US3279842A

US3279842A - Pipe elevator

Info

Publication number: US3279842A
Application number: US434280A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy F Wilcox
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-02-23
Filing date: 1965-02-23
Publication date: 1966-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-18

Description

Oct. 18, 1966 R. F. WILCOX PIPE ELEVATOR Filed Feb. 23, 1965 IN VEN TOR.

ROY F. WILCOX R IM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,279,842 PIPE ELEVATOR Roy F. Wilcox, Rte. 4, McCook, Nebr. Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,280 3 Claims. (Cl. 294-90) This invention relates to an elevator device for cylindrical pipe, particularly adapted for use in the repairing of wells, both in pulling pipes and in lowering or replacing pipes.

In the operations of pulling and replacing cylindrical pipes in wells, three primary tools are required. There is a power source located above the pipe, a pipe elevator connecting the power source to the pipe, and a guide support device for the pipe located along the well opening. While this invention relates to a similar general environment, the actual invention is a simple and extremely adaptable pipe elevator for connecting the power source to the vertical pipe.

, It is an object of the present invention to provide a pipe elevator device that may be readily applied about a vertical pipe whether ornot the vertical pipe is provided with a terminal coupling device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pipe elevator device that will engage a vertical pipe with equal facility both in lower abutment with a terminal coupling device and anywhere along the length of the pipe.

It is yet another object to provide a pipe elevator device that may be adjusted for pipes of different sizes and which has a removable section to facilitate application, from a sideward direction, about various cross-sectional shapes and sizes of pipes.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pipe elevator device that is economical to manufacture and repair utilizing readily available simple parts.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like numbers indicate like parts in the several views, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the pipe elevator device of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the pipe elevator.

FIGURE '3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2. A vertical pipe indicated in phantom line is shown engaged by the pipe elevator device both in lower abutment with terminal pipe coupling and alternatively along the length of the pipe.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

The pipe elevator device of the present invention comprises an elongate frame 11 comprising a pair of parallel

elongate bars

12 and 13 rigidly spaced apart by means of integral

transverse cross-bars

14 and 15, so as to provide a longitudinal slot 16 through elongate frame 11. Integral cross-bar 14 is located nearer to the upper first end 17 of frame '11 while integral crossbar is located nearer to the lower second end 18 of frame 11. A lug 19 located between

elongate bars

12 and 13 is attached to said frame bars near the first end 17 of frame 11; lug 19 is provided with a transverse perforation 20. Frame 11 should be transversely rigid and bow free; therefore, unless

bars

12 and 13 are of heavy gauge material, additional cross-bars between 14 and 15 should be employed.

"ice

A collar member 30 comprises a clevis 31 disposed forwardly and transversely of frame 11 and an integral elongate shank 32 extending rearwardly through slot 16 and terminating near second end 18 of frame 11. The terminal portion of shank 32 is provided with transverse perforation 46. Collar member 30 is pivotably attached to frame 11 nearer to second end 18 by means of a transverse pivot pin, herein as a headed bolt 33 threadedly engaged with

parallel bars

12 and 13, passing through a non-threaded perforation in elongate shank 32.

The clevis forward portion 31 of collar member 30 comprises a pair of

arms

34 and 35 disposed in a U- shaped relationship. That U-shaped surface of clevis 31 located nearer to frame first end 17 is a planar table side 36. The two

respective arms

34 and 35 of clevis 31 are provided with two linearly aligned passages, one in each arm. A transverse stop pin 37 of non-circular cross-sectional shape, herein as rectangular, slidably passes through the aligned passages so as to be removably attached across the forward opening of said clevis. A sleeve 38 of non-circular internal cross-sectional shape slidably surrounds stop pin 37 between

clevis arms

34 and 35 so as to be rotationally fixed with respect to the surrounded stop pin.

