US 5,060,542 AGranted

Apparatus and method for making and breaking joints in drill pipe strings

AssigneeHawk Industries, Inc.

InventorThomas D. Hauk

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Abstract

A power apparatus and method for making and breaking joints in drill pipe strings in oil wells, in which a single torquing cylinder, that always moves in a single direction while torquing, both makes and breaks the joints. Three levels of jaw elements are employed, the top and bottom jaw levels being identical to each other, all jaw elements being interconnected as by a frame. Other cylinders close the jaws at each level. The apparatus is moved vertically; two levels of jaw elements are employed for making and another combination of two levels is employed for breaking. Special die and cam means are provided to grip the drill pipe. Means are provided to position the jaws in the middle level at the proper location after each use, for different sizes of pipe. Special bearing, pivot and adjustment means are provided in the jaw elements. The jaw elements operate in only one direction, and are self energizing.

Claims55

Dependent claims

A method of making and breaking joints in strings of threadedly-interconnected pipe, which comprises:

(a) providing three power jaw sets on a common frame, each jaw set being adapted to grip a portion of a string of pipe,
(b) disposing said jaw sets adjacent a first pipe string of threadedly-interconnected pipe, with two of said jaw sets adjacent one pipe section thereof, and one other of said jaw sets adjacent the next pipe section thereof, said one pipe section and said next pipe section being connected to each other by a threaded joint,
(c) gripping at least one of said two jaw sets onto said one pipe section, and gripping said one other jaw set onto said next pipe section,
(d) causing said one jaw set and said one other jaw set to apply torque at said threaded joint, said torque being so directed and sufficient to achieve relative rotation between said pipe sections in a direction to make a joint between said pipe sections,
(e) releasing said jaw sets from said pipe sections,
(f) disposing said jaw sets adjacent a second pipe string of threadedly-interconnected pipe, with one of said jaw sets adjacent one pipe section of said second string, and two other of said jaw sets adjacent the next pipe section of said second string, said one and said next pipe sections of said second string being connected to each other by a threaded joint, said two other of said jaw sets recited in this clause including said one of said two jaw sets recited above in a preceding clause relative to said one pipe section of said first string,
(g) gripping at least one of said two other jaw sets that are adjacent said next pipe section of said second string onto such next pipe section thereof, and gripping said one jaw set that is adjacent said one pipe section of said second string onto such one pipe section thereof, and
(h) causing the thus-gripping jaw sets, recited in the immediately preceding clause, to apply torque at said threaded joint of said second string, said last-stated torque being so directed and sufficient to achieve relative rotation between said pipe sections of said second string in a direction to break a joint between the same.

5 more elements

A method of making and breaking threaded joints in strings of threadedly-connected pipe, said strings extending into an oil well, said method comprising:

(a) providing three jaw sets on a common frame, at least one of said jaw sets being fixed on said frame, at least one other of said jaw sets being mounted on said frame for pivotal movement relative thereto,
(b) disposing said frame and jaw sets at the wellhead of an oil well containing a string of threadedly-connected pipe sections,
(c) closing said one other jaw set on said string at a region beneath a joint thereof, so that said one other jaw set tends to be held against rotation by said string,
(d) closing said one jaw set on said string at a region above said joint thereof,
(e) effecting relative pivotal movement between said one other jaw set and said frame, thus causing said frame to pivot and accordingly causing said one jaw set to pivot, whereby to make or break said joint, and
(f) opening said one jaw set and said one other jaw set.

3 more elements

Power apparatus for applying high torque to threadedly-interconnected oil-well pipe sections, comprising:

(a) a first jaw set for gripping a pipe section and applying torquing force thereto in only a single direction,
(b) a second jaw set for gripping a pipe section and applying torquing force thereto in only a single direction opposite to said first-mentioned single direction,
said jaw sets being connected to each other,
each of said jaw sets comprising a head,
each of said jaw sets also comprising a hook element the elongate shank of which extends through said head,
each of said jaw sets further comprising a nut threadedly mounted on said shank on the side of said head remote from the hook end of said hook element,
each of said jaw sets further comprising means to pivotally associate said hook element with said head,
said last-named means comprising high-strength means to pivotally connect said hook element and head for pivotal movement of said hook element about a predetermined axis,
each of said jaw sets further comprising power means to effect pivotal movement of said hook element relative to said head, each of said jaw sets further comprising die means mounted on said hook end of said hook element, and on said head, to firmly grip pipe sections to be torqued for making or breaking of threaded joints therebetween, and
(c) power means to effect relative pivotal movement between said first and second jaw sets to thereby torque pipe sections gripped between said hook ends and said heads.

7 more elements

A high-strength, accurate jaw set, comprising:

(a) a head,
(b) a hook having a hook end and also having a shank that extends through said head,
(c) a nut threadedly associated with said shank on the side of said head remote from said hook end,
(d) means to strongly and accurately associate said hook with said head for pivotal movement of said hook relative to said head about a predetermined axis,
said means comprising a relatively large diameter pivot cylinder journaled in said head,
said means further comprising a bearing element fixedly connected to said cylinder for pivotal movement therewith,
said bearing element being shaped and disposed to be engaged by the end of said nut that is relatively adjacent said head, said bearing element and said cylinder being adapted to permit passage of said shank therethrough,
said bearing element and said nut being so associated that the pivot axis of said cylinder is that of said hook regardless of the rotated position of said nut and thus regardless of the axially-adjusted position of said shank,
said bearing element being a ring having a diameter generally corresponding to that of said nut,
said ring being adapted to be engaged by the end of said nut that is relatively adjacent said head, and
(e) means to maintain the engaged ends of said nut and ring substantially concentric,
said last-named means comprising a collar mounted around said nut on the end of said nut relatively adjacent said head,
said collar extending toward said head from such nut end,
said collar receiving said bearing ring therein.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.