Drilling rig system with self-elevating drill floor

A drilling rig system comprising:

• (a) three or more base towers spaced apart so as to define a base area;
• (b) a drill floor over at least a portion of the base area;
• (c) drill floor guide means associated with the base towers, said drill floor guide means being adapted for engagement with the drill floor to facilitate uniform vertical movement of the drill floor relative to the base towers;
• (d) a rig mast supported on and extending upward from the drill floor;
• and
• (e) floor-lifting means associated with the base towers, for lifting the drill floor and rig mast relative to the base towers, said floor-lifting means comprising a plurality of worm gear drive mechanisms and a plurality of mating rack gears, with each rack gear being incorporated into one of the base towers, and with each worm gear drive mechanism being incorporated into the drill floor adjacent to an associated rack gear;
• such that actuation of the floor-lifting means will selectively cause the traveling block to move either upward or downward within the rig mast, thereby causing uniform vertical movement of the drill floor and the rig mast relative to the base towers.

A drilling rig system comprising:

• (a) three or more base towers spaced apart in a selected layout;
• (b) a horizontal base frame interconnecting lower regions of the base towers to form a base structure;
• (c) a drill floor overlying the base frame and vertically movable relative thereto, said drill floor incorporating a plurality of floor-lifting sheave assemblies, each said floor-lifting sheave assembly being associated with one of the base towers;
• (d) a rig mast on the drill floor;
• (e) a drawworks and traveling block associated with the rig mast;
• (f) a plurality of floor-lifting cables, each floor-lifting cable being associated with one of the base towers, with a first end of each floor-lifting cable being anchored to an upper region of the associated base tower, with each floor-lifting cable being threaded around the floor-lifting sheave assembly of its associated base tower, and with a second end of each cable engaging the traveling block;
• and
• (g) drill floor guide means adapted for mating the drill floor to the base towers such that actuation of the drawworks will selectively cause the traveling block to move either upward or downward within the rig mast, thereby lifting the drill floor relative to the base structure until the drill floor is at a desired elevation, with the drill floor guide means facilitating uniform vertical movement of the drill floor relative to the base towers, and with the base towers providing lateral stability to the drill floor.