There are means to maintain transverse stop pin 37 within the two aligned passages in

clevis arms

34 and 35. Preferably such means may take the form of a rearward notch 39 near the leading end 41 of stop pin 37 together with a restraining plate 42 pivotably attached transversely of arm 35; restraining plate 42 pivots into engagement with rearward notch 39 of stop pin 37.

Non-rigid linking means, herein as multi-link chain 43, are used to prevent loss of stop pin 37 from frame 11. Preferably chain 43 is attached between the perforate trailing end 44 of stop pin 37 and perforate car 45 attached along frame bar 13 near second end 18.

There is a trio of transverse perforations through frame 11, said group of three linearly aligned perforations being located between transverse pivot point 33 and frame first end 17. At least the two terminal perforations of the trio are threaded in

elongate bars

12 and 13. The spacing, between the medial perforation and the respective terminal perforations are equal. A locking-bar 50, as a rigid rectangular strip of metal, is positioned within the longitudinal slot 16 of elongate frame 11. Locking-bar 50 is provided with two transverse perforations, the spacing of which is equal to that for the trio perforations of the elongate frame. At least one of the two perforations in locking bar 50 is non-threaded.

Locking-bar 50 within longitudinal slot 16 is attached in a normally pivotal fashion to frame 11 'by means of central pivot pin 51, herein as a threaded bolt, said bolt 51 being in threaded engagement with the medial threaded perforation of the frames trio of perforations, said bolt 51 also passing through the non-threaded perforation of locking-bar 50. One of the two threaded terminal perforations of the frames trio perforations carries a threaded bolt 52 to provide means for rotationally fixing the normally pivotal locking-bar 50 longitudinally within the longitudinal slot 16 of elongate frame 11. The length of locking-bar 50 should be such so that, when inthe downward posit-ion (shown as solid line in FIGURE 3), bar 50 will longitudinally bear against collar member elongate shank 32 and limit the pivotal motion of clevis table side 36 toward frame second end 18 to a position whereby table side 36 is substantially perpendicular to the elongate frame longitudinal axis. Threaded bolt 52, in threaded engagement with the lower terminal perforation of the frame s threaded trio and in threaded engagement with a threaded perforation of locking-bar 50, maintains bar 50 in a longitudinal position bearing against elongate shank 32.

There are means, preferably abutment means, to limit the pivotal motion of the collar member clevis 31 toward the elongate frame first end 17 to a position whereby the clevis table side 36 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate frame 11. Such abutment means may be the forward surface 55 of shank 32 abutting against cross-bar 15, or rearward surface 54 of clevis 31 abutting against the forward side of

elongate bars

12 and 13, or both.

Operation of the pipe elevator device 10, which can be used in both pulling and replacing cylindrical well pipe, is best indicated in FIGURE 3 and is as follows. The cylindrical pipe 61 and an integral coupling 62 therefor are shown in phantom line in FIGURE 3, said pipe and integral coupling forming merely an environment for the elevator device 10. The cylindrical pipe 61 must be securely engaged by means of clevis 31 at a point beneath its integral coupling 62. Clevis 31 is so engaged by first removing transverse stop pin 37 from its slidably removable engagement across the forward opening of clevis 31, then partially surrounding pipe 61 with clevis 31, and then slidably replacing stop pin 37 so that pipe 61 is completely surrounded by clevis 31 and stop pin 3'7. Cylindrical pipes of smaller diameters require the sleeve-type adapter 38 that slidably surrounds stop pin 37, said adapter being rotationally fixed with respect thereto.

Pipe elevator device 10, whether used for pulling or lowering e.g. replacing, cylindrical well pipe, is itself supported with a vertical cable 57, shown in phantom line, that is securely tied to the upper first end 18 of frame 11 through transverse perforation 20. Vertical cable 57 is the lower terminus of a power source for raising and lowering cylindrical well pipe; most commonly a block-andtackle arrangement, vertically supported from a tower e.g. a windmill-type tower, is used for such a power source.

