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US 10,947,793 B2Granted
Core tube handling device
AssigneeBly IP Inc.
InventorsThorsten Upmeier, Christof Kruse, Trevor Zwar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A core tube handling device can be used with exploratory drilling rigs. The device can include a slew arm mounted on the rig's mast and a pivot arm mounted on the slew arm. When the slew arm is adjacent to the mast, clamping devices on the pivot arm can grasp and hold a core tube from the drill string. The slew arm can pivot away from the mast and align the pivot arm with a tray that receives and holds the tubes. The pivot arm can pivot to a position proximate the tray and release the tube. The tray can be rotatable and translatable to facilitate transfer of the tube from the pivot arm to the tray.
Claims27
A device for moving core tubes in a drilling apparatus having a mast supporting a drill string, said device comprising:
- a slew arm mountable on said mast in an orientation parallel thereto, said slew arm being pivotable toward and away from said mast about a first axis oriented parallel to said mast and offset therefrom;
- a pivot arm mounted on said slew arm, said pivot arm being movable between a first orientation parallel to said slew arm and a second orientation transverse thereto;
- a core tube handling assembly mounted on said pivot arm and being movable lengthwise therealong, wherein the core tube handling assembly is configured to receive and lift a core tube, wherein the core tube handling assembly defines a receiving space that is configured to receive at least a portion of an inner tube assembly that comprises the core tube and a spear, wherein the core tube handling assembly further comprises:
- a spear attachment comprising a receptacle that is configured to releasably receive and couple to the spear of the inner tube assembly, wherein the spear attachment defines a radially extending flange,
- wherein the core tube handling assembly defines a surface that is configured to engage the radially extending flange of the spear attachment on opposing sides of the receptacle of the spear attachment.
2 more elements
A drilling rig using core tubes in exploration drilling, said drilling rig comprising:
- a mast;
- a slew arm mounted on said mast in an orientation parallel thereto, said slew arm being pivotable toward and away from said mast about a first axis oriented parallel to said mast and offset therefrom;
- a pivot arm mounted on said slew arm, said pivot arm being movable between a first orientation parallel to said slew arm and a second orientation transverse thereto;
- a core tube handling assembly mounted on said pivot arm and being movable lengthwise therealong, wherein the core tube handling assembly is configured to receive and lift a core tube, wherein the core tube handling assembly defines a receiving space that is configured to receive at least a portion of an inner tube assembly that comprises the core tube and a spear, wherein the core tube handling assembly further comprises:
- a spear attachment comprising a receptacle that is configured to releasably receive and couple to the spear of the inner tube assembly, wherein the spear attachment defines a radially extending flange,
- wherein the core tube handling assembly defines a surface that is configured to engage the radially extending flange of the spear attachment on opposing sides of the receptacle of the spear attachment.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- removing an inner tube assembly from a drill string with a drill rig, the drill rig comprising:
- a mast;
- a slew arm mounted on said mast in an orientation parallel thereto, said slew arm being pivotable toward and away from said mast about a first axis oriented parallel to said mast and offset therefrom;
- a pivot arm mounted on said slew arm, said pivot arm being movable between a first orientation parallel to said slew arm and a second orientation transverse thereto;
- a core tube handling assembly mounted on said pivot arm and being movable lengthwise therealong,
- wherein removing the inner tube assembly from the drill string comprises using the core tube handling assembly to receive and lift a core tube of the inner tube assembly,
- wherein the core tube handling assembly comprises a first clamp comprising first and second jaws movable toward and away from one another for gripping said core tubes, wherein the drill rig further comprises:
- a carriage that is movable along the length of the pivot arm;
- a first actuator that is configured to effect movement of at least one of said first and second jaws of the first actuator for effecting gripping of said core tubes;
- a second actuator mounted on said pivot arm for effecting motion of said carriage lengthwise therealong;
- and
- a second clamp mounted on said pivot arm, said second clamp comprising first and second jaws movable toward and away from one another for gripping said core tubes,
- wherein removing the inner tube assembly from the drill string comprises:
- gripping the inner tube assembly with the first clamp,
- moving the carriage away from the second clamp,
- gripping the inner tube assembly with the second clamp,
- releasing the inner tube assembly with the first clamp,
- moving the carriage toward the second clamp,
- griping the inner tube assembly with the first clamp,
- releasing the inner tube assembly with the second clamp, and
- moving the carriage away from the second clamp.
18 more elements
A device for moving core tubes in a drilling apparatus having a mast supporting a drill string, said device comprising:
- a slew arm mountable on said mast in an orientation parallel thereto, said slew arm being pivotable toward and away from said mast about a first axis oriented parallel to said mast and offset therefrom;
- a pivot arm mounted on said slew arm, said pivot arm being movable between a first orientation parallel to said slew arm and a second orientation transverse thereto;
- a core tube handling assembly mounted on said pivot arm and being movable lengthwise therealong, wherein the core tube handling assembly is configured to receive and lift a core tube;
- and
- a tray for receiving said core tubes, said tray defining a longitudinal axis oriented transversely to said slew arm and aligned with said pivot arm when said slew arm is pivoted away from said mast, wherein said tray comprises:
- a first trough having opposing sidewalls spaced to receive one of said core tubes;
- a second trough having opposing sidewalls spaced to receive said one core tube, said second trough being aligned with said first trough;
- and
- a link extending between said first and second troughs, said link defining a gap in said tray.
6 more elements
A device for moving core tubes in a drilling apparatus having a mast supporting a drill string, said device comprising:
- a slew arm mountable on said mast in an orientation parallel thereto, said slew arm being pivotable toward and away from said mast about a first axis oriented parallel to said mast and offset therefrom;
- a pivot arm mounted on said slew arm, said pivot arm being movable between a first orientation parallel to said slew arm and a second orientation transverse thereto;
- a core tube handling assembly mounted on said pivot arm and being movable lengthwise therealong, wherein the core tube handling assembly is configured to receive and lift a core tube;
- and
- a tray for receiving said core tubes, said tray defining a longitudinal axis oriented transversely to said slew arm and aligned with said pivot arm when said slew arm is pivoted away from said mast, wherein said tray comprises a first receptacle and a second receptacle that is parallel to the first receptacle.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.