Pipe gripping apparatus

A pipe gripping apparatus for angularly adapting to misaligned to misaligned pipe in one or more pipe strings, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing comprising two halves hingedly connected together at one end and releasably securable together at the opposite end, each of said halves forming opposing downwardly curved interior surfaces, and said housing forming a longitudinal opening therethrough for disposing a portion of a pipe string;
• a plurality of slip carriers having correspondingly contoured exterior surfaces each in rotational engagement with one of said downwardly curved surfaces of said housing, each said slip having a downwardly inclined interior surface;
• a plurality of slips each having a downwardly inclined exterior surface for sliding engagement with said interior surfaces of said slip carriers, each said slip having an internal surface forming at least one longitudinal groove;
• a plurality of gripping elements held within said grooves of said slip for engaging a portion of the pipe string;
• and
• a lifting mechanism secured between each said opposing slip carrier by a securing arm and connected to each said slip for simultaneous radial movement of each opposing set of said slips.

A pipe gripping apparatus for adapting to angular misaligned pipe in one or more tubing strings, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing comprising two halves hingedly connected together at one end and releasably securable together at the opposite end, each of said halves forming opposing downwardly curved interior surfaces, and said housing forming a longitudinal opening therethrough for disposing a portion of a pipe string;
• a plurality of slip carriers having correspondingly contoured exterior surfaces each in rotational engagement with one of said downwardly curved surfaces of said housing, each said slip carrier having a downwardly inclined interior surface;
• a plurality of slips, each said slip having a corresponding downwardly inclined exterior surface in sliding engagement with one of said slip carrier downwardly inclined interior surfaces, and said slip having a longitudinal, semi-cylindrical, internal surface forming a pair of grooves containing a plurality of gripping elements adapted for gripping pipe strings having various diameters of pipe, wherein when said slips engage a misaligned string of pipe both said slip and said connected slip carrier rotate relative to said housing so as to reduce the bending moment on said gripped pipe;
• and
• a plurality of lifting mechanisms, each lifting mechanism secured between a pair of opposing said slip carriers by a securing arm, and connected to each said slip connected to said opposing slip carriers for simultaneous radial movement of each said set of slips.

A method for angularly adapting a pipe gripping apparatus to one or more misaligned pipe strings comprising the steps of:

• enclosing one or more pipe strings within a housing;
• gripping one or more of said pipe strings with slips having gripping elements mounted within channels formed by an internal surface of said slips;
• angularly adapting said engaging slips to said misaligned string in relation to said housing via slip carriers rotationally connected between an interior curved surface of said housing and connected to said slips, and angularly adjust each said slip attached to said slip carriers interior downwardly inclined surface as each slip translates angular movement from said misaligned string to the slip carrier;
• and
• providing a lifting mechanism secured between a pair of opposing said slip carriers and connected between each said slip carrier carrying said slip secured by said lifting mechanism for radial movement of each said slip during running or retrieval of said string.