Power Tong Gear Train with Replaceable Roller Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power tongs face issues with gear tooth wear leading to increased vibration and noise, and under high load conditions, open throat tongs can experience torque loss due to structural weaknesses, requiring expensive gear replacement and manual operation for throat adjustment.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of removable and replaceable roller tooth elements in the gear train, along with a remotely operable mechanism for the ring gear section, allowing for hands-free operation and preventing ring gear spreading under load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conventional gear teeth are used in the gear train, then the gear structure is simple and continuous, but the gear teeth wear over time causing increased vibration and noise, requiring expensive replacement of entire gears
Solution Approach 1:
The gear teeth are segmented into individual roller tooth elements that can be independently removed and replaced. Each roller tooth element is a separate component that engages with the gear teeth through a recess, allowing selective replacement of worn rollers without replacing the entire gear assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear teeth geometry is modified to include recesses that accommodate the roller tooth elements. The mating gears are designed with complementary tooth and tooth root shapes, including generally semi-circular tooth root shapes, to properly engage with the roller elements.
2Ease of operation
If open throat tong configuration is used, then operational convenience is improved by allowing the tong to open up around the tubular, but the ring gear and housing can open up or spread under high load conditions resulting in loss of transmitted torque
Solution Approach 1:
The ring gear is designed with a removable section that can be selectively taken out to open the throat. When the removable section is in place, it maintains the structural integrity and prevents spreading under high load conditions, ensuring stable torque transmission.
3Productivity
If manual manipulation of the door is required to open/close the throat, then the mechanism is simple, but efficiency and safety issues arise due to personnel intervention requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical operation of the door is replaced with a remotely operable power means. This power means can be hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric, allowing the door to be opened and closed without direct personnel intervention, thereby improving efficiency and safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A power tong unit having a gear train in which one or more of the gears in the gear train have removable and replacement roller tooth elements, in lieu of conventional gear teeth. In one embodiment, the ring gear and pinion gears have roller tooth elements, and idler gears disposed between the ring gear and pinion gears, have a semi-circular tooth root profile to mesh with the roller element gear teeth. The ring gear of the power tong unit may also have a removable section. A means for removing the removable section from the ring gear, and moving it to a position in which a tubular can be inserted into a central opening in the ring gear, may include a hydraulic cylinder, a clamping mechanism, and a cam surface to generate rotation of the removable section once lifted out of engagement with the ring gear.