Anti-falling automatic lifting and emergency escape device for vertical cage ladder of offshore derrick

Abstract

The invention discloses an offshore derrick vertical cage ladder anti-falling automatic lifting and emergency escape device which comprises a cage ladder, a chain transmission mechanism, a lifting pedal plate, a power cylinder and an anti-falling cylinder, the cage ladder is arranged on the outer side of an original vertical ladder, the chain transmission mechanism comprises two groups of upper chain wheels, lower chain wheels and chains, and the two groups of upper chain wheels and lower chain wheels are arranged on the two sides of the cage ladder respectively; the upper chain wheel and the lower chain wheel are connected through chains, the lower chain wheel is connected with the motor, the lifting pedal is arranged between the two chains, the two ends of the lifting pedal are connected with the power cylinders respectively, the two power cylinders are connected with the front ends of the two chains respectively, the rear ends of the two chains are provided with the anti-falling cylinders respectively, and the power cylinders on the same chain are connected with the anti-falling cylinders. The power cylinder is used for connecting the lifting pedal and the chain, the anti-falling cylinder ascends and descends along with the power cylinder, and when the lifting pedal suddenly falls, the anti-falling cylinder is used for clamping the chain. According to the invention, the physical strength of personnel is saved, anti-falling protection and emergency escape functions are realized, and the production efficiency and the safety time rate are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of offshore oil and gas extraction technology, and in particular to an automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick. Background Technology

[0002] Offshore oil and gas drilling platforms require personnel to climb ladder cages to reach the second-level platform above the derrick for routine operations. Currently, the derrick ladders only employ segmented climbing methods. In adverse sea conditions, personnel face the risk of falling from heights, and the process is also extremely physically demanding, primarily due to the following reasons: 1) Due to weather and sea conditions, people are prone to falling from heights. The marine environment, including strong gusts of wind, slippery conditions caused by rain and fog, and mechanical vibrations, led to slipping of hands and feet. Prolonged climbing caused muscle fatigue and decreased grip strength, ultimately resulting in people falling from heights. 2) The long hours of climbing caused a temporary drop in work efficiency. Since the offshore derrick is about 100 meters high, although the derrick is equipped with segmented rest platforms, climbing up and down vertically still consumes a lot of physical strength, resulting in personnel being quite tired after climbing to the second platform of the derrick and having low work efficiency. 3) Lack of emergency escape measures, hindering rapid evacuation. In the event of an emergency such as a fire or explosion on the drilling platform, the cage ladder is the only passageway. However, the currently used single cage ladder structure lacks any emergency escape devices and measures, which greatly reduces the efficiency of rapid evacuation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve all or part of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide an automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of offshore derricks.

[0004] The present invention solves its problems through the following technical solution: An automatic lifting and emergency escape device for a vertical cage ladder on an offshore derrick includes a cage ladder, a chain drive mechanism, lifting foot pedals, a power cylinder, and a fall arrestor. The cage ladder is located outside the original vertical ladder. The chain drive mechanism includes two sets of upper sprockets, lower sprockets, and chains. The two sets of upper and lower sprockets are respectively located on both sides of the cage ladder and connected by chains. The lower sprocket is connected to a motor. The lifting foot pedal is located between the two chains, and both ends of the lifting foot pedal are connected to the power cylinders. The two power cylinders are respectively connected to the front ends of the two chains. Fall arrestors are respectively located at the rear ends of the two chains. The power cylinders on the same chain are connected to the fall arrestors. The power cylinders are used to connect the lifting foot pedals and the chains. The fall arrestors rise and fall with the power cylinders. When the lifting foot pedals suddenly fall, the fall arrestors are used to lock the chains.

[0005] Optionally, the cage ladder is provided with one or more vertical guide rail grooves, and the lifting foot pedal is provided with a guide rail limiting block corresponding to the guide rail groove, the guide rail limiting block being disposed in the guide rail groove.

[0006] Optionally, both the guide rail limiting block and the guide rail groove are T-shaped.

[0007] Optionally, it also includes a footplate pawl fall arrestor, wherein each pawl of the footplate fall arrestor is evenly distributed on the cage ladder corresponding to the lifting footplate, the pawl is bent upward and contacts the surface of the lifting footplate, the pawl is connected to a hydraulic rod, and the hydraulic rod is adapted to drive the pawl to extend to the side of the lifting footplate to lock the lifting footplate.

