US3252527A

US3252527A - Rotary drilling rig and angle drive therefor

Info

Publication number: US3252527A
Application number: US306552A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emmett L Alexander; Herschel L Bules
Original assignee: GEORGE E FAILING Co
Current assignee: GEORGE E FAILING COMPANY Inc ENID OK 73701 A CORP OF; GEORGE E FAILING Co
Priority date: 1963-09-04
Filing date: 1963-09-04
Publication date: 1966-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 1983-05-24

Description

y 4, 1966 E. L. ALEXANDER ETAL 3,252,527

ROTARY DRILLING RIG AND ANGLE DRIVE THEREFOR Filed Sept. 4, 1965 4 Sheets5heet 1 INVENTORJS fmm eff L. A/exanc/er BY Herschel L. Bu/es.

ATTORNEY May 24, 1966 E. L. ALEXANDER ET AL 3,252,527

ROTARY DRILLING RIG AND ANGLE DRIVE THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1963 w m m m Alexander f/ersa/ze/ L. 5

ATroR/vgx y 1966 E. L. ALEXANDER ET AL 3,252,527

RQTARY DRILLING RIG AND ANGLE DRIVE THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 4, 1963 INVENTORS fmmeff L. Alexander fienschp/ L. Bu/As ATTORNEY May 24, 1966 E. L. ALEXANDER ET AL ROTARY DRILLING RIG AND ANGLE DRIVE THEREFOR Filed Sept. 4, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 L v v 5mm efl L. Alexander BY Herschel L Bales ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,252,527 ROTARY DRILLING RIG AND ANGLE DRIVE THEREFOR Emmett L. Alexander and Herschel L. Bules, Enid, Okla, assignors to George E. Failing Company, Enid, Okla, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 306,552

9 Claims. (Cl. 173-41) This invention relates to drilling rigs of a type fordrilling slanting bore holes, usually known as shot hole drills.

Drilling rigs of this type usually include a mobile support for carrying the drilling equipment, such as a power unit, drawworks, pumps, compressors, and a mast which carries the drill pipe rotating mechanism.

The mast, when in transport position is carried in a reclining position above the various other drilling mechanisms on the mobile support. For this reason, the pivotal axis for the mast is usually provided by bearings supported at the top of stationary brackets that are of suflicient height for the mast to clear the drilling mechanisms. Such an arrangementbrings the base of the mast in desired position for drilling vertical holes, but when slanting holes are to be drilled, as, for example, in angle face drilling in strip and open pit mining operations, the mast is tilted at any angle from vertical to as much as 30 oif vertical, consequently, the base of the mast, when drilling slanting holes, swings away from the mobile support and changes the height of the base relatively to the mobile support. Thus it is diflicult to maintain a simple driving connection between the power on the mobile support and the drill pipe rotating mechanism that is carried in the mast.

Relative movement of the base of the mast has been reduced to a minimum by providing two pivotal axes for the mast, as disclosed in copending application Serial No. 242,662, filed December 6, 1962. The first pivotal axis is one on which the mast is raised from transport position to an erect position, and the second pivotal axis is located near the base of the mast and is the one on which the mast is pivoted when angle face drilling in strip or open pit mining operations and the like.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a simple driving connection cooperating with the mechanism disclosed and claimed in said application, to automatically connect the power mechanism on the mobile support with the drill pipe rotating mechanism when the mast is pivoted on the first horizontal axis and to maintain the driving connection when the mast is pivoted on the second horizontal axis from vertical position through the slanting positions required in angle face and other drilling operations where slanting holes are required.

In accomplishing the above and other objects of the invention as hereinafter described, we have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a drilling rig equipped with an angle driving mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention, and showing the mast being pivoted on the upper or first axis to carry the mast into vertical position and to automatical- 1y effect a driving connection between the section of the drive that is connected with the power on the mobile ice support and the driven section that is connected with the drill rotating mechanism carried by the mast.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing the driving and driven sections of the angle drive in interconnected position.

FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 1, but showing the mast tilted to an inclined position on the second pivotal axis for angular drilling, and showing self-positioning of the U-joint parts of the angle drive to maintain the driving connection between the power on the mobile support and the drill pipe rotating mechanism carried by the mast.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the driving and driven sections of the angle shaft, parts thereof being in section and showing the driven section of the angle drive just prior to coupling contact with the driving section.

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing the parts after the connection or coupling has been made.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the sleeve-jaw member of the driving section, a part of the sleeve being broken away to show the splines therein.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the jaw-flange of the driven section.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 3, showing the bearing bracket for rotatably anchoring the sleeve-jaw of the driving section to a fixed part of the mobile support.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the U-joint support for the driven section of the angle drive.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a drilling rig for drilling bore holes, and particularly bore holes 'aslant from the vertical, as in drilling shot holes for angle face or open pit mining operations. The drilling rig includes a mobile support 2 having a platform 3 for carrying the power unit, drawworks or hoist, pumps, compressors, and a mast 4 which carries the drill pipe rotating mechanism. Since the rig 1 is of relatively large size, the drawings illustrate only the rear portion of the mobile support 2, the drawworks or hoist 5 thereon, and the transmission 6 which transmits power from the power unit (not shown) through an angle drive 7 embodying the features of the present invention. Also, since the mast is of substantial length, the drawings illustrate only the lower portion of base 8 thereof.

The portion of the platform 3 at the rear of the hoist S has an open rectangular bay 9 with an entrance 10 thereto through which the base of the mast swings into and out of any one of its drilling positions.

Briefly, the mast 4 includes

corner legs

11, 12, 13 and 14 which are interconnected except for the legs 13 and 14 by girths 15 and braces 16. Carried by the legs near the lower end thereof is a drilling platform or floor 17 having

side plates

18 and 19 that are attached to the legs of the mast. Extending across the sides of the legs below the

side plates

18 and 19 are plates 20 carrying guide shoes 21 at the respective sides of the base of the mast.

In order that the mast, when in transport position, may

be kept at a convenient height when the mast is in erect position.

The pivotal axis 22 is provided by brackets 23 projecting from the sides of the legs 11 and 12 of the mast, to carry pivot pins 24 on pivoted supports 25. The mast also has a pivotal axis 26 located to extend transversely at the rear of the bay on pivot shafts 27 (FIG. 2). The supports 25 have their lower ends fixed on the pivot shafts 27. Pivoting of the supports 25 is controlled by telescopic brace .legs 28 (FIG. 1). The mast is raised about the axis 22, from a horizontal carrying position to a vertical position with the base thereof positioned in the bay by means of hydraulic cylinders 29 (FIG. 1) that are connected between the platform 3 and a portion of the mast above the pivotal axis 22, also shown and described in the above mentioned application. When the mast is in erect position trunnions 30 (FIG. 2) on the ends of the pivot shafts 27 are projected from inner sides of the base into openings 31 (see FIG. 2) in the plates which carry the guide shoes 21, the openings being registrable with the secondpivotal axis 26. It is on the axis 26 that the mast is retracted from a vertical position to any one of the slanting positions necessary in drilling shot holes (see FIG. 3).

The specific structure thus briefly described and illustrated in the present application forms no part of the present invention, it being suflicient that the mast has an upper pivotal axis 22 on which it is pivoted from horizontal to vertical position, and a lower pivotal axis 26 on which the mast is pivoted to a slanting drilling position, and also that the mobile support have a power driven transmission 6 and means to drive the drill pipe rotating mechanism that is carried by the mast.

The drill pipe rotary mechanism of the present drawings is shown and described in detail in copending application Serial No. 283,429, filed May 27, 1963, and includes gearing indicated by the casing 32 that is mounted under the platform or floor 17 at one side of an opening 33' (FIG. 2) in the platform and through which the drilling string (not shown) extends. The gearing indicated by the casing 32 rotates a vertical drive rod 33 to actuate a gearing :on a traveling head (not shown) that travels on guides 34 which are carried by the legs 13 and 14 of the mast.

