting the axis of cylinder 30. The opposite ends of the links 168 are pivotally connected to spaced plates 170 welded to the outside of cylinder 30. This torque arm linkage interacts to resist torque exerted thereon in either direction by the power tong housing during spinning of the drill pipe thereby. Torque transmitted to the cylinder 36 is resisted as described hereinafter.

Cylinder 36 (see Fig. 16) has fluid connections 181 and 182. at its top and bottom, and is packed at opposite ends around the piston 31, as indicated at 183 and 184. The piston has an intermediate head or collar 135 slid able inside cylinder 30 and furnished with a sealing ring 186.

Cylinder 30 is fitted at its lower end with a collar having a lug 191 on one side carrying a pivot pin 192 on opposite ends of which .are pivotally mounted the two arms of a V-shaped toggle link 193. A generally similar V-shaped toggle link 194 is pivotally mounted on the ends of a pin 1'95 extending through a lug on base flange 32. The apex end portion of link 194 is bifurcated as at 196 (Fig. 17) to receive the apex end portion of link 193, and these apex end portions of the links are pivotally connected to one another by pivot pins 201 having handles 201 by which they may be withdrawn against holding springs 2112 for temporary disconnection of the links from one another.

The toggle links 193 and 194 transmit torque exerted on cylinder 30 by the torque arm 29 to base flange 32 of the elevator and thence to the rotary table frame, whether the elevator and power tong is in elevated or lowered position. The provision for quick disconnection of the toggle links from one another permits the elevator cylinder, torque arm and power tong to be readily swung aside from the well hole when desired.

A hydraulic system is provided for feeding hydraulic fluid to and exhausting it from the various'hydraulic cylinders and to the hydraulic motor for the power tong, manual control valves being provided for controlling the flow to and from said cylinders at will from a master control station or console. In Fig. 1, the operating handies for such control valves are indicated at 2113, the valves being mounted at the top of a console unit 2113a located conveniently for the operator. Supply and return fluid lines are indicated at P and R, and the fluid lines between the valves and the hydraulic cylinders heretofore described are designated generally by the numeral 204. The details of the hydraulic system will be passed over until after the general operation of the drilling machine has been described.

It will be assumed first that additionalstands of drill pipe are to be introduced into the well hole. Reference being had first to Fig. 18, showing the beginning position, the power tong 28 has been moved to a position near upper limit of the travel of elevator cylinder 30. Using a conventional drill pipe elevator, indicated diagrammatically at L, the pipe stand 25 has been stabbed through the tong into the coupling box 24 of lower pipe stand 23, which is gripped at this time by the rotary table slips 51. The tong slips 127 are then set about the pipe 25, as shown, and the hydraulic motor of the power tong then operated to spin the pipe 25 to screw it into the coupling box at 24.

The tong and rotary table slips are then disengaged, and the tong lowered by the hydraulic cylinder 30 of elevator E to the position oi Fig. 19. The pipe string is then lowered to the position shown in Fig. 19 by the elevator L, stopping above the power tong. The rotary table slips 51 are then set, the pipe elevator L raised, and the tong elevator cylinder 30 operated to raise the power tong back to the position of Fig. 18, after which the procedure is repeated.

To remove pipe, a reverse procedure is followed. With the rotary table slips 51 set, the power tong is lowered by tong elevator cylinder 30 to the lower limit of travel, as to the position of Fig. 19. The pipe elevator L is then lowered and engaged with the coupling collar 24, the rotary table slips 51 are released, and the pipe string then raised by elevator L to the position shown in Fig. 18. The tong elevator E is then operated to raise the tong, stopping about two inches short of the upper limit of travel of elevator cylinder 30, as in Fig. 18. It will be noted that the pipe string has been stopped with the coupling collar 24 below the position to which the tong has been elevated. The tong and rotary table slips are both set, and the power tong operated to spin the upper pipe section and so unscrew it from coupling box 24. During this spinning operation, the elevator cylinder 30 is further raised, as later to be described, just enough for the necessary upward move ment of the upper pipe section as it screws out of the coupling box 24, the two inch remaining travel of the elevator cylinder being provided for this purpose. The tong slips are then released, the broken out stand of pipe stowed, and the procedure repeated.

The typical hydraulic system of the invention is shown in a typical embodiment in Fig. 20. A hydraulic pump 210, receiving fluid from reservoir 211, feeds main pressure line 212 leading to and through an open-center pressure control valve 213. An open-center valve will be understood by those skilled in the art to denote a valve which, in its center or neutral position, affords a straight-through passage through the valve (see Fig. 20a), which passage is blocked when the valve is shifted from center or neutral position.