[0008] Optionally, it also includes a fall arrestor with a differential speed control device, the body of which is connected to the anchor point at the top of the cage ladder, and the rope of which is connected to the fall arrestor.

[0009] Optionally, it also includes an emergency escape rope and a figure-eight loop. The emergency escape rope is set on the outside of the cage ladder, with its upper end connected to the top anchor point of the cage ladder and its lower end reaching the deck plane. The figure-eight loop is fitted onto the emergency escape rope.

[0010] Optionally, the power cylinder is provided with multiple sets of chain locking teeth and locking tooth pressure bars. One end of the chain locking teeth is connected to the locking tooth pressure bars, and the locking tooth pressure bars are installed on the power cylinder through locking spokes and locking pins. The other end of the chain locking teeth is inserted into the chain gap.

[0011] Optionally, the fall arrestor is equipped with multiple sets of fall arresting pawls inside. The fall arresting pawls are bent downwards. When the lifting foot pedal moves upwards, the fall arresting pawls contact the chain surface. When the lifting foot pedal suddenly falls, the fall arresting pawls lock the chain. The upper limit plate and lower limit plate of the fall arrestor are respectively provided with "I"-shaped limiting grooves. The fall arresting pawls move within the "I"-shaped limiting grooves and are limited by the locking spokes. The upper limit plate and lower limit plate are respectively provided with two first holes and two second holes. The first holes are located inside the second holes. When the locking spokes are located in the first hole, the fall arresting pawls are in contact with the chain surface, and the fall arrestor is in the fall arresting working state. When the locking spokes are located in the second hole, the fall arresting pawls are away from the chain, and the fall arrestor is in the fall arresting ineffective state.

[0012] In summary, the technical effects and advantages of this invention are as follows: This invention can lift personnel to the second-level platform of the derrick for work in adverse sea conditions; the device not only saves the physical strength of the workers, but also provides fall protection and emergency escape tools, ultimately achieving the goal of improving production efficiency and safety rate. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of the assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a rear view of the assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a side view of the assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the power cylinder, anti-fall cylinder, and lifting foot pedal according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is an explosion diagram of a power cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an explosion of a fall arrestor according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is an exploded view of a lifting foot pedal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] The components include: 1. Cage ladder; 2. Lifting foot pedal; 3. Power cylinder; 4. Fall arrestor; 5. Chain; 6. Guide rail groove; 7. Guide rail limit block; 8. Foot pedal pawl fall arrestor; 9. Locking pin; 10. Chain locking tooth; 11. Limiting groove; 12. Locking spoke; 13. Fall arrestor pawl; 14. "I" shaped limiting groove; 15. First hole; 16. Second hole; 17. Original vertical ladder; 18. Locking tooth pressure strip; 19. Rope; 20. Locking bolt; 21. Positioning pin; 22. Foot pedal bolt; 23. Adjusting shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] This embodiment provides an automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick, such as... Figures 1-8As shown, the system includes a cage ladder 1, a chain drive mechanism, a lifting foot pedal 2, a power cylinder 3, and a fall arrestor 4. The cage ladder 1 is located outside the original vertical ladder 17. The chain drive mechanism includes two sets of upper sprockets, lower sprockets, and chains 5. The two sets of upper sprockets and lower sprockets are respectively located on both sides of the cage ladder 1. The upper sprockets and lower sprockets are connected by chains 5. The lower sprocket is connected to a motor. The two ends of the lifting foot pedal 2 are respectively connected to the power cylinder 3. The two power cylinders 3 are respectively connected to the front ends of the two chains 5. The rear ends of the two chains 5 are respectively provided with fall arrestors 4. The power cylinder 3 on the same chain 5 is connected to the fall arrestor 4. In this embodiment, the power cylinder 3 and the fall arrestor 4 are connected by bolts and nuts. The power cylinder 3 is used to connect the lifting foot pedal 2 and the chain 5. The fall arrestor 4 rises and falls with the power cylinder 3. When the lifting foot pedal 2 suddenly falls, the fall arrestor 4 is used to lock the chain 5. In this embodiment, the motor is a high-power synchronous motor. The high-power synchronous motor is placed at the base of the cage ladder 1, and the motor rotor shaft is inserted into the center hole of the lower sprocket and connected to the lower sprocket via a key. A movable motor control panel is connected to the motor via a cable and is used to control the motor's operation. The lifting foot pedal 2 is made of high-strength carbon steel. Each lifting foot pedal 2 consists of four plates, with adjacent plates connected by foot bolts 22. The foot bolts 22 have axial inner holes and external threads for threaded connection with the lifting foot pedal 2. An adjusting shaft 23 is located within the inner hole of the foot bolt 22. The adjusting shaft 23 and the foot bolt 22 are connected by a locating pin 21. Rotating the adjusting shaft 23 causes the foot bolt 22 to rotate, thereby adjusting the spacing between adjacent plates.

