US3079811A

US3079811A - Drilling installations

Info

Publication number: US3079811A
Application number: US803408A
Authority: US
Inventors: Isenberg Gustav
Original assignee: Demag AG
Current assignee: Mannesmann Demag AG
Priority date: 1957-03-14
Filing date: 1959-04-01
Publication date: 1963-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1980-03-05

Description

March 5, 1963 .e. ISENBERG DRILLING INSTALLATIONS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1959 FIG. I

March 5, 1963 e. ISENBERG DRILLING INSTALLATIONS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April J., 1959 March 5, 1963 e. ISENBERG 3,079,811

DRILLING INSTALLATIONS Filed April 1, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 QEi llvr mvrag s/nu t-4.6;

, M KIA-1'0 March 5, 1963 G. ISENBERG 3,079,811

DRILLING INSTALLATIONS Filed. April 1, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 mmuummmm mmmmmmmm mmmmma mmmmmimm a fb Mil FAVOR I G -J'IQV' March 5, 1963 I e. ISENBERG 3,079,

DRILLING INSTALLATIONS Filed April 1, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 f0/a I ,1

IIIUIW IDIHILIWIIHF March 5, 1963 e. ISENBERG 3,079,811

DRILLING INSTALLATIONS Filed April 1, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 YEW 1 1 United States Patent 3,079,811 DRILLING INSTALLATHONS Gustav lsenberg, Duisburg, Germany, assignor to Demag Aktiengesellschaft, Duisburg, Germany Filed Apr. 1, H59, Ser. No. 803,408 Claims priority, application Germany Mar. 14, 1957 14- Claims. Il. 74--661) The present invention relates to drilling installations of the type used for drilling wells such as oil wells and the like.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Serial No. 703,165, filed December 16, 1957, and now abandoned, and entitled Drilling Installations for Drilling Wells and the Like.

Such installations include one or more driving motors which drive devices such as a rotary drill table for transmitting the drive directly to the drill itself, a raising means for raising the drilling apparatus, mud pumps for pumping mud or other fluids out of and/ or into the well.

Installations of this type must fulfill extremely varied requirements, and it is often difficult to meet all of the climculties which arise during operation. For example, the greatest possible reliability of operation of the installation is required since when a well is several hundred meters deep it is very undesirable to have a sudden interruption in the circulation and pressure of the pumped materials such as mud, and interruption in any other drives is also very undesirable under such circumstances. 0n the other hand, it is of advantage if the power delivered from the drives can be adapted to the requirements of the particular operating conditions. Thus, it is desirable to be able to increase or decrease the number of driving assemblies without great changes in the construction of the installation. Furthermore, the several units or devices which make up the installation should not be too heavy and above all should not be too large, since in most cases they must be transported to the place of operation. The size and weight which can be accommodated by a truck or the like used for transporting the equipment is necessarily limited. Also, it must be possible to connect a plurality of driving motors with a single shaft from which the drive is transmitted to the several devices of the installation. Conventional installations of this type are capable of fulfilling only part of the above requiremeuts.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a drilling installation of the above type which is extremely flexible and capable of being easily and quickly adapted to different operating conditions and which at the same time is capable of meeting all of the above requirements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drilling installation which will continue to operate reliably even if there is a failure in the operation of part of the installation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drilling installation which has its components arranged in an extremely small area so that the installation does not require an undesirably large amount of space.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a drill installation which includes several driving units capable of operating together or separately to drive various components of the installation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an extremely flexible drill installation which includes a plurality of mud pumps arranged in groups and capable of being easily operated and overseen by a minimum number of operators.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a structure capable of accomplishing all of the above objects and at the same time composed of simple, ruggedly constructed elements which are very reliable in operation.

With the above objects in View, the present invention includes in a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, a pair of outer transmission means and an intermediate transmission means operatively located between and removably connected to the pair of outer transmission means. The intermediate transmission means is operatively connected with devices such as a raising means, a rotary drill table, and the like, for driving these devices, and the pair of outer transmission means are each operatively connected with at least one mud pump. A pair of driving motors are operatively connected with the pair of outer transmission means, respectively, for transmitting a drive therethrough to the pumps, respectively, and to the intermediate transmission means, and these driving motors form with the pair of outer transmission means respectively connected thereto a pair of units separate and disconnectable from the intermediate transmission means. At least one pair of clutch means are respectively located between the pair of outer transmission means and the intermediate transmission means for connecting or disconnecting the drives between the latter and the pair of outer transmission means, respectively. I

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of one possible installation according to the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary partly sectional view of a universal joint showing how shaft sections of the structure of the invention are articulated to each other and are removably interconnected;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of another embodiment of an installation according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan View of a third embodiment of an installation according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of still another embodiment of a drilling installation according to the present invention; and

FIGS. 5a and 5b are respectively right and left portions of a schematic plan view of yet another embodiment of a drilling installation according to the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a pair of driving motors 1 and 2 are respectively connected operatively with and flanged directly to a pair of torque converters 3 and 4 through which the drives from the driving motor are respectively distributed to a pair of outer transmission means 5 and 6 which are operatively and detachably connected with an intermediate transmission means 7 located between the pair of outer transmission means 5 and 6, so that the plurality of transmission means 5-7 form a transmisison which is divided into three separable parts. The intermediate transmission means 7 is located in and forms part of a gear box unit 8, while the pair of outer transmission means 5 and 6 are located in and form parts of gear boxes 9 and 10, respectively, which are separate from the gear box 8. The gear boxes 9 and 10 are respectively located directly in front of the motors 1 and 2 and are located on common bases therewith, respectively, so

that these gear boxes 9 and 10 together with the motors 1 and 2 form a pair of driving units, respectively, which are independent of each other and the intermediate transmission means 7.