Line 212, at a point ahead of valve 213, is connected through 3000 p.s.i. relief valve 214 to return line 215 leading back to reservoir 211, it being understood that pump 210 delivers fluid at 3000 psi. or slightly higher. At a point beyond valve 213, a line 212a receiving pressure fluid from line 212 through said vaive when in neutral position (Fig. 20a), is connected through 200 p.s.i. relief valve 216 to return line 215.

Line 212a (valve 213 being at neutral) feeds pressure fluid at 200 p.s.i. to branch lines 218 and 219 leading to low pressure fluid intake ports of control valves 220 and 221, respectively. As indicated, the valve 220 has two fluid connections connected by lines 222 and 223 to the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the operating cylinder 102 for the rotary table slips, while the valve 221 has similar fluid connections connected by lines 224 and 225 to the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the operating cylinder 139 for the tong slips, it being recalled that introduction of fluid to the upper ends of the said cylinders results in elevating and releasing the corresponding sets of slips 51 and 127.

The valves 220 and 221 have return ports leading via line 226 to return line 215.

Also, the valves 220 and 221 have high pressure intake connections, receiving pressure fluid at 1200 p.s.i. from a supply line 227 connected to an outlet port of control valve 213, through which fluid is received from supply line 212 when valve 213 is in the dotted line position shown, the pressure in line 227 being held at 1200 p.s.i. by means of 1200 p.s.i. relief valve 228 connected between line 227 and return line 215.

The several valves are ported to establish alternate flow paths as indicated in full lines and in dotted lines, and it will be understood that in a neutral position of each valve, intermediate the two positions indicated, said alternate paths are both blocked. Taking valve 220 for example, in the valve position shown in full lines, pressure fluid at 200 p.s.i. flows through the valve to line 222 and thence to the upper end of cylinder 102, thus elevating and releasing the slips of the rotary table, fluid from the lower end of said cylinder returning to reservoir 211 via line 223, the valve 220, and line 226. When the slips are to be set, valves 213 and 220 are positioned as indicated in dotted lines, at which time fluid at a higher pressure, e.g., 1200 p.s.i., is conveyed from line 227 through the valve 220 and via line 223 to the lower end of cylinder 102, thus forcing the slips down and inward into clamping engagement with the pipe string. The high pressure used for setting the slips will be understood to give tighter clamping of the pipe. In this dotted line position of valve 220, fluid from the upper end of cylinder 102 returns via line 222, valve 220, and line 226. Corresponding operations occur with corresponding manipulations of valve 221 to release or set the slips of the power tong.

As a preferred safety feature, there is provided an air pressure system for holding the rotary table and power slips in set position when the source of high pressure hydraulic fluid is cut off by manipulation of the control valve 213. An air pressure line 229, carrying air at a pressure of for example p.s.i., feeds the air sides of two accumulators 230a and 23Gb through two check valves, as shown, and the hydraulic sides of these accumulators are connected to the lines 223 and 225, respectively, leading to the bottom ends of the power cylinders for the rotary table and power tong slips. The accumulators may be of a conventional type comprising a movable piston or membrane between its air and hydraulic ends. With the valves 220 and 221 in the full line positions, hydraulic fluid is exhausted from the accumulators through said valves to the return line 226, as will be seen, and the accumulator pistons will advance correspondingly under the applied air pressure. Now, when the valves 220 or 221 are turned to their dotted line positions, and control valve 213 has also been placed in its dotted line position, high pressure hydraulic fluid (1200 p.s.i.), is fed to the lower ends of power cylinders 102 and 139 to set the slips, as before described, and this high pressure fluid also feeds the accumulators, moving the accumulator pistons back, and raising both the air and hydraulic sides of the accumulator to 1200 p.s.i. It now the control valve 213 should be turned to some other position, the 1200 p.s.i. hydraulic pressure fluid supply is cut 011 from the power cylinders 102 and 139 by which the slips are being held tightly in set condition. Under such conditions, the air trapped behind the accumulator pistons at 1200 p.s.i. is enabled to expand sufliciently to assure maintenance of high pressure on the hydraulic fluid within the power cylinders 102 and 139, and there is thus positive assurance that the slips will not release and drop the pipe.

