U.S. patent number 3,921,739 [Application Number 05/510,680] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-25 for walking platform for drilling rigs and other heavy machinery.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Farmer Foundation Company, Hughes Tool Company. Invention is credited to J. C. Owens, Robert N. Rich.
United States Patent |
3,921,739 |
Rich , et al. |
November 25, 1975 |
Walking platform for drilling rigs and other heavy machinery
Abstract
The invention lies in structure and techniques for moving heavy
load-supporting frameworks such as drilling rigs over relatively
short distances. Included are a pair of horizontally slidable
supporting platforms and a plurality of lifting jacks, making it
possible to "walk" the assembly by a sequence of lifting, sliding
and lowering operations.
Inventors: |
Rich; Robert N. (Houston,
TX), Owens; J. C. (Houston, TX) |
Assignee: |
Farmer Foundation Company
(Houston, TX)
Hughes Tool Company (Houston, TX)
|
Family
ID: |
24031728 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/510,680 |
Filed: |
September 30, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
180/8.5;
180/313 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
15/003 (20130101); B62D 57/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62D
57/00 (20060101); E21B 15/00 (20060101); B62D
057/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;180/8C,8R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Friaglia; Leo
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A heavy equipment rig capable of walking between adjacent
working sites, comprising:
a lower base means,
a middle base means,
an upper base means linearly slidable with respect to said middle
base means,
revolving means interconnecting said middle base means with said
lower base means,
actuating means linearly and slidably interconnecting said middle
base means with said upper base means, and
lifting means depending from said upper base means and retractable
above the lower portion of said lower base means.
2. The apparatus described in claim 1, wherein said lifting means
is also extendable below said lower portion of said lower base
means.
3. The apparatus described in claim 2, wherein said revolving means
is mounted on said lower base means for revolvably supporting said
upper base means.
4. The apparatus described in claim 3, wherein said revolving means
includes a turntable mounted on said lower base means and
supporting said middle base means thereabove.
5. The apparatus described in claim 4, wherein said actuator means
includes a fluid-actuating cylinder having one end anchored to one
of said middle and upper base means and a piston means having one
end slidably disposed in said cylinder and having the other end
anchored to the other of said middle and upper base means.
6. The apparatus described in claim 5, wherein said middle base
means further includes a pair of support rail members arranged
side-by-side on said revolving means and longitudinally slidably
engaging said upper base means.
7. The apparatus described in claim 6, wherein said upper base
means further includes a pair of glide rail members aligned with
and slidably engaging said support rail members in said middle base
means.
8. The apparatus described in claim 7, wherein said support rail
members each comprise:
a generally U-shaped bar member having a longitudinal recess along
its upper surface, and
at least one strap member longitudinally secured to said upper
surface of said bar member and partially covering said recess
therein.
9. The apparatus described in claim 8, wherein said glide members
are each slidably disposed in said recesses in said bar members and
are each further provided with a flange portion underriding said
strap member.
10. A method of walking a drilling rig having a drilling platform
with a longitudinal axis from one drilling site to the next,
comprising the steps of:
rotating said drilling platform until its longitudinal axis is
generally aligned to point toward the next drilling site, said
rotating step also rotating the drilling platform relative to a
skid which supports it,
sliding said drilling platform relative to an intermediate platform
which also supports the drilling platform by the use of a linear
actuator having its cylinder secured to one platform and the free
end of its piston rod secured to the other,
raising said rig by the use of jacks resting on the ground and
acting vertically on said drilling platform so that both said
platforms and said skid are raised above the ground,
sliding said intermediate platform and skid, by reverse use of the
linear actuator, to approximately their original positions relative
to the drilling platform, and
lowering said drilling rig by releasing said jacks until the skid
returns to the ground.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention lies broadly in the field of structures which
support very heavy loads, including the drilling platforms which
support earth drilling tools.
More particularly, the invention concerns apparatus and methods for
supporting and moving such structures from one site to another
through relatively short increments of distance.