An articulated shaft 11 interconnects the outer transmission means 5 with the intermediate transmission means 7, and an articulated shaft 12 interconnects the outer transmission means 6 with the intermediate transmission means 7. Each of these articulated shafts is in the form ofa shaft removably connected by universal joints with a pair of the transmission means. As may be seen from FIG. 1A, the universal joints which connect the shaft sections to each other, in embodiments described below, as well as to the several transmissions may include a pair of shaft portions a and b each connected to acoupling member and d of the universal joint shown in FIG. 1A, the coupling member 0 carrying a pin 2 which extends through the ears of the coupling member 0. This pin 2 extends through a sleeve f which is turnable about the pin 2 and-which is connected by a second pin g, similar to the pin e and turnably connected to the sleeve to the coupling member d so that the latter is connected to the sleeve 1 in a manner similar to the connection between the coupling member c and the sleeve 1. This universal joint structure includes for the pin e, for example, the washer h and the cotter or cross pin 1' which passes through a transverse opening of the pin e beyond the washer h so that this cotter pin or the like i is removable to enable the universal joint to be disassembled and thus serve to disconnect the shaft portions a and b from each other. In this way the several units of the embodiment 'of FIG. 1 can be disconnected from each other so that the shafts -11 and 12 form a detachable connecting means detachably connecting the

transmissions

5 and 6 to the intermediate transmission 7. In the structure described below, all of the universal joints may have the construction shown in FIG. 1A so that while they transmit the drive at the same time they render all of the various units of all the embodiments separable from each other to greatly facilitate transportation of the structure in separate units which can be assembled together at any desired site. A pair of clutches K1 and K2 are respectively located between the pair of outer transmission means 5 and 6 and the intermediate transmission means 7 for connecting or disconnecting the latter (from the pair of outer transmission means. It will be noted that each of the outer transmission means includes a rotary shaft one end of which is near to and the other end of which is distant" from the intermediate transmission means 7, and the outer ends of these rotary shafts, which are distant from the intermediate transmission means 7, are provided with clutches K3 and K4, respectively. As apparent from FIG. 1, a bevel gear transmission is located in each of the gear boxes 9 and 10 and forms part of each outer transmission means. The rotary shaft passes through the bevel gear assembly in a direction perpendicular to the drive shaft of the driving motor, and the gear boxes 9 and 10 further include a pair of plain gears meshing with each other and also forming part of the outer transmission means, these pairs of plain gears including the gears 13 and 14 of the pair of driving units located at each side of the intermediate transmission means 7. The clutch K3 is, operated to connect or disconnect the drive from the motor 1 to the gear 13, and the clutch K4 connects or disconnects the drive from the motor 2 to the gear 14. The drives are transmitted from the gears 13 and 14 through articulated

shafts

15 and 16, respectively, to a pair of mud pumps 17 and 18, respectively.

Each of the bevel gear drives includes one bevel gear connected directly with the output shaft of the torque converter and meshing with a pair of additional bevel gears coaxial with the rotary shaft of the outer transmission means, and between each of the latter pair of bevel gears is arranged a clutch for placing one or the other of these bevel gears in driving engagement with the rotary shaftof the outer transmission means. Thus, FiG. l shows' a pair of clutches K13/14 arranged between the pair of bevel gears of the gear box 9 which are coaxial with the rotary shaft of the outer transmission means 5,

and these clutches are capable of being operated to place a Way to place one or the other of the bevel gears which are coaxial with the rotary shaft of the outer transmission means 6 in driving engagement with this latter rotary shaft. A change from one of these bevel gears to the other changes the direction of rotation of the outer transmission means. The fourth gear of each bevel gear assembly is connected with a brake means. FIG. 1 shows the pair of brake means 19 and 29 connected with the latter bevel gears. These brakes serve to brake the drag of the converters. When the transmissions are in their neutral positions, the torque converters will still tend to turn the transmissions at a. relatively slow rate.

-The clutches, which are dog clutches, can be brought into engagement only when the clutch members are stationary with respect to each other, and the brakes serve to maintain the clutches stationary by preventing the continued creeping movement of the transmissions by the torque converters when the transmissions are in their neutral positions. They take the form of brakes which prevent rotation in one direction only so that the teeth of the clutches can mesh with each other without difiiculty.

The drive from the intermediate transmission means 7 is transmitted through a pair of different gear transmissions tothe multiple part shaft means 21 whose parts are capable of being placed into and out of driving engagement with each other by clutches K7,. K8, and K9. A pair of clutches K5 and K6 are provided on the shaft means 21 between-the two gears of the separate gear transmissions from the intermediate "transmission 7 for optionally placing one or the other of these gears in driving engagement with the shaft means 21. Of course, the pair of gear transmissions from the intermediate transmission means 7 to the shaft means 21 have different transmission ratios, and thus, it'is possible to drive shaft means 21 at different speeds of rotation. From the ends of the shaft means 21 the drive is transmitted on the one hand to the rotary drilling table 2.2 and on the other hand to the raising means 23. Clutches Kid and K11 are respectively arranged in the transmissions to the raising means 23 and the rotary drilling table 22, respectively. An additional driving unit 24 is provided for the table 22, and clutches Kl'i/IS are located at the intersection of the transmissions from the unit 24 to the drilling table 22 and from the intermediate transmission means 7 to the drilling table 22, so that the clutches K17 and K18 may be operated to drive the drilling table 2 2 optionally from the intermediate transmission means 7' or from the unit 24. An articulated shaft 25 is located between unit 24 and clutches K17 and K18, while an articulated shaft 26 is located between the latter clutches and the rotary drilling table 22.