With control valve 213 in its neutral position, as in Fig. 20a, pressure fluid line 212a receives fluid therethrough and carries it at pressure of 200 p.s.i. owing to relief valve 216. This line 212a feeds fluid at such pressure to either of two pressure fluid intakes ports of a selector valve 231 controlling introduction of fluid to the cylinder 30 of tong elevator E. The valve 231 has one outlet port connected via line 232 leading to one side of counter balance valve 233, the other side of which .is connected to the upper end of elevator cylinder 30. The valve 231 has a second outlet port connected via line 234 to the lower end of elevator cylinder 30. The valve 231 has also a return fluid port connected to return line 215, and an adjustable relief valve 235 is connected between line 234 and return line 215. The valve 231 is ported to establish alternate flow paths as shown in full and dotted lines, and it will be understood that in a third or intermediate position of the valve all flow through the valve is blocked. In the flow path shown in full lines, fluid at 200 p.s.i. is fed through line 232 and counter balance valve 233 to the upper end of elevator cylinder 30 to elevate the power tong, while fluid from the lower end of said cylinder is exhausted via line 234 and the valve 231 to return line 215.

To lower the power tong, valve 231 is shifted to the alternate (dotted line) position, so that pressure fluid from line 212a passes through said valve according to the flow paths shown in dotted lines to feed the lower end of cylinder 30 via line 234, fluid from the upper end of cylinder 30 being exhausted via the counter balance valve 233, line 232, valve 231, and return line 215.

The counter balance valve 233 is of a known check valved type, no specific example of which need be shown herein, adapted to pass fluid freely in the direction toward the power cylinder, but to hold a limited back pressure for the return direction. The valve is so adjusted that this back pressure is below the 200 p.s.i. input level, but sufiicient to counter balance the weight of the elevator cylinder 30 and power tong carried by the latter. Accordingly, valve 231 being in the dotted line position, or in neutral position, the elevator and power tong will be supported in elevated position by fluid trapped in the upper end of cylinder 30 at the pressure determined by the setting of the counter balance valve. However, with valve 231 in the dotted line position, pressure fluid at 200 p.s.i. supplied via valve 231 and line 234 to the lower end of the cylinder 30 will create a downward differential of force and so lower the cylinder and power tong, the fluid trapped in the upper end of the cylinder 30 being forced out through the counter balance valve at a pressure higher than the setting of the latter for relief. Exhaust flow accordingly takes place from the upper end of cylinder 30 through the valve 233, line 232 and valve 231 to return, the cylinder 30 and power tong being, however, counter balanced throughout owing to the back pressure always held by the valve 233. The relief valve 235 has a pressure relief setting below 200 p.s.i. but higher than the setting of the counter balance valve 233, so that sufiicient pressure can be developed in line 234 and the bottom end of cylinder 30 to assure exhaust of fluid through counter balance valve 233, while at the same time the setting of this relief valve is such as to limit the pressure delivered to cylinder 30 to a reasonable level.

The hydraulic power tong motor 157 has two fluid connections serving alternately as inlet and outlet, and these are fed from fluid lines 250 and 251 leading from ports of a control valve 252. The latter has two intake connections, one fed with pressure fluid at high pressure, e.g., 3000 p.s.i., from line 253 leading from one outlet port of control valve 213, which is ported, as indicated, so that when positioned in the full line position, it feeds line 253 from supply line 212. The other intake connection of valve 252 is supplied with fluid at 1200 p.s.i. via line 254 and line 227 when valve 213 is in the position indicated in dotted lines. Arrangements are so made that motor 157 receives fluid through 3000 p.s.i. lines 250 and 253 for its direction of rotation for breaking the pipe joints, which requires the most effort.

Accordingly, assuming that it is desired to break a coupling joint, valves 213 and 252 are positioned as shown in full lines, so as to feed high pressure fluid to tong motor 157, causing the latter to rotate the power '10 tong in the direction to unscrew the pipe section clamped by the tong slips from the pipe section clamped by the rotary table slips. The fluid exhausted from the tong motor flows via line 251, valve 252, and line 256 to line 212a, to be passed through relief valve 216 to return line 215. A part of the exhausted fluid, maintained at 200 p.s.i., flows from line 212a through valve 231, positioned at this time in the full line position, and thence through line 232 and counter balance valve 233 to the upper end of elevator cylinder 30, elevating the latter in correspondence with the rise of the upper pipe section 7 owing to the latter being unscrewed upwardly out of the coupling. A corresponding amount of fluid from the lower end of cylinder 30 is at the same time discharged to return, as will be understood.