In carrying out the present invention, the angle drive 7 includes a driving section 35 carried by the mobile support 2 and a driven section 36 that is carried by the mast from the casing 32, and the

sections

35 and 36 are automatically connected together incidental to pivoting of .the mast on the axis 22 to an erect position, and which retain that connection when the mast is pivoted on the lower axis 26.

Since the casing 32 is usually offest from the power transmission 6, the driving and driven

sections

35 and 36 extend at an angle as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the power output shaft 37 of the transmission 6 terminates in a universal joint 38 which is a part of the driving section 35. The driving section 35 also includes a shaft 40 having one end fixed to the universal joint 38 and its opposite end 41 journaled in fixed position relative to the mobile support within a bearing bracket 42 that is attached to an extension 43 projecting from the mobile support into the open bay 9, as best shown in FIG. 2. The bearing bracket 42 includes a body part 44 (FIGS. 4 and and

end plates

45 and 46 to provide a cylindrical chamber 47 encircling the end 41 of the driving shaft 40 and which slidably mounts therein the outer race 48 of an antifriction bearing 49. The body 44 of the bracket is anchored to the extension 43 by studs 50 (FIG. 8) that extend through lugs 51 at opposite diametrical sides of the body part 44 and through a part of the extension 43. Carried within the inner race 52 of the antif-riction bearing 49 is a drive sleeve 53.

The drive sleeve 53 is best illustnated in FIG. 6, and has an axial bore 54 to accommodate the end 41 of the drive shaft 40 therein. The end of the bore which receives the drive shaft has splines 55 engaging with splines 56 on the drive shaft to rotate the sleeve therewith. The opposite end of the sleeve has a head 57 which forms a shoulder 58 to seat the inner race 52 of the antifriction bearing 49 thereagainst by means of a ring 60 which is mounted in an annular groove 61 of the sleeve at the opposite side of the bearing. The sleeve 53 with the bearing 49 thereon is slidable axially within the cylinder chamber 47 of the bearing bracket under action of a coil spring 62 sleeved on the drive shaft and having one end engaging a shoulder 63 on the drive shaft and the other end engaging the adjacent end of the sleeve to project the head of the sleeve from the bearing bracket, the extent of the projection of the head being limited by the outer race of the bearing contacting an annular stop shoulder 64 on the end plate 46.

Oil seals are maintained around the sleeve by oil rings 65 and 66, inset within the

plates

45 and 46, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The head 57 of the sleeve has an inset annular rib 67 to provide a stop for the end 41 of the driving shaft 40 to limit movement of the sleeve in the opposite direction.

The head 57 of the sleeve also has a plurality of driving lugs 68 projecting therefrom and arranged in spaced apart relation to provide notches 69 between the lugs.

The driven section 36 of the angle drive includes a collar 70 attached to the projecting end of the power input shaft 71 in the gear casing 32. Fixed to the front of the collar 70 is a double universal joint 72 carrying a jaw flange 73. Formed on the opposite face of the jaw flange is a stud or pilot 74 having a cone-shaped terminal 75 to guide the pilot into the open end 76 of the driving head 57 of the driving section. Also formed on the jaw flange in circular series around the pilot are lugs 77, conforming to the notches 69 between the lugs 68 previously described. The lugs 77 also have notches 78 therebetween which are adapted to receive the lugs on the driving sleeve. The double universal joint 72 is so positioned that a point midway between the articulated axes thereof is in registry with the lower horizontal axis 26 on which the mast is pivoted. The jaw flange 73 is supported in position to enter the head of the jaw sleeve by means of a universal joint support 79, best illustrated in FIG. 9, and which includes a trough-like body 80 having a flange 81 on one end to be connected to the casing 32 by selected fastening devices 82. The opposite end of the support is closed by a flange 83. When the universal joint support is attached to the gear casing 32, it is positioned directly under the double universal joint 72, with the jaw flange 73 initially supported therein, as shown in FIG. 4.

