Hughes Tool Company LLC

William R Hamilton

Joe R Berry

Harry D Hebard

Paul R Pittman

Archie L Black

Floyd L Scott, Jr

Karl A Schulz

A drill pipe spinner having a body with an open throat for receiving a drill pipe. A pair of cylindrical driven rollers are mounted on the body for rotation about a vertical axis. A pair of pressure arms are pivotally mounted on the body for rotation about a primary pivot pin. A pair of secondary pressure arms are mounted on the primary pressure arms, for rotation relative to the primary pressure arm about a secondary pivot pin. A pair of cylindrical pressure rollers are mounted on the secondary pressure arms, for holding the drill pipe against the driven roller. A pair of piston and cylinder assemblies exert force on the secondary pressure arms, to cause the secondary pressure arms to rotate. The moment arms between the piston and cylinder assemblies and the primary pivot pins are shorter than the moment arms between the piston and cylinder assemblies and the secondary pivot pins. Springs, mounted between the primary and secondary pressure arms, cause the primary pressure arms to rotate with the secondary pressure arms, about the primary pivot pins, until the pressure rollers have contacted the drill pipe. A plurality of sprag clutches prevent back rotation of the primary pressure arms about the primary pivot pins.

Drill pipe spinner

A wrench assembly for making and breaking connections between tubular members, such as a drill string and a top drive sub. The wrench assembly consists of a lower wrench and an upper wrench. The lower wrench has a curved gate arm and a curved latch arm, pivotable between an open position and a closed position. The gate arm has a plurality of teeth on its outer surface, and the latch arm has a plurality of teeth on its inner surface, for locking engagement with the teeth on the gate arm. The lower wrench also has a clamping cylinder and a die block for forcing the tubular member against the gate arm. The upper wrench, mounted above the lower wrench, has a semicircular plate. A plurality of splines are mounted on the interior surface of the semicircular plate for engagement with splines on the top drive sub. A fluid cylinder is provided for applying torque to the wrenches to rotate one of the wrenches with respect to the other wrenches.

Wrench assembly for a top drive sub

A top head drive well drilling apparatus having a drive unit for rotating a drill string about the longitudinal axis of the drill string. The drive unit is mounted on a carriage, which is guided along a guide track. A stem extends downward from the drive unit to transmit torque from the drive unit to the drill string. A wrench assembly is mounted on the drive unit for making and breaking connections between the stem and the drill string. The wrench assembly can be moved vertically and horizontally in relation to the stem. A stabbing guide is mounted on the wrench assembly for aligning the stem and the drill string. The stabbing guide can be moved vertically relative to the wrench assembly, and has a gripping head having a pair of pivotal latch arms for closing around the drill string. A trigger and a limit switch automatically close the latch arms around the drill string when the stabbing guide is moved onto the drill string.

Top head drive well drilling apparatus with stabbing guide

A lifting head having a gate arm, and a latch arm, pivotally secured to a frame. A clamping block, also mounted on the frame, is movable between a retracted position away from the drill collar and an extended position against the drill collar. A plurality of gripping inserts are located on the clamping block and on the gate arm. Each insert has a body and a plurality of teeth. The bodies of the inserts may be vertical or angled, but the teeth of the inserts are mounted in a spiral. This allows the inserts to grip the drill collar, even if the lifting head grips the collar at a place having a spiral groove.

Lifting head

A downhole drilling tool having a tubular stem connected to the drill string, and a tubular housing mounted concentrically and rotatably on the stem, forming an annular space between the housing and the stem. A plurality of bearings within the annular space support the housing against radial and longitudinal thrust loads. A plurality of seals within the annular space above and below the bearings form a lubricant chamber. The housing has a cylindrical lubricant passage extending between the lubricant chamber and the annular space outside of the lubricant chamber. A cylindrical piston is sealably slidable within the lubricant passage and responds to pressure of the drilling fluid entering the passage from the exterior of the housing to force lubricant out of the passage and into the lubricant chamber in order to replace lubricant which is lost therefrom. A downhole drilling motor is attached to the lower end of the housing. The drilling motor has a stator and a rotor which is rotated with respect to the stator in response to the flow drilling fluid through the drilling motor.

Downhole drilling tool with improved swivel

Casing handling equipment

A link engaging pipe elevator is shown having link engaging arms and an automatic locking mechanism. Spring tension in the locking mechanism is overcome when the elevator body is rested on a substantially flat surface allowing unrestrained movement of the link engaging arms. As the elevator is lifted off the flat surface, the locking mechanism is activated and the link engaging arms are locked into place. A cam and cam roller assist in moving the link engaging arms between the full open and closed positions.

Growing community of inventors

Georgetown, TX, United States of America

William R Hamilton