Method for placing and removing pipe from a finger rack

A method for placing and removing pipe from a finger rack of a drilling rig comprising a rig floor, a derrick, a pipe handling apparatus and a finger rack having at least one finger board, said at least one finger board having at least two fingers defining a slot and a multiplicity of latches arranged therebetween defining a space for a pipe, each latch of the multiplicity of latches selectively movable between an open position and a closed position, the drilling rig further comprising a camera having a plurality of latches of said multiplicity of latches in a field of view, the method comprising the steps of:

• capturing an image of said plurality of latches with said camera;
• sending said image to a master control computer;
• defining a sub-image of an area about one latch with said master control computer, said area being sufficient to cover the one latch in an open position and a closed position;
• analysing said image with said master control computer for details indicative of one of the plurality of latches being in an open position or a closed position;
• concluding the one latch to be in an open position or a closed position;
• and
• allowing or disallowing a pipe handling apparatus to place or remove a pipe in the finger rack based on said conclusion.

A drilling rig, comprising:

• having a rig floor;
• a derrick;
• a pipe handling apparatus;
• at least one finger board having at least two fingers defining a slot and a multiplicity of latches arranged therebetween defining a space for a pipe, each latch of the multiplicity of latches selectively movable between an open position and a closed position;
• and
• a camera having a plurality of latches of said multiplicity of latches in a field of view, wherein said camera is positioned on said pipe handling apparatus and adapted to capture an image of said plurality of latches and send said image to a master control computer that is adapted to define a sub-image of an area about one latch, said area being sufficient to cover the one latch in an open position and a closed position, said master control computer being further adapted to analyse said image for details indicative of one of the plurality of latches being in an open position or a closed position, to conclude the one latch is in an open position or a closed position, and to allow or disallow said pipe handling apparatus to place or remove a pipe in the finger board based on said conclusion.

A system for monitoring the health of a multiplicity of latches in a finger board of a drilling rig, the system comprising:

• a drilling rig having a pipe handling apparatus and at least one finger board having at least two fingers defining a slot and a multiplicity of latches arranged therebetween defining a space for a pipe, each latch of the multiplicity of latches selectively movable between an open position and a closed position and a latch controller for controlling said latches between the open position and the closed position;
• and
• a camera having a plurality of latches of said multiplicity of latches in a field of view, wherein said camera is adapted to capture an image of said plurality of latches and send said image to a master control computer that is adapted to define a sub-image of an area about one latch, said area being sufficient to cover the one latch in an open position and a closed position, said master control computer being further adapted to analyse said image for details indicative of one of the plurality of latches being in an open position or a closed position, to conclude the one latch is in an open position or a closed position, and to receive a control information in a data packet from the latch controller, the control information data packet comprising information as whether said one latch has been controlled to be in an open position or a closed position, the master control computer being further adapted and to perform a comparison of the said control information with the conclusion obtained from the image captured by the at least one camera and assessing the health of the one latch based on said comparison.