The above-described installation provides several operating possibilities as a result of the three independent transmission means 5, 6 and 7 as well as the clutches K1 and K2 arranged therebetween, as well as because of the clutches K3 and K4 for controlling the operation of the

pumps

17 and 18 and the clutches K13/14 and K15/ 16 of the pair of driving units. For example, when the clutch K2 is disengaged and the clutch K4 is engaged the motor 2 drives only the pump 18, while the motor 1, with the clutch K1 engaged, serves to drive the rotary drill table 22 and the raising means 23. Thus, it is possible to drive the pump-18 independently of the rotary drill table 22 or the raising means 23, and at different speeds of rotation, through the separate motors 1 and 2. In well drilling such an arrangement is of great advantage since very often it is required that the pump be driven with different powers so as to pump different amounts of fluid, and such a variation in the operation of the pump 18 is possible when the motor 2 is not connected with the rest of the installation. When a particularly large amount of fluid must be pumped, the clutch K3 can be engaged so that the motor 1 also drives the pump 17. The operation of the rotary drilling table and the like from the motor 1 independently of the motor 2 and the pump 18 permits a simple change in the direction of rotation of the rotary drilling table by operation of the clutches K13/14 without influencing the drive of the pump 18. On the other hand, the above-described operating arrangement may be reversed and the driving unit which includes the motor 1 may be used only to drive the pump 17 while the motor 2 is used to drive the other unit such as the rotary drilling table 22. All these advantages are obtained by the transmission made up of the three parts 5-7, with the intermediate transmission means 7 used to drive the rotary table 22 and the like while the motors 1 and 2 are respectively connected with the pair of outer transmission means 5 and 6.

Also with the above-described structure when one of the motors fails, as, for example, the motor 1, then the clutch K1 may be disengaged to separate the motor 1 from the rest of the installation and the single motor 2 may be used to operate both the rotary drill table 22 as well as the pump 18. When there is a failure in the gear box 8, as, for example, a failure in the bearings of the intermediate transmission means 7, it is still possible to continue at least with the circulation of the fluid by continuing operation of the

pumps

17 and 18 through the motors 1 and 2. This possibility of continuing the operation of the pumps is extremely important and in fact essential since if there is an interruption in the drilling as, for example, where there is a failure in the drill rod or tube itself, the continued pumping prevents earth, stone, and the like from slipping back down the well and clamping the drill and drill rod or tube in the well.

In each of the above units which include the motors 1 and 2, respectively, the reduction gearing which includes the gears 13 and 14 is carried directly by the housings 9 and 19, respectively.

When an installation of the above type is set up and operating it is always necessary to increase the amount of fluid pumped by the pumps. When the well has reached a relatively great depth or under special operating circumstances resulting from the characteristics of the place where the well is being drilled, it is in most cases known that a large volume must be circulated by the pumps. It is possible to meet this requirement by providing larger pumps. However, this solution is not desirable in practice since it is better to operate with a single pump size, and furthermore, it is not always possible to provide large pumps because the driving motors may not be capable of delivering the power necessary for operating such larger pumps.

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement which makes it possible to meet the requirement of pumping more fluid as the depth of the well increases. Thus, as is shown in FIG. 2, there is provided adjacent to the pump 17 a further driving unit and a further pump. The drive from the pump 17 of FIG. 2 is connected through an articulated shaft 119 with a gear transmission 120 and a clutch K5 interconnects this transmission with the shaft 121 which forms part of a transmission means identical with the outer transmission means 5 or 6, and this transmission means forms a driving unit with the motor 122. The shaft 121 carries the pair of clutches K16'/17 in order to place the shaft optionally in driving engagement with either of the bevel gears carried by the shaft 121, and these bevel gears are, of course, connected to a torque converter by a bevel gear coaxial with the drive shaft of the motor 122. At the side of the transmission opposite from the gearing 120 is located an additional gear transmission 123 provided with a clutch K6 and connected through the articu- 6 lated shaft 124 with the additional pump 125. Thus, the driving unit arranged between the

pumps

17 and 125 corresponds to the driving units which include the motors 1 and 2, the only difference being that a pair of transmissions and 123 are provided on both sides of the driving unit arranged between the

pumps

17 and 125.

Except for the above-noted differences, the embodiment of FIG. 2 is substantially identical with that of FIG. 1, and the embodiment of FIG. 2 makes it possible to drive the pump 125 from the motor 122 and the pump 17 from the motor 1. On the other hand, it is also possible, if the motor 2 should fail, to drive both of the

pumps

17 and 125 from the motor 122, so that in this case the motor 1 can devote all of its energy to driving the rotary drill table.

FIG. 2 shows also a drive connection between the in termediate transmission and the rotary drilling table 22. The intermediate transmission means is also connected to a rotary raising drum 27 to drive the same. The connection between the intermediate transmission means, rotary drilling table 22 and the rotary raising drum 27 is made by means of chain drives and gears, as schematically indicated in FIG. 2.

