Swivel apparatus
AssigneeBrown Oil Tools, Inc.
InventorCicero C. Brown, deceased
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Swivel apparatus suspended for handling pipe joints to be added to or taken from a drill string including powered apparatus connected to a cable for raising and lowering the swivel apparatus. The swivel apparatus may comprise an upper stationary section and a lower rotatable tubular section adapted to receive one end of a pipe joint and having a radially movable latch assembly for engagement therewith. The lower section may be provided with cam apparatus movable, relative to the latch assembly, from an inoperative position to an operative position camming the latch assembly from a first position, permitting free entry of the pipe joint end into the lower section, to a second, latching the pipe joint end in the lower section.
Claims11
Swivel apparatus for use with well drilling systems comprising:
- (a) an upper stationary section;
- (b) a lower rotatable tubular section adapted to receive one end of a pipe joint and having radially movable latch means therein for engagement with said pipe joint end;
- (c) means for supporting said upper and lower sections for limited vertical movement above a well hole;
- (d) said lower section including cam means longitudinally movable, relative to said latch means, from an inoperative position to an operative position camming said latch means from a first position, permitting free entry of said pipe joint end into said lower section, to a second position latching said pipe joint end in said lower section, said latch means being carried on a first tubular sleeve, said cam means being carried on a second tubular sleeve, and said tubular sleeves being axially movable relative to each other to effect said camming of said latch means into said second position;
- (e) means operatively associated with said cam means for selectively retaining said cam means in said inoperative position independently of said pipe joint end comprising interengaged formations projecting as to one of said sleeves and receiving as to the other for preventing non-rotative relative longitudinal movement but permitting relative rotation of said sleeves from said inoperative position;
- and
- (f) biasing means carried by said lower section biasing said camming means toward said operative position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.