Dual-saddle ear support apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for use in wellbore operations, the apparatus including a main body, two support ears spaced-apart and projecting from the main body, each inner ear part having an inner part, and an outer ear part, the inner part able to support more weight than the outer part; and, in certain aspects, structure for preventing a large support link from being positioned on an outer ear part; the apparatus, in certain aspects, being any of a link adapter, a block adapter, a becket, an elevator, and a drilling hook.

1 . An apparatus for use in wellbore operations, the apparatus comprising
 a main body,   two ears spaced-apart and projecting from the main body, each of said ears for supporting a support link and an item connected to the support link, each ear having an inner ear part adjacent the main body and an outer ear part spaced-apart from the main body,   each inner ear part having an inner support area,   each outer ear part having an outer support area, and   each inner ear part able to support a weight greater than can be supported by each outer ear part.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising
 each ear having a top surface extending from the outer support area to the inner support area to the main body,   each top surface inclined upwardly from the main body to the outer support area so that a link part on an ear tends to move down toward the main body.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus is any of a link adapter, a block adapter, an elevator, a becket, and a drilling hook. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each support area has a grooved portion for receipt therein of part of an end eye opening of a support link. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising
 maintenance apparatus for maintaining a support link on a support area.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising
 each ear having latch apparatus movably connected thereto for selective releasable connection to the main body for closing off a space adjacent a corresponding ear.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising
 each latch apparatus including a body and a projection projecting from the body for abutment with a large link, said abutment preventing closure of the latch apparatus if part of the large link is on an outer support area.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising
 a ridge between the inner ear part and the outer ear part, the ridge inhibiting movement of a link end eye opening over the ridge.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus is a link adapter, and wherein
 the main body comprises a link adapter body,   the link adapter body has a top and a bottom,   the link adapter body has a central bore therethrough from top to bottom, and   each inner ear part larger than each outer ear part.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein
 each inner support area part can support at least 1250 tons.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein
 each inner support area can support at least 1000 tons, and   each outer support area can support up to 750 tons.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein
 each inner support area can support at least twice as much weight as each outer support area.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each ear can be used with links with different end eye opening sizes. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for use in wellbore operations, the apparatus comprising
 a main body,   two ears spaced-apart and projecting from the main body, each of said ears for supporting a support link and an item connected to the support link, each ear having an inner ear part adjacent the main body and an outer ear part spaced-apart from the main body,   each inner ear part having an inner support area,   each outer ear part having an outer support area,   the inner support area able to support a weight greater than can be supported by the outer support area,   the inner support area has a first size and the outer area has a second size, the first size larger than the second size, and each ear can be used with links with different end eye opening sizes, and   maintenance apparatus for maintaining a support link on a support area.   
   
   
       15 . A method for supporting an item useful in wellbore operations, the method comprising
 connecting the items to a support apparatus with support links,   suspending the item below the support apparatus using the support links, the support apparatus comprising   a main body, two ears spaced-apart and projecting from the main body, each of said ears for supporting one of the support links and the item connected to the support links, each ear having an inner ear part and an outer ear part, each inner ear part having an inner support area, each outer ear part having an outer support area, and the inner support area able to support a weight greater than can be supported by the outer support area.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising
 each support link having a top end eye opening,   each top end eye opening on an inner part of one of the two ears,   the method further comprising
 preventing each top end eye opening from moving onto an outer ear part. 
   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising
 maintaining with maintenance apparatus the support links in place with respect to the inner ear parts and the outer ear parts.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the support apparatus includes each ear having latch apparatus movably connected thereto for selective releasable connection to the main body for closing off a space adjacent a corresponding ear and the method further comprising
 closing each latch apparatus with each top end eye opening on an inner ear part.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein each latch apparatus has a projection for abutment against a link part with the top end eye opening, said abutment prohibiting closure of the latch apparatus if the link part is on the outer part of an ear. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein
 each inner support area can support at least 1250 tons and each outer support area can support up to 750 tons.