Earth drill rig

Patent · Tue Jan 27 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6822910

Rassieur, C L

This patent describes an earth drill rig wherein an upwardly and downwardly moving drill-string-turning rotary table is rotated by a kelly bar connected at its lower end to a vertical drive shaft, the kelly bar being journalled for rotation in and fixed against axial movement with respect to a drill frame assembly and the rotary table being mounted for axial movement on and along the drill frame assembly. The drill frame assembly is pivotally mounted on a vehicle on a substantially horizontal axis for pivoting between an upright position and a substantially horizontal position for transportation. The improvement described here comprises the drill frame assembly pivot axis positioned below the lower end of the kelly bar and above the upper end of the vertical drive shaft, and a universal coupling connecting the lower end of the kelly bar and the vertical drive shaft the universal coupling comprising universal joints at opposite ends of an elongated slip joint connector and connected there-by for relative axial movement but driving coupling between the universal joints. The universal joints lie generally on a circle of which the drill frame assembly pivot axis is the center. The drill frame assembly can be moved between the upright and the substantially horizontal positions without disconnecting the kelly bar from the vertical drive shaft, the kelly bar being revolvable by the drive shaft through substantially the entire range of movement of the drill frame assembly.

• Assignee: Central Mine Equipment Co., St. Louis, MO
• Patent Number(s): US 4638871
• OSTI ID: 6822910
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 21 Feb 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
42 ENGINEERING
DRILLING RIGS
DESIGN
OPERATION
WELL DRILLING
CONNECTORS
DRILL BITS
DRILL PIPES
JOINTS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
POSITIONING
ROTATION
SHAFTS
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
MACHINE PARTS
MOTION
PIPES
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing
420206 - Engineering- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities- (1980-1989)