Drilling Rig Fingerboard With Movable Panel And Latch
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fingerboards on drilling rigs pose difficulties for derrickmen to manually rack and unrack tubulars due to the latches, which obstruct movement across the fingerboard.
Innovation Solution
A fingerboard design featuring laterally offset fingers with a slot between them, incorporating a latch and panel system. The latch actuates from an open to a closed position to secure tubulars, while the panel actuates to provide a surface across the slot, allowing safe passage for derrickmen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If latches are installed on the fingerboard to secure tubulars, then the reliability of securing tubulars is improved, but the ease of operation for derrickmen to manually rack and unrack tubulars deteriorates due to obstruction by latches
Solution Approach 1:
The latch is designed to be movable between a first position that obstructs the slot and a second position that clears the slot. The latch can be manually actuated by derrickmen to transition between these positions, allowing them to move freely across the fingerboard when needed while maintaining security when the latch is in the first position.
Solution Approach 2:
A link mechanism serves as an intermediary between the latch and the derrickman's manual operation. The link connects the latch to a manual actuation point, allowing derrickmen to easily move the latch between positions without directly manipulating the latch itself, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining the reliability function.
2Reliability
If latches are positioned to secure tubulars effectively, then the reliability of tubular containment is improved, but the safety of derrickmen walking on the fingerboard deteriorates due to tripping hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The latch transitions from a static obstructing position to a dynamic movable position. When derrickmen need to walk across the fingerboard, the latch can be moved to a second position that clears the slot, eliminating the tripping hazard while maintaining tubular containment capability when the latch returns to the first position.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch is pre-positioned in the first position to secure tubulars before derrickmen approach. When derrickmen need to cross, the latch is manually actuated in advance to move to the second position, clearing the path safely before they begin walking, thereby eliminating the tripping hazard.
3Device complexity
If the fingerboard uses a simple latch mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation for manual handling deteriorates due to difficulty in moving over the fingerboard
Solution Approach 1:
A link mechanism acts as an intermediary that connects the simple latch to a manual actuation point. This link allows derrickmen to easily move the latch between positions with minimal effort, improving ease of operation without requiring a complex mechanism, as the link simply transmits the manual motion to the latch.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to move between a first position for securing tubulars and a second position for clearing the slot. This dynamic behavior is achieved through a simple manual actuation mechanism rather than a complex automated system, maintaining low device complexity while significantly improving ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A fingerboard includes a first finger and a second finger that are laterally offset from one another. A slot is defined between the first and second fingers. The fingerboard also includes a latch coupled to the first finger and configured to actuate from an open latch position into a closed latch position, and a panel coupled to the first finger and configured to actuate from an open panel position into a closed panel position. A tubular member in the slot prevents the panel from actuating into the closed panel position. The latch in the open latch position prevents the panel from actuating into the closed panel position. The panel in the closed panel position extends laterally between the first finger and the second finger so as to provide a surface across the slot.