Conversely, if the motor 122 should fail then the motor 1 may be used for driving both of the

pumps

17 and 125. Thus, by extending the installation of FIG. 1 to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, through the provision of the additional driving unit and pump 125, it is not only possible to increase pumping capacity of the installation, but also the guarantee of continued operation upon failure of components of the installation is also greatly increased, since upon failure of one or even two motors, it will, nevertheless, still be possible to maintain the circulation of the fluid by operation of a pair of pumps. It should be noted that even if two of the motors, such as the motors 1 and 122, fail, nevertheless, two pumps, such as the

pumps

17 and 18 or the

pumps

17 and 125, can continue to be operated by the single motor 2.

With the arrangement of the invention according to which a plurality of transmission means are arranged in a direction transverse to the drive shafts of the motors with each of the transmission means having a pair of opposite ends from which power may be delivered, it is possible in a simple way to increase the power provided by the installation as the well becomes deeper. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 there are provided on each side of the gear box 8 of the intermediate transmission means a pair of motors. Thus, the motors 1a and 1b are located at the left and the motors 2a and 2b are located at the right of the intermediate transmission means of FIG. 3. Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, a pair of motors form a part of each driving unit. With the embodiment of FIG. 3 there is also a transmission divided into three parts, the intermediate transmission means 7 being identical with that of FIGS. 1 and 2 and serving to drive the rotary drill table 22, the raising means 23 and the rotary washing drum 27. The

shafts

5a and 5b of the driving unit which includes the motors 1a and 1b form part of a single outer transmission means of the embodiment of FIG. 3 which is located at one side of the intermediate transmission means 7, While the shafts 6a and 6b of the other driving unit form part of the other outer transmission means corresponding to the outer transmission means 6. The articulated shaft 133 interconnects the

shafts

5a and 5b while the articulated shaft 135 interconnects the shafts 6a and 6b. These

shafts

5a, 5b, 6a and 6b are connected to the several driving motors in the same way as the rotary shafts of the above-described transmissions which are connected to the motors 1 and 2. A clutch K20 is provided at the left driving unit of FIG. 3 for connecting and disconnecting the two halves of this driving unit, while the clutch K21 of the right driving unit of FIG. 3 serves to connect or disconnect the two halves of this driving unit.

In the above-described embodiments of FIGS. 1-3 the are a ranged between the'p'um'ps at the outer ins; ation. A particularly advantageous arrangement is provided, however, when the pumps are arranged directly between the driving units. With such an arrangement the pumps are located closely ad acent to each other so that only short pump conduits are required. This is particularly true of the suction lines for the pumps. Also,'with this arrangement, only one suction hole for the well is required. Furthermore, the valves of the pump can be actuated in less time since both of the pumps are arranged near each other at a central part of the installation. Furthermore, during cementing or packing the arrangement of both of the pumps directly next to each other is of particular advantage. Also, with such an arrangement the greatest possible use is made of the space behind the main drive.

An arrangement of this type can be used with an mstallation where only a single motor is connected to each end transmission, or with the arrangement of FIG. 3 where a pair of motors are connected to each of the outer transmissions. As apparent from FIG. 3, with this embodiment, each of the outer transmissions is divided into a pair of sub-transmissions arranged one behind the other and connected together to form a single outer transmission means.

FIG. 4 shows the pumps arranged in the manner described above. Thus, the

pumps

17 and 18 are located directly next to each other between the motors 1b and 2a at the center of the entire driving setup directly behind the main gear box 8. The pump 17 is connected by the articulated shaft 15 with the gear 13 which is connected with the shaft 5b through the clutch K3, as was described above in connection with FIG. 3, and in a corresponding manner the pump 18 is connected through the articulated shaft 16 with the gearing 14 capable of. being connected to or from the shaft 6a by the clutch K4.

The

several gear boxes

9a, 9b, 10a and 1050f the outer transmission means of FIGS. 3 and 4 are so formed that the gearing such as the gearing 13 or 14 may be arranged at either side of these gear boxes. In other words, except for the gearing 13 and 14 connected with the gear boxes 9b and 10a, respectively, the latter gear boxes are identical with the gear boxes 9a and 1%. It is also possible to arrange still another pump either at the left of the motor 1a and/ or at the right of the motor 2b. Instead of' providing gearing 13 and 14 as shown in FIG. 4 each made up of three gears, it is also possible to use a gearing made up of a pair of gears, which is to say a gearing without an intermediate gear.

Referring now to FIGS. 5a and 511, it will be seen that the embodiment illustrated therein includes a group of driving motors ittla and 1011) located on one side of the intermediate transmission means 198 which corresponds to the above-described intermediate transmission means, and a second group of driving motors 102a and l02b located on the other side of the intermediate transmission means 168. The several driving motors 101a, 1611), 102a,

driving units ends of the I 1232b are respectively connected operatively to

torque converters

103a, 103b, 19 4a, 10 1b which are directly flanged to the driving motors, and the several torque converters transmit the drives from the several driving motors respectively to the reversible bevel gear transmissions 165a, 1351), 105e, 105d, these reversible bevel gear transmissions -having the same construction as the reversible bevel gear transmissions described above and each being provided in the same way with a clutch which enables the transmissions to be connected to or released from the driving motors and which enables the output shafts of the transmissions to be rotated in one direction or the other. The pair of

transmissions

105a and 105b are respectively located in housings 111a and lllb which are respectively flanged directly to the torque converters 103a and 1831) at the housings of the latter, while the pair of transmissions ltlSc and 105d are respectively located in housings 120a and llZb which are respectively flanged 8. directly to the housings of the torque converters 104a and 10412. The output shafts 166a and 106b of the transmissions ltlSa and 165i) extend perpendicularly to the output shafts of the torque converters 103a and 193b, respectively, and in the same way the output shafts 107a and 19712 of the pair of transmissions 105a and 165d, respectively, extend transversely to the output shafts of the

