Automated clamping apparatus, a method for assembly and disassembly of tubulars using the automated clamping apparatus

Abstract

The invention refers to an automated clamping apparatus configured for assembly and disassembly of tubulars in two preferred embodiments and a method for assembly and disassembly of tubulars using the automated clamping apparatus used in oil and gas drilling rigs. In the first preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises four clamping actuators that further comprises: a lower tong and the upper tong, a torquing actuator support, two torquing actuators and a central bearing. The apparatus of the second preferred embodiment comprises an additional, fifth clamping actuator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated clamping apparatus comprising:
 a lower tong,   an upper tong,   two torquing actuator supports,   two torquing actuators,   a central bearing,   
       wherein, the lower tong comprises: an upper plate and a lower plate, two fixed cylinder housings, two swinging mechanisms, two swinging actuator housings, and a central opening of the lower tong,
 wherein, each of the fixed cylinder housings comprises: a fixed cylinder support block and a fixed clamping actuator,
 wherein the fixed clamping actuator comprises: an actuator piston, an actuator rod, a die, a die retainer, an actuator head cap, an actuator body, an actuator end cap, a retainer ring and a hydraulic oil, 
 wherein the actuator rod is fixed to the fixed cylinder support block, 
 
 wherein, each of the fixed cylinder housings is connected to the upper plate and the lower plate of the lower tong,
 wherein, each swinging mechanism of the lower tong comprises: a swinging actuator housing, an actuator of swinging mechanism, an outer link of swinging mechanism, an inner link of swinging mechanism, a support block of swinging cylinder, an outer pin of swinging mechanism, pin of actuator link, inner pin of swinging mechanism, and two pivot pins, 
 wherein, the outer link of swinging mechanism is connected to the lower and upper plate of the lower tong by the outer pin of swinging mechanism, wherein, the outer pin of the swinging mechanism being inserted through the upper tong pin opening and the lower tong pin opening and being connected to the upper and lower plate of the lower tong, wherein the outer link of swinging mechanism is being connected to the inner link of swinging mechanism and the actuator of swinging mechanism by the pin of the actuator link, the pin of the actuator link being inserted through the second opening on outer link, an inner link second opening and a driver opening, 
 wherein the actuator of swinging mechanism is connected to the lower plate of the lower tong by a fixed pin of swinging actuator, 
 wherein the inner link of swinging mechanism is connected to the swinging actuator housing by the inner pin of swinging mechanism, wherein the inner pin of swinging mechanism is inserted through the first opening of the swinging actuator housing and the opening of the inner link swinging actuator housing, 
 wherein, the swinging actuator housing is connected to support block of the swinging cylinder, the support block of the swinging cylinder is connected to the upper and the lower plates of the lower tong by an upper pivot pin and a lower pivot pin, wherein the upper pivot pin is inserted through an upper opening and the second opening of the swinging actuator housing, 
 wherein the lower pivot pin is through the lower opening and the first opening of the swinging actuator housing, wherein each swinging actuator housing and support block swing around the vertical axis of the pivot pins, 
 
 
       wherein, the upper tong being structurally identical to the lower tong and comprises: an upper plate and a lower plate, two fixed cylinder housings, two swinging mechanisms, two swinging actuator housings and a central opening of the lower tong, connected in the same manner as the elements of the lower tong, further the upper tong comprises four openings, the first two “A” openings and the other two openings “B”,
 wherein, the swinging actuator housing is connected to support block of the swinging cylinder, the support block of the swinging cylinder is connected to the upper plate and lower plate of the upper tong by a pivot pin, wherein the upper pivot pin is inserted through an upper opening and the second opening of the swinging actuator housing, 
 wherein the actuator of swinging mechanism is connected to the upper plate of the upper tong by a fixed pin of swinging actuator, 
 wherein each of the torquing actuator supports comprises: a housing of the torquing actuator support and an opening on the housing of torquing actuator support, the torquing actuator supports being connected to the upper plate of the lower tong, 
 wherein, each torquing actuator comprises: a stationary part of torquing actuator, an extending part of torquing actuator, a first torquing pin of torquing actuator and a second torquing pin of torquing actuator, 
 wherein, the extending part of torquing actuator being inserted into the stationary part of torquing actuator and connected to it, 
 wherein, the stationary parts of torquing actuators are connected to the torquing actuator supports though the second torquing pins of torquing actuators, 
 wherein, the central bearing comprises: a rotating ring, an inner stationary housing, an outer stationary housing, a flexible inner strip, a flexible outer strip, a low friction inner strip and a low friction outer strip, 
 wherein, the upper tong and the torquing actuators are connected by first torquing pins of the torquing actuators, 
 wherein the inner stationary housing and the outer stationary housing of the central bearing are connected to the upper plate of lower tong, thus connecting the central bearing with the lower tong, wherein, the rotating ring of the central bearing is connected to the lower plate of upper tong, thus connecting the central bearing with the upper tong. 
 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein it further comprises another fixed cylinder housing, the third fixed cylinder housing being structurally identical to the previous two fixed cylinder housings, wherein the fifth clamping actuator is placed in between the first and second fixed cylinder housings, wherein the actuator of swinging mechanism is connected to the upper plate and the lower plate of the upper tong by a fixed pin of swinging actuator. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the torquing actuators are a hydraulic cylinder or a device with an electromechanical drive. 
     