To make joint, valves 213 and 252 are positioned in accordance with the dotted line indications, as is tong elevator control valve 231. Fluid from supply line 212 then passes through valve 213 to line 227, maintained at 1200 p.s.i. thence flowing through line 254, control valve 252 and line 251 and to the tong motor, driving the latter in the reverse direction, i.e., in the direction to screw the upper pipe section into the coupling box on the upper end of the lower pipe section. Fluid exhausted from the tong motor then flows via line 250, valve 252, and line 256 to line 212a and return via relief valve 216. Fluid is at the same time supplied to the lower end of elevator cylinder 30 from line 212a via valve 231, with the result that the elevator is lowered by the amount in correspondence with the fall of the pipe section gripped by the power tongs owing to said pipe section being screwed down into the coupling box.

Operation It will be assumed first that additional stands of drill pipe are to be added to the lower pipe stand 23 which is gripped at this time by the rotary table slips 51. -It will also be assumed that all of the control valves of the apparatus are in their neutral positions wherein flow through all of the valves, except valve 213, is blocked. In the neutral position of valve 213, fluid at 200 p.s.i. is, of course, delivered via line 212a to the elevator control valve 231, via lines 218 and 219 to the slip control valves 220 and 221, and via line 256 to the tong motor control valve 252.

The power tong 28 is first elevated to a position (Fig. 18) near the upper limit of travel of the elevator cylinder 30 by operation of the elevator control valve 231 to its full line position wherein fluid .at 200 p.s.i. from line 212a is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder and fluid is exhausted from the lower end of the cylinder to the return line 215 in the manner already described. Valve 231 is then returned to its neutral or closed position.

The tong slip control valve 221 is now operated to its full line position to release the tong slips. Using the drill pipe elevator L, the upper pipe stand 25 is stabbed through the tong into the coupling box 24 of the lower pipe stand 23. The tong slips 127 are then set about the upper pipe stand 25 by operation of valve 213 and tong slip control valve 221 to their dotted line positions wherein fluid at 1200 p.s.i. flows from line 227, to the lower end of the tong slip control cylinder 13-9 and fluid is exhausted from the upper end of the cylinder to the return line 215 in the manner described. Valve 221 may, if desired, now be returned to its neutral or closed position, in which case accumulator 23012 retains the tong slips set.

With valve 213 retained in its dotted line position, the tong motor and elevator control valves 252 and 231 are operated to their dotted line positions. The tong motor 157 is .now driven in a direction to thread the upper pipe stand 25 into the coupling box 24 of the lower pipe stand 23. As previously mentioned, fluid exhausted from the motor is delivered to the lower end of the elevator cylinder 30 to effect loweringof the tong and upper pipe stand 1 1 gripped thereby during threading of the latter into the lower pipe stand.

After the upper pipe stand has been fully threaded into the lower pipe stand, the valves 213, 231 and 252 are returned to their neutral positions and the slip control valves 220 and 221 are operated to their full line positions to admit fluid at 200 p.s.i. from line 212a to the upper ends of the slip control cylinders 102 and 139 and thereby release the rotary table and tong slip.

The tong elevator E is now lowered to the position of Fig. 19, wherein the elevator cylinder is at the lower limit of its travel, by operation of the elevator valve 231 to its dotted line position wherein fluid at 200 p.s.i. from line 212a is admitted to the lower end of the elevator cylinder 39. The elevator valve 231 is then returned to its neutral position.

The pipe string is then lowered to the position of Fig. 19 by the elevator L, and the rotary table slips are reset by operation of the valves 213 and 220 to their dotted line positions to regrip the pipe stand. The valves 213 and 220 are then returned to their neutral positions, the accumulator 23ila retaining the rotary table slips set.

After the pipe elevator L has been raised clear of the apparatus, elevator control valve 231 is again operated to its full line position to elevate the power tong to its starting position of Fig. 18, whereupon the foregoing steps may be repeated to add another pipe stand, if desired.

To remove a pipe, a reverse procedure is followed. Thus, with the rotary table slips 51 set to grip the pipe stand, the power tong is lowered to the lower limit of travel of the elevator cylinder 30 by operation of the elevator control valve 231 to its dotted line position with the valve 23 in its neutral position. The pipe elevator L is then lowered and engaged with the coupling collar 24 on the pipe stand, the rotary table slips 51 are released by operation of the valve 220 to its solid line position, and the pipe string is raised to the position of Fig. 18 by the elevator L.

