Automatic Slip Setting Apparatus for Tubular Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for accurate and automated systems to determine when elevator slips are properly positioned relative to a joint of pipe in wellbore operations, to prevent damage to rigs and injury to personnel, especially when dealing with heavy pipe strings and irregular pipe sections like drill collars.
Innovation Solution
The development of a slip setting system that includes a spider assembly with a yoke and lever arm assembly to automatically engage and lock slips around a tubular member, and a safety clamp apparatus to force slips against the pipe, along with signaling mechanisms to indicate proper engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual operation of slips is used, then ease of operation is maintained, but reliability is reduced due to human error in positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the pipe itself to trigger the slip engagement through its own movement. As the pipe is lowered, it automatically actuates the lever arm mechanism, which in turn engages the slips without requiring external automated positioning systems. The pipe's descent motion serves as the triggering mechanism for the entire slip engagement process.
Solution Approach 2:
A lever arm assembly acts as an intermediary between the pipe and the slip mechanism. The lever arm translates the vertical motion of the pipe into horizontal motion that engages the slips. This mechanical intermediary converts the pipe's downward movement into the appropriate slip engagement action without requiring complex automated control systems.
2Productivity
If automated slip engagement is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slips are pre-positioned in an open state within the spider assembly, ready for engagement. The lever arm mechanism is pre-configured to automatically trigger slip closure when the pipe reaches the correct position. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid automated engagement without complex real-time control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic mechanical linkages where the lever arm moves from a raised position to a lowered position as the pipe descends. This dynamic motion automatically triggers the slip engagement sequence, converting the pipe's vertical descent into horizontal slip actuation through purely mechanical means.
3Reliability
If slips are forced against pipe with safety clamp, then reliability is improved, but force required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety clamp uses a curved or cam-shaped surface to force the slips against the pipe. The cam action provides mechanical advantage, allowing the clamp to generate high radial forces on the slips using moderate actuating force. The curved geometry converts linear clamp motion into radial forcing motion that securely engages the slips against the pipe surface.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatus and methods are usable for automatically engaging and setting slips of an automatic slip setting apparatus about a tubular, when the automatic slip setting apparatus is properly positioned relative to a desired section of the tubular for gripping, lifting and/or holding, and installing and/or removing the tubular, in or out from a wellbore, while preventing slippage and/or dropping of the tubular. The automatic slip setting apparatus is usable with an elevator or spider assembly, each comprising a main body having a central opening extending therethrough, a plurality of slips, and a yoke. An arm assembly, connected to the elevator or spider assembly, moves when contacted by a tubular moving through the central opening, and a latching member, which is connected to the yoke, can be moved by the arm assembly, thereby causing the plurality of slips to move to a closed position for gripping the tubular.