Assuming that a drilling rig constructed and assembled as described, and equipped With an angle drive embodying the features of the present invention, is to be used for drilling a slanting bore hole, as, for example, a shot hole, in strip or open pit mining operations, the drilling rig is transported to the drilling site with the mast in a reclining position and supported on the upper transverse axis 22.

To set up for drilling, the mast is pivoted on the axis 22 to a vertical position by means of the hydraulic cylinders 29. 9 of the mobile support 2, the conical terminal 75 of the pilot 74, being held in position by the universal joint support 79, enters the open end 76 of the bore or socket in the driving head 57. Even if there is a slight misalignment, the conical portion of the pilot 74 will guide the pilot 74 between the lugs 68 and into a position so that the lugs 71 on the jaw flange 73 will enter the spaces 69 of the driving head, and the lugs 68 on the driving head will enter the spaces 78 between the lugs 77 on the jaw flange. This movement of the pilot 74 into the socket lifts the jaw flange 73 from support by the troughlike body 80 and the universal joints are suspended between the jaw flange and the input shaft 71. The thrust of the driven head against the driving head will shift the As the base 8 of the mast enters the bay sleeve 53 within the chamber 47 of the bearing bracket 42, to compress the spring 62. During this movement of the sleeve, the antifriction bearing 49 will move from the stop 64 and the annular rib 67 of the sleeve will engage the splined end 41 of the driving shaft to limit the retractive movement of the sleeve. However, the movement of the sleeve is sufiicient to load the spring so that the spring maintains a tight connection between the jaws of the driving head 57 and the driven head that is provided by the jaw flange. In interengaged position, the center of the double universal joint 72 registers with the lower transverse axis 26. The pivot pins 27 are projected inwardly of the bay 9 so that the trunnions 30 thereon will enter the openings 31, to lock the base portion of the mast to pivot upon the axis 26.

The start of the drilling string may be assembled and lowered through the opening 33 of the platform 17. If a slanting hole is to be drilled, the telescoping braces 28 are adjusted and the mast moved retractively by the hydraulic cylinders 29 to pivot the mast on the axis 26 of the trunnions to the desired slanting position. During this movement of the mast, the jaws of the driving and driven heads will remain in interengagement, since the center of the double universal joint 72 remains in registry.

with the axis 26.

Power is transmitted to the drill pipe rotating mechanism from the power transmission 6, through the univers'al 38, drive shaft 40, driving and driven heads, the double universal joint, and collar 7%, to drive the power input shaft 71 of the drill pipe rotating gearing that is housed in the casing 32. The drive is maintained at any angle to which the mast has been adjusted, since the double universal joint positioned on the axis 26 compensates for the different angles.

When the drilling operation is completed, the mast is again moved on the trunnions 30 from slanting position to vertical position by extending the telescoping braces to their original position. This is readily brought about as disclosed in the above mentioned application Serial No. 242,662. The pivot shafts 27 may then be moved longitudinally of the axis 26 to disengage the trunnions 30 from the openings 31, so that the mast is free to be pivoted on the axis 22 to bring the mast into transport position on the mobile support. During this movement of the mast, the driven head moves away from the driving head, to disconnect the jaws and to withdraw the pilot from the socket of the driving head. Due to the double universal joint, the jaw flange 73 or driven head will drop slightly for support in the trough member, but the pilot 74 will be held in position so that it will automatically reenter the driving head when the mast is raised from the mobile support.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that we have provided an angle drive which has driving and driven sections that are readily and automatically connected and disconnected responsive to pivoting of the mast. It is also obvious that the driving and driven jaws are locked in interengaging position and the double universal joint will compensate for position of the mast in any one of its drilling positions.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A drilling rig for drilling bore holes, including a mast,

a support for the mast,

an upper means for pivoting the mast on the support for movement from a reclining position on the support to a substantially vertical position,

a power unit on the support,

a drill pipe rotating means on the mast,

an single drive separate from and located below said upper pivoting means for connecting the power unit with the drill pipe rotating means when the mast is moving into vertical position, said angle drive ineluding a driving section carried by the support,

a driven section carried by the mast, and

means for automatically coupling said sections together when the mast is pivoted to said vertical position.