torque converters

104a and 104b. A detachable connecting means interconnects the pair of transmissions of each group to each other. Thus, the detachable connecting means ltloc interconnects the shaft 166a with the shaft idol), While the detachable connecting means 107a interconnects the shaft 107a and the shaft 10717. This detachable connecting means is in the form of a shaft with universal joints connecting the ends of the shaft to the adjacent ends of the output shafts of the pair of transmissions of each group, these shafts and universal joints having the construction described above in connection with FIG. 1A. Of course, each driving motor together with the torque converter connected thereto and the bevel gear transmission connected to the torque converter forms a single unit separable from the rest of the structure and capable of being separately transported to any desired site. Each bevel gear transmission includes on its output shaft a clutch between the pair of opposed bevel gears on the output shaft for optionally connecting each bevel gear transmissionto the torque converter of its unit, in the same way as described above. The articulated shafts 109a and 10% serve to connect the bevel gear'transmissions of the two groups which are adjacent to the intermediate transmission 108 to the latter in a detachable manner, The intermediate transmission 108 is located in a housing which forms a separate unit and is connected to the structure described above for transmitting a drive thereto, only part of the structure which includes the element 23 being shown in FIGS. 5a and 512 it being understood that the drive from the intermediate trans mission means 108 goes on to a rotary drilling table as described above in connection with the other embodiments. The several motors may be placed into or out of driving engagement with the other units through the clutches 113a and 113b respectively connected to the bevel gear transmissions a and 105b, as well as the clutches 114a and 11 1b operatively connected with the bevel gear transmissions 1050 and 105d, respectively. Thus, the pair of bevel gear transmissions 105a and 105k form an outer transmission means having its

portions

105a and 105b capable of being selectively interconnected by the clutch 113a, and this outer transmission means can be selectively placed in driving engagement with the intermediate transmission means 108 by the clutch 113b. The pair of bevel gear transmissions 1050 and 105d form the other outer transmission means of the embodiment of FIGS. 5a and 5b, and the pair of bevel gear transmissions 1050 and 105d are selectively placed in driving engagement with each other through the clutch 114b, while the portion 1050 of this other outer transmission means can be placed selectively in driving engagement with the intermediate transmission means 168 by operation of the clutch 114a. When the clutch 114a is engaged, the drive can be transmitted from the bevel gear transmission 105d through the transmission 105C without operation of the latter by'motor 102 1 to the intermediate transmission 103, and in the same way the bevel gear transmission 105a is capable of operating through the bevel transmission 105b when the clutch 111% is engaged to transmit a drive from the motor 101a to the intermediate transmission means 108 even though the motor 101b is not operating.

The gear box 111a of the transmission 105a is capable of having a second gear box 115:: flanged directly thereto to receive a drive from the transmission 105a, this second transmission 115a including a clutch for optionally transmitting a drive from the transmission 105a to the transmission 1151:. In the same way the gear box lllb has the housing of a transmission 115b removably connected thereto, this latter transmission 115b having its own clutch for optionally connecting the latter to the transmission 19522. Also, the transmission 105c has a second transmission unit 116a connected thereto and selectively placed in driving engagement therewith by a clutch, while the transmission 165d has the second transmission unit 1161) connected thereto and capable of being selectively placed in driving engagement therewith through a clutch of the transmission 11617. In this way it is possible to provide various branching drives from the several transmissions. In the illustrated example there are three branches of the

transmissions

105a and 105d, and in the illustrated example there are four branches for the trans missions 16% and 1051:. Thus, considering the transmission 16512, one branch is the connection to the torque converter 193a, a second branch is the connection to the articulated shaft 14i6c, and a third branch is to the transmission 115a which is operatively connected through the articulated shaft 117 with the mud pump 119. The transmission 195d has one branch connected to the torque converter 1M1), a second branch connected to the articulated shaft 1670, and a third branch connected to the additional transmission unit 116b which in turn transmits its .drive through the articulated shaft 121 to the mud pump 124. The transmissionl'35b has one branch connected to the torque converter 103b, a second branch connected to the articulated shaft 109a, a third branch connected to the articulated shaft 1060, and a fourth branch connected through the additional transmission unit 115k to the articulated shaft which is composed of the plurality of

sections

118a, 118b, and 1180 all of which are interconnected by universal joints for transmitting a drive from the transmission 105 b to the mud pump 121?. The transmission 1950 has one branch connected to the torque converter 1114a, a second branch connected to the articulated shaft 1070, a thirdbranch connected to the articulated shaft 19%, and a fourth branch'connected through the additional transmission unit 116a to the articulated shaft composed of a

shaft section

122a, 122b, 1220 all of which are interconnected by universal joints as described above in connection with FIG. 1A and this articulated

shaft

122a, 122b, 1220 serves to transmit the drive from the transmission 1050 to the mud pump 123. The section 113b of the articulated shaft leading from the transmission 18511, 11511 to the mud pump 120 is supported for rotation by a bearing fixedly carried by the housing 111a of the transmission 165a, so that this shaft section 1181) forms part of the unit which includes the motor lftla, the torque converter W301, and the bevel gear transmission 195a, while the shaft section 12212 of the articulated shaft transmission to the mud pump 123 is supported for rotation by a bearing fixedly carried by the housing 112!) of the transmission 195d, so that this shaft section 1221) forms part of the unit which includes the motor 18212, the torque converter 104b, and the bevel gear transmission 1050!.

