Single joint elevator having deployable jaws
AssigneeFrank's Casing Crew and Rental Tools, Inc.
InventorsVernon Joseph Bouligny, Scott Joseph Arceneaux
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for lifting a single joint of pipe. The single joint elevator of the present invention comprises, in one embodiment, a pair of deployable jaws cooperating with a pair of static jaws to secure a pipe within the slot of a generally horseshoe-shaped body. The deployable jaws of the single joint elevator of the present invention may be rotatably deployable or translatably deployable, or both. In one embodiment, each jaw, including the static jaws and the deployable jaws, comprises a pipe slip movably disposed within the jaw to secure a pipe segment within the slot and to self-tighten as the weight of the pipe segment secured within the single joint elevator is transferred to the slips and the jaws.
Claims39
An elevator to grip a rigid shoulderless pipe segment having a substantially circular cross-section to be hoisted, the elevator comprising:
- a body having a slot therein to laterally receive the rigid shoulderless pipe segment;
- at least one deployable jaw coupled to the body and movable between a removed position generally disposed within the body, permitting the rigid shoulderless pipe segment to enter the slot, and a deployed position, the at least one deployable jaw having a slip;
- and
- at least one actuator operatively coupled between the body and the at least one deployable jaw such that the at least one actuator moves the at least one deployable jaw between the removed position and the deployed position;
- wherein the at least one deployable jaw is lockable in the deployed position to prevent lateral removal of the rigid shoulderless pipe segment from the slot.
An elevator to grip a rigid shoulderless pipe segment having a substantially circular cross-section to be hoisted, the elevator comprising:
- a body having a slot with an entry end to laterally receive the rigid shoulderless pipe segment into the slot;
- at least one deployable jaw coupled to the body and movable between a removed position generally disposed along the slot and within the body and a deployed position to prevent lateral removal of the rigid shoulderless pipe segment from the slot, the at least one deployable jaw having a slip;
- and
- at least one actuator operatively coupled between the body and the at least one deployable jaw such that the at least one actuator moves the at least one deployable jaw between the removed position and the deployed position.
An elevator to grip a rigid shoulderless pipe segment having a substantially circular cross-section to be hoisted, the elevator comprising:
- a body having a slot to laterally receive the rigid shoulderless pipe segment to a gripping position within the body;
- at least one deployable jaw coupled to the body and movable between a removed position generally along the slot and within the body to permit the rigid shoulderless pipe segment to be laterally received into the slot and a deployed position to prevent lateral removal of the rigid shoulderless pipe segment from the slot, the at least one deployable jaw having a slip;
- and
- at least one actuator to move the at least one deployable jaw between the removed position and the deployed position.
An elevator configured to grip and lift a rigid shoulderless pipe segment having a substantially circular cross-section, the elevator comprising:
- a U-shaped body having a proximal end configured to receive an outer surface of the rigid shoulderless pipe segment and a distal end comprising at least one jaw retractable into and extendable from the U-shaped body;
- a first pipe contact member positioned in the proximal end of the U-shaped body;
- and
- a second pipe contact member positioned upon the at least one jaw, the first and second pipe contact members configured to engage the rigid shoulderless pipe segment when the at least one jaw is extended from the U-shaped body;
- wherein the first and the second pipe contact members are configured to transfer substantially all of the lifting loads from the U-shaped body to the outer surface of the rigid shoulderless pipe segment when engaged with the rigid shoulderless pipe segment.
An elevator configured to grip and lift a rigid shoulderless pipe segment having a substantially circular cross-section, the elevator comprising:
- a U-shaped body having a proximal end configured to receive an outer surface of the rigid shoulderless pipe segment and a distal end comprising at least one jaw retractable into and extendable from the U-shaped body;
- and
- a plurality of pipe contact members coupled to the U-shaped body;
- wherein the plurality of contact members are configured to engage the rigid shoulderless pipe segment when the at least one jaw is extended from the U-shaped body;
- and
- wherein the plurality of pipe contact members are configured to transfer substantially all of the lifting loads from the U-shaped body to the outer surface of the rigid shoulderless pipe segment when engaged with the rigid shoulderless pipe segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.