# US 11,306,549 B2 · Handling tool for casing tongs > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,549 B2 - Document ID: US11306549B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/334,728 - Filed: 2017-09-29 - Published: 2019-09-05 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-30 - Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Applicants: Cameron International Corporation - Inventors: Kenneth McCabe; Dag Holen; Lars Petter Smeland; Glenn Saebo; Svein Jarle Haugland - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306549B2 ## CPC - E21B 19/14: Racks, ramps, troughs or bins, for holding the lengths of rod singly or connected; Handling between storage place and borehole (E21B19/20, E21B19/22 take precedence) - E21B 19/02: Rod or cable suspensions - E21B 19/165: {Control or monitoring arrangements therefor} - B66D 3/02: Manually-operated, e.g. lever-actuated, devices operating on ropes, cables, or chains for hauling in a mainly horizontal direction (B66D3/04, B66D3/12 take precedence) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - B66D: CAPSTANS; WINCHES; TACKLES, e.g. PULLEY BLOCKS; HOISTS (winding or unwinding ropes or cables for feeding or storage purposes B65H; rope or cable winding or unwinding mechanisms for lifts B66B) ## Abstract Embodiments of a vertical pipe handler system (50) and method of its use include a casing tong handling tool (10) connected to a lifting tool (55) having a gripper head (51) and supported by an arm (53) of the vertical pipe handler system. The casing tong connection (33) of the handling tool is located toward the tool's lower end (21) and may be offset in a horizontal direction from the connection (29) to the lifting tool. The casing tong (60) then hangs off-center relative to the lifting tool. The amount of offset may be effective to prevent interference between the gripper head and a tubular being handled by the casing tong. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pipe handler comprising: a lifting tool including a gripper head; a casing tong handling tool; a first connector configured to connect the lifting tool to the casing tong handling tool, wherein the first connector has a first vertical centerline extending therethrough; a casing tong configured to handle a tubular; and a second connector located toward a lower end of the casing tong handling tool, wherein the second connector is configured to connect the casing tong handling tool to the casing tong, wherein the second connector has a second vertical centerline extending therethrough, and wherein the first vertical centerline being offset in a horizontal direction from the second vertical centerline, which prevents the tubular being handled by the casing tong from contacting the gripper head. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising a first arm located above, and connected to, the lifting tool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising a second arm including a head, the second arm coupled to and located to a side of the lifting tool. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A pipe handler according to claim 3 wherein the second arm is horizontally offset from the lifting tool. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising a lifting tool connection being located on the gripper head. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising a lifting tool connection being located below the gripper head. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising the lower end of the casing tong handling tool including at least one non-vertical leg, a casing tong connection being located toward one end of the at least one non-vertical leg. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A pipe handler according to claim 1 wherein the first connector comprises a lifting tool connection that is configured to connect the lifting tool to the casing tong handling tool. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A pipe handler according to claim 1 wherein the second connector comprises a casing tong connection that is configured to connect the casing tong handling tool to the casing tong. ### Claim 10 A pipe handler comprising: a casing tong configured to handle a tubular; a casing tong handling tool connected at one end to a lifting tool via a first connection, wherein the lifting tool comprises a gripper head, and wherein the first connection has a first vertical centerline extending therethrough; and a casing tong connection located toward a lower end of the casing tong handling tool, wherein the casing tong connection has a second vertical centerline extending therethrough; wherein the first vertical centerline is offset in a horizontal direction from the second vertical centerline; wherein the offset prevents the tubular from contacting the gripper head. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising a first arm located above, and connected to, the lifting tool. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising a second arm including a head, the second arm coupled to and located to a side of the lifting tool. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A vertical pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising a connection of the casing tong handling tool to the lifting tool being located on the gripper head. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising a connection of the casing tong handling tool to the lifting tool being located below the gripper head. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) A pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising the lower end of the casing tong handling tool including at least one non-vertical leg, the casing tong connection being located toward one end of the at least one non-vertical leg. ### Claim 16 A method for controlling a casing tong on a drill floor, the method being executed by a microprocessor with associated software, the method comprising: sending one or more commands to an arm of a pipe handler that is connected to a lifting tool, the lifting tool including a gripper head that is connected to a casing tong handling tool via a first connection, the casing tong being connected to the casing tong handling tool via a second connection, wherein the first connection has a first vertical centerline extending therethrough, wherein the second connection has a second vertical centerline extending therethrough, and wherein the first vertical centerline is offset in a horizontal direction from the second vertical centerline; wherein the one or more commands places the casing tong in a position to connect a first, upper tubular to a second, lower tubular or, after connection of the first and second tubulars, moves the casing tong away from the position, and further wherein the offset prevents the first tubular being connected from contacting the gripper head.