It is apparent that with the above-described structure of FIGS. 5a and 511 not only can all of the units be easily separated from each other and transported separately to be assembled together at any desired site, as a result of the possibility of disconnecting the various detachable connecting means at their universal joints, for example, but in addition through selective operation of the clutches it is possible to drive any one or any combination of the mud pumps as well as the intermediate transmission means 168 from any one or any combination of the

motors

101a, 101b, 102a, 1025. Thus, the clutch between the pair of bevel gears on each output shaft of each bevel gear transmission can be disengaged so that this output shaft can turn freely with respect to the bevel gears when the motor of the respective unit does not drive the bevel gears, while the clutch at the end of the output shaft can be engaged so that it is possible to transmit the drive all the way through the entire assembly in any desired direction. For example, assume that only the motor 102!) is operating while the remaining motors are idle and that the clutches on the output shafts 107a, 16Gb and 1061: between the bevel gears thereon are disengaged so that these shafts are capable of rotating freely with respect to the bevel gears thereon, and also assume that the clutches 113a, 113b, 114a, and 114b are engaged. Then it is clear that the single motor 10% can drive all the way through to the mud pumps 119 and 120 and furthermore the same motor can drive the other two mud pumps as well as the intermediate transmission means 108, the drive being transmitted through the latter from the shaft 109]) to the shaft 109a. In the same way it is possible to drive all or part of the structure from all or part of the driving motors in any desired combination so that the structure is extremely flexible.

The arrangement shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b is of particular advantage with respect to the operation. It is a simple matter for a single operator to take care of a group of pumps and motors arranged on one side of the intermediate transmission means so as to supervise the feeding of fuel to the motors and as well as to check on the conduits leading to and from the mud pumps. For each group of mud pumps only a single suction opening is required. The actuation of the valve or valves in the conduits leading to and from the pumps is very easy to carry out i-n'an eflicient manner with the distribution of the units as-illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b, and the entire organization can be very etficiently supervised by a minimum number of attendants.

Each of the above-described driving units, composed of at least one motor with a converter and gearing connected thereto, is mounted on a single base so that the entire driving unit is movable as one assembly and may be set up in the vicinity of the drilling tower as a closed unit. After the units are thus set up, .one end of each outer transmission means is connected with a pump, with the interposition of a clutch in the connection, while the other end of each end transmission is connected with the intermediate transmission means also with the interposition of a clutch. In an arrangement such as that of FIG. 2, the additional driving unit shown at the left of FIG. 2 is, of course, connected with neighboring pumps.

With the arrangement of the invention it is possible to arrange the driving units and pumps in a single row which extends transversely to the longitudinal axes of the driving motors so that any desired number of driving units and pumps may be arranged close to each other in such a row to provide any desired enlargement of the installation in a simple, quick, convenient fashion, when because of special circumstances an increased power output is required or when because of a particularly great depth of the well a relatively large amount of material must be pumped.

By providing the driving units with torque converters, the slight unavoidable variations in the speed of rotation in the several driving motors are easily compensated while at the same time the several driving units can be connected directly together or with each other through the intermediate transmission means. The articulated shafts which interconnect the several components of the installation automatically compensate for differences in elevation of the several components or differences in horizontal positioning of the components.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find "a useful application in other types of drill installations difiering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in well drilling installations, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims. 7

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, in combination, an intermediate transmission means and a pair of outer transmission means, said intermediate transmission means being adapted to transmit a drive to devices such as a raising means, a rotary drill table, and the like, for driving the same; a pair of detachable connecting means respectively detachably connecting said pair of outer transmission means to said'intermediate transmission means for transmitting drives respectively from said pair of outer transmission means to said intermediate transmission means while rendering said pair of outer transmission means optionally detachable from said intermediate transmission means; a pair of driving motors respectively connected operatively with said pair of outer transmission means for driving the same and for transmitting therethrough a drive to said intermediate'transmission means when the latter is connected with said pair of outer transmission means, said pair of outer transmission means respectively forming units with said pair 'of driving motors so that said pair of units are separable from said intermediate transmission means; a pair of pump means respectively located adjacent said pair of driving motors; and a second pair of detachable connecting means detachably connecting said pair of outer transmission means respectively to said pair of pump means for transmitting drives respectively from said pair of outer transmission means to said pair of pump means while render ing the latter disconnectable from said pair of outer transmission means so that said pump means also form separate units separable from the units formed by said driving motors and pair of outer transmission means.

2. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, in combination, an intermediate transmission means and a pair of outer transmission means, said intermediate transmission means being adapted to transmit a drive to devices such as a raising means, a rotary drill table, and the like, for driving the same; a pair of detachable connecting means respectively detachably connecting said pair of outer transmission means to said intermediate transmission means for transmitting drives respectively from said pair of outer transmission means to said intermediate transmission means while rendering said pair of outer transmission means optionally detachable from said intermediate transmission means; a pair of driving motors respectively connected operatively with said pair of outer transmission means for driving the same and for transmitting therethrough a drive to said intermediate transmission means when the latter is connected with said pair of outer transmission means, said pair of outer transmission means respectively forming units with said pair of driving motors so that said pair of units are separable from said intermediate transmission means; a pair of pump means respectively located adjacent said pair of driving motors; a second pair of detachable connecting means detachably connecting said pair of outer trans-- mission means respectively to said pair of pump means for transmitting drives respectively from said pair of outer transmission means to said pair of pump means while rendering the latter disconnectable from said pair of outer transmission means so that said pump means also form separate units separable from the units formed by said driving motors and pair of outer transmission means; and a plurality of clutch means respectively located at said first-mentioned pair of detachable connecting means between said intermediate transmission means and said pair of outer transmission means as well as between said pair of outer transmission means and said pair of pump means,

respectively, for optionally connecting the drives from the driving motors to the pump means and intermediate transmission means in a manner enabling either driving motor to operate only one pump or enabling either driving motor to operate both pumps and the intermediate transmission means while the other driving motor is idle.

3. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, in combination, a pair of outer gear transmission means and an intermediate transmission means located between said pair of outer gear transmission means; a pair of drive means including each a driving motor and a torque converter located adjacent to and operatively connected to said pair of outer gear transmission means, respectively, for driving the same; a common base frame for mounting each of said drive means and the outer gear transmission means connected thereto so that said drive means and the pair of outer gear transmission means re- 4. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, in combination, a pair of outer transmission means and an intermediate transmission means located between said pair of outer transmission means, each of said outer transmission means including a transmission shaft, a pair of bevel gears turnably mounted on said transmission shaft, and coupling means for selectively coupling said bevel gears with said transmission shaft; driving motor arranged adjacent each of said pair of outer transmission means, having each a drive shaft; a bevel gear mounted on the drive shaft of each driving motor and meshing with said pair of bevel gears of the outer transmission means adjacent thereto, said driving motors and the pair of outer transmission means respectively connected therewith forming a pair of units separate from said intermediate transmission means; at least one pair of clutch means respectively located between said transmission shafts and said intermediate transmission means for connecting or disconnecting said intermediate transmission to and from said pair of outer transmission means, respectively; and a pair of mud pumps operatively connected to said pair of outer transmission means, respectively.

5. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, in combination, an intermediate transmission means; a plurality of driving means arranged in two rows each respectively at opposite sides of said intermediate transmission means, each of said rows including an inner driving unit located adjacent said intermediate transmission means and an outer driving unit located distant from said intermediate transmission means; clutch means located between each of said inner driving units and said intermediate transmission means for connecting and disconnecting said inner driving units with said intermediate transmission means; clutch means located between the driving units in each row for connecting and disconnecting said driving units; and means for connecting the outer driving units of said rows with a pair of mud pumps, respectively, for driving the same.

6. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, in combination, an intermediate transmission means; a plurality of driving means arranged in a row at each side of said inter-mediate transmission means, each of said rows including an inner driving unit located adjacent said intermediate transmission means and an outer driving unit located distant from said intermediate trans- 13 a mission means; a clutch means located between each of said inner units and said intermediate transmission means for connecting and disconnecting said inner driving units with said intermediate transmission means; clutch means located between the driving units in each row for connecting and disconnecting said driving units; a pair of mud pumps located between said inner units; and means for connecting said inner units to said mud pumps, respectively, so that said mud pumps maybe driven by said inner units.

7. In a drilling installation, for drilling wells and the like, in combination, inter-mediate transmission means adapted to be connected with devices such as a raising means, a rotary drill table, and the like, for transmitting a drive thereto; a pair of outer transmission means; a pair of detachable connecting means detachably connecting said pair of outer transmission means to said intermediate transmission means so that a pair of drives may be transmitted to the latter from said pair of outer transmission means when the latter are connected to said intermediate transmission means; a pair of groups of driving motors respectively connected operatively with said pair of outer transmission means for transmitting a drive thereto; and at least one pair of mud pumps located beside each other adjacent one of said groups of driving motors and operatively connected with at least one of said outer transmission means to be driven thereby optionally from any one of or from any combination of all of said driving motors.

8. In a drilling installation, in combination, intermediate transmission means for transmitting a drive to devices such as a rotary drill table or the like; a pair of outer transmission means; a pair of detachable connecting means detachably connecting said pair of outer transmission means to said intermediate transmission means for transmitting a drive to the latter while rendering said pair of outer transmission means separable from said intermediate transmission means; two groups of motors respectively connected operatively to said pair of outer transmission means for driving the latter; a plurality of mud pumps equal in number to the number of motors which constitute each group and located adjacent each group; and a plurality of detachable connecting means respectively connecting said pair of outer transmission means to said plurality of mud pumps for transmitting to the latter drives from said motors, some of the latter plurality of detachable connecting means including single shafts and others including shafts composed of a number of parts.

9. In a drilling installation, in combination, a plurality of units each composed of a driving motor, a torque converter fixed to the output end of the driving motor and driven thereby, and a bevel gear transmission connected to the output end of the torque converter to be driven by the latter, as well as a clutch means for optionally placing the bevel gear transmission into or out of driving connection with the torque converter so that the motor and converter of each unit may be optionally connected to or disconnected from the bevel gear transmission of each unit, said plurality of units being divided into two groups which are spaced from each other with the units of each group located adjacent each other; detacha-ble connecting means interconnecting the bevel gear transmissions of the units of each group; a plurality of mud pumps equal in number to the number of units of each group and located adjacent each group on one side thereof closely adjacent to each other; a plurality of detachable connecting means respectively connecting the bevel gear transmissions of the units of each group to the plurality of mud pumps located adjacent each group for transmitting a drive to the mud pumps; intermediate transmission means located between the groups of units and adapted to transmit a drive to devices such as a rotary drilling table; and a pair of detachable conuecting means detachably connecting said intermediate transmission means to the bevel gear transmissions of those units of the two groups which are nearest to the intermediate transmission means.