That desirable situation where the block-and-tackle supporting tower is of sufiicient height so that pipe 61 can 'be engaged directly beneath its terminal coupling 62 is indicated in FIGURE 3 with the collar member 30 and the locking-bar 50 being shown in solid line. In this situation the collar member 30 is rotationally fixed about its transverse pivot point 33 so that the table side 36 of clevis 31 is fixed substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of elongate frame 11. Specifically, table side 36 is so perpendicularly fixed through the combination of locking bar 50 and the abutment means. Lockingbar 50 is pivoted about bolt 51 and is rotationally fixed in the downward position with threaded bolt 52 passing through the lower threaded perforation of the frames perforation trio and through a second perforation of locking-bar 50. The downward length of locking-bar 50 is such that bar 50 will longitudinally bear against collar member elongate shank 32 and limit the pivotal motion of table side 36 toward frame second end 18 to a position whereby table side 36 is substantially perpendicular to the elongate frame longitudinal axis. As previously mentioned, the abutment means inherently limit the pivotal motion of table side 36 toward frame first end 17 to a position whereby table side 36 is substantially perpendicular to the elongate frame longitudinal axis.

That lesser desirable alternate situation where the block-and-tackle supporting tower is of a lower height than the length of pipe to be elevated and wherein the pipe 61 must therefore be engaged at several incremental positions along the cylindrical length thereof is indicated in FIGURE 3, with collar member 30 and locking-bar 50 being shown in phantom line. In this alternate situation collar member 30 must be free to pivot about its transverse pivot point 33 toward frame second end 18', thus, locking-bar 50 is rotationally fixed in its phantom line upwards position, by utilizing a threaded bolt within the upward threaded perforation 53 of the frames perforation trio, so that locking-bar 58 does not interefere with the pivotal motion of elongate shank 32. As clevis 31 freely pivots so as to become oblique with the longitudinal axis of cylindrical pipe 61, the operator manually pulls vertically upon non-rigid handle means, herein as a flexible rope 47 tied securely through shank rearward perforation 46; in so pulling upon rope 47 the oblique clevis 31 and stop pin 37 become frictionally engaged with the cylindrical sidewall of pipe 61. When the power source has assumed its full travel within the tower and it is therefore necessary to assume a new incremental position of engagement along the pipe sidewall, rope 47 is pulledtin an oblique horizontal direction so as to release the original clevis and stop pin engagement with pipe 61. Then, while pipe 61 is being held by a conventional guide-support (not shown) located along the ground, the vertical cable 57 and now freely slidable clevis 31 are moved to a new position alongside pipe 61, and rope 47 is again pulled vertically so that oblique clevis 31 and stop pin 37 become again frictionally engaged with the cylindrical sidewall of pipe 61. In this manner, clevis 31 can be repeatedly engaged at selected new positions along pipe 61.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the pipe elevator will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pipe elevator device adapted to securely engage a cylindrical elongate vertical pipe along the cylindrical length thereof including directly beneath a coupling integrally connected to the upper end of said vertical pipe, said pipe elevator device comprising:

(A) An elongate frame having a longitudinal slot therethrough, a first end of said elongate frame being provided with a transverse perforation therethrough,

(B) A collar member comprising a U-shaped clevis forward portion and an integrally connected elongate shank rearward portion, said clevis forward portion hazing a table side nearer to the elongate frame first en (i) A transverse stop pin removably attached across the forward opening of said clevis,

(ii) The elongate shank of said collar member being positioned within the longitudinal slot of the elongate frame and being pivotably attached thereto by means of a transverse pivot pin passing through the elongate frame and the collar member elongate shank, said elongate shank extending rearwar-dly of the elongate frame and towards the second end of said elongate frame, said elongate shank being transversely perforate,

(C) A locking-bar positioned within the longitudinal slot of the elongate frame and being normally pivotably attached thereto by means of a transverse pivot pin passing into the elongate frame and said locking-bar, said pivotal locking-bar being adapted to longitudinally bear against the collar member so as to limit the pivotal motion of the collar member clevis toward the elongate frame second end to a position whereby the clevis treble side is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate frame, and means to rotationally fix said normally pivotal locking-bar longitudinally within the elongate frame, and Y (D) Means to limit the pivotal motion of the collar member clevis toward the elongate frame first end to a position whereby the clevis table side is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate frame. i