The elevator valve 231 is then operated to its full line position to elevate the power tong to a position about two inches short of the upper limit of travel of the elevator cylinder 30 (Fig. 18). Valve 231 is then returned to its neutral position.

Valves 213, 220 and 221 are now operated to their dotted line positions to admit fluid at 1200 p.s.i. from the line 227 to the lower ends of the slip control cylinders 102 and 139 and thereby cause setting of the rotary table and tong slips. The slip control valves 220 and 221 may then be returned to their neutral positions, in which case the accumulators 236a and 23012 retain the slips set.

Valves 213, 231 and 252 are now operated to their full line positions to effect driving of the tong motor 157 in a direction to unthread the upper pipe section 25 from the coupling box 24. Fluid exhausted from the tong motor is delivered to the upper end of the elevator cylinder 3i), in the manner previously described, to cause elevating of the upper pipe section as the latter threads out of the coupling box 24. i

The tong slips are then released, the broken out stand of pipe stowed, and the procedure repeated.

The complete operation of the system should now be evident. It will be seen that a system has been provided by which all the operations incidental to running in or running out pipe can be carried out by power devices under the control of a single operator, with the aid of a single workman in the derrick to handle the stands of pipe as they are added to or removed from the string.

We claim:

1. In a hydraulic tong elevator, the combination comprising a horizontal table, a vertical piston and cylinder assembly, a power tong on one member of said assembly, means mounting the other member of said assembly on said table, a source of pressure fluid at a predetermined pressure, a return pressure fluid line, a control valve for selectively connecting said source of pressure fluid to either end of said cylinder and the other end of said cylinder to said return line, a counter balance check valve between said control valve and the end of said cylinder which causes elevation of said tong, said counter balance check valve passing fluid toward said cylinder without restriction and being set to impose a predetermined back pressure against reverse flow of fluid just sufficient to counter: balance the weight of said one member and the tong carried thereby.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a power tong including rotary pipe gripping means and means for driving the gripping means in rotation, a torque arm supporting said power tong, and a hydraulic elevator for elevating and lowering said torque arm between predetermined limits comprising a vertically disposed connecting rod having mounting means at its lower end and provided with an enlarged piston, a cylinder slidably fitted on said piston and having reduced ends slidably fitted on said rod, means for supplying hydraulic fluid to and exhausting fluid from opposite ends of said cylinder, means on said cylinder supporting said torque arm, a pair of torque resisting links, one of which is pivotally connected at one end to said cylinder, the other of which is pivotally connected at one end to said connecting rod below said cylinder, and means pivotally connecting the remaining ends of said links to one another.

3. The subject matter of claim 2, wherein the means pivotally connecting the two ends of the links to one another includes quick detachment means by which the links may be readily disconnected from one another to permit rotation of the cylinder on the connecting rod.

4. In oil well machinery for making and breaking screw thread joints in running thread-jointed strings into and out of oil wells, the combination of: a stationary frame to be located at the well head, a power tong positioned over said frame and including a reversible pressure fluid drive motor, reversible, pressure fluid operated elevator means supporting said power tong on said frame for vertical movement of said tong relative to said frame, and selectively operable control means for admitting pressure fluid to said motor to etfect selective operation of the latter in reversed directions and exhausting pressure fluid from said motor to said elevator means to raise said tong during operation of said motor in one direction and lower said tong during operation of said motor in the other direction.

5. In oil well machinery for making and breaking screw thread joints in running thread-jointed strings into and out of oil wells, the combination off: a stationary frame to be located at the well head, a power tong positioned above said frame, said power tong including a reversible pressure fluid motor operable in one direction to make a joint and in the other direction to break a joint, means for selectively feeding pressure fluid to said motor to effect operation of the latter in opposite directions, elevator means supporting said tong on said frame for vertical movement relative to the latter, said elevator means including a piston and cylinder assembly, one member of which is mounted on said frame and the other member of which carries said tong, and means comprising pressure fluid connections and valve control means therein for selectively feeding exhaust pressure fluid from said motor to either end of said cylinder and exhausting the opposite end of the cylinder to lower said tong a predetermined distance during operation of said motor in said one direction and raise said tong a predetermined distance during operation of said motor in the opposite direction.

