Apparatus and method for handling of tubulars
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorGeorg Lorenz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus for attachment to pipe handling arm, comprising a clamp for gripping a tubular and a guide for aligning said tubular with another tubular prior to connection thereof, characterized in that said clamp and said guide are movable relative to each other in a direction longitudinal of the tubular, the arrangement being such that said tubular can be brought closer to said another tubular in a direction longitudinal of the tubular.
Claims18
An apparatus for aligning a centerline of a first tubular with a centerline of a second, axially stationary tubular, comprising:
- a strut having at least one clamp mateabie to the first tubular, whereby upon mating with the first tubular the centerline of the first tubular is substantially aligned with a centerline of the strut, wherein the strut comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein said second portion is offset from said first portion;
- and
- a lower clamp mateable to the second, axially stationary tubular, the lower clamp disposed on the second portion of the strut and the at least one clamp disposed on the first portion of the strut and movable along the first portion, whereby upon mating the lower clamp with the second, axially stationary tubular, the centerline of the first tubular is substantially aligned with the centerline of the second axially stationary tubular.
An apparatus for use with a pipe handling arm disposed on a rig to align a centerline of a first tubular with a centerline of a second, axially stationary tubular, comprising:
- a strut having at least one clamp mateable to the first tubular, whereby upon mating with the first tubular the centerline of the first tubular is substantially aligned with a centerline of the strut, wherein the strut comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein said second portion is offset from said first portion, and wherein the strut is coupled to the pipe handling arm and the at least one clamp is movable along the first portion;
- and
- a lower clamp mateable to the second, axially stationary tubular, the lower clamp disposed on the second portion of the strut, whereby upon mating the lower clamp with the second, axially stationary tubular, the centerline of the first tubular is substantially aligned with the centerline of the second axially stationary tubular.
A method of aligning a centerline of a first tubular with a centerline of a second, axially stationary, tubular, comprising:
- providing a guide having:
- a strut having at least one damp mateable to the first tubular, whereby upon mating with the first tubular the centerline of the first tubular is substantially aligned with a centerline of the strut;
- and
- a lower clamp mateable to the second, axially stationary tubular, the lower damp disposed on the strut, whereby upon mating the lower clamp with the second, axially stationary tubular, the centerline of the first tubular is substantially aligned with the centerline of the second axially stationary tubular;
- coupling the strut to a pipe handling arm disposed on a rig;
- engaging the at least one clamp with the first tubular;
- positioning the strut and the first tubular proximate the second tubular:
- engaging the lower clamp with the second tubular;
- and
- aligning the first tubular with the second tubular.
An apparatus for aligning a centerline of a first tubular with a centerline of a second tubular, comprising:
- a strut having a first portion and a second portion, wherein said second portion is offset from said first portion;
- at least one damp coupled to the first portion and movable along a length of the first portion, the at least one clamp adapted to engage the first tubular;
- and
- a lower damp coupled to the second portion, the lower clamp adapted to engage the second tubular, whereby upon engaging the at least one clamp with the first tubular and engaging the lower damp with the second tubular, the centerline of the first tubular is substantially aligned with the centerline of the second tubular.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.