2. A pipe elevator device comprising:

(A) An elongate frame comprising a pair of elongate bars rigidly spaced apart in substantially parallel relationship to provide a longitudinal slot through said elongate frame,

(B) A lug attached near a first end of said elongate frame, said lug having a transverse perforation therethrough,

(C) A collar member comprising a U-shaped clevis forward position and an integrally connected elongate shank rearward portion, said clevis forward portion having a table side nearer to the elongate frame first end.

(i) The two respective arms of said U-shaped clevis being provided with linearly aligned transverse passages therethrough, said transverse passages being located near the forward opening of said clevis, a transverse stop pin slidably passing through said aligned transverse passages, means to maintain said transverse stop pin within said aligned transverse passages, a sleeve slidably surrounding the stop pin between the two clevis arms said sleeve being rotationally fixed with respect to the surrounded stop pin, and non-rigid linking means connected to a trailing end of the stop pin and the elongate frame,

(ii) The elongate shank of said collar member being poistioned within the longitudinal slot of the elongate frame and being pivotably attached thereto by means of a transverse pivot pin passing through the elongate frame and the collar member elongate shank, said elongate shank extending rearwardly of the elongate frame and towards the second end of the elongate frame, said elongate shank being transversely perforate near the second end of the elongate frame,

(D) A normally pivotal locking-bar positioned within the elongate slot of the elongate frame and being pivotably attached thereto by means of a transverse pivot pin passing through the elongate frame and said locking bar, said pivotal locking-bar being adapted to longitudinally bear against the collar member elongate shank so as to limit the pivotal motion of the collar member clevis toward the elongate frame second end to a position whereby the clevis table side is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate frame, and means to rotationally fix said normally pivotal locking bar longitudinally within the elongate frame, and

(E) Abutment means for the collar member on the elongate frame to limit the pivotal motion of the collar member clevis toward the elongate frame first end to a position whereby the clevis table side is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate frame.

3. A pipe elevator device comprising:

(A) An elongate frame comprising a pair of elongate bars rigidly spaced apart in substantially parallel relationship to provide a longitudinal slot through said elongate frame, said elongate frame having a trio of substantially linearly aligned and equally spaced transverse perforations therethrough along the longitudinal length thereof, the two terminal transverse performations of the trio being threaded,

(B) A lug attached between said elongate bars near a first end of said elongate frame, said lug having a transverse perforation therethrough,

(C) A collar member comprising a U-shaped clevis forward portion and an integrally connected elongate shank rearward portion, said clevis forward portion having a planar table side nearer to the elongate frame first end,

(i) The two respective arms of said U-shaped clevis being provided With linearly aligned transverse passages near the forward opening of said clevis, a transverse stop pin of non-circular cross-sectional shape slideably passing through said transverse passages, a sleeve of non-circular internal cross-sectional shape slidably surrounding the stop-pin between the two clevis arms, said stop pin being rearwardly notched near the leading end thereof, a restraining plate pivotably attached to one side of the U-shaped clevis, said restraining plate being adapted to pivot into engagement with a leading end rearward notch of the transverse stop pin so as to maintain said stop pin within the aligned transverse passages, and a chain connected between the stop pin trailing end and the elongate frame,

(ii) The elongate shank of said collar member being positioned within the longitudinal slot of the elongate frame and being pivotably attached nearer to the frame second end by means of a transverse pivot pin passing through the elongate frame and the collar member elongate shank, said elongate shank extending rearwardly of the elongate frame towards the second end thereof, said elongate frame being transversely perforate near the second end of the elongate frame, a non-rigid handle means attached to the shank perforate portion,