[0018] Specifically, the cage ladder 1 is provided with one or more vertical guide rail grooves 6, and the lifting foot pedal 2 is provided with a guide rail limiting block 7 corresponding to the guide rail groove 6. The guide rail limiting block 7 is located in the guide rail groove 6. There can be 4 sets of guide rail grooves to ensure that the trajectory of the lifting foot pedal 2 is always in a vertical state.

[0019] Optionally, both the guide rail limiting block 7 and the guide rail groove 6 are T-shaped. The guide rail limiting block 7 is provided with a guide rail roller corresponding to the guide rail groove 6. The guide rail roller fits into the guide rail groove 6 to guide the vertical displacement of the lifting foot pedal 2, which facilitates the vertical movement of the lifting foot pedal 2.

[0020] Specifically, it also includes a footplate pawl fall arrestor 8. Each pawl of the footplate pawl fall arrestor 8 is evenly distributed on the cage ladder 1, corresponding to the lifting footplate 2. The pawls are curved upwards, and each pawl is connected in series and independently fixed in the middle of the original vertical ladder 17. One end of the pawl extends towards the lifting footplate 2, and the pawl contacts the surface of the lifting footplate 2. The pawl is connected to a hydraulic rod, which is adapted to drive the pawl to extend towards the lifting footplate 2 to lock the lifting footplate 2. Once the lifting footplate 2 suddenly falls, because the pawls are curved upwards, they can lock the unbalanced lifting footplate 2 and prevent it from falling.

[0021] Furthermore, it also includes a fall arrestor with differential speed control. The main body of the fall arrestor with differential speed control is connected to the anchor point at the top of the cage ladder 1, and the rope 19 of the fall arrestor with differential speed control is connected to the fall arrestor 4; providing double fall protection. The fall arrestor with differential speed control is a commercially available product and will not be described in detail here.

[0022] Furthermore, it also includes an emergency escape rope and a figure-eight swivel. The emergency escape rope is installed on the outside of the cage ladder 1, with its upper end connected to the top anchor point of the cage ladder 1 and its lower end extending to the deck surface. The figure-eight swivel is fitted onto the emergency escape rope. In the event of a special emergency, workers can climb out of the cage ladder 1 and use the figure-eight swivel in conjunction with the emergency escape rope to safely and quickly descend to the deck surface. The emergency escape rope and figure-eight swivel are existing technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0023] Specifically, the power cylinder 3 is a cuboid formed by six limiting plates. Multiple sets of chain locking teeth 10 and locking tooth pressure bars 18 are provided inside the power cylinder 3. One end of the chain locking tooth 10 is connected to the locking tooth pressure bar 18, and the locking tooth pressure bar 18 is installed on the power cylinder 3 via locking spokes 12 and locking pins 9. The other end of the chain locking tooth 10 is inserted into the gap of the chain 5. Limiting grooves 11 are respectively provided on the inner sides of the left and right limiting plates of the power cylinder 3. The locking tooth pressure bars 18 are inserted into the limiting grooves 11 and fixed by the locking spokes 12 and locking pins 9, thereby fixing the power cylinder 3 to the chain 5. During maintenance, the position of the locking spokes 12 can be adjusted to separate the power cylinder 3 from the chain 5. In this embodiment, ten sets of chain locking teeth 10 and locking tooth pressure bars 18 are provided inside the power cylinder 3. The chain locking teeth 10 are installed inside the power cylinder 3 via locking spokes 12 and locking pins 9. The locking spokes 12 can lock or release the chain locking teeth 10, and also cooperate with the limiting grooves 11 on the inner wall of the power cylinder 3 for installing the chain locking teeth 10, thus achieving the open and closed state of the chain locking teeth 10. The upper and lower plates of the power cylinder 3 are provided with through holes for the chain 5.