Since the apparatus moves on feet which are extended to touch the
ground during a movement and are retracted during drilling or other
operations at the sites, it may appropriately be called a walking
platform.
PRIOR ART
Any drill rig or other heavy equipment may be moved by the
time-honored technique of disassembly into small components,
loading the components onto trucks manually or with the aid of
truck-mounted winches, driving the truck to a new location, and
laboriously reassembling the rig. While such techniques are
justified when the move is over a distance of several miles or
more, the present invention is concerned more with techniques for
moving the drill rig through relatively short distances, a matter
of feet rather than miles, as when drilling holes for piling and
the like. The technique used heretofore was to hire a barge-mounted
crane to move the rig, even though it be but a matter of ten feet
or less. Such technique is prohibitively expensive, as the crane
time involves a charge of hundreds or thousands of dollars per
hour, and use of the barge must be scheduled well in advance; if
the barge is not available on short notice when needed, the
drilling rig and its crew may sit idly by, incurring overhead and
labor charges that produce nothing.
The nearest prior art known to applicant is a truck-mounted
drilling rig which makes use of jacks located at the corners of the
truck bed or framework. These jacks are used primarily to prevent
vertical loading of the truck springs and shock absorbers, and are
not used at all in moving the drill rig from one location to
another. Once the jacks are extended to support the drill rig on
such a truck-mounted apparatus, the jacks serve no other function.
If the drilling platform, mast and other equipment must be moved to
another nearby location to drill a second hole, the jacks must be
retracted and the truck driven to such second location. Such a rig
is not truly a walking drill rig, but is rather a drill rig
supported on a mobile platform, specifically the bed of an
automotive vehicle.
While such truck-mounted drill rigs are admirable for their
purposes, they are limited in capacity by the weight-supporting
capacities of the vehicles that may be used to support them. The
present invention is concerned with drill rigs of much greater
capacity, weighing tons or hundreds of tons. Such heavy rigs cannot
be supported by conventional trucks of even the largest capacity,
and their use in such a conventional fashion would require the
design of unusually heavy, very special mobile platforms, probably
so large that they could not be used on most highways and
roads.
SHORT STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
The invention is concerned primarily with supplying automotion to
the working platform of a drilling rig or other rig which includes
heavy mechanized equipment. It employs three platforms or bases
disposed one on top of the other, a lower base or skid, an
intermediate base, and the upper base or working platform. The
lower base or skid sits on the ground, floor or pier; the
intermediate base is supported on the skid so that one mode of
motion is possible between them, either rotation or linear movement
of the intermediate base with respect to the skid; and the upper or
working platform is mounted on the intermediate platform so that
the other mode of motion is possible between them, the drilling
platform either rotating or being linearly movable with respect to
the intermediate platform. A set of lifting jacks are secured to
the working platform to operate below it, being extensible to reach
the ground or other supporting surface and lift the entire weight
of the three platforms off the ground. In fully retracted position,
these jacks are clear of the ground and do not interfere with
drilling or other operations; however, in an intermediate position
they may help the base support the weight of the rig, if
desired.
If the working platform is not headed in the right direction for a
straightaway movement, this structure is operated first by rotating
the working platform until it points in the direction of the next
working site; this direction, of course, is parallel to the
direction of linear motion between two of the platforms. Thereafter
a linear actuator which has opposed ends secured to the pair of
linearly slidable platforms is operated so that the drilling
platform extends forwardly of the skid, carrying the retracted
jacks with it. The next step is to extend the jacks downwardly
until they support the weight of the rig, lifting the intermediate
platform and skid up off the ground. The linear actuator is then
operated in the reverse direction, the result being that the
intermediate platform and skid are brought into their original
positions relative to the drilling platform, directly under it.