     
         4 . A method for assembly and disassembly of tubulars using the automated clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising the steps organized for assembling and disassembling tubular comprising:
 the assembly of tubulars comprising   I phase of positioning of tubulars, wherein the lower tong and the upper tong are brought to a parallel position by the torquing actuators, wherein the lower tong opening and the upper tongue opening are aligned position, wherein a lower tube and the upper tube are inserted in said openings, the said tubes being connected to the automated clamping apparatus, wherein the said tubes are coaxial and mounted to each other, wherein, the upper tube is gripped by the upper tong and the lower tube is gripped by the lower tong,   II phase of connecting tubulars, wherein each of the swinging actuator housing of the lower tong actuates in the direction towards the other closing the lower tong opening, wherein all clamping actuators of the fixed cylinder housings and all clamping actuators of the swinging actuator housings of the lower tong longitudinally extend in the direction towards the lower tube, jointly clamping the lower tube and arranging it in the fixed position,   wherein the upper tube is being threaded into the lower tube by a rotational engagement device, the rotational engagement device being connectable to the automated clamping apparatus, wherein the upper tube and the lower tube are connected,   III phase of tightening tubulars, wherein the torquing actuator actuates provide the counterclockwise rotation and position of the upper tong, wherein each swinging actuator housing of the upper tong actuates linearly towards each other and thus closes the upper tong opening,   wherein all clamping actuators of the fixed cylinder housings and all clamping actuators of the swinging actuator housing of the upper tong extend linearly in the direction towards the upper tube, jointly clamping the upper tube and arranging it in the fixed position,   wherein the torquing actuators provide the clockwise rotation and position of the upper tong,   IV phase of disconnecting and releasing of tubulars, wherein all clamping actuators of the swinging actuator housings of the lower tong and the upper tong retract inside their respective swinging actuator housings, wherein all clamping actuators of the fixed cylinder housing of the lower tong and the upper tong retract inside their respective fixed cylinder housings, providing unclamping of the lower tube and upper tube,   wherein the torquing actuator with actuated extending part now retracts its extending part inside its respective torquing actuator stationary, wherein the other torquing actuator actuates its extending part from its respective torquing actuator stationary, the said operations being engaged simultaneously,   wherein the swinging actuator housings of the lower tong and the swinging actuator housings of the upper tong are retracted to their stationary position by their respective swinging mechanisms, wherein the upper and lower tong openings are aligned and parallel providing the jointed tubes to be released and disconnected from the upper and lower tong;   the disassembly of tubulars comprising:   I Phase of positioning the tubulars, wherein the lower tong and the upper tong are brought to a parallel position by the torquing actuators, wherein the lower tong opening and the upper tongue opening are parallel and in an aligned position, wherein the said tubes are coaxial and mounted to each other and are connectable to the automated clamping apparatus, the said tubes are inserted in the lower and upper tong openings, wherein, the upper tube is gripped by the upper tong and the lower tube is gripped by the lower tong,   II phase of disconnection the tubulars, wherein each of the swinging actuator housing of the lower tong actuates in the direction towards the other, jointly closing the lower tong opening, wherein all the clamping actuators of the fixed cylinder housings and all the clamping actuators of the swinging actuator housings of the lower tong extend longitudinally in the direction towards the lower tube and jointly clamp the lower tube, providing the fixed position of the lower tube,   further, one torquing actuator extends its extending part from its torquing actuator stationary part, while the other torquing actuator retracts its extending part inside its torquing actuator stationary part, thereby providing the counterclockwise rotation and position of the upper tong, wherein each of the swinging actuator housing of the upper tong actuates in the direction towards the other, closing the upper tong opening, wherein all the clamping actuators of the fixed cylinder housings and all the clamping actuators of the swinging actuator housings of the upper tong extend longitudinally in the direction towards the upper tube and jointly clamping the upper tube, providing the fixed position of the upper tube, further, the upper tong is being shifted from the established counterclockwise position to the clockwise position by torquing actuators, providing disconnection of the lower tube and the upper tube by breaking the threaded joint between them,   III phase of releasing the tubulars, wherein the clamping actuators of the swinging actuator housings of the upper tong retract inside their respective swinging actuator housings, wherein the clamping actuators of the fixed cylinder housings of the upper tong retract inside their respective fixed cylinder housings, further, the rotational engagement device unthreads the upper tube from the lower tube,   wherein, the upper tong and the lower tong are brough to aligned and parallel position by the torquing actuators, wherein the swinging actuator housings of the lower tong and the swinging actuator housings of the upper tong are brought to their stationary position by their respective swinging mechanisms, wherein the upper and lower tong openings are aligned and parallel providing the jointed tubes to be released and disconnected from the upper and lower tong.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the rotational engagement device is a spinner or a top drive device.