[0024] Specifically, the fall arrestor 4 is equipped with multiple sets of fall arrestor pawls 13. When the lifting foot pedal 2 rises, the chain 5 on the side of the fall arrestor 4 moves downward. Therefore, the fall arrestor pawls 13 are bent downward. When the lifting foot pedal 2 moves upward, the fall arrestor pawls 13 contact the surface of the chain 5. The fall arrestor pawls 13 do not affect the movement of the chain 5. When the lifting foot pedal 2 suddenly falls, the fall arrestor pawls 13 jam the chain 5. The upper and lower limit plates of the fall arrestor 4 are each provided with an "I"-shaped limiting groove 14. The fall arrestor pawl 13 moves within the "I"-shaped limiting groove 14 and is limited by the locking spoke 12. The upper and lower limit plates are respectively provided with two first holes 15 and two second holes 16. The first holes 15 are located inside the second holes 16. When the locking spoke 12 is located within the first hole 15, the fall arrestor pawl 13 is in contact with the surface of the chain 5, and the fall arrestor 4 is in the fall arrestor working state. When the locking spoke 12 is located within the second hole 16, the fall arrestor pawl 13 is away from the chain 5, and the fall arrestor 4 is in the fall arrestor ineffective state. The upper and lower limit plates of the fall arrestor 4 are provided with through holes for the chain 5. The side plates of the fall arrestor 4 are connected by locking bolts 20.

[0025] In this embodiment, the fall arrestor cylinder 4 is equipped with thirty-six sets of fall arrestor pawls 13. These pawls can move within the "I"-shaped limiting grooves and are limited by the locking spokes 12. The fall arrestor cylinder 4 is connected to the power cylinder 3 via locking bolts and nuts. The fall arrestor cylinder 4 is equipped with ear plates, through which the rope 19 of the fall arrestor speed differential controller passes and connects to the fall arrestor cylinder 4. When the fall arrestor pawls 13 are in operation, they are limited by the "I"-shaped limiting grooves at the upper and lower ends of the fall arrestor cylinder 4 and the locking spokes 12, thus adhering to the chain 5. Once the power cylinder 3 slips, the fall arrestor cylinder 4 moves downward relative to the chain 5. Because the fall arrestor pawls 13 inside the fall arrestor cylinder 4 are bent downward, the pawls can tighten the chain 5 in time, preventing the lifting foot pedal 2 from suddenly falling.

[0026] It also includes chain tensioning bolts and nuts; the chain tensioning bolts and nuts are used to adjust the tension of chain 5. The chain tensioning bolts and nuts are existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0027] The implementation process of this device includes six steps. First: Manually rotate the sprocket to observe whether the chain 5 slides smoothly. Then check whether the locking pin 9 and the limiting groove 11 are in place. Insert the ten sets of chain locking teeth 10 inside the power cylinder 3 into the gap of the chain 5, and then lock them using the locking pin 9 and locking spokes 12 to fix the lifting foot pedal 2 to the chain 5. Simultaneously check the fall arrestor 4 to ensure that the ten sets of fall arrestor pawls 13 are in contact with the chain 5. Second: Attach the fall arrestor speed difference controller hook to the ear plate of the fall arrestor 4 and test that the fall arrestor speed difference controller is usable. Third: Adjust the distance between the power cylinder 3 and the fall arrestor 4 by tightening the bolts and nuts used to connect the power cylinder 3 and the fall arrestor 4, so that the downward pressure distance of the chain 5 is about 5cm. Fourth: After the operator steps onto the lifting foot pedal 2, hold the movable motor control panel and start the motor. Fifth: If you want to descend to the deck, insert the locking spoke 12 into the second hole 16 to disengage the pawl in the fall arrestor 4 from the chain 5; and trigger the hydraulic lever switch of the pawl fall arrestor 8 to retract the pawl away from the side of the lifting foot pedal 2, so that the lifting foot pedal 2 slowly descends with the chain 5; Sixth: In case of motor failure or fire, explosion or other danger at the wellhead, immediately step out of the cage ladder 1 and use the emergency escape rappelling rope and figure-eight ring to quickly descend to the deck.