10. In a drilling installation, in combination, a plurality of units each including a driving motor and a gear transmission operatively connected thereto to be driven thereby, said units being arranged in a pair of groups with the several units of each group located adjacent each other; a shaft and plurality of universal joints interconnecting the transmissions of each pair of adjacent units of each group; an intermediate transmission means for transmitting a drive to a device such as a rotary drilling table; detachable connecting means detachably connecting the transmission of the pair of units which are nearest to the intermediate transmission means to the latter for transmitting a drive thereto; and a plurality of mud pumps respectively arranged in groups located adjacent the groups of units and respectively connected operatively to the plurality of units to'be driven thereby.

. 11. In a drilling installation, in combination, a pair of units each including a driving motor and a gear transmissions means operatively connected thereto and having a shaft driven by the driving motor of the respective unit, said pair of units being located beside each other; articulated shaft means extending between said driven shafts of said gear transmission means of said units and including a clutch means for optionally placing said gear transmission means in driving engagement with each other; an additional transmission means operatively connected to one of the gear transmission means of said units to be driven from the latter; and a mud pump operatively connected to said additional transmission means to be driven from the latter.

12. In a drilling installation or the like, in combination, a driving motor; a gear box mounted on a common base with said driving motor; a first gear transmission means in said gear box and having a first shaft driven by said driving motor; a second shaft mounted in said gear box for rotation about its axis; a second gear transmission means in said gear box for driving said second shaft from said first shaft; a pump; articulated shaft means detachably connecting the pump to said second shaft to be driven from the latter; and clutch means located between said first and said second transmission means for optionally placing the pair of transmission means into or out of driving connection with each other.

13. In a drilling installation, in combination, intermediate transmission means for transmitting a drive to a device such as a rotary drilling table or the like; a pair of elongated drives respectively connected to and extending in opposite directions from said intermediate transmission means, each of said elongated drives including a pair of gear transmissions located one behind the other along each elongated drive so that one of the pair of transmissions of each drive is located nearer to said intermediate transmission means than the other; a plurality of driving motors respectively connected operatively to said gear transmissions for driving the same and respectively forming units therewith; a pair of mud pumps located adjacent each of said drives; detachable connecting means detachably connecting the pair of gear transmissions of each drive to the pair of mud pumps located adjacent the same; and a plurality of clutch means operatively connected with said gear transmissions for optionally connecting any one or any combination of the driving motors to the intermediate transmissions means as Well as to any one or any combination of the plurality of mud pumps.

14. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, in combination, elongated shaft means including an intermediate shaft portion, a pair of outer shaft portions, a pair of universal joints respectively connecting said intermediate shaft portion to said outer shaft portions and a pair of coupling means respectively located between said universal joints and said intermediate shaft 15 portion for coupling and uncoupling said intermediate shaft portion to said outer shaft portions, respectively, said intermediate shaft portion forming part of an intermediate transmission means adapted to transmit a drive to devices such as raising means, a rotary drill table, and the like, for driving the same; a pair of outer transmission means having each a shaft extending substantially in the same direction as said elongated shaft means; an additional pair of universal joints respectively connecting said shafts of said pair of outer transmission means to said pair of outer shaft portions of said elongated shaft means; a pair of driving motors respectively operatively connected with said pair of outer transmission means for driving the same and for transmitting therethrough a drive to said intermediate shaft portion when the latter is connected to said outer shaft portions of said elongated shaft means, said pair of outer transmission means respectively forming units with said pair of driving motors so that said pair of units are separable from said intermediate transmission means; a pair of pump means respectively located adjacent said pair of driving motors; and a pair of detach-able connecting means detachably connecting said pair of outer transmission means respectively to said pair of pump'means for transmitting drives respectively from said pair of outer-transmission means to' said pair of pump means While rendering the latter disconnectable from said pair of outer transmission means so that said pump means also form separate units separable from the units formed by said driving motors and said pair of outer transmission means. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS :Great Britain Mar. 7, 1956

Claims

1. IN A DRILLING INSTALLATION FOR DRILLING WELLS AND THE LIKE, IN COMBINATION, AN INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS AND A PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS, SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO TRANSMIT A DRIVE TO DEVICES SUCH AS A RAISING MEANS, A ROTARY DRILL TABLE, AND THE LIKE, FOR DRIVING THE SAME; A PAIR OF DETACHABLE CONNECTING MEANS RESPECTIVELY DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS TO SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING DRIVES RESPECTIVELY FROM SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS TO SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS WHILE RENDERING SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS OPTIONALLY DETACHABLE FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS; A PAIR OF DRIVING MOTORS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED OPERATIVELY WITH SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS FOR DRIVING THE SAME AND FOR TRANSMITTING THERETHROUGH A DRIVE TO SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS WHEN THE LATTER IS CONNECTED WITH SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS, SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS RESPECTIVELY FORMING UNITS WITH SAID PAIR OF DRIVING MOTORS SO THAT SAID PAIR OF UNITS ARE SEPARABLE FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS; A PAIR OF PUMP MEANS RESPECTIVELY LOCATED ADJACENT SAID PAIR OF DRIVING MOTORS; AND A SECOND PAIR OF DETACHABLE CONNECTING MEANS DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS RESPECTIVELY TO SAID PAIR OF PUMP MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING DRIVES RESPECTIVELY FROM SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS TO SAID PAIR OF PUMP MEANS WHILE RENDERING THE LATTER DISCONNECTABLE FROM SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS SO THAT SAID PUMP MEANS ALSO FORM SEPARATE UNITS SEPARABLE FROM THE UNITS FORMED BY SAID DRIVING MOTORS AND PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS.