Elevator system and method with elevator link having integrated control lines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479644-B2
Application number	US-201715667806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2017
Priority date	Aug 3, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

An elevator system for supporting tubulars having one or more elevator links with internal passages disposed through the elevator links to provide communication to and from the elevator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An elevator system for supporting a tubular member, comprising:
an elevator;
a first elevator link connected to the elevator for supporting the elevator, comprising:
a shaft having an upper shaft end and a lower shaft end;
an upper eye coupled to the upper shaft end and having an upper eye body defining an upper eye opening;
a lower eye coupled to the lower shaft end and having a lower eye body defining a lower eye opening;
a first upper port and a first lower port disposed on the first elevator link;
a first internal passage extending through at least a portion of the shaft and in communication with the first upper port and the first lower port;
a first control line having an upper line section coupled to and in communication with the first upper port and a lower line section coupled to and in communication with the first lower port, wherein the first internal passage and the first control line form a first fluid flowpath; and

a second elevator link connected to the elevator for supporting the elevator.

2. The elevator system of claim 1 , further comprising a port housing having a port connector, wherein the lower line section is configured to connect to the port connector so as to detachably connect the lower line section to the first lower port so that the lower line section is in communication with the first lower port.

3. The elevator system of claim 2 , wherein another control line is disposed within and extends through the first upper port, the first internal passage, and the first lower port.

4. The elevator system of claim 2 , wherein the first elevator link comprises a second upper port and a second lower port disposed on the first elevator link, and wherein the first elevator link comprises a second internal passage extending between the second upper port and the second lower port.

5. The elevator system of claim 2 , wherein the first control line is coupled to a first control unit, and wherein the first control line is coupled to the elevator and is an electrical line or optical line configured to transmit electrical or optical signals between the first control unit and the elevator.

6. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the first upper port is disposed towards the upper shaft end and the first lower port is disposed towards the lower shaft end.

7. The elevator system of claim 2 , wherein the first elevator link further comprises a second upper port and a second lower port disposed on the first elevator link, wherein the first internal passage is coupled to and in fluid communication with the second upper port and the second lower port.

8. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the elevator comprises an elevator body, an elevator ear attached to the elevator body, and wherein the elevator ear extends through the lower eye so as to connect the first elevator link to the elevator for supporting the elevator.

9. An elevator link configured to couple an elevator to a top drive for supporting a tubular member, comprising:
a shaft having an upper shaft end and a lower shaft end;
an upper eye coupled to the upper shaft end and having an upper eye body defining an upper eye opening;
a lower eye coupled to the lower shaft end and having a lower eye body defining a lower eye opening;
a first upper port and a first lower port disposed on the elevator link;
a first internal passage extending through at least a portion of the shaft and in communication with the first upper port and the first lower port; and
a first control line having an upper line section coupled to and in communication with the first upper port and a lower line section coupled to and in communication with the first lower port, wherein the first internal passage and the first control line form a first fluid flowpath.

10. The elevator system of claim 9 , further comprising a port housing having a port connector, wherein the lower line section is configured to connect to the port connector so as to detachably connect the lower line section to the first lower port so that the lower line section is in communication with the first lower port.

11. The elevator system of claim 9 , wherein another control line is disposed within and extends through the first upper port, the first internal passage, and the first lower port.

12. The elevator system of claim 9 , wherein the first lower port is disposed on the lower eye.

13. The elevator system of claim 9 , wherein the elevator link further comprises a second upper port and a second lower port disposed on the first elevator link, wherein the first internal passage is coupled to and in fluid communication with the second upper port and the second lower port.

14. The elevator system of claim 9 , wherein the elevator link comprises a second upper port and a second lower port disposed on the first elevator link, and wherein the elevator link comprises a second internal passage extending between the second upper port and the second lower port.

15. The elevator system of claim 14 , further comprising one or more control lines extending through at least one of the second and second internal passages, and wherein at least one of the control lines is an electrical line or an optical line.

16. A method of supporting a tubular member with an elevator system, comprising:
coupling a first control line to a first elevator link of the elevator system, wherein the first elevator link comprises a shaft, and a first upper port and a first lower port disposed on the elevator link, wherein a first internal passage extends through at least a portion of the shaft, and wherein the first internal passage is in communication with the first upper port and the first lower port; and
pumping fluid through the first control line and through the first internal passage; and
using the fluid as hydraulic power for the elevator system.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first control line has an upper line section coupled to and in communication with the first upper port and a lower line section coupled to and in communication with the first lower port, and wherein the first internal passage and the first control line form a first fluid flowpath.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the elevator link further comprises a second upper port and a second lower port disposed on the first elevator link, and a second internal passage extending between the second upper port and the second lower port, wherein the first elevator link includes a plurality of first control lines, and wherein at least one of the first control lines is coupled to the second internal passage.

19. An elevator system for supporting a tubular member, comprising:
an elevator;
a first elevator link connected to the elevator for supporting the elevator, comprising:
a shaft having an upper shaft end and a lower shaft end;
an upper eye coupled to the upper shaft end and having an upper eye body defining an upper eye opening;
a lower eye coupled to the lower shaft end and having a lower eye body defining a lower eye opening;
a first upper port and a first lower port disposed on the first elevator link;
a first internal passage extending through at least a portion of the shaft and in communication with the first upper port and the first lower port; and
a first control line disposed within and extends through the first upper port, the first internal passage, and the first lower port; and

a second elevator link connected to the elevator for supporting the elevator.

20. An elevator system for supporting a tubular member

Assignees

• Forum Us Inc

Inventors

• Vierke Andre

Classifications

• E21B19/02

  Rod or cable suspensions · CPC title

• B66B9/0861

  Hanging lifts, e.g. rope suspended seat or platform · CPC title

• B66B1/3423

  Control system configuration, i.e. lay-out · CPC title

• B66B7/025

  End supports, i.e. at top or bottom · CPC title

• E21B19/06 Primary

  Elevators, i.e. rod- or tube-gripping devices · CPC title