2. A drilling rig for drilling slanting bore holes, in-

cluding a mast,

a support for the mast,

a power unit on the support,

a drill pipe rotating means on the mast,

an upper means for pivoting the mast on the support for movement from a reclining position on the support about one axis,

means for tilting the mast on the support about a sec ond and lower axis to drill slanting holes,

an angle drive connecting the power unit with the drill pipe rotating means, said angle drive including a driving section carried by the support substantially in a horizontal plane with said lower axis,

a driven section carried by the mast and movable therewith, and

means for automatically coupling said sections together when the mast is pivoted on the upper pivoting means and for maintaining said driving connection when the mast is tilted on the second and lower axis to drilling position.

3. A drilling rig for drilling slanting holes as described in claim 2, and including a dual universal joint means centering with the second and lower axis for driving the drill pipe rotating means when the mast is in slanting position.

4. In a drilling rig for drilling slanting bore holes,

including a mast,

a support for the mast,

a power unit on the support,

a drill pipe rotating means on the mast,

an upper means for pivoting the mast on the support for movement from a reclining position on the support to a vertical position relatively to the support, and

an angle drive below the upper pivoting means for connecting the power unit with the drill pipe rotating means,

the improvement in which said angle drive includes a driving section carried by the support and having a driving shaft portion,

jaw means slidably connected with the driving shaft portion,

a driven section carried by the mast and having a driven member provided with jaw means for engaging the jaw means of the driving shaft portion of the driving section when the mast is pivoted to verti cal position on said upper pivoting means, and

a spring yieldingly maintaining the jaw means on the driving shaft portion in interengagement with the jaw means of the driven member.

5. In a drilling rig for drilling slanting bore holes, in-

cluding a mast,

a support for the mast,

a power unit on the support,

a drill pipe rotating means on the mast,

an upper means for pivoting the mast on the support for movement from a reclining position on the support to a vertical position relatively to the support for drilling vertical bore holes,

a lower means for tilting the mast on the support about a second axis on which the mast is tilted for drilling slanting bore holes,

an angle drive connecting the power unit with the drill pipe rotating means,

the improvement in which said angle drive includes a driving section carried by the support and having a driving shaft portion in substantially horizontal plane with said lower means,

jaw means slidably connected with the driving shaft portion,

having a driven section carried by the mast and having a universal joint carrying a jaw means for engaging the jaw means of the driving shaft portion of the driving section when the mast is pivoted to vertical position on said upper pivoting means, and

a spring yieldingly maintaining the jaw means in interengagement when the mast is in either of its drilling positions.

6. A drilling rig for drilling slanting bore holes, in-

cluding a mast,

' a support for the mast,

a power unit on the support, I

a drill pipe rotating means on the mast,

a lower means for tilting the mast on the support about a second axis to drill slanting holes,

an angle drive connecting the power unit with the drill pipe rotating means, said angle drive including a driving section carried by the support in substantially horizontal plane with the lower tilting means,

a driven section carried by the mast and movable therewith,

a driving head having resilient mounting on the driving section and provided with an axial socket, and

a driven head on the driven section having a pilot engaging in said socket of the driving head to register the driving and driven heads in engagement when the mast is pivoted on the upper pivoting means and for maintaining said driving connection when the mast is pivoted on the second axis to drilling position.

