Actuator for mast legs on a drilling rig

Abstract

A mast for a drilling rig and a method for operation thereof, in which the mast includes a first leg, a second leg, and a mast leg actuator coupled to the first leg and the second leg. The mast leg actuator is configured to expand so as to pivot the first and second legs apart, and the mast leg actuator is configured to collapse so as to pivot the first and second legs together.

1 . A mast for a drilling rig, comprising:
 a first leg;   a second leg; and   a mast leg actuator coupled to the first leg and the second leg, wherein the mast leg actuator is configured to expand so as to pivot the first and second legs apart, and wherein the mast leg actuator is configured to collapse so as to pivot the first and second legs together.   
     
     
         2 . The mast of  claim 1 , wherein the mast leg actuator comprises:
 an expandable assembly having first and second distal ends, the first distal end being connected to the first leg and the second distal end being connected to the second leg; and   a driver coupled to the expandable assembly and configured to move the first and second distal ends together and apart.   
     
     
         3 . The mast of  claim 2 , wherein the expandable assembly comprises a first arm and a second arm, the first and second arms being pivotally connected together. 
     
     
         4 . The mast of  claim 3 , wherein the first arm comprises the first distal end, and the second arm comprises the second distal end. 
     
     
         5 . The mast of  claim 4 , wherein first distal end is pivotally connected to the first leg, and wherein the second distal end is pivotally connected to the second leg. 
     
     
         6 . The mast of  claim 2 , further comprising a cross-member extending between the first and second legs, the first and second legs being pivotal relative to the cross-member, wherein the driver is connected to the cross-member. 
     
     
         7 . The mast of  claim 6 , wherein the driver comprises an extendable cylinder connected to the cross-member, and wherein the expandable assembly comprises a first arm, a second arm, and a hinge that pivotally connects the first and second arms together, the extendable cylinder being connected to the hinge. 
     
     
         8 . The mast of  claim 1 , further comprising feet that are connectable to connections on a rig floor, wherein, when the mast leg actuator is in an expanded configuration, the feet are aligned with the connections, and wherein, when the mast leg actuator is in a collapsed configuration, the feet are closer together than the connections. 
     
     
         9 . The mast of  claim 1 , wherein the mast leg actuator comprises a single actuator configured to pivot the first and second legs apart, and to pivot the first and second legs together, and wherein the mast does not include any other actuators configured to pivot the first and second legs relative to one another. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 pivoting a first leg of a mast apart from a second leg of the mast using a mast leg actuator coupled to the first and second legs;   receiving a first foot of the first leg and a first foot of the second leg into first connections on a rig floor;   raising the mast from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation by pivoting the mast about the first connections; and   receiving a second foot of the first leg and a second foot of the second leg into second connections on the rig floor, so as to secure the mast in the vertical orientation.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 disconnecting the second foot of the first leg and the second foot of the second leg from the second connections; and   lowering the mast from the vertical orientation to the horizontal orientation by pivoting the mast about first foot of the first leg and the first foot of the second leg.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 disconnecting the first foot of the first leg and the first foot of the second leg from the first connections; and   pivoting the first and second legs together by collapsing the mast leg actuator.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein pivoting the first leg apart from the second leg comprises increasing an angle between a first arm connected to the first leg and a second arm connected to the second leg using a driver connected to a hinge between the first and second arms. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the driver comprises a hydraulic cylinder, and wherein increasing the angle comprises extending the hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the hydraulic cylinder is coupled to a cross-member connected to the first and second legs. 
     
     
         16 . A mast leg actuator, comprising:
 a first arm configured to be connected to a first leg of a mast of a drilling rig;   a second arm configured to be connected to a second leg of the mast, the second arm being pivotally connected to the first arm; and   a driver coupled to the first and second arms, wherein the driver is configured to increase an angle between the first and second arms, so as to pivot the first and second legs apart.   
     
     
         17 . The mast leg actuator of  claim 16 , further comprising a hinge that pivotally connected the first arm to the second arm. 
     
     
         18 . The mast leg actuator of  claim 17 , wherein the driver comprises an extensible hydraulic cylinder coupled to the hinge and to a cross-member extending between and pivotally coupled to the first and second legs. 
     
     
         19 . The mast leg actuator of  claim 17 , wherein the driver is configured to decrease an angle between the first and second arms, so as to pivot the first and second legs together. 
     
     
         20 . The mast leg actuator of  claim 17 , wherein the first arm comprises a distal end that is pivotally connected to the first leg, and wherein the second arm comprises a distal end that is pivotally connected to the second leg.