Drill rod clamping system and methods of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10364620-B2
Application number	US-201816057240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2018
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A drill rod clamping system for securing a drill rod in a selected position. The drill rod clamping system has a hollow spindle with an upper portion that defines axial slots and a base portion that defines at least one radial opening. A plurality of jaws are moveable radially inwardly to a drill rod gripping position and radially outwardly to a drill rod releasing position. Each jaw is received within a respective axial slot of the hollow spindle. An actuator moves the plurality of jaws between the drill rod gripping position and the drill rod releasing position. A compressed gas spring assembly exerts force on the actuator to close the jaws. A hydraulic operator exerts force on the actuator to overcome the force of the compressed gas spring assembly to open the jaws. The radial openings of the base portion of the spindle permit flushing of material flowing within the spindle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drill rod clamping system for securing a drill rod in a selected position, the drill rod clamping system having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a hollow spindle having a central bore, an inner surface, an outer surface, a base portion and an upper portion extending upwardly from the base portion relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the upper portion defines a plurality of axial slots that extend between the inner and outer surfaces of the hollow spindle;
a plurality of jaws coupled to the spindle and being moveable radially inwardly to a closed drill rod gripping position and radially outwardly to an open drill rod releasing position, wherein each jaw is at least partially received within a respective axial slot of the plurality of axial slots of the upper portion of the hollow spindle;
an actuator configured to move the plurality of jaws between the closed drill rod gripping position and the open drill rod releasing position;
a compressed gas spring assembly configured to exert sufficient force on the actuator to close the jaws of the drill rod clamping system, wherein the compressed gas spring assembly comprises a plurality of compressed gas springs, and wherein each compressed gas spring comprises a cylinder containing compressed gas and a piston urged by the compressed gas outwardly of the cylinder to the end of its stroke; and
a hydraulic operator configured to exert force on the actuator to overcome the force of the compressed gas spring assembly to effect opening of the jaws of the drill rod clamping system.

2. The drill rod clamping system of claim 1 , wherein the base portion defines at least one opening that extends between the inner and outer surfaces of the hollow spindle, wherein the at least one opening of the base portion of the hollow spindle is configured to permit flushing of material flowing within the central bore of the hollow spindle relative to the longitudinal axis.

3. The drill rod clamping system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a jaw bowl that is slideable relative to the plurality of jaws to open and close the jaws, wherein the jaw bowl has an upper surface, and wherein the cylinders of the compressed gas springs of the compressed gas spring assembly are embedded in the upper surface of the jaw bowl.

4. The drill rod clamping system of claim 3 , further comprising a gas spring retainer that circumferentially surrounds the hollow spindle and at least partially encloses the compressed gas springs, wherein the gas spring retainer has an inner stop surface, and wherein the pistons of the compressed gas springs of the compressed gas spring assembly are configured to engage the stop surface to urge the actuator away from the stop surface to the jaw closing position.

5. The drill rod clamping system of claim 4 , further comprising a base plate secured to the base portion of the spindle, wherein the base plate defines a central opening positioned in alignment with the central bore of the spindle, and wherein the base plate extends radially outwardly from the outer surface of the base portion of the spindle.

6. The drill rod clamping system of claim 4 , wherein the jaw bowl has jaw receiving undercut slots for registering with the axial slots in the upper portion of the spindle, and wherein the jaws project through the spindle slots into the central bore of the spindle to grip a drill rod and to be withdrawn from the drill rod gripping position upon sliding motion of the jaw bowl.

7. The drill rod clamping system of claim 6 , further comprising a jaw retainer having depending legs projecting downwardly for complementary receipt within the axial slots of the spindle to overlie the jaws and prevent upward movement thereof.

8. A drill rod clamping system of claim 6 , wherein the jaw bowl has an inner surface, an outer surface, and at least one radial grease feed passageway extending between the inner and outer surfaces of the jaw bowl and positioned in communication with the jaw receiving slots.

9. A drill rod clamping system of claim 8 , wherein the jaw bowl defines a circumferential grease passageway, and wherein the jaw receiving slots are interconnected by the circumferential grease passageway.

10. A drill rod clamping system of claim 6 , wherein the jaw receiving slots of the jaw bowl and the plurality of jaws have complementary engagement portions, wherein downward movement of the jaw bowl positively advances the jaws into the drill rod gripping position, and wherein upward movement of the jaw bowl positively withdraws the jaws from the drill rod gripping position.

11. A drill rod clamping system of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of locating pins that are interposed between the jaw bowl and the gas spring retainer to locate the jaw bowl so that the jaw receiving slots complementarily register with the axial slots in the top portion of the spindle.

12. A drill rod clamping system of claim 11 , wherein the jaws comprise grippers that are configured to grip the drill rod.

13. The drill rod clamping system of claim 12 , wherein the grippers have an angled tooth pattern, and wherein the angled tooth pattern comprises a plurality of teeth that have respective plough paths through rod material when gripping the drill rod.

14. The drill rod clamping system of claim 4 , wherein the gas springs are configured to effect downward movement of the jaw bowl, and wherein the hydraulic operator is configured to effect upward movement of the jaw bowl.

15. The drill rod clamping system of claim 4 , wherein the actuator comprises an inner ring cylinder that circumferentially surrounds the base portion of the spindle, an outer ring cylinder that circumferentially surrounds the inner ring cylinder, and a ring cylinder piston positioned radially between the inner and outer ring cylinders, wherein the ring cylinder piston is configured for upward and downward movement relative to the longitudinal axis to selectively engage the gas springs.

16. The drill rod clamping system of claim 4 , wherein the actuator comprises:
a ring cylinder that circumferentially surrounds the base portion of the spindle; and
a ring cylinder piston configured for upward and downward movement relative to the longitudinal axis to selectively engage the gas springs.

17. The drill rod clamping system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of jaws and the actuator have complementary engagement portions that are arranged to provide inward radial movement to the jaws upon upward axial movement of the actuator and to maintain alignment of the jaws relative to the longitudinal axis.

18. The drill rod clamping system of claim 17 , wherein the complementary engagement portions comprises inclined key ways defined by each jaw and complementary inclined keys defined by the actuator, wherein the inclined keys of the actuator are configured for sliding engagement with the key ways of the jaws.

19. The drill rod clamping system of claim 17 , wherein the complementary engagement portions comprises inclined key ways defined by the actuator and complementary inclined keys defined by the plurality of jaws, wherein the inclined keys of the jaws are configured for sliding engagement with the key ways of the actuator.

20. A drill rod clamping system for securing a drill rod in a selected position, the drill rod clamping system having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a hollow spindle having a central bore, an inner surface, an outer surface, a base portion and an upper portion extending upwardly from the base portion relati

Assignees

• Bly Ip Inc

Inventors

• Ritter David Robert
• Wright Christopher Allen
• Markham Anthony Charles William

Classifications

• E21B19/163

  piston-cylinder actuated · CPC title

• E21B19/07 Primary

  Slip-type elevators · CPC title

• E21B17/042

  Threaded · CPC title

• E21B17/1042

  Elastomer protector or centering means · CPC title

• E21B19/24

  Guiding or centralising devices for drilling rods or pipes · CPC title