Thereafter the jacks are retracted to allow the weight of the rig
to rest on the ground. This cycle is repeated as necessary to bring
the rig to its next operating position, e.g., centering the
drilling mast directly over the hole to be drilled. Fine
adjustments in both linear movement and rotation are possible, of
course, to center the drill string directly over the hole; these
are accomplished without the necessity of another cycle of
walking.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment of the present invention takes the form of
a digger or drilling rig utilizing three horizontal platforms which
are generally disposed one on top of the other, and by a
multiplicity of jacks secured to and depending from the upper or
drilling platform. The bottom platform or skid rests on the ground
or substitute therefor, e.g., a floor or pier. To make the rig
movable from any given location to another, preselected location,
two of the platforms are provided with means whereby the upper of
the two may be moved linearly with respect to the other. In the
appended drawing and in the description thereof, the intermediate
base is pivoted on the lower base or skid, the drilling platform
being linearly movable with respect to the intermediate platform,
but it is to be understood that the opposite type of arrangement is
entirely feasible and lies within the scope of the invention.
As illustrated in the drawing and in the following description, the
apparatus of the invention is employed first by rotating the upper
pair of platforms relative to the skid so that the drilling
platform is pointed in the direction of movement desired, i.e.,
toward the new location to be drilled. This step is unnecessary, of
course, in drilling a series of holes at sites located in a line
directly ahead of the hole already drilled. Having made sure of
circumferential alignment, the next step is to actuate a linear
actuator having its cylinder secured to the drilling platform and
the free end of its piston rod secured to the intermediate platform
(or vice versa) to extend the drilling platform, relative to both
intermediate platform and skid, a distance limited by the stroke of
such piston. The jacks dependent from the drilling platform are
then extended until pads on the ends of the pistons contact the
ground, and they are then further actuated to raise all three
platforms, until the skid is well clear of the supporting surface
on which it had rested.
This leaves the intermediate platform and skid in the same vertical
relationship to the drilling platform as at the start, but they are
in a trailing position from a plan view. Thereafter the linear
actuator connecting the drilling platform to the intermediate
platform is operated in the reverse direction, pulling the
intermediate platform and skid underneath the drilling platform, in
the same position relative thereto as at the start. The final step
is merely one of retracting the four corner jacks until the skid of
the assembly rests on the ground again. The jacks may either be
raised to clear their pads, or they may be used in contact with the
ground, to provide whatever additional drilling support may be
desired from them.
Prior to such final step, while the jacks are still supporting all
three platforms in the air, an extra step may be performed to close
up any angular difference between the starting position of the skid
and its position just before lowering the jacks. In such extra
step, the rotating mechanism may be operated in reverse to rotate
the skid to its circumferential starting position relative to the
upper pair of platforms. This step is optional, as the structure
illustrated is designed for drilling operation when the drilling
platform is disposed at an angle to the skid. However, the entire
structure will be more stable when the platforms are brought back
to the parallel relationship from which they started, as indicated
in the plan view of FIG. 9.
If the described cycle of movement is insufficient to locate the
drill string above the spot where it is desired to form a hole, the
cycle as outlined may be repeated as often as necessary. Both the
rotary means and the linear actuating means may be actuated for
whatever fine adjustments may be necessary to accurately position
the drilling mast; such fine adjustments may be made without
walking the rig, as they are within the reach of the rig in less
than a complete stroke of the linear actuator.
The preferred embodiment is described in greater particular in the
detailed description which follows. It is believed that those
skilled in the art will better appreciate the present invention by
reading such description, together with a scrutiny of the drawing
figures.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
A drawing is enclosed with the present application as an
illustration of the present invention. In such drawing:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of the present
invention disposed at the end of a pier and showing the drilling
mast and associated drilling equipment in phantom, both in
transport position and drilling position.
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the same apparatus with the
drilling mast and associated equipment removed, this figure
representing the first in a series of steps illustrating the
movement of the drill rig from one location to another. In this
figure, all components and elements are shown as they would be at
the completion of a hole-drilling operation, with the exception
that the arrows in the figure symbolize the rotation of the
intermediate platform and upper or drilling platform to point in
the direction of travel necessary to reach the next drilling
site.
FIG. 3 is like FIG. 2 and illustrates the next step, operation of
the linear actuator to slide the drilling platform to the left in
the figure, the intermediate platform and skid remaining fixed.
