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US RE46,119 E1Granted
Universal carrier for grippers in a coiled tubing injector
AssigneeVarco I/P, Inc.
InventorJohn E. Goode
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The gripping element of a coiled tubing injector has a carrier and a removable gripping shoe mounted to the carrier. The removable shoe slides onto slots formed on the carrier and is floated on the carrier by inserting an elastomeric pad sandwiched between the carrier and shoe. A manually depressible spring along ones side of the carrier prevents the shoe from sliding out of the slots during operation of the injector.
Claims30
A tube conveying apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a pair of continuous drive chains supported on the frame and revolving in a commom plane, the pair of drive chains having opposed, elongated parallel runs spaced apart to form a path for engaging tubing passing therebetween;
- and
- a plurality of grippers carried on each of the pair of drive chains;
- wherein, each gripper includes a carrier mounted to the chain and a pipe gripping shoe mounted to the carrier, the shoe including a plurality of tongues for sliding, in directions generally perpendicular to the common plane, in corresponding grooves formed by the carrier for retaining the shoe on the carrier.
2 more elements
A tubing gripper comprising:
- a carrier having front and back sides, means for mounting the back side of the carrier to a chain, two opposing slots formed on the front side of the carrier, each of the slots having an open end and closed end;
- and
- a pipe gripping shoe removably mounted to the carrier, the shoe including a base portion having lugs for sliding into the open ends of the slots, the slots and lugs thereby cooperating to retain the shoe on the carrier.
A tube conveying apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a pair of continuous drive chains supported on the frame and revolving in a common plane, the pair of drive chains having opposed, elongated parallel runs spaced apart to form a path for engaging tubing passing therebetween;
- and
- a plurality of grippers carried on each of the first and second drive chains;
- wherein, each gripper includes,
- a carrier mounted to the chain,
- a pipe gripping shoe retained on the carrier, the pipe gripping shoe having a gripping portion having a rigid shape that fits around substantially one-half of an outer circumference of tubing to be injected, and
- an elastomeric pad positioned between the carrier and shoe for floating the shoe on the carrier;
- wherein,
- the carrier has two opposing slots, each of the slots having an open end and closed end;
- and
- the pipe gripping shoe has lugs for sliding into the open ends of the slots, the slots and lugs thereby cooperating to retain the shoe on the carrier.
9 more elements
A tube conveying apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a pair of continuous drive chains supported on the frame and revolving in a common plane, the pair of drive chains having opposed, elongated parallel runs spaced apart to form a path for engaging tubing passing therebetween;
- and
- a plurality of grippers carried on each of the pair of drive chains;
- wherein, each gripper includes a carrier mounted to the chain and a gripping shoe connected to the carrier by means of tongues that slide into corresponding grooves in directions generally perpendicular to the common plane for retaining the shoe on the carrier.
2 more elements
A coiled tubing injector for inserting coil tubing into, and removing coiled tubing from, a well bore comprising:
- a frame;
- a pair of continuous drive chains supported on the frame and revolving in a common plane, the pair of drive chains having opposed, elongated parallel runs spaced apart to form a path for engaging tubing passing therebetween;
- and
- a plurality of grippers carried on each of the pair of drive chains;
- wherein, each gripper is comprised of a carrier mounted to the chain and a pipe gripping shoe of unitary construction mounted to the carrier, the shoe including a plurality of tongues for sliding in corresponding grooves formed by the carrier for retaining the shoe on the carrier, the gripper further comprising an elastomeric pad positioned between the carrier and the shoe for floating the shoe on the carrier.
2 more elements
A coiled tubing injector for inserting coil tubing into, and removing coiled tubing from, a well bore comprising:
- a carrier comprising means for mounting the back side of the carrier to a chain and two opposing slots formed on the carrier for mounting pipe gripping shoes;
- a pipe gripping shoe of unitary construction removably mounted to the carrier, the shoe including a base portion having lugs for sliding into the slots, the slots and lugs thereby cooperating to retain the shoe on the carrier;
- and
- an elastomeric pad positioned between the shoe and the carrier for floating the shoe on the carrier.
1 more element
A coiled tubing injector for inserting coil tubing into, and removing coiled tubing from, a well bore comprising:
- a frame;
- a pair of continuous drive chains supported on the frame and revolving in a common plane, the pair of drive chains having opposed, elongated parallel runs spaced apart to form a path for engaging tubing passing therebetween;
- and
- a plurality of grippers carried on each of the first and second drive chains;
- wherein, each gripper includes,
- a carrier mounted to the chain,
- a pipe gripping shoe retained on the carrier, the pipe gripping shoe having a gripping portion having a unitary construction and a rigid shape that fits around a portion of an outer circumference of tubing to be injected, and
- an elastomeric pad positioned between the carrier and shoe for floating the shoe on the carrier;
- and
- wherein,
- the carrier has two opposing slots;
- and
- the pipe gripping shoe has lugs for sliding into the slots, the slots and lugs thereby cooperating to retain the shoe on the carrier.
10 more elements
A coiled tubing injector for inserting coil tubing into, and removing coiled tubing from, a well bore comprising:
- a frame;
- a pair of continuous drive chains supported on the frame and revolving in a common plane, the pair of drive chains having opposed, elongated parallel runs spaced apart to form a path for engaging tubing passing therebetween;
- and
- a plurality of grippers carried on each of the pair of drive chains;
- wherein, each of the plurality of grippers is comprised of a carrier mounted to the chain, a gripping shoe of unitary construction connected to the carrier by means of tongues that slide into corresponding grooves, and an elastomeric pad positioned between the carrier and the gripping shoe for floating the gripping shoe on the carrier.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.