[0028] In summary, the automatic lifting and emergency escape device for a vertical cage ladder on an offshore derrick provided in this embodiment comprises a motor, a movable motor control panel and cables, chains, sprockets, lifting foot pedals, guide rollers and guide grooves of the foot pedals, forming a lifting and descent power system. The power cylinder enables vertical displacement of personnel on the lifting foot pedals, reducing physical exertion. The fall arrestor, foot pedal pawl, and fall arrestor differential controller prevent accidental falls when the lifting device suddenly fails. The emergency escape rope and figure-eight ring enable personnel to quickly escape the cage ladder and safely descend back to the deck in emergencies. This application can lift personnel to the second-level platform of the derrick for work even in adverse sea conditions and weather. It not only saves the physical strength of workers but also provides multiple fall protections and emergency escape tools, ultimately improving production efficiency and safety.

[0029] It should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, the technical or scientific terms used in this application should have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0030] Furthermore, the terms "a," "two," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of the present invention. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from a vertical cage ladder on an offshore derrick, characterized in that, The system includes a cage ladder, a chain drive mechanism, lifting foot pedals, a power cylinder, and a fall arrestor. The cage ladder is located outside the original vertical ladder. The chain drive mechanism includes two sets of upper sprockets, lower sprockets, and chains. The two sets of upper and lower sprockets are located on both sides of the cage ladder and are connected by chains. The lower sprocket is connected to a motor. The lifting foot pedal is located between the two chains, and both ends of the lifting foot pedal are connected to the power cylinders. The two power cylinders are connected to the front ends of the two chains, and fall arrestors are located at the rear ends of the two chains. The power cylinders on the same chain are connected to the fall arrestors. The power cylinders are used to connect the lifting foot pedals and the chains. The fall arrestors rise and fall with the power cylinders. When the lifting foot pedals suddenly fall, the fall arrestors are used to catch the chains.

2. The automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cage ladder is provided with one or more vertical guide rail grooves, and the lifting foot pedal is provided with a guide rail limiting block corresponding to the guide rail groove. The guide rail limiting block is located in the guide rail groove.

3. The automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Both the guide rail limiting block and the guide rail groove are T-shaped.

4. The automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a footplate pawl fall arrestor, wherein each pawl of the footplate pawl fall arrestor is evenly distributed on the cage ladder corresponding to the lifting footplate, the pawl is bent upward and in contact with the surface of the lifting footplate, the pawl is connected to a hydraulic rod, and the hydraulic rod is adapted to drive the pawl to extend to the side of the lifting footplate to lock the lifting footplate.

5. The automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a fall arrestor with a differential speed control device. The main body of the fall arrestor with a differential speed control device is connected to the anchor point at the top of the cage ladder, and the rope of the fall arrestor with a differential speed control device is connected to the fall arrestor.

6. The automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an emergency escape rope and a figure-eight loop. The emergency escape rope is set on the outside of the cage ladder. The upper end of the emergency escape rope is connected to the anchor point at the top of the cage ladder, and the lower end of the emergency escape rope extends to the deck plane. The figure-eight loop is fitted onto the emergency escape rope.

7. The automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The power cylinder is equipped with multiple sets of chain locking teeth and locking tooth pressure bars. One end of the chain locking teeth is connected to the locking tooth pressure bars, and the locking tooth pressure bars are installed on the power cylinder through locking spokes and locking pins. The other end of the chain locking teeth is inserted into the chain gap.

8. The automatic lifting and emergency escape device for preventing falls from the vertical cage ladder of an offshore derrick as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fall arrestor is equipped with multiple sets of fall arresting pawls inside. The fall arresting pawls are bent downwards. When the lifting foot pedal moves upwards, the fall arresting pawls contact the chain surface. When the lifting foot pedal suddenly falls, the fall arresting pawls lock the chain. The upper limit plate and lower limit plate of the fall arrestor are respectively provided with "I"-shaped limiting grooves. The fall arresting pawls move within the "I"-shaped limiting grooves and are limited by the locking spokes. The upper limit plate and lower limit plate are respectively provided with two first holes and two second holes. The first holes are located inside the second holes. When the locking spokes are located in the first hole, the fall arresting pawls are in contact with the chain surface, and the fall arrestor is in the fall arresting working state. When the locking spokes are located in the second hole, the fall arresting pawls are away from the chain, and the fall arrestor is in the fall arresting ineffective state.

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