FIG. 4 is like FIG. 3 and follows thereafter, the change being
extension of the four corner jacks into contact with the ground,
and further operation of the jacks to lift the entire rig
vertically upward, until the skid is no longer supported on the
pier.
FIG. 5 is like FIG. 4 and follows thereafter, the change being a
reverse operation of the linear actuator to move the intermediate
platform and skid to the left in the figure, returning them to
their original positions directly under the drilling platform.
While not illustrated, the one remaining step would be to reverse
the operation of the four corner jacks, retracting them until the
skid rests on the ground once again, this time at a new
location.
FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the same embodiment, showing more
detail of the structure.
FIG. 7 is a view from the lefthand end of FIG. 6, as indicated by
the sectioning lines and arrows thereof marked 7--7.
FIG. 8 is a righthand end view, also taken on FIG. 6, as indicated
by the lines and arrows marked 8--8 thereon.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of the structure of FIG. 6, partially
external and partially in longitudinal section, as indicated by the
lines and arrows marked 9--9 thereon.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged section of a portion of FIG. 8, indicating
the structure making it possible to move the drilling platform
linearly with respect to the intermediate platform.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
FIGS. 1-5 depict a drill rig 5 of the invention disposed adjacent
the end of a pier 2 disposed above a body of water 3. Protruding
upwardly out of the body of water 3 near the end of pier 2 are a
number of tubes 4 supported in the floor of the sea. Holes are to
be drilled downwardly through the earth below the tubes 4, and the
drilling mast or derrick 6 is disposed above the tube 4 closest to
the end of pier 2. It is to be understood that mast 6 supports a
drill string (not shown) having a drill bit 6a secured to its lower
end, and that in each drilling operation the drill bit or auger 6a
and drill string above it will be lowered through tube 4 until it
contacts undrilled earth formations, after which the bit will be
rotated to produce a deeper hole. After drilling such hole to the
required depth, the rotation of the drill string will be stopped,
and the string will be raised until drill bit 6a is returned to the
position shown in FIG. 1. At that time, it will be necessary to
move the mast 6 further to the left in FIG. 1, and to rotate it to
a cocked position so that it can drill the earth below the next
outwardly disposed tube 4, slanting as it does from left to right
and downwardly in FIG. 1. This figure also shows the mast 6 in its
horizontal transport position, together with the associated
equipment 7 carried on drilling platform 10 and used to rotate the
drill string, crowd it into the earth, etc. Since these components,
including the mast, form no part of the present invention, they are
omitted from the other figures and will not be further
described.
FIGS. 1-5 also show the principal components of the present
invention, consisting of drilling platform 10a, intermediate
platform 10b, lower platform or skids 12 and 13, pivot ring or
rotary table 11 between platforms 10b and 13, and the multiplicity
of vertical jacks 8 secured to the drilling platform 10a, of which
two are shown in the figures. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the platforms in
the positions they occupied relative to each other and to the pier
2 at the time of drilling a hole in the first location 4
immediately adjacent the end of the pier 2. FIG. 2 differs from
FIG. 1 only in illustrating the fact that platforms 10a and 10b may
be rotated with respect to skid 13 in the directions indicated by
arrows 25; a plan view looking down on top of the apparatus as
depicted in FIG. 2 would show this rotation to be in the clockwise
direction, although of course the upper and intermediate platforms
may be rotated in the opposite direction if required by the
location of the next drilling site. Rotation is accomplished by
rotating the intermediate base 10b on the pivot ring 11 which joins
it to the skid 13, using actuating and control mechanism of a
conventional nature, not depicted in the drawing.
FIG. 2 also indicates that the upper base 10a supports the cylinder
14 of a linear hydraulic actuator, having a piston 17 whose rod 15
extends to the right in the figures and has fixed on its outer end
an anchor member 16 secured to the intermediate platform 10b. Each
jack 8 includes a mount or block 9 joined to the adjacent end of
drilling platform 10a by a beam 28; mounted in each block 9 is a
hydraulic cylinder from which there protrudes in a downward
direction a piston rod 18 which serves as a leg for movement of the
drilling rig. Each such leg terminates in a ground pad 19. It
should be noted from FIG. 2 that at this time the intermediate
platform is disposed directly beneath the drilling platform 10a,
and that all the jacks 8 are retracted, with the drilling pads on
the ends of piston rods 18 spaced above the pier 2.
