Hydraulic spooler
AssigneeNational-Oilwell, L.P.
InventorRonald Talen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for spooling a flexible member onto a drum with a spooler assembly. In certain embodiments, a spooler assembly comprises a spooler arm operable to guide a flexible member onto a drum rotating about a drum axis. A first actuator moves the spooler arm in a first direction that is parallel to the drum axis. The first actuator operates in a first mode wherein the flexible member is allowed to free movement in the first direction and a second mode wherein the first actuator controls the movement of the flexible member in the first direction. The spooler assembly may also comprise a second actuator that moves the spooler arm in a second direction that is perpendicular to the drum axis.
Claims15
A spooler assembly comprising:
- a spooler arm operable to guide a flexible member onto a drum rotating about a drum axis;
- and
- a swing actuator operable to move said spooler arm in a swing direction that is parallel to the drum axis, wherein said swing actuator operates in a first mode wherein the flexible member is allowed to freely move in the swing direction and a second mode wherein said swing actuator controls the movement of the flexible member in the swing direction.
-15. (canceled)
A spooling method comprising:
- activating a spooler arm so as to control the side-to-side position of a flexible member winding onto a drum;
- and
- deactivating the spooler arm so that the flexible member and the spooler arm can move freely from side-to-side.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.