(D) A rectangular locking-bar positioned with the longitudinal slot of the elongate frame between the collar member and the elongate frame first end by means of a transverse pivot pin passing through the medial of said trio perforations and a non-threaded perforation of said locking bar, said normally pivotal locking bar being adapted to longitudinally bear against the collar member elongate shank so as to limit the pivotal motion of the collar member clevis toward the elongate frame second end to a position whereby the clevis planar table side is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate frame, and a threaded bolt passing through at least one of the two threaded terminal perforations of said trio and through a locking-bar perforation so as to rotationally fix said normally pivotal locking-bar longitudinally within the elongate frame, and

(E) Abutment means for the collar member on the elongate frame to limit the pivotal motion of the collar member clevis toward the elongate frame first end to a position whereby the clevis planar table side is substantially perpendicular to the elongate frame longitudinal axis.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,108,732 2/1912 Viger. 1,503,588 8/ 1924 Johnson. 2,067,372 l/ 1937 Andrews.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner. C. SPADERNA, Assistant Examiner,

Claims

1. A PIPE ELEVATOR DEVICE ADAPTED TO SECURELY ENGAGE A CYLINDRICAL ELONGATE VERTICAL PIPE ALONG THE CYLINDRICAL LENGTH THEREOF INCLUDING DIRECTLY BENEATH A COUPLING INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID VERTICAL PIPE, SAID PIPE ELEVATOR DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATE FRAME HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SLOT THERETHROUGH, A FIRST END OF SAID ELONGATE FRAME BEING PROVIDED WITH A TRANSVERSE PERFORATION THERETHROUGH, (B) A COLLAR MEMBER COMPRISING A U-SHAPED CLEVIS FORWARD PORTION AND AN INTEGRALLY CONNECTED ELONGATE SHANK REARWARD PORTION, SAID CLEVIS FORWARD PORTION HAVING A TABLE SIDE NEARER TO THE ELONGATE FRAME FIRST END (I) A TRANSVERSE STOP PIN REMOVABLY ATTACHED ACROSS THE FORWARD OPENING OF SAID CLEVIS, (II) THE ELONGATE SHANK OF SAID COLLAR MEMBER BEING POSITIONED WITHIN THE LONGITUDINAL SLOT OF THE ELONGATE FRAME AND BEING PIVOTABLY ATTACHED THERETO BY MEANS OF A TRANSVERSE PIVOT PIN PASSING THROUGH THE ELONGATE FRAME AND THE COLLAR MEMBER ELONGATE SHANK, SAID ELONGATE SHANK EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF THE ELONGATE FRAME AND TOWARDS THE SECOND END OF SAID ELONGATE FRAME, SAID ELONGATE SHANK BEING TRANSVERSELY PERFORATE, (C) A LOCKING-BAR POSITIONED WITHIN THE LONGITUDINAL SLOT OF THE ELONGATE FRAME AND BEING NORMALLY PIVOTABLY ATTACHED THERETO BY MEANS OF A TRANSVERSE PIVOT PIN PASSING INTO THE ELONGATE FRAME AND SAID LOCKING-BAR, SAID PIVOTAL LOCKING-BAR BEING ADAPTED TO LONGITUDINALLY BEAR AGAINST THE COLLAR MEMBER SO AS TO LIMIT THE PIVOTAL MOTION OF THE COLLAR MEMBER CLEVIS TOWARD THE ELONGATE FRAME SECOND END TO A POSITION WHEREBY THE CLEVIS TABLE SIDE IS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE ELONGATE FRAME, AND MEANS TO ROTATIONALLY FIX SAID NORMALLY PIVOTAL LOCKING-BAR LONGITUDINALLY WITHIN THE ELONGATE FRAME, AND (D) MEANS TO LIMIT THE PIVOTAL MOTION OF THE COLLAR MEMBER CLEVIS TOWARD THE ELONGATE FRAME FIRST END TO A POSITION WHEREBY THE CLEVIS TABLE SIDE IS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE ELONGATE FRAME.