System for connecting and aligning a multiple piece catwalk trough

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9410567-B2
Application number	US-201414207073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A system for connecting and aligning pieces of a catwalk trough that prevents sagging of the catwalk trough at a connection point between at least two pieces of the catwalk trough by applying a force to the pieces to counteract any separation forces.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection system for connecting sections of a catwalk trough for conveying tubulars to a drill floor, comprising:
a first connection piece having a pin member and a first boss member;
a second connection piece having a first opening disposed through the second connection piece and configured to receive the pin member, a second opening disposed through the second connection piece and configured to receive the first boss member, and a second boss member; and
a pin insertable into holes formed in the first boss member and the second boss member that align when the first boss member is inserted into the second opening and disposed through the second connection piece to form a rigid connection.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second connection piece includes a pair of second boss members such that the first boss member is disposed between the pair of second boss members when inserted into the second opening of the second connection piece.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second opening of the second connection pieces is a rectangular shaped slot.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a piston assembly coupled to the first connection piece and configured to apply a force to the second connection piece.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the piston assembly includes a pair of pistons configured to apply the force to the second connection piece.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the piston assembly includes a spring that forces a piston into engagement with the second connection piece.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein pressurized fluid supplied to a chamber of the piston assembly applies a force to compress the spring.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pin member is inserted into the first opening of the second connection piece when the first boss member is inserted into the second opening of the second connection piece.

9. A method of connecting sections of a catwalk trough for conveying tubulars to a drill floor, comprising:
inserting a pin member of a first connection piece into a first opening disposed through a second connection piece;
inserting a first boss member of the first connection piece into a second opening disposed through the second connection piece such that the first boss member is disposed through the second connection piece so that a hole formed in the first boss member aligns with a hole formed in a second boss member of the second connection piece; and
inserting a pin into the holes of the first boss member and the second boss member when aligned to connect the first connection piece to the second connection piece to form a rigid connection.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second connection piece includes a pair of second boss members such that the first boss member is disposed between the pair of second boss members when inserted into the second opening of the second connection piece.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second opening of the second connection pieces is a rectangular shaped slot.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising applying a force to the second connection piece using a piston assembly that is coupled to the first connection piece.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the piston assembly includes a pair of pistons configured to apply the force to the second connection piece.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising forcing the pistons into engagement with the second connection piece using a spring.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising supplying pressurized fluid into a chamber of the piston assembly to force the pistons to compress the spring.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising connecting an upper trough piece to a lower trough piece by connecting the first connection piece to the second connection piece.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising applying a force to the second connection piece using a piston assembly that is coupled to the first connection piece to prevent the upper trough piece from separating from the lower trough piece when connected by the first connection piece and the second connection piece.

Assignees

• Forum Us Inc

Inventors

• Swanson Gregory David
• Berry Joe Rodney

Classifications

• F16B5/025 Primary

  specially designed to compensate for misalignement or to eliminate unwanted play · CPC title

• F16B19/02

  Bolts or sleeves for positioning of machine parts, e.g. notched taper pins, fitting pins, sleeves, eccentric positioning rings · CPC title

• F16B7/00 Primary

  Connections of rods or tubes, e.g. of non-circular section, mutually, including resilient connections ({F16B11/008, F16B17/00 take precedence;} umbrella frames A45B25/02; welding or soldering of connections B23K; vehicle connections in general B60D; railway couplings B61G; bicycle frames B62K; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; couplings for tubes conveying fluids F16L) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49895

  Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"] · CPC title

• Y10T403/1624

  Related to joint component · CPC title