National Oilwell Varco, L.p.

Christopher J Saunders

Neil Edward West

Andrew Ian McKenzie

Justin Benjamin Kinney

Dominick Mancuso

Neil West

Roy George Eid

Ayodele Odunfa-Jones

John Walker

Graham Alexander Carnegie

Andrew Ian Mckenzie

Andrew I Mckenzie

An end effector () for a robotic arm, the end effector () comprising: two pipe engaging jaws (), each jaw comprising an inner contour configured for engaging a pipe section, wherein at least one jaw () is a fixed jaw; wherein the end effector () is configured to restrict radial movement of the pipe section while permitting axial movement.

End effectors for automated pipe handling

A drill pipe speed sensor includes a roller head assembly including an incremental encoder, a roller to contact a drill pipe, and first and second rotating members. The first rotating member is coupled to the roller, the second rotating member is coupled to the incremental encoder, and the first rotating member is coupled to the second rotating member. The sensor also includes a pivot assembly having mounting plates, pivotal arms, first and second mounting members, and a biasing member. The first and second mounting members extend between the mounting plates, which are parallel to each other. The biasing member contacts the mounting members and extends between the mounting members, and the biasing member is parallel to the mounting plates. The pivotal arms extend from the mounting plates to the roller head assembly and pivot relative to the mounting plates, and the first mounting member is coupled to two pivotal arms.

Pipe speed sensor

Various embodiments disclosed relate to a configurable drill fluid containment device. The present disclosure includes a device including a central shell configured to at least partially enclose an end of a drill pipe. The central shell can have two halves, each of the halves having flanges that are configured to attaching one or more extension features to the device. The flanges can be configured to attach extension features at an upper end of the device, a lower end of the device, or both.

Configurable drill fluid containment device

A passive spacer system may include a racking board comprising a slot and a spacer arranged along the slot such that a portion of the spacer impinges on the slot. The spacer may be biased in a neutral position and configured to move to a spacing position due to motion of tubulars into and out of the racking board, which interact with the portion of the spacer that impinges on the slot.

Passive spacer system

A guide mechanism may include a first jaw and a second jaw pivotably coupled to the first jaw. The jaws may include a guide having a bottom pocket for seating arrangement on a box end of a first tubular and a top funnel for laterally guiding a pin end of a second tubular into the box end. The guide mechanism may also include a linkage system secured to the first and second jaws to control pivoting motion of the jaws. The guide mechanism may also include a bias mechanism coupled to the linkage system and configured to impart a biasing force on the jaws via the linkage system. The biasing force may be adapted to resist opening of the jaws such that opening of the jaws occurs when a lateral force is applied to the guide mechanism that overcomes the biasing force.

Growing community of inventors

Conroe, TX, United States of America

Christopher J Saunders