In FIG. 3, the piston 17 within cylinder 14 of the linear hydraulic
actuator has moved all the way from left to right. Since the piston
rod is pinned to the intermediate platform 10b, such hydraulic
movement causes the drilling platform 10a to move to the left, from
its relative position in FIG. 2 to its position as indicated in
FIG. 3, such movement being symbolized by the arrow 26. It should
be noted from FIG. 3 that the net result of this step is to move
the upper drilling platform 10a to the left in the figure,
disposing this drilling platform so that it is no longer centered
above the intermediate platform and skid. Movement of the drilling
platform carries with it dependent jacks 8, but the fact that the
beams 28 supporting the trailing jacks 8 are longer than the
similar forward beams 28 prevents these jacks from colliding with
the intermediate platform and skid.
FIG. 4 illustrates the next step, lowering the jacks 8 until they
not only contact the pier 2 but lift the entire rig upwardly from
the surface of the pier, as depicted. Downward movement of the
jacks is symbolized by the arrows 27, and it should also be noted
from this figure that the drilling platform 10a is still displaced
to the left relative to intermediate platform 10b and skid 13.
FIG. 5 illustrates the next step, retraction of the piston and
piston rod 15 to their starting positions. Since the intermediate
platform 10b and skid 13 are still suspended, they are the most
mobile mass in the system, and move to the left to their original
positions relative to the drilling platform 10a directly under it.
This movement is symbolized by the arrow 29 drawn in the middle of
the space occupied by the intermediate platform.
The described set of motions completes a cycle except for a step of
retracting jacks 8 until they permit the skid 13 to rest on the
surface of the pier, after which the jacks may be further retracted
to clear them of any obstructions. Also, prior to retracting the
jacks the skid 12-13 may be rotated to its relative circumferential
starting position. If the location of the hole to be drilled is
still beyond the drilling mast, the cycle of steps may be repeated
as often as necessary to walk the drilling rig to the desired
location. Small adjustments may be made as necessary to move the
components through a partial step to accurately locate the drill
string directly above the hole, and the same is true of rotary
motions. The equipment provided to lower and raise the drilling
mast between the positions indicated in FIG. 1 in phantom also
include means to secure the mast at an angle with respect to the
vertical, so that slanted holes may be drilled through the canted
tubes 4 indicated in FIG. 1.
It is not essential that the chronology of steps as laid out above
be followed exactly. One variant, for instance, would be to extend
the drilling platform linearly before rotating it and the
intermediate platform with respect to the skid. If the exact
distance for the linear movement is known with greater precision
and the angle of rotation, this sequence may actually prove
advantageous.
Similarly, there are permissible variants in the order in which the
platforms are stacked on one another. The intermediate platform
could be linearly slidable on the skid, and the drilling platform
could be rotatably mounted on the intermediate platform -- so long
as the vertical jacks remain attached to the drilling platform.
This alternate construction would require an extra extension of the
jacks and an extra retraction step, as it would be necessary to
follow the sequence of first rotating the drilling platform, second
extend jacks to lift the entire rig, third rotate intermediate
platform and skid to point in the same direction as the drilling
platform, fourth retract jacks, fifth extend intermediate and
drilling platforms relative to the skid, sixth extend jacks to lift
the rig off the ground, seventh extend skid to bring it under the
other platforms, eighth and last retract jacks.