6. In well machinery for running screw thread jointed strings into and out of wells, the combination of: a stationary frame to be located at a well head; lower power operated gripping means on the frame for receiving a string extending into the well and releasably gripping said string a distance below a given joint thereof with suflicient force to support the string in the axial direction and restrain the string against rotation under torques at least as great as that encountered in making and breaking said joints; a power operated tong on said frame including upper rotary power operated gripping means for receiving and releasably gripping the string extending through the lower gripping means, a reversible power operated motor means for rotating said upper gripping means to make and break joints in the string, and a power operated elevator means supporting said upper gripping means on the frame for vertical movement between a raised position wherein the upper gripping means is located at a level sufiiciently above the lower gripping means to enable said given joint in the string to ocupya position between said upper and lower gripping means whereby said upper gripping means may grip the string above said given joint, and a lowered position wherein the upper gripping means is located sufiiciently close to the lower gripping means as to be disposed below said given joint in the string; a source of power for said power operated means; and control means for said power operated means comprising an operators control station including control members for selectively setting and releasing each of said gripping means, operating said elevator to raise and lower the upper gripping means, and operating said motor in opposite directions.

7. The subject matter of claim 6 wherein said power operated means are hydraulically operated, said power source comprises a supply of hydraulic fluid under pressure, said control means comprises a hydraulic system connected to said hydraulically operated means, and said control members comprise a control valve to selectively set and release said gripping means, a control valve to selectively raise and lower said upper gripping means, a control valve to reverse said motor, respectively, and a selector valve for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid rom said supply to said control valves.

8. The subject matter of claim 7 including pneumatic accumulator means connected to said gripping means to retain the latter set when the control valve associated with said gripping means is positioned to set the latter means.

9. In well machinery for running screw thread jointed strings into and out of wells, the combination of: a stationary frame to be located at a well head; lower power operated gripping means on the frame for receiving a string extending into the well and releasably gripping said string a distance below a given joint thereof; a power operated tong on said frame including upper rotary gripping means for receiving and releasably gripping the string extending through the lower gripping means, a reversible power operated motor means for rotating said upper gripping means to make and break joints in the string, and a power operated elevator means supporting said upper gripping means on the frame for vertical movement between a raised position wherein the upper gripping means is located at a level sufiiciently above the lower gripping means to enable said upper gripping means to grip the string above said given joint, and a lowered position wherein the upper gripping means is located sufficiently close to the lower gripping means so as to be disposed below said given joint; 21 source of power for said power operated means; and control means for said power operated means comprising a master control station including selectively operable means for selectively setting and releasing each of said upper and lower gripping means, operating said elevator to raise and lower the upper gripping means, and operating said motor in either direction.

10. In well machinery for making and breaking screw thread joints in running thread-jointed strings into and out of wells, the combination of: a stationary frame to be located at a well head, upper and lower gripping means on said frame for gripping a thread-jointed string extending into the well above and below a given joint, said upper gripping means being rotatable and vertically movable with respect to the lower gripping means, hydraulic means for vertically moving said upper gripping means toward and away from the lower gripping means, a reversible hydraulic motor for driving said upper gripping means in either direction of rotation, and a hydraulic control system for selectively supplying hydraulic fluid to said motor for operating the latter in one direction and simultaneously supplying hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic means in a direction to move said upper gripping means toward said lower gripping means at a rate proportional to the rate of rotation of the motor, and supplying hydraulic fluid to said motor for operating the latter in the opposite direction and simultaneously supplying hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic means in a direction to move said upper gripping means away from said lower gripping means at a rate proportional to the rate of rotation of the upper gripping means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,587,920 Pixler June 8, 1926 1,812,721 Sheldon June 30, 1931 2,151,057 Suth Mar. 21, 1939 2,231,923 Koen Feb. 18, 1941 2,245,960 Clair June 17, 1941 2,317,306 Smith Apr. 20, 1943 2,322,739 Vanderzee June 22, 1943 2,450,934 Calhoun Oct. 12, 1948 2,491,711 Calhoun Dec. 20, 1949 2,565,345 Bielstein Aug. 21, 1951 2,567,039 Stone Sept. 4, 1951 2,570,080 Stone Oct. 2, 1951 2,572,318 Church Oct. 23, 1951 2,594,446 Kelley Apr. 29, 1952 2,657,908 Failing Nov. 3, 1953 2,662,737 Edelberg Dec. 15, 1953 2,668,689 Cormany Feb. 9, 1954 2,692,584 Armington et a1 Oct. 26, 1954 2,705,614 McKibben et al Apr. 5, 1955 2,734,722 Pokorny Feb. 14, 1956 2,739,790 Ball Mar. 27, 1956 2,754,085 Sewell et al. July 10, 1956 2,780,950 Province Feb. 12, 1957

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