Positive seal coupling system

Abstract

An apparatus for assembling a positive seal coupling and a pipe, including a frame, a stationary block assembly attached to the frame and having coupling gripping doors, and a traveling block assembly slidably attached to the frame and having pipe gripping doors. Two hydraulic ram cylinders are attached to the frame that have ram cylinder rods attached to the traveling block assembly so that the hydraulic ram cylinders can move the traveling block assembly toward the stationary block assembly. The coupling gripping doors are axially aligned with the pipe gripping doors so that when the hydraulic ram cylinders move the traveling block assembly toward the stationary block assembly, a pipe held by the pipe gripping doors is inserted into a coupling held by the coupling gripping doors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for assembling a positive seal coupling and a pipe, the apparatus comprising:
 a frame;   a stationary block assembly attached to the frame and having coupling gripping doors;   a traveling block assembly slidably attached to the frame and having pipe gripping doors;   two hydraulic ram cylinders attached to the frame and having ram cylinder rods attached to the traveling block assembly so that the hydraulic ram cylinders can move the traveling block assembly toward the stationary block assembly;   the coupling gripping doors axially aligned with the pipe gripping doors so that when the hydraulic ram cylinders move the traveling block assembly toward the stationary block assembly, a pipe held by the pipe gripping doors is inserted into a coupling held by the coupling gripping doors.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling gripping doors are controlled by coupling gripping door cylinders. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the pipe gripping doors are controlled by pipe gripping door cylinders. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 at least one pressure transducer in communication with at least one of the pipe door cylinders and the coupling door cylinders to sense pressure therein;   a linear displacement transducer in communication with the ram cylinder rod to sense linear displacement of the ram cylinder rod;   a data monitoring system connected to the at least one pressure transducers and the linear displacement transducer that receives information sensed by the pressure transducers and the linear displacement transducer, and that generates a record of operational parameters; and   a display in communication with the data monitoring system to display information to an operator.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising;
 at least one pipe lift vee roller controlled by at least one pipe lift cylinder, and installed to at least one side of the stationary block assembly and the traveling block assembly of the field joining unit;   at least one pipe guide vee roller controlled by at least one pipe guide cylinder, and installed between the stationary block assembly and the traveling block assembly of the field joining unit;   pressure gauges in communication with the coupling door cylinders, the pipe door cylinders, the at least one pipe lift cylinder, and the at least one pipe guide cylinder, to sense pressure therein;   pressure transducers in communication with the coupling door cylinders and the pipe door cylinders to sense pressure therein;   pressure transducers in communication with the hydraulic ram cylinders to sense the pressure difference therebetween; and   a differential pressure gauge in communication with the hydraulic ram cylinders to sense the pressure difference therebetween.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pipe has a diameter of between about 2 inches and about 12 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 coupling slips attached to the inside of the coupling gripping doors to help grip the coupling.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 pipe slips attached to the inside of the pipe gripping doors to help grip the pipe.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 roller support beams attached to the frame, and beam rollers attached to the traveling block assembly, wherein the beam rollers roll relative to the roller support beams as the travelling block assembly is moved by the hydraulic ram cylinders.   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for assembling a positive seal coupling and a pipe, the apparatus comprising:
 a frame;   a coupling gripping assembly fixedly attached to the frame for gripping a coupling;   a pipe gripping assembly slidably attached to the frame for gripping a pipe;   a hydraulic ram cylinder having a ram cylinder rod and attached to the pipe gripping assembly for moving the pipe gripping assembly toward the coupling gripping assembly;   the coupling gripping assembly aligned with the pipe gripping assembly so that when the hydraulic ram cylinder moves the pipe gripping assembly toward the coupling gripping assembly, the pipe is inserted into the coupling;   at least one pressure transducer in communication with at least one of the pipe or coupling gripping assemblies;   a linear displacement transducer in communication with the hydraulic ram cylinder to sense linear displacement of the ram cylinder rod;   a data monitoring system connected to the at least one pressure transducer and the linear displacement transducer for monitoring operational parameters.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the coupling gripping assembly further comprises:
 coupling gripping doors that clamp around the coupling to prevent axial movement of the coupling relative to die coupling gripping assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the pipe gripping assembly further comprises:
 pipe gripping doors that clamp around the pipe to prevent axial movement of the pipe relative to the pipe gripping doors.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling gripping doors include coupling slips attached to the inside of the coupling gripping doors to help grip the coupling, and the pipe gripping doors include pipe slips attached to the inside of the pipe gripping doors to help grip the pipe. 
     
     
         14 . A method for making up a positive seal coupling assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a field joining unit having hydraulic doors for gripping a coupling and a pipe, a hydraulic ram cylinder for forcing the end of the pipe into the coupling,   cleaning an end of the pipe;   inserting the end of the pipe into the coupling by applying a retractive force to the pipe with the hydraulic ram cylinders, thereby pulling the pipe into the coupling a predetermined distance.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the field joining unit is equipped with pressure transducers for sensing pressure in the hydraulic doors and ram cylinders, and a linear displacement transducer for measuring the depth of insertion of the pipe into the coupling, the method further comprising:
 measuring the distance that the pipe is inserted into the coupling with the linear displacement transducer;   displaying information measured by the linear displacement transducer and the pressure transducers on a display for an operator to see; and   generating a record of the linear displacement and pressure data.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , farther comprising the step of:
 applying an epoxy coating to the exterior surface of the pipe near the pipe end.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 applying an epoxy coating to the inside of the coupling.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 inserting a spacer ring gasket into the center of the coupling prior to inserting an end of the pipe into the coupling.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the field joining unit has differential pressure gauges. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of:
 measuring the differential pressure in the hydraulic ram cylinders using the differential pressure gauges and the pressure transducers.