Drilling rig
OwnerAllan S. Richardsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses structures which enable the construction or conversion of drilling rigs in which the rotary table and kelly are replaced by a top drive rotating mechanism. Furthermore, torque guide is provided to control lateral movement of the top drive and resist reactionary rotational forces induced by the top drive, without applying additional forces to the mast of the rig.
Claims17
In a drilling rig having a base, mast, crown block, travelling block, means to move said travelling block vertically in said mast, means to support a drill string from said travelling block, and top drive means to rotate said drill string, the improvement comprising:
- guide means to control lateral and rotational forces on said top drive;
- said guide means comprising a carriage attached to said top drive for vertical movement therewith;
- a torque guide comprising a vertical hollow shaft having spaced apart front, rear, and side faces;
- said side faces each having a track means to guide said carriage therealong and permit vertical movement while providing restraint against lateral or rotational forces on said carriage from said top drive;
- said torque guide being mounted to said rig base and having sufficient torsional rigidity to resist said lateral and rotational forces without support from said mast;
- said track means being spaced apart so that the distance between track means is approximately the same order of magnitude as the distance between a track means and the drill string.
In a top drive for use in rotating a drill string in a drilling rig having a base, mast, crown block, travelling block, means to move said travelling block vertically in said mast, and means to support a drill string from said travelling block, the improvement comprising:
- guide means to control lateral and rotational forces on said top drive;
- said guide means comprising a carriage attached to said top drive for vertical movement therewith;
- a torque guide comprising a vertical hollow shaft having spaced apart front, rear, and side faces;
- said side faces each having a track means to guide said carriage therealong and permit vertical movement while providing restraint against lateral or rotational forces on said carriage from said top drive;
- said torque guide being mounted to said rig base and having sufficient torsional rigidity to resist said lateral and rotational forces;
- and
- said track means being spaced apart so that the distance between said track means is approximately the same order of magnitude as the distance between a track means and the drill string.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.