Cable Spooling Guide

Abstract

A guide for paying out and feeding in a cable relative to a cable drum includes a pulley mounted on a ball for axial rotation and for limited pivotal movement on an axis disposed perpendicular to said axis of rotation, the ball being mounted on a shaft for reciprocative movement along the latter substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the cable drum, whereby the pulley guides the cable as the latter spools spirally relative to the axial direction of the frum.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the operation of cable drums, and more particularly to novel means by which to guide the paying out and feeding in of a cable spirally relative to a cable drum.

Cable spooling guides of the general class described have been provided heretofore. However, they are characterized by complex and costly constructions, by requiring extensive modification of standard equipment for incorporation therewith, by inability to deliver cable properly to the extreme ends of the drum, and by causing excessive chafing of the cable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its basic concept, the cable spooling guide of this invention involves the mounting of a cable guide pulley on a ball for axial rotation and for limited pivotal movement on an axis substantially perpendicular to said rotation axis, and mounting the ball of a shaft for reciprocating movement along the latter substantially parallel to the rotation axis of a cable drum.

It is by virtue of the foregoing basic concept that the principal objective of this invention is achieved; namely, to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of prior cable spooling guides.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a cable spooling guide of the class described which is operable automatically, without operator assistance, to spool cable over the entire length of a drum with minimum chafing.

A further important object of this invention is the provision of a cable spooling guide of the class described which is versatile in its applicability to a wide variety of types of cable drum equipment, with minimum modification of the latter.

Still another important object of this invention is the provision of a cable spooling guide of the class described which is of simplified construction for economical manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing of a preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of well drilling apparatus showing associated therewith a cable spooling guide embodying the features of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, as viewed from the right in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For purposes merely of illustration, FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing illustrate somewhat schematically a portion of well drilling apparatus with which the cable spooling guide of this invention may be incorporated. The apparatus includes a hollow box-like frame comprising laterally spaced frame members 10, 12 and end frame member 14. A V-shaped spudding beam 16 is supported at its spaced ends pivotally on the side frame members by pivot shafts 18, and is adjustable angularly by a strut 20. A spudding sheave 22 is mounted rotatably at the apex of the spudding beam to guide a cable 24 extending downwardly from a derrick (not shown) to a powered cable drum 26 supported between the side frame members for rotation on the axis of the end shafts 28.

As is well known, the cable is wrapped spirally on the drum and is paid out therefrom and fed in thereto in spiral manner by powered rotation of the drum. The cable spooling guide of this invention functions to achieve such spooling automatically, without operator assistance, and with minimum chafing and wear of the cable.

In accordance with this invention, a support shaft 30 is mounted at its opposite ends on standards 32 projecting upward from the side frame members, disposing the longitudinal axis of the shaft substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the drum. The shaft preferably is secured to the standards, by releasable clamps, keys, or other suitable means, to prevent its axial rotation.

A ball member 34 is provided with a diametric bore through which the shaft 30 is freely received, to allow reciprocative movement of the ball member along the length of the shaft. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the ball member is restrained from axial rotation relative to the shaft, by means of an elongated key 36 on the shaft registering with a key-way in the ball member.

Means is provided for minimizing friction between the ball member and shaft, to maximize freedom of reciprocative movement of the ball member along the length of the shaft. In the embodiment illustrated, such means is provided by a grease fitting 38 (FIG. 3) recessed within the ball member and communicating through an opening with the diametric bore.

A cable guide pulley is mounted on the ball member for axial rotation relative thereto and for limited pivotal movement on an axis disposed substantially perpendicular to said axis of rotation. In the embodiment illustrated, the pulley is formed of two lateral half sections 40 and 42 secured together detachably by means of circumferentially spaced bolts 44. When so joined together, the assembled pulley includes a widened central hub 46 defining an axial bore of spherical zone shape and of an internal diameter substantially the same as the external diameter of the ball member. The widened hub thus provides sufficient surface for retaining the pulley on the ball member.

A grease fitting 48 is mounted in one section of the pulley for communication through an opening therein with the central bore in the pulley, to minimize friction between the pulley hub and ball member.

Means is provided for limiting said pivotal movement of the pulley on an axis disposed perpendicular to the rotational axis of the pulley. In the embodiment illustrated, laterally spaced annular shoulders 50 are provided on the ball member for abutment by the lateral sides of the pulley hub, whereby to define the limits of said pivotal movement. It will be observed from FIG. 3 of the drawing that the effective area of the ball member is a spherical zone defined between the spaced shoulders.

FIG. 1 illustrates in full lines the position of the cable guide pulley adjacent the right end of the shaft 30, as a consequence of the cable 24 being spooled at the far right end of the drum 26. FIG. 1 illustrates in broken lines the central position of the pulley during spooling of cable in the central portion of the drum. FIG. 3 illustrates in broken lines the angular disposition of the pulley on the ball member when the pulley is moved to a position adjacent the left end of the shaft, during spooling of the cable at the far end of the drum.

In operation, as the drum 26 is rotated to spool the cable spirally along its length, the guide pulley assembly is moved automatically along the length of the shaft 30, and the pulley rotates on its axis about the ball member as the cable is paid out from or drawn in upon the drum. During spooling of the cable along the length of the drum, the pulley also pivots on a axis normal to its rotational axis automatically to accommodate the changing angle between the stretches of cable extending to opposite sides of the pulley. In this manner the cable is spooled relative to the drum with maximum precision, minimum chafing and wear of the cable, and without operator attendance.

As explained hereinbefore, it is preferred that the shaft 30 be secured against rotation relative to the frame and that the ball member 34 also be secured against rotation relative to the shaft. However, by minimizing the friction between the ball member and shaft and between the pulley and ball member, as afforded by the grease fittings 38 and 48, the shaft may be mounted for rotation relative to the frame and the ball member may be mounted on the shaft for rotation relative thereto, since the pulley will thus pivot freely on the ball member to assume its proper angular position relative to the cable, while still rotating freely with the longitudinal movement of the cable.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a cable spooling guide of simplified construction for economical manufacture, which is readily adaptable for incorporation with standard cable drum apparatus of various types and sizes, which operates automatically, without operator assistance, to facilitate the spooling of cable with precision and with minimum chafing and wear.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the size, shape, type, number and arrangement of parts described hereinbefore without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Claims

Having now described my invention and the manner in which it may be used, I

1. A cable guide for spooling cable relative to a rotary cable drum, comprising:

a. a shaft adapted to be positioned substantially parallel to the rotational axis of a cable drum,

b. a ball member having a bore therethrough slidably receiving said shaft for mounting the ball thereon for reciprocative movement, and

c. a cable pulley mounted on the ball for axial rotation and for limited pivotal movement on an axis disposed perpendicular to the axis of rotation

2. The cable guide of claim 1 including stop members on the ball member

3. The cable guide of claim 1 wherein the ball member comprises a spherical zone and the cable pulley has an axial bore of spherical zone shape and of a diameter substantially the same as the external diameter of the ball

4. The cable guide of claim 1 wherein the shaft and ball member are secured

5. The cable guide of claim 1 wherein the cable pulley comprises a pair of half sections secured together detachably for removable mounting on the

6. The cable guide of claim 1 wherein the cable pulley comprises a pair of half sections secured together detachably for removable mounting on the ball member, the ball member comprises a spherical zone and the cable pulley has an axial bore of spherical zone shape and of a diameter substantially the same as the external diameter of the ball member, and stop members on the ball member are engageable by the pulley to limit the pivotal movement of the latter.