System and apparatus for routing a wire rope or wireline

Abstract

An apparatus of this disclosure provides a twisted- or 3-dimensional guide path for a wire rope or wireline, the guide path being defined by a plurality of sheaves arranged sequentially along the path with the wrap angle being on a same side portion of each sheave as any other sheave of the plurality. The guide path may start at a first sheave having a center point at (X, Y, Z)n and may end at a last sheave having a center point at (X, Y Z)N, N being the total number of sheaves of the guide path. Unlike the prior art, the plurality of sheaves does not need to follow a linear path defined by alignment with a wire rope or wireline entry location to a piece of equipment. Because of the twisted guide path being provided, the apparatus can accommodate different locations of wireline entry around a top drive.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A wireline apparatus comprising:
 a housing including a proximal end and a distal end;   a plurality of sheaves contained by the housing and arranged sequentially between the proximal and distal ends of the housing along a longitudinal centerline of the housing, each sheave having a centerline coaxial to an axis of rotation and an orientation in a plane perpendicular to the centerline, each sheave further having a width sized to receive a predetermined wireline size and a diameter sized to provide a predetermined wrap angle α;   an orientation of sheave S i+1  of the plurality of sheaves being at an oblique angle β relative to an orientation of sheave S i  of the plurality of sheaves, where i=1 to N, N being the total number of sheaves;   the plurality of sheaves and a portion of the housing located between the proximal and distal ends extending through a total angle Nβ.   
     
     
         2 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 another sheave located upstream of sheave S 1  of the plurality of sheaves, the another sheave having a centerline coaxial to an axis of rotation and an orientation in a plane perpendicular to the centerline, the another sheave further having a width sized to receive the predetermined wireline size and a larger diameter and wrap angle than that of the plurality of sheaves.   
     
     
         3 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 the another sheave and the sheave S 1  of the plurality of sheaves having a same planar orientation relative to one another.   
     
     
         4 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 the another sheave and the sheave S 1  of the plurality of sheaves having a different planar orientation relative to one another.   
     
     
         5 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the housing is at a first elevation and the distal end of the housing is at a second different elevation. 
     
     
         6 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a horizontal centerline of the sheave S i+1  of the plurality of sheaves is at a first elevation and a horizontal centerline of the sheave S i  of the plurality of sheaves is at a second different elevation. 
     
     
         7 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a top drive configured for lifting, lowering, and rotating drill pipe; the wireline apparatus being connected to the top drive.   
     
     
         8 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 the wireline apparatus located toward an upper end of the top drive.   
     
     
         9 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 1 , the oblique angle β being in a range of 1° to ° 30. 
     
     
         10 . The wireline apparatus of  claim 1 , the total angle Nβ being in a range of 10° to 90°. 
     
     
         11 . A method of routing a wireline through a piece of hoisting equipment, the method comprising:
 routing a wireline about a larger diameter sheave and a plurality of smaller diameter sheaves, the plurality of smaller diameter sheaves arranged sequentially along a longitudinal centerline of a housing containing the smaller diameter sheaves;   the larger and smaller diameter sheaves each having a centerline coaxial to an axis of rotation and an orientation in a plane perpendicular to the centerline;   an orientation of sheave S i+1  of the plurality of sheaves being at an oblique angle β relative to an orientation of sheave S i  of the plurality of sheaves, where i=1 to N, N being the total number of sheaves;   the plurality of smaller diameter sheaves and a portion of the housing located between the proximal and distal ends extending through a total angle Nβ.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the larger diameter sheave is located upstream of sheave S 1  of the plurality of smaller diameter sheaves. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the larger diameter sheave and sheave S 1  of the plurality of smaller diameter sheaves have a same planar orientation relative to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the larger diameter sheave and sheave S 1  of the plurality of smaller diameter sheaves have a different planar orientation relative to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the proximal end of the housing is at a first elevation and the distal end of the sheave housing is at a second different elevation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a horizontal centerline of the sheave S i+1  of the plurality of sheaves is at a first elevation and a horizontal centerline of the sheave S i  of the plurality of sheaves is at a second different elevation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein further the wireline apparatus is connected to a top drive of a drilling rig. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the wireline apparatus is located toward an upper end of the top drive. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , the oblique angle β being in a range of 1° to °  30 . 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , the total angle Nβ being in a range of 10° to 90°.