Drilling fluid bucket and method

Abstract

An apparatus and method for preventing the spillage of a drilling fluid onto a drilling rig floor. The apparatus comprises a first and second sleeve, and wherein the first and second sleeve form a cylindrical container. The apparatus also includes a closing member operatively attached at a first end of the first sleeve and operatively attached at a second end of the second sleeve, wherein the closing member is pneumatically operated. Also included is a latching member that latches the first sleeve with the second sleeve, and a seal member positioned along a face on the first sleeve that cooperates with a sealing surface positioned along a face on the second sleeve. In one embodiment, the latching member is a pneumatically operated piston contained within a cylinder, and wherein the cylinder is attached to a first hook and the piston is attached to a second hook, wherein the first latch and second latch cooperate with a fastener to latch the first sleeve and the second sleeve together.

1 . A drilling fluid bucket comprising: 
 a first half cylindrical member;    a second half cylindrical member, and wherein said first half cylindrical member and said second half cylindrical member form a cylindrical member;    a closing member operatively attached at a first end to said first half cylindrical member and operatively attached at a second end to said second half cylindrical member, wherein said closing member is pneumatically operated;    a latching member that latches said first half cylindrical member with said second half cylindrical member.    
   
   
       2 . The bucket of  claim 1  wherein said closing member comprises: 
 a first bracket attached to said first half cylindrical member;    a second bracket attached to said second half cylindrical member;    a pneumatically operated piston contained within a cylinder and wherein said cylinder is attached to said first bracket and said second bracket is attached to said piston.    
   
   
       3 . The bucket of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 an outlet for directing a drilling fluid from said drilling fluid bucket.    
   
   
       4 . The bucket of  claim 2  wherein said latching member is a pneumatically operated piston contained within a cylinder attached to a first hook and a piston attached to a second hook, wherein said first and second hooks cooperate with a fastener to latch said first and said second half cylindrical members together.  
   
   
       5 . The bucket of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a seal means positioned along a first face on said first half cylindrical member that cooperates with a sealing surface positioned along a second face on said second half cylindrical member.    
   
   
       6 . The bucket of  claim 5  wherein said seal means comprises a longitudinal seal strip inserted into a groove formed on said first face.  
   
   
       7 . The bucket of  claim 6  further comprising a seal lip positioned along the first half cylindrical member and covering said second half cylindrical member.  
   
   
       8 . The bucket of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 a plurality of closing members operatively attached at a first end to said first half cylindrical member and operatively attached at a second end to said second half cylindrical member, wherein said closing members are pneumatically operated.    
   
   
       9 . The bucket of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 a plurality of latching members that locks said first half cylindrical member and second half member together.    
   
   
       10 . An apparatus for preventing the spillage of a drilling fluid onto a drilling rig floor, the apparatus comprising: 
 a first sleeve;    a second sleeve, and wherein said first sleeve and second sleeve form a cylindrical member;    a closing member operatively attached at a first end of said first sleeve and operatively attached at a second end of said second sleeve, wherein said closing member is pneumatically operated;    a latching member that latches said first sleeve with said second sleeve;    a seal means positioned along a first face on said first sleeve that cooperates with a sealing surface positioned along a second face on said second sleeve.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 an outlet for directing the drilling fluid from the apparatus.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said latching member is a pneumatically operated piston contained within a cylinder, and wherein said cylinder is attached to a first hook and said piston is attached to a second hook, wherein said first hook and said second hook cooperate with a fastener to latch said first sleeve and said second sleeve together.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said closing member comprises: 
 a first bracket attached to said first sleeve;    a second bracket attached to said second sleeve;    a pneumatically operated piston contained within a cylinder and wherein said cylinder is attached to said first bracket and said second bracket is attached to said piston.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said seal means comprises a longitudinal seal strip inserted into a groove formed on said first face.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 a plurality of closing members operatively attached at a first end to said first sleeve and operatively attached at a second end to said second sleeve, wherein said closing members are pneumatically operated.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said latching member comprises: 
 a plurality of latching members that latches said first sleeve and said second sleeve together.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising a seal lip positioned along the first sleeve and covering said second sleeve in order to prevent the drilling fluid within the bucket from leaking.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said longitudinal seal strip and said sealing surface is constructed of an elastomer.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said longitudinal seal strip contains a head portion and wherein said sealing surface comprises a complimentary enlarged portion that receives said head portion to provide a seal.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said latching members comprise: 
 a cylinder having a pneumatically responsive rod therein;    a first hook connected to a first end of said cylinder and wherein said first hook is pivotly attached to said second sleeve;    a second hook connected to said rod and wherein said second hook is pivotly attached to said second sleeve;    and wherein, as air pressure is supplied to said cylinder, said rod expands and causes pivoting of said first hook to engage a first shoulder on said second sleeve, and said cylinder causes pivoting of said second hook to engage a second shoulder on said second sleeve.    
   
   
       21 . A method of preventing spillage of a drilling fluid contained within a first and a second tubular onto a drilling rig floor, wherein said frist and second tubular are threadedly attached, the method comprising: 
 providing a drilling fluid bucket, and wherein the bucket comprises: a first sleeve; a second sleeve, and wherein said first sleeve and said second sleeve form a cylindrical container; a closing member operatively attached at a first end to said first sleeve and operatively attached at a second end to said second sleeve, wherein said closing member is pneumatically operated; a latching member that latches said first sleeve and second sleeve; a seal means positioned along a first face on said first sleeve that cooperates with a sealing face formed on said second sleeve;    providing said first end of said second tubular within a rotary table on the drilling rig floor;    surrounding said first and said second tubular with said bucket;    activating said pneumatic closing member;    pivoting said first sleeve and said second sleeve so that the cylindrical container encapsulates said first tubular and said second tubular;    forming a seal to keep the drilling fluid within the cylindrical container by compressing the first seal against the seal surface;    disconnecting the first tubular and the second tubular;    collecting the drilling fluid from said first tubular and said second tubular within said bucket;    directing the drilling fluid from said bucket.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the bucket further comprises a pneumatically operated latching member and the step of pivoting said first and second sleeve further comprising: 
 activating said latching member wherein said latching member contains a hook member;    engaging said hook member onto a shoulder on said cylindrical container.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the bucket further comprises a seal lip along a hinge pivot seam of said cylindrical container, and wherein the step of forming a seal further comprising: 
 sealing the hinge pivot seam with the seal lip.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the bucket further comprises a pneumatically operated latching member and the step of pivoting said first and said second sleeve further comprises: 
 activating said latching member, wherein said latching member comprise: a cylinder having a pneumatically responsive rod therein; a first hook connected to a first end of said cylinder and wherein said first hook is pivotly attached to said second sleeve; a second hook connected to said rod and wherein said second hook is pivotly attached to said second sleeve;    expanding said rod with an air pressure supplied to said cylinder, said rod expanding and causing the pivoting of said first hook to engage a first shoulder on said second sleeve;    moving said cylinder with the air pressure which causes pivoting of said second hook to engage a second shoulder on said second sleeve so that the first and the second sleeves are latched togehter.