Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force – Apparatus for hauling or hoisting load – including driven... – Device includes rotatably driven – cable contacting drum
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-14
2001-04-03
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3652)
Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force
Apparatus for hauling or hoisting load, including driven...
Device includes rotatably driven, cable contacting drum
C254S337000, C166S077510, C414S022510
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209851
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a drill floor hole, comprising a through-going vertical opening in a drill floor.
In a drill floor there is usually provided a so-called mousehole and/or rat hole which is used for holding joints of drill pipe, drill pipe stands and the kelly. The term drill floor hole as used herein is intended to include storage sites of this nature. On an offshore drilling platform, whether it is of the gravity type or a floater, there is usually a so-called cellar deck beneath the drill floor. A drill floor hole extends down through the drill floor and the cellar deck, to the extent required. On the cellar deck there will often be a need for space for moving/handling rather large pieces of equipment, e.g., safety relief valves, and it is therefore desirable to have as few obstacles as possible in the cellar deck area around the so-called moonpool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,121 teaches a drill floor hole or mousehole wherein a wire drive is used to lift a pipe holder. However, what is typical of the embodiment in the U.S. patent is that a sleeve or an outer surrounding pipe, in which the pipe holder moves, is used for lifting the pipe joint that is positioned in the drill floor hole. This gives a design wherein the sleeve is in the way under the drill floor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a drill floor hole which requires little space and, above all, which can, when not in use, be put in a position or state wherein it does not represent any obstacle to traffic under the drill floor.
According to the invention, a drill floor hole is therefore proposed, comprising an opening in a drill floor, a sleeve for the stabilising admission of a pipe joint through the opening, a pipe holder mounted so as to be capable of vertical movement relative to the sleeve, and a winch/wire/pulley assembly which includes a pulley loop on the pipe holder and a wire which runs down from a fixed point under the drill floor and then passes over the pulley loop and runs up to a winch, which pipe holder is freely disposed below the drill floor without a surrounding sleeve.
The pipe holder, which is designed for supporting interaction with the end of a pipe, a stand of pipe, a kelly etc., can, when not in use, be moved vertically upwards into a position immediately beneath and possibly partially recessed in the overlying drill floor.
It is especially advantageous if the wire can pass to the winch over a travelling block which is suspended immediately below the drill floor.
Advantageously, the winch may be located on a cellar deck beneath the drill floor.
Advantageously, the said travelling block may be suspended in the sleeve located in said opening in the drill floor.
Advantageously, the wire drive may include two parallel lines, i.e., two parallel wires and pulley loops, located on their respective sides of the pipe holder.
REFERENCES:
patent: 287444 (1883-10-01), Korner
patent: 3365081 (1968-01-01), Mclerran
patent: 4209066 (1980-06-01), Watson
patent: 4421173 (1983-12-01), Beakley et al.
patent: 4552339 (1985-11-01), Werners et al.
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patent: 4688764 (1987-08-01), Nayler et al.
patent: 5468121 (1995-11-01), Stogner
patent: 5762279 (1998-06-01), Horton, III
patent: 5833016 (1998-10-01), Carpenter
patent: 419539 (1911-01-01), None
Cowan Liebowitz & Latman P.C.
Engineering & Drilling Machinery AS
Marcelo Emmanuel M.
Walsh Donald P.
Wolfson Michael I.
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