US 4,843,924 A · Compact high-torque apparatus and method for rotating pipe

Abstract

Apparatus for rotating a tubular well element about its longitudinal axis. There are first and second elongate casing sections pivotally connected to each other at a pivot. First and second driven sprockets are mounted, respectively, on the casing sections at locations remote from the pivot. A drive sprocket, mounted on the first casing section, is driven by a motor-gear assembly. A continuous chain is mounted around the drive sprocket, and around the first and second driven sprockets, having an inverse internal portion adapted to receive and directly contact the tubular well element to be rotated. Cylinders are connected between the casing sections to pivot them toward and away from each other and thus alternately clamp the inverse internal portion around the wall element, and release such element from the inverse internal portion. One end of each cylinder is pivotally connected to the first casing section at a point between the pivot and the first driven sprocket. The other end of each cylinder is pivotally connected to the second casing section at a point between the pivot and the second driven sprocket.

Claims27

Dependent claims

Apparatus for rotating a tubular well element about the longitudinal axis thereof, said apparatus comprising:

(a) first and second elongate elements,
(b) pivot means to pivotally connect said elements to each other,
(c) first and second driven sprockets mounted, respectively, on said first and second elongate elements at locations remote from said pivot means,
(d) a drive sprocket mounted on said first elongate element,
(e) motor means mounted on said first elongate element to drive said drive sprocket,
(f) a continuous chain mounted around said drive sprocket and said first and second driven sprockets,
said chain having, when said first and second driven sprockets are pivoted toward each other, an inverse internal portion adapted to receive and directly contact the tubular well element to be rotated, and
(g) cylinder means connected between said first and second elongate elements to pivot said first and second driven sprockets toward and away from each other and thus alternately clamp said inverse internal portion around said tubular well element, and release said tubular well element from said inverse internal portion,
one end of said cylinder means being pivotally connected to said first elongate element at a point between said pivot means (b) and said first driven sprocket,
the other end of said cylinder means being pivotally connected to said second elongate element at a point between said pivot means (b) and said second driven sprocket.

7 more elements

Apparatus for rotating well pipes of different standard diameters, to make and break threaded joints therebetween, said apparatus comprising:

(a) casing means,
(b) first and second driven sprockets,
said driven sprockets and said casing means being so constructed and so associated with each other that said driven sprockets can move toward and away from each other for closing on a pipe and subsequent release of said pipe,
(c) power means to cause said movement of said driven sprockets toward and away from each other,
(d) motor means,
(e) a drive sprocket connected to said motor means for driving thereby,
said motor means and drive sprocket being conjointly movable toward and away from said driven sprockets,
(f) a closed-loop chain mounted around said drive and driven sprockets,
said chain having an inverse internal portion located generally between said driven sprockets and adapted to clamp directly on a well pipe section when said power means (c) is operated to move said driven sprockets (b) forcibly toward each other, and
(g) a plurality of locating means provided on said casing means to locate said motor means and drive sprocket selectively in one of a plurality of predetermined positions,
said positions being along the path of movement of said motor means and drive sprocket toward and away from said driven sprockets,
each of said locating means having a predetermined position so selected that, when said motor means and drive sprocket are at the associated predetermined position, operation of said power means (c) to move said driven sprockets (b) towards each other will cause said inverse internal chain portion to clamp tightly around a pipe section having either of a plurality of standard outer diameters,
whereby said apparatus can operate selectively on pipe sections having at least two different standard diameters, without moving said motor means and drive sprocket, and whereby said apparatus can operate selectively on pipe sections having at least four different standard diameters, by employing two of said locating means.

10 more elements

A method of spinning and torquing tubular elements in one operation, in order to make up, torque, and break out tubular connections, said method comprising:

(a) providing first and second elongate elements that are pivotally associated with each other, in clamshell relationship, by pivot means,
(b) providing driven sprockets at corresponding ends of said elongate elements for movement toward and away from each other as said clamshell-related elongate elements close and open,
(c) providing motor means and a drive sprocket,
said drive sprocket being driven by said motor means,
(d) providing a chain in meshed relationship around said drive sprockets and driven sprockets, and having an inverse internal tubular well elementreceiving portion generally between said driven sprockets,
(e) connecting hydraulic cylinder means between said elongate elements at points between said pivot means and said driven sprockets,
(f) employing said hydraulic cylinder means to close said clamshell-related elongate elements with great force, thus causing said inverse internal portion to clamp tightly around a tubular well element in direct engagement therewith,
(g) operating said motor means (c) to drive said chain to spin said tubular well element about its longitudinal axis in such direction as to make a threaded connection between said tubular element and another tubular element, and
(h) continuing said step (g) until said tubular connection is fully made up and torqued, and without employing any other tool or tool portion to complete the connection.

6 more elements

Apparatus for spinning and torquing sections of wall pipe, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a relatively wide casing section,
(b) a relatively narrow casing section,
(c) pivot means to pivotally connect said casing sections to each other in clamshell relationship,
(d) a drive motor mounted on said wide casing section,
(e) a drive sprocket rotatably mounted within said wide casing section and driven by said drive motor,
(f) a first driven sprocket rotatably mounted in said wide casing section at one end thereof remote from said pivot means (c),
(g) a second driven sprocket rotatably mounted in said narrow casing section at an end thereof remote from said pivot means (c),
(h) a closed-loop chain mounted in meshed relationship around said drive and driven sprockets,
said chain having an inverse internal portion between said first driven sprocket and said second driven sprocket, and which is adapted to receive and directly engage a section of pipe, and
(i) cylinder means connected between said wide and narrow casing sections at points thereof between said driven sprockets and said pivot means,
said cylinder means being operative to open and close said clamshell-related casing sections with high force and mechanical advantage.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Compact high-torque apparatus and method for rotating pipe

Life of this patent

Compact high-torque apparatus and method for rotating pipe

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27