FIGS. 6-10 are intended to convey at least a general idea of the
structure of a specific embodiment of the present invention. As can
be seen from these figures, the lower platform or skid actually
consists of two parts, a skid base 13 and a skid rack 12. The skid
base 13 is the platform which rests upon the pier, earth or other
flooring. Above skid rack 12 and secured to it is the pivot ring 11
which pivotally mounts the intermediate platform 10b; details of
the mounting are not shown, but they include conventional structure
for supporting a heavy load, including appropriate bearings and
means to prevent separation of the skid from the intermediate
platform when the entire rig is lifted by the jacks. Suitable means
(not shown) are included to initiate and control the extent of
rotation, including means to obtain small increments and decrements
of rotation when the drilling mast is being accurately located over
the hole to be drilled.
Rigidly mounted on the top of pivot ring 11 are a pair of parallel
rails 30 which constitute the intermediate platform or lower base
10b. As can be seen from the enlarged detail of FIG. 10, each rail
30 is generally U-shaped, the upwardly extending arms of the member
defining an upwardly facing groove or trough 34 which receives in
slidable relationship one of the two parallel I-beams 31 of the
upper or drilling platform 10a. Suitable bearing structure (not
shown) between the two members is provided, either a journal
bearing or appropriate anti-friction bearing. The possibility that
the skid might be left on the ground when raising the intermediate
platform is avoided by the structure indicated in FIG. 10,
consisting of straps 32 disposed at the top of and on either side
of rail 30 to extend over the trough 34, and secured to rail 30 by
the indicated bolts 33. The straps 32 cooperate with the bottom of
trough 34 to define a slot which receives the lower flange of
I-beam 31. Rails 30 are firmly secured to the upper surface of
turntable or pivot ring 11, and do not move with respect thereto
during any part of the operation of the drilling rig, whether in
moving the same or during drilling operations.
The framework for drilling platform 10a consists primarily of the
pair of parallel I-beams 31. The solid lines of FIG. 9 indicate the
position occupied by these members preliminary to a movement of the
drilling platform 10a to the left in the figure (to the new
position shown in phantom), from which it will be seen that members
31 are joined at their extremities by cross-braces 36. Joined to
cross-brace 36 and extending parallel to sliding beams 31 are a
pair of beams 28. At their outer ends, beams 28 are joined to and
support a cross member 22, which in turn supports a pair of the
components of the jack subassemblies. Each cross member 22 is a
hollow beam supporting in slidable relationship a pair of shorter
beams 23, the latter being disposed within the beam 22 in nested
relationship. On the outer end of each sliding member 23 there is
secured a mounting block 9 for one of the jacks 8; the phantom
position of these blocks 9, shown most distant from the
longitudinal center line 35 in FIG. 9, indicates the preferred
operating position of the blocks 9, i.e., when moving the rig from
one drilling site to another. They are moved to such laterally
extended position by actuation of the hydraulic cylinders 20,
secured to the fixed box beam 22, to extend the pistons 21 having
their free ends secured to blocks 9. It will be apparent that the
sliding box beams 23 and blocks 9 are retracted to their solid line
positions when the jacks are not being employed in order to
minimize risk to the jacks and possible personnel injuries which
are inherent in their extended positions.
As indicated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, each jack assembly consists of
the block 9 previously described, a vertically disposed hydraulic
cylinder 24, the piston rod 18 extending downwardly from the end of
the hydraulic cylinder and a foot or pad 19 secured to the free end
of the piston rod. The dimension indicated by arrow 40 shows the
stroke of the piston or leg 18.
FIG. 8 depicts an operator's seat 37 and, located directly in front
of it, one of the control levers 38 utilized by the operator. No
attempt is made to depict all of the controls available to the
operator, nor the various gauges and dials visible from his
position, but it will be understood that suitable such controls and
instruments are readily available for all of the various movements
previously described. Since these employ only conventional
structure and are not involved in the inventive concept herein
disclosed and claimed, there is no need to describe them in detail.
Similarly, the structure for rotating one platform with respect to
another is not shown in detail, for a like reason.
Although the invention has been illustrated and described in
connection with a single specific embodiment, it is to be
understood that the inventive concept is not limited to the
specific structure shown. All forms of the invention embraced
within the language of the following claims is within the spirit of
the invention and should be so understood.
* * * * *