7. A drilling rig for drilling slanting bore holes, in-

cluding a mast,

a support for the mast,

a power unit on the support,

a drill pipe rotating means on'the mast,

a lower means for tilting the mast on the supportrabout a second axis to drill slanting holes,

an angle drive connecting the power unit with the drill pipe rotating means, said angle drive including a driving section carried by the support in substan-' tially the horizontal plane of the second axis,

a driven section carried by the mast and movable therewith,

a driving head having resilient mounting on the driving section and provided with an axial socket,

means for rotatably and slidably carrying the driving head in fixed position on the support,

a driven head on the driven section having a pilot for engaging in said socket of the driving head to register 7 the driving and driven heads in engagement when the mast is pivoted on said upper pivoting means and for maintaining said driving connection when the mast is pivoted on the lower means to drilling position,

universal means in the driven section centering with the second axis, and

means carried by the mast for supporting the driven head in position for the pilot thereon to enter said socket of the driving head.

8. In a drilling rig for drilling slanting bore holes a mast,

a support for the mast,

a power unit on the support having a power output shaft,

a drill pipe rotating means on the mast and having g a power input shaft offset from the power output shaft,

a lower means for tilting the mast on the support about a second axis to drill slanting holes, and

an angle drive connecting the power output shaft with the power input shaft of the drill pipe rotating means,

the improvement in which said angle drive includes a driving shaft substantially in the horizontal plane of the second axis,

a universal joint connecting the driving shaft with the power output shaft, 1

a driving sleeve having splined connection with the driving shaft,

a bearing bracket carrying said sleeve to anchor the driven shaft relatively to the support,

a driving head on the driving sleeve and provided with an axial socket,

a coil-spring between the universal joint and the driving sleeve to resiliently project the driving head from said bearing bracket,

a double universal joint connected with the power input shaft,

a driven head carried by the double universal joint and having a pilot for engaging in said socket of the driving head to register the driven head with the driving head when the mast is pivoted on the upper pivoting means and for maintaining said driving connection when the mast is pivoted on the lower tilting means to drilling position, and

means carried by the mast supporting the driven head in position for the pilot to enter said socket.

9. In a drilling rig for drilling slanting bore holes having a mast,

a support for the mast,

a power unit on the support having a power output shaft,

a drill pipe rotating means on the mast and having a power input shaft offset from the power output shaft,

an angle drive connecting the power output shaft with the power input shaft of the drill pipe rotating means, the improvement in which said angle drive includes a driving shaft substantially in the horizontal plane of the second axis,

a universal joint connecting'the driving shaft with the power output shaft,

a driving sleeve having splined connection with the driving shaft,

a driving head on the driving'sleeve having driving lugs arranged about an axial socket,

a coil spring between the universal joint and the driving sleeve to resiliently project the driving head from said bearing bracket,

a double universal joint connected with the power input shaft,

a driven head carried by the double universal joint and having lugs arranged about a pilot for engaging in said socket of the driving head to register the lugs on the driven head with the lugs on the driving head when the mast is pivoted on the upper pivoting means and for maintaining said driving connection when the mast is pivoted on the lower tilting means to drilling position, and

means carried by the mast for supporting the driven head in position for the pilot to enter said socket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Parrish 173-44 Key 285-211 Brown 173-44 Johansen 173-28 BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE P. KESSLER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A DRILLING RIG FOR DRILLING BORE HOLES, INCLUDING A MAST, A SUPPORT FOR THE MAST, AN UPPER MEANS FOR PIVOTING THE MAST ON THE SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT FROM A RECLINING POSITION ON THE SUPPORT TO A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION, A POWER UNIT ON THE SUPPORT, A DRILL PIPE ROTATING MEANS ON THE MAST, AN ANGLE DRIVE SEPARATE FROM THE LOCATED BELOW SAID UPPER PIVOTING MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE POWER UNIT WITH THE DRILL PIPE ROTATING MEANS WHEN THE MAST IS MOVING INTO VERTICAL POSITION, SAID ANGLE DRIVE INCLUDING A DRIVING SECTION CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT, A DRIVEN SECTION CARRIED BY THE MAST, AND MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY COUPLING SAID SECTIONS TOGETHER WHEN THE MAST IS PIVOTED TO SAID VERTICAL POSITION.